THE UNEXPECTED BILLIONAIRE

Chapter1

The heat of the Lagos sun was unbearable, the noise from the traffic didn't help either. I hated the fact i was the one who was sent on errand out of the children in my house. As the last born of my family , i was the one who was on pecking order for this kind of thing. Walking by every kiosk till the supermarket , my anger kept on fueling itself and at some point i was cursing at my senior siblings.

Then the memory of the embarrassment i received was still fresh and painful in my memory and has been the only topic on the lips of my siblings . This made me very pallid as i approached the lady at the counter.

"Good afternoon, madame Buntu. How are you today?". She didn't even respond to and immediately yelled at me.

"Oh please, don't even talk to me you son of a debtor. Your dad hasn't paid me my #500 that he's owing me till today.Abi na #50,000 go kill una(is it #50,000 that will kill you people)". I took an apologetic stance as i knew how inconsiderate she could be at times.

"Ma, please. We'll pay you very soon. Just have a little patience with us. I promise once i get home i'll let my dad know about your say on his debt".

"Abeg, no carry that your grammar near my side. If you no bring my money , no near my shop buy anything again(please, don't speak english to me. if you don't bring my money, don't ever buy anything from me again).

I hated the fact the woman embarrassed at every chance she got all because of a loan my dad got from her months ago. We would have paid if not the horrible economy we find ourselves in.The thought of going back to school on monday was horrid as i knew i was the talk of the town, while lost in my thought, i failed to hear the incoming Rose oil tanker speeding behind me but i was saved as a hand from the side of the road pulled me away.

"Argh. All this useless oil tank drivers. And you what are you thinking of like this that you want to get yourself killed, Obute?". It was Karo, Madame Buntu's daughter. And she was the girl i've been avoiding after the rejection she gave me yesterday.

"Sorry... uhm... Thank you as well. I'll be going now. See you in school on monday". As i began to walk away she called me back.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I like someone else, Tobechi and he asked me out already. Look i think you're really nice, smart and cute but you're not my type. I'm so sorry".

"And Tobechi is your type. All that guy talks about is sex and sports. He doesn't even know how to start a conversation or an intelligent one at that. You're the smartest girl in JSS3, why do you want to date that dummy?". She soon took and akinbo stance and looked at me with disgust in her eyes.

"First of, my preference of boys is none of your concern and why would i go out with someone that can't even afford simple airtime money for me. Tobechi's dad is a millionare and the boy has money. I'm not dating him for conversation making. And unlike you he's tall , so what else?." at this point i was in tears. I began heading home when i heard a loud noise and some everyone starting shouting FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!. There was commotion all around and i wandered whose house caught on fire. As i began to approach my home, i could see the fire had totally destroyed the place and besides it was the Rose oil tank from earlier had crashed through our front door. Tears and sweat ran down my face as i dashed towards the fire only to be dragged back by one of our church members who pulled to his chest as he watched in horror.

"Where's my mother, my father, where are my siblings?. Somebody tell me i'm dreaming . Please wake from this nightmare."  I just wanted to die at that moment. i really wanted to die.

A month after their funeral, i was sent to live with my aunt as she was my godmother at my baptism. She did everything she could to console me but i was inconsolable at this time.

One hot afternoon, i  received a letter that changed my entire life.