Fear Of Men

Sheila's POV.

I walked inside the school with a happy face and a smile playing on my lips.

' well it's a new day and I love not to feel lonely because I have my teachers' I thought.

As usual the school proprietor smiles my way and echoed,

"Smarty, always on time, how was your weekends?"

"Boring as always, how was yours too sir?" I quipped.

"Good, it was good smarty you should learn to be happy at home. Nowhere is better than home hurry along, I know you have duties and have a nice day. " he advised.

"I will sir, this the best place ever. " I laughed.

I hopped away and turned back to see him shaking his head my way while smiling 'school is the best place ever' I repeated in mind

3 hours later ( break time)

In the Garden.

I went out of the classroom with my friend and saw my classmates mates sitting in groups but I dared not join them with Lizzy. She was from a poor home and isn't accepted among such groups, as for me, I didn't know how to carry out conversations.

I just couldn't handle those bitches who were always talking behind others back, even in their groups, they mocked each other. I didn't see them as a friendship group but the 'hateship' group as I named them.

We chose a bench a few meters away from the 'colorful girls' as they wear different colors of pins everyday hence the name we call them.

They were talking about a certain guy, I drew near eavesdropping their conversation but pretending I wasn't,

"Do you know the new handsome guy in town? " The first girl jeered.

"Is he the one I'm thinking he is? His name is Aaron, is he the one?" The second one replied.

As long as I knew those girls, they always spoke about our teachers, boys and backbiting each other and never about their studies. But sometimes, it was interesting that was the reason I liked listening into their conversation.

"This boy is handsome and brilliant but one sad thing is he attends one of the local schools in the country. " added the first girl.

"It seems we all know this guy, if so one of us must get him to show the other girls that we are the most beautiful ladies in this school. " the third girl contributed

"You are right but after that what? I wish a guy to fall in love with me but not just woo me. If he falls in love with me then that's okay. " inquired the second girl.

"As for me as long as he is good in bed I will be okay. " jested the fifth girl.

It didn't surprise me they were saying g such embarrassing words in school, they could get worse. Come to think of it, these girls were just in their junior high and that too the first class but they had already joined the world and its sweetness. I watched them sadly and shook my head but that particular name they mentioned was sounding in my head unending.

'Aaron handsome and brilliant, I also like brilliant guys, what would it feel like to capture his heart from these vultures? ahh what are you thinking now, its only when you top first in class that daddy speaks to you for five minutes or more and Mommy sing you praises. Even though this has stopped for some time now, I still desire those times. Those were the most precious times in my life, and I'm not ready to risk it for anything. 'Education Is The Key To Success' but education is the key to my happiness. My parents praise me and my teachers love me, is that not enough?' I was lost in thoughts.

Those girls were getting in my head, Lizzy looked at me and said puzzled,

"You look lost, you have being quiet for sometime, is everything alright?"

"Yes, I am don't worry about me. "

"Were you listening to those girls? don't pay them any attention. Please help me understand this. " she requested.

She showed me a maths question,

but how long could I make my books my happiness, 'well I don't know' I thought.

Sheila POV.

I couldn't wait a minute after school otherwise the tigress ( mom) could kill me. Being lonely breeds hatred in people and I was the one this feeling of hatred was directed to. My mischievous brother didn't experience this hatred, yes we are two children and he was the one that was showered with all the love and attention but I was the brilliant one hence his hatred towards me. As for me, I just had to do everything right and no one would hurt me.

I walked inside the house with my head down which I always did, I felt dispirited every time I entered the house and this time wasn't an exemption. I wanted to greet my mom who was seated on a chair on the porch, in fact every time I saw her, my heart would beat faster and so I nervously start to stammer. And she hated it when I stammered so I waited to calm my accelerating heart. But my wait sent me into trouble,

"What are you standing there for? don't you know how to greet?" she queried.

" I, I ..... am so sorry mom, good afternoon. " I stammered.

'What did I just do? did I just stammer? then this is my end' I thought in fear.

"Did you just stammer? you foolish girl, when will you ever learn? come here!!!" she shouted.

I went closer to her even I knew what was going to happen next, she held my ear and twisted it. I winced in pain but she cared less but shouted at me,

"Are you mad or something? haven't I told you never to stammer in front of me again? Do you have dead cells in your head?" she pulled at my ear aggressively and questioned.

"I'm sorry mom, it won't happen again. " I apologized with a tear dropping down my eye.

I cried in pain, just then my brother entered the house, he saw what was going on but he was the least bothered about it. And he didn't even blink an eye and just went his way. My mother was angry because he didn't even greet her, but she chose to let it go and called after him,

"Dear welcome home, are you hungry?"

He didn't bother to either answer her or look back but went straight to his room. Serves you right ' I thought. With her hand still on my ear, she looked at me and shouted,

"Get out of my sight you witch!!"

