Days turned into weeks and school was set to resume. I had mixed feelings of pain, joy and sadness. I was going to miss my small mummy, her words of encouragement, advice, bible studies and prayers. I didn’t want to leave her sight; she has become so part of me even more than my biological mother. The day for departure came and aunty shade drove me to school. As we drove past the church premises, I could hear the voices of the choristers, I could hear the voice of my Ajoke, I was going to miss her the most. I didn’t tell uncle Seun I was leaving our parents………. for school, I disliked him already and so there was no need for such familiarity. So many things flew across my mind as I sat in the car, I thought of my siblings, I thought of my absentee parents, I wondered how my siblings would cope without “Zina, we are in school now, don’t you want to alight from the car?” “Erm…Erm… ok aunty” I wiped my tears with the back of my hands and alighted from the car. Small mummy prayed for me, blessed me and off I went to the students’ world. I got into my hostel and lots of students had already arrived and unpacking their bags into their wardrobes. I quietly sat on my bed to unpack my luggage when I began to hear strange sounds in front of me. I recognized that bunk to be senior Theresa’s bunk and so I peeped further to know the cause of the noise. Lo and behold, I saw senior Theresa and another student sleeping together, like they were actually lesbians. I couldn’t control myself and I let out a loud shout and ran out of the hostel. I stood out for quite a long time and by the time I had returned, senior Theresa and her lesbian partner were sitting on my mattress and waiting for me. They talked me into believing that what they were doing was actually right and that nothing was wrong with it... “Zina, we are grown-ups and we are far older than you and as such we know what is good and bad. You see as a woman who has started menstruating and you are not yet married, you should have a bosom friend who is a lady that touches you on a daily basis. Inability to get yourself being touched could lead to barrenness and painful menstruation” I listened to senior Theresa with keen interest and attention, I didn’t know if what she said was true and so I made up my mind to ask my mum. The next day was Monday, I had a lot of questions on my mind. I got to class so bothered and with a heavy heart, I just sat still while I waited for my new form teacher; Mrs. Akinsanya. I was still lost in thoughts when someone tapped me from behind, I turned backwards to see that it was Harvey. He was all shades of handsomeness, chubby and wore a wonderful cologne. I had really missed his company, he hugged me and we got to catch up on holiday gist. I narrated what happened at my hostel the previous day to Harvey but to my greatest surprise, he wasn’t shocked a bit. Instead he told me his own version of the story: “As a girl who has started menstruation, there’s no harm in having someone to yourself. It’s not necessary that it must be a man or a woman, what matters is that there’s someone that touches you at intervals to avoid painful menstruation, barrenness and even waist pains especially if your partner is a man…….” I listened to Harvey with keen interest, by this time beads of sweat were already running down to my neck. I was confused, I didn’t know who to believe. If allowing a man/woman touch me would reduce menstruation pains and not make me barren, why then will aunty shade my small mummy tell me to practice more confused I became. purity till I get married? Does she want me to keep having pains till I get married? Does she want me to be barren? Can a man actually touch me and a woman touch me at the same time? Will their separate touches do separate things to my body system?.....A lot of thoughts ran through my mind, and the more I kept thinking the I was still lost in thoughts when Mrs. Akinsanya our form teacher walked in, we stood up as a class and greeted her. She welcomed us to a new session and have us introduce ourselves one after the other. She wasn’t as friendly as Mrs. Badmus and so I couldn’t get to meet her to call my mum. I quickly walked out in search of Mrs. Badmus, on seeing her I pleaded with her to help me put a call across to my mummy….. “Hello mummy, i….i want to talk to you about something” “Zina, I’m on my way to Abeokuta for a singles programme, I will call you later ok?” “Mummy, please its urgent, hello, hello, he…llo, Hel…..” (PHONE CUTS) I was very devastated as I couldn’t get mum to talk to me and to crown it all I didn’t have aunty shade my small mummy’s phone number. I would have to wait for my visiting day to see aunty shade. But what if she wouldn’t be the one to come visit me by month end?????
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