CHAPTER 6

As they wait in the reception, Chioma looked scared and Kunle didn’t know how else to comfort her. Chioma has always been the strong one. In the 3years he had known her, he has never seen her this way, and it made him so sad this happened to her. He held on tight to her shaky hands and prayed out loud while Chioma said Amen. It is the least he could do.

Kunle first met Chioma in Sunday school when he was 15 years old but he looked 10. She was 12 years old but she looked and acted 15.

Girls grow faster than boys, he thought to himself when he found out her age.

The first impression he had of Chioma was bossy, rude and annoying. So he avoided her because she made fun of boys in the class and she never stayed till the end of any service.

One day, her mother drags her into their rehearsals and demands she joins the choir.

Kunle assumed the world ended. It was okay to be in Sunday school with her and sit in the same class and far away as possible but not choir practice.

The choir is his place of solace; he loved to sing and played several instruments. Those are his forte and now he will no longer know peace because Chioma’s mother thinks her daughter should join the choir and her friends had their daughters there. At least it was what her mother told the choir master.

He tried to stay focused on getting the notes of his instrument and not be distracted by Chioma but staying focused didn’t last too long. When Chioma’s mother left, the choir leader gave Chioma a verse to sing to place her voice and avoid misclassification in soprano, Mezzo-soprano or contralto.

Contralto is the lowest female voice between F3 to F5, it wasn’t Chioma’s voice. The Mezzo-soprano is the middle range voice, it lies between A3 to A5, between soprano and contralto but it wasn’t Chioma’s voice either. Chioma opened her mouth and everyone is marvelled at the voice, including Kunle. Hers is not just soprano but soprano tessitura.

She is gifted; no doubting it so Kunle became inquisitive and wondered why such a troublesome girl be so much gifted? He was so eager to find out if her knowledge of her talent was the reason for her behaviour.

The next rehearsals, he went up to her and said hi. She didn’t respond. He looked stupid but let go.

One day, they are grouped together by their Sunday school teacher for a Bible quiz. Kunle concluded his group had lost before the contest started because Chioma was in his group.
With four participants in each group, Kunle can vouch for two out of the four in his group; himself and Kola. Kola is a guru with the word and He; well, he is a master of the Bible but Chioma and her friend had never been attentive in class, especially Chioma. Too bad, answers to the questions need to be correct to win.
As the quiz came to end, an amazing thing happened. Chioma got her questions right, but he was right about her friend. No answer correct. She could not even recite John 3:16. It was terrible.

Kunle’s pessimism became a reality, and they didn’t win the contest but Kunle didn’t care. He is amazed at Chioma’s intelligence.

After the Sunday school that day, Kunle is surprised to see Chioma. She stayed till the end. He sees her walking towards him and his heart stops beating. She came over to shake him for a job well done and apologised for her past behaviour of not responding when he said hi.

Kunle told her she had rights to be rude to him because he didn’t like her at first either. They laughed, Kunle breathed again and Chioma requested they walk to the junction where they both take separate buses home. Kunle’s heart doubles its beat and his mouth says yes to the request.

Kunle and Chioma walked to the junction and spoke about everything. It felt as if they had known each other forever because they had so much in common. Since that day, they have been best friends and Chioma always stayed till the end of every service. Kunle was a great influence on her. He found out she wasn't rude, bossy or annoying. She was just Chioma and Chioma is bold, courageous and intelligent.