I observed him for over a week. He always stopped by at that same spot on his way back from school. He would sit there for like an hour and weep bitterly. Seeing him weep always bothered me a lot, I wanted to know what was wrong, so today I decided to be his friend and know why he always wanted some time for himself at that spot for that long.
The school bell rang, it was time to go home. Hurriedly, I packed my books off the table and arranged them in my bag and then headed for the door. As I was about turning the door knob, my Class teacher; Miss Brenda called me. Raising my brow, I turned my legs, releasing the knob from my hand, I then turned facing her. Starring at her, I could see her spill words from her mouth but I could barely hear her. I had my mind on getting to Angelo before he reached his spot where he often stopped by. I wish I could excuse myself but I couldn’t. Finally, Miss Brenda was done passing her message across to me. I dashed out to avoid any more delay. I guessed it was late to find Angelo around the school premises.
I got to Angelo in ten minutes, I found him there. I was happy I did. Then I was sad. I was sad because he was unwilling to be a friend. He wiped his face, got up from where he sat, hit his shoulder hard on mine as he made his way out of my presence. Don’t try to come close, don’t, ever again! He said as he left. I could feel anger ooze out of his heart as he spoke to me. I placed my hands over my face as he made his way out of my presence. I walked home in disappointment.
‘Mum could you bring down your voice and stop raising issues out of nothing’, I said and walked out
Dennis get back here, you have to listen to me. I am your mother. Dennis! Dennis! Dennis! My mum kept calling. I was less interested in what she had to say.
She usually had too many rules for me to follow.
Don’t stay out late, don’t go to this, and don’t do that, do this, do that...
I was tired. I’m sixteen, old enough to make decisions for myself. But my mum never saw it that way.
We got into heated argument almost every day.
Today wasn’t an exception.
The next day at school, I saw Angelo on the pitch. He had just finished playing football. I waved at him, he waved back at me. My heart felt a bit at ease, I felt I could be a friend today but on a second thought, memories of the yesterday scared me. I would try, I concluded within myself. School closed at two, I immediately packed my bag and watched out for Angelo. He was also waiting for me outside my classroom. We both walked down together.
We stopped by at the coffee shop to get coffee and cookies and made our way to his regular stop.
Why do you like staying here? I inquired
He raised his head up staring at the coffee brown wall that had quite a number of drawings on it. That is my mother. He point at the drawing he had made few weeks back. This is the only place I come to see her after death snatched her away from me. He sat down as he spoke. I did the same too
Why did she die? My face was straight as I asked. He didn’t smile either.
She died of cancer. It hurts to know I’d never see her again.
I began to wonder how close he was to his mum.
My mum and I aren’t. She always treated me like a child and I am no longer a child, I told him.
My mum was also like that. She most of the time would tell me what to wear, what to eat, where to go. I got into a fight with my friend because he told me I did not have a life outside my mum. I wanted to prove everyone who held that opinion wrong so I usually had a fight with my mum any time she tried dictating how I lived.
My dad is alive, but he doesn’t care. Not about what I eat, not about where I go to, not about my friends, he doesn’t care about anything. He busted out in tears.
Holding him by his shoulder, I stared at the coffee cup on the ground and couldn’t help thinking about my mum. What if she was the only one who cared about me in this world, how would I rather have her treated by me? My sister was dead already. That is enough sorrow for her to bear, I thought within myself.
After a while, Angelo became calm. We talked at length, moving from school to growing up to future plans. We became friends at last.
By the time I checked my time, It was evening already. We made our way out of the cave and walked home in the rain. I had an awesome time with you Angelo, thanks!
Thank you too. See you at school tomorrow. He turned left and I went the other way.
Grin-grin… I rang the doorbell. I did not get any answer in time, so I rang it again. There was no response too.
I peeped through the window to find my mum laying helpless on the floor. For the first time in six years, tears fell off my eyes. I realized how important my mum was to me after I spoke with
Angelo. I was so scared of losing my mum, no! I couldn’t stand the thought. I forcefully made my way through the door breaking it down to rescue my mum.
I wasn’t too late. She was still breathing. I immediately made an emergency call to save my mum.