A GAME OF POKER BY IFEOLUWA OLUSANYA

CHAPTER 1.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and frowned. Why do I always get this sad big-eyed girl staring back at m each day? Couldn't I get something else to look back at me whenever I stared into the mirror? I was the significant definition of plain, and I had huge brown eyes, dark brown hair too, and worse still... Freckles! That was the ugliest anyone could be. I would have been worried about never having a boyfriend if I wasn't more concerned about other matters... Matters that did matter compared to getting a boyfriend. 

I turned 18 last month, and I've never had a boyfriend. It sounds surprising but more surprising that it doesn't bother me? Sure no one gets bothered about not having a boyfriend when you have to work more than two to three shifts in between school to feed yourself and your siblings. 

My dad was still in jail, but he'd complete his term by the end of this month while my mum worked her nails off.

I had three siblings, and we all have to go to school, wear clothes and eat, so of course, my mum couldn't do it all. I had to assist too. The only time I have to rest is now, and I'm wasting it looking at the single mirror in my room. I raised my arms to check if I've gotten leaner between yesterday and today and notice a new tear in my favorite dress's armpits. I had just two anyways, and this was my favorite because it was less torn. 

I couldn't afford to get clothes while watching my siblings starve and hence more reason why no reasonable guy would not look at me twice. I just wasn't appealing in any form. I peered at the only clock in the house from where I was and noticed that I had spent twenty minutes observing my plain self. I just had two more hours before I go to work in the mall for the night. 

I looked around me. It was the only bedroom in the house. It was a bit scanty too. My immediate sister had the highest number of clothes in this house, and I don't think it's up to five. 

I was the only one at home as my siblings were in school, and my mum had a shift she was working right now. I guess my siblings would be back anytime from now tho. I needed to catch my sleep now or never as the shift I was going for was throughout the night.  

I smoothened the bed and laid on it as my mind started drifting again; it would be hard to sleep when my mind was this crowded. I was working more than three shifts already with my mum, yet it was still hard to clothe ourselves. How hard could life be on us? There's this fancy restaurant that caught my attention, and if only I could get to work there for just a week, our meal for a week would be covered already. 

"Chantel..." My sister called out to me as she dropped her school bag on the bed

"Pick up that bag, Rita. Place it on the table, and this room is disarranged enough."

"You are very troublesome," she said and sighed as she picked up the bag. "I'm hungry. What's home to eat" I frowned a bit.

" there's just a little bacon in the fridge for you and the others. There are some eggs on the table too."

"Have you had anything to eat?" 

"Yeah, I ate earlier."

She left to sort out the bacon. I had not eaten. I figured if I ate out of the meal left, there would be little to nothing left for the rest, so I'd instead hold my stomach till I probably get to work, and then I can get something to stuff my mouth with.

"What did you eat, Chantel?" My sister shouted from the living room

"You know the whole house isn't that big, Rita, and the neighbors can hear you. Moreover, I ate just what you are having right now, okay... Just make sure to save some for the others."

My sister cared too much. I love that, though. She was just in junior high, I was about to get into my senior year, and I didn't have any school in mind yet. I would have continued where I started junior years, but their fees were a bit expensive for my mum to pay up, especially now that Jade, the last boy, was in preschool already. Also, senior year meant less time to work, so I'll just focus on now and probably continue next year.

Only if I could get the job at the cafeteria at the estate, schooling for me would be much more comfortable too. I would only have to work one shift as well. 

Rita would clock 16 by next month and would soon start working too. She looked like she won't work at all to me, though because when I was her age...I was working multiple shifts already.

The smell of baked bacon was in the air, and my stomach audibly rumbled. I'm just thrilled she couldn't hear that from where she was. My sister tended to care too much about me. Except, of course, when we fought over ridiculously stupid things, we tried our best to minimize it, though because we realized how much it made my mum sad. We were the only people she has had in a while, and we did mean a lot to her.

She would go the extra mile to make us happy. She had just two sets of clothing, too, because she wants us to be satisfied. And that we were, we were only going to make sure that we studied harder in school to qualify for good jobs with high income to change the way we live in no time. At least a decent job that doesn't include unnecessary shifts that I would have to cover.

My dad had been doing time for about two years now, and he was framed for fraud and corruption by someone high and mighty. I know he was framed because I know my dad very well...he would never do what he was accused of, he was the most upright man I've ever met. 

The case was dragged for a long time before he eventually went to jail, I remember when he went then... We cried so much that I thought the judge would have mercy on us and release him to us, but I guess that was the most ignorant thought I've ever had. 

He looked lost, sad, and dejected. Since that time, I've only gone to check on him twice, and he had gotten leaner on the last visit than the former.

My dad used to be a business associate with Blackwood's firms and incorporations. About seven years ago, my dad came home very with excitement written on his face announcing that he had just landed a huge contract that would change our lives forever. We weren't broke then, but we weren't as productive as the Blackwoods either. Hell, we didn't have up to half of their fortune. 

Blackwoods had a chain of companies and still does while my dad was privileged to manage only one. Just some days after the completion of the contact which my dad had to use about half of the company's fortune to execute alongside the chairman of the Blackwood inc... Mr. Blackwood himself, some set of police officers, came to shut the company down, claiming they had gotten information from a very reliable source that my dad's company was involved in money laundering and fraud.

