Chapter 5

“Stop!” he growled at her again.

She felt so relieved as she stood up and immediately turned to face him.

Suddenly, he stood up with her, he was tall. His tall frame casting a figure over her body.Dipping his hands into a pocket inside his suit, he brought out a cheque book and a pen.

Right in her presence, she watched him write a cheque of two hundred thousand and he handed it to her.

Her jaws dropped on seeing the amount.

As she collected it with nervous and mortified hands. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad, but she knew accepting it wouldn't pay for the shame she felt that night.

“I don't want your money” Sofia said, handing over the cheque to him.

His eyes widened in shock, nobody had rejected money from him before. He found her interesting.

"Suit yourself” he said, ignoring her words. “Till we meet again, Sofia my doll" he said, before stepping out of the lounge, a mischievous smirk etching by the corners of his lips.

She quickly rushed to him and slipped the cheque into his pocket. He just turned to look at her with a smile on his face.

She just stood there, thinking about what she just did. If she actually did the right thing returning his money to him. The previous night, she went home with $500 and tonight she'd be going back empty-handed.

***

Sofia got home late, her friend had helped her with dinner for her grandmother and her medication. She was relieved, she had forgotten her friend was coming over that night.

"Sofia, ever since you came back from the club you've been silent. Did something bad happen?"  Lisa asked.

Sofia quickly glanced at Lisa and blinked severally. She yawned a little and stretched her body lazily on the bed.

"I met him" was what Sofia could only utter. Her eyes are heavy with sleep.

Lisa's eyebrows pulled together in a worried look. "Who?"

"My mom's creditor. The one whose money I'm paying right now. He was at the cIub tonight”  Sofia confessed.

Lisa didn't even try to hide her shocked expression. With jaws dropped and mouth agape, she stared at her innocently. “What?”

"H.. He …he.. made me dance naked for him"  Sofia whispered as her eyes began welling up with tears, she recalled his lack of concern and the way he ordered her. “I felt so dirty”.

"What the fuck! That bastard!" Lisa exclaimed angrily. “Just because your mother owed him and you work in his goddamn club, it doesn't give him that right to do such an absurd thing to you. You're still a teenager!”

Sofia nodded her head as Lisa came over to her side and wiped the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

“Sofia, you're really going through a lot. I wish I could help you out” Lisa said, “That man, he deserves to die!” she pulled Sofia in for a warm embrace.

They pulled out smiling at each other.  Sofia sniffed her nose and stood up, heading for her bag laying on top of the mini cupboard.

"He gave me a check afterwards," Sofia said.

Lisa was bewildered, shocked as hell. “How much?”

"Two hundred thousand. He even sent a letter last night, saying I was doing very little paying off the debts.I truly want to pay off this stupid debt, quit this job and have my life back"  Sofia explained with a frown.

"What?” Lisa exclaimed. “I am so speechless Sofia. You mean he paid that huge amount of money to you? Wow. Some guts he has there. Did you accept it?” 

“No, I rejected it. Two hundred thousand can't restore my dignity. I was ashamed of myself tonight”.

“But, how do you intend to pay the rest of the debts?” Lisa asked with concern in her voice. “Sofia, I'm scared for you”

Sofia dreaded that thought. Thoughts of how she would raise enough money to clear the debts.  The man she met had this ominous, dangerous aura around him. She silently prayed she  would complete his payment so she could finally get her life back.

"Are you free?" Lisa asked as she shot up from the bed.

Sofia shook her head.  "Yes, what's happening?”

Lisa reached out for her black handbag and searched for something inside. She smiled when she found it.

"Ok love, Let's step outside for a bit.  You are dying away slowly with burdens and anxiety weighing you down. You deserve fresh air and a little fun”.

Sofia sighed, she really needed that fresh air and fun. She deserved it. “Alright”. She said, leaving the bed and getting dressed.

The chilly air slapped across her face, whipping her hair back and forth. She stuffed some fries into her mouth as she tried to comb her hair back from entering her mouth, while she walked with Lisa.

