Girl Next Door

CHAPTER 15

After what seemed like centuries, Tifa felt a strong push on the door from the outside but whoever that was, she didn't give two hoots, so she didn't move away from the door neither did she make an attempt to. The person could stand there and rot for all she cared. She was transferring aggression but she was the least bothered about that. Her major concern was how to get a proper bath, mouthwash and change of clothing.

There was another push on the door. A fierce one this time but Tifa was shifting grounds. Instead, she lost it. She didn't feel sorry, as the person, whoever it was, on the other side of the door was going to be a recipient of her bottled up anger.

"f*****g go away!" Tifa snarled.

She broke down after that. Her heart seemed like it was going to rip out her chest as tears ran down her cheeks. All she could hear were her sobs until the person on the other side of the door spoke up.

"Do you still need the dress or not?" The voice was calm and unbothered about Tifa's outburst earlier.

Tifa recognized that voice - Maja.

Maja had come back for her. She wasn't a bad person after all. But Tifa wasn't sure she had heard right, so she waited a moment and didn't make a move to respond. As if Maja knew she needed some kind of confirmation, her voice came through once again, calm as usual.

"Offer expires in five"

Without further ado, Tifa wiped her tears using the back of the palms, blew her nose one more time into the edge of her shirt, before springing up to her feet. Grabbing the door knob, she flung the door open and there stood Maja, with two shopping bags in her hand.

"Maja, oh Maja" Tifa mouthed, different emotions running through her.

"You came back for me" She continued, getting all teary once again.

"Hell yeah, I did," Maja smiled briefly.

"Thank you very much, Maja, thank you" Tifa tried not to yell in excitement.

In a bid to show her gratitude, she launched forward and reached for Maja's neck so as to wrap her hands around it and engulf the latter in a bear hug, but Maja was quick enough to get the message and stepped a few inches backwards immediately.

"Easy there. Easy there" Maja let out a small smile to ease the tension that was beginning to build, as the air had already shifted.

"Oh!" Tifa withdrew her hands. She got the message. Maja couldn't reciprocate her hug because the former stank.

"I'm sorry. I'd just go take a shower ASAP"

"Here you go" Maja stretched the shopping bags to Tifa.

"Thank you" Tifa replied as got the bags.

Next, she peered into them. One contained the dress, scarf, shoes, underwears and a small towel she had asked for. The lotion and comb in it came as a bonus. The other contained a toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Hold up" Tifa called out to Maja who was about to leave the bathroom.

"How did you get the pin to my bank card?" She asked

"I remember you walking out on me when I was calling it. Or did you—" Tifa was saying then trailed off. It then hit her that Maja had used her own money to purchase everything for her.

"I'd pay you back, Maja. I swear, I will. Just tell me the price"

"You don't have to. It's totally fine"

"No, Maja. Please let me return the favor"

"Alright then. Have it your own way. We'll talk about the price when you're done taking a bath. So shower first, will you?"

"Thanks again!" Tifa yelled again at Maja who was already out of the bathroom and walking down the hallway.

Tifa smiled as she closed the bathroom door and began to peel off her clothes.

~

Sia's Big Girls Cry blared from Tifa's airpods and the latter repeatedly nodded her head to the music. That was what she needed at the moment: music to heal her soul and get rid of her heartache.

As the song played on, she lip synched to it. She could also feel tears gathering in her eyes but she was in the school bus and did everything in her power to hold them back. She couldn't afford to appear weak in front of everyone in the bus.

The ride home was unusually long, unlike other days. The go-slow was really terrible. After ages of having her bottoms sore because of sitting in one position, Tifa finally alighted at the bus stop when the school bus came to a halt.

Her feet felt heavy as she walked but she managed to drag her weary self back home. She let out a deep breath the moment she climbed the front porch and pushed the front door open. In minutes, she was already ascending the stairs to her room.

Tossing her backpack to God-knows-where, she fell into her king-sized soft bed with a thud and the tears began to flow. That salty liquid she had been holding back let loose and flowed like a river and she didn't hold it back either. She pulsated as she cried out all her heartache, pain and care.

Her mind traveled back to all that had transpired at school: how Tad had set his leg for her so she'd trip and how pig blood had been rained on her by Eden and Nolan in respect to Tad's orders: a plan all five of them had consented to.

She did not fail to recollect how less of a person the C-TENN gang had made her feel and how humiliated she had felt back at the cafeteria. These ugly memories induced more tears, making them roll down her cheeks in large drops.

