Before we get into this chapter, I'd like to specially thank my girl @riri_writes. She's my homie and one of the very first to support me on my Wattpad journey. Thanks boo😘😘.

Also, I thank all you guys who've read TRO so far, as well as voted and commented.

You've made me so happy 😊.

I have a lot more to offer, so please stick around.

Now, let's begin💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽.

"They ask me o,
they want to know
how things dey go
for my country o."
-Burna Boy( Soke)

Deja

Lunchtime.

One of the many important aspects of school life.

You get to make friends, hang out, lose friends, listen to gossip, spread gossip and witness drama, all while filling your stomach with school food, that every one hates for some reason.

I enjoyed lunchtime because I got to chill with both Chetachi and Beryl.

And school lunch was the one meal of the day I could completely be sure of.

"Can you imagine? It's our last first lunch of the year, Deja," Chetachi said.

I nodded, sipping from my bottle of water.

"He's in my class!" Beryl said, appearing suddenly, a bowl of Caesar's salad in her hand.

"Lemme guess; Mr. Mystery Guy?" Chetachi said, wiggling her eyebrows.

That was the name she gave to Beryl's so called mystery guy.

He came to Hillsong in SS1, and since then Beryl swears she recognized him from somewhere.

Chetachi and I encouraged her to go talk to him, but she refused.

Her curiosity reached an all time high when he showed up at school last year in a wheelchair.

So, Chetachi and I checked the year book about a term ago.

His name is Olajimi Akinwade.

But we won't tell Beryl yet, I mean, it's her mystery guy, after all.

"Go talk to him, Bee," I said.

"No!"

"Then stop disturbing us with his gist," Chetachi said.

"It's just......" Beryl trailed off, staring at him in his wheelchair.

"You feel like you know him," I completed.

"Yeah!" she slumped in her seat." He's sooo familiar, but I can't place my finger on it."

She munched on a piece of lettuce, covered with salad dressing.

The corners of Chetachi's lips contorted in the way they always do when she watches Beryl eat.

"How you can survive only on rabbit food, still amazes me," she said.

"Just call me Beryl, the vegetarian bunny," Beryl replied with a wink.

The only person I knew who had a stricter lifestyle that Beryl was Rhianne Essien, our set mate, who was a complete vegan.

"Na so. Me, I can't survive in a world without chicken," Chetachi said, with her usual sarcasm.

But, then again, was it really her sarcasm?

I honestly don't know when she truly acts like herself and when she doesn't.

I can't judge, though.

Not when I'm the fakest person here.

.......

"Adejare!" someone tapped me from behind.

Not him, please.

I tried to focus on copying the Physics note on the board.

"Adejare!!" the loud whisper came again.

Sighing, I whipped round to face Kesiena, who had his hand slightly out stretched.

"Could you please lend me a pen? Mine just ran out of ink."

The Almighty Head Boy without pens to spare?

Yeah,right.

I grabbed on of my own and handed it to him.

He gave me a grateful look that lit up his dark chocolate face.

"Thanks. I'll pay you back, I promise."

I nodded and turned back to face the board.

Chetachi and the other Arts students had gone to another room for their Government class.

Sometimes, I really wish she was a Science student, like me.

At least then, I wouldn't be so lonely in class.

But, the distance between us most of the time is good.

It's preparing me.

Because once she, Beryl or anybody else finds out who I truly am, they'd stay away and want nothing to do with me again.

For good.

Forever.

.......

School closes at exactly 3:00 p.m everyday, but the exam classes, JSS3 and SS3 have to stay back for lessons which end by at least 4:00 p.m.

I always left immediately lessons to get back to the Mainland before dark.

As I headed to our house, I sighed and shook my head.

I wish our government would take the time to build better roads and clean up the country.

Then again, we don't have a government.

Just a bunch of angry old men, who compete with each other on who steals the most.

Ekaasan, Mummy," I greeted my mum in her small provisions store at the side of the compound gate.

She looked up from arranging a few things and smiled.

My mum was a very beautiful woman, with her dark skin and doll-like eyes.

But hardship and suffering had taken a toll on her beauty, giving her wrinkles that made her look much older than she actually is.

"

Welcome,how was school? she'd asked.

"School was fine."

"Oya, go freshen up, and check on Derin."

I nodded and walked into the compound.

Our house was the first one in it; a fairly sized bungalow, which was a lot less cramped than our old house.

Probably because our family is missing a few members.

In the parlour, my younger brother, Ademilade, sat doing his homework.

I smiled.

He was trying so hard not to be like our other brothers.

"Demi," I called softly.

