Sinner Mine

Chapter3

Jenny

This is my first time going away from my birth city. I've never traveled before. Mom says she doesn't have a family, therefore we don't go anywhere, even on holidays. It's always been the two of us against the world.

Now, we are going away from everything I have ever known. I couldn't even tell Brenda, even though I feel like she had betrayed me. I mean, after everything I have been doing for her to be able to pass her exams and for her to focus on it. She still went and failed for the f*****g third time.

Now she's giving up after making me waste three good years of my life in the same f*****g class.

I should have been doing my masters this year. If only i made it to college after passing my jam the first time we tried, but she failed. And because i had to fulfill my promise of doing everything together, i had to stay with her.

Mom did everything to convince me to go to college, but I refused.

All because of friendship.

The only thing left is regret upon regret.

How i wish i listened to her.

“What are you thinking about baby?” Mama asks. We sat side by side on the bus, en route to Yaounde. She's scrolling on her small button phone with no back cover. She couldn't afford an android phone.

That's how bad our financial situation is.

“I…I wanted to tell you that i can go to college now,” I started. With a deep breath and my eyes cast down, I continued, “I met Brenda in school yesterday. She said..she said…she is not schooling again. That hum, she wants to join her mom in her boutique and do online courses.” I finished, not looking up.

“You see? Do you now understand why i wanted you away from her?” She's angry.

Don't blame her at all. I am angry with myself too.

“Who the hell goes night clubbing the day before an official exam and expects to pass it? That girl never cared about her education, and she has been dragging you along with her in her goddamn failure. The i***t you are couldn't see it.” She's yelling at this point.

Crying, I say between tears, “I’m sorry mom, but she was my only friend, the only girl who wanted to be friends with me.” How could i not cherish the only friendship I had?

Growing up, no kid wanted to be my friend for so many reasons.

The most obvious was the fact that I lived in a construction site, with a bunch of unfinished buildings with mama.

Too poor for their liking.

Secondly, mama worked as a maid in various wealthy patrons' houses in the area.

They saw me as nobody.

Thirdly, I was also a mixed-race girl with light skin and frizzy hair. Due to my sperm donor being from the northern part of Africa, they are essentially white people. That at least, mom told me when i asked her why i looked different from other kids, who were essentially dark in complexion. She had no choice but to tell me.

Girls always hated me because i was cuter than them. _Often pulling my hair and making fun of me. Because to being the daughter of a maid and living in an uncompleted house_

Way to being outcast.

“You don't have to be a slave for friendship, Jenny, you are worth more than that, my child.” mom says taking me in her arms and pulling me out of my reverie.

“I know mom, I know. I promise not to be swayed by friendship ever again?” I promise her. It is also a promise to myself.

“Not only friendship, beware of men also, girl. They are snakes waiting to strike. So trust no one. I repeat, no one.” she warns.

“ I've heard mom?” This is not the first time she's warning me about men. I know it's because of my sperm donor who destroyed her life then abandoned her. I can't begin to imagine what she went through taking care of me and herself all on her own.

“Mama.”

“Hum sweety.”

“Why are we going away? Are we in danger?” I asked.

“ Yes my girl, some bad people are after me and if they get to us, we are doomed,” she announced. I start to panic, this is not good at all.

“What happened? What did you do to them?”

“I can't tell…” she begins.

“Stop it mom.” I cut her off. “I'm not a child anymore. You can tell me what the problem is.”

“Well... it's a long story” she says.

“We have a long way ahead of us before reaching our destination. You should start talking then," I deadpan.

“It all started when i met your father in a small village out east of the country. He was working with a mining site that discovered a rare mineral in that area. The people he worked with wanted to purchase the surrounding land so they could dig them without any questions asked. The indigenous people that lived there didn't want to sell their inheritance. Your grandparents were one of them.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Your father is a very handsome man with forest green eyes and dark hair. He is slightly taller than me, maybe 5’10.” she's lost in her memories.

Then she adds, smiling “I remember when i first saw him, I was like..holy mother of god, how can a person be this good-looking?... He was.”

“The day I met him, there was a gathering in the village center. I wanted to know what it was all about, so I went to find out. As I was approaching the cabins surrounding the village center, I saw four white men talking.” She drew in another breath. “It wasn't easy to understand what they were saying because they were whispering to one another, but i got some of their conversation. A noise came from the bushes below, and they turned in my direction. I thought I was going to get caught when someone pressed their hand over my mouth from behind, dragging me out of there.” she laughs.

“Guess who it was?” She asks.