chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Sol, please stop. We’re running late for class.” Janette shrugged her shoulders and Solomon’s hand dropped on the long table. He moved his head away from her neck, looking at her solemnly.

“C’mon Janette, we still have five minutes to ourselves,” he said, pouting his lips. Janette's eyes wander around the library and then back to him.

“No Sol, we’re in public, people are watching,” she picked her textbook and pen from the table, tucking it into her back bag.

“See, nobody is watching us. Let me just kiss you before we go.” Janette sighed, dropping the bag on the table.

“Ya are impossible; okay can you come over to the house after school?”

“No, no, your—”

Janette chuckled; “my mum and dad won’t be home until midnight,” she told him; Solomon’s eyes suddenly brighten.

“Okay, I’m coming over then. I can’t wait to be in the arms of my baby.” He tipped Janette’s chin with his finger, making her giggle.

“Ms. Johnson, can you please keep your voice down? You are disturbing everyone,” Janette rolled her eyes heavenward and moved her mouth to Solomon’s ear, keeping her voice low. “Can we go before Mrs. Grumpy eats my head off?” Sol chuckled and nodded his head.

And Sol walked out of the library and strolled along the path leading to Janette classroom. “What do ya have now?” Janette asked.

“Chemistry and that’s all for the day.” Janette looked at him like a wounded child with pouted lips.

“That’s unfair. I still have a history after math.” Solomon tilted his head to the side, looking at her with his nose almost touching her cheeks.

“Sorry, my love, I have three hours’ shift at work after school. Mag will drive ya home, right?” Janette sadly nodded her head, not bothering to look at him. They came to a halt at the front of the door and Janette turned to look at Solomon;

“I’ll see ya at five?”

“Yes, take care, my love.” Janette nodded and went for the doorknob. She silently opened the classroom door and then paused.

“Ya forgot something?” Sol asked with a twinge of concern.

“Can you order something for us when coming? I’m too lazy to cook.” She asked and moved from the door, giving way for the other students to enter.

“Of course, anything for my queen; your mum owns a restaurant and I still can’t figure out why ya can’t cook.”

Janette frowned her face like a used tissue and said; “I did not say I can’t cook. I said I’m too lazy to cook something for us.”

“Oh my love, we all know that you don’t know how to cook. The only thing you can do is to make cereal and tea.”

“Yea whatever.”

Janette entered the room and walked straight to the back where Margaret was seated chitchatting with Steve, one of the hot popular guy in the school. She shook her head, dropping her weight on the empty seat beside Margaret. Her friend didn’t seem to notice her yet as she continued talking to Steve. Janette preliminarily cleared her throat, drawing the other lady's attention. “Janette, where have ya been? Been searching for ya all over the school,” Margaret said.

“Stop lying Mag. I’ve been at the library and it’s part of the school building.” She dropped her bag and removed her phone from her Jean's pocket.

“Well, not that I expect ya to be there.”

“Touche, where were expecting me to be?

“Is either at the field with Sol or in a boring board meeting with your members,” Margaret said and turned to face Steve again, living her friend alone. The professor hasn’t shown up in class and Janette is getting bored. Her friend seemed to find a new companion for herself. She pulled out an earpiece from her bag, connecting it to her phone, scrolling through her playlist. Janette played one of her favorite music and then dropped her head on the table with her eyes closed.

After school Margaret was surprisingly nowhere to be found, Janette strolled through the hallway down to the janitor, scanning the entire janitors yet no sign of Margaret, with a jumble of emotions Janette walked out of the school gate down to the driveway hoping to see Margaret or taxi that would drive her home.

Janette seemed to be out of luck as she stood stranded a few feet away from the school gate. Suddenly, two 2022 Toyota GR86 pulled over in front of her. Janette was in awe the moment her gaze fell on the brand new flashy car. She’d never seen such beauty before. A bright smile scattered on her face revealing her cute dimples. Janette watched in amazement as her jaw dropped, as a young man with razor sharp nose, smooth, flawless and emotionless face. Eyes with a grilling gaze, enough to freeze even the warmest of hearts at a glance. He was tall and very handsome. He looked like someone who’d just walked out from an expensive fashion show magazine. Janette swallowed the lump in her throat, blinking her eyes simultaneously as the man approach her with two men who seemed to appear as body guards following sedately behind him. She took a few steps backward as the man stood tall before her. Fear gripped her and shivers run down her spine. Janette prayed silently to God to save her from the ritualist standing before her.

“Hello my bride.” He muttered, his voice echoed in her ears like the voice of a mother singing lullaby to her sleeping child; so smooth and tender. But Janette was confused, why someone with a worth net of over $200.000 billion would call her daughter of the owner of a small restaurant his new bride. Obviously the young, rich man was mistaken her for someone else. Janette said nothing as her eyes lingered on him for a moment. Perhaps she should walk away for her own good. She turned away from them and was about to walk away when he called her name. Shocked, Janette paused for a moment after composing herself. She slowly turned around to face him.

“W-who are ya and what do ya want from me?” Her quiver and her lower lips trembled in fear.

