Chapter Nine

"Do you want to do the cultural engagement?" Mum asked immediately I took my seat on the couch in the bridal shop.

"I don't really care mum," I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs.

"Don't give me that attitude Victoria," she scolded and I groaned. "Now do you want to do the cultural engagement?"

If I was getting married to Andrew, then I would have wanted that but this isn't Andrew, it's Miles so I shook my head against it.

"No mum," I answered and she nodded.

"Good, less expenses," she stood up from beside me and beckoned for the woman that was standing at the corner. "Let's see the dresses you have."

The woman nodded and dissapeared behind a white wooden door. Everything in the shop was white, the walls and the furniture.

Miles dropped me at the shop after mum had sent the address of the bridal shop. And now here I am, about to pick a wedding dress for a wedding I don't even want.

"Are we supposed to be shopping for a dress first?" I asked but got ready to recoil incase mum was going to lash out at me.

She looked at me for a second and looked away, not uttering a word. I rolled my eyes again and the lady reappeared with two dresses in her hands and another lady appeared behind her holding two dresses too. They both set the dresses on the bench in front of us.

I looked away from the dresses and everyone else, staring outside the window. I can't do this, not today, not ever. This is torture, emotional and mental torture. I can't do this to myself, I can't do this to Andrew.

It suddenly became too hard for me to breathe so I stood up and made my way out of the shop, ignoring the calls of my mother and the saleswomen.

It was like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs, it was so hard to breathe. I clutched my throat and tried to take in deep breaths, it wasn't working.

"Just breathe," I felt a hand on my back and another on my left arm.

"I-It-" I chocked on my own words.

"Shh," Miles shushed me. "Stop talking just try to breathe," he instructed and I nodded frantically.

I tried, taking in deep breaths and exhaling. About a minute after I was able to breathe properly and I opened my eyes to find my mum, one of the saleswomen and Miles standing beside me.

"Are you okay?" Mum rushed to my side and cupped my cheeks in her hands.

I looked away from her, "I'm fine, I have to go." I pried myself from both mum and Miles grip and I began to walk away.

"Victoria!" Mum called after me but I ignored her.

"Mrs Black I think we should give her some time alone, she'll be fine," I heard Miles say then my mother started crying, after that I didn't hear anything because the distance between us had grown so much.

I walked and walked, grateful that I wasn't wearing heels. I didn't want to go home and I didn't want to go to my house. I decide to take a shot at Andrew's house so I got into a cab and gave Andrew's address.

When I got there I told the driver to wait as I knocked on the gate.

"Madam good afternoon," Musa, Drew's gate man stepped out of his little apartment, fumbling with the keys to the gate. "Madam I never see you since, hope you dey okay?" (I haven't seen you in a while, hope you are fine.) he noted and I nodded forcing a smile.

"I've been busy," I stepped into the compound. "Is oga around?" (Your boss.)

Musa shook his head, "no madam, he don travel since." (He traveled a while back.)

"When?"

"E be like say na last week e travel," (He traveled last week) Musa began to scratch his head.

"Last week?" I was confused. "Do you know where he traveled to?"

He scratched his head again, "that first time e tell me say na Abuja e dey go but like two days after Daddy come call me say na..." He paused for a second before clicking his fingers and speaking again. "Chicago, eh Chicago e dey so make I no gree make anybody enter the house but as you na madame..." (The first time I was told he was going to Abuja but two days after Daddy called to tell me they're in Chicago so I shouldn't let anyone into the house but as you're madam...)

"Daddy?"

"Yes, oga papa." (Yes, my boss' father)

"Right," I nodded now understanding everything that was going on. "I'm coming let me pay the cab driver," I told Musa and he nodded, going to sit by the stairs of his house.

I paid the cab fare before walking back into the house. "Musa abeg, if anybody come find me, I no dey okay?" (Please if anybody comes to look for me, I'm not here.)

He nodded, "no wahala madam." (No problem.)

I unlocked Andrew's door with my spare key and when I walked in I locked the door behind me.

