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“C’mon, we’ve got to go now,” Anastasia hurriedly said to Dominique who searched her bedside anxiously, “What are you even looking for?”

“Notes,” Dominique replied.

Ana stopped, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, “Notes?”

“Yes,” Dominique replied as she continued searching.

“Notes!” Ana exclaimed, “We are almost late for the exams and you’re looking for notes?”

Dominique stopped looking, and faced Anastasia, “I know you’re in a rush, but I have to get those notes.”

“What?” Anastasia exclaimed as she face palmed herself, “You’re kidding me, right?”

Dominique shrugged and returned to the bed, as she flipped the bed covers upside down, and dug her fingers in the corners.  Anastasia was close to freaking out, when Dominique exclaimed happily, “Found them!” She said as she pulled out a few rolled out papers.

Anastasia sighed, “Finally, can we now go, madam?”

Dominique laughed as she picked up her bag from the side of the bed, and flung it on her back, “Let’s go, mademoiselle.”

They both walked out of the hostel room, and ran down the stairs hurriedly. This was three months after the incident, and things had begun to return to normality for Dominique and her friends. She did not hear anything from Andrew. All she needed to hear was that he survived, and that was all. She could not give a damn fuck of what happened to him, and she also could not bring herself to get close to worrying herself over someone like him. Her relationship with Paul also improved with time, after all, he had saved her, and she had to admit that she was grateful to him. If he hadn’t come at that time, well, she could not tell what might had happened.

Her tutorials went well, and this was the day she would know if all the work she had put into studying really paid off, or just another waste of her time. She was sitting for the regional examinations, and passing this would mean she had the opportunity of catapulting herself to tertiary level, and this would also mean that she would be able to become whom she had desired to be.

Few hours later, she walked down the halls and out of the examination building. Just as expected, Anastasia was waiting for her eagerly, and she instantly ran to her.

“How was it?” She asked.

Minnie shrugged, “I don’t really know.”

Anastasia stopped and frowned, “C’mon Dominique, were the questions hardballs or softballs?”

Dominique shrugged again. How was she supposed to give a straight answer to that question? It was as though she was asked if she would ace the exams or not, and to be sincere, she had no clue. Some questions were seriously over the radar for her, and some weren’t. However, all she could say was that she had given it her best, and left the rest to whatever force that was out in heaven.

“Ana, can I say the questions were somewhere in the middle of hard and soft?,” Dominique commented, and walked on leaving Anastasia who stood rooted at her reply, but soon snapped herself out, and saw that she had walked on.

“Hey, wait!” Ana called after Dominique as she ran to meet her.

💮💮💮

The tricycle drove to the front of the hostel, and the two girls noticed the several flashy cars parked outside, and the many heavily armed men in black suit standing outside with their eagle eyes lurching on everyone and thing that moved. Both Anastasia and Dominique got down from the tricycle, both marveling at the sight before them.

The tricycle rider coughed out to get their attention, “Em, madam?”

Dominique turned to him, and her face almost flushed out in embarrassment as she realized they had just alighted without paying the fare. She pulled on a smile, and reached into her handbag, and pulled out three notes, and gave him. He collected the money and drove on. She now turned back to the hostel and took in the sight again, as she gawked in amazement.

Never had she ever seen so many armed officials in one place at a time, and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was someone very important, powerful, and famous around, and that person happened to be in their hostel.

“Ana, what’s happening here?” She asked; her eyes still fixated on the men in black.

“I’m not really sure,” Anastasia replied as she scanned the men, but then her eyes popped open, and she faced Dominique, “Wait, they could be here with Amy Adams!” She exclaimed.

Dominique’s eyebrows pulled together along with the wrinkled lines on her forehead as she stared at her friend blankly, “Amy Adams?”

Anastasia nodded, and faced the building, “Yes, Amy Adams, big time superstar, and the founder of Lost Angels Fort. She’s Amelia Adams, our model, and our savior,” She said as she stared at the hostel dreamingly.

Dominique looked at Anastasia, and had to snap her fingers in her face before she came out of her day dream, “So, you mean to say that Amelia Adams a.k.a Amy Adams is the owner of this hostel?”

Ana nodded.

“Well, that’s nice. I now know who owns LAF,” Dominique commented, “But, will her goofs let us in?” She asked, referring to the men at the door.  

Anastasia laughed, “Of course they will.” She said and walked on to the door, and Dominique followed on.

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It was past seven in the evening, and the four girls were seated on the floor of their room around the meal prepared by Dominique, and judging by how serious they were, it was obvious they were really interested in the meal.

