The Truth About Mariam

Chapter One ‡

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"Asake!!" I hear my mom's voice call from downstairs.  I groan to my self and roll out of my small, yet comfortable bed.

While neatly tucking the corners and flopping the pillows.

" I'm coming ma" I yell and rush downstairs.
The cabinets open and the sounds of her singing while making breakfast is being heard.

"Good morning mom" I kneel, and smile at her. She gives me a warm smile as she chops the onions, when she was done, she wiped her hands on the napkin beside the sink.

" Your father told me about you entering that school down the street na true?" I nod my head in agreement "Yes ma, he bought me the uniforms and a backpack and books as well."

Her eyebrows etch a little " Do you like the school?" I shrug " I haven't even attended to make a decision, but from what I saw on the Internet, the school is big and they offer scholarships and it has almost every thing a student would ever need"

She taps her fingers on the table and touches my arm " I just want you to do your best and make us proud honey, you know things isn't easy in thus country, we are all thriving".

I place my hand over hers " You know I won't ever disappoint you mami, and this family as well."

She smiles and pats my hand and she stands to continue with the cooking.

Typical mom, yelling my name just to ask me about my school, and cooking this early ... It isn't even up to seven.

Okay... I'd introduce myself.

I am Asake Arionla, I am 17 and  this is my final year in secondary school, We are just four in my family, my parents, I and my little brother Rotimi who is six.

I enrolled in a school, Prosperity and Peace.

My former school was well, it didn't work out for me. Their teachers were really awful and they don't know how to give proper teaching. I complained to my Dad and he had me withdrawn me from the school.

My Dad works in an insurance company at lekki, Lagos. While my mom has a shop where she sells foodstuffs and all other accessories.

Rotimi is in primary four and his school is not too far from my mom's shop.

I look for my phone and I found it on the dinning table, I hope Rotimi haven't touched it or scratched cause I value my phone.

Seventy nine percent.  I unlock my phone and I  switch my data on and log into Facebook. There are bunch of notifications popping in and i tap on one.

Jeremy Davids tagged me in a post. I quickly tapped on it to see what it was all about.

Girls that are useless. He mentioned me and people laughed at it.

Jeremy was my crush in my former school, he was always calm and smart, I told him I had a crush on him when I was leaving the school and he basically laughed and walked away.

And now he is online tagging me in a posts about useless girls.

I went offline and placed my phone back on the table and went into the kitchen to assist my mom.

Boys like him don't deserve my time and attention.

It turns out my mom was making jollof rice, my little brother's favorite.

We all sat at the table, after saying our prayers, I helped in dishing the food and my brother literally jumped up when he saw the amount of rice I packed for him.

" How am I going to finish this na?" He whined, I rolled my eyes and reduced the quantity.

Breakfast went smoothly and so did my day. It was a Saturday, my mom as usual went to the shop all days except Sunday.

I washed the plates and did my morning chores. When I was done, i went up to my room to look for something to do.

I loved reading, educational books or not, I just loved reading.

I opened my desk and took out one of the literature textbook my dad bought for me, clearly I was an art student.

Call me weird but I loved the smell of new textbooks or anything new.

I opened my window a bit and looked around, this was our family house.

We have five neighbors, our house was the biggest in the block.

The neighbors were friendly and we shared gifts during Easter,Christmas and birthdays. 

One of the neighbors had a daughter my age, Precious, and she also attends the new school I would be going to, we don't talk that much, we just exchange greetings and go our different parts,

The doorbell rings and I waited to hear either one of my family open it but after 10secs I went to get it my self.

I skip down the stairs and rushed to the door, I peek through the hole, it was a man.

I opened the door and a man was stood there with a briefcase in his hands and a stern face.

"Good afternoon Sir..." I offered my polite smile as I waited for him to introduce himself.

His eyes were red and they shot dead glances at me " Good afternoon to you as well,can you call your father and tell him Mr John is here to have a talk with him."

I nod .. He looked scary. I was scared.. Was he a terrorist... Kidnapper
"Do you want to step in ?

He shakes his head while still shooting me angry glares " No,thank you, just get your father."

I close the door and went to my parent's room, I knocked on the door "Daddy? Mr John is hear to see you."

The door opened immediately and my dad face looks scared and worried, he is wearing shorts and a white singlet.

"Where is he now?"

" Outside,at the porch, he refused to come inside"

"Okay, you can go now,but get me my shirt in my room." I entered their room and I grab a shirt lying on the bed.

I handed it over to me and he puts it on i a rush.

Something seems wrong.

After my dad talked with Mr John, he acted weird and he seemed confused, I didn't want to ask him about it so I just brushed it off.