Chapter 9

The next day, Richard was sitting in a lecture theatre waiting for his lecturer to come. He had been sitting there for the past hour going through his book. At about 10 am, the rest of the students started rushing into the lecture theatre indicating the arrival of the lecturer had arrived. He gathered all the books he was reading and put them in the bag that was beside him. When he looked up, he unexpectedly saw Janet .

The moment he saw her, he felt so warm in his heart like never before. He kept staring at her and couldn't take his eyes off her. More than ever, he wanted to speak to her. When she got close to him, she smiled at him and waved. Richard was so happy and didn't know how he could respond to her. She passed him and proceeded to seats at the extreme of the hall and sat down.

All that Richard wished for was for the lecture to finish so he could talk to her. Throughout during the lecture, he kept turning back to look at her to the extent that the lecturer noticed him.

"Is there anything at the back that we should know of?" The lecturer asked as he walked to Richard who was sitting in the front row.

"No sir," Richard smiled.

"Pleased concentrate, this is unlike you," the lecturer said and turned and walked back to the stage and continued his lecture.

After the lecture was over, all the students started leaving the lecture theatre. Richard was sitting in the front waiting for Janet . She was united with her friends and they talked and laughed as they walked to leave the hall. When they got to where Richard was, he stood up and approached them. "Hey Janet ," Richard said. "Hey Richard, give me a minute," she replied and they proceeded to their class representative who was by standing by the entrance of the lecture theatre. Janet and her friends laughed as their class representative talked to them. Even though Richard was dying to talk to her, he instantly felt that she needed to be left alone. He proceeded to his bag and took his bag and headed to out of the lecture theatre. As he was walking, his head was filled with words he couldn't say. Even though he tried to act normal, he was deeply hurt inside him. He thought the night they shared meant something to her, but the way she acted made him thought otherwise.

As he was about to leave their faculty, he heard someone calling him. He turned and noticed that it was Janet . He stopped walking and waited for and her friends to get where he was. "You guys should go ahead first," Janet said to her friends.

"Alright, you should meet us in Auditorium when you are done," one of the girls said. 

"So, how are you doing?" she asked Richard. 

"I am doing well I guess," Richard responded. 

"What's with the long face? Is something wrong?" she asked when she noticed no sign of smile on his face.

"Nothing is wrong, I was told that I long more handsome when I make a long face," Richard replied. 

"Whoever the hell told you that is a terrible lair," Janet laughed.

When Richard saw her laughing, it made him forgot about short moment of heartbreak he had. 

"Oh really? I bet you don't just don't want to admit to the fact that I am handsome like that," Richard smiled. "Alright make that face again let me take your photo. You will be a better judge to yourself more than anyone," Janet said as she brought out her phone.

"That won't be necessary," Richard responded. 

"By the way, why didn't I see you yesterday?" Richard continued by asking. 

"I caught a terrible cold from the previous rain," Janet responded.

"Oh that's bad, I hope you are feeling better now?" Richard asked.

"Much better, I can say I'm healthier than you," Janet winked.

"I hope what you said is true," Richard smiled back. 

"The last I fell sick was almost 4 years ago," Richard answered. 

"Really? As far as could remember, there has never been a day I am completely healthy. I have been sick since my birth," Janet revealed as she stopped smiling. 

"What has been bothering you?" Richard asked. 

"When I was a baby, I took an overdose of drugs that was meant for adults. I miraculously survived as it affected my liver, heart and kidneys," Janet divulged.

When Richard heard that, he became terribly shocked. 

"I hope you are all better now?" He asked curiously. 

"Actually not," Janet responded. 

"If were you, I will be very serious with my life. I will avoid anything that will make fall sick, including not been caught in the rain like the day before yesterday," Richard said. 

"Do you mean I shouldn't have fun just because I am sick? Everybody dies eventually. So why shouldn't I enjoy while I'm still alive? I know of many people who are healthier than I and they die at a very young age. One should not live a sad life because of fear of death; one should live happily because life is precious. It doesn't matter how long you live your life, what matters is how happy you live your life," Janet stated.

Richard became speechless and couldn't say a word. He just kept staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Are you feeling sorry for me because I'm sick? You better not be, because I hate those who feel sorry for me," Janet said as she frown her face.

"I am not feeling sorry for you, I just wish I could be as confident and optimistic as you are," Richard smiled.

"Please don't say that," Janet said as she started walking. 

"Walk me to auditorium, I will meet my friends there," Janet continued. "Alright then" Richard said as he started walking beside her.

"I love your clock by the way," he said referring to the wrist watch she wore. "Clock?" she asked confusingly. 

"Yes that thing on your hand that you use for timing," Richard smiled. 

"Oh do you mean my watch?" she asked after looking at her hand. 

"No, that's too big to be considered a wrist watch " Richard teased. 

