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For three consecutive days, Larai ignored Yusuf. She stopped going to the stream and whenever she would hear him whistle, she would cover her ear with her hands and cry. She felt bad for treating him that way, but what could she do? She could not keep taking the risk of getting caught by her parents. Her marriage to Zakari would be hastened Indisputably, and she would be punished.

"Ya Larai," her sister, Azumi, walked up to her in the kitchen and called.

"What do you want, Azumi?" she snapped.

Recently, that seemed to be the only thing she did. It had become a new habit.

Poor Azumi had to endure her aggressions silently.

"There's a man outside. He asked about you, then asked if Baaba is inside."

Larai heaved a sigh of exasperation and massaged her forehead. "And why do you think I'd be interested in" she suddenly cut herself off, as realization hit her. "Is he tall? Light skinned?"

"Yes," her sister responded and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Larai stood and hurried to where she was standing. "Don't tell Nna or Baaba about this, okay? I'm going to go see him now. If any one of them asks about me, tell them I went to the neighboring village to braid my hair, okay?"

"But ya Larai." She frowned. "Why should I lie to them?"

"Because..." She trailed off, thinking of a believable excuse to give. "Just do as I said, please."

Her facial expression proved to Larai that her sister would definitely tell on her. She had to bribe her with something. "I will let you have my piece of meat in tonight's food," she tried again.

"Really?" Azumi jumped for joy.

"You're going to let me have it?"

"Only if you do as I said. Will you?"

She nodded, fiercely.

"Good girl. Now, go into the kitchen and mash the rice on the fire. I will be back soon to take over from you. Nna wants us to have aje jekafa (mashed rice)."

"Toh, ya Larai." She grinned.

Larai snuck out of the compound to meet Yusuf who was, as usual, waiting for her behind the palm tree, in front of their house.

He came out of his hiding place and walked up to her. "I thought you wouldn't come out," he said, walking even closer to her. "I was about to go and talk to your father myself."

Larai's eyes bulged. "Please don't ever do that." She joined her palms. "Baaba would kill me if you did."

Yusuf's brows furrowed. "And why would he kill you?"

Larai's gaze traveled around, then back to the young man, standing a few meters away from her—panic written all over her face. "We can't talk here. It's too risky. Please just go away. Please."

"What's happening to you?" The look on his face n contorted in perplexity.
"You weren't like this before. Why are you suddenly treating me this way? You've been avoiding me for almost a week too. Have I done something wrong? Is that the reason you have been avoiding me? Please tell me, so I can mend my mistake."

"You've done nothing wrong," she said. "I just don't want to be friends with you anymore."

"Why?" He swallowed, hurt.

Why? Larai had so many reasons for pushing him away. Without a doubt, she knew there would be chaos once her parents, especially her father, found out about him. More importantly, she did not want to continue leading him on, when she was just going to end up getting married to someone else—an old pervert. She cringed at the thought.
"As I said before, my father forbids me from keeping male friends," she replied, biting her nails.

"If that's the case, why did you accept to be friends with me in the first place? Huh?" He raised a brow. "Larai, you and I are adults. I think it'd be best if we stopped beating about the bush. I know exactly why you've drastically changed towards me."

Her eyes dilated.

“It's because I professed my feelings for you, right?"

Larai swallowed a lump in her throat. In a way, he was not wrong. Him, deciding to confess his feelings for her, pulled her out of whatever reverie and fantasy she was living in. It made her realize she was only building castles in the air. To ensure they didn't get deep into whatever relationship they had, she gathered it would be best she cut things off. Without a doubt, it would be best for both of them. It was a painful decision for her to make, but she had to. She did not have a choice. "Yes," she admitted, for she knew it was pointless to deny it.

"Why?" He moved closer to her.

In an attempt to get rid of the tears that prickled her eyes, Larai blinked severally. "Because I don't feel the same about you. Please." She clasped her palms. "Please, don't you ever show yourself to me again." With that being said, she ran into their compound. She did not even spare him a glance, for she knew she would not be able to bear the hurt in his eyes, knowing she was the one that caused it. She knew she would have broken down in front of him and he would know she lied.

"Ya La—"

"Just leave me alone, Azumi!" she yelled and dashed into their hut.

"I'm sorry, Yusuf. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. " she kept repeating the apology like a sad song on repeat. "Please forgive me for hurting you this way."

