Hell Mary

Chapter Eight

It was his dream and Ashley's though. They had always been a pair since childhood, going to the same school and church all through Nursery and Primary school until Martins' parents insisted he went to an all boys school for better grooming and so Ashley's parents decided it was good enough for their daughter to also move into an all girls school. Alliances were being formed using their children as bait. Once, Ashley's mother joked about Ashley becoming an Adenuga, but Mrs Adenuga had joked back as well and repeated that her son was getting married to a proper Yoruba woman.

They had laughed and shared drinks, clanging their cups and savouring the delicious spicy peppered chicken. It was impossible not to take note of Maureen's distinct laughter, but deep down, they had revealed the truths to themselves. It was going to be impossible for their children to end up as actual couples in reality due to their cultural difference. Maureen had so desperately wanted that union to exist. It would be so grand to have an affiliation with an Adenuga. It could mean so many contracts for her husband Dominic. There was so many ways everything could go well and also very wrong.

When Ashley had announced her breakup over the family dinner, Maureen was devastated and advised her to rekindle the flame. Dominic was entirely against the whole idea of dating and was silent through out the dinner munching slowly at the head of the table.

Ashley had heeded her mother's selfish advice and clung unto the part of her that wanted her relationship with Martins to blossom back to life. She consoled herself with the fact that he didn't exactly use the word 'breakup' with her.

"I want a breakup," he had said, not mincing words. He had used the exact words and she felt silly for trying to block out the truth in her head.

"W-What?" She asked, confused. He stood her up for a date for what seemed like the hundredth time but five times in a row if one was being accurate. Her red floral patterned dress gave her an A shape with the belt she had locked on her waist. It was supposed to be their Valentine make-up day and her birthday since he had missed the actual Valentine's day under a false pretence of sickness which she had discovered later.

It was supposed to be a perfect evening for the both of them. Schools had temporarily shut down due to the outbreak of a foreign disease and so they were supposed to have enough free time, together. They were supposed to lock hands and exchange love pledges in the park on a rollercoaster, taking pictures to post on social media, eating snacks and being the model couple.

She remembered being devastated on the night of her sour breakup. She remembered not leaving her room for three days straight. Three days of eating the left over junks in her bedroom. Three days of her mother placing her mouth watery favourites on the base of her door to lure her out, but she refused. On the third day, her father thought he had had enough and whipped her out of her devastation with the flapping ends of his belt.

She had yet again not given up with her bid to restoring their sour bond and for the sake of clarity and closure, she at least felt she was entitled to knowing what went wrong and so she walked up to his end during sports to ask.

"Hey," she started. He swept his eyes towards her direction and then back unto an unsettling object. She however pursued, "What did I do wrong? Why are you giving me dirty looks and foul faces? All I've ever done is try to be perfect for you! Everyone is starting to question why we aren't close anymore-"

"You see that's the problem with you, you care so much about what people think! Trying to be perfect is not what I want! By all means I want imperfection! I want you to live like you have a screwed up life like the rest of us. I want to be head girl, get first position throughout, go to my dream university on scholarship. I'm tired of your perfection!" he yelled. He walked his way past her ensuring he brushed his muscular bicep past her feeble one.