Sweet Desire

"Mama..., Mama... Mama...," Lora called, running after her mum Camila who is leaving the mansion with her suit case.

"Mama please don't leave me." She pleaded, still running after her. "Take me with you, Mama..." she kept on calling and crying at the same time still running after her.

"I'll come back for you my darling." Camila told Lora as she turned her head briefly to look at her, still moving. "I'll come back baby, I promise..." she said still moving. Suddenly, Lora found herself alone in the mansion with a masked man chasing her holding a gun in his hands.

"Mama..., please help me." Lora screamed, she ran to the front door and started banging her hands at the door. "Mama... help, please help me Mama...." She screamed...

Lora opened her eyes, her heart racing; she could feel sweat all over her body like one who had run a marathon, she folded her knees and curled herself into a sitting position on the bed.

She looked around the dimly lit bedroom but couldn't see clearly, so she hurriedly switched on the lamp that was sitting on the table beside her bed, her both hands trembling with fear.

"This dream again?"She thought. This dream has always hunted her since her mum left her. She was only seven when her mum left and promised to come back for her, years have passed and she is still waiting for her.

Sometimes she wonders if it will ever happen. She sat still for a while pondering about the dream.

The one thing she can't explain is the masked man who suddenly chased her with a gun in her dream. "Well it's just a dream." She thought after a while and shook her head.

"I wonder why Mama left, Papa seem to miss her." She thought again as her mind drifted from the dream back to the time when her mum left.

That day her dad had gone to work, even Grandma Rosa wasn't at home. Her mum came into the mansion in a hurry, went into her room; the next thing she saw her mum come out of her room with a suit case in her hands and hurriedly left the mansion, ignoring her plea to take her along; she only promised she would come back for her but never did till date, even her dad locked himself up in his study refusing to see anyone for weeks after she left. She shook her head again, and then robbed her hands over her face.

Her mind drifted again to what had happened on her sixteenth birthday, her mum had promised to come for her that day but still did not keep to her promise as well. "Why did she not meet me on my sixteenth birthday as promised, she was only a few steps away, then stopped suddenly and left without a word." She thought and robbed her eyes again.

Her mum stopped calling her after that day, she's been the one calling her and whenever she manages to answer, she tells her she's been busy that's why she haven't been able to call and she always finds a reason to drop the call almost immediately. "I hope she calls me today." Lora said out loud this time.

She looked at the clock sitting on her bed side table, it's past 6am. "I won't let these thoughts ruin my day today." She said as she shook her head, got out of bed and went into the bathroom.

***

Catalina stood at the bus stop waiting impatiently for Lora, she watched as so many cars drove past her, different people who seemed busy to her went on their way, some also stood at the bus stop probably waiting for a bus. "I hope she is not backing out now." She said to herself as she glanced at her wrist watch again.

Lora had always backed out at the last minute every time she invited her for a party, whether it's a school party or not she would always find a reason not to attend at the very last minute, but she hopes she doesn't back out on this one because this is going to be their last school party.

"We are going to be late." She said and dialed Lora's number again for the fourth time. "Hello Lora, where are you? Hurry up or we are going to miss the bus and we are going to be late for the party." She said, making a fuss over the phone.

"Calm down party girl, and look behind you." Lora said over the phone. Immediately, Catalina turned around. "There you are, hurry up." She said still on the phone raising her hands up and waving at Lora urging her to hurry up.

Lora increased her pace towards Catalina, they reached out and hugged each other. "Wow! You are looking fabulous Catalina, all this for just a school party?" Lora said looking at Catalina's outfit in admiration. Catalina had been the only friend she has in school and at home, she loves parties and is always excited when she has to attend one.

"Yes." Catalina replied as she jiggled. "And it's not just a school party, it's our graduation party you know, so I have to look my best." She added still jiggling.

"Well if you are all dolled up just for a school graduation party, I wonder how you would look at your own wedding." Lora said teasingly.

"I would look like the stars." Catalina whispered into her ears and they both chuckled with laughter.

Suddenly Catalina paused for a while, her eyes scrutinizing Lora. "What are you wearing?" Catalina asked as she looked at her from head to toe, shaking her head and making a face of disapproval.

"Don't give me that look Catalina? It's just a school party." Lora said. "Besides I'm not like you, and I feel very comfortable in these clothes." She added in self defense.

