Every 27th of December is my class reunion day, and it's something I am always looking forward to every year, even though it's not everyone who turns up or honors the invite.
We used to hold a small celebration not just for winning and dining; the gathering was always about bonding, revisiting memories, and catching up with each other. It's always fun, and I can confidently say it's the only compulsory annual event for me since it started over a decade ago.
Back in 2021, the reunion planning started very early since we couldn't come together in 2020 because of COVID and everything that happened in Nigeria during that period. We have a WhatsApp group where the conversation holds, and even though I was there, you can barely see my messages.
I was fond of reading through messages, but I do not contribute, not because every plan they make is good but because I find chatting sometimes stressful. Spending time on the phone replying to chats isn't just my thing, and despite my friends complaining, I didn't have any reason to change this habit of mine. The major thing I keep track of in the class WhatsApp chat is knowing how much every individual will pay for the reunion so that I can send mine as soon as possible.
The venue had been chosen, and everything else had been finalized, so I left my home very early on the 27th because it would take me 2-3 hours to get to the event place somewhere around our school.
Upon arriving there, I exchanged pleasantries with everyone, and just from their response and gesture, I could tell that something wasn't right. I tried blending in immediately for the preparation, but nobody was giving me attention, and it seems those who did were forcing themselves. After trying to get involved in the preparation and starting a conversation that barely got a response, I realized something wasn't right.
"What's going on? Why is everyone treating me like a ghost? Did I do anything wrong?" I asked because the whole silence was messing up with me. The fact that they were communicating with each other but not responding to me made everything unbearable for me.
"Ghost! How? I don't think anyone is having an issue with you, or did George offend anyone here?" The eldest among us asked, and I paid attention to everyone's reaction.
No one said anything, and we continued with the preparation. I knew everything was all a pretense because we have been gathering for years and I know how we relate to each other. Even if anyone won't welcome me properly, it's not Sarah because in the past years, she always welcomed me with a hug.
She was the only one that could tell me what was happening so I went to check around for her.
"If I wasn't wanted here, you should have at least informed me. What's with this attitude?" I asked Sarah, my seatmate and best buddy in school, immediately we had a bit of privacy after I found her.
"Why do you have to ask me among everyone here?" She replied.
"Even you too?" I stuttered.
"You are actually getting what you deserve because this is how it feels when we are having an important conversation on WhatsApp; you stay online but don't say a word. Even in DM, you find it difficult to reply even to me," she replied.
"It's not what you think, and I am sorry," I replied.
"Honestly, they are all pissed, and this treatment was planned. I didn't tell you this," Sarah replied, and she just walked away.
I felt bad and after thinking deeply about what Sarah said, I opened my WhatsApp immediately. There were lots of unread messages from people I refer to as friends; some were just saying hello, while others had important messages for me, but my silly habit of not replying prevented me from reaching out back to them.
I thought about some friends that I haven't heard from in a long time; I actually didn't reply to their 3-month-old messages, and they probably just ignored me. They probably thought I was feeling too important to reply to their messages amd decided to cut me off.
I looked at everyone and thought that if the way I felt when they ignored me is how they feel when I don't reply their messages, it was important that I turn a new leaf if I didn't want to lose more people who were closer to my heart.
The idea of a general apology crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure if it would yield the intended result, so I wrote a simple apology message and sent it to the reunion WhatsApp chat.
I returned to the preparation and was expecting their reaction. I paid close attention to my phone, and it wasn't long before they started replying with funny emojis.
I got a DM from Sarah and it said, "Common sweetheart, you know if anyone believes that apology, I won't because you have apologized several times without changing anything."
"Please don't ruin this because I am very serious this time," I replied.
"Anyway, I am not angry but didn't have any other choice than to play along with the class script. I can't wait to hug you," Sarah replied, and I couldn't hold back that smile.
While chatting with Sarah, I got some response to my apology other than just emojis from my classmates, so I exchanged pleasantries again properly, and they replied to me the old way.
Sarah and I got stuck hugging, and missing her was an understatement. She wasn't loved by many because they misunderstood her lifestyle, but I love the fact that she is natural and intelligent. We shared seats for two years, even when nobody would love to sit with her, so we had this strong bond even after secondary school.
Although I didn't know how to trash my terrible habit but I was intentional about it. That year reunion was awesome, and for the first time, we celebrated until late in the night. Some of us had to lodge in the hotel, while others crashed at their friends place.
The reunion was a turning point in how I communicate and relate to people. A lot changed from that day, and I am happy about it.