I first turned on the inverter before going upstairs to Andrew's room, or rather our room and I found it just as I saw it last, only that Drew's carry on bag wasn't on the bed anymore.

I changed the sheets on the bed, cleaned the room before taking a shower and changing into one of Drew's shirt and one of my shorts. I used Musa's phone to order in Chinese and when it came I used Andrew and I's debit card that I found in a drawer in his office to pay for the food.

I hope when Andrew gets the debit alert he'll know that I came over to his house and I'm basically missing him.

I knew my parents or someone was bound to come look for me but I just wanted to have some time alone. All week I had been surrounded by people, my mum, dad or Temi. Mum doesn't let me stay in my room for more than one hour, afraid that I'm planning something.

Now staying in Andrew's house even though I'm alone makes me feel close to him, wearing his shirt, watching our favorite movie makes me feel like he's right there with me. And that's all I want, Andrew with me.

***

"Victoria!" A loud banging woke me up.

I stirred in my sleep and covered my head with a pillow, hoping it'll drown out the noise and whoever was knocking would go away.

"Victoria!" I heard again but still ignored the call.

I knew who it was, my mother. How she knew I was here, I'll never know.

After about five minutes of hearing my mother bang on the door, it stopped and I got up from the bed and dragged myself downstairs.

"What is it?" I asked as I opened the door, taking the keys and tucking it into the pocket of my shorts.

Miles was standing behind her with an apologetic look on his face. What the hell is he doing here?

She dragged my arm, "you're coming home."

I withdrew from her grip, "no mum, that isn't home, this is my home."

She scoffed, "so you think because you're in love with some boy you have the guts to disrespect me? I am your mother!"

"Miles what do you want?" I looked at him.

"Just come with us Victoria," he pleaded.

"No, I'm not coming with either of you, now can you please go? I was sleeping," I folded my arms.

I heard it before I felt mum's hands colliding with my cheek. I was expecting it anyways.

I looked back at her, "is that all?"

Mum reached to slap me again but Miles hand stopped her. "Please let me handle this," he pleaded and mum reluctantly walked away.

He stepped into the house and I watched as he examined the living room. When he was done he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"Please go home, at least for your mothers sanity, the past two hours has been hell, she hasn't sat down since." He started and I scoffed.

"Seriously?"

"You know what I mean," he chuckled. "But seriously, go home."

"Are you aware I'm on house arrest? Like I can't go anywhere, no phone, no computer just TV, dad won't let me go anywhere without someone going with me, it's like I'm a child. It's serious torture Miles," I sat on the arm rest of the couch.

"You're their child," he stated and I gave him a nasty glare. "Alright look, I'm very sure they will be willing to negotiate terms, if they don't, you can come stay with me and not here alone."

"I'm not going to live with your mother," I stated and he laughed.

"I'm not staying with my parents, I was able to rent an apartment when I knew I was going to stay here longer." He took a seat on the couch. "Your mum is really worried about you."

"Do you know I have an apartment of my own so it's not like they don't want me living alone. They don't want me to plan to escape because they know me, I will." I turned so I was facing him.

He sighed, "first where is Andrew?" He looked around the empty house.

"Chicago, he's been gone for a while now."

"You want to go to work right?"

"Where are you headed?" I folded my arms as I looked at him.

"You-"

Mum barged into the house, stopping Miles from speaking further.

"What is taking so long?" She folded her arms.

"She'll come with us, on two conditions, no three conditions," Miles stood up and I wandered what he was going to say. "First, she resumes work, second she goes back to her house and third, she gets all her gadgets and he car back basically her life goes back to normal, that's all she wants."

Mum shook her head, "your father won't allow it."

"He has to mum, or else you all know what I can do," I threatened.

"Okay I'll talk to him," she visibly relaxed. "But you have to promise me that you'll expel the idea of eloping in your head since apparently the last time didn't work. You'll stay here in Nigeria and only travel if your father authorizes it."

I stood up, it's better than what I had before at least. "Fine," I agreed.

Miles smiled and clapped his hands, "great, everyone is at peace so can we go?"

"Sure, let me just put on something," I left them and went upstairs to change.