Better Days.

"People say you should always be punctual but I disagree. You should know when to be punctual and when not to be, " Kazeem said as he ruffled Kunle's hair with his hand.

"Stop treating me like I'm a kid, Kaz, "  Kunle reacted.

"Oh but you're my kid brother, aren't you? You need to move your ass or you'll miss the bus..." He spread his arms, turned to Shola and Shade, and they all chorused:

"Again!"

"I'm not going say anything to that and don't you have to get to school too?" He blurted at Shola and Shade.

"Well, our school is just around the corner, it's not as far as yours is, " Shade replied.

Shola kept mouthing the lyrics of a rap song and paid no attention to the conversation. A car zooming halted at the front of the house and they heard the door open. Kazeem picked up his Glock G19 and went to the window. They all moved away from the windows like Kazeem had taught them to do, whenever they hear a random vehicle park in front of the house. It could have been the police although the gang had police protection there's no saying when such protection expires. It also could have been hitters from rival gangs.

Kazeem had risen up the gang's hierarchy and he led his own crew, this meant more exposure and danger for him.

"It's cool. It's just Samson and Dede, " he placed the gun on the table and opened the door. The two men entered both dressed in black and red.

Samson was a large, muscular man who didn't talk much but Dede was short, chubby, and wouldn't shut up.

"Hey boss, " Samson greeted and sat down on the couch.

"Hey, kids! I smell something delicious, " Dede chuckled as he went straight to the dining table and started going through the food.

"I'm off to school, " Kunle went out the door and started running towards the bus stop.

By the time he got there, the bus was already leaving, and he couldn't catch up to it.

"Shit!" He yelled. He started walking towards the closest streetcar station. When he got there it was almost late, he was the last to get in the car.

He sat down beside a girl but paid little to no attention to her. He opened up his diary and started writing.

"Is that a diary? I have one too." A soft girly voice asked it was the girl beside him.

He looked up and she was in the same uniform as he was. She was so beautiful he couldn't make himself answer her question. He just kept staring with his mouth half-open.

"Is something wrong with my uniform? I just got it. It's my first day, you see?" She said with a smile.

He finally forced some words out of his mouth. "Oh, you're not from around here, are you?" He asked.

"No, I'm not, how could you tell?" She replied.

"You don't look like someone from around here, you look like someone from uptown," he smiled back.

"Oh... My name is Titi, by the way."

"I'm Kunle, " he replied.

They chatted throughout the ride and he found out that she had just moved into the country to stay with her father from the U.S. when her mother died. The streetcar stopped and then they went their separate ways.

He got to class and his worst nightmare came true. The first period was still on and the Math teacher was still teaching. He and Mr. Andrews the math teacher never agreed because the teacher thought he acted like he knew everything and that made him give him extra work.

"It's so generous of you, Mr. Badur to finally join us, " Mr. Andrews said and stared at him from under his large glasses.

"I missed my bus, " he tried to explain.

"You always miss your bus, Kunle. It would only surprise me if you didn't. You are smart but being smart alone is not enough. You have to work hard or all that smartness would go to waste." 

"I am trying, sir, " he retorted.

"Try harder!" Mr. Andrews blurted.

"Okay, sir, he replied."

"See me after the class for your punishment, you can sit now."

He couldn't concentrate on the class, anticipating what punishment the strict teacher was going to give him. Immediately after the class, he left for Mr. Andrews's office.

"Oh Mr. Badur, I've been waiting for you, " Mr. Andrews said.

"I had to..." He started to explain his lateness but the teacher wasn't interested.

Yes of course you have an excuse. Anyway, this is Miss Sarumky and you're going to be both her guide and tutor for the semester. She just got here and I'm sure she's got some catching up to do.

Kunle turned to his right and he was surprised to see that there was another person in the room. He had blocked her out because of how anxious he was.

He looked to his right and there she was, smiling as she did earlier.

"Hello, Titi, " he smiled back.

"Hello, Kunle," she replied.

"Do you guys know each other?" Mr. Andrews asked.

"Yes they," both answered.

"Well, that's should make your work easier then, Mr. Badur, "  he waved his hands, signaling them to leave his office.

They both went out of the office, smiling.

"What are the odds?" Titi mumbled.

"Well, I'm happy I got you and not another boring person, " he replied and smiled.

"Yeah, me too."

He took her around the school premises, showing her everywhere and they finally arrived at the gates after closing for the day. They started walking to the streetcar station together, the bus was already full.

"So where do you stay, Mr. Badur?" she asked jokingly.

"Taiwos avenue, " he answered.

"Really? I have a friend there, Reina Taiwo is her name."

"You're friends with the Taiwos? You must be rich. Where do you stay? " he asked.

"I stay uptown," she answered reluctantly.

"Wait...your surname is Sarumky, the Sarumky?"

"Yes, is that a problem?" she asked

"No, why would there be?" he responded.

"But why aren't you going to one of those really expensive schools meant for rich people?" he asked and smiled.

"Well, I like being among normal people once in a while." She chuckled.

A big jeep stopped beside them and a large man in a black suit came out.

"Hello Miss Sarumky, are you being bothered?" he asked.

"No, Sanusi, he's my friend and I'd like you to give him one of those invitation cards for Daddy's party," she ordered.

Sanusi went into the jeep like a robot and emerged with an invitation card.

"You should come to the party on Saturday, and...let us talk about my tutoring and some other things, " she smiled and got into the jeep.

He continued walking to the station, smiling dreamily, not aware of the person following him. He felt a hand suddenly grab him from the back. He was so shocked that he dropped the card he was holding. He looked back and it was Chuks with the normal indifferent look he always had.

"What the hell, Chuks? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he blurted.

Chuks just shook his head and continued walking. Kunle noticed he was wearing a Japanese katana around his back.

"Where did you find a katana and why are you following me?" he asked.

Chuks signaled to him that he had been told to guard him by Kazeem.

"So you're guarding me with a Japanese sword?"

Chuks just kept walking.

They got to the station and there was a queue. Chuks cuts through the queue and signaled Kunle to come in with him.

He heard one of the people say "it's that fucking mute again."

They both got in first and when the car started to move Kunle asked him what was wrong. He signaled war.