The first time I did badly in a test after a long while, I laughed it off.
"Don't worry, you'll get them next time." I consoled myself before shoving the paper into my bag. I didn't want Michael to see it.
But the next time came, and I failed again.
And again.
It felt like a joke. I've known myself to be that guy with the answers to every question. Maybe not all, but I could take on eighty percent of the questions set without fidgeting. The best part of it all was I didn't need to cram the night before an exam. Until I found myself staring at question papers like the words were in a foreign language.
I would have blamed it on school stress. But at that point, life was hitting hard on me from every side. My finances were dwindling and there was no hope of cash from home. To worsen it all, I had messed up with Bambi, my girlfriend. And for weeks, we weren't speaking. Instead of fixing the problem with her, I preferred to be stubborn.
So, it was so difficult for me to read with all that was going on. Tell me, how do I concentrate when there's no food in my belly, no cash in my pocket, and when the one person I love isn't talking to me?
Gradually, I started to sneak into my shell. Avoiding everyone.
Micheal was the first to notice.
"Baba, wetin dey sup? (What's going on) You've been silent these days?" He asked me one day after a test.
"I'm good," I replied, faking a smile.
"I don't believe you."
I threw my bag on my back. "Trust me, I'm fine. It's just school stress." I lied again. Then I left the class.
A few days later, the results were out.
I failed again.
That was the fourth test with a bad score. I sat in class that day staring at the results on my phone. My head spun. I knew if I continued that way I might graduate with a bad grade.
I wanted to talk to someone. But, I feared the shame and mockery that might come later.
So, I kept pretending. Faking a smile in school but shedding tears at home.
One evening after lectures. It had just finished raining heavily. The heavy kind that pulls off roofs, floods the streets, and turns your umbrella inside out.
I walked home alone in the cold and quiet street. I got to the junction that led to my apartment and i saw Michael standing under a shed. He was waiting for me.
I saw his face lit up immediately as he saw me approaching.
"Guy, I've been calling your phone. How far? (How are you?) Did you check the results?" He asked all at once. Then he stepped out and joined me on my stroll home.
I mumbled some inaudible words. I was scared his questions would cause me to open up to him.
"Guy, is something wrong with your mouth? Talk to me na." He pulled me back. "Bro, what's going on?"
"Baba, you dey disturb me. (You're disturbing me) I've told you, I'm fine."
"I'm disturbing you? Alright, go on. I'm no longer coming to your house."
I looked at him and continued walking without looking back.
I got to my apartment drenched and cold. I dropped my bag and pulled off my clothes. I put on warmer clothes and sank into my bed.
I was about to drift off to sleep in the dark when I heard my phone buzzing.
"I still dey outside. (I'm still outside) Open up." Micheal said as I picked up the call.
I got up and opened the door. I wasn't going to leave my friend out in the cold. "Dude, do you want to catch a cold?"
He shrugged. "I'll tell the doctors you caused it."
"Baba, you no be my girlfriend o. (You're not my girlfriend o)." I joked.
"But I'm your best friend. And I can tell when something is wrong. Talk to me, bro."
I walked back inside. Leaving him to come in and shut the door.
I sat on my reading chair. "Bro, my grades are bad. Plus, I'm broke."
He threw his bag on the floor, standing and looking at me. "You're not the first and won't be the last."
I knew Michael, and somehow, I was expecting him to say that. So I didn't get upset with what he said.
"I can't help you with the financial issue. Because I'm broke, too. But, we can study together. I failed two courses too."
"I didn't know."
"How will you know when you are acting stupid? Look, the truth is we can help each other out. You teach me the courses you understand and I'll teach you the courses I understand too." Micheal said.
I nodded.
"And try calling Bambi before you die thinking of her." He mocked me. Then he walked to my wardrobe and pulled out some clothes.
"How did you know?" I asked, wondering how he knew I wasn't on talking terms with Bambi.
"It's written all over you." He replied, still holding my clothes.
I chuckled. "Wow." I paused. "But what are you doing with my clothes?" I asked.
"Trying to get warm. Don't tell me you'll throw me back outside in this rain. I'm sleeping over."
"That's your cup of tea." I replied.
That night, just as we planned. We studied together. Burning night candles on the next test we have.
The next day we came out of the hall happy. We were able to tackle half of the questions.
A few days later, the result was out, and we did better than the other tests. We kept on with the plan and our grades changed positively.
I waited till we were done with the test, and then I called Bambi and apologized for being a pain. It took days before she forgave me. Again, we became the Inseparable duo we were.
Honestly, It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.