I pulled my jacket closer to my body as I walked out of the vice chancellor’s office with Caleb following close behind. Today, I’d worn a bermuda short and a henley shirt paired with a ski jacket and black combat boots. You’d think I was in mourning because of the amount of black I had on. I had no makeup on and today I decided to let my hair loose instead of the normal cornrows. I swiped my tongue across my lips just to feel the coldness of the ring pierced on it.
A stranger would easily think I was up to twenty because of my height as I stood at almost 5’11ft and probably the multiple piercing. My lips and nose were both pierced, my right eyebrows had about two piercing and that wasn’t all, my ears were pierced, my tongue and the most recent piercing I had done was my belly button and my butt. I had a couple tattoos but no one knew that because my upper body was always covered. However, I only turned eighteen in August, last year. Yeah a brand new adult who was also not new since I grew up too fast.
Growing up, I was probably the sweetest kid. I completed my assignments, participated in school’s extracurricular activities, won couple awards for the school and bagged a lot for myself. I did all that just to get the approval of my parents but they never once looked at me, they never once congratulated me, even a tap on the head would have put a smile on my face but there was none. As a child Caleb and Allan were the only ones who managed to spare me a glance. Caleb was there most of the time and when he wasn’t at school he’d keep me company and allow me ride on his back. Allan attended school ceremonies just to cheer me on whenever he had the chance. But after a while it all changed. There was no one to give me a piggy backs, no one to attend those school parties, no one to tickle me. It was just me with a bunch of broody people who didn’t think I deserved to be part of the family. Janice thought I looked too different to be part of the family. What’s with the curly hair, brown eyes and different accent. The look my mother always gave me felt like she was blaming me for a crime I didn’t even know I committed, the only thing I recall from all this was the fact that my parents weren’t really on good times for a while, they probably reconciled lately but I had no clue why they were fighting. The look in my dad’s eyes whenever he saw me was that of pain, like he wished for something he couldn’t even have and because of that I started to realize that Janice was probably right, I might have come into this family by accident because they never looked at me the way they looked at Janice or my brothers, they didn’t fuse over me the way they did whenever Janice got bruises.
When I finally started to change and get involved with the wrong crowd they didn’t ask or try to find out the reason why I was lashing out they immediately sent me away to live with my mother’s sister and her four kids in hopes that I’ll become tamed again and for a while it did work. I was brought back home and that was when I first met Tessy, the girl with a curly hair much like mine. She taught me to let every anger out instead of bottling it up. Most people would probably think I got my addiction from her but that’s a lie, they just weren’t aware that there was just another group of people in my life, the people who knew how to have a good time.
Again they tried to send me off to someone else’s but when that didn’t work I was sent to a boarding school owned by a group of reverend sisters I didn’t care to learn about. Coincidently Tessy had been transferred to that same school. It was with her that my hate for Americans was born. Her father was an American who got her mother pregnant after a one night stand and wanted nothing to do with child his carelessness brought forth, at least Caleb and Allan did try to comfort me for a while but Tessy had no one, not her mother and most certainly not her father.
People had the chance to save Tessy but they let her die, they said it was for the best and if I’d been at least two minutes early then she’d still be alive. My friend, Tessy died a painful death. And I died with her.
I shook my head furiously to get rid of the image of her dead body. Letting out a long sigh I stuff my hands in my pocket as I continued to walk ahead of Caleb.
I’d vehemently refused to drive down to the hall where lectures were going to be held, I wanted to feel the wind on my face and I have it dance through my hair. It was some sort of tradition I made after Tessy’s death, whenever I stepped into a new place I wanted feel the wind and probably be one with it. It was a way of telling Tessy I was in a new place. The wind was an assurance that she was here with me, that she was walking down here with me and she was probably silent as always and her hand dipped into her pocket. She’d probably stop for a while just to close her eyes and inhale deeply the scent the wind carried. And if it were raining she’d dip her bare feet into the soil just to get a little comfort. I silently sighed over the loss of my dearest friend, there was still forever to go.
I was starting school today and as always Caleb had to come make sure my identity was going to remain a secret, apparently I had a knack for destroying things and if by mistake my identity is revealed it might taint my family’s reputation and create a bridge between them and their business partners.
