It has been over two years since I set off to write my novel: UNTOLD PAIN

I look back at my old topic where I revealed my plan for the novel and I just can't believe how little I have done.
https://www.nairaland.com/2474092/untold-pain-making

Over the last two years, I have struggled with time. I realized bitterly that when you are not a full time writer, writing become even more difficult to pursue. I knew it would be hard, just not this hard. When you take numerous college classes weekly or work 40 hours per week, writing a may to drop down your priority list.

Another thing I realized after wasting so much time drafting my scenes and chapters on paper was that transcribing onto the computer becomes boring and cumbersome. Therefore, until June 2017, in bid to conserve paper and speed writing, I had all these chapters drafted in my pocket notes in tiny writings which I occasionally found illegible. The plot were too disjointed and incoherent for even a first draft.

By ending of June, I resolved to start typing on computer starting a fresh story still built on the original ideas but unrelated to the scribbling and jotting I had preoccupied myself in.

Anyway, I have typed just under 60,000 words in the last 6 months. Word wise, this is a novel according to Wikipedia but plot-wise I am far from done with even the first draft. In this thread, I'll be posting excerpt from the Untold Pain: A Novel. I hope you enjoy my writing, feel free to leave a comment.

Copyright © 2017 by S.M Nas
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 2

“Listen!” Above chatter encroaching his lecture, Mr Thomas’s voice echoed from the white board, through the rows and column of student occupied desk to the rear of the class where Dale sat. Dale jerked his head in reaction back to his table on which lay a pen and a plain paper covered in scribbles. For what seem like half a minute, he had been staring at Regina who was sitting four desks diagonally away at the second row. He’d started this lecture with rapt attention, his eyes directly trailing the white board and ears siphoning the words from the young lecturer pacing side to side of the white board. However, as the minutes rolled, he soon find his attention drifting further and away from the lectures and nearer to Regina. For the umpteenth time since the class had commenced, he had been locked in an internal conflict between the course of his woes and the girl of his dreams.

“Quiet! Mr Thomas called again. And the whole class fell silent as graveyard. As he parted his lips between his prominent goatee to begin to address the class, brisk and creaky footstep from outside drawing closer to the room cut him short. One after the other, head turned away from Mr. Thomas towards the door as another student entered. Male, about 21 years, tall and fitter than Dale. He stopped at the door mouth to stare back at all the eyes staring at him, a fixing a hard smirk at the onlookers. “Please, have a seat Mr Ron”, Mr Thomas pointed at the empty seats before him. Ron proceeded his stride upward till the front row, and down to the end of the row to an empty seat on the right, next to Regina. Regina recovered an handbag from the chair and he plopped in like a king occupying his throne. Dale’s jaw dropped, there seem to be something going on with these two. Dale had been eyeing that seat all morning as his attention fluctuated between the lecture and Regina. After initially chickening at the thought made his mind to move there after the class to at least say Hi to Regina.

Dale shifted uneasily in his chair, leaned and turned his gaze back to the board. Mr. Thomas. Over the white board, Mr Thomas’s eraser stuffed hand swayed left and right, rubbing away the red ink writing, drawings and illustrations.

“By the way, you are over thirty minutes late for the class, you mustn’t be this late for my class again” Mr Thomas declared over his shoulder.

“I had things to sort out with the account department” Ron sounded sharp and defensive.

Dale raised his eyebrow to glance at the digital clock above the board. Mr Thomas was true, but Ron was false. He resisted the urge to turn Ron’s direction once more. He hoped Mr Thomas would reaffirm his warning disregarding Ron’s excuse but the young professor seem rather uninterested getting further into the subject. He paced to the lecture podium to recover a his reference textbook, turning through the pages. Dale cupped his jaw in his right palm a little disappointed. Ron had clearly lied to Mr. Thomas, the account department didn’t open today. He had been there earlier that morning for financial clearance as well but the cashier had informed him that there were technical problem the office needed to sort out that would take the entire school day. If Ron had been there, he’d have been informed as well.