She tasted her tears again and again as they rolled down her cheeks, coming to a halt under her left cheek and soaking her bed in the process. Her sheet replaced a Kleenex as she repeatedly blew mucus from her nose into it. She was in that position and didn't know when her upper eyelid came in contact with her lower eyelid and slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

~

Large beads of sweat covered her forehead as she awoke with a start. The air conditioner in her room was on, emitting cold air and her shoes were off her feet as well. The lights in her room were also switched off. That only meant one thing: her Mom, Doyinsola, was home and had done all of that.

After lying in bed for a couple of minutes, she finally raised herself up, slipped her feet into a pair of thongs then walked over to the dressing mirror. She didn't like the reflection that street right back at her: messy hair, puffy, reddened eyes and a nose which had been smeared with dried up mucus just underneath her nostrils.

She felt gross.

The next minute saw her in the bathroom where she filled the tub up with tepid water before peeling off her clothes and stepping into it. She shed a few tears as she laid in the bathtub. After a thorough scrub and clean session, she drained the tub of all its water before wiping herself dry.

After getting dressed in her nighties, she descended the stairs. The aroma of delicious pasta filtered into her nostrils, making her stomach grumble. Her Mom had prepared dinner.

"You're awake" She heard her Mom's voice behind her and whipped her head.

"Good evening, Mom"

"Good evening, honey. I made dinner. I'm sure you're already salivating. Go dish yourself some pasta and eat to your fill too"

"Sure thing, I will. Thank you"

"You're welcome"

“You're welcome? Just that?” Tifa wondered, a look of surprise on her face as she stared at her Mom who had her laptop in her hand and a few papers and was heading to the living room.

"Aren't you even gonna ask me how my day went or what caused the bags underneath my eyes?" Tifa wanted to yell at her Mom, but restrained herself.

Her eyes followed her Mom till the latter settled into one of the couches, before pulling a side stool closer to her and placing her criss crossed legs on the stool. Next, she placed her laptop on her lap before turning it on.

Tifa released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, shook her head a few times before walking into the kitchen. After dishing herself a quantity of the pasta she knew she'd finish, she sat on one of the stools at the kitchen bar and began eating.

She ate at a snail's pace as she didn't have enough appetite. Even with her insufficient appetite, she wasn't one to waste food so she ate up till her plate was fairly empty and only a few strands of pasta were left.

After downing a glass of juice, then water, Tifa moved towards the sink to wash the plate she had just finished eating from. As the running water hit her fingers which scrubbed the plate, she thought of how to get her mother's attention.

After a while of thinking, she decided to engage her Mom in a conversation. In a jiffy, she was in the living room.

"Mom, is it just me or you've been busy on your laptop for days now? Always stuck in the same position. If it's not in the living room, then it is in your room or in the lounge" Tifa started.

"Well, well…" Doyinsola trailed off.

"I'm busy, honey. I've got a whole lot on my plate and everything in it seems to be choking me".

"Yeah, right. Too busy to have my time"

Doyinsola didn't reply.

"And my bad, Mom. I should have said this earlier. Pardon me, please. Thank you for taking off my shoes, putting off the light and switching on the air conditioner".

"How was your day though?" Tifa continued.

"First off, you're welcome. And my day was the usual: hella tiring" Doyinsola replied.

"I know, right. I can imagine all of that stress. The more reason you should put work away when you get home".

"I have deadlines, Tifa and I can't afford not to meet them".

"But Mom—" Tifa was saying but was cut short by Doyinsola.

"Tifa, please!" Doyinsola's middle fingers of both her right and left hand punched hard on the keys of her keyboard before she raised her head, a combination of appeal and irritation written all over her face.

"Not now. I'm trying so hard to concentrate here and I'd be grateful if I don't get distracted. Maybe some other time" She said with pleading eyes and creased eyebrows.

"You didn't even let me finish," Tifa said, trying so hard not to hiss.

"You and I know that there will be no next time" Tifa stood and walked away, face distorted in anger.

"You didn't just talk back to me, did you?"

And for the first time in ages, Tifa intentionally shot back at her Mom.

"Hell yeah, I did. And I'd do it again".

"For chrissake, it seems like you're forgetting that I'm doing all these hustle for you; for us. And I'm still your mother, so accord me some respect!" Doyinsola said with gritted teeth.

"Oh, please!" Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Spare me those! Say something else, Mom. How many times have I offered to help you with work and what have you always done? Turn down my offer, as usual".

"For Pete's sake, TIFA RAINER USNAVI craves to be included in your itinerary!" She slightly yelled, laying emphasis on her full name.

