CHAPTER 3

" So your decision," dad asked while on his phone as usual.

Honestly, this is the last place I wanted to be right now.....sitting in front of my pseudo father and my unwanted mother.

I was in my room sleeping when Kike knocked on the door and I climbed off the bed to open for her.
" Your parents are waiting for you at dining for family dinner ma....ma..... Reya," she said. I rolled my eyes at her unbalanced words.

I scoffed. Knowing well the reason behind this dining scene. I know my dad won't rest until he gets what he wanted, then I'm going to give him the answer he has been eagerly waiting to hear.
I groaned while I strode downstairs.

Here I am with my mom and the so-call-my-fake-father sitting at the dining table while they were both enthralled with their phone.

"Reya. I hate it when you don't reply to my question," he said with an angry voice while glaring at me. I rolled my eyes. " Yes... I.....I ....will ma...rry him" I mumbled. Mom looked shocked while dad plastered an evil smile on his lips. My head sagged down as the tears rolled down my chicks while I bit my lower lip.

I know you must think I'm stupid for making this choice, but I'm putting on my sense panties -- I  know what I'm doing. This is the only way I know I can get away from this man. I need to find out what's together with Ejikemes and his business. I thought to myself.

" Nice then we should be making preparation for the wedding," mom said cheerily.

" You've really made me happy Reya for the first time," dad spoke while grinning.

I looked up at him disdainfully while I tried to push back the tears in my eyes. They both left happily while discussing how their meeting will be with the Ejikeme's. I heaved a sigh while I sagged my head backward resting on the dining chair, looking for anyone up there to save me. It's never my choice to get married to that annoying  Daniel but what can I do? The love of money is greater than the love of the daughter. Don't get me wrong. I believed my mom should have saved enough for us to stay on our own by now, instead, she decided to stick with this man because of money to the extent that she is getting me married to someone I never liked not even thinking of getting married. There is nothing I can do to stop this plan.

Run...I can't

Disagree...I won't even try.

Pleaded with my dad....he won't even budge.

Fake sickness or something......they actually careless!

I guess I have to go with the plan.... marrying Daniel for escape.

" Miss Reya" kike voice interrupted my deliberation.

" Yes, what is it?" I asked raising my eyebrows at her still leaning back on the dining chair.

" Hum..." She was staring at my back smiling. I made a wry face at her expression.

" Are you ok?" I asked while scrutinizing her face.

She keeps smiling while fixing her gaze at my back. I decided to check what she was beaming at, so I slowly turned my head and I was astonished.
I gasped. " DAVE" I exclaimed and jumped into his arm for a hug. We hugged for like two minutes before pulling apart. " But you were in New York," I said raising an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. " Yes, I was, until my bestie has to give me no peace," he said while rolling his eyes at me. " I mean I was damn worried about you and you can't even call me and just lemme know was happening......" I cut him off by hugging him to stop talking.

Don't think another way, not that I want to flirt with my best friend but that's the way Dave is, he won't stop talking so I had to do something to make him stop talking plus have missed him. He was taken aback by my hug but he adapted to it while gently putting his hand at my back to hug me back. " Dave everything has not been good," I said in his ear while hugging. He pulls apart from me, holding my arms to face me, he cups my face with his hands so that I can stare him in his eyes directly.

" It's gonna be alright ok..." He gulped. 
" I'm here now so we can find a solution to everything," he said searching my eyes for what I don't know. I took his hand off my face to hold them, " Dave...you know that night that I called and I have to hang up, I found out that..." I looked around to see that no one was there before I can talk.

" Let's get your room instead," Dave said in a low voice.
I nodded my head in response to what he said. He held my hands in his while making our way upstairs to my room. Getting to my room, I locked the door Incase if anyone, I mean mom or dad are coming so they won't spot us together. It's strange, right?

Yh...I know it's kinda weird.