“Sure, Mr Ron? I passed by the office on my way in for the lecture, a bold note by the door announcing that the officers will not open for the day". Dale fought to restrain the smile of contentment that was cropping his face.

“He is true sir, he’d misunderstood the note and had been waiting there all morning” Regina’s voice pierce through his ears like a knife effectively pruning off his smile.

Mr Thomas, walked along the row drawing closer to Regina with the textbook borne in his palm, his arm seem to have depressed owing to the sheer weight of the book. He seem dissatisfied with Regina’s response. And his silence rather seem to be demanding for further proof. Unperturbed and indifferent, Ron sat still, twirling the ballpoint pen between his thumbs as though everything else depend upon it.

“I....I messaged him ten minutes ago to inform him the office was closed” Regina added before turning to Ron.

Mr. Thomas looked over the heads before him till his eyes met Dale. Then, he returned his sight back to Regina who seem to be intent in averting his eyes.

Mr Thomas scanned further through the pages of the text book for several seconds then shut it.

“I believe you.... Regina”. He gave an apologetic smile and retreated to the board.

Hard as it was to admit that Dale was right, it was even harder to admit that Regina had been false. Regina was a nice girl that commanded the respect of both students and staff. Virtually every girl admired her and probably all the boys in the class fancied her. She was academically gifted and blessed with a gorgeous look. Despite this, a part of him seem skeptical. It seem in character for Regina to have alerted Ron that office was closed for the day. However, it was out of character of her to operate her phone in class. The class rule forbid operation of mobile phones during lecture. Aside this, Regina’s unwavering concentration in lectures mean that she’d never even consider the idea of anything or anyone else.

Could she really have broken her attention, broken the class rule to just message Ron while Mr Thomas had been lecturing or was she merely covering for him? Dale rationalized these two probabilities to no end, only to conclude that whichever was true, Regina was uncharacteristically getting out of her way to support Ron. After another fifteen minutes of lecturing, Mr Thomas dismissed the class, inviting Dale to his office as he made for the exit.

********

Dale had no class for the next couple of hours. It was only the first day of the academic semester and he didn’t feel like hitting the library yet. So he remained in his seat, waiting for the perfect moment to go talk to Regina. Unfortunately, Ron and Regina had remain inseparable all morning. Together, they strolled past him out of the class for the cafeteria about an hour before noon. When Regina returned back alone about half an hour later, she had merely acknowledged him. She strode right past him without even a glance in his direction. Though slightly dejected that Regina had ignored his presence he felt his heart warm with relief that Ron was not with her anymore. The class was virtually empty, most students had not returned from the cafeteria. Could he wish for any better moment this to approach her? Warm blood rushed through his cheeks as he move to get to his feet. What would would he say to her now? Why hasn’t she called him since she left? Was she avoiding or ignoring him? He deserved an explanation, he nod. He pulled out his legs from beneath the desk causing it to jerk noisily. He rehearse his lines in his head once more as he stood between his chair and desk. He’d start with an Hi, then ask if he could sit. She’ll permit him, wont she? Then, he’ll ask her about the call and why she seem to have ignored his presence all day despite owing him a call.

Two steps away from his seat, he heard the familiar steps that had interrupted their lesson that morning and within a split second a chair behind him creaked aloud as Ron jostled past him in direction of Regina.

“Hi Dale” Ron waved as he dropped on Regina’s desk. She was holding her phone to her face, typing in a rush.

“Hi” He waved back, his voice bored with embarrassment and he staggered back towards the nearest seat and collapse on one of them. He could feel Ron’s gaze still on him. What? He wondered, did she notice, had he embarrassed himself? He bowed in shame, determined to continue avoid Ron’s gaze, whom he could see from the corner of his eyes was having small talk with Regina. She’d not even given him a look at all. After everything that happened last weekend, she was acting really strange. There was definitely something going on between these two and whatever it is, it is definitely getting in his way of seeing her.

