NOVELE

CHAPTER 5

Alisa POV
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"woman, I've told you numerous times that I need my food to be on the table before six AM. Is that too much for your useless brain to understand. Do not test my patience, you do as I say, otherwise -" father said.

"Baba Alisa, don't be angry, olowo ori mi, ma binu simi, I'm sorry, I promise it will never happen again" mother replied.

(Olowo ori mi —My husband
Ma binu si mi — Don't be mad at me)

Well, do not be shocked, this is the default scenario in my home. Father proves that he is the man of the house by degrading my mother and mother is too scared to go against his wishes for whatever reason she has.

I am Alisa, a seventeen years old girl, an only child given birth to by a nagging, controlling, suffocating, nauseating father and a coward mother. My life is controlled by my father while my mother gladly follows his wish like a meek mouse. I have no say in my life and everything  I do is controlled by my parents. Sorry, my father rather. I have no friends as they are believed by father to be sources of weakness and elements of downfall. I've attempted suicide twice but I gave up after the last time. My best friend is my voice and music. I think these are the things keeping me alive.
What ensued between my parents is the norm in my family, there is no—absolute zero— joy in my family. Father can be likened to an army commander, he barks out instructions to mother and she scurries off to fulfill them. Everything or anything he says is the final. Most times I wish I wasn't an only child cause I wasn't treated like one. Not even by mother.
This has made me to cave into myself keeping up this hard front that earned me the name "cold bitch" from my classmates. But what can I do, I just can't help it, making friends will only get me in trouble with father.

Keeping that thought in mind, I got up from my bed so as to prepare for school. Glancing at my mirror, I was met with large, tired, troubled eyes staring right back at me. I drafted myself from the mirror to the shower. Waves of water pouring down my body incited this calmness in me and for a moment I was at peace. I turned off the shower and did my necessary rituals in preparation for school. I grabbed my school bag and went towards the dining room. My parents were on seat already with father's face set in a hardened gaze like he just ate a basketful of lemon. Mother was looking around like a scared rat. I rolled my eyes—internally of course — and dragged out a chair to sit on.

"Good morning Father, Good morning Mother "I said monotonously with my gaze alternating between them.

"Good morning Lisa, hope you're ready for school, I'm spending quite a lot on your education, so I expect you to focus on your studies, that's not too much for your dumb brain to understand, right? " he said with a glare.

"Yes sir" I replied with no emotion. This is the regular scene in my family so I'm used to it.

"Omo mi, your food needs to be eaten whilst hot, get to it" mother said with a pacifying smile.
(Omo mi — My child)

"Are you indirectly saying I talk too much? " father asked with his eyes bulging out from their socket.

"No Sir, e ma binu, I just want her to go to school as early as possible " mother pleaded stutteringly.
(E ma binu — Don't be angry)

"Be warned woman, for as long as you're staying under my roof, you wouldn't want to trespass against me " father shouted.

"As a matter of fact, I'm done with this meal" he said standing up with fury and anger.

Mother was horrified at this so she stood up and followed him, begging him to come eat his food, but he stormed out of the house daring mother to come after him.

"GBAM! " he slammed the door so hard with so much velocity, I swear the dining table shook. Mother came back looking downcast and went towards her room.

I sighed and shook my head, I'll never understand why father treats mother like an outcast and I'll never understand the reason why mother was tolerant of his nauseating behavior.

After finishing my breakfast I left a post it note on the sideboard for my mother so she can know I left.

I left the house and walked towards the bus stop waiting for the school bus to come pick me. The bus came some minutes after and before the twinkling of an eye, I was at school.

Sighing heavily, I made my way towards my classroom. Another school day, honestly school is not bad or boring, it's the fact that I wasn't studying the courses I was interested in that made me hate school.
I trudged and dragged myself to my seat, I sat down and rested my head against the window. I felt someone tapping on my shoulder gently, it was so gentle I thought it was a mouse. I turned towards the person—not mouse— and it was this new comer guy—I don't really remember his name anymore—grinning at me with his white, even teeth.

"Good morning uhmm" I smiled trailing off.

"It's Damian, I can't believe you forgot " he said with a bit of sadness in his gleaming sleepy beautiful eyes. Eww!!!  Come on girl, you can do better, since when do you call a guy's eyes beautiful?.

"well, good morning Damian, how may I help you? " I snapped at him,still angry at my previous thought.

"geez, I just wanted to greet you since we are sitting partners. Are you always this rude? " he replied rolling his eyes. I find the act really childish thought I had an inner pep talk to stop myself from doing the same.

"I can't believe you called me rude, I was just being nice trying to ask you what you want "I said glaring at him.

"Well, there are better and mature ways to show niceness"he said innocently with a shoulder shrug.

"Are you saying I'm immature? " I asked getting furious already. Newbie doesn't know who he's joking with.

"Well,you said that, not me" he retorted smartly.

"You know what, whatever" I replied turning back to the front and promising myself never to talk to him. NEVER. Once beaten, twice shy.

Damian POV

I felt bad for talking to Alisa that way and my conscience pricked against me in the most uncomfortable way. I was angry at myself. I could've handled the situation with more maturity. Oh gawd!
With my discomfort growing each passing second, I tore out a sheet from my booklet and wrote "I'm sorry". I passed the paper to Alisa, who turned to me glaring daggers. If only looks could kill!

She dragged the paper from me with evident anger. Honestly, I found it cute. Her anger made her beautiful.
What? Cute? Beautiful? I slapped my head mentally getting rid of such thoughts.

Trying to listen to what the teacher was droning on about, a paper flew unto my desk. It was from Alisa.
I opened the paper, eager to read what she has written.

"You do not need to be sorry,we aren't friends, we don't know each other, we are strangers. I'll love to keep it that way"she wrote.

My heart fell at that, I told myself there will always be another opportunity. I'm not a guy to back down from a fight. With my eyes set on her, I'll definitely bring her back into my life. This distraction is highly needed. Let the game start.

Hi Earthlings!
Sorry for the late update
How are y'all doing?
I feel better than I do most times and I've been learning ways in how to cope with sadness and suicidal thoughts. You can follow my IG page to check out my post. It's dunylyn. Cheerio!!

What do you think of Alisa's father?
Yes, he doesn't beat his wife, but can you call what he does to her,abuse?
What's your take on Alisa?

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