"You know what else you do, Mom? You make me look like a beggar. Not for alms this time, but for your love"

"I'm so done with this conversation" Tifa concluded, before stomping up the stairs in high dudgeon.

Doyinsola stared at Tifa, as the latter ascended the stairs, her steps exuding fury as she went. She was gobsmacked as she didn't see all of that reaction coming.

"You know what, young lady?" Doyinsola yelled at Tifa

"Go soak your head in some cold water. Your senses will return after you've done that because it seems you've gone nuts. Ohun kekere alaibowo!"

Tifa heard that. Her Mom had just called her an ugly name. That was a Yoruba phrase for ‘disrespectful little thing’ but that was the least of Tifa's worries at the moment. She cared less about whatever name her Mom called her.

Tifa paced back and forth in her room, fuming with rage. She didn't understand why her Mom had to be this difficult. Doyinsola was frustrating her and she didn't like it one bit.

"If you're not gonna have my time, then f*****g let another have it!" She yelled out in annoyance.

After a moment of seething with ire, Tifa walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet in the sink, collected handfuls of cold, crystal clear water then tossed the water on her face.

After a while, she felt a bit calm on the inside. She wiped her face dry, then moved to the mirror where she previewed what she was going to tell her Mom. After several attempts, she descended the stairs to give what she had rehearsed in front of the mirror a shot.

As soon as she got to the living room, she felt her tongue glue to the roof of her mouth. She couldn't even stutter. Nervousness washed through her and she suddenly began to swear, despite the air conditioner that was blowing cool air. She managed to find her voice moments later.

"Mom, about my outburst earlier, I'm sorry"

Doyinsola didn't reply, which made Tifa want to offer another apology but on second thought, she decided against it. She knew her Mom better. The latter was most likely not to acknowledge her apology since she was still upset. Tifa's apology was supposedly going to be accepted later on.

The air in the living room shifted as silence crept in. Tifa broke the silence seconds later with her second reason for having come downstairs, asides the apology she offered earlier.

"Can I have Dad's number? Please?"

Doyinsola still didn't reply. She didn't even blink an eyelid as both eyes were focused on the screen of her laptop, as she punched away furiously on the laptop's keyboard, making Tifa wonder why her Mom was this petty and why she had to take out all her anger on the poor keyboard.

"But Mom, I apologized" Tifa probed further.

"No, you can't have his number" Doyinsola finally spoke up, an enraged look sitting on her face.

"And why is that?" Tifa arched her left brow.

"Because I say so"

"Mom, why are you being this difficult? Are you thwarting me on purpose?"

"Tifa, you can't have your Dad's number, period!"

"For heaven's sake, Mom, he might listen to me, since you can't. He'll be that shoulder for me to lean and cry on, since yours can't be" Tifa said, her voice slowly cracking.

If Doyinsola said she wasn't hurt by what Tifa had just said, then she'd only be lying to herself. She was saddened but wasn't going to let her reaction relay her emotions.

"Tifa, I said no! For goodness's sake, of what use will that man be to you? Someone who abandoned us and left for another woman? Who knows what he's probably doing now? Having fun with his new family, I guess. I doubt if I even have that cheat's digits any longer"

"For all we know, he could be a changed man, Mom. And all you have to do is let me go through your contacts. His number could still be there".

"I am doing no such thing, Miss Usnavi and no, Rainer hasn't changed one bit. He could have left Chelsea or whatever that bitc–" Doyinsola was saying but paused because of her use of foul language.

"He could have left Chelsea or whatever that woman's name is for another woman by now. You know what? Allow me to concentrate. As you can see, I'm busy".

"Mom, just so you know, you're being so difficult and it's really annoying" Tifa said, a tear running down her left cheek.

"End of conversation, Tifa. Scram, else I'll lose my wits end and do something I might regret"

Tifa didn't hesitate to walk away from the living room and dash up the stairs to her room. Using her feet, she slammed the door shut. The bang was so hard, Doyinsola swore she felt the foundations of the house shake.

Tifa fell into her bed and the tears began to flow. There and then, she realized that what she had done for most of the day was cry, cry and just cry. She didn't know why she was this weak and cried at the slightest thing. No matter how strong she tried to be, the hedge she created around herself seemed to always crumble.

As she lay on her bed crying, she thought of calling Maja, but then, it dawned on her that she didn't have the latter's number and even if she did, both weren't friends enough for her to start worrying Maja with her woes. Realizing that she practically had no one to turn to as she so badly needed a listening ear, more tears flowed.