He turned from his books and grinned.

"I came first!" he said proudly.

His public school gave results on the first day of resumption.

"Ahn-ahn! Another one! Only you? We gats chop chicken, na!" I said.

"Mummy said she will tell Daddy to buy me something."

I patted his shaven head. "Me too, I'll buy you something."

"That's why you're my favorite sister," he said with a wink.

I laughed.

That's what he'll say, until our older sister brings take-out from a fast food place.

"Is Derin sleeping?" I asked.

"Yes."

Thank God.

"Is Desola back from school yet?"

He shook his head. "One teacher called her. She's still in school."

A teacher?

That's not weird, right?

"Well, as long as she gets here before night time," I said, brushing off the strange feeling.

I walked to the room I shared with my younger sister, Adesola.

I took a shower and washed my uniform, hanging it out to dry on the line facing the outdoor vent of our neighbour's AC.

I know it's not necessary, but it's a die-hard habit from the time when all I had was one uniform, before I started-

"Ah! Ekaabo sir! We were not expecting you today!"

My blood ran cold.

Oh no! God no!

No no no no!

"Demi? Deja? Desola? Come o! Big Daddy is here!"

I trudged myself to the parlour and, sure enough, 'Big Daddy' was there.

He was my dad's former boss, our landlord and my educational sponsor.

He was also the personal bane of my existence.

"Good evening,sir!" Demi chirped.

"Good evening, my boy! How're you?"

"Fine!"

His sleazy eyes turned to me, where I stood rigidly.

"Ahn- ahn, Adejare,

You haven't greeted me, he said.

My mother shot me a look.

"Leave her, Mama Deji. It must be the stress of senior class."

He chuckled and a sneer grew on my face.

"Good evening," I mumbled.

Bad evening.

Terrible evening!

"Desola, join me in the kitchen. You too, Demi," my mother said.

It was then I noticed my immediate younger sister, Adesola, was back.

I gave her a small smile, which she returned before heading to the kitchen.

Since the end of last term, she's been acting unlike herself.

It's worrying the heck out of me, especially because she's as self-reserved as I am.

Big Daddy cleared his throat and I realized I was alone with him.

I gulped.

Here we go again.

"I know today was just your first day, but did you get anything?" he asked, his tone low and business-like.

I stared at the floor. "Yes."

"Don't just stand there, then."

I went to my room, fighting tears as I returned with a black, plastic bag full of things nabbed by my kleptomanic hands.

He opened the bag and went through the items.

I had taken a phone, three watches and a silver ring.

He nodded with a smile. "You're getting better at this."

I choked on the air I was breathing.

Before he could say another word, the door opened and my older sister, Adedoyin, stepped in, looking as exhausted as a single mother could look.

"Good evening, Sister Doyin!" I quipped.

She gave me a warm smile and a hug before greeting Big Daddy.

"How is our baby?" he asked lazily.

"My baby is perfectly fine, thank you," Doyin said, with a hint of sharpness.

He was a bad man and she knew it too.

"I'm going to go change," she said, touching my shoulder slightly as she walked away.

The door to the kitchen opened, and Desola came out with plates, neatly arranging them on our small dining table.

Bid Daddy turned his attention back to me.

"Keep up the good work! And don't slack in school, okay? Your family needs this."

Translation: Don't get kicked out of that school filled with naïve rich kids, so you can continue stealing for me. That way I don't kick your family out on the streets.

I gritted my teeth.

I wish I could defy him, I really wish I could.

But that puts us all at risk, and in danger, since I know what he does.

I turned and moved back to my room, collapsing on the bed in a fit of anger tears.

Demi called me out to eat, but I just ignored him.

I stayed in the room, sulking away at my predicament.

Desola came in soon, and then Doyin came to ask me to carry Derin.

"Deja, please I have a paper to write against tomorrow," she said, placing the seven-month-old in my arms.

I stared down at my niece with glossy eyes.

She had a soft, brown complexion, that was so like that of her douche bag father.

Asides that, she looked just like the rest of us.

I rubbed my eyes as I moved to the parlour.

I was about to place Doyin down to play, while I read when the power went out.

The whole house, neighborhood and, I'm sure, city, groaned and cursed at the power holding company.

Derin burst into noisy tears and I tried my best to comfort her.

Then I got the kerosene lamp and lit it blindly, settling down to work.

Oh, Deja😩😩💔.

She's going through shit😪.

Who else hates Big Daddy, BTW?

And what do you think she meant by their family is missing a few members?

Scatter me with comments and don't forget to vote.

We see the Mustapha brothers next😋😋😋.

Ciao😘.