Well I think dat serves her ryt, and I think Ralph is falling for Nma...just saying my own sha

Olabantu:
Well I think dat serves her ryt, and I think Ralph is falling for Nma...just saying my own sha

Hmmmmn, we'll see lol.

Mama Nna needs to put her daughter out of misery though because when she finally learns about the source of all her family problems, Nna will hate herself or her mother for subjecting her to such abuse.

Papa Nna too, why stay married when the union brings no joy? Calling your wife a slut yet you knew everything from word go?

The party......stupid crew!

Ha! Tuesday! Skarlett want to kill sombori

I knew that man was sick!

Okay, I'm here finally.

Alice is such a bad _bitch tho if at 16 she's that spoilt, just wondering what she'd do when she gets to 20.
Thumbs up to Ralph, guys like him are just rare, resisting a lady who's almost naked. c'mon

Its sad victory learnt the hard way, I do pray she doesn't go back the guys are evil..

And the dream I hope its just a dream and won't happen in reality? Oh my!

Skarlett tuesday is far mehn, but its worth the wait anyways..

Good Job sis.
I like your descriptions too, I already have a picture of what the characters look like.

bibijay123:
Ha! Tuesday! Skarlet want to kill sombori

Babe abeg no vex, no light here and this story don turn me to regular customer for the bet9ja shop wey dey opposite my house and i no dey gamble o

Laveda:
Okay, I'm here finally.

Alice is such a bad _bitch tho if at 16 she's that spoilt, just wondering what she'd do when she gets to 20.

Its sad victory learnt the hard way, I do pray she doesn't go back the guys are evil..

And the dream I hope its just a dream and won't happen in reality? Oh my!

Skarlet tuesday is far mehn, but its worth the wait anyways..

Good Job sis.

Abeg bear with me, i'll try to make tuesday worth the wait, thanks sis

You finally made me comment

Thanks for the dedication skarlett.
You have a wonderful storyline.

Oh God,dnt let what am thinking begin happen to Nma

Tuesday far o But take ur time miss, we will be patiently waiting. Kudos to you!!

Skarlett mehn, You blew me away

skarlett:
danke

Hope Victoria gets better, emotionally and plays far from the "cool guys" who have a tendency of turning out to be worthless adults.

Your work is great

Dankie Madam

jagugu88li:


Hope Victoria gets better, emotionally and plays far from the "cool guys" who have a tendency of turning out to be worthless adults.

Your work is great

Dankie Madam

Thanks dear, I hope so too

Nice one Skarlett,now I have more reasons to come to literatureland. But Tuesday is too far naa

@TamedWolf90, you might want to take a look at this.

Wow! Wat an interesting episode! Papa could do wat Nnamchi dreamt about. Am not sure Papa has d paternity certainty to Nnamchi!!! Aunty Skarlett.. ova to u ma!! Tuesday is very much around d corner. The story is worth the wait.

dominique:
Nice one Skarlett,now I have more reasons to come to literatureland. But Tuesday is too far naa

@TamedWolf90, you might want to take a look at this.

D thanks for the mention..let me quitely read through... Hope you are good at the moment?? You kept mute on the other side... I can worry abi? Ma bi nu!!

TamedWolf90:


D thanks for the mention..let me quitely read through... Hope you are good at the moment?? You kept mute on the other side... I can worry abi? Ma bi nu!!

Don't mind me jare, will reply you later today

Vic sorry abt d rape but u caused it..Skarlett I hope Nma dream won't come 2 pass oooooo...Mama Nma u knw d origin of ur wahala & only u knws d solution 2,so solve this b4 it is 2 late

skarlett:


Babe abeg no vex, no light here and this story don turn me to regular customer for the bet9ja shop wey dey opposite my house and i no dey gamble o

Lol

Scarlett, so no upadate today and tomorrow, kai....remember there is God sha...all the suspence wey you dey give person, God dey ooo

Twenty-One


Victory wasn’t the only one impressed with Nmachi’s courage in standing up to Alice, Raphael was impressed too. He had always admired her as one of the most brilliant girls in class but had never gotten the courage to talk to her. She was unlike the other girls in school who rolled in cliques so they could belong. Nmachi didn’t seem to need such validation as she was by herself most times and that was what made him more attracted to her.

