Chapter 1
One Monday morning, I was returning back from school because I was sent home since I couldn't pay my school fees.
Lara, my baby girl, why are you crying? My mother asked me. Mama, I was sent home from school because I could not pay my school fees, and the shameful thing is that I am the only one in the school who has not yet paid the school fee i replied .
Is that why you are crying? Stop crying, see I have raised money for your school fee . You will go back to school tomorrow, my daughter. she said, trying to pacify me, and I stopped crying .
The next day, we both went to my school to pay my school fees and she went back home then I was beginning to think of how I could make money to support my mother with school fees because she is sending me to one of the most expensive school around my area . so I decided to start tutorials for my classsmates who are not really that bright in their studies, andrews this idea went well with the school principal . that is how I got money from pay for my school fees for next term
we went for holiday and my classmates saw me hawking I was actually the center of attraction on that day they mocking me I felt so bad was it my fault that my dad died and my mum became a single mother with a lot of hardship and suffering.
days went on like that . I was sitting down in my mother stall and my mother favourite customer came around. I told him that my mother wasn't around and he started saying some annoying words like I should start dating him . he didn't actually know that my mother was at his back even though she abused him it didn't remove the pain I felt in my heart that if I am born into a rich family will a man even come close to me it not his fault it hard to take eyes of me because I myself know that I am beautiful
we resumed back to school and I am now a senior oh senior Lara am blushing right now it's how to pay next term school fess that is on my mind nw and no one is coming for my tutorials again hmmm God help me this term
I was in my deep thought when a finger tapped me . i was a little bit startled when I turned around. I saw this charming guy
he actually asked me to be tutoring him it weird right
he name is Charles. Hmmm, what perfect name for a guy like him
my little pumpkin , Charles said weird, that's the only thing I could reply to him with
Lara, let me ask you a question don't you have a boyfriend Charles asked why would I have a boyfriend in 10th grade I replied and excuse u I am only tutoring you do not take it for granted I said
he could only stare at me . every since I started my period, my mum always said that I should not get close to any man that I can get pregnant.
But I can't lie. Charles is really handsome. he is fair in complexion, and I think he noticed that since he has caught me many times staring at him.
Lara, my birthday party is on Saturday and I would like you to come Charles said and I told him that I would think about it if my mum would allow me. how will I even tell her that I am going to a boy birthday party oh am a dead meat.
when I got home, I informed her about the party even though I lied. It was a girls' birthday party, and I planned everything out carefully. I told my best friend Rita to pick me up on Saturday so my mum would believe the lies, and I also begged my mum to give me my new dress. I want to look nice for charles
hmm, everything went according to the plan
Saturday am ready for you 😘....
Saturday was here, and I was on my way to Charles house with Rita
Charles actually waited for me at his gate, and he complimented on my dress
everything went well at the party until he actually asked me to be his girlfriend at first I was excited but come to think of it I only had crush on him not love and my mother won't take that lightly if she finds out that I had a boyfriend so I rejected him and his behaviour changed towards me until I went home but I brushed it off because I know he was expecting the answer I gave him so it's normal for him to act like that and I think he would later..........
But actually, he didn't. he started bullying me in school with his friends and most of the people in class cause I guess he is rich whether you like him or not you must go with his flow.
so now that he hate almost everyone in the senior school hates me anyways that is their business I don't care the only thing that gives me happiness is my mum and come to think of it am having a strange feeling about her.i can't wait to see her
I got home and I heard from my neighbor that my mother has been taken to the hospital, I have always known that something is wrong with her health I got to the hospital and they told me that she had leukemia and it has gotten to the last stage so it can’t be treated I was so afraid they only offered me one choice that I should gather money to take her abroad maybe the might be able to cure her
I returned to her ward, and I felt sorry for her she was placed on life support, and i don’t even know who to go and meet .
I went back home to pick some clothes because I will be sleeping in the hospital now
I heard Lara mum has leukemia, and she needs help. This is the perfect way to get her, and I thought
Lara, I ran after her after school closed
I heard your mum had leukemia and she need money to go abroad and I know you don’t have anyone I said looking at her teary eyes I know how it feels to have your only remaining family on sick bed even almost on her way to heaven
Am proposing this offer to you date me and I will make sure my parents sponsor your mum hospital bills I said and she said she will think about It her soft voice is breaking my heart into two
I got back into my mum ward I sat down to look at her face I felt nothing but pity for her she looks so thin my mum has been a beautiful woman with fresh skin and pink lips it hard to believe that she didn’t remarry after my father died
Around the evening time, she requested that the doctor should remove her life support that she wanted to talk to me
Lara hope you’re eating well you don’t look like the daughter I see everyday she said and I remembered I have been skipping meals it okay mum I have been be eating well I said I know you are trying to save my life but there’s nothing you can really do I feel like I am going die soon she said mum don’t say that the only reason I haven’t seen anyone to help us is because Rita traveled out with her parents though she didn’t tell me anything but it fine but one my schoolmate has promised that his parents would sponsor your medical bills I said it okay my daughter I will try to wait she said and slept back
I woke up the next morning to go to school early so has to inform Charles that I am interested in the deal and after I told him he said he would tell his parents once he got home so he wrote his number for me on a paper to call him if there is any emergency and we went out ways for the day
Getting back to the hospital, I saw that my mum is no longer in her ward, and when I asked the doctor what happened to her, he told me that my mum was dead
How is that even possible I saw her this morning she was doing fine and she told me not to skip my meals again I told the doctor and he said I know how you feel but there is nothing you can do she doesn’t even want to live again you probably don’t know the pains she passed through he said I started sobbing she knows am always there for her why did she wants to die the heartache I felt was painful I watched my mother been dropped in the grave at this point I really want to go with her is there any reason why I should not die she was the only I had I don’t know any other family member
The thoughts made me tear up. I felt my heart being shattered into pieces.
When Lara called me, I thought it for an emergency. Probably, they needed
money for something but she told me instead about her mother’s burial her eyes was so read I can actually feel what she is going through now I can’t actually believe that I bullied her in school adding to her pains .
Lara doesn’t actually know what do maybe she should continue selling her mother fruit and drop out of school, or she continues to go to school, but she can’t go to school on debt, she thought
But she decided to return to school and has God will have it the principal said she has been given scholarship I don’t know what to say Lara said tears flowing in her eyes I wish my mum was here she thought
Charles tried to talk to her, but she ignored him it not easy to see your bully chasing you around
Lara please wait Charles said what is it she replied he knows she is really troubled right now I know you don’t want to talk to me and it’s okay I know how you feel and I am sorry for what happened to your mum he said she shoot her gaze right into his eyes I don’t ever want you to talk about my mum again she said sharply Lara I still love you and I know you don’t but if you give me a chance I will take care of you ,you need someone to take care of your daily needs and I am ready to he said looking at her face he knew she was hesitant i will think about it she said once you say yes you can move in with me don’t worry about my parents I had informed them earlier he said okay and she went on her way.
Returning back home she found out there is nothing to eat home and her thoughts went back to her mother she would always find something for her to eat even if she won’t be able to eat out of it she thought and she decided to move in with Charles it can’t really turn out bad she thought .
Charles, I am ready to move in with you she said, "Oh really he said, acting surprised even though he knew that she didn’t have any other choice,