Caleb stopped me just in front of the hall where classes were supposed to take place and gave me a strict warning not to stir up trouble amongst my mates or the lecturers and to put a little distance between myself and school properties since I liked to ruin things whenever something got to me.
When I got tired of listening to Caleb I walk into the hall. Majority of the students taking the course where already present and they seemed to be well acquainted with each other. “well school did start like one or two months ago so they’ll definitely be familiar with each other.” I thought to myself.
There was just one seat left at the back with only about three people occupying it so I made my way over. Just as I was about to seat someone else pushed me back and took the seat, I grit my teeth as I stare angrily at the person that thought it’ll be nice annoy me.
Quickly recollecting myself I clench my fists in order to stop myself from taking any drastic actions. I go in search of another space to sit.
By twelve sharp the lecture ended. Picking my bag from the bench I force myself through the bodies of numerous students eww. Again just as I was about to step out of the hall someone thought it’ll be funny to keep his legs in my way…..on purpose this dude thought it’ll be funny to make me fall.
I peel myself from the ground and gingerly dust the dirt from my clothes. Turning around I find a group of students standing with their hand over their mouths trying to stop themselves from laughing, I immediately notice the tall one was their leader. I face palmed in my head, you’d think people will learn to be adults in the university but no they don’t.
“why’d you do that?” I asked in the nicest way that I could but the but the arrogant smile on the boy’s face fueled my anger.
Looking down at my body I whispered, “this was my favorite black, I’m never nice when I wear my best things.”
“what are you going to do about that?” he asked as he pushed my shoulders roughly.
“I think you should stop now, saying this for Your Own good.”
However, the boy didn’t listen, his friends barked out a laugh when he pushed me the second time.
The fool was on the ground before anyone could even blink, he might have been big but I made sure he got enough face injuries to last him a lifetime. Because of how fast my hits kept coming he was unable to retaliate the few punches he managed to throw only grazed my cheeks nothing major when he finally managed to overpower me he slammed my head against the wall of the hall, so hard I thought my head was going to burst open. I held my head in my hands as I groaned in pain. Now all I wanted was to make sure this boy would not be able to walk in the sun. I kicked his knee to make him lose his balance, blinded with rage my fist collided with his face there was so much force the big guy lost consciousness. Seeing as I’d won the fight, I fell to ground relaxing my body on the wall for a little extra support. I noticed how the students crowded around us some of them had their phones on recording the events. I marked their faces. If my face got out on the media it’ll be hell for me. At that moment about five lecturers rushed into the room. Two among the group tried to chase students away, two tried to lift the big guy from the ground when they couldn’t they asked a two students who were just as big to give them a hand, the last lecturer helped me up from where I sat completely drained.
With the little strength I had left I ordered that every students phone be seized and since I was an Adelaide they did as told. My face showing up on the internet and newspapers was a risk I couldn’t afford to take. The world already forgot that the Adelaides had a second daughter, to them I was dead. After the kidnapping incident I seized to exist, it’ll be big scandal if the news of my death was faked and not real. My family already hated me and I didn’t want the hate to grow, so even if the students grumbled the needful still had to be done.
They passed an emergency call across to my brother, which led him to leave his work and hurry here to check on the boy whose face was now unrecognizable …. Because of me.
Caleb was taken to see the boy while I remained in the dean’s office. No one said a word to me probably because they were scared of what I would do to them. Either that or they were just disgusted with me…. Their problem obviously.
With my head on the dean’s table I try to block out the voices of the dean, my brother and a few other lecturers.
“she beat a student till he passed out and on her first day here!” the dean exclaimed angrily.
Caleb sighed, “your student must have provoked her in some way, my sister isolates herself from others so there’s no way she started this. I know it was wrong for her to fight but still he must have done or said something to make her this angry.”
“Mister Adelaide please stop trying to justify your sister’s actions. It was awfully wrong for her to have injured a student, a mate for that matter in such cruel manner, I did you see that kid he isn’t even awake yet.”
“he’s not waking up today, I made sure of it,” I spoke groggily, my head still relaxed on the table.
“Bethany!” Caleb exclaimed in an admonishing tone.
“ow my head,” I let out another groan.
“let’s cut the chase mister Effiong,” Caleb started. “how much do I have to pay for damage control?”
