CAMP FIRST LOVE

CHAPTER ONE

The ray of the sun cut in through the curtain of my room blasting hard of my face which woke me. I sat up as I admired the........

Who am I kidding. I laugh at myself. To be honest I don’t even remember what happened that morning, how I woke up or if the sun cut through whatever that means. Ah.. I don’t even have the room to myself, I share it with my sisters.

It was a Friday afternoon during the August/September summer break. I had nothing planned for summer that to grow till the next school session begins. I was just being lazy as usual when my mom came to meet me and told me my friend is coming over and we are going to a camp . I laughed it off, to be honest it was funny because this particular friend we haven’t seen each other in three years and not to say the fact that she is not even allowed to travel alone not to talk of an inter-state movement. Her dad would never allow her. I definitely didn’t take it to heart.

She called again talking about how she was already on her way and all, she doesn’t even have a phone, you’re calling with your dad’s phone, how are you on your way if you are still at home. She’s not coming. At least that’s what I thought.

My mom sells finished farm produce like Garri and Elubo of which elubo is the one I hate selling the most. Elubo is a grinded dried cassava which comes out in a white powdery form. When selling Elubo just expect your whole body filled with white by the time you’re done. I was selling Elubo when Shalom came. My childhood friend.

It was unbelievable that she actually came, I was surprised cos I wasn’t expecting her even though I had been told prior and besides I didn’t even know anything about the camp or wherever we were going to. I hadn’t done any registration or have any information about where we’ll be going.

“I didn’t know you were actually going to come. And are you sure you came alone?” I asked her after hugging her.

“I’m a big girl na” she said in her familiar voice. God, I missed her.

“My mom told me you said we were going to a camp or something. What is it about? And I don’t even know anything about the camp” I told her. Confused.

“It’s a camp at a church....”

“I’m not going ooo. Ehn camp that somebody will just be praying and praying. Ano go ooo”

“No jhoor. It’s not a prayer camp. I went to the camp last year but this year they didn’t organize it around us instead it was organized at their headquarters and the girl I was supposed to go with bailed on me last minute and I didn’t want to go alone that’s why I came “ she said.

Deep down I was kind of offended that she hadn’t thought about me initially I was just kind of last option and considering my place was relatively close to the church headquarters. “So what will we be doing there”. I asked her again. This time I was trying to dish food for her.

“It’s a teenage camp basically”.

“So when are we going “

“Now. As soon as possible “

“What??. I don’t have what to wear” it was the truth. I haven’t washed my clothes in like forever and now I’m supposed to go to a camp full of teenagers. I couldn’t even imagine it. I packed the remaining nonsense clothes I have left . Emphasis on nonsense.

I took my bath and everything I had to do and told my mom I was leaving then came my sister’s voice. “If you don’t wash those plates you are not leaving this house”. Arggghhh, I’ll be gone from this house for ten days at least.

We washed the plates together before we left. By the time we got to the church it was already past 7pm. So many thoughts ran through my mind as we walk through the walkway leading to the boarding school building of the church located further inside of the church building. The streetlights along the pathway illuminated the road which made it seem like I was in another country entirely. The beautiful flowers by the side of the walk and the tarred road with the quiet that accompanied the night. As we walked further it seem we were already lost cos the roads look farmiliar now and we had to ask the person we saw along the road.

Apparently a girl was also asking for directions to the same place, and we walked together.

“Are you also going to the camp” she asked

“Yes.” Shalom answered.

“Have you been there before? This is my first time here”.

“I was at the camp last here but not the same location “. She answered her.

“My name is Desire. I heard you have to do an online registration before you can come” she added.

“It doesn’t have to be online. I heard you can register when you get there. Although, I did my own registration online”. Shalom added.

Honestly, she hasn’t informed me there was some kind of registration involved. The rest of the conversation passed in a blur as my thoughts were clouded by how I’d be rejected since I hadn’t registered for the program before coming.

Before us stood a gigantic gate. Aside the fact that the church was built on a twenty five hectares of land and even had a university on another part of the building. This part of it seem like a different place entirely. We entered through the gate and were directed to a massive building called the multipurpose hall. As we entered the building, I was so sure that if someone touched me I would fall. That was how nervous I got. Staring at me were hundreds of teenagers. They weren’t literally staring at me, they were listening to the man talking to them whose front we walked past. We walked down to the registration unit at the end of the hall. We were asked if we’ve registered.

“I was told registration can be done on arrival” desire told them.

“Well, it can but you guys are late. The girl that has registered will stay while the two of you that haven’t can stay the night but will have to go home by tomorrow morning”. The lady explained.

As much as I didn’t care about the camp, her words kind of hurt me deep and I felt a pang of betrayal from my friend as she hadn’t informed me prior but having to make me go through a second hand form of embarrassment.

“Are you crying?” the lady asked. At first I thought the question was directed at me until I looked beside me and saw that Desire was tearing up seriously. I laughed.

Thanks to her tears we were registered on the spot, given ID cards, given dorms to sleep and were grouped into different Squads. Luckily the three of us were given the same room to sleep in but unfortunately we were in different squads.

The man addressing was done and told everyone to go to their Squads. Squads which are represented by the name of a state in Nigeria. I was in Lagos squad.

We sat in a circular form. I was so nervous that the water forming in my hands could bath a newborn. Everyone introduced themselves and what they could do. “My name is Jemimah and I love to write”. I told them . The whole time, there was this weird looking boy staring at me. It was uncomfortable and weird, whenever we make eye contact he always look away or I look away. In my mind I was like what is wrong with this one that is just looking at me.

After the meeting with the squads we were directed to the dining where we had our dinner. Again, I was surrounded by unfamiliar faces and for the first time I can recall, I lost my appetite. The food served was jollof rice and fish. The guy beside me requested for the food which I gladly gave up. I was in awe the whole time. It was the first time ever in my life I would be surrounded with people so much my age from different families and background. I was super self conscious.

After dinner we were showed our dorms according to the number given us. I and shalom shared a bunk, with shalom taking the lower bunk and I took the top bunk while desire used the one beside us. We kept our luggage in the wardrobe provided.

Few minutes after we settled in, the lights went off. I lay on my bed... while everyone chatter and talked, I reflected on how everything drastically changed from how I couldn’t even imagine how my morning went to how I lost my appetite for the first time. And somehow as I lay in bed I couldn’t bring myself to stop thinking about the guy that was staring at me. I felt crazy and I keep asking myself why he kept popping in my head. His face was literally in my face taunting me till I managed to sleep off.

CHAPTER TWO: …