Chapter 4: Dog days.

   

SS3.

The sun was glaring brightly, the concrete floor outside the hostel was extremely dry, causing its colour to appear a muted grey, a drop of water fell on it producing sizzling sounds. 

The inside of the hostel was stifling, causing sweat to flow down the bodies of its inhabitants and making them cry out in agony for a gust of wind, a sudden downpour, or for the power company to bring light, the latter being the most unlikely.

The girls of  Anike house were lounging on the veranda, some on mattresses, some at the doors, others on the concrete fences and even more were on their beds within the hostel but without a doubt, they all tried their utmost best to wear the bearest minimum.

 Some wore simple underwear, others wore bum shorts and bra tops, while most seniors like Lola chose to leave their upper body bare.

As they looked across the common ground, they saw that the same situation was occurring in the other 4 hostels. Finally, the power holding company decided to take pity on them and brought the light, "UP NEPAAAAAA*!!!" Jubilant shouts echoed in the various hostels. 

The fans started twirling and the ACs started working, the seniors immediately fighting for space under the fans and ACs as well as bunks being adjusted to the prized relief spots. 

After a while, it was obvious that the cooling devices did little to reduce the heat and many regretted leaving their shaded spots on the veranda as the spots ended up being occupied by others.

"Senior Lola! Senior Lola, senior Amandi said I should call you!" All heads swivelled in the direction of the little girl shouting, some people even started shaking their heads in pity for her. 

"Who's that one that's raising head like an agama lizard, shouting senior Lola, senior Lola from the common ground* like someone that doesn't have home training? Will you come here, my friend!

Ahan, see this fool oo, is it because I added my friend that you think it's a suggestion? If I count to 10 and you are not here, I promise to give you a baptism of slaps that I'm sure you've never received in your life.1 -" A girl from Moremi hostel could be seen shouting from the steps at the entrance.

The little girl barely managed to reach the position of the senior at the count of  9, after running like her life depended on it, because it did, "Senior, you called me." The junior girl managed to reply, in between puffs of breath with her hands on her knees and her body hunched over.

"Will you stand up straight! How old are you that you were shouting your senior's name like that?" The hostel prefect put her hands on her hips as she thundered at the junior girl.

"I'm sorry senior, it's because I didn't know the hostel of the person they asked me to call." The little girl couldn't even look the senior directly in the eye and as her eyes landed on her senior's singlet clad chest she quickly shifted her gaze and looked sheepishly at the floor.

 She was like a little mouse in front of a lion. What made the situation more comical was that the senior was shorter than the girl by at least a good 5 inches.

"See your mouth like did not know, you can not ask the person that sent you message, abi you did not know that it's your SP's* name that you were shouting anyhow!"She continued to eye the girl as she shouted at her. 

The junior girl knelt on the floor with a bang and started begging while trembling.

"Oh-oh,  so now that you heard SP you know fear abi? It's not me you're meant to be begging, go and meet your Senior Prefect there." Titi pointed across the common ground to Anike house. 

The junior girl half crawled on her hands and knees not even caring if her hostel wear got dirty, if she had offended the sp girl, she would really be in dire straits.

 She was still on her knees when she started begging. "I'M VERY SORRY SENIOR, I swear I did not know." Tears and mucus had already started running down her face, the person lying in front of her could make her life hell on earth without even lifting a finger, 

She was someone who was the head of all the prefects and ruled over 500+ students. She could not afford to offend her. She tried to get a good look at the SP's face but the decor on the barricade half obstructed her senior's face.

"Stand up, just make sure you don't make that mistake again. Always try to get the full information when you are sent ok? Why are you still crying in front of me? 

I'm not a monster so I don't understand why you are behaving like I'm about to kill you. Stand up, go and get yourself cleaned up." Lola stood up with her lips pursed as she went to dress up.

"Thank you so much senior Lola, thank you so much"The junior girl finally stood up once Lola had left. As she walked back to her hostel building she made sure to memorise that name and face.

"Ahan, this one that sp did not react, what's up now?" one of the ss2 girls asked her friend sitting beside her. 

"See this mumu* oo, you did not hear the name Amandi,abi eti e ti di ni*? Anyway, I don't blame you, when you don't have any important friends how will you hear vital gist.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Any informed person," the friend eyed the one who had asked the question, "knows that the name Amandi is a 1 time get out of jail FREE card, that is to be used in truly endangering situations.

It's a pity that little girl has already used up her one chance. Sigh." She shook her head in pity for the clueless little girl who had just lost her life-saving grace. 

"Which one is my ear has block? It's your ear that will block in Jesus name!" The first girl retorted. 

"Are you mad, which kind curse be that? I was just asking you a question ni. Why did you now start swearing for me? 

This is why I don't like talking to you, small thing you'll start cursing somebody. Besides which one is in Jesus name again, are you not a Muslim?" Girl 2 asked angrily.

"Leave that one alone first and you are the one that is mad." Girl 1 stated while trying to pull her friend closer.

 "Me, I sha know that I am not mad oo, it's your family that is mad" Girl 2 replied while crossing her arms and moving away.

 "God forbid," Girl 1 snapped her fingers after moving her arm over her head, "Wo see, I don't even want to start arguing with you, finish the gist jare. You were talking about something?" She replied and settled down closer to her friend. 

"Amandi oo, better remember the name well because it can only save you once. Once you use your chance that's all, pish, into thin air." Explained Girl 2 while demonstrating with her hands in the air. 

"Ahan*, but how will she know that someone has mentioned the name before now? Abi has she memorised the faces of the almost 500 girls living in this hostel? When she's not a witch." Girl  1 asked perplexed.

