African beauty

Chapter 25 - Ask yourself for help

"Stop! Stop! Stop!"

"Please! Ill do anything!"

Erica! Erica!

I gasp ferociously for air as I leap out of my bed and into Jakes arms.

"Erica!" he screams as he shakes me in utter concern and curiousity.

I waited for a few minutes in his warm arms as I sweated profusely, searching for an alibi, to not make my insanity completely evident to Jake.

"Im okay. Im fine."

"Erica, are you sure? You were acting weird last night and now this."

"Im fine."

I stared up at Jake, attempting to remember his reason for being so immensly close to me at about 7:00 am in the morning.

"Jake."

"Yeah?"

"Did we-"

"Oh, fuck no. Jesus no. God no-"

"I get it. Why are you so close to me, then?" I asked in a fairly sarcastic tone as his demeanour reeked of dishonesty.

"You screamed "Stop!" really loud. Im the only one thats awake. Everyone else is knackered-"

"Im just... really ready to go back to London. Ive had enough of Nigeria."

"This used to be your home."

"I came here to feel safe. I dont feel safe. It isnt my home if I don't feel safe."

Jake slowly and steadily manuveaored towards me, as though I was not already watching him closely.

"Erica, youre scaring me. Whats happened?" he whispered, trying to make me feel more secure in informing him explicitly.

"There was...somebody..."

"Who?"

"Somebody. Outside. Last night" I said, trying to be insanely monotone, though shaking frantically.

"What, when we were..."

"Yes, Jake. While we were drunk and eating each others fucking faces off."

Jake paused for a miniscule, yet collosal millisecond and stared me down blankly, as though I was completely insane. I could tell completely that his first thought was me not being able to handle my alcohol properly.

"Its probably just your horrible alcohol tolerance level. You know, ive told you that before" he said, laughing slightly.

"Its not funny Jake. Someone has been stalking me" I said as looked up at a very unconvinced Jake.

"I think its the same person that murdered my mother."

Jake looked into my eyes as his eyes widened, as though he was able to see my plight; my yearn to have this whole escapade over and done with. His eyes twinkled with pity as he put his right hand at the back of his head in discomfort and a lack of words.

As I noticed this in Jake, I started shedding hot, uncontrollable tears as I shook in utter pain.

"Im going insane, arent I?" I said as I sobbed profusely.

"I didnt say-"

"Youre thinking it! You are! You fucking are! But you dont know what its like to lose your mother in some mysterious way, have your father convicted for it, your best friend and your lover a rapist and your stalker every step ahead of you! You dont know what its like!"