Reddington High (Matters Of The Heart) MOTH

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She is strong enough to go to school. Those medications worked perfectly on her. Chizzy suddenly fell ill after the yuletide season. It's just three days for her to go back to the dormitory. When Paulus, her father asked her to begin to put her things together that she would be going back to the school on Sunday evening, it was like sending an electric current through her veins.

Nnenne, her mother had to run to ensure that her daughter recovers quickly before going back to the dormitory. That cool Thursday morning, they visited the general hospital to run a concise medical check on Chizzy.

After the diagnosis, Dr. Lams did not find anything wrong with Chizzy. So, he decided to speak one on one with his patient.

How are you feeling Chizzy?

She looked at him, bewildered, and replied:

I am getting better sir. Except that my headaches on the left.

That will be fine, ok?

Dr. Lams said.

Is there something you will like to share with me? After the test we carried out, nothing was found to be the problem.

At this point, Chizzy knew that she had to open up to Dr. Lams, else she would be endangering her life going back to that hell of a school.

Dr, my school is worse than it appears. Our house masters and mistresses can't help the situation of bullying. Am scared, I don't want to fo back there. So, I had to come up with the idea of pretending to be sick.

Wow!! Dr. Lams couldn't believe what he just heard.

You should have at least told your parents, instead of pretending to be sick.

After the brief but concise discussion with Chizzy, Dr. Lams invited Nnenne, relate all that Chizzy said concerning her school.

The spite at which bullying prospers in schools these days is nothing to write home about. Learners who ought to be sociable are devising negative means to humiliate their fellows, forcefully take what does not belong to them, or use their body weight or size to cheat others.

They left the hospital with Nnenne agitated about the situation and disappointed that Chizzy could not open up to her.

As she drive past the gate of the hospital, Nnenne asked Chizzy:

Why couldn't you tell me all this while that all these were happening to you and other students in your school?

Chizzy kept silent, staring at the other commuters.

Don't keep quiet when I ask you a question, you naughty girl.

This is the usual way she always spoke to her. There is no mother-to-daughter relationship between them. Now, she is shouting at her again.

Why do you have to embarrass me like that in the public. We were at home and despite all the time we share, you could not straight to tell the situation, you rather share it with a stranger.

Chizzy was beginning to breathe faster and getting impatient. She busted out with a loud voice:

We never had time to talk. And you wouldn't give me the attention I need. You rather would talk about your friends and the big parties. Each time I tried getting your attention, you are either going to an event or talking about a friend's wedding.

Nnenne could not respond to Chizzy's allegations, she just drove back home silently.

That evening at home everywhere is calm. When Mr. Paulus came back from work. He asked how Chizzy was feeling and she said fine. Without asking further, he went to have a shower before getting to dinner.

There favorite semolina and melon soup was served. As they ate, maintaining table manners, Nnenne broke the silence and said.

Baby, Chizzy won't be going back to Reddington High again. She had fallen sick all of a sudden because she don't feel safe there.

Paulus had goosebumps rise on his skin at the saying of Nnenne.

She confided in Dr. Lams that she had suffered different degree of bullying in that school.

It was a bitter night as Paulus melted his anger on Nnenne for not getting intimate with her daughter. He however, accepted that Chizzy won't be going back to Reddington High but encouraged her to be outspoken anytime she is faced with any unpleasant situation.

A problem shared is half solved.

Mr. Paulus went to Reddington High to meet with the administrators and told them openly why Chizzy won't be resuming to school. He requested that the bullies be fished out, else more students will be leaving.