"What? In case you don't know, this is the latest wrist watch that ladies wear. But you will never know because you don't have a girlfriend," Janet teased back. 

"If I have a girlfriend, she won't wear clocks like this on her hand. Isn't it heavy for you? I wonder how you even manage to lift your arm with such heavy object attached to it," Richard said. 

"Enough with the sarcasm Richard," Janet said after she stopped laughing.

They got where her friends at the auditorium which was located at the extreme of the faculty. 

"Alright Richard, we will talk later," Janet said as she walked to the auditorium. 

"Hey Janet !" Richard called her. 

"Yes!" she answered after she stopped walking and looking back. 

"Your clock looks beautiful on you," Richard smiled. 

"Thank you," she smiled back and continued walking. She entered the auditorium while Richard turned and walked back to their faculty. When he arrived at their faculty, he met Prof. Grace heading to her car. "Good afternoon Ma'am," he greeted her.

"Good afternoon how are you?" She requested. "I am doing well," Richard replied. 

"Can you do me a favour?" She asked. "Yes I can," Richard replied confidently. 

"I want you to take my car and go Rebecca's school and pay her school fees. I've been caught up with work and I don't have free a time," she requested.

"That won't be a problem," Richard answered. He received the money from her and her car's key. He walked happily to the car because he had long wished to drive in cars like that, it was the most expensive car in the whole faculty.

He entered the car and drove to Rebecca's school. On his way to the school, people kept looking at him as he drove in the , that made wish he owned a car like that. He parked the car in the parking space that made guest at Rebecca's school. He met an old man who happened to be the security guard of the school at the entrance of the school.

"Good afternoon sir," he greeted him. "Good afternoon," the old man replied. 

"Please sir, I come to pay the school fees of one of your students," Richard revealed.

"Alright, go that office over there, they will attend to you," the old man pointed.

"Thank you sir," Richard appreciated and walked to the office.

"Good afternoon Sir," Richard greeted the man he met in the office. "Good afternoon how are you sir?" the replied. 

"I am doing quite well sir," Richard responded. 

"How may I help you?" The man asked. 

"I come to pay the school fees of one of your students," Richard responded. "Who is the student?" the man asked. "Her name is Rebecca; she is the daughter of Prof. Grace ," Richard answered.

"Oh I know her, let me have the money," the man requested. Richard handed him the money after which he was given a receipt for the payment.

He walked out of the office in an attempt to find Rebecca's class and give her the receipt. He met a girl and asked her for Rebecca's which she showed him close to the fence by the right side of the school gate. As he walked to the class, he was reminded of his secondary school. The building was very similar to his previous school. Two classes per building with doors and windows made up of up of metal sheets. The classes were fenced with yellow flowers with a little space provided for entrance. He entered through the flowers and climbed on to the veranda of the class. He suddenly saw Rebecca crying while her teacher was shouting at her. 

"This is  a very simple thing that you can't understand. I don't even know what kind of brain you have. Even a primary school kid can solve this problem. You are the dumpiest girl I have ever seen, I don't care who your mother is, what I say is really the fact," the teacher yelled. 

When Richard heard that, he felt an anger he never felt before. He felt as if the blood the in his heart boiling. "With all due respect sir, you don't deserve to be a teacher," Richard said and all the students in the class turned and looked at him. "And who the hell are you?" The teacher asked. "I'm supposed to be her guardian," Richard responded. 

"Honestly sir, a good teacher is he who is compassionate, supportive and patience to his students. And from the way I see it, you have lost hope in her and no longer patient with her, and good teachers aren't supposed to be like that. I have gone through all my junior years receiving insults from my teachers. But when I came to ss2, I met an amazing teacher that changed my life entirely. I was able to win an award as the best Mathematics student in the whole country because of her. From that moment, I realized that is not only how the teacher teaches you that matters, their behavior towards you and how they teach you also matters. So please sir, don't lose hope in her, try and change her," Richard stated.

The teacher remained silent and couldn't say a word. Rebecca was completely surprised by what Richard did and couldn't stop looking at him. "Come on Rebecca, let's go home. I believe is almost closing time," Richard said. 

Rebecca slowly walked out of the class to where he was standing. He held her and walked with her alongside him. They walked some few steps away from the class when the class bell for the school rang. All students started walking out of their classes. When they saw Richard holding Rebecca's hand, they started shouting. Richard didn't care what they rest of the students will say. He walked out of the school to where he parked the car. They entered the car and started the engine of the car. Even after they entered, the rest of her school mates did not stop looking at them. They kept looking until they drove away. He dropped her home and she turned to leave without saying a word. "Rebecca!" Richard called. She stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"Please allow me to teach you well. I really do believe in you. If I could make in the condition I was before, I believe everybody can," Richard encouraged.

"Give it everything you have. Your soul, your heart, your passion and whatever it takes. I'm positive that you will make it," Richard encouraged.

"Thank you for today," she said and she turned and walk home.