Chapter Twenty

Seven days glided away after the visitation of James Brin and she was already preparing to leave for school when she heard the vibration of her phone on the dining table. She quickly walked to get the phone and picked the call up.

"The day I came to visit you, I was utterly furious at what you did, James Brin said.

"How, describe?" Bianca enquired.

"Why didn't you accompany me, and when I insisted, you sent your other sister instead."

"Oh, is that what made you angry?" stated Bianca.

Bianca's voice dragged Mary to the sitting room from wherever she was hiding, and then she took a seat beside Bianca to listen to the conversation between both of them.

"Of course, why didn't you bother calling me after I had gone to know whether I reached my destination or I haven't."

"That isn't worth calling," Bianca said harshly, "Is that all you want to tell me?"

"Bianca, you behave more like a five-year-old girl or younger than that. I am sorry to say that," James responded, peevishly.

"Alright then, is that all the conversation?" Bianca asked.

"Something is wrong somewhere. What made you answer in this manner. Is someone spoiling your heart towards me?" he continued, without waiting for a response, "if it is someone that is doing that tell him or her, to stop wasting time, because you are my future wife already."

"The future hasn't decided its events but you are faster than it."

"Anyway anyhow, by force or peace you will be my wife and I need to start taming you for that blissful day," His voice cracked, giving way to some chunk of laughter that emanated through.

His words only made Bianca angrier, and after hanging up and turning off the phone, she was shocked to see Mary's always-gentle hands on her shoulder.

"I warned you, Bianca? Your steps are about putting you into trouble you never created," Mary said with a relieving smile.

"You are also part of my problem, it is very hard for you to expose his character to me, and you allowed me to dangle first at him and then bear the consequences." Bianca said, sternly. "Are behaviours of someone a secret?"

"How? Explain the meaning of 'dangle'? Was I at your school when you guys got to know each other? Be careful with your words."

Bianca noticed that her words had hurt Mary badly by the way she responded. She hadn't responded like this before, Bianca thought.

"I'm sorry about my choice of words, but you should have told me about him immediately when I said I wanted to invite him. Maybe I should have changed my decision."

"It would be so odd for me to divulge his real character to you when I noticed you had some slight affection towards him."

"You prefer wrecking my life over an affection that could die at some point?" Bianca voiced out.

Mary's brain received signals from that query, leaving her both stunned and shocked. Why would she think in such a manner? But what she said is very grounded in reality. Mary thought, that if I resisted telling her what James Brin was all about, I would be ruining her life.

"Alright, I promise to tell you who James Brin is all about," Mary responded back.

Would my words not implicate me too, she thought? What if I told her and she mistakenly said it to James? He will he get to know that I am the one, and I know who James Brin is- a disastrous person. She thought within herself.

"I would be very glad," responded Bianca happily.

"But for now, I am sorry not to tell you his character, because of the present situation," Mary said, "Maybe later. Because I am already a suspect in his eyes and you, going to school now might worsen the case."

"Mary, I am sorry to tell you that you made me look like a baby in your eyes. What do you think?" Bianca said furiously, "Do you think I would go and tell him? In fact, I am short of words, I am going to school, bye."

Bianca stood up with tears forming around her eyes and went to the room to get her school bag. She came out of the room with all her luggage and stared at Mary, who sat down with her head bowing down.

She opened the door and was about to leave when Mary clutched at her hands.

"I never thought of you as a baby. I am trying all my best to prevent catastrophic events from happening. Just try to understand me."

"Leave me alone, I am already late." Bianca said, trying to release herself free from her hand.

Mary felt bad; it would have been better for her not to have exposed this matter to her than stir up a broken relationship with a girl who had gone through many tough ordeals in her life.

"Don't make me burst out in tears Bianca, please, for my sake, try to understand the situation on the ground."

"The time is no longer my friend, please let me go so that I can do whatever I want to do before it gets dark."

"Bianca, you know I love you. I took you as a biological sister to me. Please don't do this to me," Mary entered in a pleading tone.

"I never did anything to you, just leave me. Let me get to school and sort myself out."

"Alright, I will," Mary said, in an energetic manner, "But promise me that you will have no grudges against me, just promise me."

