~Alya
Chiamaka's driver just started driving us out of Ifeanyi's house. I sank into the surprisingly comfortable car seat.
I brought out my phone and started reading a story online. I assumed it was gothic but I wasn't exactly bothered about the genre. I normally read any story just to pass time.
I hadn't read for long and my eyes were still on the screen when I felt Chiamaka looking at me.
I tried reading on but I couldn't just ignore her stare. I mean it is really weird when you know someone is just staring at you and you have no idea why. First it was her boyfriend, now her?
When I couldn't bare it anymore, I whipped my head towards her.
"Any problem? " I asked her.
"Nope." She fell silent. "I have a question though", she suddenly said when I had returned to the book I was reading.
"Yeah?"
"What are your hobbies?"
Seriously?
"Um... I guess reading.. swimming, cooking... "
"Is donating blood a part of them?"
I narrowed my eyes. That was oddly specific. Is that even a hobby? "What?"
"Do you donate blood once in a while. Like you know all these c..."
"Yeah. I have done that about three times but my mom was against the idea so I discontinued", I answered unsure of why she was asking such a question.
"Wow. That is a really great thing to do..."
"It is not such a big deal and I hardly do it anyway", I said resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I really liked her and all but she was just such a drama queen.
"No. It is a big deal. Do you know how many lives you must have saved? I wouldn't be here if not for you. You have practically saved a lot of lives"
I blinked getting it now. She must have been one of those I donated blood to. But I thought that stuff was supposed to be anonymous. Hold on did she just say I saved a lot of lives? Did she not hear the part of me only donating three times?
"It just clicked the other day. Same height, name, I got a slight view of your profile and then your strange obsession with hoodies. It was just a match and then I called the doctor and he confirmed it and... That was just a noble thing to do. You're more like a sister to me and well, I probably still have some of your blood so... "
Ignoring everything else she just said as it made absolutely no sense. One thing rang in my head.
Sister?
I swear I almost cringed. Don't get me wrong, it's just that everybody related to me has never been there. Or well, I probably disliked them or... I'm blabbing again right?
I looked at Chiamaka who was smiling. I tried smiling back but I imagined it looking creepy since I might actually have a horrified look on my face.
We stayed silent for the rest of the drive until she dropped me at my house.
****
I woke up grateful that it was a Sunday. Don't ask me why.
I stretched and kept lying on my bed. I picked up my phone and a notification popped out.
A catholic television network that Chinano had subscribed to, for me, had apparently posted a video of the daily mass.
I sighed as I clicked on it. I did watch stuffs they posted a couple of times, sometimes I even watched the mass although most times I didn't go halfway.
But at least I tried to pay attention most times and a couple of times I actually found myself going to church.
Although I was still to find out if Chinano's purpose of me ‘becoming closer to God’ was working.
Either way, I was hopeful that perhaps one day I might understand religion.
I did the sign of the cross with the priest and kept watching as I laid down.
Soon, I heard a knock on the door. "Come in", I said before Stephanie ushered herself inside my room with a tray containing my breakfast. She dropped it on the table.
"Good morning", she greeted heading towards the floor to ceiling window. She really loved the view outside the window.
I also really loved the view. The room in general was pretty great. At one side, there was the floor to ceiling window. Then dull green walls of the room with one facing directly opposite my bed.
My bed was located quite a distance from the window though since I didn't like waking up early or the sun rays hitting me. There were a few posters on the wall. My favorite being the Jarad Higgins portrait just opposite my bed.
Yep, I was a huge fan.
I returned my attention to the mass being celebrated. I tried listening to what the priest said.
Something about theological virtues- faith, hope and charity. More talks about sins against the human person or was it soul?
I think I watched till a little after the homily before removing it. After which I ate my breakfast in peace.
****
School again!
I walked down the hallway not quite paying attention to anything until I caught sight of Genevieve.
I had totally forgotten about her and the fact that she was still in this school. She was talking to somebody, probably a friend of hers. Weird for antisociality in human form.
Even weirder for me to call someone antisocial when I was twice as antisocial.
But I wasn't concerned about that at the moment. I turned around the instant I saw her causing the person walking behind me to stop abruptly.
It was Ifeanyi and he was looking at me with confusion written all over his face.
"Hi", I whispered scared that she might recognize my voice. Could she possibly recognize me from my rear view?
It was possible to recognize someone from their rear view. Although that would probably be when you had a hint of who the person might have been or maybe if you were limited to a number of persons either by environment or circumstances.
I tried forming a picture of my rear view. My hair wasn't let down rather I had to have these space buns. Had she ever seen me on space buns?
There was a one out of four probability of her suspecting that I was me from my rear view if she had ever seen me on space buns and if she ever had any thoughts of meeting me in this school which would have been a three out of four probability when she initially arrived at the school but must have been reduced to a one out of four since she had not seen me for the two weeks she had been in the school creating...
"Hello?"
I looked at Ifeanyi, my attention restored only partly. I noticed his hoodie. "Can I borrow your sweater?" I asked him.
He looked confused but didn't bother asking any questions before he took it off and gave it to me. I shrugged it on immediately and pulled the hood over my head.
He was still looking at me confused when I heard footsteps coming towards me. I pulled the hood closer to my face and looked to another direction.
"Excuse me?"
Genevieve's voice!
I didn't reply or move. When Ifeanyi looked at me. I gave him a pleading look. I didn't know if he understood me or not but he turned to her.
"Yes?" he answered on my behalf.
"So sorry for disturbing you. You are in S.S.3 right?"
I saw him nodding.
"Okay. I wanted to meet the sports perfect and I was hoping that you could tell me where I can meet her", Genevieve said in her usual sweet voice.
Ifeanyi looked at me and I shook my head a little. He returned his attention to her.
"I don't think the female sports perfect is in school yet but you can meet Chudi. He is the main sports perfect after all. He is in the second art class. Take a left down the hall and you will see the class in no time ", Ifeanyi explained to her and I instantly fell for him.
Just kidding. My heart is still with Higgins.
"Okay. Thanks", she said and left. I breathed out in relief before noticing Ifeanyi who I still had to explain to what all this was about.