Anastasia groaned in pleasure as she swallowed a lump of the broth meal, and she instantly moved to scoop another, “Man, you do now how to make the best porridge!”

Dominique blushed, “So, you like it?”

Genesis butted in, “Like it? Dom, we love it.”
“I agree with her, Dominique, you are one exceptional cook,” Sharon commented.

“Guys,” Dominiuqe said, “Don’t make my head too big.”

They all laughed.

“To be sincere,” Sharon said, “You are a great cook.”

Dominiuqe laughed once, “Good maybe, but great, no.”

Genesis was about to but in into their discussion when her phone vibrated, and she instantly averted her eyes to the top of her bed where the phone was. She stood to it, and read the message.

“Who messaged you?” Anastasia asked mouthful.

With her eyes still on the screen in disbelief, she said, “It’s a message for Dominique.”

On hearing her name, she looked up, “To me?”

Genesis removed her eyes from the phone, and to Dominique, “its Paul. He’s outside and he wants to see you.”

Ana and Sharon exchanged glances before they both shot their questioning eyes to Dominique. Meanwhile, Dominique was struck by the fact that Paul was here to see her. Ever since that incident and all that happened with Andrew, she had not actually had a normal conversation with him. Maybe, this was due to the fact that she was avoiding him.

Yes, he had protected her. Yes, she would have been screwed if he hadn’t come to her rescue. Yes, she was thankful. Yes, what he did was right, but tying Andrew up like a hostage was too much. She dislikes Andrew, and would do anything to be away from him, but she never ever wanted to hurt him. She did not have the heart to hate him, and she could never bear the thoughts of being wicked to him. It’s not because he is a carbon-copy of Alex, and neither is it because he had once helped her out. The fact was, no matter how much she hated men, no matter how many times she had been hurt by them, she has never had the liver to actually hate them.

However, Paul had just done that. He had reacted so much that she had even questioned if her assault was the reason for his fueled anger. She even entertained the thought that Paul had previously known Andrew, and maybe, they had an unfinished business. Because, Andrew didn’t deserve what Paul did to him.

She needed to talk to him. She needed to clear out things with him.

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He was outside the hostel beside his motorbike, when she stepped out, and he instantly saw her and waved her over. She sighed, and composed herself before she walked to him.

“Hey.”

His lips tugged into a small smile, “Hey.”

“So, you asked to see me?”

He nodded, and didn’t say another word.

She sighed, “So?”

“Can we speak somewhere else?”

She was confused at his request, but she smiled, and nodded, “Sure. Where?”

He smiled, and turned to his motorbike. He picked his helmet and offered it to her, “Here.”

She collected it, “May I ask where you are taking me, Paul?”

“Definitely,” He uttered, “let’s go anywhere else but here.” He said as his eyes washed over the building. Dominique stared at him and for a moment she saw what she would never mistake as pain underneath his eyes as he looked at the building.

“Paul?” She called to him, and he looked away from the building, “Are you okay?”

He feigned a smile, “Never been better!” He said, and as much as he tried to hide it, she knew that he was lying and there was something he wasn’t telling her. “C’mon lets go.” He said as he got on his bike.

She loosened up as she got on the bike behind him, and after making sure she had been safety seated at his back, Paul rode on.

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The golden sunset was waning and the air had grown sharp. The orange gold stretched far and wide, its color resembling that of fire with a mix of tangerine. As they walked through on the beach, the soft texture of the sand slid by her foot, and the cool evening breeze brushed past her, letting her hair flow around her. The night was perfect, and she had no idea that she would love the sunset view as much as she did now.

“Dom?”

She was snapped from her daydream by Paul, and she looked back to see that he had slowed down. He faced the water, and she did the same. For a couple of seconds, neither of them said a word to the other, and all that was heard was the slight song of the whales from afar. Dominique drilled her nails into her palm as the silence taunted her, and when she could not take it anymore, she turned to him.

“Paul, are you okay?”

Slowly, he turned, and took a few steps to her, “I am.”

Her lips pressed together at his simple lie. Was he going to keep lying forever? She knew something was wrong, but she just couldn’t come close to what could be bothering Paul.

“Listen, I know you are lying,” She said, and he made an attempt to speak, but she didn’t let him, “Don’t try denying it, Paul. What’s wrong with you?”

He stared at her with a vacant expression, “I should ask you that.”

She snuffled a laugh, “Me? I’m fine.”

He reached for her hands, and stared in her eyes. She was shocked with his attitude, and soon became uncomfortable with his eyes on her, and so she broke his gaze and moved back.

“Look, if you aren’t telling me anything, then I’m afraid I’ll have to go.” Dominique said and turned to leave.

“Wait,” He called her back, “It’s because of Paula.”