Coming from money meant I could get away from any situation at all no matter how big it was. Once again I’ll be getting away from trouble, this was one of the only times I appreciate the fact that my folks had a lot of cash. The old fool might have demanded for a sum of five hundred thousand for ‘damage control’ but my brother dear doubled the price just to show off.
“hey honey,” Bethany wrapped her arms around Caleb the instant we walked into the house.
“hey,” I watched as Caleb returned her hug affectionately and dipped his nose into her hair. Too tired to throw a comment I make my way upstairs.
When I first arrived I had Caleb warn the maids to keep out of my room, I didn’t need them to clean or arrange my room, it was my space I’ll clean it myself. But imagine my surprise when I walk into my room only to find one of them snooping through it.
“dude what the fuck!!!” I raged “what I you doing in my space,” I matched towards her like a tiger would a prey. I slammed her back on the wall and wrapped my hands around her throat, I tightened my hold when she kept clawing at my hand.
“Bethany, is everything okay?” Caleb barged into my room in a rapid motion Luciana following close behind.
“what is SHE doing in here?”
“Bethany oh my gosh,” Luciana rushed towards us. “why would you try to strangle her?” she asked rhetorically as she forced my hand away from the maid’s throat.
“Bethany,” Caleb rubbed his forehead stressed. “what’s the problem now?”
“she was in my room! I said no one is allowed into my space.”
Luciana was the one who answered this time. “she is new Bethany, NEW!! how was she supposed to know that?”
I snap my head towards Luciana, “it is your duty to make sure no one comes in here, it is your duty to brief your new maids, you should have let her know that this place was a forbidden territory.” I snapped angrily through my teeth.
“Do not speak to my wife like that girl,” a spasm of irritation crossed his face.
“do not tell me how to speak to people I’ll talk to anyone the way I want and the way I please, you have no right to tell me what to do, I am the owner of myself you don’t own me so shut the fuck up.”
SMACK
Luciana gasped
Then it came. I laughed so hard until tears began to spill from my eyes, when I finally sobered up I looked Caleb straight in the eyes, “I hate you.” my voice was laced with venom, hard and filled with deep pain.
With a calm voice I instructed, “get out!”
“Be….” he started but I cut him off
“I said get the fuck out of my room, DAMMIT!” I hurled the new system Caleb got me, at the wall.
Luciana helped the maid up before rushing out of my room Caleb following after a short while.
“arrrgghhh.” I screamed in pain. My head might have been hurting but my chest felt the more pain, in anger I swiped everything that laid on my table, to the ground.
“damm you man, damm you,” covering my face I release a loud scream.
I covered my face with one hand and painkillers in the other. With my hands shaking furiously I try to open the bottle, when it doesn’t work I scream angrily before throwing the stupid bottle at the wall. I drag myself across my towards the bathroom and into the tub with my clothes still on, I turned on the shower. Closing my eyes I let the water lend me comfort the last thing I thought of was the maid I almost strangled to death. I hoped she'd be fine.
The first thing I took note of when I woke up was the machine that beeped, the strings connected to my body, the white walls and lastly the fact that I was no longer in my bathtub I was on a bed, a very hard uncomfortable bed. I groaned and laid my head back on the pillow.
Few minutes later a tired looking Caleb walked in. “you’re awake,” he stated when he noticed I was staring at him. “how are you feeling?”
When I made no move to reply he sighed tiredly before leaving and coming back in with a young doctor.
“hello how are you feeling today?” the doctor chirped.
“sore, frustrated but how the hell did I end up here?” my face twists into a frown.
He chuckled, “your brother found you in the shower passed out with a really bad fever. You should thank him.”
I scoffed, “thank him? I would have gladly done that if He’d left me in the shower. He wants to live a fucked up life anyways.”
The doctor smiled again
“what are you smiling at anyways.” I snapped, irritated that he found this funny.
“your eyes say different.”
With no possible comeback I huff and fold my hands over my chest as I let him continue with his examination, when he was done he gave me a warm smile and asked Caleb to follow him out.
This doctor might think he was some fucking genius, I huffed, my eyes aren’t saying shit if he fucking left me in that tub I know I could have been out of this cruel world, I would be free and lucky for them there’ll be no one to bother them anymore. They would not have to look over their shoulders the whole time in fear of me attacking or spoiling their reputation and I would be free from hiding, I would be free from all this hateful feelings, most especially their hurtful words.
