The Secret Admirer

Laura walked down the busy streets of Ibadan. Settling into her new job, her new life. This city had always fascinated her since her childhood when she came visiting with her mom to see her uncle.
The cool air, mountain tops, the up and downhill roads, the vast area of lands and rich culture of the people she loved. At least this was a new start for her since her perfect record of bad relationships and heartbreak, she was an epitome of beauty most would say
She was chocolate in complexion, had a sweet number 8 shape, with s*xy long legs and her eyes a man could be lost in if he stared too deep . The city of Lagos made her sick as it reminded her of the men who were out there seeking to destroy beautuful yet fragile women  like her in every aspect of their lives they could. She had been heartbroken too many times thus making her reclusive and an all time emotional wreck it was having a major effect on her life and career and mostly her family. 
After undergoing various counseling from the best they could find she jumped back to life and decided it was time for a fresh start. With a Bachelor's degree in insurance she was lucky to be a working staff of one of the best insurance companies there was in the country and asked to be transferred out of Lagos. There she was in the beautiful city of Ibadan starting afresh "Good riddance to bad rubbish" Laura said, as she walked down the familiar road to work .

Charles was in his third year in the University of Ibadan studying biochemistry. Growing up, he lived in Lagos with his uncle and wife because his parents both died when he was very young in a fire accident. They were nice and caring to him until God blessed them with their own kids, they forget about him and poured all of their love on their kids. So he thought, they were very wealthy and gave him everything money could buy. When time came for him to go to the university, he chose to go to Ibadan to study as to get away from them and the love he couldn't get. He had always been an extrovert with an extremely weird personality, kept to himself much and had little friends or "acquantainces" he would say. Never had he got his head around women. He was about 6ft tall, rugged jaw with a great upper body and sturdy legs 
Women had always found him a delight wanting to savor him but never had many of them got the chance, the little who had, feared him and ran away as he was as cold as ice from Alaska "I can't give what I can't get back" Charles said as he left his well furnished flat for lectures at the University

Laura loved to throw herself deep into work, nothing was more exhilarating for her these days. Her boss always complimented her drive and urged for more of it around the office but laura didn't let it get to her, she put into more work because it kept her mind and thoughts occupied all day "and that is all i need for now" she thought as she strode happily back down the well street lighted road to her 2bedroom flat after another invigorating day at work, she felt like dancing under the lights as they shone so brightly.

Charles had always lost his head in his books till the librarian was ready to close off the library each day. He had gotten a toyota Camry last year as a gift from his uncle, although he cherished it he didn't let it show "they think they can win me over with petty gifts!" He said to himself, talking to himself was quite an habit which he had been at for years. Driving back to his flat after having dinner at a fast food restaurant he set his eyes on something shining under the light, he didn't believe in angels but he was sure he had just seen one.
"Wow,she's beautiful" Charles said as he realized he only didn't sound stupid but also missed the turn to his apartment. Smacking himself hard on the face" she just a regular lady man, get your sh*t straight" he said jolting out of his reverie, he was angry at himself and felt stupid.

On Saturdays, Laura turned from work lady to a housekeeper and always did some spring cleaning and made dishes to last her all through the coming week. She was done with the dishes and headed to the market to get foodstuffs and confectionaries, standing at the bus stop the scorching sun burning hard on her "where are all this buses when you need them" she said wiping the beads of sweet off her forehead.

Charles had been driving to the gym when he saw her dripping wet under the sun this sent a chill down him and he couldn't seem control the little man in his pants anymore "this girl is a witch" he said as he pulled up in front of her "Uhmm,hi do you need a ride","No thanks" Laura said. "I think you could really use it, its really hot today and i think you burning out here" why was he being insistent, he thought. "My response is still no "Laura said as she crossed the road and took a bike. "What the f*ck! is wrong with me, who the hell does she think she is" Charles said and drove off like a man on a chase.

Laura had felt she had been rude to the guy offering her a ride "he was just trying to help I think" but she couldn't blame herself as she had some really bad experiences with men, one of which broke up with her two weeks to their wedding day. Moving here was the best choice she had made to get away from her past and she was doing that ,avoiding men at work and out  of her life.

Charles had been angry at himself "she hates me and why do I even care, whats so special about her" he laid down on his king size bed thinking hard "I think I need to apologize to her for the other day but what if she gets offended again" he could take the chance of getting her mad again "sh*t,I sound crazy as f*ck" he slammed his fist hard on the wall.