She froze in her tracts and spun around to him, “Paula?”

He swallowed a lump, “You remind me a lot of her. The way you act, the way you speak…it’s just like Paula.”

Her whole face squeezed up along with the wrinkles than ran across her forehead, “Who’s Paula?”

His eyes wandered over her and into the distance, “Paula was my sister.” He trailed on, “She and I were like two beans in a pod. She was the ocean and I was the beach. We were always together. A bond like ours was very special. She loved me, and I loved her. I vowed to always protect her, and I never let her out of my sight. After all, she was all I had, and I was all she had.

Our father died even before when my mother was pregnant with her, and mom also died after giving birth to Paula. She and I had to stay and survive in the street, because we had nowhere to go to. I worked all jobs just to make sure Paula never went hungry. She was my little sister, and I cared for her.

I never let her out of my sight, and I vowed to never leave her. But, that day,…” Paul trailed off as he repressed the tears in his eyes.

Dominique’s moist eyes were wide like a round saucepan as she listened to him, “What happened?”

His lips turned down, and he shook his head slightly, “I shouldn’t have bothered you, Dom. C’mon let me drop you home.” He said, and reached for her hand, but she stood firm on the ground, and he turned to her.

“Paul, I need to know why you went to that extent just for me.” She spoke out her heart as she stared at him, not minding the fact that her eyes was covered with moist. He sighed and dropped her hand, and began walking alone to his bike. She remained there, and watched as he walked on.

He was holding a lot back, and she could see the pain that he suppressed with his bold look, and all she wanted was to help him. He had been there to help her, so this is her turn to help him too.

“Fine. Don’t say anything!” She yelled after him, “I guess I’ll just sleep here on this beach, all alone!”

He stooped walking and she smiled to herself. After a while, he turned back and walked to her. On getting to her, he gripped her by her elbow, “Let’s go, Dominique.”

Yet, she stood her ground, “I’m not going anywhere until you talk!”

“Please, Dom!” He pleaded with her.

She shook his grip off her, and folded her arms, “Then speak,” She said, but he looked away hesitantly. She sighed, and drop her hands, “Please, Paul. Let me know who you truly are, if you really want me to trust you.”

This caused a spark in him as he looked back to her, and his voice fell into a low whisper, “That day, it was just I and Paula walking down the lone streets in the night. We were headed home when we were circled by thugs. These men were very famous in the street, and everyone tried their best to stay clear of them. I also tried to get away with my sister, but they were bent on harming us.”

“Those men harassed I and Paula, and I was beaten into a pulp. I was tied up, and made to watch my sister get raped by every single one of them.”

Dominique gaped.

“She was only twelve. I had to watch helplessly as they took their turns on her. I had cried for help. I knew people heard me that night, but no one came. No one came to the rescue of that innocent twelve year old girl,” His jawline tightened as he clenched his fist, “No one came to her rescue. They did their woeful acts, and got away.” He gritted out in anger, but Minnie could see the tears that accompanied his pain, and she held his hand.

He looked at her, and for the first time that night, he looked really helpless, and broken.

“It’s enough! You don’t have to talk anymore.” She gave his hands a slight squeeze. He looked to her hands holding his, and back to her face, and shook his head.

“By the time I wringed out of the ropes, and got to her,” He paused as he squeezed his eyes shut, and the droplets of his tears rolled down his cheeks, “She was gone. I was too late. She was yanked away from me, and I couldn’t save her.”

“No,” Dominique stopped him from blaming himself any further, “You are not at fault, Paul. Those men did that, and they should be blamed, and not you.”

He looked into her eyes with determination, “I am so done blaming myself, Dom. As I held my sister’s lifeless body in my arms, I made a vow to never ever let another girl be assaulted by any man, even if it means I’ll have to kill every single madhat out there.” He said.

Dominique closed her eyes, as his words replayed themselves in her ears, and she did not know what came over her, but she wrapped her arms around him tightly. He was taken aback by her action, but he held her close to himself.

“Thank you, Paul,” She sniffed into his chest, “I misunderstood your actions. I didn’t know why you did that, and I even got mad at you for saving me.”

He released his arms from her, and made her face him, “I understand, Dom. I know I went too far, but I couldn’t help it.”

She smiled through her tears, “Don’t ever stop being who you are. I’m sure Paula would be very proud of you.”

A pallid smile came over his lips, “I would never dare that, and I wouldn’t stop fighting for the weak”

She moved to him and hugged him lightly, and he also wrapped his arms around her. She knew he meant every word he said, and this made her respect him the more. His actions were justified, and she would always be grateful to have someone like him as a friend.

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