Annabel heard it all
"So tell me. Why are you guys lying to everyone?" Anna demanded. She crossed her legs and gave me the look that says 'Start talking.' "We are lying because we have to." I told Anna and she gave me a weird stare which signalled that she had no idea of what I was talking about. "Trevor and I just met and it will seem odd for him to introduce me to everyone as his girlfriend." I tried to explain. "You guys just met? I don't get it. I thought you guys had been friends for two years." Anna pointed out. I lowered my head in shame "That's all part of the lie." "Tell me how it all began." I heaved a deep sigh. "I'll understand if you don't want to talk about it. I will not push you to reveal things you will rather keep a secret." Annabel maintained. "I don't know how it all began. I mean I can't possibly tell exactly when I began having strong emotional feelings toward him but I'll say it all began on the luxury bus." I replied. "I didn't come here because my company sent me. I eloped.
I slowly opened my eyes and got out of my bed. "8 am" I mumbled after checking the wall clock hanging above my bed. I had mixed feelings. In as much as I wanted to go home, I was saddened by the fact that I was going to leave Stephanie, Harrison and Anna not forgetting the domestic staff whom I was all getting accustomed too. I completely forgot that Stephanie had gifted me a mobile phone. I had taken a shower and packed my stuff in the little luggage bag I came with. Just when I was about to step out of the room, my phone rang. It was Trevor calling. I picked up the call. "Are you downstairs yet?" I asked Trevor after we greeted each other. "Yes and you need to come here soonest. Breakfast is being served." he announced. " I'll be there shortly." I said and hurried downstairs. The living room was filled up. Harrison, Stephanie, Annabel, Clara, Sam, Venitia, Joe and Trevor were all in the living room. "What are these?" I whispered to Trevor a
Before we got into the taxi that was taking us to my home, we had arranged our luggage and the gifts we came with in the car trunk. My mother had asked me to inform her the moment I had arrived so she could come and pick me at the park but since we made use of an airplane, I didn't see the need to call her. The taxi driver finally pulled up in from of our house. The cruel sun was shining brightly and most of the people were indoors except for passers-by. Trevor sorted the taxi driver and he arranged our stuff beside my house gate. He left and Trevor clung to my hand. "Let's go in." he said and gave me the look that says "I'm right here." Surprisingly, the gate wasn't locked as usual so I gave it a slight push and it was wide opened. We stepped inside and the first spot that caught my attention was the right angle of the verandah, the exact place where I had landed a pestle on my father's head a week ago. I was glad when I noticed a few shoes outside the entrance, on
I woke up in a strange surrounding. At first, everywhere seemed blank till the wares began to manifest. I could visibly see the blue curtains, the white wall, the ceiling was white too and the figure over me had white on. Too much white I thought. I closed my eyes and opened them immediately. My forehead felt sore and was terrible aching. I felt my forehead with my right palm. It was covered with a bandage. "Are you okay? " whispered the person in white standing over me. He bent over. He is a man. I looked around and it dawned on me that I was in a hospital ward. The drip hooked to my hand, the annoying scent of medication, the patients lying around like lettuce and the hospital attendants roaming about in the ward. "I think am fine. " I finally replied the man in white. Whether he was a doctor or nurse, it didn't matter. At least he isn't a mortuary attendant. I tried to sit and the man in white said. "Don't stress yourself. Stay back if you must. " "I am Dr. Shaw. " he added
A typical luxury bus gives you the freedom to adjust, stand firm, bend, or curl up while in transit. I wrapped my head inside my jacket with my face on my laps as I listen to the dramatic rythym my heartbeat propounded. On a regular day while undertaking a long journey in a luxury bus like this, I would stand firm when I got tired, stretch myself lifting my hands up, sit with my legs up facing the air conditioner above or sometimes sit on the handle of any seat I was occupying. That was how I made the previous journeys I embarked on luxury buses condusive. Today, my mood and position depicts the state of a child who has just been abandoned by her mother. I began to sob as I listened to my aching heart.Today, I was running away from home. 'My poor mother. ' I thought as I cleaned my eyes with the edge of my grey jacket which was large enough to accomdate my face and cover my sorrowful state from the prying eyes of the passengers. I took deep breaths, cleaned my eyes again
"Ella tell me something. " came his annoying voice yet again. "Why did you run away or probably on the run since we are still on transit right? " he said chuckling. I said nothing. "I am so going to bother you that I can bet you won't let me leave when we get to our destination. " he boasted and winked. "Are you kidding me? " I asked. "24 hours from now, you'll be begging to come with me. " he said confidently while extending his right hand for a betting right or rather a handshake. I shook my head, hissed and said nothing. "So tell me. Are you always this rude or is it because you are on the run miss? " he asked. "Leave me alone. " I said. "Hey! Each person on this bus has a seat next to another. Why do you think they made it so? For bonding and conversations so the long journey could get shorter and even interesting. " he said. "Well since I, your partner having to be giving you a tough time, can't you just lock up and count today an unfortunate one. " I said. "I
"I will tell you about my father not because I want some sort of sympathy or momentary companionship but because I just want to get it off my chest and moreover, we might never see the moment we finally alight this bus just like you assert " I said. "Okay Ella Moore. " said Trevor. "Tell me about Mr. Moore. " he added. I took a deep breath, heaved a sigh and began. "My father never really cared for him. Infact he doesn't. " "Why are you conclusive about that. " interrupted Trevor. "At my graduation in nursery school, he never showed up, when we did plays in high school and parents would come to watch thier kids perform, my mom was always the one there. " I said with tears welling in my eyes. "Maybe he got occupied and your programs clashed with his schedule. " said Trevor. "Hey don't look at me that way. " after he noticed the stern look I was giving him. "Okay fine. Your dad wasn't really present and it's not nice. " he said. "Not nice for an only child. " I added. "Is that why you
"My mother met with my dad in Greenland. She had gone there for her midwifery course and she took in during her final year period. " he paused then stared at me and continued. "She had to come back of course. She wanted my father to come home with her in Numan and acknowledge his child but... But... " he was stammering now. "But what? " I asked slowly. "That he wasn't ready. " replied Trevor. "Wasn't ready? " I asked again. "Yea that he needed to sort himself, he wasn't ready to father a child then. He wanted my mom to stay back with him and..... " he stopped. "She wasn't going to remain in Greenland raising a baby without her parents consent. " I replied. "Exactly. " he quickly replied. "So why are you on this bus to meet a man that wasn't even prepared to have you or is he prepared now? " I further asked. He said nothing. "Am sorry I don't mean it that way just that I feel he should be the one running to you not the other way round. " I said. "A