We all didn't know that there was more to it until the company was eventually closed off totally, and the police took charge of the company's funds, thus rendering us penniless, to crown it all my dad had to do time. All these happenings caused more psychological pain than physical, and I've always had an enormous problem trusting anyone except my family. 

It had been the most terrible years of my life, and I could only imagine how my mum has been holding up. When it just happened, my mum would stay in her room all day and cry her eyes out, but I guess she figured that her children would starve if she did that for a long time.

I peered into the living room and saw my sister gazing at her school books, maybe a school assignment. My sister was a straight-A student, at least if she wasn't going to work... She almost deserved it. I've always been an average student even when we could conveniently afford schooling and now that I have to fend for myself... I was way lower than average. I only managed to scale through my junior year. 

But then I knew better than not to read very hard in my senior year.

"Chantel," my younger brother called as he came in with Rhoda and dropped his bag on the floor. "Come on, pick up that bag. Why are you all used to this anyways" he quickly picked it up with terror in his eyes. 

"I'm sorry for shouting at you okay, I have just had a rough day" I sat up and stretched my hand out for him to come to hug me. He hugged me with a smile on his face immediately.

"What's there to eat?" Rhoda asked with a long face. "Go meet Rita in the living room she has something for you already" They all ran to the living room. I don't blame them. They barely ate anything before leaving for school in the morning.

I looked at the time and saw that I had wasted over an hour lying there and allowing my thoughts to wander around. Instead of lying to myself that I'm sleeping, I might stand up and put myself to good use here. I started arranging my room.

" How are you doing, dear" I turned around and saw that it was my only best friend. Mario. She used to hate her name, but now she didn't have a choice but to embrace it. 

She didn't look as plain as I did. She could pass for what you'll call pretty. She had a charming smile. She had freckles too, but unlike my very dark brown hair, she was a blonde.

"Don't tell me you've been home all day."

" I wish that were possible, but I've done two shifts today, and I have to go for the third one which is still tomorrow in less than an hour" she frowned a little

" I thought we were going to get you a job at that huge cafeteria? What happened?"

" I've not been able to go there to apply. You know that they put up a poster for cooks needed doesn't mean they were talking about people like me, so I've kind of put it behind me." 

"You know that idea doesn't particularly sit well with me. Are you giving up before you even started? Really?? We don't give up, remember. " I sighed. "Let's go there together right now," she added, and my eyes widened. I've had enough rejections in my life to add more to the list. 

"Why don't we just do this some other time. I would be late for my shift," I said to spare me this one time.

"You said you still had more than thirty minutes to your shift, which's more than enough to get there and come back if we take the bus."

"That's it. I don't have any money on me for the bus." 

"I'll pay," she simply said, and I knew I lost this round already. I just muttered thanks and headed out after waving goodbye to my younger ones. 

Mario and I have been friends since we were just in kindergarten, and we've always had each other's back since then. The two dresses I had she gave them to me, and I've been too embarrassed to collect another one from her so I'd instead stitch up any tears very fast, so she doesn't notice them.

We got a bus almost immediately we got to the bus stop and in a bid not to drift off into my world of thoughts I started a small talk.

"Do you think I could get this job?? In a restaurant so big that you have to secure reservations to eat there. Isn't it a little bit over the top?? Or what do you think?".

"I think you should instead stop talking if you don't have anything meaningful to say, Chantel... We would get this job together, and we'll do anything possible to get it. Together sis. Because sisters stay together, okay... "

" Thank you very much, Mario." 

"Do you have to mention my name, and why are you thanking me anyway?"

We got to the estate in no time and quickly trekked to the restaurant. The number of cars parked outside was enough to get me running back to my house, but Mario looked like she could read my mind.

"We'll try all our best to secure this job. Remember, this job could change your way of living right now. Do I have to motivate you again? You should motivate yourself already."

I didn't say a word, and we headed to the front door.

The man at the entrance looked us over for a couple of minutes before he finally asked. " Do you have a reservation?" 

"....er...no..we don't..."

"Only those with reservations can get in here. If ..."

"We came in respect of the job notice we saw" Mario cut him short

He looked us over again... I looked the less presentable. Mario still looked a bit fine. 

"I don't think you meet the requirements."

"Are the requirements written on our skin or something? Aren't we going to do something like an interview?"

"I don't think so, but if that would even happen...certainly not today, okay... The chief chef isn't around. Neither is the manager, so you would have to come back some other day," he said with an unsure face.

"When would that be?" Mario asked again. She has always been the confident one, and I the shy one. Back then, in junior school, she would insult anyone who attempted to bully us, but when it came to physical fights, I did more of that... I wouldn't bear to watch her get beaten, so I would always intervene and beat the person up on her behalf. 

"I actually can't say, I know nothing about their schedule and so I can't give a specific time. Maybe just come back tomorrow evening then." My shoulders dropped, and I muttered a thank you to the man as we left.

"Am I the only one that thinks that man lied to us?" Mario blurted immediately; we were out of earshot. That didn't cross my mind at all. I merely faked a smile and continued walking.

"Whichever way, we'll check back tomorrow." The rejection was undoubtedly more direct than I expect. I didn't even make it to the interview stage.

"Of course we have to," she said, and I sighed inwardly. She doesn't give up.