"Are you happy now?" Edu asked his father, tears blurring his vision.
"You may not realize what I just did for you until you start earning money. You just got signed by a music label, and instead of celebrating, you're here crying like an infant. It's obvious sense has escaped your memory, which is why you couldn't remember that people don't have unprotected sex," Edu's father chided.
"Bassy is a better singer than me; moreover, she was the one who wrote that song that got us signed. She wrote it while she was teaching me how to sing professionally," Edu explained.
"Well, the truth is, I didn't force you to sign the contract. I only made it clear to you that if the label heard about Bassy, they would never sign you because it would affect public opinion about you, which I'm sure you are aware of," Ali spoke with a stern gesture. "In this life, you can't have it all. You can't be a nice person and still be wealthy. You have to let go of some things in an attempt to pursue others. You will marry a beautiful woman who can represent you in the future. Get that girl off your mind and live the life God has given you effortlessly, my children. I'm your father, and I know better than you. That girl will be fine; it's just a matter of time." Ali made an effort to calm Edu, who had been crying all day after chasing Bassy out of the house.
It took him five months to make the decision. The opportunity was slipping through his fingers, and he thought he might never have such privileges again in his lifetime, just like his father said.
After the music label sent him a message that he had just three more days to decide if he wanted to get signed or not, his father persuaded him to call his mum and lie that he never slept with Bassy. It took him two days to contemplate whether he should do it or not. He finally decided to accept the offer when his father assured him that when he made enough money as a music star, he could plead with Bassy and take her to live with him, as by then he would have enough loyal fans to defend him even when he's wrong.
That was the advice that prompted him to call his mum.
"What happened?" Zoe asked, startled upon seeing Bassy carrying her bag of clothes on her head, tears blurring her eyes, shuffling around the street under the hot sun. She was wearing a silky long gown.
"You've been crying?" Zoe peeked at her empathetically. "What happened?" She asked, puzzled for the second time.
"Edu denied me, and his mother sent me away," Bassy uttered, her words stimulating. Her friends gasped in astonishment as they couldn't believe Edu could do that. One of them suggested she should rethink all the men she had slept with because Edu could be right, as he was known for his kindness and cute smile all over the school.
Most of Bassy's classmates wished he could just break up with her and start dating them. They did everything within their power to make them break up, but to no avail. Most people missed him so badly after he graduated because he always begged the teachers not to punish the junior students whenever they did something wrong or came to school late.
His era made the school a much better and peaceful place for all. He didn't criticize anyone, and you'd never see him flogging any student, even as the senior prefect. He was a typical example of a good leader.
"Can you just shut up if you don't have anything to say?" Zoe replied to the student who defended Bassy, furiously turning her gaze to Bassy. "So, what do you want to do now?" She lowered her tone, helping her to carry her bag down from her head.
"I don't know, honestly," Bassy used her arm to support her waist, trying to compose herself.
"Let's go to my house. I'll talk to my parents to allow you to stay with us, even if it's for a while until you figure out something," Zoe suggested, helping Bassy to carry her bag from her head.
"Thank you. That's very kind of you, Zoe," one of Bassy's friends named Tina said, sympathizing with Bassy.
"Thank you very much, Zoe. God bless you," Bassy said with tears of joy amid her jeopardy.
"Honestly, I'm not certain if my parents will accept this, but I'll plead with them with all I've got," Zoe added.
"God will touch their hearts to accept her," Tina muttered with a sad tone. They all separated onto separate paths that led to their houses after walking together for a while.
Luckily for Bassy, Zoe's parents accepted her into their home, but her elder brother, Nathan, was the problem. He said he couldn't live with a pregnant girl in the same house because the pregnancy irritated him.
Zoe's father agreed with Nathan, pointing out that he couldn't feed another person's child. But Zoe pleaded and even started crying for him to allow her to stay, even if it was just for one week. Her mum agreed and talked to her husband to reconsider the poor orphan. He didn't really accept, but he just couldn't say no after a lot of pleas.
Zoe went outside to call Bassy, who was seated on the bare floor in their kitchen, lost in thought. Bassy thanked Zoe so much; she couldn't stop crying, thinking of what her life had turned into all of a sudden.
She used to be the most loved student in her class, by teachers and students alike. She was extremely intelligent and punctual. Most female students in her class wished to be friends with her, but it surprised her how they all started insulting her when the news of her pregnancy circulated in school. It was as if they were waiting for her downfall.
Zoe took her to her cozy room with a small mattress to rest while she went to bring food for them.
Bassy got lost in her thoughts, wondering if she'd ever wake up from this peril. Then, the strict, mean tone of Edu started echoing in her head, causing her heart to beat at the back of her chest. She wondered what he must have told his mum that prompted her to send her away just like that. She thought of going to beg her Aunt Akpan for the seventh time. Tears flowed down her eyes, even more reflecting when Edu was untop of her stroking, how he tried so hard to get his dick into her virgina before he considered putting on a sex tap to learn from the video.
If only time can be reversed, she would slap him in the face at the mentioned of, sex creating a bond, although it was still hard for Bassy to believe Edu denied her. But she was here now, facing the harsh reality all alone.
Zoe walked in with a bowl of rice in her hand, awakening Bassy from her inner turmoil.
"I brought food for you," she said, giving her a warm smile, causing Bassy to react with a tight-lipped smile. "I know you are amidst chaos right now, my friend, but you need to eat so your baby won't suffer."
"I wish it could all just end," Bassy interrupted with a cracked voice. "Who on this planet wants to give birth to a child that doesn't have a father? What will I tell him or her about his father when they grow up?" Bassy asked with teary grief, wiping off the tears that dropped from her eyes, trying her best to hold back the rest.
"Everything will be fine, Bassy. I assure you; it's just a matter of time," Zoe glanced at her, speaking with a lower voice.
After lots of pleading, Bassy tried to eat a little food but couldn't due to a complete loss of appetite.
After a month, Bassy and Zoe's mum were in the farm weeding grass when Bassy felt an unusual sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She tried to ignore the pain and keep working, so Zoe's mother wouldn't get mad at her. They didn't treat her half as well as Ayo treated her; they made her do almost all the work in the house, even with her pregnancy condition. Whenever she said she was tired or wanted to take a rest, Zoe's mother would always remind her that they could send her out at any time. One of the words she said the most to Bassy was that pregnancy is not a sickness, so she should be able to do all the necessary work, even if she's pregnant or not, because only a lazy person complains about pregnancy.
Bassy tried everything within her power to hold onto the pain and keep working with her waist bent while weeding the grass. But the pain persisted, getting more severe with each passing moments.