"Joshua awfa na, how u see today Exam, u just quiet?" Wale asked as we were trekking home, we didn't have money so we had to trek to the junction.
Our babes entered bikes and were already waiting for us at the junction.
"Guy, the expo too much na, them go write for board, we go still use phone, them go still write for paper give us, we just dey copy expo like Jflash student". I replied not looking at wale
"Joshua, u dey mad o, that's not ur business na, u wan fail? If u like no copy".
"Bro see, I read for nothing less than 7hrs for this exam, I no use my head for anything, I go dey read everyday like wolf, them go still dey give us plenty expo, so no need of reading na" I hurriedly replied him as we were now close to Anita, aishat nd blessing.
"Na you sabi, no talk that kind thing where this babes dey o and abeg help me with T.P".
*********************
"Daddy Good afternoon sir" I greeted even if I was sure, he wouldn't reply.
"Omo Joshua Don dey finish waec o, Joshua Joshua big boy". Other guys at the mechanic garage hailed me as I was pulling my uniform nd ready to work.
"This one wey kno kno anything, na dis waec go show say na only mouth this one get, nothing dey him head".
My dad said and ordered me to go bring alternator.
"Omo na wa for this man o, how u go dey expect this kind thing for person" I thought aloud shaking my head as I walked to the store...
********************
*2 months later*
"Hello wale watsup?"
"Guy waec results Don come out o"
"Jesus"! I shouted
"You Don check your own?"
"NO" Wale replied..
" ok I go go aishat house now, I no get data, make she help me check" i said hurriedly and cut the call..
I started sweating, tension and anxiety set in..
It was 6:30am in the morning..
Aishat house was not far,I didn't bother greeting anybody,my mind was on my results.
As I approached thier house, I heard shouts, screams.
"Hei God" I muttered as I knocked on the door..
Only her and her brother were at home.
She jumped on me on seeing me.
"Josh my guy awfa na, u Don check?"
"NO, I come check am for your house now". I replied
" I got 5As and 3Bs with one C". Aishat said smiling and jumping around.
"After all the expo, congrats sha, oya sharperly help me check my own".
I handed her a paper I wrote my details.
The site kept loading, and loading.
"Josh, is like them never upload your own, the thing no load since"
I was not even looking at the laptop again, I bent my face down, I was sweating all over.
My feets were shaking and I was breathing with my mouth.
"God, if not for any reason for the sake of this wicked man wey I dey call papa, give me the same result as aishat" I prayed
"Wait, Josh E Don open o"
I raised my head up and gazed at the laptop.
ENGLISH: HELD!
CIVIC: HELD
Infact all 9 subjects were HELD.
I looked at aisha, she was also staring at me.
"Aisha talk na, waten dat one mean" I asked and used my two hands to grab her gown..
"See Josh, relax Them never upload ur own na the meaning be that" aisha said.
"OK, make I dey go, my papa go Don dey find me".
I borrowed 50mb from MTN immediately I got home and searched "Waec Held results causes and released date".
The response from waec destabilise me, I sat on the floor crying bitterly and punching myself.
The next few days were terrible,I cried be4 sleeping, cried at bathroom begging God and pouring my heart out with tears, even on the road, I kept asking "God, why me?".
******************
"Joshua, awfa send your 20k na, the principal say no time again o and GCE dey sweet, them dey hardly fail person" Wale said, sounding confident.
"Guy waten dey worry u na, na this expo put us for this wahala, till now I no get results and u wey copy everything still get F for English"
I ended the call immediately, i just sat down and stared into the sky.
God why?
When people went to party nd club after waec I did not join them.
I started crying at this point.
I was the most intelligent in my class, I read for 5 hours before any exam and my friends who did not read had their results already.
My Dad?
Life has been hell, insults, abuses, curses, beatings and frustration has been my daily experience since waec results came out.
I sat down, I had promised myself not to cry again but I was lost in thought.
"JOSHUA! JOSHUA!! JOSHUA!!"
My dad was calling me but I did not care to answer I was lost in my thoughts.
"Joshua, oga dey call u na".
I raised my head nd walked to him.
"Are u deaf when I was calling you?"
A heavy slap landed on my face.
"Sir, its not not...." I stammered.
"Go upstairs, pack your things and leave my house".
I was not sad, I had been praying to hear this.
I called wale as I carried my things out.
"Guy, that man Don pursue me from him house o, how I go take reach ur side?"
*************************
"Guy number 1 answer na abeg"
I whispered to the guy near me.
He is always writing but to show person na wahala.
There was no question I understood, Since I started this GCE my brain had gone blank.
I just look for who to copy and leave the rest.
They separated us from those that paid for expo.
