Under the Veil

KEILANI

WAKE UP! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!!!

I grit my teeth and reach for my phone on the drawer. I grab my phone and wipe right turning off my alarm, my eyes still shut. I groan and sit up. I open my eyes and rub them, as early morning sun reflects in them. I am faced with my family portrait and the picture of my best friend and I, Celestia at the side.

I step out of the bed and kneel, my elbow resting on the bed. I sing praise and worship and then say a little prayer.

When I am done, I stand up and walk to the bathroom to take my bath. I come out few minutes later with towel tied around my waist and my hair drenched in water. I walk to my closet that’s beside the entrance door and bring out my school uniform from the cloth.

My uniform is white shirt, royal blue and red stripe fitted skirt and a blue tie on a white blazer. I remove my uniform and wear my underwear and uniform. I sit on a leather chair in front of my mirror stand. I pick up a big comb and brush my long brown hair and use a hair band to pack them. I apply a little lip gloss and rub a brown powder on my light skin face. I look at my reflection in the mirror and like what I see.

I stand up and dress my bed, grab my Samsung edge 21 ultra from my left drawer and I walk to the closet to carry my school bag and leave the room.

I walk through the doorway and then downstairs and into the parlor. I sniffle the air as the aroma of fried egg and plantain fills the air. I walk straight to the kitchen and see my mum cooking her back turned against me. I smile and walk towards her and hug her from behind. She chuckles and hold unto my hands, knowing it is me.

The kitchen is wide and spacious. There is a counter opposite the window, where the gas and plates rack is and just at the end of the counter is an oven. And just beside the window is a cupboard where ingredients are kept. And below the sink is the drawer where utensils are kept. A deep freezer is just beside the entrance door. There is also a counter which serves as a table and three iron chairs.

“Good morning mum”, I greet and she spurns to look at me.

She flash me a genuine smile that made my day, she rest her back on the counter and cross her hands against her chest. She is wearing a pink apron and beneath the apron is her yellow pajama. I am my mum’s carbon copy. She is light skin, green eyes, pointed nose, small nose and pink lips, oval face. She is average and plump.

“Let me guess, you can’t stay for breakfast”, she arches an eyebrow and I nod.

My phone rings and I roll my eyes, already knowing who it is. I answer the call and draw the phone away from my ears to avoid my best friend from making me go deaf. She screams at me as usual and I sigh.

“Where are you, Keilani? Hope you are not disturbing mum? I am almost at your house, start coming out-“

“Yes Celestia. I am in the kitchen, I am coming out and you better be at the door by then”, I say and she scoffs and hung up.

“Get going before she comes in and wake your dad and brother”, mum says with a British accent as she flips the egg.

“Cyril isn’t up yet? That’s unusual-“

“He came down with a cold last nigh-“

“And I am just finding out?-““You came back from church last night tired and exhausted, so I didn’t want to bother you-“

“Mum-“

“Lani, he is fine. It is just a little cold. I prayed for him he will be fine”, she assures me and I sigh.

I can’t believe I forgot to check up on my little brother yesterday. I need to check up on him or I will be worried al-through today. I take a step forward and my phone rings, I grunt and ignore it. I guess I will just have to come back from school early and look after him.

“Please call the school if he needs me”, I say to my mum and leave without waiting for a response.

**************************************************

“He will be fine. Cyril is a strong boy; he won’t want you to worry about him. Plus it wasn’t your fault you didn’t check up on him last night, you were tired and needed rest-“

“But-“

“No buts. Come on, he is fine. Your mum is there to take care of him and I know mum, she must have prayed the moment she knew he was running temperature”, she assures me and I sigh.

I shut my locker and look at my best friend who is searching through her locker, which is just a locker away from mine.

Celestia has been my best friend since I was 5. We are basically sisters. We are just one month apart from each other. Asides my mum, she is the only person who I confide in and seek advice from- rather who she seeks advice from me. She is dark skin, average, plump, dimples, curvy, long lashes, puffy lips, low cut. Her uniform suits her perfectly and it displays her curves. Most times I envy her. She is the center of attention for the boys in our school. She is busty, curvy and super talented.

She shuts her locker and walks towards me. I smile and hold her arms when she is beside me. We walk towards our class as we chat and laugh as the boys turn their necks to lust over her.

A hand hit my shoulders hard and my bag falls to the ground and my shoulder aches. I tint my head to the right and see Ethan and his friends walk past me like I wasn’t hit. I take a step forward to draw Ethan back but Celestia stop me in time, I take a deep breath and grab my bag from the ground. Thank God she stopped me in time or else, I would have caused a scene. I hate Ethan’s guts.

“Let them be. They are not worth it-“

“You are just saying it because you have a thing for his best friend”, I scoff and she hit my shoulders playfully.

“At least he is better than Ethan-“

“Oh yeah! Way better than him. And plus you have always liked the bad guys”, I wiggle my eyebrow and she use her hips to hit mine lightly, earning a laughter from me.

“Says the church girl”, she jokes and we walk to our class.

**************************************************

“So what do you think?”, I ask Celestia as we walk into the diner during break.

The diner is really big and spacious. Just down the other entrance is the counter where food is dished out. The tables and chairs are round and wooden, curved around it. There are sections for different classes but seniors’ sits outside. Students sit in groups like popularity, cheerleaders, debate, art, athletics, half cast, etc.

