Zaria's POV. 

I was discharged few days ago so I was back home, though my right hand was still in the cast. I didn't want to go back to that house, to the room where I was raped. It brought back so many ugly memories but what choice do I have? I had to stay with Aisha because the therapist advised it. 

Sam was charged to court and sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment with hard labour. After that, my parents tried having normal conversations with me and tried to act like nothing actually happened but I wasn't giving them that, at least not yet or rather not any time soon. 

School had already resumed but I wasn't going. Everyone already knew about what happened to me. The press wouldn't just leave my family alone and soon it was all over the social medias and mass media. I was so humiliated. 

I already missed a week and now it's Sunday. I was in Aisha's room, resting on the head, my eyes focused on the ceiling. Joel wouldn't stop coming to check on me. He tried not to convince me but I could tell it was pretty hard for me. I needed some time away from this country. From everyone. 

Everyone tried to talk me out of it, even teachers called to ask of my well being but I wasn't sure I was confident enough to go back to that school and face the students. Students that once looked up to me will looked down at me like I was a charity case. 

"Zaria." Someone called my name, jerking me out of my thoughts. I looked and saw my mother walking into my room, with a smile on her face. 

"Mother." I gave her a tight lipped fake smile. 

"You can call me mum, you know." She looked nervous. 

"No, mother is good enough for me." I replied. She sighed. 

"I just came to check up on you." She smiled again. 

"Since when mother, because if I remember correctly, the last time you actually checked up on me was five years ago." I got down from the bed and stood face to face with her. 

"Zaria, please forgive me..." She was tearing up again and my heart melted. 

She might have made terrible choices concerning you but she's still your mother. The tiny voice in my head reminded me and stray tears left my eyes. 

"You could have believed me when I told you about it at first mother, but you decided not to. Come to think of it, you probably did believe me, but you were much concerned about the status of this family than my life?" I asked her but she was silent and just kept weeping. That confirmed my exact fair. 

"Exactly what I thought." I whispered, letting out an humourless laugh. 

"Zaria, you have every right to be angry. You have every right to even renounce me as your mother, I deserve every bit of it. But find it in your heart to forgive me. I have failed you as a mother and I take all the blame." She said. 

"You know, I wouldn't have cared if father didn't believe me. Sam was his brother after all. But it would have meant a lot to me if you, my mother, had believed me. You saying you are sorry all over again wouldn't erase the pain you have caused me." I told her. She was still quiet, she wouldn't even look at me. 

If you don't forgive her, you are putting yourself in bondage. Setting her free is one step to setting you free. The tiny voice was back and I exhaled. 

"I have forgiven you." I told her and her eyes shot up with gratitude. "But it will take a lot more than you think to forget everything." I told her and she nodded her head in understanding. 

"Your forgiveness is enough for me, my daughter. I regret everything I did. I wasn't a good mother. I'm so sorry. Your father and I are." She wiped the tears from her face. I nodded. She looked at me. 

"I would really like to hug you, but I understand if you don't want to." She looked nervous again. 

"It's okay. One hug wouldn't hurt." I replied and she smiled. I pulled her in and hugged her. I missed her, even after everything. 

You made the right decision by forgiving her. The voice told me and I smiled, feeling lightheaded like a weight has been lifted off my shoulder. 

Soon she pulled away and smiled at me. I gave her a small smile back. Then she left the room. Aisha came in immediately after. 

"I just saw mum leave your room. Is everything okay?" She asked. 

"Yeah. I forgave her." I replied with a smile. Aisha smiled and came to hug me.

"That was really brave of you." She whispered. 

Yeah, real brave. Baby steps. 

***

I was in the room when Aisha came in, looking all nervous and conflicted. I looked at her skeptically as she made her way towards me. 

"What's up with you?" I asked her and she let out a nervous laugh. Yup, something was definitely up. 

"Zaria, whatever you do, don't get pissed." She said, the nervous smile still playing on her lips. My forehead creased in a deep frown. 

"I shouldn't get pissed? Aisha, what did you do?" I asked, getting off the bed and folding my hand across my chest. 

"There is actually someone down stairs that's here to see you." She said and my frown deepened. 

"Who is it?" I asked and she look my hand and pulled me along. 

"I repeat. Whatever you do, please don't get upset. It's bad for your health." She said and I scoffed. 

"I'm fine thank you, Aisha. Now can we please get on with whatever you have planned." I rose my voice a notch and she chuckled, leading down the stairs. By the time we got to the foot of the stairs, I saw what Aisha meant. 

Ada was standing in the middle of the living room. 

I moved my gaze from hers to Aisha who had a nervous grin on her face. I glared at her and her grin fell. 

"Are you kidding me?" I asked her and she shook her head. "What the fück is She doing here?" I snapped, casting a look of disdain at Ada. 

"She's being coming here often and..." Aisha started and I cut her off. 

"I know that and I specifically instructed that no one should let her in. I don't want to see her." I said stubbornly, folding my hand tightly together. I saw guilt flash on Ada's face. I tried not to be fazed one bit. Aisha sighed. 

