CHAPTER 13

"How do you know peter and why are you talking to him?" Chisom asked, when I stepped into the church pavilion where she had been waiting for me.

I towered over her by a few inches but she was thicker than I was by far. I didn't want to fight with her but if push comes to shove I planned to strangle her with the long pink scarf she tied around her bald hair.

I laughed. "He was my classmate."

"Ohh." Her face brightened up immediately. She wanted to say something else but I patted her on the shoulder and walked back in.

I talked a little bit more with Peter, he told me a lot about his school which was mostly him complaining of how he wasn't eating because they weren't feeding him well in school and how he was kept away from girls since he attended a seminary boarding school.

I did tell him about my school life too, consciously omitting all my adventurous stubbornness which included going to school late and climbing the fence to prevent me from being caught and flogged, and also learning how to shoot with my then best friend who I might never see again.

After mass, Peter offered to escort me home and I couldn't say no. He was good company.

When we got to the gate of my compound, he waved me bye while smiling. I grinned and waved back at him.

When I got upstairs, I pushed the door open and like I suspected it wasn't locked. 'My brother must have seen me coming and opened the door for me' I concluded.

I didn't even get to close the door before my dad started yelling at me.

"Where are you coming from by this time of the night?" He asked, angrily

"Church." I whispered, though my heart was racing hard.

"Yeah, church my foot! By this time right!" he spat, fuming. His eyes looked even bigger that it normally was. He looked at me like he wanted to swallow me whole. I had grown taller than him over time but he still scared me shitless. He was dark, like tree backs_ my brothers took his complexion and big nose.

The only thing I took from my dad was my straight legs and perfect set of teeth. I took everything else from my mum, her complexion, her small eyes, her full lips, her big boobs and tiny waist, her small ears, long hair that was so tough to comb and grew really fast, and my thin face.

She had a perfect set of teeth too, but my dad's was more beautiful. It was the only thing I admired about him and the fact that he got a first class honors in English and literature from the university of port-hacourt. I would have studied the same thing as him, but I didn't want to bear any semblance to my dad, at least if I could help it.

"This is holy week, there were a lot programs today." I finally replied, shivering a little. I was cold and scared. He scared me although I always tried to act brave in front of him. I didn't want to give him the pleasure of seeing me scared. I needed to be brave for my family. He was our mutual enemy.

"You!"... I had no idea what he wanted to say and I knew whatever it was could not be good. He never says anything good to me.

"Mira come in." My mum urged. That was all I needed to leave. She was always there to help me I thought smiling, although this wasn't enough. I wanted a permanent end to his bullying. I was so tired of being scared of him_my own father.

I quickly went to the room to change my wet, almost dry clothes. I was putting on my gown when I heard my Dad shouting in the parlor, his voice loud and angry.

'It's happening again' I thought as I heard my mum shout my name.