I remember when I was in jss1, I met the first boy ever to be my best friend.
Back then, I was the smallest person in JSS1; sometimes, I would even get bullied because I looked so small like I didn't belong to the class, and being quiet didn't make it any better. I can also say that by that time I was amongst the smartest pupils in jss1.
We were already at the end of the second term. One day in class, our principal came in, and a boy followed her into our class; we greeted her in accord, and she responded, then she talked to our teacher before leaving. The new boy stayed behind.
“Okay class, let me introduce your new mate, Kelly. He will be joining us today, make sure you are nice to him,” my teacher introduced Kelly to the class.
She assigned him to be my seatmate, which was the seat in front because she wanted to make sure he was following up well.
He took his bag and came over to my seat. He brought out his book and pen, kept them on the desk, and had a deep sigh of stress.
“Hi," I said before going back to focus on the teaching.
He hung his head supporting it with his hand and started staring at me, with a bright and contagious smile,
“Hi,"
Before I could look back at him, he said hi again, and he continued saying hi with a warm smile and bright mischievous eyes. And before I knew it, my face flushed red, and I gave him a shy smile and said Hi to him again.
He grinned “I knew you would look better if you smiled," he said.
At first, I tried convincing myself he was annoying, that he was going to be a big distraction, but he was different—he was louder, funnier, and completely unbothered by life. He always found joy in everything, finding a way to smile and make others smile.
Kelly was a really funny boy and I became his audience. In time our relationship grew so close that even some classmates were jealous of us. Our friendship felt like a match made in heaven.
I wasn't just his audience, but I was also his tutor during our free time. I didn't mind taking my free time to teach him because he always made it fun. Sometimes, he would try hard to cheat when I was asking him questions, and whenever he got an answer right, he would cheer and jubilate like he won a trophy.
One time, during a break period. I went to get snacks, while Kelly was playing with some boys in front of our class. When I came back from buying the snacks, I saw one of my worst classmates ever—Daniel—one of the biggest boys in our class who used his size to intimidate us with a smaller stature. He was talking to his friend Stephen.
At first, I wanted to carry my things and move to another desk, but he was sitting on one of my books that I left on my desk so I had no way to avoid him.
I walked over to him “Daniel please excuse me,”
“Mtchewww,” he sized me up and continued his conversation with Stephen.
‘What kind of temptation has walked its way to me,’ I thought to myself.
“Just stand up so I can take my book,”
"If you can't add please and be polite then just go,”
"What do you mean? I should beg you to stand up from my book that is on my desk!”
He sized me up again, "You aren't ready,” then just kept on ignoring me.
Before I knew it Kelly's shadow was looming over me from behind.
I heard Kelly use a tone I never heard him use before. I turned around, and for the first time, he had a serious, scary face on, with his fist folded. “Get up, we want to sit down now," he said.
And Daniel sheepishly relocated with his friend. Immediately Kelly changed back to his cheerful self and went back outside to play. I was shocked cause I never imagined an ajebo like Kelly would have that kind of aura. And the way he switched back immediately to his cheerful self was just wonderful!
Until one day everything changed.
Kelly came to school quieter than usual; he stayed on his own and didn't crack a single joke; he wasn't even listening to the teacher during lessons. During the break, he didn't go out to play or ask me to teach him.
I nudged him, “What's wrong?"
He hesitated a little “We are moving,"
My heart shattered “Moving to where,"
“Another town, we are leaving on Saturday," he said as he traced invisible patterns on the wooden desk with his finger.
After he told me what it was all about, it was like he removed a huge load from his heart and he changed back to his cheerful self. But it was different for me; I couldn't stop him from moving, could I? Who will be my new seatmate? No one to crack jokes with anymore. Although I had all these feelings I hid them so it wouldn't affect him.
The week passed so quickly and Friday—the last day, finally came. We both acted normal like he wasn't leaving.
When school was over, he picked up his bag and took out a paper from his pocket.
He handed it to me “Don't read it till I go,"
I watched him leave the school gate. He turned back once and waved goodbye, and I waved back.
That evening at home I finally got the courage to open it, but my hands were still shaking.
I took a deep breath and opened it.
———
Dear Zainab
I don't know how to tell you goodbye, but I will tell you this—I am never going to forget you, I will miss you, sitting next to you, all the help you gave me, and your laughter,
From me to my best friend.
———
I read it twice, then thrice. It wasn't a love letter but it was something more precious that I would never forget. I never saw him again but I would never forget him either.