1| A Story Ends...

The birds chirped, all humming a song in harmony while the trees swayed and swish, dancing to the sweet song of the birds. All of nature, in one harmony as the students of Girls Government School, Obalende, Lagos move around. Some just arriving, while some were walking to their classes, and some just hanging around.

Two girls stood under the tree as they watched the students swarmed in noisily. Catching a glimpse of their teachers' flexible whips made of horse tail made both girls to laugh amidst themselves.

Those horse whips were definite to cause red burning stripes on the skin. Yet, their show of authority had never conversed strictness to the seniors who were long accustomed to the same old boring drill. However, they still managed to intimidate the amateur juniors of the school.

One of the girls--the shorter one whom was almond tan--stood straight with her stunning, erect posture. Her face held the set of the most angelic light brown eyes, and her lips; luscious and full of plum.

She smiled, beautiful and bright, deep with dimples that only added to her perfection. She placidly watched all who walked by.

She was Omojola Aderinsola Ajayi, but she preferred to be called Derin. Derin was a bright, vibrant sixteen year old art student, known throughout the school for not only her beauty, but her intellect as well.

"Resumption, always hated," the other girl spoke out.

Adebimpe Onoojo, preferable called Bimpe, but nicknamed Babe by her friends, was a science student, having an equitable reputation with her friend, Derin. She on the other hand was dark-skinned with a similar set of brown eyes. However, she was chubby, but rounded to perfection.

"You're right, but this is our final year and I'm so excited," Derin replied, and her friend nodded in agreement.

The two girls had been friends ever since their childhood days. Second grade, to be precise. Their families were besties too. Together, the two girls hoped and looked forward to their future.

"I guess it is timeout!" Bimpe said, her eyes lingering behind Derin.

Derin noticed, and she swallowed hard, "Is there someone behind me?"

Bimpe nodded - her eyes wide open in fear and Derin gasped.

"What is it?" She asked, her heart racing fast.

"See for yourself," Bimpe replied, creating even more fear in her.

Derin nodded amidst hot breath as she turned around, her heart racing even more by each second and she saw...Bayo?

"What the-?" Derin hollered, and they both laughed causing her to become red with anger.

"Oh! She's angry," Bimpe exclaimed, drawing back as Derin huffed, but Bayo stood there still laughing.

"Darn you!" She yelled at him, throwing him playful punches to his stomach, which never affected him as he laughed more than before, while gripping both her hands.

"All right wildflower!" He smirked, trying to not laugh, but it was hard as the way she fumed, was so darn cute and hilarious.

"Come on! You guys terrified me. I could've fainted from all that fear," Derin raged, stomping her feet on the ground, all to show her anger, but Bayo whipped her into his arms.

"Oh, my sweetheart!" he said, as he ruffled her hair with his hand. Bimpe came to her and, also patted her on her back.

"You guys are so sweet together!" Bimpe grinned but, the duo threw a 'shut up' look to her and, she immediately used her fingers to hold her lips.

Bayo had been a good friend to this duo and, he's always been the protective shield of the girls. They'd been friends since Tenth grade and, never left each other from that time onward even though. Bayo is two years older than them and, both girls have crushed on him at different points of time.

Derin's parents were middle-class civil servants, and the family could neither be referred to as rich nor poor, as they were average and happy with their status. She wasn't an only child as she had a sister "Danielle" who was three years younger.

"She's right," a chirpy voice came from behind them, and they turned to see Danielle, "You both would be perfect for a Romeo and Juliet duet."

"C'mon Elle," Derin smiled, "Cut with the jokes."

"Okay," Elle rolled her eyes, "I'll be off to my class now," She added before jumping off.

They stared after her, until she disappeared into one of the doors at the end of the hall.

"I guess we should be heading to our class," Derin said, drawing both their attention.

They both nodded, before they dispersed, each walking to their respective classes.

After the closing bell, the students all began leaving the school premises, but Derin stood at the garden waiting for her friends when she noticed Bimpe jog towards her with a cheerful smile.

"How was the class?" She asked, and Derin shrugged.

"Boring, I guess."

Babe laughed. "School has never been boring to you Aderinsola Ajayi, and definitely not Literature lessons."

Derin rolled her eyes, "Okay, fine, you got me there," She smiled, "I don't feel like heading home straight away."

Babe smirked, "Oh, what do you plan on doing?"

"How about we wander into the fair?" Bayo's voice came from behind the girls, who both spun to him.

"How long were you listening Bayo?" Babe asked.

"Just about enough to know we're all heading to Lagu Festival," Bayo smiled.

The trio walked out of the school's premises and boarded a bus "Moluwe" heading into the festival ground. Lagu Festival was one of the most important festivals in the city, and it was celebrated only once in a year. People from far and near were always at the event to witness the unveiling of the deepest part of the Yoruba culture.

It is quite similar to the "Eyo" festival, but "Lagu" pays tribute to the "Ayao" goddess of air, and "Egungun-Oya" the goddess of divination. Various other deities believed to have associated with these goddesses were most of the time featured.

Apart from broadening the knowledge of the Yoruba tradition and its deities, many also come to gain free glance into their future, or to know what their star foretells. This is known in the English world as 'Astrology' but the Yorubas call it 'Iworawo'.

Who wouldn't want to have a guess on how his or her future would be?

Due to this feature, majority traveled miles just to hear from the fortuneteller "Aworawo", and that's the reason this three friends were heading into the festival grounds.

"Let me view your palm," The old ragged woman said to Derin, asking her in the native language.

"I'm not really sure about this, guys," Derin said to her friends, but Bimpe nudged her to go forward.

"Come on, just this once," Bayo spoke, encouraging her to seek her star at the hands of the fortuneteller.