"I never had grudges at you. Mary, I am late for school," she said, picking up her bag, and using her left hand to press her eyeballs simultaneously to prevent the tears from dropping down.

Mary released her hand and took a bag from her and tried helping her to take it down to the road.

"Don't help me, I am capable of carrying it, thanks," said Bianca peevishly.

"Do you mean you don't want my support in assisting you?" Mary said boldly, staring at her face.

"Yeah, thanks a lot." she said.

"Do you mind if I give you the car key?" Mary asked.

"Take it, I don't need a car," she responded harshly.

Mary nodded her head pitifully and went back to the sofa and sat down on it. Shockingly Bianca closed the door behind Mary and went out of the house. This was a strange behaviour from Bianca who would have beg Mary to try escorting her, at least to the bus stop. Today was an absolutely different day. Bianca struggled with the bag and still managed to take it to the bus stop where a garage was located with drivers who were ready to load their vehicles. Drivers rushed over to her as soon as she arrived and began calling the names of the places they were going while they waited for her to respond in order to direct her to the vehicle going to that location.

At last she said the name of the location of her school, and then almost all the drivers went back, but only one stood back and helped Bianca to carry her bag as they both walked down to the car. The driver opened the boot and dropped Bianca's bag inside it and ordered her to sit at the rear side.

She finally made it to school. Before she arrived at her destination, it had been close to an hour and thirty minutes. She struggled to carry her bag to the entrance, where she had to be registered and go through security screening in order to enter the school grounds. She was able to get to her hostel by pushing herself and moving slowly but forcefully. Inside the hostel, she abruptly dropped the bag and began to breathe rapidly in and out like an asthmatic patient. Just before going into her room, she heard something.

"Where do you think you are going to?" a voice spoke out from outside.

She turned back and noticed James Brin standing with two other hefty guys at his side which made her cramp a little bit.

"Don't get scared," James Brin said with a relieved face noticing the uneasiness of Bianca posture.

"I am not scared at all. We are in school, nothing to be scared of." she reiterated boldly and convincingly.

"Please, I want to have a conversation with you, do you mind coming outside." James Brin spoke with a cool tone.

"I can hear you from here, just say what you want to say here," she said looking straight at him.

"Someone may be right inside the room and might hear us," he said.

"Really," Bianca said surprisingly, "I am coming."

She spoke out and then dashed inside the room, everywhere was silent, she stared round the room and was surprised to see nobody in the room. She passed the first bunk and looked but nobody was there.

"None of my roommates have resumed, this is impossible." she said to herself.

"Don't trust anyone, believe in yourself," a voice echoed.

The voice was distinct and genuine, just like her father's voice. She began to feel a little uneasy and think that someone was in the room with her. After that, she hurried to the bathroom, opened the door, and saw a sponge hanging from the shower head, but no one was there. She then went to the toilet, where she also tried to open the door, but no one was there. She turned around in the room as she returned, looking for someone but finding no one.

Oh, my dad, it has been a long while since I heard his voice. I know my dad loves me, he still sees me wherever I go. I love my dad, I know he would be happy to see me in the university now. This thought ran through her brain and then tears rushed out of her eyes. She quickly cleaned her tears with her palms.

Since no one was inside the room, Bianca went outside and still saw James Brin standing with the other guys.

"But I thought you said someone is inside," she said with a croaky voice and in a confused way.

He smiled and then replied, "I used the word 'might'."

"Oh, I didn't hear you very well," replied Bianca.

"Alright," James continued, "so can we talk now?"

"Please go ahead" she said, recovering her fine voice back.

"Love, the walls have ears and mouths and they will spread our conversation to the wide world," he said appealingly.

The walls have ears and mouths. What does he mean, or is someone hiding in the room? Is he referring to the two guys standing beside him? Maybe it might be true, she thought.

"Okay," she answered, and dropped her bag just within the entrance and then went out to meet him. He looked at her straight at her eyeball and then smiled and then held her hand and walked away while the two hefty guys stood back and started chatting together all of a sudden. When they arrived at a tree, they sat down on the chairs. Bianca was a little nervous, but the movement of other students on campus greatly reduced her anxiety.

