FRAGILE WALLS

Chapter Four

“Where were you?” Her father swung the door of their room open, fuming already with his phone in his hand. Amaka was the only around since Ngozi was out for lectures. Her brother was as at work and her mom doing the grocery runs. She jumped out of the bed immediately,

“Good morning sir.” She said completely thrown off balance, unaware of what to do next.

“That doesn’t answer my question. I asked, the night you went out of this house past ten, where did you go?” He asked again. Amaka was confused. Should she lie? Should she not lie? If she tells the truth, what if he really didn’t know about her whereabouts, and if she did lie, it meant things would go haywire for her. “You cannot talk?!” He roared startling an already scared Amaka.

“I- I- we- T..Ten- Teni’s house.” She lied. Oh was he furious, throwing his phone on her bed immediately in anger.

“Pick it up and read the article to me. Now!” Reluctantly, she reached across her bed grabbing his phone with her shaky hands, and looking at the headlines,

Leo’s girlfriend revealed!

Below the caption was a photo of Amaka in the middle of the crowd with Leo looking in her direction.

“Dont you know how to read?!”

“I’m sorry daddy, I am so sorry. They wanted to go so bad I just said let me follow them,” she started begging her father.

“Is this why I brought you here? To waste my money?! I send you to the university and yet you’re gallivanting with useless boys that have no future. So, you now have a boyfriend, abi? A white boyfriend for that matter.”

“No o, daddy he’s not my boyfriend. I dont even know him.” She pleaded crying. “I don’t know him, I swear.” She put the tip of her index finger on her tongue and raised it to the sky as a form of her swearing.

“Let your mother come back. Your uncles and aunties must hear about this. Since you have decided to turn your back on God and follow those worldly boys.” This was what she was afraid of. Her father finding out about her lies. She didn’t realize when he dragged her downstairs and threw her on the carpet in the center of the living room.

Unfortunately for Ngozi, she walked into the house at the worst moment ever.

“Eh, madam, come and join her to kneel down. When your mother comes back, we will decided on what to do to you.” Ngozi looked around confused.

“Good afternoon sir, what’s going on?”

“You too have a white boyfriend? Do you understand the embarrassment when a member of the church you pastor in sends an article with your children in it, attending a worldly gathering, and your daughter being the center of the news? You’re not on the news for scholarship, or for being a Christian influencer like your mates, what are you really doing?”

“Daddy it’s not a worldly gathering. We were just there to listen to songs.”

“You’re still standing there arguing with me? Is it because I haven’t brought out the koboko to wipe you? Are you mad? How dare you talk back at me?!” He was fuming slapping Ngozi hard across her cheeks causing her to glare all the more at him.

“Papa Jerry, biko. Leave them alone. They’re young, they’ll definitely make mistakes.” Their mother rushed in trying to save them.

“You’re the one spoiling this children. Imagine, jerry married outside our culture, bringing a Yoruba woman into this family. Now, a white man? You’re lucky I’m not hitting you both so hard. You want to embarrass me abi? Both of you must make use of the driver. Make your way back him straight away.”

“Daddy we’re grown women, why are you always treating us like we’re sixteen?”

“Tah, shut deir,” he said with his thick Igbo accent. “If not that your mother… in fact, I will not say what is on my mind. Just thank God for God. You’re grounded and that is the end of the discussion. Any more scandals like this and I’ll disown you. You think you’ve arrived?” With that he stormed off.

“You girls will not kill me. What’s the problem?” Amaka was already pissed.

“Is it not Teni and Ngozi that dragged me down to this concert? That foolish singer now called me out on stage to dance with him. I didn’t plan for any of this happen o but look now,” she was already crying.

“Do you need a microphone to announce what happened sister? I’ll get you a megaphone now since you want to be a cry baby.” With that, Amaka returned to her room wiping her tears as she went online.

She didn’t like one bit of the news going on. She would be in school the next day, having to avoid all of this drama was now problematic.

“Over a hundred new follows on i********: and new dms,” she said as she scrolled through her notifications. She went into her messages when she saw a random text from a familiar stranger.

“Hi, Amy,” her username was AmyPhils. It was Leo. She gave a long hiss and slammed her phone on the bed.

“Dem swear for this guy give me?”

“What?” Ngozi asked as she folded the clothes on her bed.

“Not only is my phone blowing up with notifications from people following me because of this scandal, but Leo just sent me a dm and followed me too.” She groaned into her pillow.

“Leo followed you on i********:?” Ngozi asked with her brows raised. “Leo must really like you.”

“Snap out of your fantasy. This is real life. Can’t he just understand that I’m not interested?” Her phone chimed indicating another dm has been sent. She checked the screen,

I really liked talking to you the other day. I would love to take you out on a date, meet my aunt afterwards if you’re down.

“Meet his aunt? Is this guy high on coke?”

“His great aunt. Leo is so straightforward.”

“Well, I am going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“Or better still, ignore him. You say rubbish when you’re angry, let it be.”