Title: THE FORTUNATE DAUGHTER
Episode 3
We arrived at the party a bit late and were ushered in by a lady who seemed to have been waiting for us. We sat at a secluded spot meant for special guests, and I took my time scanning everywhere to be aware of the environment and made sure to know the exit in case of any emergency.
I’ve been having a gut feeling about this since the moment we left the hostel, but I couldn’t tell Oj cause I didn’t want to spoil her mood.
We were served drinks but I declined because I don’t drink alcohol, Oj opted to get me a glass of juice which I accepted, and took a sip almost immediately cause I was thirsty and the juice came in handy. Before I knew it I gulped everything and asked for another.
A few minutes later Oj excused herself to the restroom and left me sitting with some guys I wasn’t familiar with, but I noticed another guy staring at me from a distance and chose to ignore him.
Minutes later I started feeling dizzy, it was as if everywhere was getting hotter even when there was enough air conditioner. I tried to stand up but couldn’t cause everywhere was spinning, I managed to stagger my way to the restroom where I thought Oj was but couldn’t find her, I called out her name but got no response, the restroom door was flung open all of a sudden and I saw with blurry eyes the guy who has been starring at me with two other guys approaching, as I made efforts to leave they held me back with their strong hands, I tried screaming but it was as if my voice only echoed in the restroom because the music outside was too loud and nobody could hear me, I pleaded and fought with them to let me go to no avail until they place a white handkerchief over my nose and I passed out. But before passing out I saw Oj standing beside the guy smiling while looking at me with disgust.
I was taken to a room and placed in the bed, I could feel and hear everything they discussed. I heard Oj telling them to make sure they execute the plan properly and also not leave any trace of her being part of it, before she left she called Arome to inform him of the progress so far, and that was when it hit me hard. No wonder she brushed off my complaints about him. I became so afraid and started praying in my heart, thinking about my mother and how she would feel if something bad happened to me.
Then I heard it, I wasn’t sure at first and I heard it again, it was my father’s voice, he ordered me to open my eyes, stand up and leave, immediately I regained consciousness, I stood up and looked around to see if I could see my father but I didn’t. I walked to the door and was surprised to see it open, I peeped and saw nobody in the passage and then walked slowly into the hall where the party was happening from there I took the exit and left.
It was already very late when I got out, and I couldn’t get a vehicle to take me to the hostel. I had to walk for almost an hour before I got to the hostel, on getting to my room I saw Oj sleeping on her bed, I woke her up with a very dirty slap on her face, she screamed waking up, at first she was so surprised to see me and ashamed to look at me until she put up an act. Our other roommates woke up and asked what the problem was, I told them to ask Oj and she lied, that she left because she thought I had gone out with some guy because she couldn’t find me anywhere at the party, I screamed in disbelief and told her every of their conversation I heard, she was surprised while our roommates clap their hands in shock.
I threatened her that I was going to report the matter to the police first thing in the morning and get her and her accomplices arrested, she stood up and asked me to do my worst, that I didn’t know who Arome was and what he could do to me, she also threatened that I should stay away from her and that she would deal with me if I ever cross her part.
I was dumbfounded as to everything happening at that moment, all I could say to her was God would definitely judge her. I left her and went to my bed. I couldn’t sleep all through the night, I was in deep pain and regret, I thought about my life and what could have happened if I hadn’t woken up, I cried so hard and wished I was with my mother.
Very early the next day I brought out all the wears she had given me and returned back to her and told her to stay away from me forever, I moved all my stuff that was in her space back to mine and readjusted my bed space. I stayed in the room all day cause the effects of what Oj added to my drink hadn’t worn off completely. Oj left the hostel and didn’t come back that day.
A week later, I was on my way to make a photocopy of the past question papers I borrowed from a coursemate when I ran into Arome, before I knew what was happening he was already on his knees begging for forgiveness and sweating profusely, before I could say jack people were already gathered wanting to know what was happening. He was still kneeling and seriously begging when the guy who was starring at me at the party also came kneeling down and begging for forgiveness, I was shocked and embarrassed, I couldn’t move or say a word until my course rep and some friends came to whisk me out of there. They took me to my hostel and left me at the gate in the company of my other roommates.
When we got to the room, they made me sit close to the window to get fresh air and gave me chilled satchel water they bought from the next room, after drinking and feeling a bit relaxed my roommates gave me another shocking news about Oj. I was told that she was beaten to a pulp by Arome which landed her in the hospital, and the reason was a huge shock to me.
TO BE CONTINUED
Written by Francisca Ejura Isaac
