CH 02|| Sold

After school one evening around 5pm, I arrived home to see two new cars parked outside. This time, I was greeted with a fiery look from the only bodyguard who was standing close to the main door entrance.

What the hell. I thought.

My eyes locked with his whilst making my way round the house. As I clung to my backpack, I sneaked to the backyard and got into the house through the back door.

I first met with my sister who bumped into me as I walked quietly through the kitchen. She seemed stunned then immediately recollected herself before casting worried filled eyes my way.

"It's good you're–" I preempted her talking further by slamming my palm over her mouth.

She squeezed her face, dragging my hand off her face. "Why are–"

Slamming my palm again, I hushed her with a stern look. "Shhh"

Seeing that she had succumbed to my request, I slipped away my hand to let her speak.

"Why were you hushing me?" She whispered, looking directly into my eyes.

"I don't need them knowing I'm around. God knows how I hate drama." I replied back in the same tone, rounding her to sneak into my room but she followed.

"Although I'm not allowed in there, I pretty much know I've heard your name once or twice. It seems to me they've got something up their designer sleeves." She said, but why should I care?

"And? They're probably still annoyed that I challenged them last time. It's not about anything serious unless they're planning on selling me off to pay off dad's loan." I responded sarcastically, unlocking the door to my room.

Soon I was in, but my sister wouldn't stop following me.

"I don't think it's nothing serious." She said, worry evident on her face. Why does she have to always worry? I thought.

"Tell me about it, Psychic." I grumbled, plopping down on my bed and crossing my right foot over my left thigh so I could take off my sneakers.

"Whatever you say. But I have a bad feeling about this. I really do." I rolled my eyes mentally hearing her say those words. She shouldn't worry. Everything was going to fall into place.

"I'm damn hungry. What's been prepared?" I asked her after shrugging off my fleece jacket.

The plump girl, rolled back her head and resting it on one of her shoulder with her eyes in my direction. "You wanna know?"

I was hungry and no play was necessary here. It was the kind of hunger to cause your stomach to bit itself, churning and making a hell of a noise.

"Anything will do Becca,"

She smirked. "It's pumpkin soup and nope, it's not even prepared. We were waiting for you." She answered.

What in the mighty ****

My eyes grew wide, my anger growing. "What in the name of God are you talking about? You people think I have strength to cook such annoying pot of soup when in the end I'll probably not eat it?"

She shrugged to my greatest annoyance.

"I haven't even eaten!–" I half screamed then shut my mouth when I realized the house was almost silent.

"Eddy!" I heard my name being called from the sitting room.

Shoot! I internally exclaimed.

"Eddy, if you're home, come over here." My mother's voice resonated.

I turned my eyes towards my sister who stared back at me.

"I told you," She said.

I went out of my room barefoot, walking down to the living room with a lot of questions in my head.

It better had to be something good. I thought, comforting myself.

Just when I thought they were done, my parents just had to call me to their midst?

As I arrived the room, it was as if I just entered into another part of the world. It froze here. The atmosphere was chilly and dense with nothing to slice through it.

I looked at my dad whose face wore an utterly confused look even with my mum but the wealthy looking couple wore a neutral look.

"Good evening everyone. I'm sorry, mum you called for me?" I asked, trying to appear like I wasn't curious as to why I was called.

My mum stood up and hugged me so tightly. Albeit feeling squashed, I held the pain in so as not to upset my father.

After she released me of her embrace, I looked around in slight embarrassment at the couple whose eyes fixated on me.

Jeez.

Feeling awkward I asked what the matter was but I got a response from the proud looking woman.

She stood up and came to me but I took a step back.

"Don't be frightened dear, we won't hurt you. " she assured me in the calmest way possible. It sounded like sweet poison.

"We only want to make a request." She said, reaching for my cheek.

"The reason why we are all gathered here is because you are the idle woman we need for our son." Saying that, she dropped her hand.

What?

"I don't understand" I got really scared. What did she mean by what she just said and can I be left alone to stand. I don't like the idea of standing this close to two women who are planning something out for me.

"We are getting you married, Eddy." mum spoke up.

God! What did I just hear mum say? They couldn't possibly do that to me.

I instantly pulled back. This has got to be a joke.

"What are you saying... I'm underage and I look way younger than my age. How can I get married, no no I wou-... I can't... I'm sorry." I rambled, staring in shock at dad.

"Then your family will have to suffer the consequence of the debt your father owe. And as I can see, he won't be stable enough to take them on. His survival is up to you." The man threatened, his eyes puncturing mine in great hostility.

"She will get married!" Replied my father, looking sternly at me.

"Father! " I screamed with tears clogging in my eyes.

"She will get married sir... I'm sorry." Pleaded my dad to the man.

The man nodded while the woman touched my cheeks which was really warm by now.

"I know we made the right choice. We will be seeing you soon." she smiled with no dentition.

I watched as they left with my father accompanying them then my voice quavered with emotion and I felt the anger in me burn rapidly. My mother held me so I wouldn't fall as I felt my legs shaking.

I sobbed in her arms as she patted my back but the pain just wouldn't go.

I felt heavy, so heavy my heart couldn't bear. My dad returned and I approached him.

"Dad, please can we talk? " I asked with respect but my heart blazed.

"Eddy we had to do this " he looked at me with concern now. His voice was weak and he had the eyes of a troubled man; deep and hollow, bags hanging below his once bright eyes and red roots stretching around his sclera.

"Sell me out because of one loan?" My voice increased. The irony of the situation.

"Eddy you know our financial status is bad. There is no way I would have been able to pay off that loan in a year with our failing business. I had to agree to it. There was no other way out. It was either this or I lose everything. "He looked frustrated.

"Dad but this will shatter my life." I cried, tears scratching and punching my eyes to be let out.

"Eddy no no no. It's all gonna be beautiful " My mum held my hand.

"Stop it mum. You and I know that getting me married to that family will strip us off of our dignity. We will never have a say in anything. I will become a slave to a man I barely know. Don't you get it?"

They both went quiet. They knew; they knew what they were putting me into. They just didn't care much. No one ever does.

"Where did the N50million go? What did it you do with it dad? And what loyalty was he talking about?" I asked, begging through my eyes for the answer to the question.

"I don't know. Now go to your room knowing that your life will be taking a big turn from now on."

I ran off from their sight to my room, disheartened by the news. As I raised my eyes, I saw my sister looking at me from my bed.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I want to be alone right now Becca. Please just leave me for now." I requested painfully.

Knowing me, she just shrugged and stood up, leaving the room for me to wallow in my pain alone.

I guess this is how my life will end up. With someone I know nothing about. An arranged marriage. I only watched it on TV where the bride and groom are forced to marry each other but I never once thought that this could happen to me.