Black Eyed Susan

A particular villiage can be found at the outskirts of Abuja, (a state in Nigeria). The morning light shone in, making the room brighter, the curtains swaying side to side due to the cool breeze.

A girl of average height, slim, and fair, with an all back braided hairstyle can be seen cuddling her self and enjoying her sleep almost forgotten it time for school.

"Jane!! Won't you get ready for school? Haven't you slept enough!" Mama liya, (Jane paternal grandmother ), shouted from the kitchen.

She was worried that, Jane might be late for school and end up missing some important lessons, so she decided to wake her up by shouting from the kitchen whilst cooking at the same time.

Jane hissed, frustrated that the weekend wasn't long enough.

" Jeez! Why is the weekend always short?!

Two days is just too small.

Oh well, am in it already.

Time to get ready for school.

Grandma am coming, just some minutes please."

Jane quickly made her way to the bathroom for her morning routines; brushing her teeth, taking her bath, and dressing her self.

"Morning Mama liya." Jane greeted as she walked towards her grandma.

Ever since her parents died two years ago and left her with nothing, since they were into lots of debts before their demise. Jane's grandmother took her granddaughter to her village, and since then Jane has been living with her grandmother.

Even though, life has not been easy for them, cause her grandma was into petty trade, and she had been diagnosed with leaukemia stage two.

Jane is always helping her grandma to hawk around the village after school in order to make more sales.

Mama liya smiled as she saw her one and only precious granddaughter coming towards her.

" Morning my jewel, did you slept well?"

"Yes granny, I did so very well." Jane replied her and grinned.

Mama Liya just smiled once again, her precious granddaughter is nothing but a blessing to her and seeing her everyday fills her up.

After the greetings, Jane immediately ate her breakfast and was ready to leave for school, but she halted and turned back.

"Grandma, I will try and ask my friends, if they can help me with something about your treatment.

I know you don't like that, but we don't have any choice. You know we don't make much from our petty trade, and sadly all our family members shone us. "

But somewhere deep inside her, Jane still hoped for some of their family members to turn up and help them.

A defeaning silence could be catched, after her sentences. Her grandma stared at her for a while, then she stood up and walked over to Jane side.

"My dear, I understand your points even more, and you are right. We have no choice, but no matter what our pride must stand. It not about been egoistic, you should get it.

We keep begging them all the time, still they turned a deaf ear on all our pleads.

"I can't stop you, if you want to ask help from your friends, since I know it because of me. Thank you my joy, am grateful."

Mama Liya felt blissful for having a child like Jane beside her. She really hoped for a miracle, and wished Jane could live a life free from worries.

She would have asked help from her relatives but most of them are misers and only care about their interests.

"Oh ma, you don't have to, okay?! I love you, and am ready to do anything for you, so pls stop thanking me Mama. I should be the one thanking you instead.

"You raised me after my parents died and took care of me. You always make sure to satisfy me with anything I ask.

"You didn't even make me miss any parental love, so I am more grateful granny darling.

Emm, am running late ma, I need to go. Take care."

Jane said as she hugged her grandmother and realized her time was running out, then she quickly took her leave.

Mama Liya just chuckled at her granddaughter's behavior.

~~~~~~~~

At school.

Jane can be seen gisting with her three best friends; Viva, Mabel and Mart.

Viva: a chocolate skin girl with short brown hair. Tall and slim, also the brightest student in Jane's class.

Mabel: fair in complexion, a bit long hair, average in height, and the most beautiful student in Jane's class.

Mart: black in complexion and average in height.

"Hey Jane, have you heard about what happened to Evie?"

Mart asked Jane.

Jane just shrugged her shoulder indicating an, "I don't know sign."

Viva chirped in, " Well, I know. Her family was accused of collaborating with some fraudsters."

Viva decided to let the answer out instead, since she was sure her friend Jane isn't the gossiping type.

Jane dropped her book and looked at her three best friends.

" As for me, I am not interested in knowing anything about Evie and her family.

You guys know am one of the dumb heads students in this class, but this time around I want to make my grandma proud of me and also to raise the money for her treatment, so gossiping about someone's life isn't my priority now, okay?"

Jane wanted to let her friends know about things, that are not of her concern. Gossiping about others is the least of her priority now.

For Christ sake, she just wanted to face her studies and find a way to help her grandmother.

Mabel and Viva rolled their eyes at Jane words, whilst Mart commented,

" Yeah we know Jane, and we will love to help, but the economy situation is honestly too bad."

"Anyways, we are sorry Jane!"

The three chroused together.

"It okay guys,am not upset but

just sad."

Jane said and continued, " I really need to raise the money, so I can help grandma."

Mabel moved closer to Jane and side hugged her

" We understand, and right now we promised we will try to help you in anyway we can okay, but you need to shake that stuff out, and let's have fun girl. What do you say guys?"

" Yeah. " Viva and Mart shouted together.

Jane just chuckled.

" Alright!"

Their fun time was interrupted by the village head daughter (Mira).

" Well, well, well! What do we have here, a lowly foolish girl gisting with her best friends.

Oh, so peasants can also make friends hun."

Jane was used to Mira harsh words but ignorance is bliss, even though she can't deny the pain of those mean and harsh words.

She just decided to let it go, cause honestly she really doesn't have time to battle words with Mira, not when she has more significant things to face.

Mabel and Viva just glared at Mira, if looks could kill, she would have been ten feets beneath the ground.

Mart stood up and sneered.

" Look whose talking, you know what? You can just cut to the chase. Meaning that, just admit you are jealous or envious of Jane, instead of going another way around."

~~~~~~~~~~~

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