FRAGILE WALLS

Chapter One - The beginning

“Guy guy guy,” Teni barges into their room squealing and jumping up and down in excitement as she plops down on Amaka’s bed.

“What’s up?” Amaka asks still completely focused on her laptop screen with her fingers typing hard against the keyboard.

“Leo is coming to our school to perform!” She screamed and Ngozi, Amaka’s sister who was sprawled across her own bed jumps up immediately with excitement.

“I saw the news! He’s coming in today! Gosh, I wish I can go.”

“Who’s Leo and why are you guys so hyped up about him?” Teni and Ngozi exchange dramatic looks and laugh out loud.

“Are you living under a rock? How can you not know who Leo is?” Her sister asks as a matter of fact.

“Leo is the most talented musician and actor who has won multiple awards for his jaw dropping performance,” Teni said gushing and fanning herself dramatically as she fell into the bed.

“He’s also the son of the former pilot who died with his wife on a place crash, Leo is the only one who survived. He was raised by his aunt and uncle who later got divorced and the uncle arrested.” The plot line of Leo caught her attention, she never really thought these famous stars had much of a story to their lives. She just thought they had it all figured out.

“Why were they divorced and why was his uncle arrested?”

“Rumour has it that he always maltreated Leo’s aunt but Leo never ever confirmed it. His father left him this huge empire, meaning Leo is also a billionaire. His songs are always so deep, gosh. Let me pull up a photo of him.”

“You guys are cracking me up. Teni, are you not engaged to my brother? And you Ngozi, are you forgetting that we aren’t allowed to marry out of our country?”

“Jerry is engaged to Teni, Yoruba and Igbo, who says a miracle can’t happen?” She kissed her teeth as she fell back in bed continuing her daydreaming.

“Here is a photo of Leo,” Teni held up her phone to Amaka who wasn’t really interested.

“He’s okay.”

“That’s your business,”

“I have to focus on graduating with a sensible degree and focus on my job.”

“You’re only twenty-two.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to waste my time cooking dreams that would never be achieved. I’m just doing the wise thing, focusing on more important things. Besides, I don’t see what the whole fuss about Leo is, he doesn’t even care about you guys. He’ll never know if you even exist.”

“Stop being a party pooper and just speak to your dad for us. Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaase,” Teni pleaded batting her eyelashes.

“Speak to him about what?”

“Leo is performing tonight at the Love Garden close to school. You have to come, I got each of us VIP tickets,” Teni said holding up four tickets in her hand. “I dragged Jerry to come along, but we need you to ask for permission for Ngozi and yourself.” Amaka stared at Teni for a while and then bursted out laughing.

“Abeg abeg Teni, you’re way too delusional please. Which one is you bought us tickets? Have you ever seen this man allow us out of this house past six? Have you forgotten that he would rather chew sand than allow us out? Haaa, please o.”

“Lie to him.” Amaka stared at Ngozi with her big eyes popping out.

“Isi o mebiri gị? Are you alright Ngozi? I have never done that.”

“Sis, just this once. Please, I’ll wash all your share of the dishes and do your chores for the whole month. And even give you my biggest meat,”

“I’m not Esau that I will sell my principles for food.”

“Amaka now, pleeeeaaaase, it’ll be so fun, even Jerry will be there. Come on now,” Ngozi was now on her bed hugging her tightly, both ladies pleading and pleading for Amaka to change her mind.

“Even if I’m supposed to lie, what am I meant to say?”

“Tell him you’re coming over to mine to study. You’ll be back in the morning when you’re done.”

“Sleeping out of the house? Impossible.” She said returning back to her laptop.

“See eh, you’ve always been so boring. Even Jerry knew we couldn’t recruit you for this.”

“Obviously! Jerry is allowed to come home late because he’s a ‘man’ while we have to be in the house before 6pm.” She said air quoting the man.

“Jerry will speak to him as well, you just have to give the opening. We’re all going in but you and Jerry need to be our spokesperson.”

“I can’t do it.”

“Amaka nowwww,” the whined and pleaded until she stopped typing, shut her laptop and sighed, “fine. No promises but I’ll try.”

“We’ve spoken to your mom already, she’s agreed, don’t worry about her.”

~

Amaka knocks softly on the door and opens it when she hears a come in from the other side of the door. She and Jerry walk in and find his head buried in one of his many newspapers.

“What do you both want?” Jerry and Amaka exchange nervous looks nudging each other to speak up. He peeks up from his glasses that sits on the bridge of his nose,

“I’m very busy, so get straight to the point.”

“I wanted to ask for permission to go to Teni’s house to study. Ngozi and I, Jerry would drop us off.”

“Why? Can’t she stay here?”

“Her parents have never met my other siblings but you both have. Trying to keep things balanced so that there aren’t any issues in the future.” The father pauses while their hearts beat very fast.

“It’s okay. Make sure your sisters are back home before the sun goes up.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Thank you daddy.” With that they run out of the study immediately.

Amaka felt a rush of excitement that she hardly ever felt. That adrenaline pumping when you’re going on an exciting adventure, she was going behind her parents backs to do something she wouldn’t do on a normal day and that made her all the more excited.

“I really hope this Leo guy is worth all this stress.” She said to Teni as they packed up their bags and hurried to leave.

“Before you girls leave, come, kneel down let me pray for protection for you both.”

“Ah, mommy it’s just Teni’s house we’re going to.” Ngozi argued but Amaka pulled her hand down.

“Enhenh? And so? Does it mean evil isn’t on the road there? Kneel down my friend.” All four of them knelt down and their mother/future mother in law started praying for them.

Luckily, their fear that the prayer would last for an hour didn’t happen, twenty minutes and they were done.

With that they bolted out of the door before anything hindered them again.

“Amaka, what does this smell like?” Ngozi said sticking her head out of the window as the wind blew in her face. Amaka smiled, for some reason, she felt so good about tonight.

They arrived at the park which was almost filled up already as people flooded in, some sitting on the grass already while the band was playing some soft music.

“You guys should go, I’ll find a parking spot and come meet you guys later.”

“Okay babe.” Teni said as they all got down from the car.

“I’m going to find something to eat,” Amaka said and disappeared. She lied. She was anxious about tonight most of all. She lied to her parents, out of her house late in the night, her tummy was turning with anxious butterflies dancing around. She wanted some space to herself to gather herself and calm her nerves.

She came to a quiet spot away from the crowd where she sat down quietly staring at the vast ocean before her that was miles away.

“Arrrggghhh!!!” She heard someone scream. She froze in her spot. Next thing she knew, she heard something banging on the wall. She heard someone yelling from afar but she tried her best to ignore it.

“I’m not white, I should run away.” She thought to herself but she was already headed for the direction where the commotion came from.

She saw someone yelling from afar, she couldn’t recognize who he was at first, not that she cared but there was another guy with him.

“It’s all a waste! A waste! What am I meant to do now?” She went closer until they both saw her.

“Can we help you?” The other guy that looked like he was the one getting yelled at approached her.

“I heard a lot of noise, so I just decided to come see what’s going on.”

“I think you should leave.” He said quietly.