Ever since the day Larai said those words to push Yusuf away, she had not crossed paths with him again. She ought to have been happy, because he respected her wish, but contrary to that, her heart was shattering into pieces with every passing day. As usual, when she going to the stream to fetch water, she could not get rid of the urge of wanting to see him. It had been two weeks. She missed him terribly. She knew she should be working on getting rid of the feelings, but for once in her life, she wanted to be greedy. She wanted to, at least, be able to have a glance of him, one more time. Was that too much to ask for?

"Larai! Larai!!"

She flinched at the manner of hostility in which her name was being called. She had a hunch it was the gossip clique. When she turned around, her hunch was confirmed. She rolled her eyes, hissed, and continued walking.

"Stop!" one of them commanded.

As usual, Larai ignored them.

The girls increased their paces and soon enough, they were in front of her, spreading out their arms in an attempt to block her path.

She shut her eyes, trying so hard to keep her anger at bay. "Out of my way, please."

"If we don't get out of your way, what will you do?" Haja raised the corner of her lips, scorn smeared all over her face.

"What can she possibly do?" Lami clapped her hands. "Just look at her, she's scared out of her skin."

"For the last time, I'm warning all three of you, get out of my way. I don't have time for nonentities like you."

"What was that?" Goggo seethed. "Did you just call us useless?"

"I did. What will you do?" Larai's jaw clenched; her eyes pierced into theirs. 

"This." Before she could comprehend what was happening, Haja's fist had already collided with her jaw.

The metallic taste of blood filled Larai's mouth. Her hand flew over her mouth. She raised a hand to retaliate, but decided against it, for she knew better than to do that. There were three of them. There was no way she could take them on. She would only end up making a fool of herself—for these reasons, she spat out the blood in her mouth and began to walk away quietly when she was pushed to the ground by Goggo.

"Where does this idiot think she's going to?" Haja burst into laughter.

"Girls, this is the day we've been waiting for. We finally get to deal with this idiot. After we are done with her, she will realize she chose the wrong people to mess with. Let's beat her up."

Larai's eyes widened. At that moment, all she could imagine was Yusuf appearing from nowhere and saving her. "I don't want trouble this morning. You people should better leave me alone." She spat.

"I don't want trouble this morning. You people should better leave me alone." Haja derided, making the other two girls burst into laughter.

"What happened to the talkative and bold Larai from earlier? Where did she go?" She looked around, mockingly.

"Just because you managed to go to school, you think you're better than us. Now, who is on the ground, at our mercy?" Lami sneered; her hands at akimbo.

"D—" Larai had opened her mouth to say something in her defense when Haja shoved grasses into her agape mouth. "Pleas..e stop." Her pleas were muffled and her breath emerged in ragged pants.

"When you were busy insulting us, did you not stop to think of the consequences of your action?" Goggo yelled.

"Ask the fool," Lami hissed.

"When I promised to make you pay for all the insults you threw on us, did you think I was only bluffing?" Haja rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you actually thought we were full of big talk. Did you?" Haja slapped her across the face. "When I ask you a question, you better give me a reply."

The girls did not stop bullying her until they were satisfied with the beating she got.

They dragged her into the bushes and laughed at her face.

"Next time, cross us and see fire." Haja spat and motioned for them to leave.

Larai was left bloody and too weak to even move a muscle.

In a matter of minutes, few villagers had gathered around her. And that was how the whole village concluded she was raped. Despite how hard she tried to tell them otherwise, no one believed her, except for her younger sister, Azumi. Even her mother whom she thought would believe her, surprised her by querying her.

"No one is here, Larai. It's just you and I. I want you to tell me sincerely; what really happened? You were raped, weren't you? Did you see his —" 

"No such thing happened!" She boomed, raising her voice above her mother's. "I have said this before and I will repeat it now. I wasn't raped! I was beaten up by some girls that are envious of me."

"Look, Larai. I know this might be embarrassing for you to disclose, but you will have to speak up, otherwise, not only yours but our reputation will also be tarnished. You're engaged to be married soon. What do you think would happen when your in-laws hear of this news?"

Larai heaved a sigh of exasperation. Despite trying so hard to vindicate herself, her mother still didn't believe her.

"So, for the umpteenth time, I'm going to ask you; what really happened to you?" She goaded.

"Nothing, Nna! Nothing!" She yelled, exasperated. "I don't understand why this is so hard to believe. I'm your daughter. You are my mother. You are supposed to trust and believe the things I tell you, but you choose to believe strangers over me. If that really happened, I would have told you all. I'm so tired of explaining myself."

"How dare you speak in such a manner to your mother?" Baaba chose the time to walk into the scene and intervene.

