πππππ ππππ (1)
( A short story)
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Omolola sluggishly removed the phone from her left ear and dropped it on the bed. She looked into the distance. Her eyes clouded with tears and she allowed them to flow freely. She did not bother to end the call and one could still hear the sound of people chattering at the background. Omolola hissed.
She stood, moved to the window and pushed the curtain to one side. She looked into the distance. Her room suddenly felt hot and stifling. She wanted to run out of the room to somewhere. Anywhere. The pain she was feeling in her heart could choke her if she stayed in one place.
Few months back, she had joyfully written Jamb with the hope that it would be her last time of writing. She had made sure that she put all what her special tutor had taught her into practice. It wasn’t her first or the second time of writing the exam. She had been writing on yearly basis, for the past five years. Five good years. Every year, she always scored above 200, and every year, she was always denied admission.
Her mum had advised her to opt for a polytechnic, spend sometime there, acquire new knowledge and return to face almighty JAMB.
Omolola knew that she wouldn’t be happy going to the Poly. To her, it would be like settling for less. What course would she study there?
They don’t offer medicine in the polytechnic. That’s her choosen course. She had always wanted to be a medical doctor. She knew that she had the capacity to study the highly coveted course. But year in year out, she had always been disappointed.
Omolola grabbed the window blind as if she would tear it. She gazed intently at a four-storey- building at the complex next to their bungalow. They were only separated by a fence. She could see some of the tenants at different floors. That building was the barracks of their estate. Omolola was friendly with some of the occupants. She could pretend that she was paying them a visit and use the opportunity to jump over the rail at the topmost floor. She would plunge to her death. She would end it all. All that she wanted was to die.
What’s left for her. She had put her whole mind on getting this admission. She had boasted to her friends that this time around, it would click. She was too sure. She did all that she was advised to do during the placement exam. She even choose a less competitive institution.
Where would she put her face? How would she face her friends and tell them that once again, she’s been disappointed.
Flora of all people has gotten a place. The call she received was from her. Flora had called to tell her in an excited tone that her name came out on the supplementary list. And with her 240, she was given a space in the medical school, to study medicine. And she Lola, that had 269, was told point blank that she couldn’t make the list last week.
Lola bit on her lower lips until she tasted blood. She felt a movement behind her and turned. Her mum was there, looking at her like she just saw a ghost. She rushed and grabbed her by the shoulder.” Kilode?” Her mother asked. ” I have been here for more than 10 minutes. You were so lost in your thoughts. What is it?”
Instead of answering her mother, Omolola moved and dropped on the bed. She burst into heart wrenching tears.
” Jeeesuu,” her mother called. ” What is it?”
Omolola looked up. ” Flora has been given admission to study medicine.”
Flora…medicine…Lola’s mother tried to put two and two together. Something clicked. ” Haa…Dedunke’s daughter,” she said absent-mindedly. ” Why should that make you cry?” She opened her palms wide. “You should be happy for her. Your own time will come.”
” Mummy don’t tell me that.” Omolola flared up. ” We were in the same boat before her mother did something. You better go and ask her about what she did that made them give her daughter admission at the eleventh hour and do likewise. If not…hmmm. It’s either I get this admission or I kill myself.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Do we have anyone that has ever been in Lola’s shoes?
I’m a living witness.
