Not Perfect Enough

Chapter 24

This chapter is dedicated to __toyosi. Happy belated birthday, my amazing twin. 🤩🔥

ZAYYAD

I've experienced a lot of things in this life of mine, but one thing I never thought I would experience was being in a tight situation. I'm supposed to be the one who puts people in tight situations, not the other way around. And being who I am and what I represent, I'm meant to be untouchable.

My slacking off in class is always looked over because of my last name. My social skills, looked over because of my last name. My arrogance, looked over because of my last name.

And now that the last name is being trolled round the state, what am I without it?

Aminu always says, What are you without the Ibrahim name?' and 'You are an Ibrahim, act like it.'

I'm to act like a murderer now?

"Mr. Ibrahim, answer us. Is it true that you murdered the late Mrs. Otedola?"

"Was it due to a conflict of interest?"

"Do you strike all your employees?"

"Is the video edited?"

"Silence can be interpreted as agreement. So are you agreeing to be the hand of destruction in the life of your late vice?"

Everyone else might be dodgy about the fact that Aminu would ever strike a woman, worse, murder one. But I know the truth.

Even if there wasn't any evidence, I'm a hundred percent sure that my Father is capable of murder.

My classmates are whispering about me. They always whispered about me, but before, I never seemed to care for their words. So why am I trying to ignore the constant bouncing of my knees and the shaking of my fingers against my desk, so that I can listen in on their multiple conversations?

"What video are you talking about?" Anais asked, putting herself between Aminu and the reporters.

That should be me. I should be the one standing up for my father but for some reason, I couldn't seem to stand up.

"The one that was posted on the Ridge Town Times blog." One of the reporters answered.

There was a video. Aminu was trapped. We all knew it.

"Can you quit doing that? It's distracting." One of the girls sitting in front of me turns back to sneer, referring to my vibrating legs.

If I could quit it, wouldn't I? I want to scream. I want to tell her that I'm not in control but what good would that do for me?

She waits for me to stop but somehow that causes me to grow more uncomfortable and the twitching increases. The noises heard are now louder. The girl grunts and turns back to the front of the class.

I know what she's thinking; lunatic child of an abuser capable of murder.

They seemed to be arguing about something. I could see Aminu's hands shaking. He was angry. She should run.

Mrs. Otedola didn't run. Instead, she seemed to have increased her pitch, raising her arms midair, trying desperately to prove her point.

It all happened in a split second. Aminu struck her across the face and she lost her balance, falling to the ground.

The video ended.