"What do you mean you are stepping out? I meela ọrụ gị niile (Have you done your chores)?" my sister asked as I picked up my tote bag and was about to leave the house to meet Fareedah.

Ever since I had returned home for my break, it had been one chore to the other. It genuinely felt like they had been waiting for me to return home, and then they wondered why I did not come home during our short break. It had been the same for Inoma also, barely any breathing space and time to meet. But we were texting often and calling, and sometimes when we meet each other on an errand, we use it to catch up and talk for lengthy minutes. She was going strong with Christopher, and that was something that made me happy. Infact, he was almost all she spoke about, and she was almost all he spoke about. They were annoying, but in a way I was willing to accept.

I frowned as I hung my bag on my shoulder, determined to leave. I hadn't left the house for any reason during the break, and I was tired of being constantly stopped from going anywhere. Knowing my parents were going to be out, I took it as an excuse to quickly step out. Fareedah and I had made plans to meet on that particular day, and I didn't want to spoil the plans. "I am stepping out to meet a friend," I replied her.

"But Inoma lives next door," she replied with a frown. "Biko drop that bag, go and do whatever visitation you want to do and come back home when you are ready. Dinner isn't going to make itself."

I had to stop myself from grumbling, because she hated it. But wasn't she tired of having annoying me around? "o gini (what is it?), aren't you tired of seeing my face? Ehn? Biko I am only going to be out for a while, I will be back soon," I said, "besides, I have friends other than Inoma."

To my surprise, she broke into an exaggerated laugh as she said, "You? Other friends? Biko biko, don't kill me with laugh. But thank God for you oh, just make sure you return in one piece and don't get pregnant out of marriage."

"It isn't a man I am going to see," I mumbled, resisting the urge to laugh at her telling me not to get pregnant.

"You think I am stupid isn't it, that I won't know you have a boyfriend now ọ bụghị ya (isn't it)? Even with all those late night calls and smiling when you're texting ehn?"

I didn't reply her as I waved bye.

"Make sure you return in one piece oh," she said again as I walked out of the house.

Inoma was throwing their trash into the compound trash bin when I got out. "Where to?" she asked, not looking at me as she paid attention to what she was doing.

"And what is your concern?" I asked with a mocking smile, looking away from her.

She raised her head slowly, coming to stand right before my face as she studied me for a second, before her lips spread into a knowing smile. "Don't do what I will not do." she laughed as she walked away, waving at me.

I smiled at her, adjusting my bag on my shoulder and walking to the top of our street where I would find keke (tricycle). Fareedah had offered to come pick me up, but I kicked against it. I didn't want her presence drawing attention, because when it came to minding other people's business, my neighbourhood was in fact the consecutive winning champion.

It was the third of November that year, and the time I was going to return to school was drawing nearer and nearer. School was resuming on the thirteenth, and I couldn't wait. It did in fact seem like a silly reason that I was going to see Fareedah that close to school resumption, but she really wanted us to see that day and I couldn't tell her no. We hadn't seen for about three to four weeks, the visit was needed.

It wasn't long before I arrived at Fareedah's place, she had a visitor in her sitting room. The air was so tense, I felt like I wasn't supposed to be there, so I tried to leave. "Oh no please, come in," the visitor said as she got up, walking towards me, directing me to sit beside Fareedah. "It is nice to see someone other than assisting staffs or myself around her," she said with a gentle smile as she sat down; a dark, tall, and buff man adjusted his posture behind her. I assumed him her bodyguard, but what bothered me was her identity.

I nodded, looking at Fareedah who had a frown on her face and hadn't looked up once, since she gave me a quick glance when I arrived. So, I looked at the lady that was sitting in front of us, she had a gentle smile. The more I looked, the more I began to see the resemblance. She looked so much like Fareedah, but an older version. And that was when it all clicked, she was her elder sister. One of her elder sisters.

"What's your name dear," she said with an outstretched arm, "she is never going to introduce us and I know."

I returned her gentle smile as I replied, "Celia." Taking her hands in mine in a gentle hand shake. Her hands were so soft, it felt like, if I had tightened my grip a bit her skin was going to rip off.

Fareedah's house which had always smelt beautiful, had a different and soft scent since I walked in, that was what gave away the fact that she had a guest. She had a soft smell of flower petals, that made you feel relaxed and welcomed. "I'm Fa'izah, it means the victorious one," she began to give me information that honestly didn't concern me. "I was a hard child to birth. But I guess I really wanted to be in this family. I really wanted to be one of them so bad, or maybe I was sent by God for yet another reason." her smile fell, but she soon quickly regained it as she got up dusting her dress. "I will be leaving now," she said as she turned to look at Fareedah, adding, "make sure you have an awesome day love, Adam will bring the presents in."

Fareedah didn't respond, keeping a straight face.

"Don't stray too far from home," she said walking to the door, "we love you a lot. It might not seem so, but we love you." She turned to look at me, "treat your girlfriend well," she said with a chuckle, earning a surprise gasp from both Fareedah and me. Fareedah stood up abruptly, worry filling her eyes. "Don't worry yourself," she quickly said, "I am not telling father or mother. This will be out little secret. And don't even try to lie that she's your friend, you don't do friends. So I know she is more than that."she paused to look at me as she smiled gently to me. "Please be kind and patient with her, she has been through a lot. She deserves happiness too."she left.

