ONCE A LOVER Season 1

Story 2 years ago

ONCE A LOVER Season 1

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“Oh, my God!” I exclaimed as I reluctantly jumped up from my small and tattered mattress, I ran to the window to confirm if my stopwatch is working perfectly.

“It’s morning.” I articulated surprisingly. I opted for the bathroom and take my bath. After taking my bath, I brought out my bed-ironed uniform under my mattress and I examined the job well-done done by the mattress, I looked for the bottle of the groundnut oil and let some drops on my palm; I used that in substitute of cream and hair cream, I went to the backyard to fetch my water-polished sandal, I came back to my room only to find my breakfast (pap and bean cakes) lying on my bed, I know it’s my mother, I gulped down the hot pap in haste and mash the delicious beans cakes.
“This is delicious!” I exclaimed while trying to digest a stubborn pulverize beans cake that got struck in my oesophagus.
Shortly, I was able to finish up with the meal, I hurrily put on my school uniform, and my white socks and then I wore my water-polished sandal, I packed my books inside my 10 naira polythene bag, I examined my look and it seemed I am good to go.
“Oops! My handkerchief.” I called back. I spy at my only hanger and my Ankara-made handkerchief was there, I picked it from the hanger and I opted for the backyard in search for my mother.
“Mama! Mama!!” I called in an alarming voice.


“I’m here my son.” She replied appearing from a corner.
“Good morning mama.” I greeted kneeling down before her. She responded to my greeting earnestly and solemnly and she showered me with blessing and prayer as usual.
“Mama I am ready for school.” I voiced out while trying to get back on my feet.
“My son, you are going into another phase of life, remember the child of whom you are, face your study as that’s your primary assignment, don’t mingle with bad and irresponsible friend’s; they has nothing to offer than destruction, don’t keep girlfriend; they only cause distraction and they resist one from performing one primary assignment. There are many challenges awaiting you in the school; from your juniors, your mates, your seniors and the school managements at large, try as much as possible to overcome them, they are just tests and you just have to tackle them and win, they come and go,they can’t stay forever, fight them and you will surely win. You know I am the only one running here and there in search of food you eat and money to fund your education, your father dumped me and ran away with another woman. Please lessen all this pain for me, because you are my last hope of survival, I am living in this world because you are breathing please don’t change from been good, you can only lessen or even kill this pains, pangs, and twinges only if you face your study and become successful in life and you know ‘education is the key to success’. Lastly, don’t fall a victim of love like I do, face your study and make me proud, put my enemy and envious in shame let them be like ‘God is really wonderful, I couldn’t believe the only son of this woman could make it in life’ let them praise the lord in you. An old adage says ‘a word is enough for a wise’ stick to my words and you will surely excel.” She advised with teary eyes.
“I promise I won’t disappoint you mother, I promise to make you proud as I always do.” I enunciated with a serious impression showing on my face. My mother move closer to me and gave me a motherly hug. I wept silently in my mother arms and my mother couldn’t help as she burst into tears.
I hate seeing my mother tears and that made me to hate my father more, I may had seen him before but I can’t recognize him, I pleaded to my mother on several occasions to let me see my father’s picture but she is always mad at me whenever I tried to bring up such discussion, the hatred I have for my father grow like a stubborn grass, I keep on hating him and I don’t think that can stop until he came on his kneel to plead to my mother.
“Time wait for no man, hope you are ready?” My mother asked as she disengaged herself slowly but spontaneously from me.
“I am ready mama.” I replied while wiping the tears on my face with my Ankara-made handkerchief.
Mama unwrapped her wrapper and unhooked the edge of the wrapper as that was her only bank I knew, she handed over #150 to me as my transport fare to and from the school and my pocket money. I thanked her and gave her a side hug. I rushed out of the house and hurried to the bus-stop.
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Oh! I haven’t introduced myself, right? Anyway, I am Johnson Olamilekan Jeff, fifteen years old, charming, brilliant, intelligent, handsome, smart, calm and talented. I am the only surviving child of my parent even thought my father remained unknown to me hitherto. It is my first day in Comprehensive High School as a newly-admitted SS1 student.
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PRESENT
I disembarked from the bus at the bus-stop and headed straight to the school which was about a stone thrown from the bus-stop. A neon signboard displayed conspicuously the name of the school dabbed in uppercase letters designed with golden coloration. I greeted the gatekeepers and walked pass them and make my way into the school compound. As a newcomer, I haven’t gotten a class so I decided to walk round the school premises. After a boring and mind-numbing roaming, I located a sit under a huge tree situated very close to the school hall and I decided to sit there. The school environment was a pleasing one, it was very beautiful and neat even though the school had just resumed. the buildings ofthe school were coloured after the school uniform which are Butter and Light brown, the football field is something to natter about, bedecked and ornamented with well-mowed grasses, the goal posts are not that big but I doubt it is only a goalkeeper that will be keeping such a huge goalpost, the field is big and wide enough to build a modernized factory.Medium-sized stones and granites which are coloured white and some were coloured with carbides are used in demarcating buildings and blocks, the school only library was built upstairs of the junior’s classes blocks, the school computer lab is extremely ornamented with different flowers. I sat down quietly admiring the beautiful and dearly environment when the bell for assembly was rang.
“Gbagam! Gbagam!! Gbagam!!!” boomed the jingling bell the timekeeper was handling. He rang the bell continuously for a moment before he gave his message for the assembly. I sluggishly stood on my feet ready to leave for the assembly ground when I heard a voice from behind.
“Hey! Don’t you hear the bell for assembly?” A senior in his long sleeve shirt blasted with some kind of husky and gravellyvoice. He has a long whip on his hand, he moved closer to me and I was trembled with fear.
“Sir… I am about to …” I tried to defend with a shaky voice but I was hijacked from concluding my statement because of the lash from the long whip that landed on my head.
“Haaaahh…” I groaned in pain as hot tears parsimoniously escaped from my eyes, I could feel the pain as I reluctantly ran to the assembly ground.
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“Now let chant the National Anthem and Pledge.” The assembly prefect commanded and we recited the anthem and the pledge with full meditation.
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“Good morning my students.” The principal; a light complexioned, good-looking, eloquent, fairly built young man greeted. His scalp and moustache were shinning black. He wore a well-ironed black Italian suit over an alluring white shirt, and tied up a stripped red tie.
“Good morning sir.” We all replied in chorus.

