015| FINDING OUT ABOUT RARE PHOBIAS

please don't miss the a/n at the end of this chapter! early update because I love you guysss! read on matesss💘

~H A N N I E L~

All the memories came back again.

I remembered how she eyed my hand like it was filth... How she had gotten a panic attack because of me...

How she moved away from me today when all I tried to do was help her...

It hurt.

It actually did.

"Han, baby, what are you thinking about?"

My mother was baking, her favorite thing in the world to do. On the outside, people knew Olivia Aderinoye(it's so hard to pronounce that) as one of the top three richest realtors in Nigeria and owner of Ethereal Properties but on the inside, she was just really a mother who loved her child and baking.

"It's my friend again," I groaned and covered my face with both hands.

"Komisola?"

There was an underlying tease to Komisola's name but I wasn't finding anything funny at the moment.

"Yes," I huffed.

"What's with her?"

"I don't know. She's just... I don't even know. Just yesterday, she smiled at me and today she moved away from my hold while I was trying to help her. Is her paranoia that extreme?"

"Maybe she has a phobia of men, androphobia. It might not be paranoia, maybe just phobia."

"What's that?" I raised a brow.

Mum dropped the tray and fully turned around to look at me, "Androphobia is an anxiety disorder that results into fear of men. It could be a mental disorder too."

"If she is avoiding physical contact with you, then it's probably because of that." Mum added.

"I saw her sit with a male senior today in the library, but there was also a female senior with them. How can she have androphobia?"

"I don't mean to sound strange but, considering the fact that she is someone who has sexually been abused by her own brother, then she's bound to have it. It might be mild too, not very extreme."

"Her brother sexually abused her?" I gasped.

"What was I telling you in the car that time?" Mum rolled her eyes. "It must have not been easy for the poor girl. I hope she isn't bullied at school?"

"Oh, she is. That's what I was trying to save her from today," I muttered the last part and bowed my head in shame. Mum caught me.

"Han, are you ashamed? C'mon, you did a good thing. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Help her as much as you can, okay?"

I raised my head up, "Really?"

"Yes,"

I smiled at Mum. "Thank you. I am going upstairs. I'll be back in a jiffy."

"What about the biscuits?"

I sighed and stood up, "I'll eat them when I come back."

¢•¢•¢•¢

Once I got upstairs I brought out my phone to research the internet about Androphobia.

Different results popped up, all under different websites and I clicked on a random one.

People who have  have a fear of men. Phobia means fear and “andros” is the Greek word for man. A person with androphobia experiences extreme anxiety or fear of men. For some people, even images of men bring on immediate phobia symptoms. Androphobia could also range from mild to extreme.

Woah.

I continued reading as I scrolled up.

Androphobia like other specific phobias, is only long lasting and can negatively affect your ability to carry out everyday activities, like work, education, and social relationships.

The exact cause of androphobia is not well understood but some experts say that some possibilities include:

•Past negative experiences with men, such as rape, physical assault, mental or physical abuse, neglect or sexual harassment...

I stopped reading once a wave of chills washed over my body. Realization hit me in the face, slamming into me and crashing into my head, body, mind and brain like a bulldozer.

Past negative experiences with men, such as rape... sexual harassment...

No way.

Mum did mention Grey eyes being sexually abused but...

No fucking way.

Had she gone through this much?

¢•¢•¢•¢

The week went by pretty fast. My first week at CH wasn't something so exciting, in a way it was. I clicked in with everyone but that didn't mean they were my friends, CH was also a very exciting school. Hassan had told me of the several activities this year and I had to conclude it was just mad. Asides from the Leisure Room, I had also discovered the school's natatorium and gym. And not to talk of the cafeteria, it felt like a whole 'nother world in there.

The only negative things were:

I was reconsidering my choice of friends, especially Dabirah and Grey eyes perfectly ignored me throughout the whole week...

After the Friday night party which I was invited to, Sunday came sooner than I had expected.

For the first time, I wasn't excited to meet Grey eyes in her church... that's if she was going to be there.

I stayed silent as we were in the car, caught up in huge traffic.

"Why don't you have a driver by the way, Mum?" I asked my Mum out of pure curiosity.

"What's wrong with my two hands?" Mum replied with sarcasm. She hissed at me and shook her head, "you these children of nowadays."

"By the way, your hair, you're going to have to cut it after church."

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, already feeling annoyance seep through me.

"I can't have you looking like there's a whole wig on your head." She rambled on.

"But Mum," I groaned in protest, "there's nothing wrong with my hair. It looks good this way. This," I gestured to the curls that covered my forehead, "is what the mates love." I said cockily.

"Eh," Mum removed her hands for a moment to clap her hands in more sarcasm. "Wonders shall never end. Oya, just cut the tip then." She tried to coax me into doing as she said.

"No," I shook my head adamantly. "Never. Not my precious hair."

She glanced at me and shot me a nasty look. "Let me just leave you this one time. I have to admit the hair does fit you, but it's too much. Next time I tell you to do something, you don't do it. You'll receive proper Nigerian mother spanking."

"Y'say what?" I turned a deaf ear, making sure to tease my Mum. She had on a smile that was way too adorable. "I love you, Mum."

"I know." She swept her braids to the other side and said with a hint of pride.

The traffic seemed to ease for a while and silently, we continued our drive to church before I arrived at the biggest church I had ever seen in my life.

I was still in awe when Mum began telling some things. "Pastor Adedire is the founder and has more branches of The Kings Ministries in other places, that's why he's called the General Overseer. I'm close with him, so he'll probably want to greet you as a first timer. Don't address him by General Overseer."

I nodded at Mum. As much as I was excited to enter this wonderful building, I wondered if Grey eyes would be present.

~
we finally know what's going on with komisola. but if you're a good observer, you'd notice that her paranoia mostly appears when she's given smiles by men or when she comes in physical contact with them.
androphobia ranges from mild to extreme.
hers could be mild... or she might not even have.
don't forget, as quick witted as hanniel is, he might just be making a mistake thinking that our girl has androphobia...

anyway, carry on.😽❤️
bye luvss <33