The Campus Demon {Nanowrimo 2020}

Chapter 12

"You better call Becca now, to confirm what you said or I will do that myself," Dami muttered, looking his girlfriend over. She hesitated before picking up her phone from the plastic reading table. She dialed her friend's number, fingers shaky, and gaze focused on the lighted screen.

"Give me the phone," he demanded, holding out his palm. Jessie shuddered, handing the dreadful device over to him. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead, trailing down her nose, her heart was racing wildly. She bit her lower lip as Dami placed the call on loud speaker. The phone rang several times but no one answered, much to his disappointment. Mumbling under his breath, he dialed the number repeatedly; the truth was simply what he wanted to ascertain.

He grunted in frustration, flinging the phone in the air. Jessie caught it just before it landed on the tiled floor. "You had better be right about what you've said because if not, you don't want to know what would happen next," he concluded.

Becca trailed behind Fikayo, her face boiling in fury, her eyes drilling holes into the back of his head. She patiently waited for when they'd checked in at their expensive suite before exploding. Entering the large, airy room, she slammed the door behind her—her fingers bunching into a tight fist by her side.

"Tell me, Fikkie, were you just wanting to disgrace me outside the whole time? Cause it sure looked like it!" She exclaimed, ignoring the persistent ringing of her iPhone.

Fikkie shrugged, plopping on the king sized bed, his mouth rounding in a yawn. He stretched his lean muscles, taking off his blue cashmere sweater, and cracking his neck.

"Fikkie, if you don't answer me right this minute—" Becca's patience was wearing thin.

He halted her speech with his angry glare. "Yes? What will happen?" You think I enjoy being stood up?"

Her brows furrowed as she crossed her arms under her breast. "You're unbelievable. I told you I was going to the toilet because of a running stomach. So, because I spent time there, you were already walking out on me. If hadn't gotten out by the time I did, you would have left me in a strange place with no mercy on how I'd get home. Are you that heartless?"

Fikkie's lower lip was quivering, his body shaking slightly as he tried to control his unbridled rage. He took in a deep ragged breath, unbuckled his ripped jeans and stripped off his Calvin Klein boxers, standing stark naked before her. "You want a piece of this?" He stroked his limp dick, looking straight into her eyes to gauge her reaction.

Her round eyeballs widened in surprise but she kept her cool, standing askance. "So, you're not also a mega freak. You're a sex addict." At that, something snapped inside Fikkie. He walked over to her, snatching her arm as she turned to leave and landed her a hard slap across the cheeks.

"That's for calling me a freak," he spat, roughly pushing her away. Becca lost her balance and fell, her head colliding with a golden pillar. She screamed out, her eyes filling with tears as she watched Fikkie's retreating back. Whatever did she do to fall in love with a monster, she couldn't fathom. Becca struggled to stand up but felt a searing pain shoot up her back.

Her hand instinctively reached for the sore spot on her head, shocked to feel a red, wet patch. She withdrew her palm, body juddering like a dead leaf floating in the air. Blood dripped from her pale fingers, landing onto her white sundress. She heard a loud ringing in her ear, her vision was momentarily in a daze. Becca crawled on all fours to the bedside table, the sound of the shower, drowning out her tiny cries of anguish.

Grabbing the telephone cord, she rang room service. "Please, I need a butler sent right away."

Becca placed a bag of ice behind her bandaged head as she leaned on the headrest for support. After having a scented bath, Fikkie got dressed in a loose fitting shirt and brown shorts. He grabbed his car keys from the center table without saying a word and headed out the door, slamming it for good measure.

The pleasure of being in Dubai was forgotten as Becca heaved a deep sigh. All she wanted was to go back home; she didn't have that much money on her. Her dependance was on her boyfriend who was off to god knows where. She hissed loudly, her eyes searching everywhere for her phone. Fikkie was growing more violent and she wasn't sure she would be able to continue with their relationship.

She spotted the phone lying on the chestnut drawer, stretching to grab it, her leg dangling from the edge of the bed. Becca immediately dialed Prisca's number, she picked on the fourth ring. Prisca was done having her bath when she called.

"I don't think I can take it anymore," Becca said. She was breathing noisily as she pressed the compressed ice onto the bandaged area. She eyed the bottle of antidepressant that was on the bedstand as her friend spoke, "Ah Becks, calm down. Tell me what happened."

"He bruised me."

"But why?" Prisca put the call on loud speaker as she grabbed a towel to dry her hair.

"He said it was because I called him a mega freak. As if slapping me wasn't enough. He will kill me one day o," Becca lamented.

"Waoh. What did you do that warranted such untoward behavior?"

"I didn't do nothing," she croaked. "I excused myself from the dinner table to go to the bathroom because I was having a running stomach. Okay, fine. I spent more time than necessary but isn't he supposed to understand? Next thing I know, he's stalking off. Do you know how embarrassing that was?"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve that piece of trash at all. I always keep telling you, what do you even see in him?" Prisca chided softly.

Tears filled her eyes as Becca answered, "I don't even know. I just fell in love with him. Call me stupid but I can't help it. I know he's battling with his anger issues but the blows are getting too much. The other day, he kicked me square in the stomach and turned me to his punching bag."

"Jesus Christ. So, this has been going on and you didn't deem it fit to tell me?" Prisca asked, the horror evident in her tone.

"I didn't want to bother you with my relationship problems. And plus, school takes up our time. Hmmm... about that, have you guys written any tests or started on that chemistry project yet?" Becca wiped snort from her nose with a folded napkin.

"Nope. I'm covering for you so you don't have to worry."

Becca heaved a sigh of relief.

"You need to get out of there though. How are you going to cope with Fikkie gone. Where did he go off to?"

"He just left," Becca replied, shaking her head at her misery.

"Any idea where he went?"

"I.. don't.. know," she hesitated. "Maybe, he's going to sleep somewhere else for the night."

"Ooh dear, I think I should inform Dami about it. So, we can raise up some money for you to fly back to Nigeria," Prisca said without thinking.

"No, please. I'm sure he will come back. He just needs sometime to cool off."

"Hmmm, alright." Prisca thought, a while. "Hope he doesn't have any mental illness or something?"

"Ummm..."

"What is it?" Prisca pressed.

"Never mind." Becca cut the call, blowing out a breath. She felt a soothing effect after taking her pain relieve drugs and laid down to sleep.

Later that night, Fikkie snuck into the room, took his shoes off his feet and climbed into bed beside Becca. He drew her close to himself, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her on the reddened cheek. Becca murmured incoherently as she aroused from sleep. Her eyes flew open to see her boyfriend staring down at her. Scooting away from him in fear, her body trembled as she pointed at something behind him.

"What's that?" Fikkie asked, following the direction of her index finger. He wasn't able to see anything since the room was covered in thick darkness. He instantly flicked the switch on the bedside lamp and that was when her breathing began to ease. Her chest rose and fell as he gathered her in his arms, taking in her strawberry scented hair.

"I'm sorry. I'm so... so... sorry, baby," he muttered.