When the news went round that she’d been caught kissing Johnny, he had felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest, why was it Johnny of all people? He thought she had more taste than the arrogant braggart that was Johnny Obus. He justified the anger he’d felt as disappointment at her taste. But when it became obvious to all that her and Johnny weren’t an item, he’d felt a surge of relief and realized he’d been fooling himself. He had only been jealous of hearing about her and another guy being together that wasn’t him.
Today, everybody was talking about her and what she said to Alice. Nobody could believe someone had given Alice a taste of her own medicine and made her the laughing stock of the school.

Some boys in his class seemed to have renewed respect for him after learning that he rejected the most popular girl in school. Alice was one of the most beautiful girls in SS1, bedding her was a huge accomplishment that any boy would brag about for months. Any other boy except him, that was. He found out his interest was not sassy, loud girls like Alice but reserved and intelligent girls like Nmachi Amadi.

He found himself staring at the nape of her neck while she bent to her books in the library, she truly was gorgeous. He wished he was the book that she seemed to be paying close attention to. They didn’t run in the same circles but whenever he saw her around, he was struck in awe and couldn’t get himself to talk to her.
He didn’t know why he seemed particularly shy around her but he felt the time had finally come to break out of his shell.

“Hi,” he said following her out of the library after the bell for break over went off.

She sent him a puzzled look but didn’t answer.

“Hey, it’s polite to answer a greeting,” he said.

She seemed to gather her wits at that moment. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure you were talking to me.”

He smiled a little, “I understand. Try to get used to it though, we’ll talk to each other a lot more now. See you around,” he said waving and walking to his class. His heart was beating very fast, he hoped he hadn’t sounded too corny or arrogant, the last thing he wanted for her to snub him like she did Johnny.

****

When Raphael had spoken to her outside the library, Nmachi’s first reaction had been shock that he was actually talking to her. For the first time in her life, she’d been rendered speechless before a boy. She’d felt dumb for a few seconds until he’d spoken to her again. Before today, they hadn’t spoken directly to each other and although she admired him from afar like most of the other girls, she never went out of her way to have him notice her. And she expected boys like him didn’t notice girls like her; timid, bookish and unpopular.

Yet today here he was telling her to get used to talking to him and she couldn’t stop the warmth that seemed to envelop her. Get a grip Nma, he’s just a boy like any other, no one special.

But as she watched him go, she couldn’t help wondering if it was boys like him that Mama had warned her to be wary of.

“Don’t make the same mistakes I did, Nma. Take your time before you hook up with any man, gbo?”

“Eh, Mama.”

“Be particular about the kind of boys you give your time. Set high goals for yourself. You won’t ever regret it.”

“What if they’re too high, Mama? What if they’re so high no boy will ever ask me out?” she asked.

“The right one will when the time comes but before then, don’t give anyone room in your life to fill your head with highfalutin ideas on love and romance,” she said her eyes dark as if she recalled memories of when she was younger. “You’re only fourteen Nma, the right man will come and at the right time too.”

She seemed full of faith that Nma couldn’t help believing her. Mama would never lie or deceive her, she knew that.

He was standing down the hallway looking at her when she looked up from her reverie. His look stirred the little butterfly again in her heart, the one that usually rang alarm bells when she ran into him in the library or the small hallway between their classes. Maybe Raphael felt her butterfly wings too, because he turned away quickly and disappeared into his class.

Confusion, like static on the radio jumbled her thoughts. She gripped her books tighter and rushed to the sanctuary of her class, grateful for the distractions to help her forget the day.

****
Cynthia was displeased at the embarrassment Nma had caused Alice and was waiting for her in the girl’s toilet later that day.

“You are such a despicable thing,” Cynthia charged.
Cynthia Weluche was a tall, lean girl with a harsh mouth and big eyes. Because she was the only daughter of a wealthy chief, she acted as if she was royalty and tagged along with girls like Alice who acted like the world belonged to them. She had a nasty temper and most girls were afraid of her.

“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t the truth,” Nma shrugged carelessly and stepped away from her to get to the sink.

She grabbed her wrist and pulled, spinning her around. Some of the girls hurrying out of the other toilets paused to watch, their faces full of smiles, anticipating a fight.

“Don’t you ever walk away from me, Nmachi Amadi. You’re nothing special,” she spat staring into Nma’s eyes.

Nma matched her stare. “Let go of me or…”

“Or what?” Both girls stood toe to toe with each other and the tension in the room was palpable.

“What’s going on here?” A voice asked from the doorway and Cynthia let go of her wrist immediately. It was Mrs Benson, their Food and Nutrition teacher. “To your classes immediately!” she ordered from the doorway and the girls scrambled for the exit.

“This isn’t over by a long shot Nmachi,” Cynthia said before hurrying out of the bathroom too.

