hint! Not really a story. I mean, it's a story but not really a story. Lol. alright let me explain myself. I wrote two quick and really short novellas that in no way relates to this novel. But I've decided to drop it here, in this bonus chapter, in this book because the other two novellas are all from the same setting of Nigeria, Africa. Please keep on reading and tell me what you think about the novellas. You just might like it.
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FITTING IN

an ESTYSHAWL production...

CHAPTER ONE

seventeen year old Meg gazed soulfully outside, a war of emotions going through her mind. The green convertible she was in, with the glass rolled down, allowed her to look at the streets outside. A lone tear softly slid down her cheeks. When was it going to end? She briefly wondered. The movement from one house to another? For the umpteenth time, she wondered how it would feel like if the whole world loved her, for a change. If The whole world weren't so against her, for a change. Ever since she'd been abandoned by her parents as a child at the age of six in the st. Thomas adoption centre, she'd been moving from one house to another, never staying in one house for more than a year.

She didn't have any high expectations from this family either. The Johansen's. She was glad that finally, in a few months time, she was going to be eighteen and could finally leave the adoption agency to start a life on her own as a young adult. At least she wouldn't have to face the rejection from others again. Three months time Meg. Just bear it all for three more months and then you'll have the right to live on your own finally. She tried to console herself.

She wasn't exactly sure where they were, but she knew for a fact that she was in Benin city 'cause she'd asked the convertible's driver; a man named named Phillip sent by the Johansen's to pick her up.

"We're here already Margarita" Phillip said rustling meg out of her thoughts

She briefly flurried around in the seats but forced herself to calm down. If they were going to reject her, then so be it.
"Thanks a lot Mr Phillips. Um... If you don't mind, I'd rather be called meg rather than margarita. Just meg"

Phillips stared through his front mirror at the ebony skinned girl and grinned devishly

"Alright then. How about we make a deal to drop all the unnecessary formalities? You address me as Phillip. Just Phillip and I'll address you as Meg"

Meg may not have know so much about life but she did know that someone of his age should be given his due respect and be called Mr. But she really didn't want to be called margarita. It brought back old memories that frankly, she'd rather not remember and so, she agreed with Phillip's deal, collected her two duffel bags then got down from the car. Just at that moment, the door of the house opened and she came face to face with her new parents. The Johansen's.

CHAPTER TWO

"Um... Hy? No I'm sorry, that came out way wrong. Good day Mr and Mrs Johansen. Uh... I meant to say mom and dad?" She asked biting her lips, blushing profusely. She'd totally screwed up and embarrassed herself and now, they were going to say they didn't want her anymore. She steeled her features to prepare for the insults she knew was coming.

Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. Mrs Johansen...uh...mom, immediately ran to Her and gave her a very fierce hug.

"Silly girl. You don't have to be scared or nervous. Good day to you too dear. Welcome to the Johansen home. I really do hope you like it Here" mom said releasing her from the hug.

"I hope so too ma." Gosh! Three more months.

A WEEK LATER.... (At new school)

"Since we have a new student in school, how about she answers this question for a change? Meg, what is the meaning of surreptitious? also synonymous with clandestine?" Mr Efe, our English ss2 teacher asked.

Okay. um... I was totally lost. Surre... What? What does that even mean? What is the point of inventing big words if the person you're communicating with isn't even going to understand you? She simply said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Palyful. It means to be playful sir"

The whole class paused all at once. To her, it was as if the whole world had stopped for just that moment. She was fervently praying that her answer was going to be correct. She'd been in too many adoption homes to know that first impression was everything. Your life basically depended on it and she desperately wanted them to like her.

As if on cue, the whole class burst out laughing " olodo! The new student who doesn't know book oh!"

CHAPTER THREE

Two days. No food. Very little water. Two days. She couldn't do anything except think about what happened at her school Estyshawl college. She couldn't even stop the tears from flowing softly down her cheeks.

"God!" Why was she even calling that name? She wondered tearfully. They'd told her in st. Thomas they there was a God who watched over everybody. But if that were so, then why couldn't she see him, hard as she tried? And why didn't he ever talk to her in all the times she cried? or even try to comfort her? Why did he make her to be delivered into this wicked world to parents and people who didn't want her? For crying out loud she stuck out like a sore thumb! They say all fingers are not equal, but anywhere she went to why did she always end up being the one having the shortest finger?
Just then there was a knock on her door and Mrs. Johansen came in to sit down on the bed where she was. Meg peered at the slim, light-skinned woman in her early forties through soft eyelids, automatically putting up her defenses without even knowing it. She could bear everyone in her school calling her all sorts of names but she wasn't sure she'd be able to bear it if Mrs Johansen called her these names too. Over the past days, she'd bonded with the woman and her husband and had come to regard them as the best adoptive parents she'd ever had.
In the early days of her arrival at the Johansen house, she'd been shocked that they wanted her. Not any other perfect child but her! She eventually came to accept them too but she didn't know why she couldn't shake this nagging feeling that come three months time, they were going to boot her out like all the rest had done, leaving her once more with another broken heart. So she didn't let herself love too much. Care too much. Gosh! Two months, two weeks and five days remaining.

