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Sansa's pov.

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I took a deep breath as I got down from the cab in front of my hostel compound. I took each step as slowly as I could. I was nervous and angry and scared. I didn't want to see his face at all. The face of the man who took my precious mother from me. He was the reason I had left Lagos in the first place, I didn't want any connection to him and that is why I decided to apply for the scholarship that would take me far away from him.

 
  I'd parted with Amarachi and Jamal on my way. They'd returned to class which I was supposed to do as well if not for the unexpected call I had gotten from that man.

  "Are sure you don't want us to go with you Sansa? I don't think you should be left alone with him please..." Amarachi had said before we'd parted ways, her tone laced with so much worry.

"Don't worry, Amara. I promise I'll be fine. You and Jamal can go to class, I'll meet up with you. He's my father he won't harm me." I'd reassured both of them softly.

Amara had offered to come with one last time before leaving with Jamal, reluctantly. Now, walking into the hostel, I found myself wishing my friends were here with me. I couldn't trust myself not to say something terrible to the old man when I'm alone with him.

I knew something was off the moment I saw him leaning on the railings in front of my room. He looked.. Off somehow. Like he was sick. My father was hardly ever sick. Even though, I couldn't bring myself to worry about him. He was only my father in name, nothing else.

"Hello, Dad," I greeted quietly as I rounded up the corner and stood in front of him.

"Adesuwa, my lovely daughter..."

I blinked and quickly turned away, pretending to search for my keys before he could get the chance to embrace me. "It's hot outside.. We should head inside before the sun fries you up."

I heard his soft chuckle behind me as we entered the room. I shifted for him to make his way into the room, and stood in front of the door, not leaving it closed.

"What do you want Dad? Why are you here?" I demanded sharply.

He sighed. "I needed to see my girl, after all she has refused to take my calls or to even read my mails."

  "I told you I'm fine but I needed that separation from you. What's wrong with that??" Sansa replied bitterly.

"I know that is why you ran all the way here, to be away from me. And you know that I could have stopped you if I so wished to, but I didn't. Because I wanted you to have your freedom. But that doesn't mean you will ignore my calls and texts, Adesuwa."

"Look, I'm always busy. I have to juggle work and school..."

"You work? What work is that? Why would you be working when you can have money as much as you want!"

"Oh, for God's sake..." I muttered under my breath, placing my fingers on my forehead in frustration.

"Adesuwa, what work do you do?" He questioned in a quiet voice.

"Just something to... Get me by. It's a decent work and I'm really enjoying it. Now can you leave?"

"At least you will tell me why you have refused to even check your mails. I had important news to tell you. Aliu as well."

  I kept quiet and stared at him. We both exchanged looks before he gave up with a sigh and walked slowly over to the bed, like he was tired of standing.

"Are you okay?" I asked. He'd been looking sick since I saw him, I really wanted to act like I didn't care so bad, but i just wasn't that kind of person.

"No... I am not. You would have known this had you spared just a glance at my messages." He finished, his voice sounding too wary.

 
   "What is wrong with you?" His eyes shot up to mine in shock, making me wince inwardly. Even I could hear how worried my voice sounded.

"I am... Sick." He muttered, looking away.

"What do you mean by you're sick?"

"What does being sick mean? Have you lost your intelligence so fast? I'm dying, Adesuwa, your father is sick. Brain tumor, Grade II glioma. Got diagnosed few weeks ago."

I must have been looking at him with fear and horror in my eyes because he broke into a playful laughter. "I'm not going to die so soon if that's what you think. I still have perhaps, a few years if given perfect treatment."

"You...have... Cancer?" I whispered, my voice shaky.
His expression turned warm instantly as he smiled sadly at me. He didn't need to give an answer, it was all there, clear on his face.

"karma is a bitch right?" He chuckled lightly, his eyes looking too red rimmed. I felt so much pity for this man. This man who was my father.

"That is all the more reason why you shouldn't have come here. You need to rest, dad. You need to be treated so you can get better, not parade around the whole of Abuja looking for a daughter you don't even care about in the first place."

   "I'm sorry..." His frail voice trailed off.

"It's okay. I need you to be on your way now, I have class right now and the sooner you get back to Lagos, the better for your health." I needed to shut him out before I let myself get hurt, once again.

My dad grimaced and pulled himself to stand in front of me. I stared at him and he stared at me. I tried to search for a single semblance of me in him. None. Our eyes were a different contrast, his were a light brown, almost close to Grey, mine was pure brown. His nose was pointed and a bit wide, mine was pointed and small. He's dark, I'm fair. Not too fair though.

  "Take care of yourself, Adesuwa. I don't want to hear that anything bad happened to you."

  "I will." I replied sharply. My mind still revisiting the news of his sickness.