Nmachi let out a shaky breath she didn’t realize she was holding. That was really close.

****
Victory met her outside class.
“I heard what happened between you and Cynthia,” she said. “I feel so guilty because its all my fault.”

Nmachi sighed. “No it isn’t, I’ll be fine.”

“No you won’t, this is the reason why I didn’t want you to get involved. Cynthia can be a nasty person when she wants to be.”

“I know, I’ve been classmates with her from JS1, its funny that we ever got along as seatmates then.”

“Trust me, the Cynthia then is a saint compared to the present Cynthia, just be really careful and don’t get into any more confrontation with any of them.”

“Vic you’re a darling to worry about me but I’ll be fine,” Nma said placing a reassuring arm on her shoulder. But though she reassured Victory, she couldn’t help the terrible sense of impending doom that settled over her soul. It was as if a dark cloud had slipped into her sunlight, blocking out its warm rays of optimism and just waiting to drench her in the storm that was coming. She shivered a little and Victory felt it.

“Are you alright Nma?”

Nma shrugged and smiled a little, “I’m fine Vic,” she said hoping she meant it.

dominique:
Nice one Skarlet,now I have more reasons to come to literatureland. But Tuesday is too far naa

@TamedWolf90, you might want to take a look at this.

Thank you dear.

Tuesday is already here

Twinkle004:
Vic sorry abt d rape but u caused it..Skarltt I hope Nma dream won't come 2 pass oooooo...Mama Nma u knw d origin of ur wahala & only u knws d solution 2,so solve this b4 it is 2 late

I hope so too o

Olabantu:
Scarlett, so no update today and tomorrow, kai....remember there is God sha...all the suspence wey you dey give person, God dey ooo

Pele dear, its been updated now

mhisbliss:
skarlet this story is so captivating, please i dread what papa might do to nma, please don't let it happen i beg of you, i know papa aint her dad and thats a reason why something like that might happen

Lol, I'll try my best.

Thanks!

Dedicated to dominique and mhisbliss

Twenty-Two

Three weeks later, she saw some signs of the impending doom when she got back home from school and saw Papa in the living room, drinking and watching television. She wondered why he wasn’t at work.

“Good afternoon Papa,” she greeted going to her room. Mama was on day shift and would be expected home later that evening.

Papa grunted noncommittally to her greeting. “Eh Nma, get me another beer from the bar,” he said.

“Okay Papa,” she replied and went to fetch another bottle of Star from the small bar Papa kept stocked with whiskey and drinks and treated like a sanctuary. She served him the beer.

“You’re home early today Papa,” she stated uncorking his drink.

He grunted again and collected the beer from her hands.
“Is this not my house? I have the right to go and come as I please.” He snorted and after taking a generous gulp from his bottle continued, “That my stupid boss fired me. He has always been against me from the start.”

“So why aren’t you looking for another job?” she asked quickly without thinking. She felt her heart beat faster as he snapped his head and stared daggers at her.

“Since when do you talk back to me?”

In the silence that ensued, she thought Papa could hear her heart pounding like a talking drum. From the way he was shaking his head, she knew Papa had already had too much to drink. She reverted her gaze to the floor hastily.

“I_I’m sorry Papa, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“You better be sorry. You don’t have a right to talk to me like that. You of all people don’t have a right to make any demands.”

She felt her eyebrows rise despite her fear. Papa made it sound as if she wasn’t his daughter. “I’m sorry Papa,” she said again despite the unease that gnawed at her insides.

He waved her away dismissing her and she went to the kitchen to start preparations for dinner. Mama had brought home some beef yesterday and she’d had it steamed to cook okazi soup. Sometime back Mama had shown her how to make okazi soup which was one of her favorite meals. She began to fry the egusi in palm oil. The aroma from the steamed okporoko and dry fish filled the house.

“Come and get me another beer,” Papa said from the doorway and she jumped.

She was startled to find him staring at her. “Okay Papa,” she croaked. Something about the glazed look in his eyes made her nervous and edgy. The bar was in the sitting room yet he’d walked all the way to the kitchen that was down the hallway to ask her to get him his drink. She reduced the fire of the cooking stove and walked past him to go to the bar. She felt his eyes bore holes in her back as she fetched his beer, the silence in the room was like that of a graveyard’s.

“When does your mother return from the hospital?” he asked as she handed him the beer.

“Six-thirty,” she replied.

He grunted and settled into the armchair. He waved her away again and she returned to the kitchen. Mama returned a few minutes earlier than expected using the kitchen entrance to the house.

