ALWAYS IN MY HEART

My name is Mirabel Okorie but my family and my friends call me "Mimi", I'm proudly African and I'm a citizen of Nigeria, I'm also 18 years old. I describe myself as having curly dark brown hair, light-brown eyes, plump pink lips, smooth dark skin, I'm quite slim and of average height as well, standing at 5''4, Some people may call me an "angel". I live in Lagos City together with my 42 year old father, Mr Stanley Okorie, who's a carpenter. My mom who's been suffering from bre@st cancer passed away just a year ago and ever since her demise, I truly haven't been myself, I mourned her for several months. Unlike other fathers, My dad never thought of re-marrying in order to respect and honor my late mother's spirit and I acknowledge him sincerely for that decision. My father made sure that he could be the best father he could ever be, He provided me with everything I needed and all that I asked for. My ambition is to become a well-known medical doctor and I know that by God's grace, I will be exactly who I want to be. I'm on a scholarship at Greenfield High, A prestigious and well-known secondary school situated in Lekki. There, I met a boy named Obinna, A very cute light-skinned boy who is incredibly intelligent and extremely focused which made me develop a huge crush on him, He's also on a scholarship just like I am. I also made a friend in a girl named Amarachi, Although some people may discriminate against her because of how she behaves... She's a really and I mean, REALLY "freaky" person. There's also this guy named Deji Adeniran, A tall dark and handsome guy, Your typical Yoruba d€mon, who's the son of the owner of Greenfield High who most girls see as a playboy but surprisingly, He's interested in me but I'm not interested in him. At the same time, He is dating a girl named Christabel Williams... Who's character I can't even begin to explain. I also made other interesting friends who are Desmond, Michael, Priscilla, Kelly. Anyways, This is my story...

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(Lagos City)

(At Mr Stanley's House)

Mimi: (entering into the living room) Good morning Dad

Mr Stanley: Morning my angel, Did you sleep well?

Mimi: Of course I did, You?

Mr Stanley: (chuckles) Well, I did get some shut-eye

Mimi: (giggles) Hmm, Manageable.

Mr Stanley: Yeah you've had your bath and gotten dressed, You're ready for school?

Mimi: Mm-hmm, I am

Mr Stanley: Alright. But hope you've had breakfast?

Mimi: No Dad, There's no time for me to eat and besides i'm not hungry at all. Don't worry, I'll eat some snacks inside the keké.

Mr Stanley: Okay my angel, We need to get going. It's almost 8am

(Mr Stanley grabs his tools and leaves the house, Mimi however, kis$es her late mother's photo on the wall before she leaves the house as well and joins her father inside his keké [tricycle] and then he drives her to school)

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(Later on)

(At Greenfield High, Mimi walks into the classroom)

Mimi: (sighs) Huh, Thank God for another day. (she looks around and spots Obinna studying at a desk by himself and approaches him) Hi!

Obinna: Mimi, Hey! Good morning

Mimi: Morning (she drops her bag and sits down beside him) As if I knew you'd be reading, You're literally always reading (giggles).

Obinna: Well, It is a good way to expand my knowledge and sustain my scholarship.

Mimi: True that. Although, I've really been distracted latetly. Firstly due to the fact that my family is poor, Things are extremely difficult for us this period and the fact that my mom just passed away. It's been hard for me.

Obinna: I understand. Don't worry, You'll always have me by your side okay? You have nothing to be worried about

Mimi: (smiling) Awww...

Obinna: (grins) Alright, We need to study, We do have a test next week

Mimi: (smiling) Yes Sir!

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(Meanwhile)

(At Mr Stanley's shop; He tirelessly saws through a wood)

Mr Stanley: (breathing heavily) Almost there...

(Just then, A middle-aged man barges into his shop)

Mr Stanley: Ohhh, Mr Johnson good morning

Johnson: What is good about the morning ehn Stanley?! What is good about the morning?!

Mr Stanley: Customer please don't be angry with me

Johnson: (enraged) DON'T TELL ME THAT! DON'T EVEN TELL ME THAT, I'VE BEEN PATIENT ENOUGH!

Mr Stanley: I understand. But please give me some more time, I will complete your work. You know my wife just passed away.

Johnson: See, I don't care about that oo! I don't even care about that at all! Just have my shoe rack and my furnitures ready latest by this weekend or else you will refund my #15,000 and if you refuse to pay me back, You better get ready to start spending your nights in jail, Rub.bish!

Mr Stanley: But customer---

Johnson: (He hisses and angrily leaves the shop)

Mr Stanley: (sighs) God help me...

(Mr Stanley continues to saw through the wood)

(Later)

(Stanley's friend, Lucky visits him)

Mr Stanley: Lucky!

Lucky: Stanley, How far na?

Mr Stanley: I dey oo

Lucky: (He shakes hands with Stanley) This one that you're just working nonstop, I hope all is good?

Mr Stanley: Mmm, All is not good my brother

Lucky: Ahn ahn, What happened?

Mr Stanley: (despondently) One of my customers who furiously came here some minutes ago gave me just till this weekend to complete his work or else he'll have me arrested, A work that is supposed to take me a month to complete, I have to finish it within four days. I really have no other choice

Lucky: Chai, This isn't a good thing oo

Mr Stanley: I tried to reason with him to give me some more time but he refused

Lucky: Don't worry, You'll be fine

Mr Stanley: I pray so. There's something I want to ask from you Lucky, Please can you lend me some---

Lucky: (he swiftly cuts in) Omo see ehn, I just remembered I have to rush back home, I have a lot of things to do and my wife is even waiting for me, We'll see later! (he hastily leaves Stanley's shop as Stanley watches him speechlessly)

(That evening)

(Mr Stanley returns back to the house)

Mr Stanley: I'm sure Mimi isn't back from school yet, And its already 5pm. (He looks closely to see a letter boldly posted on the front door) What is this? (He goes closer to read what is written in the letter and is utterly shocked) A quit notice???!

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(That Evening)

(At Mr Stanley's House; Mimi returns back home)

Mimi: Good evening Dad

Mr Stanley: (sadly) Evening my angel, How was school today?

Mimi: School was wonderful as usual (noticing his facial expressions) What's the matter, Dad? You look extremely moody.

Mr Stanley: Read this... (He hands her the quit notice letter)

Mimi: Okay (she collects the letter and reads it) "Mr Stanley Okorie, I have given you till the ending of this month to pay up your house rent of #300,000 or else, I will have you and your daughter thrown out of my house, signed Landlord" (sighs) Oh God, This isn't good at all. Where are we supposed to get #300,000 to pay up before the ending of this month, With the way things are hard in Nigeria?

Mr Stanley: I am really really confused my daughter, I know definitely that our landlord will keep on coming here till the month elapses to remind us to pay up. This is exactly why I don't want you to misuse the scholarship given to you, I want you to read hard so that you can become somebody in life so that all this suffering will be over

Mimi: Yes Dad, I know.

Mr Stanley: I know God in heaven will provide, He will take control.

Mimi: (sighs) Amen

Mr Stanley: Just go in and freshen up, I'll warm up the rice that remained yesterday so that we can eat

Mimi: Okay Dad... (she heads into the corridor as her father ponders on, deep in thoughts)

To be CONTINUED