"Tilda."
My eyes widened in surprise. My steps halted and I did not dare turn around.
What in the world was he doing here?!
"Why are you here?" I quickly asked. "I mean, you knew I wouldn't be home so why?"
"I just...I wanted to..." It was quite obvious that he had no reason to be here.
"Leave, ok? I don't want my mum to see you here or that Sharon even," I replied in a voice that showed there was another reason behind me chasing him away.
"It seems like you're trying to avoid me and not because of your mum. Did something happen?" He asked and I heard him take a few steps closer.
"Stay back!" I waved my arms frantically in the air, with my back still facing him. "I don't want you to get close enough to the gate. Someone might be peeping."
To be honest, I didn't even know what I was saying any longer.
"See you some other time!" I scurried past the gate with my school bag shielding my face from view.
I was very sure I left him tongue-tied.
When I had finally settled in bed, I opened my phone to see his text.
"What's wrong?"
"My mum like I said."
"I see..."
"I'll call you soon."
"Alright."
As soon as I saw his last message, I proceeded to call his number and he answered immediately.
"I just wanted to ask a question," I began.
"Yes?"
"Well, it's just that the time I didn't see you for long. What happened?"
"I was busy with school stuff and my mum, her condition is worsening."
For whatever reason it was, he sounded quite uncomfortable.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Sorry that I am prying into your personal matters."
"No it's fine."
"Alright then."
The usual silence that surfaced whenever neither of us had anything to say, showed its ugly head.
"Well, Goodnight," He finally broke the silence.
"Goodnight."
Afterwards, I got out of bed and walked up to my full length mirror at a corner of my room.
I peered at my reflection, very much displeased with my swollen eyes and the cane marks on my arms and legs. If hyenas were to see me in current state, I bet they would have the laugh of a lifetime.
I was too busy pointing out the faults on my skin when my alarm rang out. I quickly reached for my phone only to remember something as my eyes met with the title set for the alarm.
"How could I forget?!" My eyes widened. "I was supposed to go see dad today."
Immediately, I got dressed and scurried out of the house, leaving only Miriam at home. As for Sharon, she left school for a friend's house while mum and her husband were on a date.
Just as I closed the gate behind me, my eyes caught those blue pair of eyes from a distance.
Why didn't I bring a scarf along or a hoodie?
"You're still here?" I pretended to be rubbing my eyes from sleep.
I got back home at 3:30pm and I was leaving again by 4:26pm.
"Yeah. Something is wrong with my car," He twisted his lips and returned to trying if the car would work. Luckily for him, it did.
"Great. It worked!" I cheered from my gate.
"Where are you heading to, by the way?" He asked.
"Um...I am going to see my dad," I simply answered.
He understood what I meant and immediately offered to take me there.
"No, you should go your way I shouldn't bother you," I waved, still standing in front of my gate.
He sighed loudly and got out of the car to meet me.
I wanted to run through the gate behind me but what would he think of me then?
I stood there like a mannequin till he got in front of me and his eyes were quick to take note of my swollen eyes.
Shame swept over me.
"What happened to your eyes?" There was a hint of furiousness in his voice. "Who did this to you?"
"I just ate rice late," I lied.
Thankfully, my arms and legs were shielded in long sleeves and a pair of trousers.
"You're lying," His eyes narrowed to slits. "Is this why you've been evading me since you got back?"
"Well... I-I..."
My eyes fell. "I didn't want you to see me like this."
When did I start caring about how I looked, this much?
"I wasn't going to laugh at you or something like that," He sighed. "Let me drop you where you want to go."
I pursed my lips and nodded.
We got into his car and I directed him to a place that was referred to as the Olusegun Cemetery.
It was a private Cemetery owned by the Olusegun family just as the name suggested. Late members of the Olusegun family were buried here and since our family was a generation of wealthy people, the cemetery was built to taste that even their corpses dwelt in classy graves.
"So this is the Olusegun Cemetery...," Miles looked around to witness the perfect alignment of shrubs and flowers, small gates, and golden gravestones.
"Yes," I nodded while clutching the bouquet him and I bought on our way here. He bought a bouquet for himself as well that we both were going to give to dad.
"Lead the way. Let's see your dad," He moved aside for me to go in front of him.
I ignored his words and held onto his hand.
"Let's go together and side by side. I'm sure dad would love to meet you," I smiled brightly and my swollen eyes caused my pupils to disappear.
The look on his face made me believe that he was struggling to not laugh.
"So there's great great great great grandma. I never really met her but it's good to wave," I chuckled and waved at the golden gravestone we passed.
Poor Miles. He had no other choice than to follow my childish antics. He waved too and I bet, he was beginning to regret why he came here with me.
After passing by a couple of gravestones, we finally reached one that had the name, Dele Olusegun.
"Hey dad," I beamed smiles at the gravestone and moved to sit on the carpet grass in front of it. Miles followed suit.
"How have you been?" I pouted my lips. "I really miss you, you know. It's been hella boring without you but, perhaps God had a reason for everything. He gives and takes, I guess but that's fine because he knows best."
Afterwards, I placed my bouquet on the slab that emerged from the bottom of the gravestone.
"Also dad, I brought a friend along," I used my elbow to nudge Miles after he kept quiet for so long.
"Y-yeah...Hi, I'm Miles, Tilda's friend," He waved. "I'll do what I can to make sure your daughter is safe while you're gone. Since we're friends now, she has earned my protection."
Surprise overwhelmed me as I stared at Miles while he spoke to dad. I could still remember him being very cold to me yet here he was, speaking of how he was willing to protect me.
"She'll be fine and she'll never have to get swollen eyes from beatings any longer now that I have your permission."
As he said those words, his eyes locked in with mine that had been staring at him.
"Are you alright?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh...Y-yes, I-I-I am fine. There was just a speck of dust on your forehead and it's so obvious," I moved my hand to wipe off the invisible dust and ended up slapping him on the forehead.
"Are you mad?!" He sounded alarmed and protected his forehead from my brutal hand.
"So sorry," I winced in embarrassment.
He then shook his head and placed his bouquet on the slab as well.
"Sir, it may be a difficult job to protect your daughter. I don't know what she eats that makes her hand so strong like a bag of dangote cement."
Oh no, this boy deserved more invisible dust wipes if he was going to mock me.