Chioma's POV.

"How are you doing?" Amara asked as she finally let go of me, a smile grazing her lips.

"I'm fine, you?" I replied with a smile of my own.

"I'm fine" she smiled, turning attention to Femi and his parents, smiling as they watched us both.

"Good morning sir, good morning ma. Good morning Femi" she greeted.

"Good morning my dear, how are you doing?" Mr Omashola said.

"I'm fine sir" Amara replied.

"Morning" both Femi and his mom responded.

I could tell Amara was really happy to see me, I knew she had a lot of questions to ask but didn't because she didn't want to seem rude by asking right now. I wondered why she never called me after I got sent out of the house, I really wanted to ask her why she didn't but then again; I'm guilty of the same thing. I didn't call cause I didn't know how to face her, I knew calling her would make things really hard for me. It'd hurt me more cause I'd remember everything all over again. It's a complicated situation.

"Chioma!" I heard my mom yell with a wide smile grazing her lips. I saw dad slowly climb down the stairs alongside, his eyes fixed on mine and I could tell he was both happy and sad to see me.

"My baby!" Mom exclaimed as she hugged me and planted kisses on my cheeks. I was so happy to see her, so much that I teared up a bit. It had only been a day since I've been away but it feels like a whole year to me. I know I was away from home, in another country, studying Medicine but during the past few months and days I've spent in Nigeria and with my family, I got really attached. So much that leaving them once more hurt me to the marrows.

"How are you?" Mom asked, her voice holding a certain chirp to it. She couldn't resist showing of her pearly whites, neither could she contain her excitement, so much that she almost didn't notice Femi and his parents.

"I'm fine" I finally replied, fighting past the lump in my throat.

"You all are welcome. Good morning!" Mom finally greeted Femi's parents, giving his mom a hug.

"Good morning sir, good morning ma" Femi greeted my parents, his smile very evident and overwhelming.

"Morning!" They both chirped and mom went ahead to sit down on the couch opposite the one which we were currently seated.

Dad seemed expressionless, he barely made any more eye contact, but Amara occasionally did. She sat down on the couch next to ours, holding my hand reassuringly.

"What would you all want to have? Tea? Coffee? Water? Or juice?" Mom asked.

"No worries, we ate before coming. Thank you very much" Mrs Omashola replied, a polite smile stretching across her lips.

"Okay" Mom replied with a nod.

"So, what brings you here?" Dad finally spoke up, his voice firm yet gentle all at the same time.

"We..." Femi's dad said, clearing his throat. "We're here because of Chioma. We heard what happened and we know she was wrong by what she did. We agree she shouldn't have done that but we also plead on her behalf that you forgive her" he added and dad let out a sigh, rubbing his hands together.

"Well, Tobi I'm very glad that you came all this way to beg on her behalf. I'm more than grateful for that, it makes me happy that you have my best interest at heart. But..." Dad paused. "Chioma should be the one apologising. I made that decision with a heavy heart, I didn't rush into the decision. I gave it a lot of thought, in fact, I've been thinking about it for a long time but didn't know when or how to break the news to Chioma. It's my fault she has grown to be what she is today, she lacks the morals and respect a girl child should have. And even after everything, her pride didn't let her apologise. She still refuses to and I know she still won't apologise, not even today. And that's why I made that decision, to teach her cause that's the only way she can learn and change. I do not hate her, I wouldn't make such an important decision if I did. Bit I'm truly grateful for the trouble you went through because of this. You really shouldn't have, but thank you so so much" he concluded and I gritted my teeth silently.

He makes it seem like I'm the villain. I made just one mistake, but he's forgetting that I went through all that stress just to get those dumb documents he wanted. He's forgotten all the times I worked my butt off just to make him proud, he's forgotten how many times I went through hell just to make sure he's happy.

I know I'm not the best daughter ever but that doesn't mean I'm the worst daughter ever, either. But he'll never understand that, all he sees is the wrong in me.

"It's truly no problem" Mr Omashola said to my father.

"Chioma, please apologise to your father" Mrs Omashola said to me, gently placing a hand on mine and giving an encouraging smile. I tried looking my father in the eye, but I couldn't. His words kept playing in my head like a tune only I could hear. And which each word that slipped out of his mouth, my anger brewed within me and I gritted my teeth, suddenly regretting coming here in the first place. I didn't come here for this, I came here with the hope that he'll realize his mistake and finally let me back home. But no, all he could say is how much of a horrible daughter I am.

I won't beg anyone, not even him, to stay in my own house. If he won't let me back home, then I see no reason to apologise. I won't give him the satisfaction of hearing me beg to stay at my own home. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of proving that I'm entirely wrong and he's right.

"No" I said firmly and I heard mom and Amara gasp. Amara slipped her hand into mine and gave it a gentle squeeze, shaking her head vehemently.

"Chioma, please just apologise. That's all it takes to finally come home" she whispered to me, her eyes holding so much sadness that brewed up within her. Amara knew me too well, knowing that once I've made a decision, I hardly ever go back on it. I was sad, I definitely was, but I refuse to stoop to the level of begging to stay at my own home.

"Chioma, just apologise already. Why are you being stubborn?!" Mom yelled, I could tell she was angry, more like pissed. Femi soon placed a hand on my shoulder, I shrugged it off trying to let him know that I won't listen to him.

"Apologize, please" he whispered into my ear and I shuddered.