The street bustled with life with people swarming in various corners. A sight she hasn't seen in a while.

She just munched on her fries while listening to Lisa as she chattered  excitedly about the sleepover she had with her new college boyfriend. Sofia just observed her friend.

She was bubbling over with excitement, she was carefree, not a single worry in the world. Life was so good to her. 

Sofia suddenly wished she could get a taste of this genuine happiness Lisa was enjoying. Here she was struggling with debt issues and financial burden at her age. It felt like her soul was dying away slowly with burdens and anxiety weighing it down, like her friend told her earlier.

She kept on listening to Lisa as she went on and on with her chats. Sofia occasionally nodded with a smile and that was enough response Lisa needed for her to go on with her chattering.

They turned to enter Sofia's street, suddenly, she felt someone hold on to her hand tight, Lisa's nails almost drawing blood from her skin.

Immediately, Sofia yanked her hand away from Lisa's painful grip and rubbed it, a frown spreading across her face. "Why would you do that? You almost injured me”.

Lisa ignored her complaint, pointing at the other side of the street. Sofia strained her eyes to check who or what it was that got her friend's attention

“He's so handsome,” Lisa said calmly.

Immediately Sofia sighted the person, her breathing got clogged up in her throat.

The guy was handsome, but what's her business with him?

“Wait, you don't know him?” Lisa asked, when she noticed the lack of interest on Sofia's face.

“Do I have to know him?”

“Oh yes, he's a college student and he stays three blocks from your house. Girl, what do you do with your spare time? I don't even stay in your street, but I know him” Lisa explained. 

Lisa waved at the guy, he noticed them and crossed the street,coming over to their side.

"Hey beautiful ladies" He greeted with a perfect smile.

Sofia felt all the colours drained from her cheeks and she tried so hard to hide her blush. He was very handsome from a closer look.

His dark coloured hair was ruffled but in a cute way and when he smiles, he had a line that etched by the corners of his red lips making it seem like a dimple.His hazel eyes sparkled with joy as he greeted them

"Hey handsome, my name is Lisa" Lisa replied immediately with a grin. “ And this is my friend Sofia, she lives three blocks away from your apartment”.

"Lisa, she's such a weirdo" Sofia thought to herself with a soft smile on her lips. She was never shy around a guy, but there was something about him that made her very shy.

"Oh nice, my name is Damien. What are you ladies doing out here? It's late"

"Just taking a late night stroll," Sofia replied softly. From the corner of her eyes,  she could see her friend smirking.

"Finally,I thought I'd not hear your lovely voice." Damien cheekily teased Sofia 

Lisa nudged at Sofia's shoulder for her to say something. Sofia gulped and tried ignoring the butterfly garden springing up in her stomach. "Seriously, my friend is the social butterfly."

He chuckled and waved it off. "I understand, you're shy. I get it. Can I have your contact? We might have lunch together, become friends you know”. He brought out his phone and Sofia nervously called her number for him to input it.

"I don't really know my number by heart so Sofia will give it to you when you guys text" Lisa said, placing emphasis on Sofia's name and 'text’

Sofia’s eyes widened in shock as she shook her head at her friend's cunning behaviour, chuckling.

"Ok then. Sofia, I'll text you and I hope to see you more often. I have something to do, I'd have walked you ladies home.Take care” Damien replied with his boyish smile and crossed over to the other side of the street.

Sofia watched as Damien crossed to the other side of the road, her eyes were on him. Lisa nudged her arm.

Sofia glanced at Lisa and a broad smile spread across Lisa's lips. "Guess who's interested in a guy. I'm happy my girl is going to date a college guy."

"Stop that. Stop teasing me" Sofia chided her as her face turned scarlet red. 

“Stop teasing me” Lisa mimicked Sofia, “Come on girl, he's into you. Did you notice the way he was staring at you?”

Sofia smiled, “Maybe he was trying to recall my face”. Did she really have a chance of dating him? Was he even interested in her? Will he really leave the pretty college girls to date her? She didn't know but she felt this surge of happiness knowing he promised to text her.

It could be the start of something beautiful for her, who knows?