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~CHAPTER FOUR~

     There was fire on the mountain, I needed to confront my dad, I just can't hold the boiling anger in me anymore.
"Daddy!" I said brusquely, barging into his study room. He was trying to edit the manuscript given to him by a newsman  for publication .
"What made you just barge into my study room without even knocking, don't you have manners ?" My dad scowled.
"So  this is it daddy, you have allowed that woman to take our place in this home." I said fuming in rage.
"What  woman? I don't know what you are talking about ." he said irritably.
"Your  mistress!"
"Nora, I have told you I don't have any mistress, the only woman in my life is your mother and it will always be her, even if  she's dead I will continue to lo__"
"Love? But what if I told you I saw you kissing Miss Adenike, does that prove you are lying?" I scowled.
"Nora  keep your mouth shut!"   he stood up from his chair starring at me with anger.
"No! I won't keep quiet. I saw you both this afternoon ki__" I shouted with a teary eyes.
"Keep  your voice down, don't you know is past bedtime. I am sorry you saw that." He said in a low tone, admitting he did it.
"Dad, you lied to us that she was a friend whereas she is your girlfriend. Daddy how many times have I told you,  I don't need the help of a stepmom, my siblings don't even like one either." I cried.
"Adenike  is different."
"Different  you say, but dad it is a year now that mom passed away and you are __ look daddy Ekinadose is still young and___" I blubbered.
"You  are writing your WASSCE."
"Daddy you know I did excellently in my UTME and GCE?"
"Yes , I know, but I won't allow it for this exam– WASSCE. I know you are fed up, but you just don't want to surrender, by the way you are not getting reward for it, are you?"
"I  don't care, all I know is that there is no stepmom! No nanny!" I said through gritted teeth and stormed out.

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FIVE MONTHS LATER

"Oh my God! I am going to miss you guys so much." I said to my friends, who were dressed beautifully for the graduation ceremony, I wasn't left out. I admired their makeup, shoes and dresses, all I knew was that I was the least dressed graduating girl for the ceremony. My dad bought a red highheel shoe for me to go along with the silver pencil gown I wore, I didn't have the time to make my hair, I just combed  out my long virgin hair and applied hair gel at the front to make it look classic, but I knew I didnt still look my best.
     I watched from afar how mothers prepared their children for this glorious occasion.
"Thelma, don't forget to raise that gown up while walking up the podium, if not you will step on it and fall." her mom said and blew her a kiss .
"I know how to walk well mum." Thelma said as she rolled her eyes, embarrased by the way her mom talked to her like a kindergarten.
"Love you princess, I will join you soon" her mom said admiring Thelma's blue gown. Sincerely, Thelma was one of the most beautiful girls in school, she was light skinned, tall, good figure and  smart.  I didn't consider her beautiful because she brags a lot, she was too full of her self, because her dad was a senator and her mom a Minister of Finance in Nigeria.
     Thelma walked into the school hall without waving to her mom or just saying the word I LOVE YOU back to her  mom.
"Wow!" I muttered to my self. I wished my mom was alive so that I will show Thelma how to respect her mother.
      Six years in secondary school is  over. No more weekly hairstyle, no more wearing of school uniform and of course no more punishment from teachers. Ha! I am free at last. My classmates and I took photographs for remembrance. We bid farewell, some cried, some laughed and some screamed. It was actually a bumpy ride during the six years, especially for me.
"Hey," I heard Muyiwa called me as I stood near the exit of our school.

      What does he want?

I thought, I didn't want to speak to anybody now, I was tired already, the gifts and award I was given was heavy and that was enough reason for me to be tired. My dad had left immediately the valedictory service was over, he was called for an impromptu meeting with one of his business associate, but he promised to pick me up and take me for a special treat.
"Noredia, you hugged everyone and also gave gifts too. What about my own?"  he said with his usual spellbinding smile, today it smile worked on me, I didn't notice he had a dimple and  brown eyes which was weird to me for a dark person. I noticed he was handsome today, because he wore a light blue suit and black shoes to match, with a smart haircut that fit his physique.
"Where is it?" he said touching my cheek, on a normal day I would have retorted, but I just wanted to play low.
"Um___ I__"  I stammered not having any excuse to give him. I hugged him for just two reasons; firstly to make up for the way I treated him badly and secondly, because he was looking good. Funny isn't it?
"Muyi can I go now? We have been hugging for over ten minute." I said feeling shy. I didn't want anyone  to see me hugging him especially in front of the school, it will make a good rumor, that our outgoing health prefect was hanging out with her boyfriend. You know what I mean.
"I am sorry. Can I call you Redia?"  he said with a worried look on his face.
"Sure, it's sound nice." I smiled.
"Redia you look stunning." he  said.
"Stunning?"  I asked surprised. Was I really stunning? Sometimes I wonder why Muyiwa likes me. I have looked myself in the mirror, several times but, all I see is a short girl of 5'5', brown skin, big eyes with brown pupil, small lips, flat nose, very curvy, lastly, I had very long, soft curly hair, but all this didn't matter. My female friends told me the reason why boys asks me out was because of  my big butt and nothing else.
"Redia! Are you still here?" he  said after a long silence, waving his hand in front of my face, awakening me from my deep thought.
"Yes?"  I said with a faux smile.
"You've just been silent. I asked you, what was your gain in this school for six years?"
"Seriously ? I am sorry, I didn't here you."
"What  were you thinking about?"
"Nothing."
"Stunning  isn't it?"
"No__ "
"You  don't need to lie. What makes you think you are not beautiful?" he said looking at me from head to toe. I was embarrased. "Through out the programme, I was looking at you, I didn't focus and that is why I didn't know when we took the graduant picture. To me beauty is not only about  the appearance but also the character," I turned pale with tears hung in my eye, I didn't want to fall for his soothing words, but I just couldn't control it, I was falling hard.
"Please tell me what is in your mind. Come on? Remember I love you." he said touching the strand of my hair. I didn't know when tears started streaming down my cheeks until he used his tie to wipe it off.
"I have always wanted to tell you these but,__ I just don't know how to say it." I said as my lips quivered and my body shaking to the extent that my bangle fell from my wrist.
"What is it? I am all ears."
"I have had feelings for you since SS1"  I confessed before I changed my mind about saying it.
"My God! And you could hide it for that long? Anyway, good one"
"I  love you too" I muttered in shyness bowing my head down. He raised my head up and kissed my cheek to my utmost surprise, at that moment I felt this teenage feeling.
"Redia, I would love to spend the rest of my life with you".
I laughed "We  are just in secondary school o!"
"It doesn't matter, we are undergraduates now."
"I  have to go now, my dad will be waiting for me." I said checking my wristwatch, realising that Muyi and I have been talking for the past one hour thirty minutes.
"Please wait! your phone number." he  said excitedly.
"Okay,"  I gave him my phone number and left differently. At the beginning I felt ugly but now I feel beautiful, not because I confessed my feelings, but he made me discover the truth that I wasn't loved because I had big butt as like what those jealous girls used to say but I was loved because of my intelligence and good character.
    I heard him scream from behind saying today is the best day of his life as I walked out through the school gate.