When Love Struck

Chapter 9

For Sarah Akinola, the rest of the weeks or rather, month, had been frustrating.

One of the frustrating moments for her was the sudden breakout of acne on her face. It was one out of the reasons why she had always avoided makeup, she had a very sensitive skin and always had acne after using make up. She vowed never to use makeup to impress a man again.

Ever since that date with William, her family had been trying to coax her to come home for dinner or lunch with William.

She didn't know what William had told her family about their date night except for the fact that they've been calling her non stop to come home. She had been avoiding home like a plague for the fear of having that same repeated conversation with her family over again.

She also avoided Martin like a plague. She didn't know why, but she found herself avoiding him. Each time he found an opportunity to talk to her, she would flee like a dog was on her tail.

"Hey, Sarah, your face has been scarce lately, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm heading to the principal's office, talk to you later." She never gave him an opportunity to talk to her. Martins, on the other hand, thought he had done something wrong.

The intended conversation she was planning to have with Cassandra's father was also forgotten.

For months, her motivation level had reached zero. She was no longer the bubbly type, after work, either she eats with Faith in an expensive eatery or she dives straight into her bed. It was more like self-care, zoning out the world and zoning in on herself.

It was that time of the month, Parents Teachers Day. A day when parents were invited to school to have a talk with the teachers and also check in on their kids performance. Each teachers sticked a letter of invitation in their kids bags for their parents easy access to information.

The day came, parents tripped in and out of classrooms. Sarah watched Cassandra in silence. She watched as the little girl sat alone in a corner with head bent. It was obvious, she was the only one who had no parent turn in for her that day.

"Cassandra, did you give your father the letter?" she had asked. The little girl only nodded her head in response.

A day came, a day Sarah hadn't been expecting to go the way it went.

It was closing hours, kids were being picked up by their parents and then, just like that first day when Cassandra first arrived, no one came to pick her up. Sarah was stranded, Faith wasn't there to keep her company, she had taken a sick leave. Only both of them knew she wasn't sick, she had taken the day off to make plans for her new business which was launching soon.

She hissed as she folded her arms akimbo. She was waiting on the same bench with Cassandra, the exact place where she stood waiting for her father the last time.

She wasn't in the mood to wait for long hours, she needed to go home and eat a large portion of Amala and Ewedu, which she had been craving for.

In utter annoyance, she dialed Brian's number.

Brian, on the other hand, had no time to think when he received the phone call. He was in his office checking out financial statements when he received the call. Without further ado, he picked up his black jacket from his chair and rushed out, at the same time, mumbling audible excuses as he made his way out of the company.

He knew his way around few places, his daughter's school included and so, he entered his black shiny car and drove away, sparing his driver a quick apology. Driving, he couldn't help but wonder why Nnegi hadn't picked up his daughter from school.