"No, it's our graduation party and many handsome guys are going to be there, how do you intend to get their attention dressed like this?" Catalina asked waving her hands at Lora. "Unbelievable girl, your parents are rich and your mum is a fashion star for Christ's sake." She added still shaking her head in disapproval.

"Stop it Catalina, my parents are rich so what! And I'm not my mum you know, am not going there to seek the attention of anybody, besides I have Alfredo." Lora snapped, her voice a little high that some people passing by stopped to look at her for a brief moment then went on with their activities, even those standing at the bus stop gave her a quick stare. She shook her head and bit her lower lip, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Wake up girl, you still believe you'll have a happy ending with Alfredo?" Catalina asked ignoring what just happened or how embarrassed Lora might feel. "He's way out of your league, you know." She added.

"Oh the bus is here!" Lora said, pointing at the bus, ignoring her statement as she knows it won't change a thing arguing with her, she's already embarrassed as it is and she wonders if Catalina feels nothing at all on peoples opinion about her.

***

"Lora baby, princess, come to Mama..." Camila said to a little girl of about seven years of age sitting across the room with her eyes wide open, looking at her.

"Princess, come to Mama..." She said again to a motionless girl sitting across the room staring at her. Suddenly the girls face turned into a dark beard man who started laughing hysterically. "No, no, no..." she shouted, covering her ears with her hands...

Miguel jumped up from his sleep at the sound of Camila's voice. "What is it my love?" he said as he shook Camila who is trembling beside him mumbling something in her sleep, he shook her body again waking her up from her sleep.

"What is it my love?" he asked again, this time taking her into his arms. It looked like she had a terrible dream; her whole body is trembling in fear.

"It's the dream again, the god damn dream again." Camila said as she covered her face with her palms still in Miguel's arms. "My baby Miguel, how do I face my baby?" Camila asked shaking vehemently at the thought of the dream she just had.

"Hush now my love, hush now." Miguel said, patting her back slowly. Miguel Ramos is her boyfriend and also her lawyer who she spends some nights with either at his place or her place or probably anywhere else.

She met him few months after divorcing her husband Lucio Affonso, Lora's dad. Miguel was the son of Late Alejandro Ramos, her family's trusted lawyer who had found her in the orphanage where she was raised when she had returned there after her divorce with her husband Lucio, and brought her to her parent's house which changed and made her life what it is today.

A year after bringing her to her father's house Alejandro died. Camila and Miguel has been each other's companion since they are both orphans and Camila look up to him as family, her only remaining wish is to be reunited with her daughter Lora.

"She hates me Miguel, my daughter hates me, Miguel, am a terrible mum." She said as she burst into tears.

"No, no my love, you're not a terrible mum, hush now, it's only a dream and everything will be all right." Miguel said still holding Camila in his arms.

Michael Williams sat down at the bar sipping his second glass of beer waiting for George to show up, George is his friend from school. He had rushed down to the bar after he received a call from George thinking he would be here waiting for him by the time he gets here.

He glanced at his wrist watch; it's past 5pm already. "Where the heck is this guy and why will he tell me to come to the bar at 4pm and he isn't here yet; he sounded so urgent on the phone, what could be the problem?" He thought, then picked up his cell phone again and dialed George's number; again he received a drop a message after this tone.

This is the fifth time now, he dropped the phone angrily on the bar table. The waiter on the other side of the bar table stared at him, Michael raised his brow to him with a 'what's your business' attitude. The waiter turned and continued his work without a word.

Michael raised his glass to take another sip when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Hey Mike!" a familiar voice called; he turned around to see George who spread his arms apart apologetically. "Sorry man, traffic was so bad." He said pulling out a chair and sat down close to Michael.

"And what happened to your phone?" Michael asked, giving George an angry look. "Am sorry Mike, I left my apartment in a hurry and forgot my cell phone; come on, cheer up, why the long face? I said am sorry." George said adjusting his butt on the chair.

"Yea man, you're one hour late, I left everything am doing and rushed to this place." Michael explained looking at him, then sipped his beer. "Anyways, you sounded so urgent on the phone, what's up?" Michael asked looking at him skeptically, from his appearance and attitude he looked quite alright to him.

"Nothing man." George replied and ordered for a drink. "It's been a while since we hanged out together you know; so I figured today is going to be a perfect day for that." He added smiling; now taking his bottle of beer from the waiter

"What! You can't be serious right now; George you mean, you called me... I mean, you kept me here waiting this long for this?" he asked narrowing his brows at George who smiled sheepishly. "I have lots of things to do; I thought you're in some kind of trouble?" he added, still narrowing his brows at George.