“You are all welcome back into this session. And the new students are also welcomed to Comprehensive High School.” The principal addressed smiling as he adjusted his glass.
“Thank you sir.” We replied in unison.
The principal introduced himself as Mr. Ayo Johnson popularly called Mr. Chorus because he has a great aversion forchorus answer. He is a professor, and whenever he went into any class in the school, he normally asked question base on their previously taught topics in different subjects and whenever the class is turned to a marketplace because of the noises made by the students in eager to answer his question because they knew that a correct answer attract a prize or let say small gift like money or food, he do cautioned them by screaming on top of his voice ‘No chorus answer’ and since this has became part of him, he was nicknamed Mr. Chorus by the students. Mr. Chorus conferred some issues with our seniors concerning their negligence to their academic works the previous term and also advised to serious one among them to keep it up and not to relent. He also counseled the low-IQ students that are promoted on trial not to give up but to buckle up. He addressed we SS 1 students and he stated the ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ of the school to us. I was really gratify with the rules and regulations because most of the rules and regulations are part of me, I could see some student grumblingand peevishing over the restriction of student bringing phone to the school, some were tetchy by the cramped of student wearing slipper to the school. I was just looking like a moron since I have no one to bring up a discussion with.
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“Silent!” The school disciplinarian yelled and the assembly ground was as quiet as a graveyard.


“The new students, march to the school hall, I will be there in a jiffy… round off the assembly and monitor the students to their respective classroom. I must not see any student roaming about or else you prefects will be responsible for that.” Mr. Chorus concluded and commanded the prefects and he left the assembly for his office.