“You are my wife, my new bride.” He retorted, smiling down at Janette.

“Ya are not my husband please, and I don’t know ya. Let me go please,” she begged as her eyes glister, like she was about to cry any moment.

Jackson stared at Janette. He felt a flutter of anger. No one has ever rejected him before. He thought Janette should count herself lucky that a prestigious man like him wants her as his bride. “Well, well Janette, ya seemed awfully dumb and...” He looked at her from head to toe; “naïve...you should ask your parent who Jackson Davidson is. My dear, ya are mine. I paid for you.” He whispered the last word to her ear and turned to his car.

The house was empty when Janette entered, dropping her bag on the chair she wobbled her way to the kitchen and opened the freezer, Janette pulled out a bottle of water and took it to her dried lips, after drinking the water she belched with satisfaction then shuffled her way to her room. Janette allowed the thought of Jackson lingered in her mind as she stripped to her weary flesh. ‘ya are mine, ya are mine’ his words kept echoing in her ears. As much as she admired his car and his impressive suit, she’d rather be with Sol because she loves him deeply and he makes her happy. Talking about Sol, Janette remembered that he’d be coming to the house. Her feet hurried on the tiles floor as she walked into the bathroom, few minutes later Janette came out of the bathroom only to see her Michelle younger sister lying on her bed watching N*****x on her laptop.

“Ya should learn to knock before dashing into people’s room.” Said Janette, walking to her closet with a white towel wrapped around her chest.

“People should learn how to lock their doors.” Janette turned and glared at Michelle.

“How was school today?

“School was fine. Anderson talked to me today.” She told her sister excitedly as she stood to a sitting position on the bed.

“Really?” Michelle nodded enthusiastically. Janette wondered why her sister still has a crush on the jerk in her school, someone who follows anything in skirts and kissed every available lip. “What did he say to ya?”

“H-he said I’m beautiful, that he would like me to come to his place tomorrow night.” Janette frowned at that. Why his house? She pondered. Michelle is just seventeen years, barely an adult. She hates for her sister to start doing adult stuff and hopefully not with Anderson.

“Are ya planning to go?” Michelle nodded again, looking at Janette with a big smile on her face like she just won herself a free ticket to Jennifer Lopez concert.

“I don’t think ya should go. If ya must go out with him, go to somewhere open like mum’s restaurant.” Janette wore one of her bogus Jean with the gray T-skirt she stole from Sol’s bag during one of her visit to his bungalow.

“Hmm ya are right sis, but definitely not mum’s restaurant.” Janette shrugged her shoulder and moved to the bed, picking her phone.

“Don’t ya have an assignment or something to do? Michelle rolled her eyes, climbing down from the bed.

“Just say get out of my room, like ya used to say; no need to pretend to be polite, sis.” Michelle trudged out of the room with Janette following closely behind her.

“Is Sol coming over?”

“Yes, why?” Michelle opened her door and looked over her shoulder at Janette;

“I asked because ya took a long shower today.” Janette shook her head disappointedly and mutely walked away. Her phone rang on her way to the sitting room. She looked at the screen and when she realized ‘twas Margaret, she hissed and put back the phone in her Jean's back pockets.

Few minutes of waiting for Sol in the sitting room, Janette grew impatient and pulled out her phone to call him; she hates the fact that she was alone with churning thoughts running her minds. The door bell rang before Janette could dial Sol's number. Without wasting much time, she swiftly stood up on her feet and ran towards the door. When she flees the door open, a smiling Margaret was looking up at her. Janette hissed, rolling her eyes and walked back to her seat, living Margaret by the door.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry Jan. Steve insisted I come with him to watch their game.”

“Great; and ya left your best friend in school. I told you Sol will be leaving school for work yet ya left; do ya know I almost got kidnapped by a ritualist today?”

“C’mon Jan, nobody can kidnap you for ritual, you are beautiful to be used for that.” Janette glared at her friend. She was getting irritated. Margaret was oblivious to notice that her friend was serious.

“Stop it Mag, I’m serious; why are ya being a jerk? Ya left me because of some guy ya only met today in school.” She yelled; Shocked, Margaret looked at Janette for a moment. The room had grown silent and Margaret could easily hear Janette’s heart beat against her chest.

“Woo, I didn’t realize you were serious. I’m so sorry, Jan,” she said, wrapping her arms around Janette's tense shoulders. Janette started sobbing harder as the incident back at the school gate came floating in her head. “Please don’t cry, I‘m awfully sorry it won’t happen again, I promise Jan." Margaret began;

“I-I was so scared, t-he man called me his bride.” Janette said between sob. Confused, Margaret nuzzled back from the embrace and glanced at her friend. She held Jan’s head in her hand, looking at her lovingly.

“I’m sorry dear; can ya tell me what really happened?” Janette silently nodded her head and went to seat with Margaret imitating her. Janette told her everything that had happened and Margaret listened. She was trying hard to digest the complete information. She pondered why a total stranger would refer to her friend as his wife. Perhaps Janette should ask her parents like he said.