Chapter 2: Chapter 2

LOLA POV.

I was born and brought up in Lagos. My family was a happy one, my parents only gave birth to me alone. We stayed on the mainland of Lagos, inside palm groove estate. My dad was a contractor, he was the one behind some of the major roads in Lagos. My dad was a disciplinarian but at the same time very lovely and accommodating. I remember something that happened when I was still in primary school. My dad was someone that despised children roaming about the street during the school hour. He had warned me on several occasions to always stay in the school compound even during the breaks period and I had never for once dare go against his words. So that particular day, we were on break period and my friend then asked me to follow her to the woman selling food outside the school compound. Not that the school authority would allow us to go out but we all know how the student does their things. I wouldn't have gone with my friend that day but the woman selling food inside the school compound cooked rubbish that day. Three different people complained about the food not having enough salt and some said her food was so cold, so my friend asking me to follow her was an escape route for me to eat something better because the woman outside the compound always cook something extraordinary. I thought about my dad's warning about going out but I shake off the thought with the mind that my dad can't see that day, what would he be doing around my school at that time of the day. I followed my friend and we found our way out of the school compound, the woman's shop was not so far from our school so in no time we got there and met some of our students there also waiting to be served. Since we didn't go with plates, we decided to just eat our food there and get back to school before the break period will be over. We waited for our time and we got served, made our way to the eating area of the woman located inside the building she was selling the food. My friend was in the front and I followed behind her. We were trying to locate where to seat with food in our hands when I saw my friend seated and looking at me in the manner of 'it's you I'm waiting for'.

I did not know what to do, I stood there with the plate of food in my hands, I knew I have bitten more than I can chew, I knew it was game over. My dad did not say anything, he just got up from his chair, took his bottle of water, and left the canteen. Believe me, I would have preferred if he said something, that silence alone made everything worse. Nobody knew what just happened since they all did not know my dad. I sat down and enjoyed my food, there is no way I will suffer two things, I know I will be punished so why won't I enjoy my food and think about the punishment later. After eating we got back to school but my mind was not in school throughout that day, my mind was on the punishment waiting for me at home. I did not meet my dad at home when I got home that afternoon, he was not back yet so I used the opportunity to explain to my mum what happened and she promised to help me explain to my dad immediately he gets back but as the Lord will have it, my mum went to the market when my dad got home, I tried to explain myself but the man was not listening, I was receiving the last lashes of the cane when my mum entered, she stood at the door and opened her mouth wide open and that scene made me cry more, I have been dealt with when my savior was not around.

I was in ss2 when my parents told me they are going to a friend's birthday party in Ibadan, they said they would be back that same day. I went to school that day and when I got back my parents were not back yet. "Maybe they are on their way," I said to myself. Evening came and my parents were still not back. I would have called them, but I did not have a cell phone, my dad was against the idea of me having a cell phone while still in secondary school even though I did brilliantly well in all my exams. My grade was always around A and B, while in primary classes, my position was around 1st or 2nd, 3rd position was a fail to me then, even the second position will have to come with so many As in the subjects. 10 pm and my parents were still not back, I went to bed that night thinking maybe they have decided to stay over for the day. The following day was Saturday, I was in the sitting room watching the morning news when my dad's friend, Mr. Roba walked in with his son.

Mr. Roba and my dad has been friends right from primary school, their friendship developed into a family. When Mrs. Roba died, my dad accommodated Mr. Roba and his son, David because they complain of her still being in the house so they had to leave the house for a while. They never went a day without seeing each other and they always go somewhere together. I'm sure they went to Ibadan together the previous day.

Mr. Roba entered and greeted me, but his countenance was giving me so much worry. Mr. Roba came to tell me that my parents were involved in a ghastly accident and they both died at the spot. All I remembered was hearing him saying they both died.

I woke in the hospital the second day, Mr. Roba said have passed out for two days. The event of what happened before I passed out flashed back into my head and I started crying. "My parents are both gone just like that?" I asked myself again to be sure I wasn't dreaming. Mr. Roba and David consoled me and said I still have them as family.

My parents did not have any relation I know of, my dad was the only son of his parents, same with my mum, she was the only daughter too and they both lost their parents a very long time ago.

My parents has been buried before I left the hospital, they were buried in the cemetery because Mr. Roba thought they would not let me rest if they should bury them at home. After I was discharged, Mr. Roba asked me to come and be living with his family stating that I was too young to be living alone and given what just happened, I shouldn't stay alone. I moved in with Mr. Roba and David his son and we rented my dad's house out. I continued my schooling after moving in with Mr. Roba and everything was moving on well until one evening that something that changed my life goal and vision happened.

Mr. Roba was living in a four-bedroom flat, he had one room to himself, one room to David his son and he gave me my room when I moved in with them remaining one-room unoccupied. Why Mr. Roba decided not to marry after Mrs. Roba's death remains a mystery to me. He had everything, money was not the problem, he just chooses to remain single since the woman's death.

Mr. Roba got me a phone after moving in with them and I was in my room surfing the Internet that day when Mr. Roba entered. I greeted him and continued pressing the phone when he did not say anything. He sat at the edge of the bed, I was seating in the middle of the bed. Mr. Roba started making funny moves, he started by rubbing my legs seductively. I was scared, I stood up quickly out of fear and dropped my phone, I was standing on the bed looking at Mr. Roba. He got up and stood on the bed with me, and he got hold of me before I could summon enough courage to run. I shouted maybe David will hear me and come to my rescue but no one was coming. I begged Mr. Roba to please stop what he was about to do but the spirit has taken over him and he did not listen.

My life was about to be scattered, the dignity has been preserving all this while was about to be taken away, "what can I do to make this cup pass over me?" I asked myself sobbing and still begging Mr. Roba to please stop the devil act. I wasn't ready to tread the path he was about to take me, not to my dad's best friend, someone I looked up to as my father in the land of an orphanage.