Tales Of Fikayo

Fikayo's POV "You this stupid girl, your demons have started doing you again abi." My stepmother yells, dropping the soup spoon that is in her hands. She walks towards me, her face scrunched up. I smashed a tumbler unintentionally, but my stepmother doesn't seem to believe. Since I broke it, then she has every reason to yell. Supposing it was someone else she won't even bother but she has this grudge against me. "I'm sorry Ma, it was a mistake. The water on the floor made me fall." I try to plead, but it seems like she won't stop until she beats me. "Did I not tell you to mop the water." She says harshly and slaps my face. Instantly, I put my hand on the place where she slapped me. Tears start spilling down my face. Yeah she told me to clean the water that spilled on the floor but before I could clean, she sent me on another errand. I can't divide myself into two so I forgot. "I'll have to report you to your father. You've started growing wings. He'll put you back in your place, rubbish child. Clear this mess and get out of this place." She hisses and leaves the kitchen. "Fikayo, come to the living room now!" I hear my father's yell as I packed the pieces of the broken cup. They should be in the living room. She must have reported me to him. She would have told him lies, but my father would still believe her. "I'm coming, Sir!" I answer as I walk to the living room dreading whatever punishment is waiting for me. I'm sure he'll use his koboko to beat me again. That's how it goes Everytime I make a mistake. My stepmother reports me to him then he'll call me to the living room, shout at me and then beat me. He wouldn't even bother to hear my words not to talk of believing my words. "I heard that you've been acting out. Why were you rude to your mother?" He yells at me. Keeping my eyes on the floor, I didn't say anything. "Isn't it you I'm talking to. Or have you become dumb?" He yells again and raises his hand to slap me, but drops the hand. "Tolu, bring the koboko from my room. It's like this girl needs a brain reset." He says to my stepsister who is seated I the chair with her twin. She stands up, looks at me mockingly and walks away to bring the koboko. Within few seconds, she comes back holding the koboko. The thing that has tortured my life since I was a little child. Since my father married my stepmom "Next time you will think twice before being rude to my wife." He mumbles as he collects the koboko from Tolu. "Get out of my sight, rubbish child." He says after beating me. Hastily, I run to my room with tears spilling out of my eyes. When I get to my room, I lock the door, put on my earpod, and move straight to my bed. My room is large. A dream room for most girls. It's my safe place here, at least for now. Charlie, a song by Simi, starts playing on my ear pod. The song makes me sad, and it also makes me think about my mother. My mom died when I was ten years old. It was a painful experience for me, and also my dad. Her death changed my Dad, and he keeps blaming me for it. I caused her death. That day was my birthday, so she took me out. On our way back, I distracted her, so she didn't see a truck coming. Our car hit the truck, and my mom died on the spot. Two years after my mother's death, my dad married another wife. I was devastated, but no one cared about my feelings. My stepmom has two children,Tolu and Tola. They're twins and are my age mate. They are not my father's children. When my dad married my stepmother, she was kind to me but later on, she changed. Maybe when she found out that my dad never cared about me. Since then, she treated me like dirt. I'm about to start SS3, my final year in secondary school. One more year until I leave this place. In school, I'm a loner, but I have a best friend, Shade. She's like a sister to me. Her mother was a pal of my mother before she passed. She has been my best friend since Primary school. She's the friendly one between us, and I'm an introvert. "Fikayo! Come and tidy this kitchen oo, don't let me remind you." My stepmother's yell brings me out of my thoughts. This woman will not just leave me be. Aha na, shebi her daughters are also there. I drag myself to the kitchen, and the sight is irritating. Everywhere is scattered and dirty plates are all around, but I will still clean it since I don't want another round of beating. Tomorrow is the first day of a new session in school. Most students might be lazy to resume, but as for me, I'm glad that we are resuming. School is like a getaway from this house for me. Even though people call me a loner and all sorts of names, I'm not affected. I can withstand everything. The erudite highschool. That's the name of my school. It's a great school, well facilitated. Mainly for the children of affluent people. But the students are a different story. Once they think you don't match up to their standards, trust me your life there will be miserable. That's what happened to me. I was never the extravagant type. So I never fit in, but Shade was always there for me. After cleaning the kitchen, I drag my tired body to my room. I start reading a book on w*****d till I sleep off.