The Next Queen Contest

Eight

Having noticed the shadow hovering above her, Feyikemi turned to check who it was as she paused the washing of dishes. She sighed on seeing Omolara.

"You called me a failure, didn't you?"

Feyikemi nodded, still on the wooden stool and raised a brow. "So? Was that a lie?"

"And what are you now? A loser?"

Feyikemi chuckled. "At least I'm better than you. I reached the finals and I got valuable gifts. You, what did you get?"

"But still, you're a failure."

"I'm distinct from you. I'm not a total failure like you. You know what, go and get yourself drowned, you're I'll fated."

Omolara was irked. She pushed Feyikemi and the latter almost fell into tha basin in which she was washing the plates. Feyikemi stood up, hot a hold of Omolara's cloth and sent two slaps across her face. Omolara tried to return hers but she had held her hands in captivity. They started fighting.

★★★

Apeke and Kemisola waylaid Banke on her way to the stream. They obstructed her path and started laughing.

"What misfortune befell you? Or why are you wailing thinking you're laughing?" Banke asked.

"You were finally removed, loser!" Kemisola taunted.

Banke hissed. "Abìfunràìràì, if only you're ashamed of yourselves, you wouldn't have called me a loser. If I am a loser, who are you? Master losers? I amde it out with expensive gifts but you had nothing than shame and degradation. Men still value me over you for the fact that I passed the screening stage, I just aren't the prince' type and I am not the only one. But you? You're just worthless. You have been shamed. No man will ever leave me and go for you. Who dares compare ojúdá Iyùn with its ẹbu? You have of lesser worth!"

The two were irate. Apeke struggled for the pot of water but Banke held firmly to it. She emptied the pot on Apeke and carefully placed it by the pathway. Kemisola carried the pot up in the air while Banke was engrossed in her fight with Apeke. She removed her hands from the pot and the pot shattered into pieces on reaching the ground. Banke bellowed. She took a large part of the broken pot and hit Kemisola's head with it. Kemisola slumped to the ground in ain as she head to her head. Immediately, Apeke ran into the village to report the incidence.

★★★

Adubi crossed Alabi a path on his way from the farm with firewoods on his head. She beamed with smiles.

"Get out of my way!" He barked.

"Are you angry with me?"

"Hear yourself! Such an unreasonable question! Who do you think you are?"

"I'm your fiancée."

"Seems like your little brain is on strike. Infact, you must be insane for uttering that nonsense. Who'd marry you? Yes, you made it like the few to the finals, but you left me with my heart in a thousand pieces. What sane man will trust you after what you've done to me? I mended my broken heart and you want me to give you again? The same heart that can never be as pure and good as it used to be?"

"I'm sorry, Alabi. I only tried my luck."

"Continue trying your luck. I can't marry a failure."

"What's with this stigma that you people have placed on us because we were not chosen? No one wants to have anything to do with us."

"You're mistaken. What you just said is just a mere assumption. It's not all of you that we don't want to have anything to do with. Asabi never had a lover but you had me! Now, I am going for Asabi."

"You must be joking."

"Get out of my way!" Alabi said and shoved her aside.

Adubi cried. "Forgive me, Alabi. I'm so sorry!"

★★★

Iwalewa locked herself up in her room and cried.

"Iwalewa, this is not the end of the world," her mother said. "The prince and Bodunrin are not the only men in Ojulari. If you're not capable of winning the Prince's heart, I wouldn't ask you to compete."

"Just leave me alone! You ruined me. I hate being your child. You forced me. You threatened me. You don't care about my feelings. You're both self-centred!"

Her father sighed. "We are sorry, Iwalewa but fighting us won't resolve this 5. We know that we've made a mistake but every parent would want his child to be the next queen. We're sorry, Iwalewa."

"And two wrongs can't make a right."

"I do not need your consolations. Give them to the bereaved."

"What do you want us to do now?"

"Get me a knife so I can kill myself!"

"Iwa!"

"If you can't do that, leave my door!"

Several minutes later, she heard someone knock on the door.

"When are you going to let me be? Leave my door I say! Let me be! Stop tormenting me!" She kept screaming. "Leave my-"

"Iwalewa, it's me Bodunrin."

That instant, the door flung open. She looked him over and quickly embraced him tightly. Her parents hurriedly locked her door. He slowly took her hands away and gently puched her back.

"Bod-Bod... Bodunrin, it's me."

"I'm only here because your parents came to bed me to help get you out of your room. I told you before, I can't take you back."

Iwalewa nodded. "You did but I never left. I..."

"You left me. You broke my-"

"They forced me!"

"You gave in! You could have done something that would make them remove you from the first part but you wanted the prince. You even said it yourself. I heard you."

Iwalewa shook her head. "No, Bodunrin. Bodunrin, I'm sorry."

"You're a failure."

"I am not a failure, Bodunrin. I chose to be that because of you."

"If you'd win, would you have been here."

Iwalewa shrugged. "I'm fine if you've concluded to toss me away." She cleaned her tears. "You can take your leave."

As she made to walk away, he pulled her back in an embrace, a tear escaping his eye. "You scared me and I'm still scared of the future. Is this how you'll treat me again?"

"She placed her head on his chest. "I hate hurting you, Bodunrin. You did not deserve the hurt. You've only loved me dearly. And you have nothing to be scared of. No oke can force me anymore. You mean a lot to me."

Bodunrin nodded, caressing her face briefly before landing his lips on hers.

★★★

You just finished the story!

I hope the journey was a splendid one.
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