My parent believes that Dave and I have feelings for each other which are definitely wrong and that's why they don't like me together with him. They've always wanted Daniel and me to be together, but not to the extent of forcing me like now. I'm still wondering why they have to be this pressure on getting married to Daniel. They've tried to stop Dave and I from Getting closer, but what can they do? They are not always around to see us together and they can't separate my best friend and me. My relationship with Dave is just like brother and sister, we are both the only children of our parents so we kind of make ourselves siblings.

He sat on the bed while I was sitting close beside him.

" So you found out what?" He asked desperately.

" Dad is not my real dad, I mean Mr. Johnson is not my real dad," I said looking down my hands while biting my lower lips to stop the tears forming in my eyes. 
I don't like breaking down in front of Dave because he can't stand me crying, he will be very hurt and I can't stand him to be hurt by me. "What!" Dave said with a shocked voice.

.................

DAVE POV

The last time I spoke with Reya on phone, she was worried about something which makes her hung up on me and since then has not been able to get in touch with her. Then I decided to book a flight back to Nigeria and told my parents that I have something important to do. Yes, she is important, Reya is someone very special and important to me she is not only my best friend but my sister. She has always been the one helping me with all the bad times in my life, she stood there for me when I needed her most, we've been friends since when we were young. I left my family, my mom, dad, and Ekene my cousin that stays with us. I left them in New York. I came back to Nigeria the second night that she contacted me.

I thought something bad has happened to her. I cringed at my own bad though because I can even survive if anything happens to her.

I got to their house today and I saw her lost in thought on the dining chair, she looked slimmer, sick, and weak her head sagged down backward on the dining chair. She was deep in thoughts.

" What has happened to my Reya?" I asked myself knowing no one can hear me.she didn't even know that someone came in.

Kike, her maid noticed that she hasn't noticed me, so she decided to draw her attention back to reality.

" Dave" she exclaimed and jump into my arm for a hug. I can see the happiness in her eyes when she saw me and I was so happy that my trip back to Nigeria was not in vain, I mean I will do anything to make her happy. 
Then she wanted to tell me something very important but I can see that she was afraid of getting caught by her parents with me, so  I suggested to let us inside her room, I don't want to get her in trouble or anything that can separate us both. we went upstairs to her room, I was afraid though because her parent might see us but I took the bold decision to walk in and believe nothing will happen.

" Dad is not my real dad, I mean Mr. Johnson is not my real dad," she said.

" What!" I exclaimed. I was floored by the news. Yes, we can say these people are not her parents judging from the way they've been treating her from the beginning. Oh.. she didn't mention that they only paid her school fees and give her room to sleep, also got a nanny that took care of her just for their social reputation, but the main fact here is they never give her the love of a mother and a father she deserved.  They don't give her allowance to change her cloth and they didn't allow her to go out except for special occasion with them just so they can show off their so-called ' not taking care of daughter'.  she has to do some per time job at a restaurant -- she cleans their plate and gets paid for it so she can have some penny to buy something for her self.

Though no one recognized her from school or any places because she will always disguise herself as someone else. I'm the only one that knew about this, Reya is not someone that can easily open up to speak to people about her life.

But I thought all this torture from her parent was like training for her even though I know it's wickedness, but since they are parents, they must have reasons for doing this. That's what I presumed. I guessed I was wrong because no parent could be that wicked to their child to the extent of forcing their will on her for business' sake.

Honestly, what's the deal with this marriage thing they are pinning on her?

" Dave...are you ok?"  Her beautiful voice brought me back to reality,  that's when I realized that my jaw has been hanging down due to the shocking news. I shut my mouth.
" I am speechless" I mumbled while I heaved a sigh.

" wow". Is all I can say.

" The worse thing is that my mom is not ready to fight back because my dad stupid threatened," she said now crying.

" Sheesh" I shushed her while pulling her close to me. She buried her head in my chest for a while and I patted her back to calm her down before pulling apart to clean her misty eyes.
I cupped her protectively in my palm  "look me in the eyes" I said while staring at her intensely.