 "Ah! Will you keep quiet! It seems that I truly cannot be friends with you oo." exclaimed the second girl while looking around. 

"Ahan, isn't that too harsh?" Girl 1 questioned.

 "It's not oo, it isn't at all. Before you pull me down with this your ignorance.Something that's like an open secret in their year. Everybody knows that Lola has a photographic memory or at least something similar to it. It's just that she's never confirmed it. 

So if you like be there thinking you can trick her, sha know that if you try it, I will just sever all ties with you. Be calling her a witch there. If she comes I will just vamoose from here."The second girl informed her friend while patting her chest as she led her into the hostel.

"God saved you that nobody heard you. Let's go and get ready for afternoon prep." She sighed in relief.

 "Thank you so much for telling me ore mi*. That's why I have you now, you are my important friend." Girl 1 smiled as she hugged her friend's arm cutely.

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Amandi.

"Amandi, what's up? Why did you call me? I hope you weren't waiting for too long?" Lola sat on one of the chairs beside him and rested her head on Amandi's shoulder while stifling a yawn.

"Not too long, you heartless girl. There was nothing in particular, I just wanted to gist with you." I smiled down at her. "How was chapel?"

"See the way you are asking like you were not there? Abi you didn't go?"She looked at him with raised brows. "You have turned into a bad schild." She shook her head with her lips tilted slightly upwards.

"Yup, you made me bad." I interlinked our fingers."So tell me all about it, was it interesting? Or just normal?"

"It was normal, only the praise was lit sha. Trust Shewa, she was just giving it to us back to back." She adjusted her position and laid her head down on my lap. "It's too hot, I'm tired of talking. You talk instead."She suggested.

"What do you want me to talk about?"I relinked our hands and adjusted my position to ensure that she was comfortable when I saw how she kept readjusting. 

My features visibly softened as I looked down at her with a smile in my eyes, looking completely besotted.

"Anything, I just want to hear your voice." She smiled as she opened her eyes to look at him.

My expression changed and became guarded immediately when I saw her eyes flutter. "Ok, should I continue telling you about  Yoruba goddesses? I remember I didn't finish last time. "I helped her adjust her braids and started massaging her scalp.

She let out a moan of pleasure. "Fine, you can't blame me if I fall asleep with you touching my hair like that. In case I fall asleep,sha don't forget to wake me up for lunch."She closed her eyes again and settled down.

"If you're tired, sleep. I won't blame you. Since I can't remember who I stopped at, I'll just start with Osun today, since your state is named after her. Is that ok with you?" I peered down at her whilst tracing the lines of her braids.

"Hmmn." She made a sound of assent and turned her head towards my torso.

        

"So you know Osun is the river goddess and is known as the goddess of water love, fertility, sensuality and purity.

As one of the original 17 orishas*, she first met with humans in Osogbo, the capital of your state and promised provision, answered prayers, and her protection if they would worship her dutifully. 

And that was the origin of the Osun festival. She is known as a goddess who not only gives life but also takes it, her waters-"I continued telling her about all the information I had crammed the night before. 

I know she doesn't really know many facts about her culture and hometown due to her having lived in Lagos most of her life, being sheltered and her parents having no time to educate her.

I stopped speaking once I heard her even breathing and leaned my head back while closing my eyes even as I continued to massage her scalp.

I knew she would never admit it but it was obvious that the senior prefect role was taking its toll on her. She was busy every single moment of the day and when she was meant to be resting, she had nightmares instead. 

And the hate she had been getting certainly wasn't helping, those junior girls didn't know that she was the only thing standing between them and heartbreak. 

Length of relationships, the bases they would reach, or even how many girls they could string along were being bet on, with at least 70% of the senior boys either betting on or carrying out the bets. 

But they would rather hate on her for not allowing them to loiter around the boy's prep hall, hang around in dark corners surrounded by senior boys. Or horror of horrors forcing them to read. But despite my distress, I'm proud of what she's achieved.

"Awwnnn, they make such a cute couple." whispered one of the passing students.

I love comments like that. I would love it even better if it were true. Sigh.

I looked up sharply when I heard incoming footsteps.

"There's my girl. Hey Amandi." Ronald greeted me gruffly while kissing her forehead," Why is she draped all over you?" He stepped back and eyed them weirdly.

Ronald and I are friends but it's times like these that I wish Ronald didn't exist."Dude chillax.* It's nothing, she's just tired." I held her more possessively once it appeared that Ronald wanted to take her away.

"You don't want to move her, she just started napping. What if you wake her up?" 𝕐𝕦𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕜𝕤, 𝕀'𝕞 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕤 𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕤𝕝𝕖𝕖𝕡. 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠 𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖, 𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝.

𝕎𝕙𝕠 𝕒𝕞 𝕀 𝕜𝕚𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘? 𝕀'𝕞 𝕤𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕕.

GLOSSARY:

NEPA: Former name for the power holding company of Nigeria.

Common ground: So at Lola's school, Triple C High, there are 5 hostels for each gender. Female hostels are Anike(Lola's hostel), Moremi(Titi's hostel),Amina(Bisola's hostel), Chioma and Zulu Sofola. Male hostels are Oduduwa, Bayajidda(Hasan's hostel),Eri(Amandi's hostel),Awolowo(Dotun's hostel) and Azikwe(Ronald's hostel). They are named after influential figures who played a pivotal part in Nigeria's history. The five hostels are shaped like a pentagon and the common ground is the meeting point of the divided structures, it is shared by all the students.

SP: Senior prefect.

Mumu: Dumb person.

Eti e ti di ni?: Has your ear blocked?

Ahan: Just a slang used to exclaim.

Ore mi: My friend.

Orisha: Diety.

Chillax: Chill.

Here are some more depictions of the goddess Osun.