I told to Fareedah, who had gone back to frowning. "She's really lovely," I said, "and very accepting too."

Fareedah scoff, before making a face of disgust as she said, "She's not. She's the one who reported me to my dad when we were young, and now she won't stop trying to poke her nose into my life. I'm never forgiving her for that, I haven't healed, so she must know no peace. No matter how she tries to act like an angle, I can see the snake beneath her eyes. I just hope she doesn't tell my father, else I'd kill both her and myself," she said with more anger than fear.

That sent me into a deep sense of fear. "What do you mean kill? Nobody is dying here, okay?"

She shook her head. "No, we are all going down. I'd kill her father too."

"Oh my goodness. SHUT UP!"I felt my eyes water as I began to tear up. "Nobody is dying, so stop talking about such a thing. It's terrifying to hear, okay?"

She stood up abruptly, turning her back to walk away but soon stopped and turned to look at her. Her eyes were reddened with tears, as they freely flowed down her cheeks. "I am not going back there," she said in a shaky voice, choking on her tears. "And I am going to drag down anyone who think they will make me go through it twice. I will DRAG THEM ALL DOWN!" she shouted the last part, walking pass me to the direction of her room. She soon stopped as she turned to look at a stunned me, who still hadn't found a response. "I know you are coming from a place of sentiment," she said calmly, "but it is a jungle for me and I have to fight for myself." She continued walking to her room as she said, "I will do it."

I felt my heart rise to my throat before sinking to the pit of my stomach, I felt funny. I didn't know how to react and knew deep down that she meant everything she said.

Adam – her sister's bodyguard – brought up the rest of the presents like she had said. I was confused on why she was flooding Fareedah's place with presents. But, I didn't say anything until he was done and they left.

I simply sat in her sitting room, waiting for the time she comes out. During my alone time, I used it to gather my thoughts. The more I thought about where she was coming from, the more I understood her. I couldn't put myself in her position, because I couldn't imagine all the unimaginable and evil things she might have been through. And having to deal with the post trauma, while you have the person who put you there still hovering over you. I couldn't help my tears, and the constant wish that she hadn't had to go through it all at all.

***

It was already three in the afternoon, and the time for me to go home was slowly drawing near. I didn't want to waste the time we had to spend together, so I went to her room to knock on her door. It wasn't until the third knock before she opened the door. Her eyes were baggy and red, like she had been crying. "Give me some seconds, I will be out with you soon." She closed the door right after she said that, while I returned to the sitting room.

She soon came walking out, looking like she washed her face and freshened up a bit. "Why the presents?" I asked her as she sat beside me, resting her head on my shoulder while we both stared at the blank television.

"Today is my birthday," she replied so casually, I almost missed the importance of her response,

"Wait, what?" I gently pushed her off my shoulder, leaning back to look at her. "Don't say it so casually, it is a big thing. Why didn't you tell me earlier, so I would have also gotten you a present."

She smiled warmly as she said, "The only present I need is you."

That warmed my heart, but it still wasn't enough. "No no, this doesn't matter. I could have at least gotten a cake for you."

She frowned, before shaking her head. "It might not matter to you, but it means everything to me." She adjusted herself on the chair as she held my hands in her tender hands. "This is what I wished for today, and I got what I wished for immediately. I don't want anything else." With that, she stood up and went into the kitchen, returning with red wine. "Let us celebrate." She laughed.

It took everything within me to not bring up what had happened, I didn't want to rush her and want her to keep opening up gradually. She is doing a lot better from when we had first started talking, and the obvious effort made me happy. I laughed as she sat down.

I sang the 'Happy Birthday' song for her, while we ate and drank, watched a movie as we spent time together. We talked about all these plans we planned to take, but also didn't dwell on that for too long, because Fareedah seemed to always avoid questions about the future. I didn't mind, because as long as it was steady, the slowness didn't matter.

It was around 8 in the night, when I decided it was time for me to go back home. I shared a hug with her at her door, promising to text her when I get home. She nodded with a wide smile, proving that she was better than she was earlier, which gladdened my heart. I had begun walking away, when she held my hands, pulling be closer to her, before pecking me on my lips. But that was honestly something that was never going to work for me, so I used my right hand to gently hold her face in place as I deepened the kiss. Kissing her will always feel like a fresh feeling to me. I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes after I pulled away, but I still wanted to savour the moment a bit more. When I opened my eyes, her big brown eyes were staring deep into my eyes with a wide smile. It took everything within me to no confess my feelings to her all over again. "Have a lovely night dear."

"And you too she replied."

I waved.

"Dream about me." she joked.

I chuckled. "I surely will, who else could I possibly dream of?"

I could hear her chuckle as I walked to the e-taxi she had gotten for me, because she thinks it is less risky for me to us an e-taxi than to use public transport. Quite ironic, if I am asked. 

A/N

I know I promised this chapter earlier than now, but kindly accept this chapter as my apology. I really hope you all enjoy it.