Milestones to Woe

“This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives”

Friday…

Pause. Rewind to Thursday.

Chantalle stepped out of her dorm room into the hallway and dialed on her Samsung. She speaks quieter than usual, calling out mildly, ‘Hello, mama. Hello, are you there?’.

 She multiply turns at her sides to see for anyone passing while on the phone, as if she was hiding. She was. She complained for the little money given her. Her mother convinced her to be patient until she is paid her poor salary.

Chantalle lowly replied, “I’ll call you next week then, greet my siblings for me. Bye”.

 Downhearted with yet again, the third of unfruitful conversations with her mother during the week. She desperately needed the cash for her 21^st birthday, which she had planned for the coming Friday. She had never been that much excited for any day. She instantly reminded herself of the next best act. She looked around again, pulled her blouse down and shifted her mini skirt. She entered her room, head bowed and smiling, face fixed on her phone. Vivian whispered to Ama, and they both burst in envious laughter.

“What are you gossips laughing about?’ Chantalle asked smirking. She pushed herself in between Vivian and Ama on the bed, looking at them both for answers.

“What did he give as his excuse this time?”, Ama blunted.

“What is your own? Tsw”.

“He’s promised to take me out Sunday”.

“Ei, your party is still on and we’ve not even started shopping?!”

Chantalle rolled her eyes and they all chuckled.

“Hmm, I’m even scared tomorrow will flop”, Chantalle hissed.

Vivian hugged Chantalle tight and whispered to her, “Hey, tomorrow’s going be great. Don’t doubt it”.

“Aww”, Ama teased.

Charles pulled out his blue jeans from his locker and wore it.

He asked Joe, “How does this look?”.

He responded shouting, “Yeah cool. Boy, that chick foine”.

“Oh no! We’re not a thing”

“Hmm. You that”

“I have a class now”, Charles tried to end the conversation after getting ready for close to 30 minutes in the bathroom mirror.

He took his bag and stepped out. Joe immediately snuggled out his bed covers and chased Charles who had almost reached the stairs down. Joe yelled, “Charles!”.

He paced forward with only his briefs on and pursued, “What are we eating in the afternoon bro?”.

Charles shook his head in somewhat unsurprised disappointment and responded rather softly. “There’s rice in the cooker and stew in the fridge”.

Charles majestically trudged to opposite wing of the hostel block visualizing how he’d poise and walk up to the stage for winner prize when the names are finally declared on the Friday’s Innovation Championship Award ceremony. He was completely convinced he would take that prize, after all his efforts undertaking many endeavors to prove to himself, he can win something, anything he attempts. A day he hopes would make him feel truly happy and not worthless. And this fear is probably why he had not told anyone yet.

Charles knocked twice.

Ama answered, “I’m coming. Who is there?”.

“It’s me!”.

Ama slowly pulled down the louver blades close to the door and peeped.

“Ah Charles, come in”, Ama opened the door.

“Vivian’s still dressing up. Take a seat”.

Charles smiled and waved at Chantalle busily stuck pressing on her phone.

She complemented him, “Hey Charles, you look nice today oh”.

“Oh, stop it”, Vivian interjected giggling and rolling her eyes as she came out the bathroom fully dressed and ready. She wore a plain pink dress with black flat shoes.

Charles raised, “Did you complete the assignment last night?”.

“Oh shit! Oh, this lecturer will definitely kill me?”

Charles chortled.

“I finished mine”.

“Thank you bhoo”.

Chantalle screeched, “Copy copy”.

“Say it again”, Ama allied.

They left for their class 15minutes later.

They reached the Economics department just in time, they thought. Vivian spotted Mrs. Delah, just about 10 steps from the lecture room and she freaked out.

“Charles do yo-!”.

“Yes, I see her too. We have to run!”.

They swiftly rushed past the lecturer when she hesitated, pulling back to grab her ringing phone from her Dior handbag. Charles hurriedly submitted both assignments to the TA before he’d announce the ‘time-out’. Vivian looked at Charles as they took their seats at the back row and both burst in laughter.

After the 2-hour class, they walked together, chatting and giggling about absurdities they thought went on during the yet stressful lecture. A few miles away from the department, Vivian swiftly paused and managed to convince Charles to carry on back to the hostel without her.

“Oh no need to hold-up, I’ll keep very long at group studies”, Vivian insisted.

Vivian clocked while Charles strode ahead with, dolorous for brusquely lying into her best friend’s face.

She broodingly walked back to the department. She took the stairs to the lecturers’ offices floor. She stared hard at the door, recollecting agitating memories from her previous and also first encounter in that office. She took a deep breath and knocked on the ‘Dr. Ofori’ engraved door and entered. The assistant was going through some documents with him. Vivian greeted both of them. Right away, Dr. Ofori asked his assistant on an errand to his colleague’s office in another department, 6 blocks and a main street away from theirs. She took her purse from her desk and stared at Vivian in a sort of unpleasant look while she left the office. 

“Still standing? Sit down”, He spoke easily as he turned up the AC. She sluggishly pulled her bag from her back, tiredly pulling the chair, sat down, laid it on her laps and crossed her hands over it. She was silent the whole time.