"Don't give me that look Mike, this is really serious to me." George said, then opened his bear and pored some into a glass the waiter brought with the bear.

"Wait, wait, What? Hanging out? Are you kidding me right now?" Michael asked in an angry tone, "I have so many things to do, and hanging out isn't one of them." He continued, lifting his left hand in a way to demonstrate his point.

"Come on Mike, you've been studying so hard, take a break sometimes, will you." "It's going to do you good, you need some time off lectures, your books, I mean when was the last time you had fun, real fun?" George asked, winking an eye at Michael.

Michael shook his head, and stared at his friend for a moment. He had known George since the beginning of school and he is someone that loves to hang out, where ever there is a party, you are likely to find George there and the amazing thing is, he still keeps up with school work, in fact he has one of the best grades in school. It's really amazing how he does that with all the partying and clubbing, some say he has a magnetic brain. "I do have fun you know." Michael replied, after a short silence, looking at his friend.

"With what?" "And where, in school?" George asked puzzled. "You know what, Mike, I'm taking you to a place where you're going to have real fun, and I bet you're going to like it." He added and sipped his bear.

"Seriously?" Michael asked looking at his friend, then sipped his own bear. He knew what it means to hang out with George; partying with him means you'll have to stay out until mid night and you'll be ready to have lots of drink. The last time he went to a party with him he had a hangover and a terrible headache which made him miss school the following day.

"Look man I don't want to miss class tomorrow." Michael told George who smiled because he already knew what he meant by that.

"Don't worry man, this is going to be different trust me." George said with is mouth curved in a smile. "Besides it won't kill you to miss school a day, will it?" he added smiling gracefully.

Michael looked at him and thought it won't hurt to party in a while besides it's been a long time since he went out; it won't be a bad idea at all. He thought and glanced at George.

"What say you man, we're doing this right?" George said winking him an eye and waiting for his response. "Will you take no for an answer?" Michael asked teasingly to George who shook his head saying he won't.

"Then let's do this." Michael said raising his glass to George who raised his glass too in agreement, then they gushed down the remaining bear into their mouth and smiled at each other.

The party was filled with so many people with gorgeous and beautiful outfits. Lora noticed many eyes were on her. She could tell it's her outfit and she felt a little out of place.

"I told you Lora, this is not a good outfit for a graduation party." Catalina whispered into Lora's ears and left her by herself to exchange pleasantries with other students.

Lora quietly walked to a table, pulled out a chair and sat down; she could see how Catalina jiggled along with some of the other students when she walked up to them, her eyes wondered around the hall, taking a final picture of her last day in school in her memory.

She really did not have a lot of good memories about her school days because she wouldn't have had any friends if not for Catalina; the rest have referred to her as a brainiest and had always found something to make fun of her with, it's either her dressing, her hair among many other things, some even made fun of her that she is married to her book, because if she is not in class the next place to find her is in the library.

The party became noisier as the DJ played a music that got the attention of almost everyone present, she could see Catalina and many others dancing on the dance floor, something she wished she could do but couldn't because she feels out of place, to her she looked nothing like the students dancing there.

She sat down there alone at a table taking notes in her memory of those who are dancing and those who are not dancing, others who are either chatting in a group, drinking or taking selfie's together.

She got up and went to the bar table, took a cup of drink and came back to her chair; her eyes went back to where Catalina is dancing. She is a little envious of her friend Catalina because she has lots of friends; she interacts effectively with everyone and she's hardly alone.

Maybe because she has a well rounded butt, big boobs and an easy going attitude; everything she puts on suits her perfectly unlike herself with smaller butts and boobs that seemed to be lost in her clothes.

"How won't Catalina be the centre of attention and envy of other girls in school with such a lovely body?" She thought to herself.

"Snap out of it, girl." Catalina said as she snapped her fingers on to Lora's face bringing her back to reality, she didn't even notice Catalina coming close to her because she was lost in her own thoughts.

"Come on, we are in a party for Christ's sake, loosen up and have some fun; this is not the time wallow in your thoughts, look Alfredo is there on the dance floor with the others, come and join us." Catalina urged, pulling her hands.

"No, thanks." Lora said to Catalina. "I would just sit and watch; besides I can't dance like you." She added shaking her head in refusal and pulling her hand away from Catalina.

