6

When Malika left for downstairs, I felt like chasing after him but then, I wanted this so I had to face it, head on. Breathing in heavily, I turned around and entered the long room and the energy evolving from the attitude I got from them ladies suffocated me. Trust me, it was better to get beaten than to go down that lane.

"Hmm. This is trouble. Alissa will definitely not tolerate this girl if she comes back tonight."

The fattest in the room said in a sing-songy way while applying her lipstick infront of her hand mirror as everyone began to drop their very offensive and insecure opinions and thoughts.

-"Is she even up to eighteen?"

-"Her name is Tee? What happened to R and S?"

-"Haha she is down there, you could verify."

And they all laughed boisterously. I wasn't welcomed at all and I felt so odd, but I decided to mind my business and pay deaf ears to them. The latter was almost impossible.

"But guys, she is so fresh, like I feel so overused."

Someone whispered.

"-Oh spare me those thoughts, Timi. You know if you don't have an elastic hole then you won't last long in this business unless you add your butt hole to the grind. I pity her already. She will hear from the hard and mighty cocks of Dagbo men."

That was Salle's irritating voice on this one. Very peculiar, you can't miss the rigidity and hatred in her vocals. I just went to the empty dusty bed at the end of the room and laid down, cuddling my bag and waiting on Abena for my meal.

"Sa-lle. You and your sensitive ways of speaking. You don't even know this girl and why she is here and you already tore her to the bones like a wild animal."

"Oh, Puh-lease, Sonia. Don't just start! Well, I will leave the fight to Alissa. I trust her."

Minutes later, they all forgot I was there when they started receiving phone calls from their clients and got carried away with business and dressing up.

Eventually, the room became almost empty and I, for the first time breathed out my exhaustion before Abena, a pregnant cook came in and served me a plate of white rice and vegetable soup.

I thanked her and dug in immediately, when I raised my aching neck to look around, I found out one of them was still in the room and she was lying on the bed pressing her phone, I continued eating when I felt strangely relaxed sharing a space with her.

"So, what's really your name?"

She asked still pinned to her screen.

"Tee."

I muffled.

"Just Tee?"

"Yeah, just Tee."

I replied as I ate.

I already figured, I was going to get that question alot, so I tried not to get pissed off when I'm bombarded with questions about it. It's nobody's fault, really.

"I'm Sonia. Nice to meet you. Tee."

"Thanks."

I was wondering where the conversation was heading to, I have always been reticent where matters concerning girls is because the experience I had in the past was still a fresh healing wound beneath my veins. I never really had the strength for any conversation that night. In my listlessness, I just wanted to eat, sleep and wake up to Kanata's verdict in the morning, but she wanted to be friends, I guessed when she further pursued the conversation.

"So, how did you get acquainted with Malika and boss Kanata?"

"Malika is a friend to my sister. I really don't know boss Kanata. Yet."

"Oh. Well, I have an advice for you."

She sat up on her bed while I looked on and listened.

"Don't ever act timorous even if you feel so. It will definitely be used against you, if you really want to be in this game then dare to be smart and confident. Be your own version of you, that'll be all for now. Goodnight Tee."

"Goodnight, Sonia. And thank you."

Wow! that moment of motivation came straight out of the blues. I really didn't see that coming. Putting away the plate, I remembered aunt Rose and I became very cold knowing she must be looking for me by now, trying to depend on my positivity, I believed I only lifted a burden off her shoulders. Adding me to her budget everyday would be taking a toll on her income as much as she never said nor showed it. I think she should be thanking me for being so thoughtful by the way.

Lying down, the last thing I saw was Malika's manly sculptured face and groomed jawline, assuring me that I will be fine. Closing my eyes I had a hazy dream mixed up with his essence in it.