She seem to want to be approached, girls always do. He had little to no experience on girls but he knew this from the movies, TV and his uncle had mentioned this a couple of times on breezy nights where they sat in the porch of the farmhouse enjoying the cool air, discussing various matters that range from dating, business, money and farm among a host of others. He got up again, this time heading out through the door. Further across the walkway, he leaned on the railing facing away from the class. Barely half full of chatty students lining at the counter for their lunch or already at the table munching away spoonful after spoonful of all varieties of meal, the school eatery or cafeteria stood 40 yards away.

He peered through the vertical window slit opposite him to read the clock in the classroom. It was barely 11:00AM. Too early for lunch, he thought to himself. But most of the students here were taking brunch, having skipped breakfast at home in bid to catch the 8:00PM classes. For Dale, breakfast was like a ritual that must be performed every morning or risk hunger for the entire school hours. He’d made it a point every night to prepare and refrigerate his breakfast, usually simple sandwich of saute fish and vegetables placed between mayonnaise coated sliced bread. By morning, all that was needed was to reheat it in the microwave, pour himself a cup tea and his meal was ready. He didn’t like eatery, thanks to the social butterflies like Ron, it had become a social center where guys and girls come to entertain themselves chatting, flirting and gossiping. Even this far from the eatery, he could hear their voices. Whatever happened to table manners. He’d been there a couple of days when he wanted something different for breakfast but like a bull in a china shop he’d sat at the table all alone scooping spoonful after spoonful in his mouth, eyes after eyes of curious students flashing his table in astonishment or bafflement.

“Hey” Ron tapped his shoulder and he spun around. A wide smile and a handshake awaiting him. He pulled up the sleeves of his polo shirt and extended his arm to Ron. The handshake felt rather unnatural, he winced as Ron squeezed his palm. He could not recall the last time they’d shook hands. For as long as he could recall, their relationship had been next to none ever since they’ve met.

“Sorry for the push, mate... I hadn’t realized it at the time but Regina seem to be unhappy with it”

Dale forced a smile. He had forgotten about the push. Not that it mattered anyway, he felt more bitter about getting interrupted from approaching Regina.

“Dale, she is such a nice girl, don’t you think?” Ron released his grip on Dale’s palm.

“And beautiful too” He turned his face towards the door where Regina now stood busy on her phone and quickly turned back to Dale as if beseeching a response.

Awkward, but trying not to embarrass himself like before, Dale ignored the question, fixing his eyes on Regina.

“Hi Regina” he greeted as she stepped through the door, proceeding towards them. Busy as a bee, she was still punching her keypad oblivious of Dale or his greeting as she walked by to Ron’s left side. Dale legs shivered in disbelief and he leaned back on the railings for support. Wasn’t he loud enough, was she ignoring him, what had he done?

“Regina” Ron called.

"Hmm...?" she jerked gaze out of her screen to Ron.

“Dale says Hi”

“Oh, am so sorry Dale..... Hi” Her tone was soft and sweet. Her face glowing with smile melted his heart instantly, burying his dejection and reawakening his joy.

“Hi! He repeated, taking a step towards her only to stop in his track. Ron had pulled closer towards her already.

“Dale raised his eye brow”, taken aback. Ron seem more than ever to be hindering him from Regina. If he had any doubt that the push earlier had been deliberate, this sudden act of possessiveness by Ron have relinquished it. Regina’s smile seem to be fading away and while Ron’s face was carving into a smirk.

“We are headed for the library” It was Ron who broke the silence, relieving Dale off the moment of embarrassment.

“You can come hang out at my place this weekend, they’ll be a party.....It will be fun”

Dale eyes flared in disbelief. Ron was inviting him to his place, to a party? There ought to be some sort of explanation for this. He pulled his hands into his pocket and just stared in bewilderment. A group of girls strode past him, past Ron and Regina towards the library at the end of the walkway opposite Dale. Now and then, they’ll peek over their shoulders at Ron and Regina, their eyes watered with curiosity on the pair.