"Zaria, please give her a chance to say her piece. I understand that you are hurting and your attitude is expected but forgiveness is what will completely set you free." Aisha stated calmly and I exhaled. 

"Fine. Ten minutes." I told Ada sternly. 

"It's all I ask." She said in gratitude. Aisha excused herself and I went ahead to take a sit. Ada sat down and said nothing, fidgeting with her fingers. 

"Well,  get on with it. We don't have all day, you know and your time is going." I told her,  my voice coming off a bit harsher than intended. She rose her head up, tears cascading from her eyes. 

"You have every right to be mad at me. I deserve whatever harsh treatment you are giving to me now. I've wronged you so much, Zaria. I haven't being a friend." She chocked out. 

"Ada, you were right to be angry when you found out about Joel and I. But you had no right to go through my diary, spill my secret out for whoever have ears to hear and call me a back stabbing bitch!" My voice rose a notch. 

"I know and I'm sorry!" She cried out. "I was  jealous. You got everything on a plater of gold. I confess, I didn't like Joel that much. I knew he was interested in you and that made me even want him more. You were too perfect." She said and I scoffed. 

"You know absolutely nothing about me." I told her. 

"I know that now. I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, I need your forgiveness." She pleaded. I sighed. 

"Ada, you have been my friend for as long as I can remember. I've gotten pissed with you so many times but I've never blurted out any of your secrets. Forgiving you isn't so hard but forgetting what you did is." I sighed again and stood up. She looked at me through teary eyes. 

"We can't be as close as we used to." I told her and she sighed. "I can't trust you again. I'm sorry." I said as sternly as I could muster. She nodded. 

"I understand. I just need to know that you have forgiven me. That's all I ask for." She said and I nodded. 

"I've forgiven you." I told her and she sighed, standing up from the seat a smile on her lips. 

"Thank you." She said genuinely. She looked like she wanted to hug me but decided against it. 

She then waved at me and walked out of the house. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as I felt an additional weight being lifted from my shoulder. I looked up to see Aisha smiling at me. 

"You did good." She said and I smiled. 

Baby steps. Baby steps.

****

Joel's POV

"Aisha told me the nightmares have subsided." I stated and Zaria nodded, her hair tickling the skin of my neck. It was weekend already so she came by to the house to see me since she really didn't get to see me on school days. 

If only she would just resume. I know I sound selfish but I couldn't help it. I've missed her in school. Her empty seat in class kept taunting me. Everything isn't the same without her in school with us, with me. 

"It's kinda like a miracle actually. For the last five years of my life, nightmares have been taunting me and draining me but now that the cause of the nightmare has been caged, I feel refreshed. That, and I'm taking necessary measures to get better." She replied and I nodded. 

I've been getting a push to help Zaria do something. To help her overcome once and for all. That's if she would agree. 

"You said it has subsided but it has not finally gone." I told her and she turned her head to look at me. 

"I'm working towards that. It just takes so much time." She replied with a shrug. 

"I don't think this about therapy. I think this is about you, love. There is one last thing you need to do to get rid of the demons once and for all." I said and she frowned. 

"I don't understand." She stated, confusion all over her face. I sighed as I got ready to drop the bombshell on her. I can guarantee a hundred percent that she wouldn't like it. 

"Zaria, you haven't forgiven everyone." I told her and she chuckled. 

"Of course I have. I've forgiven my parents, even though it's pretty awkward right now because their attention is on me. I have also forgiven Ada but I don't trust her anymore, which is expected. There is no one else." She said and I exhaled again. 

"I'm talking about Sam." I said calmly. Her expression changed from confusion to rage. 

"You have got to be kidding me." She stood up abruptly from my bed and made to walk out of the room but I was quick to stand up and hold her hand, stopping her. 

"Zaria, please..." I started and she spun around, eyes bloodshot and glass with tears. 

"You can't just say his name like that." She snapped at me and I sighed. "You can't just ask me to forgive him, after everything he has done to me. You have no right!" She jabbed her index to my chest, trying to pull herself away from me but I held her tighter. 

"Yes, I have no right to say you should forgive him but I'm doing this because of you. Everything, I do is because I want you to get better and the first step to your complete healing is total forgiveness. Please understand." I pleaded with her. She was frantic, crying, hitting her fist against my chest and I prayed in my heart that everything doesn't backfire on me. 

"I can't... I can't..." She repeated, shivering in my hand. I proceeded to cup her face in my hand, trying to get her to look into my eyes. 

"Baby, hey. Look at me..." Her teary eyes came in contact with mine. "I love you," I saw her shocked expression when I said that but I continued, "and I want you to be healed. But you need to loosen Sam's grip over you by letting him go." I told her pointedly and calmly. 

"It's so hard. He broke me." She whispered, closing her eyes as tears flowed out. 

"And he'll keep breaking you if you don't set him free. Set yourself free by setting him free. You need this. You deserve to be free." I told her repeatedly. 

She broke down and fell to the floor and I followed her, holding her close to me as she cried profusely. We both sat there on the floor of my room, in each other's arms.