I borrowed money to pay for GCE sef, I did not know how and where to get money to pay for expo.
I would have been doing well but wale"s house was Hell.
We ate good food only at night.
Hungry will almost suck life out of me before we eat by 10pm at night.
I was getting tiny and my eyes were going inside.
There was a period for 3 days na only garri I drink straight, even the night food I know see.
I couldn't read because of hunger, though wale parents were cool, no stress, I had my own room but hunger go wan kill me before them reason me.
************************
"Joshua, tommorow u will go join ur mother in the boys quater, that's where u will be staying since the dogs are not used to you"
This man wicked o, I thought aloud, upon all the rooms in this big house, I go go join my mama with 3 sisters for that one room omo..
I moved to ikorodu after my GCE, to stay with my mum sister and her husband.
There was no difference between her husband and the man I dey stay with before.
Just that this one no go near u, if u no near am.
I got a job were I was husting, I had no choice.
Salary was 8k but no choice and na suffer work sef.
"Joshua, Gce results is out but I dey fear to check o" Wale sent me on Facebook.
Argh, I did not even care, I left my working place immediately and ran home.
I met my boss as I was going home.
" Joshua who u leave for shop"
"Oga, ur wife dey around,"
" so where are u going to, she is not staying long"
"Oga I get something important to do at home, I dey go".
"Joshua, Joshua come back here, Joshua I am talking to you".
I did not even answer me, now wey God wan answer my prayer him wan delay me. Mtcheew..
"Sister abeg borrow me ur phone, Gce result is out make I check"
I had no phone, I sold it to pay for the debt because of this GCE.
My mum sister handed me her phone reluctantly.
I was scared but confident.
I inputted the details, said a little prayer and sent.
God!!! I Broke down in tears..
"Joshua what is it" my aunt asked..
I gave her the phone.
I had 4F, 2c, 1A, 1D..
I went inside the room.
I just couldn't help it.
"Joshua, mummy Don dey come o" my kid sister said.
I ran under the bed and covered myself nd cried my eyes out.
:God why?" I kept saying
My mum forced me out and encouraged me.
Her sister had told her already, she told me to start preparing for another waec and she made it clear.
*This was your last, its a Do or Die now*
Later that evening i overhead my mum sister husband saying "it's like that boy has spiritual problem that don't want him to progress, he needs deliverance".
he was discussing with his wife.
I just walked away, sniffing the little tears in my eyes.
The next morning my mum woke me up and said.
*"JOshua you are going to mfm mountain top prayer city next week, where you will fast for 3 days straight, no food, no water, that's where you will be delivered*
I sighed. Chai.
*********************
I went back to plead with my boss after the deliverance.
The deliverance was fire, out of 24hrs in a day, we slept highest 7hrs the rest was used for hot prayers.
I spent 5days there, the 3days marathon fasting didn't really weak me, the hunger I Don see for wale house had trained me already.
We still prayed and fasted for another two days before I was allowed to go home.
My boss accepted me but increased my working hours.
My mum gathered money to pay for another waec for me, she was going to pay on a Sunday, two weeks after the deliverance.
On the other hand, life has been fair, I have been surviving and avoiding my in-laws.
I received a call one Friday like that.
"Hello, who be dis " I asked the unknown caller. I had a small phone now
"Josh na blessing o, long time "
Blessing was my seat mate and her waec results was also held.
We exchanged pleasantries then she said
"Joshua them Don release our held results o, I just check my own".
"Seriously?," I jumped up
"How was it?" I asked waiting for her response as if a gun was pointed at my head
"It was good, I clear all of them, only data processing was cancelled but anita got 3F and 3 results cancelled"
I ended the call again and ran out of the shop.
I did not even know where I was running to.
My scratch card entries had finished, so I decided to stop.
I ran back to the shop, took some of the money in the locker nd pleaded with my neighbour to look after the shop.
I took bike straight to waec office and purchase the pin.
I met my senior sister at home, when I got home.
"Awfa, give me ur phone fast".
I dragged the phone from her hand, went to waec website.
After inputting my details I wanted to click check.
Then I remembered Anita,
Her results was held too.
Blessing said she had 3F and 3cancelled.
What if mine was same.?
What if I failed like be4?
Would it not be better I don't check at all?
My mum already had my waec money ready and she will pay in 2days,would it not be better I don't start another heartbreaking experience at home?
I was fidgeting, and sweating, my heartbeats increased with speed.
My sisters were all staring at me
I closed my eyes and click Check results!.
Hot tears ran down my from my mum eyes,
My sisters came to hug me.
I just stood
Well, my mum did not need to pay for my waec Fees again as I had to start preparing for Jamb.
The story continues
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