THE NEXT DAY.....(part3)

                   

I felt my heart beating painfully, nearly bursting out of my chest with every step that brought me nearer to the school, as we reached the school compound my mother held my hands and walked to a door with HEAD TEACHER written boldly on it, she knocked softly so softly i didn't think it would be heard, but to my surprise the door opened suddenly to reveal a woman as pale as milk, it was the first time i saw "the white people" up close , i remember feeling so scared and awed as she ushered my mother and i into a small room, which was her office. she asked me my name in fluent igbo which shocked me, i never thought someone like her could ever learn our language much less speak so well.
"Obiajuru Ikwunze",  mother answered on my behalf.
Head teacher wilkins as i later came to know her stood up and guided me to a side of the room partitioned with a curtain where i changed to my uniform already given me, as i put on the white shirt and khaki shorts which hung loosely on my thin frame, i knew there and then i would never return to the farm, i stepped out from behind the curtain to see head teacher wilkins with a rope for me to tie my khaki shorts to prevent them from falling,after i held my shorts with the rope she handed me an exercise book and lead pencil,
"he will have to start from standard I even though he should be in standard II, he will be the oldest and biggest" head teacher wilkins told my mother before she ushered her out and led me to my classroom.
'Good morning class' the head teacher greeted as she stepped into the classroom,
GOOOD MORNING ma, the pupils roared like a special price would be given to the loudest
'this is Obiajuru your new classmate' she said while pushing me to a teacher standing in front of the class, as she left the teacher called me over, wrote something on the board and asked me to read it, i couldn't. I had never ever opened a book before,never in my life had i read, as i stared at the teacher not knowing what to say i felt like my world had crumbled, on my first day i had already started failing.
"go to the back and sit down, from tomorrow i would give you extra lessons" he told me in igbo, as i walked to the seat assigned to me i could hear the snickers of my classmates as they laughed at me. I sat down and hoped the day would end soon, after what seemed like forever school finally dismissed, i rushed out of the class to go home only to meet my classmates gathered outside, my heart fell to my stomach as they started shouting "itiboribo!! papa lolo!!- dullard!! old man!!" , i felt my heart shatter into a thousand pieces as i struggled to hold my tears, i never thought my first day in school would turn out to be the worst day of my life,soon after they grew tired of teasing me and dispersed in groups laughing and talking among themselves, i ran to my mother's hut with tears running from my eyes and snot running from my nose
"obia ke ife owu- talk to me what is it?" my mother asked with concern, tears fell more as i told her all that happened in school
"ozugo - it's okay" she told me while she wiped my face with the edge of her wrapper, she sat down and pulled me to her
"obim you were blessed from birth, i knew that the moment i carried you in my arms for the first time, mark my words son, those that laugh at you today will grovel at your feet tomorrow, ozugo nwam, wipe your tears, tomorrow do the extra lesson with your teacher and work hard, inu? - you hear? " she asked me. I nodded and went to remove my clothes. At night as i laid on my mat i thought of my mom and steeled my mind and swore they would never see me cry again no matter what.
THE NEXT DAY i went to school prepared to work hard and never looked back.


Sorry i put this late, i just finished my exams, guess who's a final year student now, this Girl!! Whoo!!.  
 so "The next day"   is done, i wrote this story for various reasons, one of them being to promote the stop bullying campaign because bullying breaks a soul, and because i want everyone who's been a victim to know that they have the power to  mold themselves.   I really hope you enjoyed this story, hope to become better and give you more,  Ciao beautiful people, live long and prosper.