Prince quickly moved to the guest room downstairs in fear and worry. Immediately he entered the room, he heard his mother, Gia Smith opening his room's door. He shut the door as she walked into his room.
He flew under the duvet like wind, holding it firmly leaving only his head bear. He could hear his heartbeat in his ear like a faraway drum coming closer gradually, gradually, and gradually. His heart was pounding hard, and harder. He could also hear his breath in his ears. He couldn't control it. He heard his mother calling out loud the maid's name. Her voice stroked into his heart. He gripped his heart with his hand trying to prevent it from more strikes. He knew he was going to do some punishment overnight till daybreak.
He was 10 then in JSS 1 when first he was punished overnight, although he does get punished during daylight. He intentionally scored low grades in all his subjects just as his friends told him to when he told them about how his mother treats him.
His friends told him 'if you score low grades…, that will call her attention that you need her around and that you need support, care, and love from her. Parental care especially' they advised, he didn't buy the idea. But, he also watched it in a popular TV series. He did it and he was thrown into a tuition class throughout the summer holiday after a full day of punishment, wish he does spend with his dad in the other city before he moved to his house on the next street.
Yeah! His dad and his mum both fought when he was 8. Like his grandmother does tell him 'she caused it, my daughter, your mother caused the fight? She couldn't tolerate your dad' she said. His grandma told him who was behind everything. His father told him a different story from that of his grandmother.
Brian Smith, Prince's father told Prince a different story entirely when Prince asked him last summer when he visited him for the summer holiday. He was trying to make Prince love his mother and also him. He tried bringing back his family but, Gia Smith wasn't ready to reunite with him.
Brian Smith went to her house to beg as a sign of love but she accused him of intruding on her privacy. She called the cops and got him arrested. He was charged to court and was asked never to be seen around her property again.
Brian Smith never mention what caused the fight neither his grandparents, rather they told him not to disrespect her because she is his mother. That was the only advice they gave him from infancy till date. Whenever he was leaving that was the last word his father does say to him "Don't disrespect her, she's your mother".
Gia Smith told him a different story entirely when he asked 'your dad was at fault, he said he has nothing to do with us, he said he hates us' she explained, just to make him hate his father and cut ties with him.
Whose side would he take? Should he choose his ill-tempered mother claiming her cruelness to him is to direct his path or his workaholic father who wants a better future for his family? Prince knew she was lying even though her mother, his grandmother told him that. His grandma does say she's ill-tempered, and he knew.
Back to what happened yesterday night.
The maid rushed out of her room after Gia banged on her door severally. Her room wasn't far from where Prince was staying. He got up, moved in fright to the door, and locked it behind him. He quickly went under the duvet cover again. His mum and the maid started searching all over the house. They got to the guest room. The maid tried opening the door but she couldn't, she tried again and again. The more she tried the more his heartbeats increased. He pulled the duvet over his head after staring at the knob twisting and twisting over and over again.
Then Gia exclaimed, "can't you open the damn door?" Her voice was harsh and cold. It made his body shiver like he was in the snow. He knew he was close to his grave.
"Yes I can't ma, I think the door is locked from the other side…" Julius, the maid answered quickly.
Gia crossed her arm over her chest and said "Break the door,"
Hearing those words his heart almost came out of his mouth. The three words 'break the door' sounded like a gunshot leaving the bullet to penetrate his heart. His heart skipped several beats. Pounding even faster than he could imagine, and uncontrollable for him.
"Okay, ma…" Julius answered almost immediately.
Julius hit the door with her leg at first, and then her side, and then her leg again, the door force made her stagger backward almost falling.
"enough" She was stopped by Gia's voice while attempting to hit the door for the fourth time, after regaining her balance. Julius turned to her boss.
"Go call the guard," Gia told her, with her arms placed on her backside.
"Okay, ma…" Julius answered, bowed forward to her, and walked towards the front door. Gia straighten her navy blue suit top to lie on her pencil suit trousers and walked majestically towards the living room to wait for the return of the maid and guard to decide what next to do as her high heels made a metronomic tapping noise on the floor as she walk away.
Immediately she left the door post, Prince stood from the bed, walking up and down the room trying to calm himself, and said.
"I'm 14 now, I'm close to my 15th birthday. I can do whatever I'm pleased with and stop controlling me around" he stood before the mirror opposite his bed and said with all confidence
"You can't decide for me anymore, enough!!! Enough of you controlling me around, and making decisions for me, you are only to guide and support me. If you're been mean to me because Dad left. You shouldn't be because you caused it" He was calmer than before his mind was settled and he was no longer afraid, ready to fight for his freedom. He didn't know where the courage came from. He walked to the door, took in a deep breath, and opened the door wide.
He walked through it and shut it behind himself slowly as it squashed. Immediately she heard the door squashing, she looked up spotting him at the door as he walked majestically towards her in his white pajamas. Written on the chest 'im a man and I'm flawless'. She bent her head slightly and shook her head slowly. The more he stared at her, he started to feel goosebumps coming out of their hideout.
He kept calm and walked up to her. He stood before her and said.
"What's… wrong?" he asked out of fear his arms shivering. He quickly formed his fist to hide his fear. She raised her gaze towards him, it was burning of fury and fire just like a furnace. Immediately, his fading away goosebumps came out all over him and sweat balls formed on his forehead.