I wouldn’t have to breath pain, I won’t have to wake up gasping for air in a room that wasn’t even scarce of it. I turned my gaze to the window and stared at the sun that streamed through the curtain with my lips drawn in a sad smile, I whispered to myself.
“I would not have to live.”
I climbed onto the third bus for that day. It was the second day after I was discharged from the hospital. Today, I was supposed to be at school but I didn't feel like it so now I'm entering bus after bus with no destination in my mind, all I had on me was my wallet and cigarettes.She was in my dreams again, clad in a white dress that was soiled with dirt. There was not an ounce of emotion in her eyes they were so empty and she seemed really furious. Numerous times she pointed towards a garden that was covered in dark fogs, when I made no move to check it out she screamed, it was so terrifying but I couldn't even wake or move my body. She slammed her body into mine, it sent me flying into the garden.It felt like scenes were changed. My face shot up in confusion when I heard the sound of my laugh mixed with those of Tessy. All of a sudden it felt like a force was pulling me towards the area were the laugh came from it stopped in front o
You ever felt so exhausted you just want to sleep, to just keep sleeping and not wake up?That was how I felt right now. Completely exhausted tired, too drained to even form words even when I tired to, no words left my mouth it was almost like I had lost the ability to produce sounds.The past two weeks I've had constant nightmares all with Tessy in them. She was either telling me to go home or just pointing, either way it was horrible. I usually slept with the aid of sleeping pills but now I could take countless amount of it and nothing would happen still. Every single night I'd fallen asleep in my bed only to wake up and run to the toilet, it was horrible I wanted a break no needed a break.Caleb had suggested we take permission from the school before going away for a month but the events that followed made him change his mind. By 10am on Friday, Caleb, my
It was a cold morning, the air was freezing and the wind kept howling making my hair sway from side to side, I had very little clothes on so I wrapped my hands around myself to protect myself from the cold.In a distance a tiny girl stood by the ocean, her arms were equally wrapped around herself, she was clad in a white nightie and her feet were bare just as mine.I struggled with the wind just to reach her, when I finally got there I realized who this tiny girl was."Tessy," I whispered, she replied with a sad smile before turning back to gaze with longing at the ocean."You're sad," I stated the obvious.She nodded her head after a while she turned and looked at me."You're not supposed to be here." She croaked, it was like she had not spoken in a very long time."Why? Aren't you happy to see me? It's been two years already."She nodded with a sad smile, "yes two yea
It was the second day since I awoke and the rest of them took time to rest since the doctor had promised that I was fine. My mind kept drifting to the dream and what Tessy had asked of me. I had no idea how she wanted me to find this boy, I had no idea where that envelope might be now and that frustrated me. I wanted to find this boy, he definitely had the answers to all this problems.I was pulled abruptly from my train of thought, when the door was opened.It was that young doctor, I observed that he came in alone today. There were no nurses or residents just him and his annoying smile."Good morning miss,” he greeted with a blinding smile."Bethany.""What?" He asked confused.Rolling my eyes I repeated, "Bethany not miss."His smile immediately returned to his face, “beautiful name for a beautiful lady.""I know," I smirked.He returned my smirk befo
“Time of death 11:59pm,”The old doctor gulped loudly as he started those.“No!” A young girl barged into the ER, she didn't mind that she was covered in blood and dirt. “She’s not dead, try again.”“I’m sorry there’s nothing we can do your friend was….”“No..no you’re a doctor, it’s your job to save people so save her.” Her words were firm just as her hold on the doctor’s arm.The old man took a deep breath before going to continue. “time of death 11:59pm…”“Liar Tessy can’t die,” she limped to her friends side. “You’re not dead, you can’t die.”“Bethany,” a voice, deep, a little raspy called out to her. “She’s gone let the doctors do their job.”Bethany looked at her brother Caleb with resentment. “Shut up!” before she could say another word Caleb and Allan forced her away from away from Tessy's side.&n
