Eight

Three days until resumption, until I would be rid of my mother and her lover.

Honestly Eric wasn't that bad, he didn't scold me, beat me, send me on errands or just ignore me like my father used to. He made several efforts to get close to me but I avoided him, something about the way he looked at me always made me uncomfortable. 

         Abike and I were wrestling for a container of pringles on my bed when the door was thrown open. 

'Hey Amanda... and her friend'. Eric said with his megawatt smile. He had on just boxers and singlet. 

'Good day sir'. Abike greeted. 

'Please call me Eric, I'm really younger than I look'. 

'I'm assuming you are twenty years old'. Abike said and he laughed with a glint of amusement in his eyes. 

'Hey Eric, I thought we talked about the knocking issue'.

'Yeah sorry. I'm making noodles, wanted to know if you'd like some'. 

'No thanks. We are pretty much filled with junk'. 

'Are you sure your friend doesn't want some?'

'No, I'm good. I will be leaving soon anyway'. Abike said 

'Okay, carry on'. He closed the door with such ferocity I was scared it would fall off it's hinges.

'That's the Eric?' 

I had told Abike all about him and she hadn't been to my house throughout the holidays because she didn't want to experience the drama but my mom was at work and I felt unusually bored today with Ekpe away to see his sick mom so I called her over. 

'Yeah that's him'. 

'He stays here?'

'Basically. Says the place is more conducive for his work'.

'What does he do?'

'Online programming dot com'. 

'AKA yahoo yahoo'

'What do you mean?'

'Online Programming is what these guys call scamming. They use the internet to dupe people. I hope your mom knows what she's doing'. 

'I hope so too'.

There was a brief pause. 

'He is so... young'. She struggled to find the right word. 

'Too young for my mom? Yeah, who knew she was a milf? 

'Mandy'. She said in that soft tone that was usually a preamble for her chronicles of life philosophies. Abike is such an adviser, much like her mom but she'd never accept it. 

'Not now please. You were going to tell me a rumour you heard'.

'Oh yes. Guess who slept with her father's friend for an iPhone? Becca!'

'What? I'm not surprised but isn't her father super rich? Why didn't she just ask him?'

'He finally had enough of her bad grades and decided not to get anything for her until she sits up'. 

At least her dad bothered to check her result. Nowadays all my mom cared about was Eric and making sure he didn't find out the true relationship I shared with her. 

        Abike left me dozing off on my bed and went home. I lay there half asleep, too lazy to wake up and go lock the gate, hoping Eric would do it. I heard the faint sound of a shutting door but assumed it was one of the doors in the mansion I own in my dreams until I felt fingers touch my left leg and I jerked up.

'Shh. Lie down baby'. Eric was at the foot of my bed and had a finger on his lips, gesturing for me to be silent. 

'Eric what are you doing?' He climbed the bed and I shifted to the headrest. 

'Nothing baby, nothing'.

'Then get out of my room and stop calling me baby'.

'Of course, you are a big girl so you know what I want. Don't worry I won't tell your sister and neither will you so we'll be fine'.

He touched my thigh. I raised my knees to my chest and pushed him on the abdomen, he fell to the floor and I dashed for the door but he caught me and threw me on the bed. So much for being skinny. 

'I see you like it rough, like your sister'. He pinned me to the bed by my shoulders. Hearing that statement lit up the rage I was trying to keep in check. 

'Get your hands off me!' I screamed but he laughed 

'Screaming will only earn you a sore throat. There is no one here Amanda, this is happening whether you like it or not'.

He reached inside his boxers and brought out a pair of handcuffs. Does he walk around with it like that? Before I could comprehend, he was cuffing my left hand to the bedpost. 

'Please'. Tears stung at my eyes

'Awwn'. He coed, wiping my tears with his tongue. 'You know, this is one of your sister's favorite toys'. 

'That's all we are to you? Specimens to try your toys on?'

'You? Yes but your sister is more, the perfect sugar mommy'. 

'Bastard!' I screamed and kicked at him with all the parts of my body I could move. 

