CAUGHT

THE PERFECT LOVER

The kicks continued until she could no longer feel her thighs. The repeated vibrations from the connection of his foot to her thighs has made them feel numb.

"Stupid bastard!!, I gave you an instruction not to go to his party." Tega screamed at Onome as he kicked her one last time."You bitch, you want to marry him eh?!! He spat out and stomped his way out of her sight. Her head wobbled from the blows. She could feel the tears already congregating in her eyes but was afraid to let them drop. Her back and her bum hurts from the lashes delivered by his belt earlier.

This was not the first time Oghenetega was hitting her. She had expected herself to be used to this routine of torture but today felt different. She gathered herself together like a baby at the corner of the dinning table. They had began the quarrel in the living room before the fights skidded to the dining area. Her folded form was the only way of protecting her face from further assault. She did not want any more bruises that she would have to explain to many inquisitive eyes when they see her tomorrow. The buckle of the belt Tega had used in the initial attack, suddenly hit the floor from the chair he kept it, sending shills into her spine as she scurried into a more inconveniencing position. The fight was different this time because she had put up a resistance after the first slap. She knew she should not have stood up to him but she didn't listen to that voice of reason.

Sometimes she wishes she could fight! Slap him back or kick him in the groin. Other times, she wishes she could dish out several blows in overwhelming successions, the way he does to her. But she could not, she was no match for his frame or agility.

The living room was a disaster. He had broken the center table which was the attractive piece of decor in the room. Her Iphone 11 was badly damaged as Tega had smashed it on the floor in anger. Shards of glasses were every where. She wondered how she could clean the entire house without the maid Joy who is not usually present during the weekends. This was Tega's home and she lived with him whilst she is in town and visits her parents whenever she was about to go back to school.

She heard the room door opened and shut. Heaving a sigh of relief, Onome began to cry as she had often cried after every beating. Every where hurts in her ebony beautiful skin. 

This was her lot, her portion for falling in love and being in a relationship with a damaged man. His anger issues spiralled out of control as he could hurt any one in his path when he was in rage. Her mother said he was possessed by an angry god and would require deliverance from this bad temper. This is not ordinary she usually say. She had taught Onome how to be patient with him, that being angry was not his doing. Whose what is then?

Oh! She desperately wanted this deliverance sooner than later.

No relationship is perfect, her mother tells her often and everyone wants Tega for a spouse. So she had better stay put before someone else kicks her out and marries Tega before her very eyes. She was lucky, he chose her. He started to hit her three years ago and since then, it was rather becoming frequent she could say. The first time he hit her was at her younger sister's birthday in one of the event center at the resort. Tega was fond of extravagant gestures and this 16th year birthday of her younger sister Fejiro was one of such gestures.

A young man was interested in getting her phone number. He had liked Onome the moment she walked in with the birthday cake for her sister. He was persistent and held her hand obliging her to honour his request. Tega had walked in with his manager Austin, to witness this very act. He punched the young man several times before slapping her across the face yelling at her.

She was shocked by this assault and caught his shirt by the front collar squeezing it tightly to demonstrate her fury. That was her undoing as Tega pummeled her from every direction he could. Onome woke up in the hospital the next day evening with her right eyes closed, lips badly bruised and two broken ribs. Tega was kneeling at her bed side, crying and begging her.