INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Stephany pov.

“Aaah! Aaah!Aaah!Aaah!”

I shouted and cried on top of the brick wall where I sat staring into the dark sky illuminated with the lights from the city. It was the first time I cried my heart out like that. 

His words were still echoing in my ears.

‘Where are you taking the girl, can’t she walk home?’

‘Can we get this all over with?’

‘Who’s Steph and what does she got to do with me?’

‘...If you want the girl, she is all yours, I am not interested! Her or that Steph person, none interests me okay!’

These words that were simple and would have been nothing to me one and a half a year ago, now, they were pricking my heart and threatening to dry up my tear glands.

My brother would know. It was the worst day of my life. 

Juma had uttered them with confidence, firm and stern and no ripple of emotion like he was forced. It was all natural. I was dumped by the first boy I ever loved.

I had increased my pace of doing my chores today, just so that I can finally meet my boyfriend after his last exam paper. But, what do I get?

Someone who hasn't met you for the past one month must be missing you right? Yearning to see you but me, I wasn’t missed. It was all written in his eyes.

He did not even recognise me. I was like a stranger to my boyfriend. The first one that taught me how to love, how to really get the feeling and the one I kissed a month ago wishing success in his National Exams.

I racked my mind in search of any tiny mistake that maybe I could have made but nothing came of it.

I cried till my voice was unrecognizable to me anymore and my tears had started drying on my face. I touched my face to feel the dry tears.

“You, Juma Cain, is the first man and will be the first man I ever cry for,” I swore in my tears.

I was not going to cry again. I devoted myself to the nonsensical promises he told me. I knew he was the top eligible single in the entire district, among students and even some university and college freshers, but he loved me. He had said it. They said I was the first one he told.

Today, he never spared me a glance as he told his classmate, friend and my admirer, Ben, his love rival, that I had nothing to do with him and anything to do with me wasn't his concern.

That was not what I had pictured during the day. His words still echoed in my ears. My chest burns.

For almost two years we knew each other, he had never spoken that way. So this was his true nature. If I only knew.

Remembering his receding back with Linah behind him, the girl he disliked and could fight for me was now the winner. I swore, this was the last.

I climbed down the wall and trotted down the alley tracing my steps back home.

In the pitch dark, I had to calm down before reaching home.

At the gate, as usual, my brother was the one waiting. I did not understand why he was still up till this late, but I knew his mother had let him. Sometimes I wondered if we shared the same mother too.

“Your eyes are red, did you stay on the rooftop where there was much wind?” He asked worriedly as soon as he had opened the gates.

I did not respond but shook my head with a tiny smile and taped his shoulder as I passed and walked in heading to my room. I did not even bother switching on the lights which were switched on just as I walked past the curtain to the hallway to my room.

“And why are you this late?” Asked my mother seated at the couch next to the door. I did not notice her earlier as I just wanted to have a sleep on the current nightmare I was having.

“Didn’t I send you a message to return early? And, didn’t the party have an abrupt end?” My mother went on.

“Mom, she is tired and it’s only 11 pm, she hasn’t gone against the maximum time of staying out,” my brother’s voice sounded from the door trying his best to vouch for me.

“Head to your room, I did not ask you,” my mother growled at him.

I felt it was strange. This was her gem she was talking to like that. What was she mad at?

“I am from the party mom,” I started without turning to her.

I was angry but also afraid that if she saw my eyes, then the three hour lecture that followed would let me leave another nightmare.

“Though it was done, some of us remained to collect the spoils of the party,” I went on lying.

I knew I would regret it once she knew what really happened but I was really exhausted and I had no strength to argue with her anymore. More less, my mother argued more than the lawyers, I didn’t understand why she did not pursue it as a career.

“So, the fight that stopped the party making the top stars of the party leave, had nothing to do with you?” She asked.

I froze but I stood firm. I took the second step into the hallway with my hands still deep in my pockets and said, “I am going to sleep mom, sorry for today,” then I left.