“Or will you to sit on my laps instead?”, he openly uttered.

He spoke even more incongruously to her as she still kept tranquil. She was discomforted by this and could barely keep it together in her seat. Her legs shook multiply. She pretentiously smiled back a few times to his dirty-jokes. He typed and searched on his computer. He turned the computer screen to face her and pulled back snuggly on his office chair. He had pulled out a class score list for an assignment. She saw a 100% score to her name.

He asked, “Aren’t you happy?’’.

She forced a smile. Her mind was in turmoil at that moment, uncertain of what to say or even do.

“I suppose you don’t want this mark changing from what it is now?”, he sternly inquired.

“Dr. please, but what if I earned the score myself?”, she frustratingly sought.

He guffawed and stood up from his chair. He walked towards her and placed his hand on her left shoulder. At this point, she evidently shook uncontrollably, tiny beads of sweat successively layering on her face and hands.

“Tell you what, I’ll call you Friday night and we’ll talk about it more’’, he softly advanced.

She was jarred, unsure of what to say and fear of saying the wrong thing.

“I have a lecture in 5minutes”, he cued.

She swiftly stood up.

“I’ll call you and pick you up outside the main entrance area, okay?’’, he firmly asked.

She unthinkingly nodded and rushed out from the office.

Chantalle was on her way to see her 38-year-old boyfriend. It was a 20mins trip from her hostel. She ordered an Uber to a curb in front of Kelvin’s 2bedroom apartment flat. Kelvin, with a singlet and beach shorts on, came out the black iron gate seconds after they arrived. He took out his wallet from his trouser pocket and paid the Uber driver as Chantalle got out of the car.

He grabbed her by the waist and whispered in her ears, “I’ve missed you so much baby”.

She jovially pulled her body away and pushed the gate open.

He followed her and flirtingly shouted, “Come, give me a hug”.

She turned to him, head tilted to the left and frowned, responding, “I was expecting to see you since last week. You ‘browned’ me every time I called. Yes, I’m mad at you”.

“Baby, you know, it’s work”.

Chantalle rolled her eyes at him.

“I love you baby. Come, come let me treat you good baby”, Kelvin sweettalked her as he advanced to her and tugged her body on his. He trickled down his fingers down her buttocks and pat it as he pushed his lips on hers and they kissed. They went inside, kelvin holding her hand and hauling her to the bedroom. He slowly undressed her, kissing her at each point and made love to her that afternoon. They cuddled in bed for about 2hours. Her head laid on his hairy chest as she used her fingers to play with his ‘man mane’.

“Kay, I’m broke”.

“I thought I wired you enough the other time”.

“You know I have plans for my birthday on Friday”, she gently spoke, face half frowned with her mouth pulled out.

“Don’t worry baby, I got you”, he firmly said as he strenuously turned her over and started kissing her neck.

She giggled ceaselessly while trying to pull him away contending that she had evening lectures.

He dismissed her and kept on, saying, “You just came baby. Relax. Let me feel you more”.

He pressed his strong arms flat against hers and leered at her. She felt a sharp pain from his body forcingly pressing against hers. She kept tight-lipped and smiled back. Kelvin fell asleep after, his arms loosely wrapped around her. She lied still, amply staring at the ceiling fan, demeaned and silently drowning in her tears. She wished Vivian, her best-friend, was with her at that moment. She tried consoling herself; that her birthday tomorrow would be a good day and that she’d have the best time with her friends. She felt disgusted after what had happened. The present incident was not the wellspring of her displease, which she flawlessly concealed. It was the fact that, this was one of the innumerable she has silently endured. She was furious and yet vulnerable. She felt powerless, shaking tensely as she entered the bathroom. After sobbing for minutes in the bathroom with the taps deliberately left on. She ultimately left Kelvins’ late at night, after he wired her ₵350. She was utterly grossed out and didn’t even want the money any longer.

Chantalle chattered a taxi back to the hostel.

Taking the stairs up to her room, she met Ama descending.

“Prayer meeting?”, Chantalle stopped and asked grinning, as if she knew already her response.

Ama nodded while she put up her hands to properly adjust Chantalle’s wig.

“Thanks”, Chantalle half-smiled and felt awkward while she patted the back of her wig.

“Is Vivian in?”

“Yeah. She has been worried, calling your phone countless times. She said your phone was off”

“Yeah the battery died. My bomb Samsung phone”, Chantalle murmured and cleared her throat.

“Okay. See you. I’m already late, got to catch the church bus now. Byee”. Ama trotted away.

Charles went out across the street outside campus after he got to the hostel. He sang to his favorite Adele’s tracks with his earphones on. Seemingly lost to the heavy fumes and loud highway sounds of fast-moving busy cars and commercial buses from the high road. He walked meters further under the overly scorching sun to the end of the intersection road and back to campus.

On his way back to the hostel, he stopped to sit on an empty lovers’ bench under the shade of tall mango trees. There were a few people in the lovers’ bench area, just about five students each sitting on a different bench making a phone call, or just stuck continuously hitting the screens of their phones with fast fingers. He stared around for seconds and took out his phone from his pocket. He scrolled up and down the screen, his face slightly lit up for a moment as if he hoped to see something specific on his screen. After a minute, he turned it off. He stretched his arms sideways and rested them on the flat wooden top of the bench, pushing his legs forward. He felt a mild slap on his right cheek from a hand behind. He panickily turned as if he was being threatened.