Derin swallowed back, "Fine," and stretched her hands to the woman, who instantly looked at her palm.

A smile crawled up the old woman's wrinkled face, "You have a very bright future, my dear," she said, and Derin smiled.

"That's great!" Derin replied.

"However, you must note that such brightness doesn't come without the darkest times, and such times are on you now," The woman said causing the smile on Derin's face to disappear. "You must preserve, and follow what you believe is right to overcome the darkest times," She added.

Derin withdrew her hand with mixed feelings.

That's what she hated about these fortunetellers; they never speak complete good about one's future.

Bayo dropped the cash into the woman's basket, before they all turned and walked away.

"Don't mind what she said," Bimpe said, "All she said were jargons and they don't mean a thing," She added.

Derin forced a smile, "Of course."

"We shouldn't have checked at her place," Bayo cut in, "However, we still have the whole festival to enjoy," He added, lightening the mood.

"Let's go have fun!" Derin said, and they walked further into the festival.

Derin had no belief in the existence of celestial powers, and neither did she believe in the string of fate and destiny. She also believed there must always be a reason behind every action, and everything.

She had a dream just like every other kid her age and hers was to become a great art practitioner, in layman's language, an actress.

Everyone knew she had all the virtues and skills to become one and, not to mention her parent's support for her and her dreams. All were to have been perfect if only, tragedy hadn't chosen to pay her a visit.

Few days to her graduation ceremony, on April 28th, 2015, Derin's parents were to attend a wedding celebration in a neighboring city, both Derin and her sister had bad feelings on their parent's journey.

One could tell that Derin was more against their journey as her instincts told her that that journey would not end well but, she had to push this back as her mother assured her that nothing will happen.

Her parents; Bamidele their father, and their mother, Elizabeth left the house after saying goodbye to their daughters, with the promise of coming back in two days' time, not knowing that fate had other plans for them.

Elizabeth gave her daughters some quick advice before she and her husband got into their Peugeot Benz and drove out of their four-room duplex premises. The girls waved on until their parents were out of sight.

Derin and her sister got the message from their parents they had arrived their destination in safety and, they got a call from their mother the follow day that they were on their way back.

Before hanging up, Elizabeth told the girls she loved them both, and they both replied, telling her they both loved her and, their dad very much. Their dad spoke in the background, saying they were his princess and, that he'll always have them close to his heart.

This was the last time they communicated with their parents, as it wasn't up to five hours later, that their aunt with the name Bolanle rushed into the house. She told them that their parents were involved in a ghastly motor crash, and they were both in critical conditions in the hospital.

Bolanle and the girls left for the hospital to inquire about Elizabeth and Bamidele's health.

As soon as Derin stepped into the hospital premises, she began to feel her temperature rise, her heart ballooned and she felt obnoxious, all at once. The surrounding air was very warm, timid, and seemed to be still, and not moving, as if time had slowed down.

They were all met by the doctor, and Derin tried to read his face, but his face was void of emotions and she couldn't get a guess on what was happening.

"Are you the family to the couples rushed in earlier?" He inquired as soon as his eyes met theirs.

Bolanle replied him with a yes, and the doctor dropped the bomb - both Elizabeth and Bamidele had passed on. Bamidele was brought in brain dead while his wife, their mother just gave up the ghost a few minutes ago.

Derin's aunt and sister both broke down in bitter tears but Derin just stood rooted on her feet, her gaze hard on the doctor as she forced herself not to believe that she'd become an orphan.

But realization dawned in and tears gathered in her eyes, clouding her view.

"Is this how people died?" She questioned herself.

As just as that, in a twinkle of light, they'd just become orphans, no more parents to stand up for them.

What'd gone wrong? How could life be so cruel to both of them as to snatch both their parents when they weren't up to the age of handling life?

Just then did her body react to the news, as she screamed out in agony before she wept bitterly, her legs quivered and give out beneath her.

She wept throughout, but no amount of tears could bring back the dead as they were gone and forever departed from the living.

Death is really a bitch in its own way. It hurts to look back and see that all those whom you've started the journey with are all gone, just in a blink of an eye. Derin knew now that she and her sister were all alone, it didn't matter if they had the family as, it just wouldn't feel the same.

No one can ever love them, like their own parents, and so no family member will ever be able to fill in for their parents. They were orphans, and they were alone. If the Heavenly God existed, then maybe, He wouldn't have allowed the cold, wicked and heartless hands of death to take their parents.

Elizabeth and Bamidele Ajayi were buried a week later, and this is when the reality of being alone and orphans began to torment and reached the girls. Their late father's brother laid claim on all the properties, and wealth that had once belonged to their father and ought to be passed onto them.

As if adding more salt to their wounds, Uncle Bide also demanded that the girls leave the house, the one thing that shouldn't be taken away from them. Derin couldn't take this pure act of insolence against her and her sister, and so she tried to fight back; letting Bide know that he's got no right to take their house away from them.

It would have been a winning case, only if the others supported the girls but, they didn't and so; the girls lost the house along with the other properties to Bide.

As if they cared or just to show their sympathy, the family decided that Danielle should stay with their aunt Bolanle while Derin had to stay with another distant relative, who was their dad's stepsister "Bunmi" who stayed in Port-Harcourt.

Derin had to move in with this family member, even though it was hard for her to part from her sister, her life, and friends. She also did not know the said woman, and it felt as if she was just walking into a life of pure darkness. She couldn't bear to be away from her sister, Danielle is the only one she has left and, they still separated them.

Even though this hurt still burned in her heart and, she wanted and wished so much that she'll be able to take her sister and go away from them but; she lacked the courage to do so.

Afterall, she was a young girl in a society that doesn't give a female the rights to speak.