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"What's makes me hope is that there's always someone to make you smile...you just have to find the person."

F.A.B.

What?

"You...you live in that mansion?"

"Yes I do." I can't believe my eyes or ears it anything, she's the mansion's occupant. But she isn't gloomy, she's... friendly...I'm the gloomy one here.

"Here's my business card," she handed me a card, I didn't even look at it, I just collected it and pocketed it, I was awestruck.

I looked ahead and saw the huge black gates to the mansion open as she pressed a button on a small remote she took out of her purse. She drove in and my jaw fell open.

How can a gloomy person live here?

She drove into a beautiful driveway lined with beautiful horticulture flowers on either side, the mansion was painted in a mystic cream colour, it looked glorious, I could see some fruit trees in the distance and a garden filled with beautiful flowers, wow. The door into the mansion looked huge from afar, I wonder if I'd ever get close to it.

"I'd like to see some of your works sometime, I'm a huge fan of art," she spoke snapping me out of my reverie .

"Oh...okay, what day would be suitable for you?" I asked.

"Sunday...9pm?"

"No problem."

I got down from the car and stepped on the beautiful German Tiled floor, gosh, she is in money, the edges of the mansion were coated in marbles...wow. I took out my bag and she added;

"Just come for dinner, along with your paintings, let's eat together and talk."

"Um...okay"

"What's your name?"

"Fiyinfoluwa"

"Beautiful, see you then"

I walked out of the compound with a spring in my step, I felt high, not the kind of high you get when you're on drugs, but the kind of high when you're at peace...for the first time.

I got into my own room and ran straight to the mirror. I was beaming from ear to ear, my russet brown eyes had a shine on them, the light from the bulb, illuminated my chocolate skin giving me a little glow...I've not felt this happy in a while. I went to a corner and pulled out the box I kept my paintings, the visit is two days away, but still, I don't want to be rushing, trying to get all in order, I hate rushing, so much, a certain rush into anger is one of the reasons I'm traumatized, a certain rush always came to my mind each time I remember that swift movement that put me in jeopardy, so I vowed to never rush into anything, ever.

I've vowed to do a lot of things, I've vowed not to do a lot of things, why? They're all in preparation for the future I want, hopefully the trauma would have worn off by then, I'll need help doing that...I just can't seek help, I don't want to be indebted to someone, ever, I hate that feeling...it always makes you cautious, always put you on your toes. So I'll take it slow or live with it.

I sat and finished the plate of rice, relishing on it's goodness, well, it's not poison, that's good news, neither is it drugged...I got up to wash my clothes then I pulled out the card, I was just about to check out what her profession and name is when I heard my phone ring from a text that came in. I looked at the phone and wondered who texted me, no one has my number...I dropped the card and went over to pick the phone and check. It was from an unknown number, I opened the text and saw the two words that never left my mind.

"Hey poppy."