Olabantu:
Hello...Nice to be back on set...you have really done a great work while I was away..
What more can I say, Kelechi is Nma's father, well I geuss that what they meant when they say try not to hurt people because you may never get to apologize or you apology might be late, I pray she gets to live well with you has her father, after all prevention is better than cure

Queentrippleb:
wow! dis is really interesting scarllet. thump up 👍👍.... Pls don't forget us when you blow like those great authors

Neenie:
This is a very interesting piece! Awesome story, thank you Skarlet. We await the final episode, plz make sure Alice and her zombies have a taste of their own medicine too.

Epilogue

Two years later…

The sun shone brilliantly on the morning of their graduation and silence reigned in the hall as Nmachi addressed the huge audience of family, friends and well wishers that had come to felicitate with the graduating students. She was the class valedictorian and the bulk of her speech had been written by Mr. Ovunda himself. Nmachi’s voice had felt frail from the beginning of her speech but with the encouraging nods she got from the audience, she felt some of her confidence return.

“I'd like to welcome everyone to this solemn and joyous occasion. It has been six long years, but here we are, ready to graduate.”

She looked up and saw her mother beaming with smiles at her. Papa was beside her holding on to baby Kelechi, her baby brother. Only two seats behind them were her maternal grand uncle, uncle Ekene who looked really frail and his third wife, a girl not much older than Nmachi. His first wife, aunty Ugochi had died a year ago without giving birth to any children. Her grand uncle’s polygamy had ensured him three sons and five daughters from two women. Nma smiled at her family present and continued.

“My fellow students, some of us arrived here six years ago and now it's already time to leave. How did it all go so fast? It seems like only yesterday that we were skinny little freshmen trying to figure out where our next class was, and looking generally clueless to all the seniors. Now we are the seniors who stand here ready to graduate and move forward in the world. Yet at this fundamental moment, we can't help looking back.

“How do we measure the time we've spent in secondary school? In the beginning, we measured it in class periods, counting down the day to eventual freedom. As the days and weeks passed, we measured it in terms, and later in years as we moved from being those clueless freshmen, to becoming sophisticated sophomores who thought they had it all figured out. By the time we reached our fifth year, we were confident that we were prepared to take over from the graduating seniors, and we couldn't wait to "rule the school."

“And now here we stand. Our rule is over, and it's up to the next class to step into our shoes and take over. I know that as I look out at all of you, I will measure my time here in a much different way. I will measure it in all the friendships I've enjoyed these last six years. Some were pretty casual and others were much closer, but I'll remember each one fondly, as I'm sure you all will, too. I will measure it too in the good and bad times we had together, the conflicts, disagreements and lessons learnt which didn’t diminish our usefulness to each other in any way but strengthened our bond as classmates. And when many of our secondary school memories begin to fade, that's how we'll ultimately measure the time we spent here, not in periods or terms or sessions or years, but in the friendships that we made, the times we shared together and the life lessons we learnt.
Congratulations my fellow graduates of the class of 1995 Wherever we go and whatever we do, may we always be friends when we meet again.”

The applause that met the end of her speech was thunderous and Nmachi felt giddy with excitement. Raphael winked at her from the second pew in front where the grandaunts were seated and Nma smiled. Most students had performed particularly well including Nma, she had won a scholarship to study Acting and Cinematography in a reputable school of Arts abroad. She collected prizes as the overall best student, and subject prizes in Literature, Government, English, Commerce and CRK. Raphael had done well too and had won prizes in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. In the last two years, friendship between the both of them had blossomed and even Alice’d had little to say about it. Alice had been expelled in their fifth year for getting pregnant. Her parents had taken her to the village to stay with her paternal grandmother until she delivered. With Alice’s embarrassing exit, her remaining friends became subdued and let up on bullying anybody in school.

Nma’s mind was occupied with other matters as the ceremony progressed. She thought of her fourth year when so many things had happened and how much it had hurt to learn her parents secrets. What were the things that really mattered? She wondered. I’m proud of you, Nmachi, Papa had said that morning. It was the same thing Mr. Ovunda had said but a different Nma now.

As she’d grown older, she had come to realize that you couldn’t pass through life without facing challenges. She also understood that everyday, some new part of a person was born while some old part died. Take for instance, Papa who was bent on turning a new leaf and making up for the years he’d allowed jealousy and malice turn him against his family. Mama looked younger than ever and seemed to smile more often these days, maybe the turning point had been burying old hurts and starting over.

She looked at Raphael again and felt her insides turn to jelly. For her and him a new part was growing. A part that seemed exciting yet dangerous and very heady. Hopefully, it would withstand the distance and stand true till the end.

Olabantu:
First to comment..what an happy ending...took me back to secondary school final day, when a little tear dropped on my face when I found out that that will be the last time of seeing some people....and I hope that feeling will pass the test of time and distance... Wishing you all the the best Nma...sk arlett, God bless you for the wonderful piece...#expectingmorefromyou

jagugu88li:
EXACTLY, that's the way to go Madam! Poor Nna is happy at last.

Oh happy day, oh happy day #walks out of thread singing#

Who said shakiti bobo is for circular music only? Mxxx

dominique:


No vess Where have you been?

skarlett:


Thank you sir and God bless you for following too, you don't know the comfort and confidence your comments have inspired. I'll mention you when i do start another

swann:
wow...I can't believe that the story has actually ended. what an emotional ending.

Skar lett, remember to mention me in that new story you're dropping tomorrow

Khutie:
Wowww! Dinner is set Skarett... whr re we gonna have it hun'?

ps2:
* In Charlie Puth's voice* It's been a nice story about Nma my friend, and I'd tell you all about it when skarl ett writes again.. Bless you ma'am... More inspiration, more time to write, more beautiful stories.. Nothing can stop you jawe, not even traffic....
Ps: *oliver twist mode.* MORE...

mhisbliss:
was reading hastily, little did i know I'm reading the last about nma, skarle tt why evuls? I love happy endings but this is too soon, i hope you'll replace it with something as good as this or better, my tears are tears of joy snd sadness, i wish things always turn out good for everyone like it did for nma, thanks skarle tt for this wonderful piece, you'll go places because you obviously have what it takes, please let me be the first you mention in the next one

skarlett:


Lol, thanks dear

You're welcome.. .

skarlett:


You know dear

Khutie:


[b]Your choice will be wonderfully accepted[/ b]

shilox:
Beautiful story from the first to the last dot. Make your head no grow big o, but you are one hell of a writer, let's see how you'll be my favorite.
Nice work!

lumzybo:
Indeed, I was entertained. God bless ur brain skarltt.

And to that lady with the shakitobobo cartoon, ur head is dey there. U gave me a good laf.
Skarett, when are we doing the next 1?