Dedicated to DaraAdetula and Ummulkhair1234. Thanks for the support.

I know I wrote in chapter thirteen that we should learn to accept people the way they are for a better world... Tell you what, you don't have to accept people, just mind your business! — Yours truly.

______________________

"Shit!" Uncle Henry cussed as he quickly jumped out of my bed and scrambled to the door. "That's my wife. What am I going to do?"

"Just go." I said in between quiet sobs. I had really lost every ounce of respect for uncle Henry. He didn't deserve it. He was such a monster for trying to forcefully sleep with me. Now I could only hope that aunty Caro wouldn't find him in my room, unless I should consider myself dead.

Uncle Henry slowly and gently turned the door handle to open the door. He peeped outside the room to see if aunt Caro was close by.

Just then, aunty Caro's voice was heard from a distance again. "Honey!"

"Love you." Uncle Henry blew an invisible kiss my way before quickly exiting my room and shutting the door behind him gently.

I immediately stood up from my bed, trotted to the door and locked it.

"Hey sweedy." I stopped to eavesdrop as I heard uncle Henry's voice. "I'm here. Why are you up by this time?"

"Same question I should be asking you too." Aunty Caro said.

"Oh me, I just wanted to get water from the kitchen. I was really thirsty."

"Where's the water?"

"This one you're questioning me, are you sceptical? Do you think I'd be lying to you about coming downstairs to get water to drink?"

"Not that I doubt you or anything like that. It's just that you said you wanted to get water from the kitchen and I don't see any with you now, so it's only normal for me to ask."

"Well, I've drank it in the kitchen already." Uncle Henry replied and from where I was, I shook my head and curve my lips downwards. He was such a pathological liar. "So you, why are you up by this time?" He asked.

"I had a terrible nightmare." Her voice was fading away and I heard the sound of footsteps treading the stairs.

"A nightmare?" Uncle Henry asked worriedly, his voice also fading away.

"Yes, I dreamt that..." I wasn't able to get whatever she said next. They had probably gone upstairs to their room.

I sniffed, wiping the tears off my face as I made my way back to my bed. I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't. The thought of what uncle Henry attempted to do to me kept replaying in my head. What if aunt Caro had not called him? He would have slept with me. I would have lost my virginity to my aunt husband! Appalling!

🎶Mama... Where are you?... I need somebody I can talk to... Mama, there's no one around... Mama where are?🎶 I sang quietly as tears trickled down my eyes.

I sat up on the bed, rested my back on the wall and folded my arms around my chest. How can I put a stop to uncle Henry's act? I thought. There was no way aunt Caro was going to believe me if I told her what uncle Henry had tried to do to me on two nights now. Then what could I do? The answer is nothing. Nothing! I cried the more as the thought of not being able to do anything came to my mind.

I stayed up all night crying and singing that song, mama where are you?

The minaret blared as the muezzin called for morning prayers, indicating that it was already five o'clock. It was usually the sound that woke me up everyday to get started with the chores before preparing for school.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with my clothe as I got up from the bed. I shuffled my way to the kitchen. Since I had wash the dishes the previous night, all that was left for me to do was to warm the leftovers, prepare breakfast for everyone to eat before leaving the house and sweep the kitchen and living room. I tried to do all of that in a jiffy.

Once done, I went straight to the bathroom and toilet, excreted, brushed my teeth and then had my bath. By the time I was done, it was already five minutes past seven. I hurriedly walked into my room and slipped into my school uniform.

"Hey Daniella." Uncle Henry poked his head into my room as I was putting on my socks. My heart skipped a beat and I jolted. "Sorry to scare you. How was your night?" He asked, walking into my room completely. He was wearing a grey suit and holding a briefcase.

I frowned and looked away, ignoring him.

"Are you angry with me?" He made his way closer to me.

"Sir, this is not night o. Everyone is awake and I don't want anyone seeing you here. It would rouse suspicion." I said, not sparing him a glance.

"Okay, take this." He handed me a two hundred naira note. "For your pocket money, in case your aunt doesn't give you."

I eyed the money and hesitantly took it from him. "Thank you sir."

"Don't mention. Take care of yourself." He said and walked out of my room. I rolled my eyes as I hissed quietly and continued wearing my shoe and socks.

Few minutes later, I was all set for school and I walked out of the house without meeting aunt Caro to ask her for pocket money since uncle Henry had given me already.

Under my school uniform was wet from the sweat that kept dripping down my skin as I walked fast to school. When I got to the school gate, ahead of me I saw Mr Ambode, one of the school staffs, flogging some students one stroke of the cane each on their back, before they ran into the school building. I wondered if it was the late comers he was flogging or just some students that offended him.

