In All Her Glory

•04. In Prescott•

  |Chapter Four|

Sharon's POV

      •••

September 15th, 2019.

I had spent a month and ten days in Akure.

Whoever said time flies? The thing soars!

I stared at the whiteboard as the English teacher scribbled the date on it, her marker making squeaking sounds against the board.

It was my first day at my new school, Prescott Secondary School. It was also Dami's school. Prior to class, there was an assembly which was held in the school's assembly hall, with all students and teachers in attendance.  The principal had called all new students out to face the school, and had each of us introduce ourselves.

I had written the school's entrance exam during the holidays last month, and I had aced the exam. Perfectly. The school had awarded me a partial scholarship, because of my score. Things were beginning to work out well for me. I was right in running from home, ehem, Lagos. Akure was now my home, and nothing could change that.

In August, I had told Dami and her mum that Mayowa had been abusive. Their eyes had shone with intense sympathy for me.

"Oh, you poor girl!" Dami's mum wailed as she hugged me tightly.

Dami just sat, staring at me with wistful eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Sharon," she whispered as she joined her mother in hugging me.

After a few minutes of crying, Mrs Olaniyan drew back and wiped my tears with her fingers. Her tears had propelled mine. I hadn't even told them about the main thing. What would they do if I did? Not that I was ever going to.

Dami's mother looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Don't you worry, I'll be a mother to you. From now on, I'll be your guardian. Okay? Anything you need, come and tell me."

I nodded.

Even my own mother failed me, contradictory thoughts filled my head.

"In fact," she pressed on. "Will you move in with us? Instead of being all alone in that big house."

"No, no. It's okay, ma. I don't want to impose, ma," I shook my head strongly and wiped away errant tears that fell.

"Oh, please, you aren't imposing on anyone! We'll gladly accept you as family, Sharon. We have extra guest rooms."

"I'm really grateful, ma. I... I see you as family. But I..." I drew in a breath. "I'll think about it."

"There's nothing to think about, Sharie," Dami chipped in, her voice husky. "Just move in with us."

"Uh..." I started, but Dami's dad returned home at that moment. Dami's mum hurriedly stood up and wiped her face with her scarf. She squeezed my hand and walked off to find her husband, after saying, "We're here for you."

I smiled shakily. Truly, they had been accepting of me. They treated me like I was one of them. Dami's mum had even paid the half of my school fees that wasn't accounted for by the school. Still, a part of me felt like it was only pretend, like they were only acting for unseen cameras.

I was mostly jittery around Dami's dad, because, well... all men of that age range--Mr Mayowa's age range--now seemed like rapists to me. My eyes grew blurry.