Laura had been out to work quite late today, she had slept late into the night working on some leftover work from the previous week as the company she was working for was working with a deadline for a contract,when she noticed her trash had been taken out "I thought they didn't take out the trash till weekends"  as it was a tuesday, with that she raced for the bus-stop.
Later that day, at work a package came for her. The receptionist was smiling real hard because she could bet what was in the package from the sounds it made. Laura collected it from her still perplexed and strode quickly to her office ripping the package open they were a box of chocolates "who sent this, was it someone at work?" She thought she had made it clear when she had told her supervisior at the cafeteria she was interested in dating anyone openly in front of everyone. She gave the chocolates to the receptionist who was more than happy to have them and went out for lunch as she needed some fresh air.
Laura had stopped being so high spirited about the city of Ibadan for several reasons she felt someone was watching her every move. She had been sure someone or something had been watching her while she bathed today, she had felt a whoosh of air down her neck, so many weird things had been happening to her recently. She heard silent noises and whispers late nights these days and her home had a new fragrance which she couldn't remember buying or using but it sure smelt masculine. "God please help me get pass my past, don't let it ruin things for me here in this beautiful city which I have come to love and breathe in happily" she prayed as she thought she was being over-paranoid.

Charles had been away from lectures,spent his days on the road following laura around knowing everything about her who she spent her time with, where she lived and work, to who she made long phone calls to.
Late nights he would sniff through her refuses which he had collected, things like tissues, used up makeup and perfumes and he had just recently stolen her underwear while visualizing her naked in the bathroom all wet. "I love you Laura" he kept on whispering as he lay in his dimly lit room.

Laura was sure she had lost it, as she was sure someone was definitely watching her, she had noticed her underwear missing and also she had intentionally placed pieces of her nails and hair she had gotten from the salon in the trash the day before and it was gone this morning nothing else was taken out of the trash except that. She couldn't deal anymore, she called the office and faked a story about her mum being sick that she had to leave to see her urgently needing a few days off. She packed a few things and was about to walk through the door when someone grabbed her back in by her neck, a hand to her mouth she couldn't scream,she could only mutter the word "please" as the house turned dark on her.
She woke up to her being tied to her bed with a man his back facing her. "Who the hell are you, what the f*ck do you want from me" "You know who i am laura dear" he turned to face her now "and what do i want from you,you asked" "God!,you are the one who offered me a ride one Saturday which I turned down" "Awwwwn she remembers me, I thought you had forgotten about me and hated me, so I tried to apologize. I sent you gifts at work, paid your bills and all but still you never thought to say thanks"
"I never asked you to do any of those things or do anything for me. For f*ck's sake I don't even know the f*ck who you are" Laura screamed at him ."You know who I am laura dear" Charles said as he walked close to her and leaned towards her their faces were close to each other, with a finger to her lips "I am the only man who loves you and cares for you, I would give you everything you want. I mean I have money in abundance if thats what you want just don't give up on us yet" he said as he kissed her lips passionately. Laura spat on him "F*ck you, there is no us and there will never be. You are freak, a monster, a pig. Just please let me go" Charles angry at her words slapped her hard sending stars sparkling above her "Yes am a freak, a freak for you love and yet you tried to run away and leave me behind just stay still and quiet" as he put a tape to her mouth". "I don't want the neighbours getting into our business, I don't like third parties am going to get some food for you , you look pale dear i think you are getting a black eye" he said as he walked out of her room.
Laura wept hard and questioned God "why am I always suffering in the hands of evil men,is this what you made me for" she sat still sobbing hard when she remembered she had always kept a little knife in her drawer close to bed which she used to take fruits sometimes before bed but she was tied up hard to her bed she couldnt seem to reach it. She tried to stretch to reach her drawer but she couldn't reach it. With no phone to call someone for help this was her only opportunity and she wasn't ready to back down. She kept yanking hard at the ropes until one came off she was able to get to the knife and caught her self lose.

Charles had felt the world was beautiful to him now as he headed back to the house with food in both hands. Getting to the room, he discovered she was gone and was about to bolt for the door when a bottle hit him hard on the head. Crashing to the floor, blood dripped from the back of his head he could still make out the image of laura as she kicked him repeatedly while yelling at him while the room went dark on him.