“This smells divine,” Mama said peering into the pot of steaming soup, “I’ll go clean up and be down to help before your father gets home.”

“Papa is already home,” she told her. “He lost his job.”

Mama didn’t seem surprised. “With his incessant drinking these days, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner,” she muttered glumly.

“He’s drank a lot already Mama, I think you should stay out of his way.”

“Even an angel can’t stay out of Kelechi Amadi’s way if he’s out for you,” she said with a sigh.

****

Nmachi was glum faced when she went to school the next day, Papa had ended up getting sick all over the house at 2am that morning and her and Mama had had to clean up the room and parlor he had vomited in. It hadn’t been a pleasant experience and Nma felt the alcohol stench cling to her as she prepared for school. Would things ever get any better in the Amadi household?

Victory came to meet her after assembly, her usual chatty self but Nma wasn’t in the mood.

“What’s wrong Nma? You look more morose than ever.”

“Nothing, its nothing really.”

“Then if its nothing tell me about it, I’m your friend. Even if I can’t help talking to me might.”

“Not this time Vic.”

“But you never tell me anything,” she whined. “You’re so damn secretive sometimes I wonder if we’re friends at all.”

She wasn’t in the mood to have Victory nag at her all day either. “I’m sorry Vic, you won’t understand,” she sent her an apologetic glance as she went to her seat. She knew Vic would ignore her for the rest of the day while she sulked. Maybe it was best that way.

*****

Nmachi would have tried to be by herself and avoided talking with anyone but it was the school’s PE day and everyone was expected to be outside, taking part in the gymnastics.

Two teams of SS2 and SS3 class were playing a friendly match and most of the students were gathered on the field to cheer both teams. Drums and yells followed every pass and dribble. Even though Ralph wasn’t playing, he was on the lines, watching keenly and cheering on both sides.

He caught sight of Nma at the spectator’s stand and went over to her a few minutes later.
“Its good to know you’re a football fan,” he said. “I wish I was playing.”

Nma smiled despite herself, “I’ve watched you play before, you’re not bad at all,” she admitted shyly.

Ralph beamed, “its nice of you to say that.”

Nmachi wanted to buy a drink and Ralph went with her.

Victory watched them go. She had been cool towards her after their little morning tiff. As soon as they were gone, Victory heard a voice sneer beside her, ‘Aren’t they such a cute couple?” It was Alice, she had been watching them too and her face was a vicious mask.

She shrugged without saying anything, it was just like Nma to keep a secret of her and Raphael’s newfound friendship from her.

“Do you think he likes her?” Alice asked her now.

“I don’t know,” she replied tersely. She was still on speaking terms with Alice and her crew even though they saw her hang out with Nma.

“Why don’t you? Aren’t you her best friend in the entire school?”

“Sometimes, I doubt that very much.”

****

At the food kiosk, Raphael and Nma were becoming fast friends.

“One of my best authors of all time would be Nora Roberts. Gosh! That woman is a goddess in the romance genre.”

“You’re a sucker for romance, huh?” he asked.

“Its nice to have someone care more about you than he cares for himself,” she replied.

He regarded her silently for a while. “I’m more of an action person and the legal stories of John Grisham are some of my favorites. So yeah, John Grisham would be my best author.”

“Figures. I never pinned you as any different, boys always want to be seen as macho and tough,” she said with a little laugh.

He smiled. “True. But I didn’t know you’re the romance type what with your interest in whipping all the boys in class with your good grades.”

She laughed harder now, “You’re not serious, Raphael.”

Raphael felt his knees go weak, his name had never sounded so sweet. “What do you want to be in future?” he asked.

“I want to be an actress, I’ve always nursed a desire to be like one of the screen divas in the movie industry and although Nollywood is still upcoming, I have a feeling that it will be one of the forces to reckon with in the nearest future.”

“Wow! That’s great, you’ll make a drop dead gorgeous actress.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Of course you do, your name even says it all, God’s beauty. And you’re the prettiest girl in this school too,” he said.

She felt herself get warm in the neck and face and looked away quickly. No boy had ever talked about her beauty like he did and she didn’t know how to respond.

“My mom says vanity is a sin.”

“You don’t have to act stuck-up about your looks.”

“Everyone already calls me stuck-up.”

“That’s because they admire you and since they can’t be you, they’ll look for means to make you feel bad about yourself,” he said sagely.

She smiled to herself. This sounded like the fable of the fox and grapes. Mama used to quote it all the time: the fox tried to reach the grapes, but they were too high. After repeated attempts, he declared they were sour anyway.

