Habit. Part 3

My eyes sprang open as I was jerked into the land of the conscious by the tap on my shoulder. My mind rushed to registered the situation.

I was at the reception of the program in front of the building, seated in a regular plastic chair behind a regular plastic table. The sun was high in the air and judging by how much hot air was being given off by the walls of the building and the ground beneath my loafer-clad feet, it was a little way past noon. I had been reading this book by Brian Tracy titled 'The Power of Self Discipline' and it rested halfway open on my thighs. My brain was still booting when the voice came once again, barging into my thoughts.

"Chibuike, are you sleeping?"

I turned to my left, to find out who my troubler was. A middle-aged woman stood facing me, in a pair of blue jeans and a light brown nylon blouse. She was one of the administrators I was supposed to work with. She was a bossy woman and she had on a straight face with her chubby cheeks. I realized that I didn't even know her name.

"Are you asleep?"

She asked again and I returned to full consciousness. I looked directly at her, straight into her eyes and straightened my glasses.

"No ma, I'm just a little tired"

I said flatly. She made a strange face by slightly raising her eyebrows and flattening her lips, a face which I could only interpret as 'Who does this boy think he's deceiving?' I continued staring at her dully and began taking necessary measures in my brain to prepare myself for further questions.

"Okay"

She turned and walked away.

I turned and looked forward, grateful that she had no more questions. I looked at the book resting on my thighs. 'Where was I in this book again?' I roughly scanned and finally found the spot. "For example, you might make an investment of time, money or emotion with the desire and intent to be better off and..."
I jerked awake again. I looked down at the book in my thighs again.

'Wait...'

I thought to myself. I closed the book, folded my hands on the table and rested my head.

'Truly, who was I deceiving...'

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