After It Happened

Chapter 30: 29

I stare at the stranger beside me. What the hell happened to this girl?

Maybe she just outgrew her love for the cartoon.

I watch as my plan starts to backfire. I am not backing down though. Not yet.

"Shut up and just watch it."

"This baby cartoon? How can you..."

"Just. Shut. The. Fuck. Up." I seethe.

"Hmmph" and she goes quiet.

To be honest I never really liked the cartoon. Constantly watching the same thing and hearing the same

silly music can get really annoying at some point. However, Ola, well the Ola I knew before everything,

lived for this stuff. Watching her act so indifferent now makes me think of a light going off. I can't

remove the image from my head- empty jet black eyes, pale skin, limbs going limp. Too many horror

movies.

"Mhmm hmm hmm... And we can live forever. Right here in my arms."

I watch her but she doesn't notice. Her eyes are fixed on the TV.

"Na na na na" I see the single tear that escapes and the others that follow. She touches her cheek then

stares at the wetness on her hands. When she looks at me I take a sharp breath. No layers. I see

everything- the confusion, fear, hurt. She doesn't look like the scary girl I met in the school halls when I

first arrived. I can almost see myself in her. Maybe even worse. As soon as her facade is down it goes

up again. Her annoying phone rings. She picks it up.

"Hey. No, I'm fine. I was sleeping. Sorry." She looks at me before moving outside.

"No. I'm alone. Want to watch TV. Yeahh"

When she comes to sit beside me again the movie is almost over. The queen and princess start to

sing.

"The same song? Please turn off the TV."

"But it is almost..."

"Just listen to me and fucking turn it off already!" she screams and I flinch. I switch off the TV

immediately.

"Olanna why are you making noise now. I wu onye ara?" her aunty shouts from her room.

Everywhere is quiet apart from Ola's loud breathing. She blinks her eyes continuously. When she

raises her hand to her head, I see they are shaking.

"Ola, what is wrong? Should I call..."

"Leave me alone. My name is Denise. Denise! I don't know why you even came. Just get out." Her

words do not hold their usual strength.

"Maybe I can help."

"As a doctor or pastor or what?"

"As a friend who might understand" I smile sadly at her.

"Whatever" I follow her to the balcony.

"What makes you think you will understand me?"

"You have no idea. Try me. Okay, let's make a deal. Your story in exchange for mine."

She doesn't reply and I am scared she will block me out again. Taking a shaky breath, she whispers,

"Okay".

*****

So a lot of Igbo was used in this chapter. Thanks to Aunty Amara. Here are the translations.

Gini mere?- What happened? Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Okwa ya?- Right?

Nwa m- My child

Ezigbo nwa- Good child

I wu onye ara?- Are you a mad person?

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