Episode 1

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#BLIND________DESIRE

#Episode__One..

I watched as my friends went on rattling about their boyfriends…their boyfriends got them that…got them this…too much stories both the ones that happened and the ones that never did…then the sex part…how their boyfriends played with the Vjay…pinched and s----d their nipples…some i found intruiging, some i found disgusting.

'Ivyy…why arent u saying anything?' Oma asked.

'see why i've always told you to get a boyfriend? See, now u dont have anything to contribute' Henna, the eldest amongst us said. Henna was not really my friend and i usually tried my best to keep her as far as possible…i believed she was a bad influence and it was since she joined our school that my friends started acting negatively…well, they could fall for her bad advice but i will not.

I just smiled saying nothing.

'or have u gotten urself a boyfriend already…one we dont know?' Ije asked smiling devilishly..

I stopped walking 'i'm sorry guys but i have to rush home now…i have to help my mum in her store and i also have some chores to do at home, i will see u guys in school tomorrow'

'but we are going home together arent we?' Oma asked.

'or u want to do corner corner…dont worry, we understand, a girl needs to change oil once in a while…go on…we are right behind u…' Henna said.

I fought the urge not to eye her…instead i walked away.

They all thought of me as introverted and naive…yes, maybe i'm introverted but i'm not naive…or so i thought.

I had always wanted to marry a virgin and i promised myself that the first man i fell in love with is going to be the one who puts a ring on my finger.

My friends were far from being virgins….all thanks to that witch called Henna.

Henna's father was the richest man in Umueke….she had a driver who always took her to school or wherever she went but most times she preferred to walk with us one our way home from school…she wasnt all that beautiful but she had a figure one would die for and she was the most popular girl in school.

In our so called friendship circle, i was the most quiet and hardworking and this made people wonder how i managed to roll with their clique…truth be told, i didnt know…but i just knew that i felt complete with them…and being with them made me forget about my family problems.

'Ivyy' i heard a familiar voice call from behind.

I quickly turned…my friends were far behind…i stopped and watched as my father strolled to where i was…he regarded me with a look that could be called disgust mixed with love…i just dont know how to put it.

'daddy…good afternoon sir..' i stammered.

He didnt acknowledge my greeting 'where are u headed?'

Where else…if not home…i wanted to say…but i knew better 'i'm…i'm going home..'

He placed his hand on his waist and looked at me accessingly 'follow me…' he said and started walking in the opposite direction.

I wanted to argue but i changed my mind and followed him…i sighted my friends waving at me and i waved at them too.

'where are we going to?' i asked with gathered courage after few minutes of walking through bushpaths.

He continued walking 'aunty Chimezie's house' he replied curtly.

'what are we going to do there? Is she sick?' i wondered why we were suddenly going to see her.

'no…'

'then why are we going there?'

'because thats where you are going to be living…your things are already there…'

'what?!' i stopped walking 'why… Did something happen at home?!'

He ignored my question and pulled me along 'you will go to school and church from there and you are not allowed to come close to the house or ur mother's shop…have i made myself clear?!'

'what daddy? Have i done something wrong?' i asked getting close to tears…i couldnt stand being separated from Dada and my mum.

'just be a good girl and Chimezie will treat you well…i will provide everything you need and i will come visit periodically…'

'but dad…'

'no more word from you Ivyy'

I sobbed…

I let out an exasperated sigh and faced the guy who wouldnt stop trailing me wherever i went…he was a very popular guy in school…Ralph, a guy whom was well known to have slept with almost all the guys at school.

'Ivyy, just give me a chance, i will take care of you, i really love u..please' he said immediately i turned to him.

'i bet thats what you tell every girl who's ur next target…the same thing you said to Henna and the rest' i said and walked away immediately but not after hearing him curse out.

Fool! Just because his family was rich and he walked with swag and the neatest guy in school, he thought every girl would easily fall for his charms. As it was, i already had too much problems on my own and Ralph wasnt going to add to my problems.

Its been two weeks since i started staying with aunty Chimezie…after father practically dumped me there. I wasnt allowed to see my mum nor Dada.

Aunty Chime practically imprisoned me whenever i came back from school, to the extent she went to the stream herself…going to the market herself instead of sending me…what was going on?

Did something happen to Dada and my mother? Why was my life like this? First was my mum being hospitalised due to father's brutality and i being prevented from visiting her. Why was papa trying to separate mama and i? What was going wrong?

'Ivyy….'

I raised my head to see Henna standing in front of me.

I rolled my eyes and forced a smile 'hi Henna…'

'hi babes…i saw Ralph following you…' she had a mischievous glint in her eyes 'so he's the one kpanshi you now abi?'

'Henna, maybe you should just stop this….there's nothing btw Ralph and i okay?'

'but that guy is hurt and if i hadnt caught him with that ugly albino called Mesoma, we would still have been dating and he would have been servicing me wella' he hissed maliciously 'i hate that albino eh!'

I rolled my eyes. Simply because she had caught Mesoma and Ralph in bed, Henna had swore to make life a living hell for Meso in the village.

'so babe, i saw ur neighbour, ehm, whats that her name again…Kina, i saw her and she said she hasnt seen you in the compound for over two weeks now and it seems you havent been living there, whats going on? Did you run away from home?'

'nothing…' i quickly stood up from the chair i had sat on under a mango tree, and packed my books 'i'll be in the library Henna'

'you are going to the library to read abi you want to corner one guy there'

'Henna please!' i sighed and walked away.

I heard her laugh 'change oil my dear make ur waist no stiff jareh!'

I rolled my eyes…spoilt rabbit!

***

'Ivyy…' aunty Chime said during our evening meal of boiled yam and red oil 'your father was here when you went to school, he bought new novels for u and also new scandals with a new socks and he also gave me some money to give u for ur upkeep'

I suddenly lost my appetite…what did papa come to do? I suddenly hated him…why was he preventing me from seeing my mother? Why?

'Ivyy…' aunty Chime said again breaking my thoughts 'i know you are worried about your mother…but i just want you to know that all is well'

'thats a lie aunty and you know it…u and papa are both keeping something from me and i can feel it' i said.

I knew aunt Chime had never liked mama and i feel like all this was her doing. She just hated mama for no just reason, i dont know why.

'Ivyy luv, there are just somethings you will never understand now, no matter how well explained it is…we took you away from your mother for some reasons, traditional reasons to save u from shame and stigmatization….'

'what shame and stigmatization aunty?!' i cut in sharply 'what is going on? Is mama dead? Why wont you guys tell me everything? I believe i'm matured enof to handle the truth but please…u guys should not hide things from me…u dont know how it feels to be kept away from the truth…if my mother is in her sick bed, at least let me see her before she dies, aunty please' i pleaded in tears.

'your mother is not in her sick bed Ivyy, she's fine and just know that if you keep persisting on seeing her, we will send you to a faraway village where you wont even think of seeing her' she said calmly dipping her large piece of yam into the oil.

'what?!'

'just so u know Ivyy, we would do anything to separate you from your mother…Dada has been taken in Ezei to live with Uncle Nonso..its because of ur school you are still here…but if u keep insisting on seeing her, just know you are leaving Umueke for good because we would do anything to separate you from your mother…take it that way'

I felt shattered and hopeless.

TO BE CONTINUED 🤍