Secrets Teens keep

15. Vanessa

Tuesday 9 August
10:50

Vanessa

Privacy is everything and I concur it was time people started respecting it. Especially African mother’s.

I just had my bath, enjoying 'me time’ after a rough morning, only to have it cut short. I was at least relieved it was not someone else that barged in as I shut my bathroom door.

Clutching a big towel around my body, my head snapped to the door at the cherry voice of my mother, “Going somewhere?”

I removed my gaze and ignored looking at her in the eye as I lied through my teeth.

“I’m just going to hang out with the girls.”

It had been the only practical lie I could give to leave the house for two weeks straight, meanwhile I had spent almost everyday at Jordan’s place. Not that I did not want to see the girls, but they all had busy schedules and I didn’t want to impose on them. I couldn’t bear to be stuck under the same roof as my pedophile uncle.

“Well, uncle Dan and I are leaving for Abuja today, you should invite your friends over. Have a fun and chill girls night you know,” She assented, inviting herself into the room, closed the door behind her and took a seat on my bed.

I went to my closet to pick out clothes for the day before replying her, “Uhm, great idea. I’ll ask if they are interested.”  Of course, I was lying again.

I quickly put on a blue jean skirt, red fitted off shoulders and my favorite fur slides.
Standing in front of the ceiling to floor lengthy mirror, my mom’s face popped behind me as she checked herself out.

“Nessa, I feel like we haven’t talked in a long time,” She took the weave brush from my dresser to comb her wig. “You don’t even call me when I’m not at home to gist with me,” She said disappointedly, looking sad. 

The times I’d called to check up on her and gist like she said, I was either left to drop a voicemail or dismissed curtly which would discourage any sensible person to stop trying.

Who did she think she was to play the victim? I badly wanted to scratch her glowing skin that no skincare could fix. I wanted to yank her wig, cut it and destroy her shelves of human hairs.

“Maybe if you didn’t leave me home alone every week, you won’t feel that way!” I snapped, surprising her and myself.

She opened her mouth to speak but I stopped her as I dragged the brush from her.

“How can you be so selfish and self centered? You send my calls to voicemail or lie that you’ll call back after your 'meeting'”

It was impolite of me to raise my voice, but honestly it felt good. I had been quiet for too long and it didn’t make things better so from now on, I was going to say my mind like kemi advised and bottle things up.

I was frustrated of being the saint to hold things in, giving everyone the benefit of doubt. Could you believe I was just seeing her for the first time since the holiday began. If anyone notices how I’d changed, it should be her first. Not Mabel who’s been so thoughtful, Leaving morning and night messages to check up on me.

I stopped calling and texting her, I skipped meals if Linda was ordered not to bring my food to the room and even I refused to pick her from the airport. I thought she’d notice my tremendous weight loss, but no. She commended me saying, “Love your new look, honey! My super model.” I was at the bring of having ulcer, but all she cared about was bagging model gigs.