"I will not apologise because I see nothing wrong with what I did. I shouldn't have to beg to stay at my own house. If my father thinks that I shouldn't stay here until I practically beg him, then I don't want to stay here anymore. Call me egotistical, arrogant, rude, brattish, snobbish, go on...call me whatever you want cause I've heard all those names and I've been listening to people call me that all my life. But I will not apologise, he owes me an apology instead; for kicking me out of this house. I didn't deserve that! I didn't deserve that treatment at all!" I said, my voice eerily calm but firm.

"No, Chioma don't say that. You're only joking" Amara said, looking me in the eye with disbelief planted in her orbs as she stared at me, drilling holes into my soul and slowly slipping guilt into me with the way she stared at me. I let out a sigh and smiled at her, a small but sad smile.

"I'm truly grateful for your help, Mr and Mrs Omashola...and you too, Femi. But I can't, I just can't do what he asks" I said, shaking my head sideways.

"Chioma why are you being so stubborn?! Apologize!" Mom yelled at me, walking up to me and holding my hand aggressively.

"I won't do that!" I said, firmly refuting her request.

"And I said you will. You will  apologise, now do it!" She yelled, her grip on my right wrist getting tighter and more aggressive by the minute as she drilled holes into my eyes.

"Oma, leave her alone" dad finally spoke up, a sorrowful glint in his eyes. I could tell he was hurt, but he definitely wasn't as hurt as I was. All this is so hard for me, I'm tired of it!

"Omasili!" Dad called out but mom didn't listen, she continued gripping my wrist aggressively while I tried prying off her hand away from my wrist.

"Oma, please leave her alone. You'll hurt her" Femi's mom said, getting up to pry her hand off my wrist and calm her down. Femi wanted to help, he kept looking at me with a very concerned and pitiful look on his face but he couldn't cause he seemed to not want to interfer with this. But I didn't need his pity or anyone else's.

"Mom!" I yelled, anger choking my sanity. "Let go of me!" I yelled once more, pulling my hand away from hers with all my might. She finally let go but still maintained her glare.

"No mother should ever have a daughter like you!" Her eyes turned glassy as she spoke and her voice became shaky. "You're a disgraceful child! No one should have a daughter like you, Chioma! All you do is cause drama everywhere you go. It shall never be well with you! Leave if you want to, I don't care." She added, raining abuses at me in Igbo. I was beyond hurt and dumbfounded, I just stared at her as I finally let the tears, which had been welling up in my eyes, stream down my cheek.

"Don't say that! She's still your daughter, your child!" Mrs Omashola tried reasoning with her but she didn't listen to any of what she said. She angrily went upstairs and dad just sat with a weary look and watched.

"Chioma, I__"

"Don't..." I choked on my words, the lump in my throat becoming too difficult to swallow as I cut my dad off. "Don't say anything to me. Just...just don't" I added with a shaky breath escaping my lips as I gathered my stuff to leave.

"Chioma, he's your father!" Mr Omashola scolded and I let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Then let him figure out how to balance his family. He clearly has no clue!" I yelled back, frustration and anger clogging every sense of reasoning and understanding I had left. I felt suffocated in this place, and the mark mom left on my wrist began to throb badly as it left a print of her fingers on my fair skin, now reddened by the pressure which she had earlier applied to it.

"I'm very sorry for this" dad said to Mr Omashola. " But Chioma has learnt nothing and until she does, she will not return to this house" dad said, joining his hands apologetically and apologising for my outburst.

"Fine! Eat your house!" I yelled back, earning surprised stares from Femi's parents, including Femi who tried calming me down.

Meanwhile, Amara cried beside me, still trying to get me to apologise.

"Chioma, please. Just apologise" she cried but I didn't listen.

I pried her hand off mine and left. I wasn't ready to listen to anything they had to discuss any further. I've been embarrassed enough for one day. I stood beside the car as I slowly cried. Ugh! I can't even explain my emotions right now. They're all junked up inside of me, so much that getting them out seems so impossible.

I was still busy crying when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to meet Femi smiling apologetically at me. That smile couldn't help my situation! I just needed space. But at the same time, I needed someone by my side.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize when Femi engulfed me in a warm embrace. I wanted to object, but how can I object something I really needed at the moment?

"I..." I managed to say, trying to put my thoughts into words. "I don't want to be here. Just take me to Amanda's place" I said, sniffling like crazy.

"Fine. But you'll have to stop crying. Deal?" Femi said as I sniffled and sobbed. He was still hugging me and I couldn't really process a lot of things. For instance; I wouldn't be hugging Femi right now if I were thinking straight. I just wanted to leave this house right now and forget that this ever happened.

"Deal" I finally muttered. He finally pulled away and wiped off my tears with his thumb. I couldn't even say anything. I just stared like a complete idiot.

"I'm a mess!" I let out, once again, letting the tears out.

"No, you're not" he smiled at me, still wiping off the new set of tears that rolled down my cheeks. "If anything, then you're a beautiful mess" he added with yet another smile on his face.
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Hi guys!!
I've been meaning to update but some things kept getting in the way. Here's the chapter, please let me know what you thought about it in the comment section. I'd really like to read your thoughts on this.

Also, please let me know what you thought of Chioma's behavior. I for one, I think she messed up big time. Of all the stupid things she's done, I think this was the stupidest one of them all. But please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Was it boring? Or just too sappy? Be honest 🙂

Anyhoo, thank you all so much for making it this far on MTTSS. We still have a long way to go tho but don't worry, we're getting there. It's almost drawing to it's end. This wouldn't have been possible without your support, thank you all so so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Till my next update,
Bye...