As I moved closer to him, he glared at me, stroking his cane with his hand. Judging from his action, I inferred that he was actually flogging the late comers. My heart started to pound in my chest as I drew closer to him. Closer. Closer. Closer. And finally his cane landed on my back. I let out a shriek, placing my hand on the exact spot he hit me and running inside the school at the same time.

The instant I got inside the school, I composed myself and pretended like I wasn't flogged. The school assembly was ongoing and the students were singing the national anthem, so I had to halt in my tracks and wait until they stopped singing. I was the only one standing outside the students line, so a few students threw glances my way.

When the national pledge was recited, I quickly made my way to the ss2 female students line. I was surprised to see Gbemi standing in front of me and apparently, she didn't know I was behind her. I pinched her butt.

"Ow!" She exclaimed in a whisper and snapped her head back at me. I grinned as she met my face and a smile flashed on her face. "Daniella so it's you. I swear, if it wasn't you, I would have slapped whoever was behind me. That pinch was so painful."

"Sorry." I giggled, as she faced forward. "Lemme guess, you also came late." I whispered.

"Yes o, that's what we both know how to do best." She also managed to whisper. She could not really whisper because her voice was deep and naturally loud.

"Did Mr Ambode flog you?" I asked her.

"That yeye man... yes he flogged me o. He's very stupid."

"That cane enter me, I swear."

Gbemi chuckled, "That reminds me, what did Mr Nnamdi do to you yesterday?"

Just then, the principal's voice boomed from the assembly podium. "Good morning students! As we must have been told, our first term exam starts next week Monday. So if you haven't started studying, you're on your own. One who fails to prepare, prepares to fail. If you're a wise student, you'd do away with play and focus solely on your books for now. Also, we're in the yuletide month and as you all know, this is the month where we celebrate the school's Christmas Carol. So if you want to sing, dance, act or do any creative thing on that day to make it fun, sign your name up with Mrs Bunmi." As he said that, Mrs Bunmi, a fair, plump and short woman, who was also standing before the assembly ground, indicated. "That said, assembly prefect give us a marching song."

"Seven rivers in Africa! Seven rivers in Africa!" The assembly prefect started and we joined in and marched into our various classes.

"Hey good morning Adam." I greeted, dropping my bag on my seat.

"How are you Daniella?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine though." He said as we both had our seat.

"How?"

"Your eyes are so shrunken inside and the dark circles under your eyes are visible."

"Oh about that, I didn't really get enough sleep."

"Why? Guardian problems?"

"No, I was reading." I lied.

"So you do night reading?"

"Since I don't have time for my books during the day because of one chore or the other, I just have only at night to read."

"So fill me in about yesterday. What did Mr Nnamdi do to you?"

"He only told me to sweep the ground floor corridors."

Adam snorted in a chuckle. "And I thought he was going to give you a brutal punishment. Anyways, lucky you sha."

"I know, right!"

"So what time did you leave school?"

"Because of that yeye boy called Peter, I left school at around that five."

"So wait, he was with you the whole time you were serving punishment?"

"Yeah, he was. He even helped me to sweep."

"Aw! That's so sweet!" He touched his chest. "You guys were playing lovey-dovey movie right?" He wiggled his brows.

"Which one is lovey-dovey movie again? Abeg Adam don't start o."

Adam chuckled, "Speaking of Peter, where's he?"

Both of our eyes searched the classroom. "I have no idea. He comes late to school these days."

"Yeah, I noticed. Maybe you should ask him the reason."

"Ehhe, do you know that Peter asked me out yesterday?" I asked, whispering in a gossip like manner.

Adam gasped, widening his eyes. "No way! Like he asked you to be his girlfriend?"

"Uh-huh." I said, smiling.

"Aw! And what did you say?"

"I said a big yes." Just when I said that, the mathematics teacher walked into the class and everyone stood up to greet him.

****

It was break time and I had told Adam and Gbemi about Peter and me being official. Believe me, they had been gushing and squealing over it since, especially Gbemi. Though I found it weird on Adam's side because he was a guy, I just overlooked it. I had noticed over time that Adam was effeminate and I found it unique and alluring. One doesn't get to see that kind of boy everyday. Anyway, the both of them seemed so happy about Peter and me.

At the moment, I was walking to my class from the school cafeteria, where Adam, Gbemi and I went to buy snacks for break, with Charles walking beside me. He had earlier on told Gbemi and Adam to excuse us and that he wanted to have some time alone with me. As usual, the both of them immediately gave us space.

"Hey Daniella, how are you doing?" Charles asked, fumbling with his shirt collar.

"How am I doing? What a cliché!" I mumbled under my breath, rolling my eyes.

"Sorry?" His voice was higher than normal.

"I'm fine, thank you." I replied.

He dipped his hand in his trouser pocket and brought out a box of chocolate. "I got you this." He handed the chocolate to me.

