Chapter 2

Jade’s POV

Immediately I got home, I flung the gown, and heels mom forced me to wear. The gown and heels were not helping my life. But I smiled when I realized the handsome fish my look caught today. What an handsome guy.

Huh! Jade, Jade, stop thinking about him, I told myself. I couldn't remember the day I stopped myself to talk to a guy. All they do is tease you and tell you...

You're the sugar in their tea.

The only cockroach in their cupboard as if some of them even have a cupboard at home. Ladi, my cousin kept his clothes in one old 'Ghana must go'. The zip had worn out, not to talk of how dirty the bag looked. The only difference could be, some of them own a travelling bag or box.

As I moved around my room for what to wear, I felt uncomfortable like I still had something unusual on me. I moved closer to my mirror and stood in front of it. I saw that beautiful hair that deceived everyone today. Gently, I removed it and put it back to its place.

I felt at peace and relaxed. I couldn't imagine myself going through the stress I passed through during my junior school. Immediately I got to senior school, I found a skilled barber to cut my hair. He cut the hair a bit low, and shaved the two sides down to the back. I actually saw it on someone, and I loved it. Mom almost fainted when she saw my new look. She began calling the whole family on me to talk to me.

People, come and see Jade o.

She's looking as if I gave birth to a boy when I was sure I brought a girl to this house.. Jadesola has turned herself to a boy o...

Story for the gods! There was nothing they could do than to scream and shout. I've got the best papa in the world.

One word from my Dad, my Mom dare not raise the issue again. I respected my old lawyer a lot, hoping I become a successful lawyer just like him.

If you see someone who repeated in a private school, should I say he is just so dull or special people are sitting with his case? I guess that would be the first thing we think about. It was as if my mom was part of them. My teachers, and the school had been helping my life from jss1 to ss1. But immediately I reached ss2, they brought their invisible chairs to my class and refused to leave.

The school was ready to hire me special teachers, but no, Mom put up a fight with everyone including my Dad. It was so serious. Only God could tell how she succeeded in having Dad agreed to allow me meet the new teachers.

The fight was so serious that mom took her anger on me, especially when I run an errand for her.

"Jade, go and bring all your textbooks for this whole session!" She shouted from the kitchen.

I packed everything and headed to the kitchen where mom was cooking. "Mom where should I put it?"

She gave me a dirty look, and hissed. "Put everything inside your head nau," she said. I felt bad and got tired with the whole thing because any single mistake, she would bring up the old matter again. I wondered may be my mom was like that because

she was a teacher. The matter made me look like I was never reading.

I read whenever exams was closed by, but immediately I entered into the exam hall, it was as if someone was waiting for me to collect something I never owe. It was

something I was battling with for more than five years in school. This my parents never knew, thinking I was just being lazy without hearing what could be the reason.

Repeating the class was as if my whole world was coming to an end. The shame, the insults, but trust me, them no born their father. Thank God for the father he blessed me with. Dad would cheer me up with positive words, quotes, and stories of some people who were once dull, failed, and repeated countless times, but became very successful.

Both my Dad and I played his joker cards. I feel all over the moon whenever I have the real joker with me. With one joker, I get to clear all his cards and get my money. I've surprised him most times by winning because game was something I loved so much. Never a dulling moment with me.

"My Jadesola baby..." It was his way of teasing me.

"Papa jad jad.." I would return his greeting as well, smiling along. With the real joker, a rebirth smile formed on my lips. A smile from grass to grace. That kind of smile when my favorite fighter, Charlotte, won the WWE women championship.

At that time, clearing Dad's card will get me one month subscription on my phone instantly.

"Daddy I'm about to drop the thing." I tried to scare him as we played.

"Okay, drop the thing let us see." He tried to show me he was a lawyer who was not scared of anything. Of course, he was a grown man who had to show me his confidence. I watched him most times to see how he would handle a case.

"Ah! Daddy, that thing be looking like a joker," I said.

Slowly, he got up. "Dad is tired." He dropped his remaining cards, and headed to his room. I couldn't stop laughing.

It wasn't new to me. Ladi began to call me the master of the game the day I beat the hell out of him and his gangsters.

I was still laughing at the trick Dad used when my two eyes mistakenly landed on the eyes that would never stop watching my movements. Instantly, I reversed my loud laughter to a light smile, which slowly faded away revealing

my innocent look as I stylishly followed Dad to get my credit. I knew mom was watching me with that her crooked glasses. She was the visible holy spirit in the house.

I kept hanging the call that was disturbing the game I was playing on my phone. I needed to kill those demons before getting to me.

"Shoot! shoot!" I pressed my phone like I was holding my game pad. I was used to shouting that way. It was my way of playing.

"Where do you think you are going? Common say your last prayer like that." I pressed the screen of my phone repeatedly as I destroyed the lives of the demon. Jade, you are a bae. I praised myself. Good to do that once in a while.

I laughed as I shot the last one.

"I must defeat my enemies. Common take that one shot and disappear for life!" I shot the last demon that was proving stubborn. I moved to temple run. It was one of the games I like playing.

I paused the game. I needed to come back stronger because jumping that stupid thing, I must have my goodies beside me. I walked towards my little fridge, brought out one cold Hollandia yoghurt, chin chin, and ten toffee sweets.

"Is Jade back, and has she eaten?" The voice I heard made me hide the whole goodies I brought out for myself.

"Just the Indomie she ate this morning ma," our cook said. I took the whole thing I wanted to eat from under the bed to the fridge again. I didn't even know where to hide it that Mom won't see it.

Jade you can't put it there?

Oh.. Where will I put it now? I argued with myself as I ran very fast to my bed when I heard Mom's voice getting close to my room. I hid the whole goodies under my pillow and immediately laid down with my eyes closed pretending to be asleep.

I knew if mom should see me with those things, she would narrate the history of everyone who took sugary things, and how they ended. I heard the door of my room eased open. "Jade!" She called. Even her voice sounded like an electric shock. "Okay, she's sleeping," she murmured, and closed the door back.

I almost burst into laughter. Sleeping with Hollandia yoghurt, chin chin, and toffee sweets. I definitely won't make a good actress because immediately she left, I bounced back again. But not fully, because Mom could be so funny at times. She might just suddenly open the door again.

I couldn't blame her, she knew the kind of girl she gave birth to. But we knew ourselves better.