"What are you looking at?" Michael whispered into his ears and Christian tore his gaze from the field to look at him.

"Nothing," he replied succinctly and Michael nodded.

"I didn't know when the field became so amusing to you and when you started enjoying it's view and frequenting the football field unless there's a particular someone," he teased and Christian turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"Know what?"

Michael chuckled, "Okay, you want me to say it right?"

Christian shrugged in response.

"You like her right?"

He furrowed his brows, "Like who?"

"Mimi."

Christian stared at Michael.

"It's obvious, you're always staring at her, you came to the field because of her right? No denying it, it's written all over your face."

"Is it that obvious?" Christian asked with widened eyes while Michael chuckled.

"You just confirmed it now, I was only pulling your legs."

Christian hissed before turning back to the field only to realize Mimi had disappeared. Where did she go? He wondered as he looked around the field but there wasn't any glimpse of her.

"She probably went to the locker room," Michael said in a jocular tone and Christian glanced at him before talking.

"I just wonder why she's a hard nut to crack."

"She must have reason," Michael replied and Christian shook his head.

"But still she shouldn't just keep it to herself."

"Maybe she doesn't want to be a burden to others."

"Why are you countering everything I'm saying?" He turned to him and scoffed.

"That's because I'm thinking in different direction."

"Different indeed!" He scoffed and Michael chuckled.

"But then you guys should try to understand her, she'll surely fill you in when she's ready."

"Whatever," he waved his hand before standing up.

Michael raised his head, "Are you leaving?"

"Obviously."

"Because she's not here again abi?" Michael teased and Christian walked away.

***************

While cleaning his table, he saw an unfamiliar book and wondered who could be the owner. They didn't have any study session today so far it was a Sunday and the only person that came to his room was Mimi due to their rehearsal on the drama that would be presented the following day.

He picked up the book and wondered if she was the owner or not, maybe Tife dropped it the previous day or something but when he picked up the book and flipped through the pages, all he could see was cloth designs, was it his mom's? Definitely not. Tife didn't have any interest in designs, she couldn't even draw an egg, so, it wasn't hers, his suspicions was finally confirmed when he settled down to take a good look at the book, the he realised it was Mimi's handwriting.

After looking at all the designs, he flipped the page and realized it was blank, he flipped three more pages before he finally came across a full note, flipping the other pages, he realized she had written something on it. Wondering if she should read it or not, he read the first line…

It all started three years ago.

That definitely gripped his attention, even though it wasn't proper, he decided to read it, maybe at last, he'll finally know what went down then. He continued the next line.

We'd just ended our Junior WAEC. Mom decided we should learn some skills instead of staying home during the long holiday. We all agreed and I decided to start learning computer in a training center beside our house, Lola and Fara went over to Mom's tailor at the other street while Lara decided to learn shoe-making two streets away from ours.

Being the only person close to the house, I do go home whenever I felt like. One faithful day, I went home to pick some things, on getting in, I heard screams from upstairs, wondering what could be wrong because no one should be home except me, I tiptoed to the direction of the voice, it was my dad's room, wondering what could be amiss, I opened the door quietly only to see my dad with a woman whom was his cousin on the floor in a pool of blood, he was atop her with a knife dug into her stomach, I saw him stab her again and let out a loud scream.

Christian sighed as he digested the words. She'd witnessed her dad kill his cousin, surely, it would be traumatic, he sighed again before continuing...

Dad heard my scream and was shocked to see me in the room, he ran up to me and closed the door behind me, then he asked what I was doing at home, still beyond shocked, I couldn't utter a word, he hissed and went back to the lifeless body of his cousin, wanting to drag her out of the room, I stopped him before finally getting the courage to talk then I asked him where he was taking her to only for him to respond with, "Shut your mouth, what I do to her body is none of concern."

I stared at him in disbelief then he continued, "You didn't see anything, you here me?" I blinked my eyes twice to be sure he was referring to me, seeing that he was awaiting my response, I replied...

"But dad, I just saw you kill your cousin, how do expect me to say I didn't see anything when I vividly saw you kill her," the naive me replied and he let out a loud shrill laughter that made me wonder if he'd gone crazy. I confirmed he was mentally deranged when he grabbed my neck and placed the blood stained knife on my neck before talking

"If you tell anyone what you just witnessed, I'll cut your throat, slit your mother's tongue and kill myself, you understand me? You're to keep mute about this whole matter," he threatened and I shuddered while wondering if my dad was possessed. Why would he threaten his daughter with a knife?

"You heard me?" He bellowed and his grip on my neck tightened, I nodded slowly and he let go of me while I gasped for air, dragging his cousin out of the room he stared back at the shocked me and reminded me I had to keep mute or else he would carry out his threat.

Immediately he left with the body, I dropped to the floor, the shock still consuming me while wondering if I was dreaming or not. I just saw my dad kill his cousin. He got back later and took some things before leaving but not without dashing me a warning death glare, my body shook as the scene....

A knock on his door interrupted him, Christian looked up from the book hoping the person that interrupted him wasn't because of any stupid thing if not.

"Come in," he replied and the door opened slowly.

"Sir, Lisha said to come down for dinner," a maid announced and he nodded before dismissing her. It was funny how his mother insisted all their workers called her by name, in her words, Lisha was her nickname not her name, her name was Felicia and so far they didn't call her Felicia, it was okay to her just like their grandma too, she also insisted they all call her by her nickname Soil.

Christian sighed before closing the book, he had to go for dinner now if not his mother would come up to drag him down, she always wanted them to eat early and to have dinner the same time. He took another glance at the book and walked out of the room.

He got to the dining room the same time with Cherry, after greeting his parents whom he hadn't seen since they got back from church, he pulled out his chair, the one he always sat on by the left side of his dad while his mother always sat by his right, Cherry do stay beside their mother while Christy sat by him just like always.

"Cherry pray for us," Lisha ordered and Cherry readjusted her sitting position before praying. After the prayer, their dad ordered them to eat.

"Hmm, Christy, you're already trying," Jimi uttered and Cherry scoffed while Christy dashed her a cold look.

"Just a bit better not like you're already good, you have to put in more work," Lisha added and Christy resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"So, how was your day?" Jimi inquired and Cherry replied instantly. They always had their family talk during dinner whereby they all explain how their day was including their parents.

"Today like this, my friend...."

Christian shut his ears from her narration as his mind went back to what he'd been reading earlier.