Isaiah’s mum will never let him go to school without him helping her at the shop. Every morning, Isaiah cleans the house and helps his mum arrange goods outside the shop. He’s a bit lucky though because his mother’s shop is just at the front of the house.
If anyone annoys you today, try to speak up or report to your teacher. Is that clear? Isaiah’s mum drags her ears as a way of warning her son because she’s aware of his weakness. He doesn’t know how to say “No” even though he finds himself in a tight corner.
His mother squeezes a sum of five hundred naira inside his bag which includes the fifty naira which Isaiah will use to buy a graph sheet.
His school is just ten minutes far from the house so there was no need for school bus and most times, he treks to school especially when he walks with his schoolmates.
He saw some of his schoolmates running to school. He’s always a latecomer at school.
Isaiah run fast, a short and bald headed boy screams from afar while waiting for Isaiah to run to him so they can head to school together. He bought his graph sheet from a woman called “Mama school” and joins the bald headed boy so they can go to school.
Did you study the graph well last night, Peter asked Isaiah while showing him some of the topics he studied just like some other students were doing.
It was time to enter the examination hall when Korede dragged Isaiah out of the line to ask him for a graph sheet.
Please, can you give me your graph sheet?, everyone in class knows Isaiah and are aware of his inability to say “No” and that’s why Korede took that as an opportunity to take the only graph sheet Isaiah has.
Isaiah handed the graph sheet to Korede while they both went back to the line.
Why are you being sweaty?, Miss Daniella, the Mathematics examination invigilator asked Isaiah but he shook his head in disapproval. He was searched thoroughly and allowed to enter the hall.
The Mathematics examination started. Every student brought out their graph sheets, pencils and other materials to plot their graphs but Isaiah sat there, looking sideways and silently asking his friends beside him for a graph sheet.
I’ll tell Miss Daniella that you don’t have a graph, while Isaiah was begging Victoria not to tell Miss Daniella, they were both caught communicating in the examination hall.
What’s going on here?, Miss Daniella asked while she tries to cover Isaiah so that Korede doesn’t wink at him and beg him to lie for him.
He’s begging me for a graph sheet but I saw one with him earlier and I can’t find it anymore, Victoria was so quick to explain so that she won’t be punished for examination malpractice.
Where is your graph sheet?, Miss Daniella angrily asked as she raised up her stick to spank Isaiah.
I gave it to Korede, Korede is a boy who takes advantage of other people and everyone knows him in the school. Also, everyone knows Isaiah’s weakness in school that he does not know how to reject any offer even though he wasn’t comfortable with it.
Miss Daniella handed over her invigilation to Mr Patrick so she can sort the issue.
Why did you collect his graph sheet?, Miss Daniella faces Korede.
I only asked and he gave it to me, Miss Daniella shuts him up quickly.
I know it’s because you know that he’s a gentle boy and that’s why you want to take an advantage of him. Right?, Miss Daniella takes the graph sheet and handed it back to Isaiah. The examination was going to end in twenty minutes but immediately Isaiah entered examination hall his question paper was delayed as well and he could not answer even a question.
What’s wrong with you, his mum asked severally after she noticed that he got back from school sad but he didn’t give a response.
When the results were being released, Isaiah scored a zero over ten which made him reseat the examination his juniors alongside Korede who collected his graph sheet. He regretted ever letting Korede have his graph sheet.
Since then, Isaiah has always tried to say “No” even though it is hard for him to say. It took about five years before he could fully adapt to sayin “No” to people but he did it and never helped anyone at the detriment of himself.
