Boomerang Episode Three

Boomerang
Story by O'nezer

Episode 3

"I welcome you all to this emergency meeting" the Principal, Mr Stephen addressed us parents and students as we were all made to sit in the college hall.

"I'm sorry for summoning you here for this emergency meeting, but it is for our good"… the Principal continued.

I stared on with my heart racing as I could now see my father from where I was seated.
"It should have been mom" I thought as I prayed we weren't called for what I supposed.

"Each one of you here was called in because we cannot send your kids to come home on their own and we cannot contain them in this school anymore"…. these words caused uproar in the hall and each parent was curious to know what went wrong with their ward.

"Your ward was caught with harmful substance ranging from codeine, tramax, cigarettes, marijuana and dry gun and all these are too deadly for their health and they are way too young to be involved in such" this sent more uproar into the air and as a person I craved so much to pee at that moment, but my dad would see me and I was still a bit at peace that he hasn't located where I was.

"Some of them hardly stay in class or in their hostel. They are bringing a bad reputation for Holy Child Secondary School and you know all we do here is to instill morals and values. They have all been expelled and a letter will be passed around to you all" the Principal signaled, and a staff stepped forward with a pack of letters in hand.

"Please, kindly step forward for your letter and follow your child to his or her dormitory to pack their bag. Their stay here has been exhausted" the Principal completed and signaled the staff to call out each name addressed at the back of each envelope.

It was a terrible moment trying to stand up from my seat to meet my dad as I heard his name.
"How will I explain this to daddy?" that was my only thought at that moment.

Every Student that was a culprit were all in the hall. Maybe they had return from their outing or whatever they were off too and noise of parents beating their child, children swearing they were innocent and some pleading with the Principal filled the air outside the hall.

I had stood a distance from my dad as he walked up to collect the letter disappointedly. I knew better to walk behind him and I took each step like the next should bade earth farewell for me.
"If you don't hurry up to bring your bag here now, I promise I'll leave you here and you will walk home" like a speed of light, I found my way to the hostel and watched as everyone including Samson looked on at me with an air of regret.

I didn't know what they were thinking of me and I couldn't wait to confirm, but it sure wasn't positive and I paused as Samson called out my name and walked up to hug me.
"I'll miss you" I whispered.

"I find it hard to believe you could be involved in this" Samson whispered back and I withdrew from the embrace.

Daddy was sure waiting for me and I waved Samson briskly as I rushed to meet my dad who was standing hand akimbo were I had rushed off behind him.

The drive home was quiet. I didn't utter a word and daddy didn't say a thing. Sleep tried to play on my eyelids, but I was strong enough to fight it off.

It was getting dark when we pulled into our compound with Aremu, our gate man opening the large gate and greeting my dad in his usual accent which daddy was not ready to reply.

"Good evening ma" I greeted my mom prostrating as I met her at the door and she in like manner greeted my dad refusing to respond to my greeting.

I greeted again to be sure and this time, my eyes met with hers and it spoke of displeasure.

Walking into the living room, I saw my sister who I felt should be in school. She was already in a tertiary institution and she was the least I expected. My brothers were staring gracefully at the TV show they were watching. None of them seem to notice my presence, but dad's presence made the difference; they all greeted.

It had been a long day for me and I knew it would be a long night so I pulled my bag into my bedroom which was as intact as I had left it 5weeks ago at resumption. I collapsed into my unlaid bed and calculated the day experience, it was a bitter-sour and nothing sweet experience and it soon took me on a trip to dreamland.

"Bode!" a known voice startled me out of my sleep and I looked around,
"it was the time" I whispered as I brushed the remnant of sleep off my eyes.

"Do you know you are a disappointment to me, yourself and this family?" those words accompanied a slap which brushed off every sleep and my hands were permanently stuck to my left cheek as I stared on.

Every word of accusations and disappointment was fired at me like a gun from daddy's mouth that night. He called me a waste of investment and how miserable I was to the family.

"But daddy..." I stood up to defend myself when another slap sent me packing back to my former state. It was then I realized mummy was at the door all the while.

It was mid-term into Jss 2 and no school would admit me, so I had to wait home till the next school year that was months that seems like forever as I became an alien at home.

Daddy never talked to me and same with mummy. My greetings fell on their deaf ears and same with my siblings. I felt like a stranger and this made me choose my room as an escape route from all the drama. I was always missing at devotions and no one bothered to call me in. My meal was always left in the kitchen while the rest of the family savoured the dinning moments together.

I was just 11years old and I found it hard to understand such treatment. I know being expelled was a bad omen for the family, but common, they never bothered to hear me out.

***
"Get ready, you are resuming into school" daddy said as he walked into my room throwing a form to my bed.

A new school year had began and daddy had obviously gotten me a form into a school I didn't know anything about. It was such a relief to hear daddy speak to me after many months of silent treatment.

I picked up the form and filled in the necessary details. I picked up the form immediately and took it to daddy in the master’s bedroom.

"Do you think that is the best choice of school as it is now?" I had Mummy speak.

"It's just to discipline him a bit" I had daddy reply in a solemn tone.

"But don't you think this is too much for his age?" Mummy seem to be begging and I knew it wasn't right eavesdropping, but I wanted to know what they were up to.

"Woman!" daddy's voice had a new tone
"You don't tell me what to do to my kids!"

I walked back to my room with the form in my hand.
"What school is this and why is my mom opposing it?" I was curious to know and I kept thinking about it all night.

What next
Watch out for the next episode
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