“Will you come?” Regina asked. She seem to be aware of the eyes trailing at them but not bothered in the slightest.

He wasn’t sure he could come. He wasn’t even sure why Ron was inviting him. He wasn’t sure of anything so far today. He needed time to decide.

“Dale!” Mr Thomas called from behind. He was carrying a tall pile about half a dozen textbooks in one palm, supported by his chest, while the free hand pulled opened the door to the staff department.
“Come see me now! At my cabin, please”

“Right sir” Dale nodded.

Ron and Regina were turning to leave now.

“Please do come, Dale. It will be fun” Ron assured him.

Dale looked over at Regina and she nod in affirmation as they both turned for the library down the walkway.

Immediately, as they left, Dale set his sight for the staff quarters, his foot pattering up the tile floored walkway branching into classrooms by the left and walled by lushly green flowers at the right. Adjacent to the block of classrooms, only interjected by the finance office, the staff quarter greeted Dale with a feel of nervousness and unease. Not that he was particularly wary of any of his staff. His relationship with most of the staff either fall into fair or indifferent. But the given the wide distance between the staff quarter and other facilities frequently sought by the staff, any student within or around the confines of the staff quarter is most likely an going on an errand for a staff. Either, to collect a text from the library, purchase a book or stationary from the bookshop or grab some lunch from the cafeteria.

“Dale” Mr Tom’s voice cease his thought as he emerged in the doorway opening into the small hall. Dale head swung slightly left in reaction. At the reception was Mr. Tom, sleeves folded, an ice cold bottle of soft in hand and the books he’d been carrying earlier had now been pile on the computer desk behind which sat a young brown haired Miss Akilah. At the moment, she seem preoccupied with paperwork and rather unwilling to give Mr Tom a bit of attention. Mr Tom’s index finger pointed Dale through the double door that had been left wide open.
"Wait in my office!". He called to Dale.

The door open into a large passage bordered on either side by square cubicles lined side to side vertically down down the passage. It used to be just one large office where all staff sat side to side only a few feet apart but that had changed with the appointment of the new principal two months ago. Tom’s cabin as Dale still recollect was the second, on the right end of the passage. Cabin after cabin, he shot down the passage way, his ear drums occupied with mouse clicks, white noise from ceiling air conditioner vents and faint traffic noise from the exterior.

Arriving at the door, the sliding door opened leftward at his pull and he entered, ushering himself to the guest seat. “Phew”, he whispered in relief at the sound of footsteps approaching. But it was not Mr Tom, for another five minutes that felt like eternity, he persisted in his seat. The office was cozy and smelt of old books some of which had been stacked on the cabinet on the table before him. The chair well padded felt more comfy to his butt than the stacking ones furnishing the classrooms. Drowned in boredom, he had almost dozed off when the door slide open again and Mr Tom bust in. The heelless pair of chocolate brown leather boots buckled over his feet had done well to muffle his steps through the passage.

“Hey” He smiled, dropping to his chair wheeled himself forward, towards the center of the table so that he was directly facing Dale. He arranged the pile of books on table, their spines neatly aligned facing him.

“Pepsi?” Mr Tom asked. Dale shook his head to pass, this overt hospitality he was receiving from Mr Tom was too good to be true. But too late for him, the door creaked again and a petite girl of about eighteen entered, a tray in hand bearing a chilled can of Pepsi. Mr Tom nod slightly at Tom and she dropped the tray before him and disappeared out of the cubicle. Dale raised his eyelids in disapproval.

“Relax, you don’t have to drink it here” Mr Tom tapped his index finger on the table.
“You can go with it if you like, that is why I have ordered for a can”

Staff never treated their students to drinks. Meetings between students and staff in the school premises have always been formal and brief. There was no time for morning coffee, afternoon snack or soft drink. Whatever Mr Tom had to talk with him, must it be discussed over a drink? Wait, why hadn’t this bothered him, what was he even here for? What did Mr Tom want to discuss? Thoughts on Regina had so flooded his mind today that he couldn’t care less about anything else.

