Trapped

I stood there admiring the apartment Michael lives in. It was not about the space, it was not even as spacious as the one I used to live in at Warri. But it was the beauty, the coloured lights, the way the wardrobe stood and how neatly arranged the bed was. He asked me if I didn’t like it, but what was there not to like? I was calm and relaxed enough.

“This is one of the reason I did not bring you here. It’s a self contain with no sitting room, just a kitchen and the bathroom,” Michael said to me.

“I know you would have been frightened if I had brought you here!” he said yet again. I understood well enough what he met. And he’s right, even if I did not get scared, I would not have trust him well enough. I turned to look at him. I wanted to ask him why he decided to stay in a self contain apartment when he seem like one who could afford a bigger place. But the words seem to hang on my lips, too heavy that my mouth just stayed open without moving.

There was this smile on his lips, and the way he looked at me…. I could not tell if I was safe anymore, but then, I didn’t know how well I knew myself at that moment.

Michael and I had gone to a fancy restaurant after he had bought me the phone. We talked a lot about what had actually brought me to Lagos. Except I did not tell him about the issue with Gina and Brume. I only told him I had neglected my former job and had decided to take up a job related to what I studied in school. I told him I wanted to work for a bank here in Lagos, so I had come with the hopes that I would find a good bank, perhaps, one of those micro finance banks that pays well enough. He suggested that since it was banking and finance I studied, I could also work under any other institution as their finances officer or adviser. He said that would be better than working for a bank. But I told him such would require experience of me, and I had none except my certificates which qualifies me for the job.

“Oh!” he mouthed.

We had a good chat and that had made me relax with him even more.

“So?” he had asked me. It was a question I could barely pinpoint its direction, but I did my best to answer. I told him since he got me an android phone and that I had retrieved my lines, I would access my Google and lock my stolen device with it. Then I would retrieve my documents. I told him I would focus on my writing and then I would try to track my bank accounts. I was expecting a pay soon… the only reason I had not rushed to the bank yet was because there was not much money in my account. What was left was as little as ten thousand naira. But if I did not act now, those who stole my phone and purse would probably rub me off my money. The pay coming in is from one of the magazine I write for. I had made a withdrawal few days before embarking on my journey to Lagos. Well, a few days after crying and sucking over what happened with Gina and Brume. And as for the pay, it’s from a work I managed to put up. I decided to try my best after a while, and that fetched me something, but not as good as what I wanted.

“You should take off Funke’s dress and wear something from the ones I bought you,” Michael said. He had clearly stated that he did not like Funke’s clothes on me. I smiled at him. I did not want to change in his house. And Funke may feel somehow if I return wearing a different dress.

“It is not necessary. I would start wearing the ones you bought me from tomorrow,” I replied Michael. At least I had said something after feeling heavy on my lips for a while. He screened me with his eyes. I don’t know if it was shame or that I had lost my ability to relax, but it gave me chills, the way his eyes ran a check all over my body. This was the second day I was seeing this man in my 5 days of being in Lagos. As far as I am concerned, he was still a stranger. No matter how much his kindness got me feeling good.

After we were done at the restaurant, Michael had taken me to a boutique. I would have preferred the normal okrika wears popularly referred to as OK clothes. But he chosed a boutique. I knew that some boutique owners would patronise OK sellers and rebrand the clothes to look nice and sell it over 10 times the price of the clothes. But most people believe if it is not from the boutique, it is not worth it.. and I so much want to ask them what they would do if they realise the same boutique was just an over expensive OK refurbished shop.

Michael did more of the picking when he realised I was not going for the much chic clothes. I picked two hoodies and he thought I had had enough of the girl living a boy’s life. He started making the choices on my behalf, and most of the clothes he picked were skimpy outfits. He picked so much, with only a few moderately decent clothes. But he picked too much that I wanted to ask him what exactly he was doing. Because the first day we met, the car he drove and the way he looked, he looked nothing like one who could afford things like this, not to mention this much clothes from a boutique where the least of the gowns was seven thousand naira, not to talk about the trousers and the tops.

“I want to see you in something other than Funke’s cheap dress,” he said, his voice suddenly sounding seductive. I didn’t realise it until he asked me why I was biting my lips. That was when I knew I needed to leave. This was getting towards a direction that I may not rewind if I don’t reverse immediately.

“Funke may become worried. I think it is time I go!” I said to Michael. But he was the one to go drop me off at Funke’s place.

“I already told Funke I would be returning her dress or I’d pay for it. You won’t be going back there anymore,” Michael’s words were like the cacophonic sound of unexpected drummings, unexpected and unwanted!

“I don’t understand…” I really did not understand.

“Stay with me a month and I’ll pay you off. Everything you got today is just an advance and little compared to what I have in mind to give to you if you’ll accept my offer,” he said. And I asked him what offer, because I still could not understand his gibbers, those words that made it seem like I had fallen into another trap.

“Funke said something…”

“That you should be careful of me and that I am a womaniser? Come on…. I know she said that. But it doesn’t matter, just accept my offer, after all you need help and cannot stay with Funke as much as you want,” Michael said, having cutting me off before I could finish what I was saying.