"Do you know I love you outside of the other girls on this campus," he began the conversation, "Are you aware of that?"

"Oh, thanks." she said shabbily and wearingly.

"Oh, you don't believe me," he said briskly.

She chortled a little bit and said, "I believe every word you tell me. I have studied you for a while now, and I know you for one thing, which is that you don't lie, so maybe you are telling the truth."

"Oh, wow, I saw what you did there," he reacted and then laughed.

"I'm just teasing you, but you don't lie," Bianca responded with a smiling tone.

"Nice to hear that from you," Brin said.

"Thanks," he continued, "I have something for you, can you guess what it is?"

"Hmmm, a gift?" Bianca guessed, not sure of herself.

"One last trial." Brin echoed, smiling at her, "I just love your cute dimple and the way it was going down as you were talking."

"Cash??" she said.

"No, not at all," he voiced out, "but at least you are a bit good at guessing."

"Hmmm," she echoed, "Wow."

"I have good news for you, and it is that I want to take on the responsibility of paying your school fees. Would that be okay?" he queried. "You remember I asked you this question before and you accepted the offer, but I just want to be really sure. Just trust me, I am going to take up the responsibility. Have my trust."

"Don't trust anyone, believe in yourself," this was the first thing that came to Bianca's mind, the voice of her father who spoke to her earlier. But why was it my father's voice that came to my mind first? Why did my father's voice go missing when he asked me the first time? Isn't this an opportunity to relieve Mary's father of some responsibilities?

"It is taking you so long to answer. I thought you trusted me, and you believed in me."

The word 'trust' is what my dad said, and he is saying trust. "Trust no one'. But why did that voice make that statement?

"But from where and how do you obtain the funds you intend to use to cover my school expenses? That is my first question for you," she said agitatedly.

James chortled sarcastically and then smiled at her curiosity. He had probably been expecting a question like this all along.

He asked confidently and calmly, "Do you know my father?"

Bianca responded, "No.

He chuckled at her reply once more. "Bianca, you are so funny."

"Nothing I said would make someone laugh," Bianca spoke quickly.

I laughed because of your question, not because of your answer, James said. But right now, can you respond to my question?

"My response to your query is—"

"Please be quick, those guys are waiting for me," he interrupted.

"No, thank you, I appreciate it," returned Bianca, staring straight at his face.

He smiled again, but this time in a mischievous manner, "Anyway, that is your opinion, and I fully respect it. But take note: you are still my future wife, so it is better you enjoy yourself before our marriage."

"Your use of the word 'wife' has made me lose my affection for you. I am still in my second year. Don't allow me to lose focus on my academics, or is that what you want?" asked Bianca equivocally.

"That is your headache, girl. I am not concerned about that," he answered mindlessly.

Was this the word that came out of James' mouth? Unbelievable! She thought.

"Thank God you are exposing your real character to me. Chameleon." she hissed, and was about to stand up when James dragged her back to her seat.

"Do you just call me a chameleon?" he said, squeezing his face.

"Leave me alone, let me go and rest," Bianca railed out immediately.

"I know it is your stupid sister who trained you this way. A very shameless human being in this world. She thought I hadn't seen her in the kitchen when I visited you. Foolish girl! Follow and abide by her words, and see if you don't regret it in your entire life."

"Why did you call my sister a shameless being?" said Bianca angrily.

"You get angry with a girl that is not your blood sister."

Bianca got shocked all of a sudden.

"Could you please explain those statements of yours to me because you weren't present when they both gave birth to us?"

"Leave the matter alone. I can't go into details."

"Don't allow your words to implicate you," she warned.

"Can my words implicate me? I don't get it. First, do you know who James Brin is?" With a squeezed face, he inquired.

"I don't care to know, all I care for is that you pay respect to her. Period."

He laughed out loudly and in a downgraded manner and echoed the words "shameless being" again.

When Bianca returned to her hostel, she did so quickly and covertly that even James and the other companions were surprised at how quickly she reached her room.

James Brin got up from the chair on which he was sitting, looked in the general direction of Bianca's hostel, gave a grating head shake, and then walked back to meet his other companions. He then gave them the go-ahead by waving, and he followed them.