Going through a lot of things will teach you to look into people's eyes just as I was doing now.I've lived with Aunt Mae for about six months, the longest I'd stayed with anyone and that was partly because Aunt Mae talked a lot so her cheerful voice managed to drown out my thoughts sometimes. Not just that, aunt Mae looked at me the way a mother would love at her child, something I never experienced even though I had a mother.Aunt Mae was also the kind of lady who would smile a smile that passed a message. "it's okay, I understand, I feel what you feel too." The hugs she gave me every morning when I woke up and at night before I went to bed, much like she did her son, made me feel better, it made me feel normal too. Throughout my stay here I hadn't lit a cigarette even once, in a way Mae made people forget their pain. However, today I didn't feel like Aunt Mae was any of those
"Let me out of here you ....you arrgggh." screaming loudly I angrily fling the laptop on my table across my room, it hit the wall and then fell with a crash on the ground of my room.People would think I was just being unreasonable but that wasn't true and if I wanted to I had every right to be unreasonable. Like always, they were making me leave again to somewhere else probably because of what I did to Janice but within me I knew it wasn't that, I knew that they already arranged for me to leave the moment I returned I was lucky to have been allowed to spend up to a month here now it was time to go but I didn't want to, anywhere else would have been better but not to Caleb’s. Hell no I couldn't and because I had blatantly refused I was beaten and then locked up in my room with guards stationed all around, they even had a few of them stand outside just below my window someone would think there was a criminal in here.Bangin
"uhm why are there little people in my room with me?" I called out."your nephews Bethany look after them I'll be home before you know it." Luciana shouted from downstairs, before I could reply I heard the door slam.which meant she already left, I groaned in frustration. I didn't know living with my brother also meant I had to babysit this was not something I was looking forward to, kids aren't meant to stay close to sadistic people it could kill their innocent joy.I did what I had to and ignored them as best as I could.I sat on my reading table and began to watch YouTube videos, at the same time watching over the boys that laid on my bed laughing. Most times this was how I passed time by watching video after video on YouTube, sad videos that would probably make a weak heart shed a tear but it did little to me and that was probably why I watched them anyways.I looked down when I felt a small hand wrap around my jacket, "what
With shaky hands, I try to hide the box in my jacket, rushing out of the house I take quick steps towards the car, my brothers looked like they were going to come look for me but had to hold back since I instructed that no matter what they shouldn't, I didn't want that woman knowing anything about me, she'd do anything for money. "What took you so long?" Allan asked the moment I got into the car. "Just drive me to school." "Why do you look so pale?" He asked again Caleb jumped in, "Drop it Allan let's just go." I tightened my hold on the shoe box, my face turned towards the window. My mind kept racing with questions, the past replaying the head. I tried to look for signs that my friend knew what was going to happen to her. I rub my face in frustration. All this just didn't make sense, I don't understand how that date was stamped on this shoe box. Did she put i
It was the first week in June about a month after I was discharged from the hospital. Caleb and I were on our way to Abuja. About a week after I'd been discharged from the hospital Caleb broke the news about starting a new school once I was stronger as requested by my parents. Surprisingly, I had taken the news quite well it could have been because of the twins I wasn't so sure but I knew since that was what they were good at, I'd be asked to start at a new school, that was were Caleb and I were headed to now, not my parents house but to my new school, Allan was going to meet with us at the airport since he was the one who knew the way to this new school.The John's University although a private one still ranked third amongst universities in the country, it was said that their learning environment was quite friendly and so on. The school accommodated mostly kids of rich folks and every year a scholarship exam was held in order to admit two persons from lower class families.
