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Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 13

NO FACEBOKING *

Six years Later

[JEFFERY JUNIOR’S POV]

I am Jeffery Junior aka J.J. Honestly I didn’t know my father. I have not seen him before and my mother always feel uncomfortable any time I asked her these questions ;” Who is my father?”
“Where is he?”

Can I see his picture?
I kept asking her these questions for the past ten years. One day the school head teacher asked me to tell my father to come and see him. I came home to tell my mum what the head teacher had said.

My mum went to the school to see the head teacher but he insisted on seeing my father. I was there when the head teacher asked her if my father was dead. She said “No.”
Then he asked, “where is he?”
She answered, “I don’t know.”
Since that incident, my mother had never been herself. I reasoned whatever my father might have done to her was serious.

There was another thing that made my mother uncomfortable; the mention of the word “Facebook”
On my 18th birthday, my mother wished me a happy birthday. I have been asking her for a phone for the past three years but she always said I was too young to possess a mobile phone.

On my 18th birthday, she gave me a present. It was mobile phone with a strict warning, I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU ON FACEBOOK!”

“Why ?” I asked.
” Social Media is very harmful to young people. It makes them vulnerable to a whole lot of harm including child predators, so I don’t want to see you on that platform. ”

“But why Facebook in particular,” I asked.
“It had harm me before, so I don’t want you to have that nasty experience,”said she.
“Ok. Mum,” I said, rather reluctantly.

Now that I’m now 23 years old, I felt I was matured enough to decide for myself.

I was in level 400, Meridian Univer
sity offering a Sound Engineering Course. Meridian University is media centred. It focused on courses like Broadcast Journalism, Acting, Sound Engineering, Video Editing,film making, story/script writing, Reporting, Talk show,Media Law, Human Resource management, animation,motion, still picture designing, Cinemato
graphy etc.

In school, I secretly created a Face
book account but I never had the chance to utilise it. It was vacation time.Home was boring. In order to kill my boredom I decided to play my favourite computer game of football called “DREAM LEAGUE”on my IPad. Being a fan of Barcelona, I choose la Liga league, then select team ‘ FC Barcelona.’

Anytime I played this game, I was always defeated either by 3-0,5-0, or sometimes even 7-0. My best score ever was 2-1.
I decided to play against Real Madrid , been the toughest Contender of FC Barcelona. The El classico began and I moved the control buttons with ease either playing long pass,pass,chip or hard shot. I seemed to have gathered a lot of experience in the game and by half time , It was a draw game.

The game resumed as usual. Within five minutes,Lukà Modric, Real Madrid’s central midfielder made a sweeping pass to Benzene who dribbled Gérard Piqué and scored a goal.

I stepped up my game after that goal and put Real Madrid’s defense under pressure with their goal keeper, Thebault Courtois, making a lot of superb saves. Five minutes to time, Busquet(Barça) made a miraculous central pass to Luis Suarez who quickly passed to Lionel Messi at the far Right Wing.

Messi dribbled the two defenders Sergio Ramos and Marcelo and scored a terrific goal. .

It was Magical.

In the 89th minute,Bale nearly scored but missed the goalpost by half an inch.The score remained 1-1 after end of the official time.

We began extra time and it became a midfield battle! Two minute to end of Extra time , Ter stegen of Barça also made a miraculous save diverting Benzema’s shot a corner.

The corner was played but was intercepted by Piqué who chipped the ball back in and Real Madrid was caught on the counter -attack. Messi run like a supersonic plane , dribbled four players through the mid -field before been clipped down by Sergio Ramos just at the edge of the penalty box.It was a foul and Ramos was yellow carded.
Free -kick.I decided to use Luiz Suarez to take the free kick but later changed it to Messi.

Messi took the Free kick.The ball rose beautifully in the air, flied on top of the wall and edged pass Courtois who dived to the left to intercept the ball. GOAL!!!.

The scoreline was now was 2-1 against Real Madrid. I was very excited. Then when the ball was kicked from the central spot by Real Madrid but time was up.For the first time , I beat Real Madrid. I ran with excitement round the room.

Then my mum dressed up. Obviously, she was going out. She had been seeing a certain lawyer lately but they seemed to quit. Intentionally, I asked her, ” Mum, are you going out?”
She smiled and said, “Yes,Jeff. Junior,I’m going out.”
“Ok, mum ,have fun.”

I will and you too. Enjoy your Vac but make sure no………..”
“FACEBOOKING” I completed the sentence for her. We all laughed and she walked towards her car.

As soon as my mother left the house , I logged into my Facebook account. I saw a lot of friendly request and I confirmed them.

I was surprised to see chains of friendly requests. Two girls in particular captured my attention.

Valentina and Kyla. Valentina was even online. The moment I confirm her friendly request she sent me a “Hi.”

My mother’s admonishment about social media especially facebook. echoed in my mind ” Social Media is very harmful to young people.

It make them vulnerable to a while lot of harm including child predators, so I don’t want to see you in that platform.

It had harm me before, I don’t want you to have that nasty experience.”

With that in mind I logged out of my account without responding to her “Hi.”

Going back to my game Dream League, I decided to play against VALLENCIA FC.

Clicking the ” select ” and “play” button, I began my virtual football match: FC BARCELONA VRS VALLENCIA FC.

Marcelo slide and blocked the striker from playing a shot, there was a long pass to Luiz Suarez..

He dribbled the central defender but he was very belligerent. He was fouled near the edge of the 18 yard box. The referee whistled for a free kick. Lionel Messi was ready to play the free kick. Everyone knew it was a done deal. “Wheeeeiii , the referee whistled.

Messi played the free kicked. It was beautiful to see how the ball rose into the air like an eagle and curled, moving towards the left pole.

The goalie dived towards the direction of the ball to intercept it. He was short by an inch. It was obvious. Goal? Wait a minute..

The goalie did something super human. He stretched himself more than he could and caught the curled ball in mid- air in a super-man style.

Messi was stunned. He held his head. It was a goal kick….

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As if luck was on my side, my mother Caroline returned ,Packed a few of her belongings and told me she was travelling to Ghana. She said she was going for an essential family meeting for a WHOLE WEEK!!!

I lifted my hands in the air and sang Don Moen’s Gospel Song “THANK YOU LORD”

Bible says it’s a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, amen

I come before You today
And there’s just one thing that I want to say

Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

For all You’ve given to me
For all the blessings that I cannot see

Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

With a greatful heart
With a song of praise
With an outstreched arm
I will bless Your name

Thank You Lord
I just wanna thank You Lord

Thank You Lord
I just wanna thank You Lord
Thank You Lord