“Sorry for taking your time” began Mr Tom on a more serious note. Dale leaned forward, crossing his arms over the table to lend full attention.

“I just wanted to learn a bit about you, so it is nothing to wary of”. He brushed his thumb over his goatee and continued.

“You seem unlike the rest of your class, you know..... more attentive, diligent and industrious”.

“My job would be a lot easier with more students like you... you know” he rolled up his sleeves and withdrew the top book from the pile. “The Basics of Calculus” read the yellow title text in bold Time New Roman font over the red hard back cover.

“You don’t have anymore class for the day......”
“There is double period of Physics” Dale interrupted, shifting backward in his chair. He had sounded too loud than he expected and feared he might be have come across as rude. But Mr Tom merely took notice. He had opened the book to the content page and was running his finger through the chapters.

“Mr Robert..... is on sick leave today”. He opened to about the center of the book and began to flip backward pages backward. Dale’s heart heaved with relief. Learning that he would have no class for the day will ease the remainder of his time here. He reclined further into the chair, still ignoring the can before him. The condensate sliding down the can had began to pool around its base in the tray.

“I wont take much of your time, Dale. I understand you haven’t taken lunch”

“I have gone through the class last semester grades, you seem to have struggled a bit with Calculus? He lifted his eyes to Dale.

“Yes, sir” Dale replied almost in whisper. His face fell in shame. Pulling multiple rounds of coffee fueled all nighters to practice plenty of exercises weeks before the final only earned him one percent above the pass mark. It was a close shave.

“I had never taken calculus before then” Dale added, his voice taut in desperation to vindicate himself. Was this going to be the moment when Mr Tom recommend he dropped the class and choose a major that did not require it? He prayed in his heart that this wasn’t it.

“Soo, is it a mandatory requirement for your university degree or you just seek to one up your application?” Mr Tom dropped the book in his hand and picked up the next book at the top of the pile. “Electrical Engineering, right?”

“No, Agricultural Engineering. It is not a mandatory requirement, but with most applicants taking it to boost their chances, it leaves me with no choice”. Dale said.

Dale swallowed hard as he recalled submitting two applications last year only to get turned down. Opting to reapply again by January, he was rather encouraged by his supervisor to take Calculus. The university had not mentioned this as part of her admission grade requirement but were favoring students with good grade in Calculus over those without calculus. He disliked Maths, he was never good in Mathematics however hard he tried. His secondary education was highlighted with excellent grades and awards in every science course; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technical Drawings, Geography, but Dale could never excel half as much in Mathematics.

“It is no problem Dale.... I am not recommending you drop it”
“I am here to help” He pat the book page.

“Here....” He fetched out a sheet of paper from his breast pocket, squinted at the writing and slipped into Dale’s hand. Dale frowned at scribbling of digits he’d been passed.

“You can read that?” Mr Tom asked. Jagged, the digits seem to have been scribbled in a sleepy state.

“Umm...yes. The last digit?” Dale asked.
“It’s a 4”

“Call me whenever you need help. This semester will be a lot tougher than the last, but you can make it easier ....If you share your difficulties with me”. Mr Tom asserted.

“Thank you, sir” Dale heart lightened with relief, he couldn’t think of any better way to express his gratitude. Having Mr Tom at his disposal for Calculus problem will save him a lot of time.

“Alright, that’s it!” Mr Tom clasped his hands like they had come to the end of an official agreement. He stretched forth his right hand. Dale arose and shook him, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Feel free with me. As a teacher and a friend, I am here for you” emphasized Mr Tom.
“Don’t forget your drink” Mr Tom pointed at the can. He seem to have read Dale’s mind. The day had been full of surprises and the least on his mind now is a can of Pepsi.
Respecting the wish of Mr Tom, he picked up the drink and departed the office.