You ever felt so exhausted you just want to sleep, to just keep sleeping and not wake up?That was how I felt right now. Completely exhausted tired, too drained to even form words even when I tired to, no words left my mouth it was almost like I had lost the ability to produce sounds.The past two weeks I've had constant nightmares all with Tessy in them. She was either telling me to go home or just pointing, either way it was horrible. I usually slept with the aid of sleeping pills but now I could take countless amount of it and nothing would happen still. Every single night I'd fallen asleep in my bed only to wake up and run to the toilet, it was horrible I wanted a break no needed a break.Caleb had suggested we take permission from the school before going away for a month but the events that followed made him change his mind. By 10am on Friday, Caleb, my
I climbed onto the third bus for that day. It was the second day after I was discharged from the hospital. Today, I was supposed to be at school but I didn't feel like it so now I'm entering bus after bus with no destination in my mind, all I had on me was my wallet and cigarettes.She was in my dreams again, clad in a white dress that was soiled with dirt. There was not an ounce of emotion in her eyes they were so empty and she seemed really furious. Numerous times she pointed towards a garden that was covered in dark fogs, when I made no move to check it out she screamed, it was so terrifying but I couldn't even wake or move my body. She slammed her body into mine, it sent me flying into the garden.It felt like scenes were changed. My face shot up in confusion when I heard the sound of my laugh mixed with those of Tessy. All of a sudden it felt like a force was pulling me towards the area were the laugh came from it stopped in front o
I pulled my jacket closer to my body as I walked out of the vice chancellor’s office with Caleb following close behind. Today, I’d worn a bermuda short and a henley shirt paired with a ski jacket and black combat boots. You’d think I was in mourning because of the amount of black I had on. I had no makeup on and today I decided to let my hair loose instead of the normal cornrows. I swiped my tongue across my lips just to feel the coldness of the ring pierced on it.A stranger would easily think I was up to twenty because of my height as I stood at almost 5’11ft and probably the multiple piercing. My lips and nose were both pierced, my right eyebrows had about two piercing and that wasn’t all, my ears were pierced, my tongue and the most recent piercing I had done was my belly button and my butt. I had a couple tattoos but no one knew that because my upper body was always covered. However, I only turned eighteen in August, last year. Yeah a brand new adult who was also no
"uhm why are there little people in my room with me?" I called out."your nephews Bethany look after them I'll be home before you know it." Luciana shouted from downstairs, before I could reply I heard the door slam.which meant she already left, I groaned in frustration. I didn't know living with my brother also meant I had to babysit this was not something I was looking forward to, kids aren't meant to stay close to sadistic people it could kill their innocent joy.I did what I had to and ignored them as best as I could.I sat on my reading table and began to watch YouTube videos, at the same time watching over the boys that laid on my bed laughing. Most times this was how I passed time by watching video after video on YouTube, sad videos that would probably make a weak heart shed a tear but it did little to me and that was probably why I watched them anyways.I looked down when I felt a small hand wrap around my jacket, "what
"Let me out of here you ....you arrgggh." screaming loudly I angrily fling the laptop on my table across my room, it hit the wall and then fell with a crash on the ground of my room.People would think I was just being unreasonable but that wasn't true and if I wanted to I had every right to be unreasonable. Like always, they were making me leave again to somewhere else probably because of what I did to Janice but within me I knew it wasn't that, I knew that they already arranged for me to leave the moment I returned I was lucky to have been allowed to spend up to a month here now it was time to go but I didn't want to, anywhere else would have been better but not to Caleb’s. Hell no I couldn't and because I had blatantly refused I was beaten and then locked up in my room with guards stationed all around, they even had a few of them stand outside just below my window someone would think there was a criminal in here.Bangin
Going through a lot of things will teach you to look into people's eyes just as I was doing now.I've lived with Aunt Mae for about six months, the longest I'd stayed with anyone and that was partly because Aunt Mae talked a lot so her cheerful voice managed to drown out my thoughts sometimes. Not just that, aunt Mae looked at me the way a mother would love at her child, something I never experienced even though I had a mother.Aunt Mae was also the kind of lady who would smile a smile that passed a message. "it's okay, I understand, I feel what you feel too." The hugs she gave me every morning when I woke up and at night before I went to bed, much like she did her son, made me feel better, it made me feel normal too. Throughout my stay here I hadn't lit a cigarette even once, in a way Mae made people forget their pain. However, today I didn't feel like Aunt Mae was any of those
“Time of death 11:59pm,”The old doctor gulped loudly as he started those.“No!” A young girl barged into the ER, she didn't mind that she was covered in blood and dirt. “She’s not dead, try again.”“I’m sorry there’s nothing we can do your friend was….”“No..no you’re a doctor, it’s your job to save people so save her.” Her words were firm just as her hold on the doctor’s arm.The old man took a deep breath before going to continue. “time of death 11:59pm…”“Liar Tessy can’t die,” she limped to her friends side. “You’re not dead, you can’t die.”“Bethany,” a voice, deep, a little raspy called out to her. “She’s gone let the doctors do their job.”Bethany looked at her brother Caleb with resentment. “Shut up!” before she could say another word Caleb and Allan forced her away from away from Tessy's side.&n