Amidst Temptations - Episode 12

 

They lived in GRA , the family house, not that I was surprised, Serena was yet to resume so I had decided  to go visit her at home to fill her in on the happenings at school, Rebecca was writing her resit exams so my room was usually empty. I looked again at the address she texted me to be sure I was in the right house then went to the gate to ring the bell. The gateman opened the gate and peered at me, he was an elderly man with an orange and black uniform

"Na wetin you want?"

"I'm looking for Serena"

"Say who you be?"

"Emilia, her friend, she's expecting me" he sized me up

"madam nor dey see anybody..but make I call am" I rolled my eyes as he shut the gate again, seriously . Five minutes later he opened the gate and directed me in. The house was a typical duplex with a large compound area, recalling her father was a politician I wasn't surprised at the structure, Nigerian politicians were known for looting money to live lavish lives. I hoped i was finally going to meet the parents. There was a maid who directed me to Serena's room but those were the only lives in the house, it was very quiet.

"Dr Osazuwa told him to leave the class but he refused, i've never seen Victor so adamant" we had been gisting for an hour now, Serena was laid on her bed while I filled her in on the happenings at school

"So what happened, did he get any punishment?" She asked

"Yes he was told to call his parents or be reported to the HOD"

Serena laughed ​​​​"He should have just left, it was just a lecture missed"

"Yea..you should come back, we have missed you"

Serena scoffed"No ones missing me, they all wish for my downfall"

I gaped then"I missed you"

"You don't have a choice, your my best friend"

This was the second time she was calling me that

"I am?"

"Yeah, you the only one who's been with me all through this, my other friends are busy with their lives"

​​​​​"I'm sure they care but your gateman said you not seeing anyone"

"Yeah, I just feel they are fake,do you know Trisha slept with my boyfriend, I couldn't believe it, I know he's a pig, but my friend "

I was tongue tied, I didn't know what to say to her "I can't resume till I drop the crutches, most persons can't wait to say cripple to my face"

"Lol why would you think that, I'm sure they all wish you well.."

"They dont, you ll be surprised how much they wished I had died"

I was surprised at the reality of life, here was Serena, Popular, Rich with all the luxuries of life yet she felt alone, it made me realise again that life was empty without God

"They don't have the love of God in them, you shouldn't expect anything less"I said wanting to seize the opportunity to tell her about Jesus when her brother walked into the room, he looked surprised to see me, he was wearing suit so I figured he just came from work

" hey sis, how you feeling?"

"I'm better, now Emilia's here to keep me company"

"Yeah I can see that..hey"

"Hi" an awkward silence, he raised a bag

"I brought you icecream"

She clapped her hands in glee, now I knew why she didn't want to resume school, he excused himself and left to change. When I saw him again he was in the kitchen talking with the maid, they both turned and looked at me and went silent

"Uh..Serena needed water",I said,  the maid opened the fridge and brought out a chilled bottle and gave me

" Are you staying for dinner?"she asked innocently, I had planned to leave soon so was surprised at her question

"Uh..no"

"You should, I ll drop you off" he said, maybe I should have said no, but I didn't want to be rude again.

We sat in the dinning table to eat and not for once didn't I wonder again about the parents

"Where are your parents?"

They looked at me then each other, she continued eating while he cleared his throat

"They..they on vacation"

Meaning he was no longer in office, I decided to leave it at that as we ate the delicious fried rice, the dinner was awkward as even though he kept talking with his sister we kept meeting gazes, the ride home was worse, I kept playing with my fingers while he put on the radio, then reduced it..

"Can I ask you something?"

I nodded, anything to break the silence

"What can I possibly do to make you mine?"

I gulped, my heart started pounding , I hadn't expected that at all

"Sean I told you.."

"I can't stop thinking about you...trust me, i've tried"

I closed my jacket on me as I was suddenly cold, I blew out a breath

"You haven't tried enough" I said, he looked at me then packed, I looked at him surprised

​​​​​"Can we go out tomorrow?"he asked

"No, we talked about this" was he gonna bring it up again?

