Lies, Love and Deception

Chapter 17

Dedicated to @Chocolate_tea

"Thanks for everything Dami," Ore grinned leaning in to plant a kiss on the sweet savory lips she had ravished the night before. Dami doved his wet tongue in, probing the crevices of her mouth and using his thumb to graze Ore's taut nipples that were visible through the thin fabric she was wearing.

"I absolutely enjoyed our night together." Ore sweetly pulled back and opened her car door. Dami got out after her and helped take out the shopping bags he bought from the boot.

He packaged them in three big nylons and handed them over to Ore who was beaming with smiles. Ore tried to juggle the bags as she headed in her hostel. She turned and did a slight wave with teary eyes. She was going to miss Dami because the next couple of weeks were going to be spent studying for her upcoming exams.

She told him after they had consummated their union that she needed to be more serious with her studies. Dami was a blissful distraction that couldn't go on for much longer because she didn't want to disappoint her parents and tarnish their aim of sending her to school.

"Do call me with your phone babe, my number is saved in and the line is registered already. I will miss you." Dami blew her kisses as he rounded the drivers side and slid into the rich leather seat before closing the door. But Ore was far gone.

The bags fell from Ore's grasp and crashed on the floor, different color of undies peeking out from underneath. Ore heaved a deep sigh, picked up the contents strewn all over the floor and tucked them in. She flung one of the heavy bags on her spring bed just as her room door creaked open.

Mercy came in with an empty bucket, a soap can and a wrapper tied across her chest with her hair dripping with water. As she arranged her stuffs under the bed and creamed her body, she avoided Ore's intense gaze.

"Look, I am sorry," Ore sighed. "I was way out of line and shouldn't have accused you without full proof. It was so stupid that I let my temper get the better of me. I will try harder next time to keep my anger in check."

Mercy eyed Ore warily. "It's okay, I forgive you this time but please that shouldn't happen again. I felt so low and angry that I couldn't bring myself to accept your apology yesterday. That's not how a christian should act so I apologize on my part."

Ore nodded her head knowingly and got up to arrange the clothes in her wardrobe. She threw the old ones no longer had need for on the floor and began replacing them with the new ones.

"Boyfriend went shopping I see," Mercy snickered. "He's a nice guy in that aspect. I mean spending money on you but you have to be careful Ore. Not all that glitters is actually gold."

Ore ruminated on what Mercy said in her mind and something disturbing crept up her subconscious. "You know, last night after we had sex, he got a call from a Kemi babe. And that was almost nine pm. He didn't pick up when he was lying next to me on the bed instead, he walked off to the hallway."

"Hmmm, you guys had sex already?" Mercy shrieked.

"Yeah, but it was so sweet and painful at the same time. I mean I felt a slight pinch at first but after, the pain grew slightly worse so I had to make use of the hot water in his bathtub." Ore dressed a pink slit gown on the hanger and frowned at Mercy's horrified face.

"What is it?" She asked worriedly picking on her nails.

"I am just quite shocked you had sex so fast into the relationship, hope he used a condom at least." Mercy dried off her hair with a towel and stalled when Ore didn't say anything.

"Did he?" Mercy pressed further. Ore blew out a breath.

"Yes he did but . . ."

"But what?" Mercy speculated.

"Nothing." Ore shrugged and continued with her clean up.

"It better be," Mercy muttered.

"Hey ma, good afternoon," Ore greeted her mum twirling one of her long box braids nervously. Her mother always had that effect on her because she had an uncanny ability to sense things.

"Goodness gracious, Ore mi who has this number that you are using in calling?" Her mother screeched rather than asking gently. Ore chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"It's mine ma, I just got a button phone today and decided to call with my new number," Ore lied through her teeth. An awkward silence reined for a short while followed by heavy breathing.

"I feel like you are lying, hmmm. So where did you get the money you used in buying the phone then?"

Ore scratched her head. "I borrowed it from my roommate Martha, it's only three thousand five hundred naira ma, so you don't have to worry."

Her mother tsked in the background. "Children of nowadays, make una hear word ooo. Your parents are out here struggling to train you and you are in school borrowing money up and down."

Ore bit hard on her bottom lip. She hated her mother's complaints, they were like mosquitoes bugging her eardrum. She huffed and closed off her mind as her mother began instructing her to follow the pathway of Christ and not derail because of flashy dresses or ugly non career boys as she put it.

Ore chipped in a few words here and there, agreeing with her and telling her that she fully understood whereas she has barely listened to a word.

"And remember that I will check if your hymen is still intact when you get back home after the semester ooo. To show that you are for God and have not turned to a child of the world."

Ore whined and stamped her foot on the ground. "Mummy, I don't like that checking thing that you used to do ooo, you should trust your daughter and not accuse me like that. There is God oo."

"Ehhnn, if I hear that your mouth open again, I will make sure I stretch my hand through this speaker and shut it for you nonsense. If you like go and useless yourself in school, when you come back home it's then you will understand the kind of mother I am." Her mother warned harshly.

"So mummy when am I getting my pocket money na, the month is running fast oo," Ore stated quickly switching up the topic. She remembered the payment she was supposed to make to Martha's account as payment for the watch.

"You better have patience, your father will send it later today." There was a loud shriek in the background and all at once Ore knew her brother had to be at work.

"How is baby boy na?" Ore asked but was met with heavy spanking and cries following right after.

"Since you don't want to have sense so ehhnn I will implant one in that your thick skull," her mother angrily said to him. "Abeg Ore I will talk to you later, this your brother is trying to test me this afternoon."

Ore wanted to hurriedly ask of the small baby growing in her mother's womb before the call cut. I guess that will be for another time, she thought. The assuring word of her mother checking her when she goes home for holidays was plaguing her mind. Ore wondered what she was going to say then or how she was to act because she knew mama never backed down when it came to that. It didn't matter the amount of pleas or fake tears.

She was going to find out that her daughter had lost her virginity and it was going to be hell for her. That was if she didn't beat her to death because she knew what her mama was capable of.

Flashbacks of Ore's secondary school days when she was locked in after school hours and flogged when caught hanging around with her precarious group of friends who were known for their adventurous lifestyle played in her mind's eye. Her mother kept on saying all she was doing was for her own benefit.

She never did fit into the crowd and soon enough, the people who were once called her friends drifted away like the blowing wind. Sad, angry and bitter tears filled her eyes and clawed her heart with angst. Ore buried her head between her knees and rocked herself back and forth.