We stared at each other for another while before I released an exasperated breath and pulled in him for a hug. I knew he was smiling from my back.
I didn't let it enter 5 seconds before I pulled away quickly and said my goodbye.

  "Oh, and before I forget," He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, jewelry box and handed it over to me. "A friend of yours in lagos, asked me to drop this for you. Said her name is Adunni."

I frowned confusedly. The Adunni I remembered was hardly my friend anymore. She wasn't even my friend to begin with. She'd been one of the top girls in junior high school back in lagos, and she was always mean to me. Why would she have a gift for me? Years later?

  "Alright, thank you." I collected it and dropped it on my bed stand. "I'll see you off as I'm on my way to class as well."

  "You're just so eager for me to leave you alone. Let's sha go."

***********

  "Did you both fight a mortal combat? And I hope you were the one that won? Did you punch him in the face and say 'Daddy you're a weak, old man, you're no match for me!'"

I let out a laugh as Amarachi continued with her rants. We had just finished the program which had to do with the charity organization for the school, when Amara was asking me how it went down between me and my dad.

"Funnily enough, nothing went down. He was cool and we talked for a while..." I couldn't just break the news about my dad's health situation to her, even though I really wanted to.

  "Remind me why you don't have a good relationship with your father again?" she questioned, her tone accusatory.

  "Well...."

The sound of my phone stopped me and as I raised it up and saw that it was Richard calling, all other thoughts left my head. Finally.

  "Richard... Hi..."

"I'm in front of your hostel. Come here Now."

What is it with the men in my life showing up at my hostel unannounced!

"We all can't get enough of you that's why." I hadn't realized that I had said that out loud until Amarachi replied.

  "Come on! Let's go see your boyfriend!"

WHEN WE GOT TO MY HOSTEL, I saw Richard standing close to his car, with two other girls who looked like they were about to eat him up. Sucking in a harsh breath, I watched with jealousy as the girls gushed over my boyfriend. Why are you jealous? You're not supposed to be jealous! You're never jealous over any guy!

I was there, berating my self, not knowing my friend was laughing at me.
"Oh my God!" She said with laughter filled in her voice, making me blink in surprise. "You're so jealous your whole face is red with it!"

"Oh for Christ's sake! Just shut up. I don't even care what he does!" I knew I was lying to my self though.

Immediately Richard noticed us standing not too far away from him, he pushed the girls aside and started making his way towards us, hands in pockets as usual. I took in short, shallow pants as he got close to me. I was sure even Amarachi could hear my excitement from where I was standing. I sighed softly as I took a good look at his tall figure, with a mischievous smile on his lips. God.

I unconsciously took a step backward as he held me by the arm and pulled me softly into him. Before I could say a word, his head came down and his lips touched mine in a kiss that said: you're mine.

"Don't you ever remember that we're in public!" I whispered harshly immediately I pulled away. I loved the kiss and wanted more, but he wouldn't hear it from my mouth.

  "I'll kiss you again if you keep complaining." His deep voice boomed in my ear.

I glared up at him before grabbing his hands and leading him upstairs, Amarachi following behind. I didn't fail to notice the angry murmurs of the girls that he was with before. I smiled slightly. E choke them!.

"Why are you even here anyway? I thought you're supposed to be miles away.. In Ghana??" I queried as soon as we all entered my room. Richard casually propped himself on my bed and picked up the box my father had left for me before leaving.

  "Who gave you this?" Richard asked. He had a suspicious frown on his face.

"Um... Just a friend from home. She sent it to me." I grabbed it from him and was about to put it away when Amara stopped me.

  "Open it nau, it looks like a proposal ring!" She said.

I sighed. Amarachi was too curious to know what was inside the box. I wasn't.
Reluctantly, I started to open it. I tore off the nylon all over it and opened the box. There was a small, round bottle made of glass inside it. Weird.

"So it's not even a ring.. WHO be the mumu wey send this type of gift?" Amarachi was saying, when I noticed a small piece of paper stuck inside the bottle.
"Adunni sent a letter?" I whispered to myself as I hastily pulled the paper out of the bottle and opened it.

            I've missed you too much princess. Heard you in Abuja. You can run princess.. But can you hide? :)
                                                              Godwin x.

Slowly, very slowly, like in a movie, the bottle slipped out of my hand and crashed on the ground. But I didn't hear it. I didn't hear anything. Only a loud, loud, ringing in my ears. Kind of like the world was coming to an end. I tried to breath, but nothing came out. I tried to listen, but I couldn't hear anything.

Their voices, like an echo from far, far away was unrecognizable. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't react. I couldn't move. I stood in one place. It was as if time had stopped. Nothing was working. Not my head, or my heart.

    "Sansa?"

    "Sansa? Sansa! What's wrong?"

The devil from my past was back.

**********

End of chp 13.
OMG! No words guys! Just wait for the next chapter abeg!

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