"Why you so afraid of me, or you just want me to suffer, am sure you happy am begging"

" Don't sound like I'm doing this on purpose."

​​​​​"you like me too..you just playing hard to get"

"I'm not..playing hard to get, its never gonna work between us, we are worlds apart "

"You think you're better than me right, because you are a Christian, won't you even give me time, did you become convicted in one day?"

I couldn't believe we were having this conversation, he would never see the light and I didn't want to waste time arguing

"Please..take me home"

He turned ahead and  drove off, not sparing me a glance.

​​​​​I decided not to go back there again, but it was weekend and Serena begged me that she was bored, when I got in the house I saw a girl wearing a t-shirt and coming downstairs , she was pretty but i wondered why she was naked

"Hey..who you?" She asked

"Is Serena in?"

"Shes asleep, maybe you can come back later"she said, 

"I ll wait" we eyed each as i wondered who she was, Sean came from the kitchen, saw us then

"Chanelle this is Serenas friend Emilia"

"Oh..ok" she pulled him with her towards the pool area, I stared in shock.

I didn't mention it to Serena who was clearly awake, we decided to play a game after I gave her my notes for photocopy as she planned on resuming on Monday, Serena took me to the pool area where he was swimming with Chanelle, I wonder what he wanted with me when he had a girlfriend, 

"Hey Serene, the water is soo cool, you should get in"Chanelle said

"She cant swim with one leg"Sean said, Serena hit her brother with the walking stick but he dodged

"You should have just died, my life would be so much better" he said

"I make it better you moron", I laughed liking how they played as I remembered my brother David

" well what about you, you have two legs" Serena said

They all looked at me"I can't..I can't swim"

"That's so weird" Chanelle said swimming away

I looked at her, yea, it was weird. 

I helped Serena pack for school then told her I had to go

"Why dont you just stay"

"Tomorrow is Sunday, I have to go to church"

"Yea church, thats true, why dont you stay and we ll go together?"

"I dont think thats a good idea"

"Why?"

I didn't know why Serena always wanted me in the house, like she was playing a game I wasn't unto, if she did know I wasn't comfortable in the house with her brother in it she didn't show, it was a bad game and I knew if I didn't leave soon I would get burnt.

"I'm sorry, I can't stay"

"Ok let me tell Sean to drop you off"

"Can I just take a taxi?"

She looked surprised, I sighed, it was the last time I was coming anyway

"ok"I agreed, I waited in the sitting room for Sean to get ready, I decided to look at pictures, I saw two portraits of the parents, then saw a door leading out, opening it, I was faced with darkness, I should have gone back but I was curious, with my phone flashlight I found the light switch, it was a studio, with lots of canvases, paintings, I looked at the first one and it was just splashed painting, I never did understood art, but the next painting was deep, there was fighting and war, with people dying, the next was about Jesus eating with his twelve disciples..

" I knew I'd find you here"I turned, "let's go" he said hand on the light switch, 

"This is yours"

"Go figure"

"They are beautiful"

"Yeah"

"Why would you draw about Jesus if you act like you don't know him" he was silent, I decided to drop it and went towards him so he could put off the light

"You dont know me dont act like you do"he said, yeah, I guess he was right

"But I guess you curious enough to want to"

"I dont like you like that"

"Liar.." He said as he trapped me against the wall"your heart is beating so fast, I know you asking God why you want an unbeliever, Im just wondering why you fighting it" I pushed him away

"I ll become a Christian"he said" I ll do whatever you want, I've never felt this way before Emilia"

"It doesn't work that way, I won't be deceived, you have your pick of girls, why would you want to be the object of my temptation?"

​​​When he kissed me, I knew I was gone

"I guess you being jealous is a start" he put off the light and went out.

​​​​*picture of Chanelle

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/amidst-temptations

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Read " Obiageli " by the same author ( Funmi Anita Adesina )