TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD

"Do all it takes?" Lola asks.

"Yes, something worse than we can ever imagine might happen to her." Malik whispers. "What if she really kills her self or do something terrible?"

Lola thinks of it for a while and could relate to what he just said. "That's true, so what do you think we should do now?"

"Based on what you showed me earlier yesterday, her parents were clearly killed by someone very close to them."

"But we are not too sure about that." Lola whispers.

"We might not be sure of thousands of things but We are sure she needs love and attention, especially from parents figures. Being alone isn't too good for her."

"I know about that too, but what do you think we can do about it?"

"I am thinking of adopting her, she neither has any relatives nor is she in an orphanage home, so we would have the opportunity of skipping all legal procedures."

"Malik!" Lola calls calmly. "Are you sure of what you are talking about? It won't be as easy as you think it should be."

"I am aware, but that is all I can do to heal the young girl a little. Even if she just stays to regain her voice, it will be very okay by me."

"You know how Ella is, she might reject the offer immediately you propose it to her. You know her present condition, we can't force her to do anything." Lola sighs. "I think I know why she is like that."

"I do too, Shamim had a very hard time growing as a child and even developing because he had no mom to care for him. Most times, his school mates bully him and calls him motherless. As a result of that, he decided not to make any friends or even try to communicate with people."

"These kids go through thick and thin too, that is why we should always try to talk to them so they can open up to us. Many of them are victims of bully, I can easily tell that because of what I had passed through and the fact that I am a secondary school principal." Lola exhales deeply after her little lecture.

Malik noticed he was already arriving at something with Lola, she was already trying to tell him about herself, so he decided to use that opportunity to get closer. "You had a traumatic childhood too?"

"Yes." Lola nods with a painful smile,the memories of her childhood flashed through her memory again, and how it connects to the decisions she made those years ago.

"Will you like to talk about it in the kitchen?" Malik asks softly, trying his best to present it in a very reasonable manner so as not to annoy her or make her leave suddenly without a goodbye like she did a day ago.

"Why kitchen?" Lola asks, almost confused.

"Have you forgotten the prince and the princess asked you to make something for them to eat?" Malik asks funnily.

"Oh my! I have forgotten about that totally." She stands and looks at Malik. "Let's go, before they come downstairs again."

"Alright." Malik stand and both of them walks into the kitchen.

Immediately, Lola starts with unpacking the groceries she had shopped earlier. "Is it okay if I call you by your name?"

"Of course you can, just call me Malik." He says as he assists her with the unpacking and arrangements of the groceries.

"That's better." She says with a smile. "So you were saying something earlier about having a traumatic childhood."

"Yes I did, it wasn't easy. If anyone had told me that I will achieved these things when I was younger, I would have argued the fact."

"Really? Was it that bad?" Lola asks again.

"It was very bad, I was told my mom sold me off for just ten thousand." He says still assisting Lola with the unpacking and arrangement of groceries.

Lola paused in pity and shock. Just when she thought her childhood was most dramatic, Malik shows up with a greater one. She looks at Malik pitifully, as he wasn't even really paying attention to her. Instead he focused on what he was doing. "I am so sorry about that." She whispers.

"Sorry?" Malik asks and scoffs. "You don't haves to be, it's something that happened many years ago."

"You miss her don't you?"

Lola asks and immediately Malik stops what he is doing, which was arranging somethings into the refrigerator. He held the fridge handle tightly clinching his fist and his eyes turn red, trying so hard to hold back the tears but it wasn't successful.

"It was so lonely and difficult to stay alone and fend for myself in all aspects of life." Malik sobs loudly.

The tears had a great effect on her, she felt life crying too, but doing that wouldn't help the situation. She embraces him from behind, to comfort him. "I am so sorry."

"I had to beg on the streets to eat, I even worked as a house buy to pay my school fees." Malik continues lamenting. "Sometimes, I feel like I am destined not to be deeply loved by anyone."

"Stop spouting rubbish, I am here for you. Anytime you are down and want to talk to someone, I am always available." Lola comforts.

Did he hear right? Did she just say she is always available for him? Was she just trying to comfort him or she means it the other way? Malik gently let loose of the fridge handle and wipes his tears with the back of his palm, and slowly turns to face Lola.

As Malik turns to face her, she releases her arms to set him free from her tight embrace. The duo locked eyes for a while, secretly admiring and fantasizing each other.

"Did you really means what you just said?" Malik asks.

"Yes, I am here for you anytime you need me." Lola replies still maintaining the eye contact.