Chapter 2 2

It was early in the morning when I heard noises downstairs. It was my Mum and Dad again. They had been arguing and having some misunderstandings in the past few days. Curiously, I went downstairs to see what was happening. My eyes met my Dad's and he walked away to the compound, hopped in his car, driving off to God-knows-where. I asked my mum what happened but she didn't reply and my brother, Bayo, told me instead. And I was surprised. I walked away angrily to my room instead of crying. But, I was still shocked at what I heard so I couldn't cry, which would have weighed me down.

I took my bath to get prepared for school immediately I got to my room and slammed the door.

Thereafter, I went back to the sitting room and saw my mum crying or rather I should say, my adopted mother! She was there crying and narrating all that happened to my grandmother_adopted grandmother_who had just woken up not quite long with the look on her face. I could feel my whole body shaking as I heard the whole story. It wasn't easy to consider the people I thought were my family to my adopted family.

I walked slowly to school thinking along, and as you know how strictly you get the consequences of coming late in some Nigerian school, the teacher on duty didn't hesitate to whip my butt, giving me a contemptuous look.

My day in school was as if I wasn't in school. Teachers came and went and I didn't concentrate at all. My friends; Toyin and Bisola asked me what happened and I told them nothing, even though there was a lot behind the 'nothing' reply I gave them. During the closing hour, I picked up my siblings in their classes and on our way home, they felt sorry for me, although they weren't my blood, I still loved them because I have known them all my life. I wasn't going to abandon them just because of what I found out today. It had been a hell of a day for me especially since the 'Dad' I once considered a loving one wanted me out of his house and to live with his sister in Ibadan. One wicked aunt who would just turn someone into a slave! I didn't think I was ready to go into such a life, no way. We were okay in my family...yes my family because I still couldn't help but regard them like that. They loved me just not my Dad; or should I even call him that?

In the family I was raised in, we were the sort you could classify as the middle class until things started to turn down. Abruptly and unexpectedly. We were financially insufficient now. Life wasn't easy in Lagos and the only thing he wanted now was for me to go live with one wicked aunt Sarah. Going home from school wasn't easy today because we were trekking again, and with those pity looks my siblings were giving me, it wasn't making it better for me. Acting up as a big sister, I told them not to worry about me, that I was fine. Though, deep down I was boiling inside me!

On getting home, we saw Dad drinking. He was drunk!

"How could he do this to us? Why is he committing a burden to our hearts? I thought he loved us. Loved me!" I said in pain and ran to my room crying. Jesus! I loved this family. This small once happy family. Bayo and Bisola, my siblings, came to my room to console me without my expectation. They were the best siblings I could ever wish for. But their consolation didn't stop me from crying. How did this whole thing start?

Later at night, assignments were done and dinner was next. We sat at the dining table even though I couldn't forget for a fact that I was adopted. For good seventeen years, I didn't know, until today. So tell me, how did you expect me to eat dinner? I was treated as their biological daughter. First daughter. Never gave me the hint I was adopted. And now that I found out today, I was wanted out because things were hard. And according to my adopted father, Mr Johnson, my leaving the house was just to reduce the amount of money or food or any other expenses circulated in the house. Mrs Johnson, my adopted mother, was a full housewife who only went out to see a few friends alone and my adopted grandmother was getting old who had to be in her son's house. I was the illegitimate one here. I was wanted out by Mr Johnson who I thought was my biological father, who I thought loved me. Every other person wanted me, but not Mr Johnson. He was the only one feeding our mouths and keeping us under the roof.

I wasn't bold but timid. That explained why I would not think of asking Mr Johnson questions like I used to freely do because he had changed. I just wanted to be strong and fearless. Not to be bullied or taken advantage of and to top it all, I was adopted and wanted out again! That was so heartbreaking! I was adopted! I was adopted! I was adopted! Those words didn't seem to die down as they continued to ring in my head. The fact was, I couldn't seem to help myself either 'cause I was adopted!

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After two days, my friend came to my house to see me. That was on Saturday. They asked me what happened to me in school on Thursday and I said nothing. They persuaded me to tell them and I did. There was no need to keep it from them. No lies. It might end up affecting me the most. What if I was seen roaming recklessly on the streets after being kicked out from under this roof? So embarrassing. So, the truth was that I split out. I told them about my being adopted and how my adopted father was doing something against my will. Yeah, my will was to stay here and have a family too, not be rejected. Again. Only God knows why I was dumped in the orphanage home_but it was still home. Some people cared for you and treated you well. I didn't remember my stay in the orphanage house so, I guessed I was a baby when I was in the orphanage home and was a baby when I got adopted.

After hearing the part about my dad only, my friends laughed and laughed like I just cracked them a joke! I was flabbergasted. I told them it wasn't funny, but they continued to laugh.

"What are the things he is doing against your will?" Toyin asked me.

I rolled my eyes and repeated myself to her. "One, he wants me out of his house to his elder sister's house in Ibadan. Two, he's changed a lot. Three, picking up a fight with my mother."

Bisola laughed_and I wished I could smack the life out of her_before talking, "Tosin," she called my name, "let me tell you, if you don't want to go to Ibadan to that wicked aunt of yours, I don't think you should go. I don't want you treated like a slave. I want the best for you."

Like she cares? I thought.

Yeah, they were my friends, badass ones. We joked, played, but we were never the serious type. I was on and off in my studies and by that, I meant I got serious when I wanted to. I knew about them and moved with them. I hid things from them and they did likewise too. Sometimes, we pretended to each other like we knew nothing even though the truth was spread in front of our naked eyes. We weren't helping each other's lives.

"Moreover, you are a big girl, you can do anything you like. You are in your high school final year. Remind them of the coming exams. That will even stop him from sending you off to another state. Tell him you don't want to go. Tell him boldly." Toyin said, and I just hummed, staring at her. My surprise knew no boundaries when they told me to join their group named Scorpion Group. I was so terrified. I knew this and didn't see this coming. I knew they were in some weird group but I did not see that they were going to invite me to join. I got inconvenient and I politely asked them to leave but they refused, then I cooked up an excuse before they could walk out of my room. So much for having friends.

Unknowingly to me, my adopted siblings heard our conversation and came to my room warning me not to attempt to join. With a smile, I assured them I wouldn't and hugged them.