That was my clue, I ran as fast as my legs could into my room and jumped onto my bed.

"My life is pretty boring isn't it? how about I make some changes?" I said to my self as I laid on the bed resting.

"Five minutes and I will go down to the kitchen to cook" I said to myself and closed my tired eyes to rest.

I didn't know how long but I suddenly felt a sharp pain on my buttocks. It seems I flipped on to my stomach while I was sleeping.

'Damn, did I just say I was sleeping?' I thought.

I jolted up to see my mom looking down at me with flamming eyes.

'How did she get in'? I thought.

"I'm sorry mom, I'm so sorry. " I apologized

"You are really? you lazy bones, who do you expect to cook for your dirty mouth to feed on? Are you expecting your father to come down from abroad to do that for you?I will teach you a lesson today" she protested harshly.

Then I realized the belt in her hand, before I could do or say anything it landed on my buttocks again and then to my back. I cried out loud but who would come to my rescue? no one.

"I'm sorry mommy, please forgive me mom, it won't happen again. " I lamented loudly.

But she was in her own world, she kept hitting me and hitting me. I had no option but to ran away from the room, so I pushed her aside and ran out. I saw my brother standing out his room with a worried face but changed his expression as soon as he sighted me. I ran past him and made my way out of the house with tears flowing down my eyes.

Sheila POV.

As I ran out of the house, I bumped into someone and with my swollen eyes looked up to see who. I saw Lydia our school beauty, she was worshipped by all because she looked almost perfect. She smiled at me and said,

"Watch where you are going... hey what's wrong with you? did someone hurt you? why are you crying?"

I looked at her worried face and thought ' why is she worried about me? we are neither friends nor family.' I looked down at her dress and saw her dressed in a mini top and a flared mini skirt. It was like she was on the beach, she was almost naked. Her dress covered little to nothing but she looked the least bothered about it.

'Wow this girl can dress, what is her problem? I thought. i smiled back at her and asked,

"I'm okay, but you why are you dressed like this? you are almost naked, don't you feel uncomfortable?"

She sneered and looked at my dressing then,

"I am definitely happy with myself and the way I dress, I've been watching you, you are a beautiful girl just like me and you dress decently. Just look at you with all the goodness and obedience what have you gained from it? sorrow written in capital letters. You always get beaten, what a poor girl you are. Anyway see you later, I've a friend to visit. Goodbye. " she quipped.

I saw her sway her hips as she walked away, I immediately called after her.

'I will have to go with her after all I have nowhere to go for the moment. If I venture inside right now its obvious what will happen in there. ' I thought and called her,

"Lydia please wait for me. "

She stopped and turned to me then held her waist with a little frown on her face asked,

"Okay what now? if you are going to talk about my hair style next, I'm going to be very angry then. "

I ran to her and stopped to look at the hair she was talking about then instinctively said,

"Now that I look at it I think you shouldn't dye your hair... I sorry, I always get criticized for what I do so I think I am picking up that attitude. "

She looked at me with pity, well shouldn't I be the one pitying her.

"Can I go with you to where you are going? wait, you are not visiting a boy right? you know it's not right to visit a boy at this time so how about we visit a girlfriend like one of your girl classmates. " I suggested.

"In the first place I haven't agreed to go anywhere with you so why are you putting on an arrangement here? whomever I visit at this time boy or girl is none of your business. " she said.

"I'm sorry okay? but I have nowhere to go so I want to come with you. " I apologized.

"You know who I am right? people with that kind of mindset you have cannot befriend me. " she jested.

"I know who you are and I haven't proposed to be your friend. I just want to walk with you. " I debated.

She looked at me from head to toe and pointed out,

"You are still in uniform, I don't think it's a good idea to walk around in this. Can you go back to your house and change?"

I shook my head hurriedly and she nodded and said,

"Okay then let's go to my house so you can change into something else. "

I agreed after seeing she was actually speaking the truth, she lived two blocks away from my house with her parents but I had never seen the whole family together and a few glimpses of her father. We got to the house and her mother smiled in my way as soon as she saw me and asked,

"How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine mom. " I answered.

Lydia surprised me with her attitude towards her mom because of what she said,

"How she is doing is none of your damn business. "

Then she pulled at my hand to go away but I ignored her. Her mother looked at her and shook her head then apologized to me that I shouldn't mind her language but then I thought Lydia was the one acting rude to her and not I was being insulted but her. Lydia only rolled her eyes and pulled me out of the hall to her bedroom. Which was downstairs 'well she gets to escape easily when she gets beaten but I don't see that happening in this house or the one who will get beaten. ' I thought

I changed into a sleeveless dress which was v-neck, I didn't know she had such dresses but then it was the only decent dress among her clothes. I had never dressed this way so I felt uncomfortable so I let my hair down to cover my back and chest. And so along we went to visit the so called male friend of hers. The day couldn't have gotten much better...