"Thanks Charles, but I'd pass this time." I said, shaking my head. Much as I wanted to grab the chocolate box from him and devoured it, I just had to reject it.

"You're not going to reject chocolate, are you?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Stop fronting and take this chocolate joor!" He extended the chocolate to me.

"Guy, I don't want. It's not by force."

"Okay." He shrugged. "I'd just have the chocolate then. So about our last conversation..." He trailed off, looking at me intensely.

"Okay, what about it?" I feigned ignorance.

"You don't seem so much in a good mood. Maybe we'd just talk about it later."

"No, no, let's talk about it now. I have come up with an answer to your request already."

"Please let it be positive."

"I'm afraid, it's not. I can't be your girlfriend Charles, I'm sorry."

His mood went dim and his face fell. For some reason, I pitied him. "Why? I mean, why can't you be my girlfriend?" He asked with a sad tone.

"I have a boyfriend."

"Shit!" He hit his right fist with his left palm. "Why didn't you tell me this since?"

"Uh, we just started dating." I gave him a duh look.

He narrowed his eyes at me in a glare. "Who's this guy and when did you start dating him?"

"Charles it doesn't matter. What matters now is that I can't date you. I'm sorry."

"Oh, I get it." He said sombrely and walked off. I felt so sad that I turned him down. But then again, one could only ask me out, but it was my choice to say yes or no and there was no point saying yes to someone that I didn't have any feeling for just because I wanted to please him, without putting my own feelings into consideration. That's downright absurd.

I got to my class and walked up straight to Peter. "Hey hubby! How are you doing today?" I asked cheerily, sitting beside him. He was scribbling down note from another book.

"Not fine." He said flatly, not sparing me a glance.

His response took me aback and I scrunched my eyebrows as I asked, "Why?"

"Because you spent half of the break talking to that Charles guy, leaving your boyfriend all to himself to copy this annoying long note!"

"Aw! So that's why you're not fine?" I asked, smiling.

"It's enough reason not to be fine! I hate it when I see you both together. It makes me... I don't know..." He sighed, running his hand over his forehead.

"Jealous?"

"Yes Daniella, jealous! If that's what you wanna hear!" He raised his voice.

"So why are you shouting at me?" I asked, feigning a babyish voice.

A wry smirk formed on his lips. "I'm sorry if I shouted."

"I'm sorry if I also got you jealous by talking to Charles."

"Before I accept your apology, I want you to tell me the relationship you both have together."

"Nothing really. He likes me and he asked me to be his girlfriend, but I turned him down because I already have the sweetest boyfriend ever." I snaked my arm around his and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Mehn, I didn't know you were these cheesy."

I lifted my head from his shoulder. "Oh because I called you sweet, you are na calling me cheese, abi?"

"The word is cheesy."

"I don't care!" I said, almost immediately. I folded my arms around my chest and then looked away.

"Are you angry with me?" Peter asked.

I ignored him.

He tickled my waist, making me shake. "Stop that." I said seriously.

"You like to vex o. Oya, come and help me write." He said, putting his arm around my shoulder.

I hissed and was about to stand up, but he quickly held my wrist.

"Okay I'm sorry for calling you cheesy." He apologised.

"Now was that so hard to say?" I asked as I turned to look at him. "Better get over your pride as I'm your girlfriend, because you'd be forced to say sorry many times."

"Sit down joor and help your boyfriend to write." He dragged me to the seat and handed his pen to me.

I eyed the pen and looked up at him. "Use the magic word."

"I have no idea what that is."

"Then you don't want me to help you write."

He sighed. "Okay please. Please Daniella, help me write."

I smiled smugly. "That's more like it. I'm teaching you well boo." I took the pen from him and started to help him copy the note, with him watching me.

Later, he unzipped his bag and brought out a square shaped pack from it. "I bought you this."

I dropped the pen on the book and collected the pack. "What's this?" I asked, studying it and then realisation hit me that it was an Android phone.

"A phone." Peter said.

"You bought me a phone? Aw!" I threw my arms around his neck in a tight hug. I was too excited to care about the surrounding students.

I let go of him quickly and looked at the phone pack again. "Thanks Peter." I said, smiling.

"Anything for you babe." He smiled. "Your sim card, memory card and everything you need for the phone is inside."

"But sadly, I don't really know how to operate an Android phone."

"Don't worry, I'd teach you tomorrow. For now, just go and keep it in your bag before anyone sees it. They're so many thieves in this class."

I chuckled and walked towards my bag to keep the phone, having in mind that I couldn't ask for a better boyfriend.

____________________________________________

Okay now can you stop smiling.

Better!

This is one of my favourite chapters. I really enjoyed writing it. I just hope you guys enjoyed reading it as well.

Anyways thank you all so so much for the support thus far. I'm sincerely grateful. Believe me, you all have a special place in my heart. ♥

Love ya'
Bye 👋