"Come on Lora." Catalina said pleadingly, then sat on a chair beside Lora. "Look, Alfredo is having so much fun." She added pointing towards Alfredo's direction on the dance floor.

Lora looked at him, feeling jealous as he was practically dancing with a lot of girls, he is really enjoying himself, she thought. "I can see that Catalina." Lora said, her gaze still on Alfredo. "Besides he wouldn't dance with me." She told Catalina now looking at her friend. "You are the only one who knows about our relationship remember?" she said, and then lifted her head, her gaze back on Alfredo.

"You can go and dance with him, I won't stay long anyways; I'm meeting with the kids by 5pm this evening, besides I'll be seeing him more often now you know." Lora told Catalina, smiling sheepishly.

"Okay, suit yourself." Catalina said, standing up from the chair she is sitting on "I'm going to go have fun, because that's what I came here to do." Catalina replied as she left Lora and went back to the dance floor.

Lora watched as Catalina danced with Alfredo on the dance floor. Looking at the way they danced with each other, one would think that those two are dating; actually they look cute together she thought.

Sometimes she imagined how it would feel for Alfredo to dance, walk or chart with her in public, apart from their usual meeting place, which is her parents house.

It still baffle's her that the cutest, talented and most popular guy in school had been her boyfriend for three years now, she smiled at the thought. "Secret boyfriend actually." She reminded herself as her smile slowly fade away. "Well I don't mind being in a secret relationship with the most gorgeous guy in school." She thought.

After all what matters is that they loved each other and besides this is their last day in school. Everyone would move on with their lives eventually. A voice in her head told her.

She looked at her wrist watch. Its 3pm, almost time to meet with the kids, and she planned on giving them a surprise treat as a way of celebrating her graduation.

"It's time to leave this crowd". She said to herself, she didn't fit in after all.

***

Lora put down her shopping bag, she got quite a lot of things from the mall. "The kids would be so happy to have the things I bought for them this time." She thought as she unpacked the bags.

She usually buys them things to snack on after class occasionally from the monthly allowance her dad pays into her account for her up keep since she no longer leaves with him and grand Mama Rosa.

Her dad said she is old enough to leave by herself and that she can come visit the mansion occasionally; since she is all by herself, she decided to tutor her neighbors' kids whose houses are few blocks away from hers to bring alive the house which seem dead at times.

She decorated the room they use for their classes a little with ribbons, balloons, and some flowers and then arranged the things she bought nicely on a table.

"This is quite a feast." She said out loud and smiled to herself.

"The kids would love this." She said and smiled again.

She paused and stood by the table. "It would have been nice if Alfredo came to party with me and the kids." She thought, her mind drifting from what she is doing back to the party; then suddenly, the picture of Catalina and Alfredo dancing together on the dance floor flashed through her mind, she could still hear their laughter resounding in her ears.

"Could those two be dating?" she questioned herself, then shook her head almost immediately banishing the thought. "Oh why can't I be like Catalina, at least Alfredo would have been free to speak to me in public and not through text messages." She thought, then sat down on a chair by the table her face becoming gloomy.

This thought saddened her, If only her parents leaved together with her like every other family, maybe she would have leaved a different life; she would have had lots of friends growing up.

She remembered her last birthday before her mama left; little did she know that that would be the last pleasurable birthday she would have growing up. She was six years old, lots of kids had been to her house with their parents and she had received a lot of presents then, but the next birthday was a terrible one; that was the year her mum left, her mum had left three months to her birthday.

She didn't get any present for her seventh year birthday, not even from her Papa because he locked himself up most of the time in his study and she never even got to see him for weeks; the following birthdays were pretty much less of a celebration because she had it with Grandma Rosa and the house keepers not until she left the mansion and began to celebrate it with Catalina, then later Alfredo joined in three years ago.

Lora's attention drifted back to Alfredo, she didn't know if this is what having a boyfriend feels like; she unconsciously looked up and saw her reflection in the mirror standing across the room, she walked closer to the mirror, looking at her reflection, she said out loud. "What did Alfredo see in me in the first place to approach me?" she asked herself. She bet she would be in a room and nobody would even notice.

She didn't know how she managed to stay friends with Catalina because to her Catalina is a beauty, let alone being in a relationship with Alfredo... "Secret relationship." She reminded herself.

"Lora, Lora, Miss Lora!" She heard her name chanted from outside, distracting her from her thought. "Oh the kids are here..." she said and ran out to meet them.