I look at her since there wasn’t any response from her. I look beside me but I don’t see her. I look behind me and I see her as she halts and admires someone. I sigh and roll my eyes, knowing who she is staring at like that. There is only one guy that can make her act like that. It is no one other than Isah Malik.

She has had a huge crush on him since we were in primary four (4). She has turned down every guy that has ever asked her out because of him. She hopes that one day he would notice her. She started catching feelings when he stood up for her in primary 4, when they insulted her for her early puberty. But unfortunately for her, he is dating a girl named AISHAT.

Aishat and Celestia don’t see eye to eyes. They are two sides of a coin. They challenge each other at the slightest chance they get. They are both in drama class and they fight for the lead role every year. Aishat knows Celestia likes her boyfriend, so she uses every opportunity to rub it on her face. Most times, I wish Celestia will realize she deserves better than him, better than this drama.

I trace her stare to Isah and see him and his friends entering the hall. Majority of the student turns their gaze to them, as they admire them. Isah and Aishat intertwine their fingers, Eric and Amoris are beside Isah and his girlfriend, while at the end is Ethan and Kailea, his hand across her shoulder.

Isah Malik is light skin, slender, pink lips, black long hair, and brown eyes muscular. He looks Asian. His dad is a Pakistan and his mum is a Fulani woman. He is properly dressed and properly ironed. Eric Khan is white, white hair, red lips, tall, muscular, blue eyes. He is Isahs cousin. His white shirt isn’t buttoned to the end, his white singlet is visible and his shirt hugs his body. And there is Ethan Godspower, light skin, tall, perfect set of teeth, pink lips, pointed nose, black curly full hair, brown eyes, muscular. He has an earring on his right ear and jewelry on his neck which is prohibited. But as a typical corrupted school they allow Ethan and Eric do as they please. Ethan is mixed, just like the others. His mum is Korean and his dad is Igbo.

Aisha Hussein is a Muslim who is quiet and always on hijab. She is from Iraq. She is quiet, talented and is every guys dream in school. She is light skin, decent, pink lips, small nose, scanty eyebrow, pointed nose and has a one sided dimples, brown eyes. Amoris Norman is an American. She has long blonde hair, brown eyes, short, red lips. And there is the leader of the female group, Kailea Schmidt. She is average, long black hair, slim but curvy, brown eyes, pointed nose. She is a typical example of a spoilt brat like her boyfriend. She is German.

They are the richest and most corrupted student in this school, especially Ethan. They are not only rich but good looking and intelligent, they are all-rounder. They are all mixed and their parents are family friends. They are bonded by Nigerian and foreign parents.

I look away from them and walk back to Celestia. I nudge her shoulder and she startles and fakes a smile. Each time she sees Isah and his girlfriend together, it break her heart and I know she is trying her best not to break down.

“Come on”, I smile and hold her hand.

After taking our food from the chef, we walk to our regular sit outside. Someone pushes Celestia and she lost balance and almost fall to the ground, her food tray lands on my body. I tint my head up to look at Celestia to ensure she is fine and I see her in the arms of Isah as they gaze into each other’s eyes. They look so in love.

I sigh in relieve and look at my white shirt which is now stained with stew and rice. I look at the person who push her and see it is Ethan. My blood boils in anger and all I see is red and I drop my tray at the nearest table and walk to Ethan holding him by this shirt. The whole school gasps and so did Ethan.

Kailea stands up and remove my hand from her boyfriend’s shirt roughly and stands in front of him, serving as shield. I arch an eyebrow, the audacity. She is ready for a fight and so am I. Her eyes hold revenge and anger and I stare blankly at her. Aishat coughs and I look back at Celestia and Isah and they pull away from each other. They look at each other awkwardly and then start to avoid eye contact with each other.

Aishat stands up majestically and walks to Isah. She kisses him on the lips and looks at Celestia, trying to make her jealous and it works. Celestia tighten her fist and grit her teeth in jealousy. She runs off and I frown. Isah opens his mouth to say something and close it deciding against it.

“The next time you touch Ethan I will make you regret it”, she threatens and I scoff.

“Will you tell your daddy? Will he make the principal expel or suspend me? I’d love to see you try”, I mock as I put one hand on my waist.

“Just tell your boyfriend to watch where he is going next time or else I will do more than hold him by his shirt”, I warn and I am not bluffing like she was.

Everyone whispers and stare at us. They are surprised I challenged her. I have been looking for the perfect excuse to burst out. But the person I wanted to lash out at desperately is standing behind this girl. Kailea widen her eyes, shocked at my threat. I look behind her and see Ethan sit on the table, his legs on the chair and stares at me angrily. If stares can kill, I will be 10 feet below by now. His friends look at me not saying a word but I can tell they are all pissed, except Isah. Isah looks more hurt and sad than angry. I am guessing he cares for Celestia, why not man up and break up with Aishat and be with her? Why hurt each other?

“Have a nice day”, I fake a smile and run after Celestia.

As I run I hear Ethan shout ‘FUCK’ and hit his hand on the table hard and I hear his friends whisper and groan. I shake my head and pray Celestia isn’t planning to call her mum to come pick her up.