“They’ve failed to do that then,” she said.

Twenty-three


That afternoon, when she walked back home with Victory, she felt a lot cheerier than she’d been that morning. Victory was suspicious of her contented smile.
“So what’s up, I saw you and Raphael walking together today.”

Nmachi ducked her head trying to hide a blush, her heart had skipped a beat at the mention of his name. “Nothing is up, he’s just a friend.”

Victory’s brows were raised dramatically, “since when are you friends with boys from our class?”

“You talk as if I ever had a thing against boys in our class.”

“Well, since you didn’t have a thing for them either, I just assumed it to be so. You have a thing for Raphael now, then?”

“No I don’t, we’re just friends and he’s different from the other boys.”

“They all seem to be, until they get what they want from you and then you’ll find out, they’re all the same,” she said darkly.

Nma knew Victory was talking about Ejike, ever since the party, he’d been avoiding her like a plague. But she knew Raphael was not like that, he had a little more depth and insight that most boys in class didn’t have.
“Raphael is nothing like Ejike,” she said without thinking and when she saw the look of pain on Victory’s features, felt contrite. “I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me.”

Victory’s voice sounded strangled, “Sure it was but I don’t blame you. I blame myself for confiding in you in the first place,” she said and stalked off.

Nma tried to catch up with her filled with apologies but Victory wasn’t having any of it. These days her emotions swung on a pendulum and she was so sensitive of the slightest criticism. The mention of Ejike’s name alone, was enough to get her in a fit. Nmachi cussed herself silently for being unwise.

*****

Mama was already home when she got back from school and from the front porch, she could hear her and Papa’s voice, they were arguing. She sighed and entered the house from the kitchen, feeling like a prize fighter about to start another round.

“What are we supposed to do, Kelechi? We have Nma’s huge school fees to pay and then there’s the NEPA bills to be paid too. The bag of rice and beans is almost finished. We could starve and Nmachi could be sent home for school fees next term.”

“I’ll get a job soon,” he promised.

“When? I didn’t even get money for upkeep from your last month at work.”

“Stop nagging me, woman. I said I’ll get another job. Besides, its high time we withdrew Nma from Mayflower, the school is too expensive for us to keep up with.”

“You know that’s not going to happen Kelechi, Nma is doing very well there and she has a good chance to win a scholarship to the university.” Mama said.
Nma had no idea Mama knew about the scholarship.

“Well then foot the bills, I’ve tried for her already and she isn’t even mine.”

Nma’s ears pricked up and she stopped abruptly at the doorway to the living room. She isn’t even mine? What was Papa talking about?

“Lower your voice Kelechi, we’re going to give the neighbors an earful.”

“And what if we do? Did you care about what the neighbors would say when you left me for your lover? Despite all I did for you, how I covered your shame, one word from him and you were already running.”

It was as if a lightening bolt shot through the house. There was an eerie feeling of silence before the clap of thunder, she felt her stomach churn with an uneasy feeling of dread. What did Papa mean? Mama’s lover? He covered Mama’s shame? She waited with bated breath.

“Please dim, lower your voice,” Mama cajoled.

“I’m not lowering anything. This is my house, you hear? I’m the man of this house and I can say whatever I want. I’ve done enough for her.” He was quiet for a moment and Mama tried to plead.

“Please, don’t say something you’ll regret, the walls have ears.”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like I’m a fool in my own house. You think I didn’t know? You think I didn’t figure that she isn’t mine. She’s nothing but a bastard and your responsibility!”

“No!” Mama cried.

The next thing she heard was the sound of a crash and splintering wood accompanied by Mama’s scream. She rushed into the living room expecting to see Mama lying on the floor. She was shocked to see Papa lying on the floor beside the mahogany table that was their center table. Blood was dripping from a gash on his head to his clothes. Mama stood, trembling violently. He looked quite dead.

“Oh my God! Mama, we have to take him to the hospital, he’s losing so much blood!” Nma exclaimed. She was all too familiar with this movie scene in their house, only this time, the injured actor was Papa.

***

TBC whenever i get ten new comments

First comment! Nine more to go
Cc
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Jaguguli88
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Olabantu

Make i go read the update

Oh Snap!!!!...... Didn't see that Coming at all!!!!!


Scarlet ooooooooooooo... No dey do like this ooo!!.

JeffreyJamez:
Oh Snap!!!!...... Didn't see that Coming at all!!!!!


Scarlet ooooooooooooo... No dey do like this ooo!!.

What i do na