“Bro. What’s up? Somebro die?”, Kweku chuckled and asked.

Charles countlessly shook his head and cackled. Kweku asked him to shift to the side. He sat by him.

Charles hastily asked, “I know you have a class today, but here you are”.

“Ah! any problem?”, Kweku dismissed.

Both were silent for a while. Charles went stale and made a prolonged, ‘hmmm’ sound, breaking the awkwardness.

“Chale, I’m stupidly hungry”.

“Me too”.

“Which food? I’m feeling Jollof”.

“In this sun, some Banku will do”.

“You sure?”.

“Yhup”.

“Vibe”.

They both got up. Kweku stretched. They strode towards the mini cafeteria in the basement of their hostel block. They ordered take outs for the two Banku balls with meat soups.

Kweku had not been to any lecture since the semester began. He only wants to rap but his parents disregarded this dream when they paid their way into getting him into Meds school. How could he inform his parents of this grave let-down? He endured this thought each day.

Kweku pulled out a bowl from his kitchen cabinet and unwrapped into it, the Banku and soup. He was so anxious and simultaneously, overly excited, impatient to hear his first track. The busy studio guy had promised to email the final audio to him, after several weeks. He planned to conquer the setting of the entire hostel on Friday, all-day with his long-awaited track via his extra-loud speakers.

Friday…

Charles’ alarm rang at 5:30am on his phone and vibrating simultaneously beside his pillow where he frowned at the sound of it. He felt a weight of unbearable exhaustion as he woke up. It wasn’t about his inability to get up from bed, he altogether didn’t want to wake up to a new day again. Nothing daunting had occurred the night before. He felt scared. Afraid that he’d be disappointed at the ceremony, again, like every other thing he had tried to achieve most of his life. He felt he was the problem. The long-suppressed feelings of sadness and worthlessness began surfacing. Thereupon, he perceived himself reaching the epitome of his hidden depression. This was not the mood he expected to have on the morning of a significant day he imagined to be phenomenal for him. He was suddenly emotionally shattered. He rethought living. He clenched his body and buried his almost teary face in his palms. He concealed himself from exploding in tears. He sobbed, covering his face and mouth tight enough to silence the snivels. He refused to respond when Joe checked on him many a times.

Vivian had not been able to properly sleep through the night. She restlessly woke up, battling with thoughts of reconsidering whether to take Dr. Ofori’s proposal. She was hassled with the feeling of discomfort, and yet also feeling she had no choice. She was daunted and felt she couldn’t open up to Chantalle about it, especially on her birthday.

She forged a smile, paced to Chantalle’s bed and piercingly woke her up, shouting

“Happy birthday girl!”

Kweku had been up all night, hopelessly waiting for Friday and to check for an email notification. He called Charles countless times that morning but to no avail, as he didn’t respond to any of his calls.

As the morning gradually lost itself into the bright sunny day, Vivian and Chantalle stepped down the hostel block, heading for the shopping mall.   

Charles eventually had to get ready for the ceremony. He dressed up and stepped out.

Kweku was wearied constantly checking his email since dawn. He decided to go see Charles in hopes to loosen his anxiety.

As each of them made it to the ground area, a sudden abrupt rumble of whirling fire with smoke shot up in the skies. The earth around quivered, the wave of heat enwreathing all close by. Vivian horridly turned behind and saw Chantalle, shaking breathlessly and shouting like the screech of an animal. She quickly ran to her.

Charles multiply yelled, “Vivian! Chantalle! Over here!”.

He kept shouting and waving at them.

Charles and Kweku after crossing paths, had darted unto a shelter under the big mango tree in the center of the open area in front of their hostel. The girls eventually saw the boys and rushed to them under the tree. The sky above them turned red and air was smoke-filled. Their bodies felt the blistering heat steadily moving closer. They were frightened. Screams blared from all over.

 People ran recklessly for their lives, oblivious to what had happened nor exactly sure where they were fleeing to. Anywhere they would not smell smoke or sense intense heat.

Chantalle suddenly fell about as she look around; they were all quite surprised at her especially at that unusual juncture. They roundly stared at her. Barely some seconds later, they all leagued up in envious hilarity. They laughed hard and long.

Everyone trying to breathe through the panic. Chantalle wished her life was rid of the remorse she bore. Charles severely desired happiness. Vivian hoped for her secret trial to wondrously fade away. Kweku sought a path to his freedom.

As they still stood under the tree, they heard deep voices mischievously bellowing. Heeding to these utterances, the commercial gas station right behind their hostel blocks ahead the main road had completely exploded. 

Today was supposed to be their one chance to escape the woes of their existent lives; desperation for happiness even if it’ll be short-lived.

Their thoughts now synchronized, “Maybe, if they had left their hostel earlier, they’d not have been stuck in the middle of a soon to be swelling emergency”.

“By then it was too late”.