CHAPTER FOUR

"Meg what's wrong? You haven't eaten for the past two days. Are you still thinking about they classroom incident? People get misunderstood all the time and its certainly not reason enough for you to go on a hunger strike. You're new. New students are most times picked on. It's going to pass. You shouldn't fuss too much about it or be too hard on yourself. What's most important is that you've learnt surreptitious and clandestine means something secret. Its better you were shamed in class than for you to see that question in an important exam and not know the answer."

" not just that ma. Could you please take me to the doctor? I honestly think there's something really wrong with me. I mean, why can't I fit into anywhere? How many more filled bucket of tears does God wants before he can finally make people love Me?" She asked sadly.

"Shush! Don't say things like that. God loves you. Moreover, a doctor can't fix that. Only a genuine heart can. When you're facing through tough times, just remember that the darkest hour of midnight is just before the dawn. The dawn is on its way Meg. We just need to pray and have faith that God is single-handedly capable of bringing that dawn"

"You think God really exist mom?"

"Oh yes he does baby. And I can assure you he really loves you too."

"Do you think he's trying to punish me for something I did?"

"sometimes God makes us face one challenge or the other, not because he doesn't care, but because he wants us to learn from it "

"But what about the fact that everyone hates me? Is God responsible for that too?"

"Do I hate you? You don't need the whole world to love you, just the right persons to"

" I did do something bad yesterday. Do you think God could forgive me? I so much wanted to fit in that I went to an extent I've never gone before. Drugs. Becky, the most popular girl in school told me that for me to fit in , I had to join them in doing whatever they did. So yesterday, I drank a lot and smoked, even went as far as using needles to inject drugs into my system and snuffing through my nostrils too. I woke up this morning with a terrible hangover "

"I can't even bring myself to be mad at you, you poor dear. You've been through so much. But always remember this: fitting in is good, but not when your moral dignity and self-integrity is at stake. Now, let's pray"

CHAPTER FIVE

2 MONTHS LATER

Meg walked happily to school. She believed in God now. Believed he really cared for her. People still hated her in school though, especially Becky and her friends but she was no longer bothered about it. 'Cause like her mom said, you didn't need the whole world to love you. Just the right persons to. She made a new friend in school. The latest female fresher Daisy. And they'd instantly hit it off when they first met, like long lost pals.

"Hey Meg. How far?" Daisy chipped in, falling into step beside meg.

"Good morning Daisy. Today is such a beautiful day. I'm going to apply for the school's upcoming young talents festival. I wanna dance for it" Meg said excitedly.

"Dance? I never knew you had a talent of dancing. The show's just in two weeks time and you want to start training on how to dance now? There are people in this school who have been practicing for months now and you want to achieve that feat in just two weeks? Have you ever danced a day in your life?"

"Daisy I really think that this is something I can do. All I have to do is trust God. I heard the winner goes home with 3 prices. First of all, a well furnished brand new duplex house, 2 new cars of your choosing and a regular monthly salary of 300,000 naira every month for three years. I hope to win it for my new found family to tell them how much I appreciate all they've done for me.

* * * * *

The time passed very quickly and soon enough, it was 2 weeks time already.

"please we call on Margarita Johansen to come up stage. She'll be dancing for us today. A song titled who says"

There was a big round of applause as Meg came up stage to dance who says by Selena Gomez.

"... Who says? Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting
Trust me, that's the price of beauty
Who says you're not pretty
Who says you're not beautiful
Who says?
Who says you're not star potential?
Who says you're not presidential?
Who says you can't be in movies?
Listen to me,listen to me
Who says you don't pass a test?
Who says you can't be the best?
Who says? Who says? Would you tell me who said that?..."

An ear-splitting round of applause followed, immediately she was done.

"Well, judging by that applause, I guess there's no need for voting again. Margaritas is the winner of the dance competition!!!"

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And the first novella finished just like that!!! Did you like it? Did you love it? You want more? Well then, move on to the second one!!! In bonus chapter two

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. ♥. ♥. ♥. ♥.

Hey guys!
And the chapter ended just like that!
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