Oluwatimilehin.

Fatima

We'd been stuck in traffic for more than an hour now, my dad and I had left the house at a few minutes after midnight.

Even at that ungodly hour; Lagosians had still managed to find a way to cause traffic. I go in and out of consciousness, finally waking up when my dad blasts his horn at a pure water truck.

We make a turn away from the tarred road and into the gravel road of an estate, and we stop at the security post, my dad waves the pot bellied security man over and presses a few naira notes into his hand and with the tap of a button the gate automatically swings open.

I was wondering where we could be headed, did my dad have a house in this estate or did he have a secret family of some sort.

We finally make a stop at a medium sized cream colored duplex, my dad turns of the engine and signals for me to follow him.

My dad rings the doorbell several times before a short dark woman in a hijab answers.

'Fatima dear' my dad says kissing her on the mouth.

Yuck.

'General what are you doing here at this time?' She asks as we step in to the modestly decorated house, it was cozy though and much more appealing than the glass and wood decor most houses in this area had opted for.

'My daughter and I would like to spend the night if you don't mind?' He asks her gently.

'Why would I' she asks rhetorically.

'Have you had anything to eat, dear?' she asks.

'Oh it's no worry at all' I answer and my stomach grumbles in disagreement.

She chuckles softly.

'Malik' she calls.

'Maaa' A deep, masculine voice answers.

My dad had made himself comfortable on the sofa and was talking to someone in a hushed tone on the phone.

Probably another baby mama. This man sha.

The aforementioned Malik finally appears at the top of the stairs, he looked exactly like the woman and nothing like my dad.

To God be the glory.

He finally reached downstairs and he studies my face.

'I'm Malik' he finally says cheerily.

'Timi' I reply.

Who was this excited in the middle of the night, Godforbid.

                                   ~~~~

I wake up startled, half an hour had passed I look up to see who had disturbed my sleep, it was the Malik boy.

'Food is ready' he says and I stand up from the couch where I passed out.

He leads me to the small but adequately furnished dining area.

My dad was washing his hand in preparation of demolishing the plate of pounded yam and Egusi soup placed before him.

The woman, who I assumed was Malik's mother was already eating, I take a sit and shyly pick up a fork taking tiny bites of the meal in front of me, it was delicious and spicy and I soon deserted all forms of home training I had pretended to have and dug in with my hands.

Malik chuckles at me and I shoot him a glare and decided I didn't like him.

My dad clears his throat.

'You're leaving your old school and you're transferring to Malik's school' he says matter of factly.

What the actual hell.

'Why, what about Haleemah, tennis, basketball?' I ask counting my fingers basically at the verge of tears.

'You can go and visit Haleemah anytime you please and I'm sure your new school has plenty of sport opportunities' he states taking a bite of his food.

I sigh in frustration and Malik giggles.

My life was fucked.

'What school do you attend' I frustratedly ask Malik.

'BHC' he answers nonchalant.

I search it up and immediately click the first link I see which takes me to a website of the school.

My blood freezes as I see a picture of a smiling John on the front page.

AN: As much as I'm enjoying making this, I'd like to have a release schedule and I've decided on releasing at least 2 chapters a week, I hope y'all are enjoying this, don't forget to leave your opinions in the comments. Tysm for reading.
(In Tems voice) Why you just Dey lie lie lie, I only update like once in 4 months, I need help fr.