MY BABY GIRL: Shadow Love S1 🖤

CHAPTER 5

ISABEL'S POV

Phew…

Thank goodness he turned the other way and didn't follow me through the small gate. If he had, that would have been incredibly awkward.

I took a deep breath and continued moving forward. On my way, I greeted Iya Oge, who sold small provisions from her shop not too far from my friend's house.

Without much hesitation, I jogged toward my friend's compound. When I arrived, I set my school bag down on the raised pavement before walking into the yard.

Mercy lived in a public yard, the kind where your neighbour's door faces yours directly. The first time I came here, I was quite shy. I've never liked walking into someone's compound and knocking on their door. It makes me feel like I have no home of my own.

Well… you might not understand.

Her apartment was just to my right.

The sixth door.

I stood in front of it calmly, raised my hand and prepared to knock.

"I hope Mercy is ready."

Bang!

But before my fingers could even brush the wooden door, it slammed open.

That startled me.

"Isabel!"

Mercy, my friend, stood in the doorway, her eyes wide like she hadn't expected me either. Then, before I could say a word, she threw her arms around me and pulled me into a hug so tight I felt my ribs protest.

"Mercy… why are you hugging me like this?" I managed to say between shallow breaths.

If she didn't release me soon, I was genuinely going to die of oxygen deprivation.

I had no idea what had made her this happy. Mercy was usually sad, the kind of sad that sat quietly behind her eyes even when she smiled. She would cry sometimes, telling me how her mother mistreated her, hurt her, and made her feel small.

Every time she told me, I felt a deep ache for her.

Sometimes I genuinely wondered, was that woman really her biological mother?

As soon as Mercy released me, I took in deep breaths greedily.

Phew…

There is truly nothing more important than air in this life. Do you all agree?

I steadied myself and studied her face. Her eyes, which were so often filled with pain and sadness, were now shining with a joy I couldn't quite comprehend.

What got her this excited?

Whatever it was, it needed to stay.

I had never seen Mercy this happy. Not genuinely. Because of everything her mum put her through, Mercy always carried this heaviness around her. I rarely saw her laugh. Rarely saw her smile. And even on the occasions she did, I always knew it never came from deep within her.

But the smile I was seeing on her face right now?

That one was real.

Truly, deeply real.

It made her already beautiful face even more beautiful.

And I wanted it to stay there forever.

Because seeing Mercy hurt always hurt me too.

And seeing her smile like this?

It made me genuinely happy.

So whatever this was, I hoped it lasted.

Mercy is truly a good friend. In fact, she is my only friend, and she deserves all the happiness in the world.

But I couldn't help wondering, what made her this happy?

Was it because of me?

Nah. That couldn't be it. I had come here multiple times before, and this was the first time she had ever been this unusually happy. So it wasn't me.

Had her dad returned?

Mercy always told me how deeply she missed him. How she wished he would come back because, if her father was here, her mother wouldn't dare mistreat her anymore. When I once asked why he didn't live with them, she told me that he and her mother had fought badly, which led to their separation. But her father had promised to return every December 25th, Christmas Day, and stay for two weeks before leaving again.

But today wasn't Christmas.

So it wasn't that either.

Which left me with my third guess…

She had a new boyfriend?

A boyfriend?

I looked at Mercy closely again.

I knew that Mercy had dated several boys before, but they all left her heartbroken. I had even advised her to stop thinking in that direction and just focus on her studies. And she had promised me she would.

I believed her too.

After making up her mind, she had rejected every boy who tried to get close to her. Because of her past relationships, she became cold and distant toward anyone who tried to pursue or impress her.

But honestly?

I couldn't blame the boys for trying.

Because Mercy, my friend, was quite the temptress.

Her beautiful face.

Her glowing skin.

Her well-proportioned body.

Despite her young age, she carried herself like a grown young woman.

She had the chest.

She had the back.

Unlike me.

I was just a flat pie.

The only thing I could give myself credit for was my face, which my mum always said was beautiful. Though honestly, I never quite believed her.

Unlike Mercy, she had everything.

Even more than some grown women had.

Because of that, she attracted many envious glances from the women around.

Mercy's body was model-like. There was no other way to describe it. But she had promised me not to open her heart to anyone until she graduated. And I knew that when Mercy made a promise, nothing in this world could make her break it.

I hoped so.

I really, truly hoped so.

"Isa, come!"

Mercy grabbed my arm and began pulling me out of the passageway toward the compound entrance.

Mercy was strong. I knew that. But today she was unusually, extraordinarily strong. She had way too much energy as she dragged me along like I was a little child.

I knew I didn't weigh much.

But come on.

I couldn't even steady myself as she pulled me along so easily.

We finally arrived at the compound exit, the same spot where I had dropped my bag a few minutes earlier. She finally released her grip from my wrist.

The morning air suddenly felt still.

"Isa… I want to show you my cousin."

Before I could even open my mouth to ask her what all the drama was about, I heard her say that.

Wait.

Cousin?

Since when did Mercy have a cousin?

She had told me almost everything about herself, but never once had the word "cousin" left her mouth.

Was she hiding this from me all this while?

Why was she keeping it from me? And why did she suddenly want to reveal this cousin to me now?

Mercy was not the type to hide things from me.

But now this?

I felt betrayed.

But I didn't show it.

That was the difference between Mercy and me. Mercy expressed her emotions freely. She exposed her heart without fear.

But me?

I bottled everything up.

Hidden from everyone.

I never showed my true self.

Never showed my true feelings.

I locked everything inside.

And I kept it there.

"Isa… he's here."

Mercy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

He's here?

I turned my head.

And in that instant...

My blood froze.