I had nothing to tell her. She had her ways to know everything that happens in my life.

“I told you they won't last, especially with your unluckiness!” She shouted a sentence behind me.

I did not care. Next year was soon approaching so I wanted every peace I could get to calm down. 

The holiday that was now three weeks long, seemed like ages long to me as I spent it locked inside my room. Christmass passed and the school opening date drew close.

Every day, my mom would pass me a lecture or two on my foolishness and engaging in highschool romance despite her warning. I still never opened my door or said anything to her. Her words never let me heal.

My brothers too would knock, especially Frank. He is the second born and just one year younger than me. He would force me to eat the food he left by the door and tell me stories of some holiday special movies he followed during the day.

My younger brother, Franco, knew not of what was going on so he would want me to open the door so that I could help him with his homework or draw his body or even wash him. His antics and nagging brought some warmth but still, I only allowed him once a week but he left after the first week so I had to clutch to the straw to not drown from my mother’s unconcerned lectures of ‘I told you so’.

So, seeing it end, I picked myself up and opened my door that creecked with a squeaking sound. Tomorrow was the first day of the third form. Only one year left to graduate from highschool. 

My mother complained about her door that day but she did not lecture me anymore surprisingly giving a weak explanation of trying to start the year differently. Frank was to join highschool this year so, he left for my uncle’s place and I was the one left alone with my mom. Franco was still with my father.

The first week was not going to be great either as this Friday was the open day celebrations and the former form fours were going to be present to get their college and university calling letters and awards of the top students. So, I asked my mother if she could ask the school to let me skip school on Friday, but, even though she tried, the school refused as I had taken the assistant chief prefect and also the office girl, so I couldn't be absent.

I saw the unlucky streak start again but surprisingly that Friday, I never saw the person I didn’t want to see, so, I was relieved. This did not last until I was called to pass the reward of Cain, to his parent. He had scored an A with 84.87 points earning him a straight entry into the University.

I walked in front and received the bag and stood waiting for his mother who surprisingly came upfront with Linah holding her arm. They were a perfect pair. Totally matching a mother and daughter moment in the isle as she walked proudly.

My world seemed to crumble as the glass I thought would mirror my feelings shuttered and gave birth to a different person. Her eyes were filled with disdain as his mother looked at me. Before I could even react, a tight slap sounded from the coalition of her palm and my cheek, shocking all the audience who stood up reflexively from their chairs.

I tightened my jaws and did not move an inch as I slowly raised my face. I did not have to sit down and think that whatever was happening might have been as a result of something said by Linah so, when I looked up, my glares shot directly to Linah but this never lasted as his mother added another to my right cheek.

This time, the principal reacted as he moved quickly to my side to stop the third incoming slap.

“Mrs. Namu. I will ask you to please clear the misunderstandings somewhere else and not in the public like this. Especially when the victim is not your child to punish!” He spoke sternly.

I bit my lower lip so hard it would bleed. I swore that night that I would not tear and the stinging pain from my burning cheeks was ripping my heart and my breathing was heavy. I was finding it difficult to contain the burning rage in my heart as I closed my palm into a fist, my fingers digging deep into my skin.

A rough arm jerked open my palm and pulled me from the place just late to let me hear his mother’s words, “How could you not let me deal with a young girl growing her seductive nature from practicing with my son as you simply seem to not give them the right knowledge…”

Fury took the lead and I jerked my arm from the strong gri and rushed back. I gave a hot tight slap of my own to Linah who bent to the side but not long after, the strong arm gripped me again, pulled me and gave me another slap again.

This time, my eyes turned fuzzy from the welling tears as I saw the person who had grabbed me earlier, my mom. She just slapped me.

“Will you stop humiliating me more?” She asked.

I felt my eyes twitch and my heart was torn once again. Was she even my mother?

That day, after reaching home, I went into my room. Packed a few clothes into my backpack and called my uncle. I left home at the setting sun from the back gate and took the bus to the Coast.