"it's ok Reya" I whispered. She looks so vulnerable and I can't even do anything to make her happy now. I raised my head trying to blink back the tears forming in my eyes. I can't breakdown in front of her. I need to be strong for her. I really can't see her like this, but I'm powerless in this matter. Her parent doesn't even want is together, so there is no hope in convincing them to stop all this.

" What threat?" I asked still cupping her face.  She faced down." He said he will send my mom and me out and he will make sure we are homeless," she said swallowing the lump forming in her throat.
I sighed and drew her close to hug her.

"Ok. I was thinking if I can pay for the shelter....you know...Incase if your mom is afraid of being homeless...so I can pay for you guys rent or you can stay with us...or what do you think...what I'm I even saying.." 

She giggled at my miserable choice of words.
" Dave....it's ok. My mom won't even agree. I know she loves money, that's why she can't leave that man even if she has to sell her self." She said while giving me a sad smile.
" So what's your decision?" I asked still rubbing her back up and down to calm her down. She sniffed then pull herself back to look at me.

" Have decided to marry Daniel " she said with a firm voice.
" I scoffed " you are amazing Reya, I mean who can be foolish like you are now. You already know the truth that this man is not your father and you decided to still agree with the life decision he made for you which is probably for his own selfish reason" I said.

" I know Dave," she said rubbing her hand in her temple while closing her eyes to relieve herself from stress. she looked up and while bitting her upper lips " but I'm doing that for a reason " she said while staring up.

" May I know the reason, mam?" I asked raising my eyebrows at her and put my hands under my chin.

She breathes out." Because I feel like that's the only way to be free from this man and besides, I can start working and get money, by then I will be able to fight for my self and divorce that .... whatever called Daniel so I can move on and forget all this ever happened to me. I will also make this as payback for that man, I mean the one I called my dad for all he has done" she shrugged "

I mean my school fees and the house and any other things he has done " she said in relief.

I sighed " you know what you are about to do is not easy, I mean ....yes I know we are studying entrepreneurship in school and we've not graduated yet and you've not even come up with a plan or the business you want to do, how long are you gonna wait till you get money to set your self free?. I asked

I sighed again and pinched my eyes closed for a second.

" I know Dave, I know it's not easy and I'm not graduated yet but you know as an entrepreneur, is not a must you must be graduated before you become one... I know the certificate and others, but what can I do, my life is already a mess. My dad...Mr. Johnson won't even let me graduate before marrying  Daniel, so do  you think I have a choice?" She said while shrugging. 
She fell back on the bed and shut her eyes close. I can see how she is trying to control her tears.
" But the thing is if Mr. Johnson  is not your father then who is your father?"
  She shrugged," that's another story for another day, Dave," she said closing her eyes again.
I smiled at her. That's just Reya,  she makes life easy for herself,  I mean she does things one after the other.

"You are smiling while I'm here thinking of what to do with my life" .her word shook me out of my thoughts. 

"Hum..." I cleared my throat " hum...no no no, I'm not smiling just for nothing ....hum I was smiling at you...you know hum..." I stammered.

" Really" she cut me off, now sitting straight and looking at me with a dorrh face.

" Was just thinking of something young lady" I said raising my hand defensively.

She hit my harm and we both started laughing as if there was no problem at all. That's just it, that's the way we've been since childhood, I will always make her smile despite any situation and she does the same which makes us feel life easier to deal with.
I smiled at the thought of both of us, and I can see her smiling even though deep inside there is pain, one thing is she will always smile.

I felt something heavy on my chest, I looked down to see Reya resting on my chest. It must have been when I was lost in thought, that's why I couldn't feel her heavy weight on my chest.

She looks peaceful when asleep. I patted her head continuously before I slightly pressed my lips on her forehead.
" Goodnight" I mumbled while I lay back down on the bed with her head on my chest.