[3] DAYO ADEYEMI

         Dayo and I met in college. I was in 200L and he was in his 400L. He was studying medicine and I was studying theatre arts. I was 17, he was twenty. It began like every other love story, attraction, lust, and love. 

        Before I knew it, I was head over heels for him. After our graduation, My uncle was murdered and I had to move in with Dayo, it was all bed and roses, but then, life is a phenomenon of temporary situations, things started to change. Dayo constantly got angry over little things and from loud outbursts to being shoved I found myself at the mercy of his leather belt.

          Whenever I tried to leave, he would threaten me with telling the police I asked him to murder my uncle. It was only after four years I summoned the courage to leave, demanding space. it was then I came to London, oh if only I had known.

***********

"Get out." I spat, recovering from my shock. My eyes had returned to their normal size and I bit my lip. What exactly was this man doing here?

"Baby I-" Dayo tried.

"Get out!" I roared, tears stung my eyes. The one thing I was running from, was right in front of me. 

"I'm sorry, I won't-"

"Dayo get lost. Or I'll call the cops and accuse you of harassment, you lowlife!" Bola spoke up as she stared at him fiercely. I bit my lip, That girl was more courageous than I could ever be.

"You stay out of this! This is all your fault. I know you are the one putting ideas into her head" he growled as he pointed his finger accusingly at Bola. 

"Believe me, I didn't have to do anything, you did it all yourself" Bola spat. If looks could kill, Bola would be dead.

"Baby I'm sorry" Dayo apologized.

"Dayo, I don't want you to apologize, I don't want to talk it out. Heck, I don't even want to see your face. I meant what I said in Lagos —" I paused and then locked eyes with him before I spoke again “We. are. over." I spaced out my words with heavy breaths. “I've moved on and I would love for you to do so too!"

"Aramide," He said as he licked his lips "You know that isn't true," he said as he came closer, I took a step back, instinctively. "You know that you love me, and I love you too"

"Yes Dayo." I confessed. “I used to love you. But I've learned to love myself more, I'm not the Aramide you stepped on, it took me months but I'm learning to live in your absence, You are toxic. Please let me go!" I lamented, trying to reason with him. 

"I won't let you leave me. You are mine Aramide"

"I am not yours!" I bit back. Tears stung my eyes.

       It all happened so fast, in one swift motion, Dayo lunged forward and pulled me. My eyes widened as I felt something press on my temples.

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

"Dayo put the gun down," I begged as my heart rate increased. The last thing I needed was a tragedy, that was why I left Lagos — to avoid a tragedy! but who was I kidding? I'm Aramide, I attract; trouble, drama, and Tragedy!"

"let her go!" Bola yelled "I'm calling the cops!” She threatened.

"Put the freaking phone down, or I'll blow her brain" Dayo warned. 

"Dayo please stop..." I pleaded.

"if you can't be mine. You won't be anyone else's"

I shut my eyes letting the tears fall before my lips parted and I spoke;

"then you might as well kill me," I spat. my voice filled with emotion and demeanor fierce.

I heard a gunshot and my eyes scurried around till it reached Bola, she had been shot in the leg

"Dayo!" I screeched as I tried to reach Bola. 

"You are coming with me," he said as he firmly held my arm and led me outside the apartment. I looked back at Bola, tears filled her eyes, I closed my eyes to clear my vision which was blurred with tears, "I'll be fine" I mumbled as I was dragged away. Till date, I still can't figure out who I was trying to convince — her... Or me.

"Get in," he demanded as he opened the passenger door to a black SUV.

"Dayo this is wrong, think about it!" I said giving it one last shot.

"Get in the freaking car Aramide! you are pissing me off" he warned.

"Where are we going? Where are you taking me? Tell me Dayo!" I demanded. the only response I got was a slap on my cheek as he tugged my newly relaxed hair and shoved me into the car. I screamed and yelled for help as I banged on the door while he got in the passenger seat.

"Is this how you want to win me back? Do you see why I left, it's because for some reason you feel like you own me!"

"Start the car Aramide" he simply responded

“I am going to make this clear, You, Dayo Adeyemi. You DO NOT own me! I am not your object of obsession!" I clarified with an emotion-filled voice.

"Obsession?" he said letting out a breathy laugh, "So, says the girl who is completely driven by the lust for success" He shrugged.

        "You are obsessed with perfection Aramide, that is why we are so alike, what do you think made me fall in love with you? hm? Do you think it was your influence? Or your 'wealth'?" He demanded mockingly. 

“It was because you were just like me, you were filled with the lust for power and control, but unlike you... I wasn't raped by my Un-" That was it for me, I slapped him across the cheek, it didn't matter that the gun could have gone off, it didn't matter that he could kill me for that little stunt, it didn't matter that he was acting like a maniac, he had just crossed the line.

"Never... ever bring that up again," I warned as I looked away. "Fool" I mumbled. His face softened but it was too late.

"Ara-"

"Where?" I deadpanned.

"Aramide I-"

    "Where are we going to?" I demanded. He was definitely bipolar.

   "Fine, I tried to reason with you, but if this is how you want it — so be it, stop the car two blocks from here, at the warehouse"

Silence reigned as the sound of engine starting filled the air, piercing through the atmosphere.

FLASHBACK

"Dayo," Aramide chuckled as she rested her head on his chest.

"Would you do anything for me?" She asked looking up at him through her eyelashes. 

“of course, what would that be?" He replied.

"I don't know. Hurt someone...make them disappear, kill someone for me?" She asked and his smirk was a good enough answer.

END OF FLASHBACK

A tear slipped down my eyes. 

"Stop," he said. "Get down" He ordered again.

        I slowly came down "Is this where you want to kill me? To rape me?" I asked as he dragged me inside the warehouse.

"You know I would never do that"

"Well I also thought you would never kidnap me or point a gun at me, but here we are," I retorted as he let me go. I took a few steps back to see the gun still pointed at me "Do it."

"Dayo murder me, Murder me like you murdered our dreams, hurt me as you did for the last four years!"

"This is all your fault" He confessed. 

"You are sick" I mumbled as I ran my hands through my hair.

"What did you think huh? That you would run away from me? That you could escape to a new country and I wouldn't find out?"

"Runaway?” I tilted my head in exasperation.

“I wanted space! I freaking wanted space Dayo! I told you that —  I told you you were choking me, that you were hurting me, and what did you do? You came all the way here to kidnap and point a gun to my head, you freaking shot my best friend!" I yelled.

"It's because I love you," He said coming closer, I didn't move, I had a plan.

"I love you so much and it's killing me"

"oh, Dayo, Our love wasn't toxic, your obsession was — your desire to own me, and your lust for my submission. I told you from the very beginning I was not a submissive woman" I cried.

"You turned me into this, You asked me to kill him!" He spat.

"It's your fault I killed your uncle! it was for you... to make you feel safe baby, I love you so much, why can't you understand huh?!" he said as he kicked a container, I flinched.

"Let's forget about this yeah? let's go back to Lagos and pretend like it never happened. Baby, let's start afresh, f-from scratch," I nodded.

"Yeah?" he asked to confirm, this was the moment, his guard was down. 

           I lunged forward and the struggle began. But before I could collect the gun, the sound of a  gunshot rang through my ears.

And boy, I would never be able to forget the stare in his eyes