'Stop!' He barked but I kept kicking until I felt his teeth bite painfully on my nipple and I had to clench my teeth to reduce the pain. 

He tore my dress out of my body and traced his fingers on my panties, they were my favorite and I knew that after today, I'd never be able to wear them again. I closed my eyes and prayed in my heart in a way I had never done before. I was no believer of miracles but I knew it was the only thing that could save me as I felt my undies coming off. 

I heard Eric moan, then scream but refused to open my eyes until I heard Abike's voice. Eric was now on the floor, unconscious but there was no blood. She must have hit him with the pestle she was still holding as she got on the bed and uncuffed me. 

She hugged me tight, got her phone out and dialled her mother's number. She told her mom about the situation and asked her to relay the message to my mom.

'They will be here soon. They were already on their way'. She said as she stroked my hair. I nodded. 

'Why didn't you tell me he was making passes at you? I would've stayed or asked mom to let you come stay with us'. 

'He didn't come on to me as a rapist'. 

'They never do. I'm so sorry Mandy'.

Eric groaned on the floor and Abike jolted up, carrying the pestle with her. He got up and faced her with a frown I was seeing for the first time on his face, it suited him better. 

'You foolish tramp. How dare you?' He took two steps forward and Abike pointed her weapon at him. 

'If you come any closer I'll hit you so hard and this time, on your coconut head'.

His next stride was interrupted by the sound of my mom's honk. 

'What ever happened here remains between us. Do you understand?' He snarled, trying to scare us. 

'Too bad, word already got out while you were taking a nap. I'd run if I were you, except you want an accommodation in jail'. 

'Oh he's getting one alright'. Mrs Dapo said as she walked in followed by my mom and two police officers. I hadn't moved from my position. I sat there clothed in nothing but my skin.

My mom ran and hugged me just as Abike had minutes ago while Mrs Dapo ensured Eric's arrest. 

'I'm so sorry baby, I didn't mean for this to happen'. She said in a teary voice. I sat there and let her hold me because I knew it was the last time I'd let her hold me like that. 

        Abike and her mom left after an hour, throughout which my mom didn't let go of me. I let myself fall asleep in her arms, I dreamt of Alade, iya, my dad, my friends, even what I thought my mother's father would look like. I dreamt of going away and living with any one of them, going away from Eric, my mom, apex school, the wealth, the finesse, the bullies, the life I was never prepared for.

I longed for my room back at Alade's house that could easily pass as a storeroom. I longed for iya's insults and her leaf infested rice. Anything to get away from this place, from this moment and whatever more surprises the city of paradise had to offer. 

'Amanda'. I heard my mom whisper

'Yes?' My voice was hoarse from being quiet for a while along with the earlier screams. 

'You should bath'. I nodded. 

'I apologize on behalf of Eric. I don't know what came over him, he'd never do something like that. Do you know if he had been drinking?'

I stared at her in disbelief. 

'No mom, he had not been drinking. Apology accepted though, you can go bring him back so we can become one big happy family again'.

'Baby'.

'If I hear that word one more time today I'll puke on my intestines. Eric would never do something like that right? What do you even know about him? Your daughter almost got raped and all you care about is if your boyfriend had been drinking. Anything to make him look less guilty, less bad so that you can have an excuse to bring him back. You are so selfish mom, you'd put me on the line just to avoid being lonely and without a man to cuddle up to at night. My life was so much better without you in it'.

I finished my rant session and walked into the bathroom. 

           After a few minutes, I heard my mom leave and shut the door. I stood under the shower for almost an hour and let the water run from my head to my toes in hopes that it'd wash away the events of the day from my memory. I touched my left wrist where I had been cuffed and tears came to my eyes, I let them fall with the water. They'd eventually go down the drain, so would the hurt I was feeling and I'd never let another tear fall for this reason again. 

I got out of the shower and dressed in my night clothes, regardless of the fact that it was too early to go to bed. I locked my door and turned off the light switch in case NEPA decided to give light at night, I didn't want to be awakened tonight. I lay on my bed, covered myself with the sheets and closed my eyes. Three days more.