"Just let it be. She was just telling me what really happened on that day. I think she's telling the truth. Before anyone else, we should believe our daughter." Nna defended.

Larai was grateful to her mother, for she had no idea how she was supposed to begin to explain herself to her father.

"The village doctor will be here soon. She's going to check and confirm if she was indeed violated or not. Only then, will we know what the truth is." He stated and walked out of the hut.

A lone tear slipped out of Larai's eyes.
The reality of her parents not having an atom of trust for her, hurt her immensely.

Few hours passed with Nna still interrogating Larai, like some sort of criminal.

"Kulu! Come out right now!" The voice of an unknown woman, from outside the hut startled them.

"I think your in-laws are here." Nna paced to and fro. "What am I going to tell them now."

"Kulu! I know you're in there, hiding like the coward you are. You better come out, if not..." Her voice trailed.

"Calm down, Kashi." Alhaji Sayuti tried to hush her.

With brows tightly arched, Larai sprung up and was about to walk out of the hut to face them.

"Hey!" Nna yelled and got in front of her. "Where are you going?"

She heaved a deep sigh, obviously trying to keep her anger at bay. "To speak with her. I won't allow her to speak to you in that manner. This isn't right. She can't just come into our territory and insult you."

Nna narrowed her eyes at her and chortled, humorlessly. "Who caused this?" She rolled her eyes. "You will sit here quietly."

"But, Nn—"

"If you have any respect for me as your mother, you will do as I say. Do not leave this hut no matter what." She instructed and dashed out of the hut.

"Finally, the chicken decided to show herself." Kashi taunted and let out a hiss.

From inside the hut, Larai could hear their conversation. She balled her fist and her nose flared. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be able to give them a piece of her mind.

"Haba, my in-law," Nna remarked. "You shouldn't be talking to me in such a rude manner. We are going to be —"

"Hold it there!" Kashi raised a hand. "Just swallow your words. How else do you want me to speak to you, after your daughter was shamelessly raped by only God knows how many men?"

"That's not true." Nna vehemently shook her head. "Nothing of a such happened to her. She told me so herself and I believe her. My daughter is not a liar."

"And our relatives are?" Alhaji Sayuti intervened. "Is that the innuendo?"

"No. Of course not. All I'm trying to say is that you people should calm down and listen to what I have to say."

"So you can feed us with more lies? No thank you." She breathed. "We've heard enough. Right from the time I saw her, I had a feeling she is only going to taint our reputation. How shameless can your daughter get?"

"Kashi," Nna called in a calm voice. "Larai said she wasn't raped and even if she was, how is that her fault? Shouldn't the rapist be blamed instead? Why do people tend to divert all of the blame to the victim? Is it her fault that she was violated?"

"Yes," Kashi responded through gritted teeth. "I know girls like her; they follow boys, lure them into—"

"My daughter is not like that." Nna abruptly cut her off; her nose flaring. She was beginning to lose her patience now. "Larai is well mannered. Everyone in this neighborhood can attest to that. I trust her with all of my heart."

Tears streamed down Larai's face, as she continued to listen to the conversation from inside the hut.

"People change." Kashi retorted. "I pity my poor son. How is he going to go around his business normally now? I regret ever accepting this alliance."

"And." Alhaji Sayuti added. "We just came here to personally inform you and your husband that the marriage is off. I refuse to allow my son to get married to that...to that..." He trailed off, searching for an appropriate word to use. "Characterless daughter of yours."

"Before you decide to go ahead and break the alliance," Baaba walked into the scene, alongside a midwife; his gaze fixated on Alhaji Sayuti alone. "You should let this woman check on her. If truly she was raped, I will not only agree to break the alliance, but I will also compensate you and your family with whatever it is you request for."

"Alhaji Gana—" Alhaji Sayuti had only begun to speak when he was nudged on the stomach by his wife. He instantly took that as his cue to not object. "Alright then."

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As salam Alaykum/hello!

It's really baffling how rape victims tend to be blamed for the unfortunate thing. It has been happening for a long time now and it still hasn't stopped. A rape victim cannot walk freely on the road, without people pointing a finger at her, like she's a disgusting person and wanted what happened to her. Some heartless people even go to the extent of blaming the rape victims for been characterless and luring the men by either their mode of dressing, how they walk, or even talk.

What's your take on rape victims and how do you think they can be helped in society?

Jealousy is real 🤧 how can you be angry with someone because she was opportune to go to school and you weren't.

What do you think Larai should do? Get back at them or let it slide?

Please vote and comment. Thank you. (60 votes and comments 🥺🙏)

deey_jah
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