Chapter 29: Have I Been Charmed!!?
"…you may address me as such."
"O-okay." Ifeoluwa answered cautiously. She didn't know what this woman wanted with her.
She came completely out of nowhere and brought her to this restaurant.
However, if she didn't appear, then her fate would have been even worse than being homeless.
A few minutes ago.
.
.
.
Ifeoluwa had just stepped out of the club when she collided with a reckless person wearing office clothes.
"Sorry…" She began, but the person she bumped into was already a distance away. Before he left, however, she heard his impatient scolding.
"Are you blind or what? Don't put me in trouble. Argh, I'm going to be late…" The office worker felt his heart leap into his throat after glancing at the time.
His boss suddenly called for an emergency meeting so late at night.
He didn't specify if they should come.
Ha! His boss even asked them to stay back if they were too busy.
Busy ko, messy ni! Busy, my foot!
If he really didn't attend, he could say goodbye to his job.
"You evil capitalist. Taking my Friday night just because you can. And I left my girl at home…" Grumbling, the young man moved quickly and soon disappeared among the dense crowd.
Ifeoluwa who heard his scolding pursed her lips and continued walking.
She had met so many insufferable people in the past five days, and she was really starting to wonder…
"Was I truly getting spoiled? Mother wants me to be mature… that's why she asked me to leave. To learn more about people. But… I know best how evil people are…Mother didn't make me leave because she didn't want me…" Ifeoluwa had thought about it and concluded that Priscilla actually never wanted her to leave.
But as a parent, she had to prioritize her experience and maturity by letting her see the world through an adult's lens.
'Mother was only harsh because she had to be. It was the only way to make it seem like she had abandoned me. That way, I would have no choice but to survive on my own.'
Getting the job tonight lifted Ifeoluwa's spirit.
It thus prompted her to look at things more optimistically.
Including, devising a reason why her abusive guardian, had suddenly kicked her, a minor without fore experience, to the streets.
This was just a test.
A trial for Ifeoluwa to prove herself.
After a month, she would finally be able to stand proudly beside Priscilla as a daughter worthy of her love.
"I'll make you proud, mother." She whispered as her lips pulled into a soft smile.
Things weren't looking so glum anymore.
She had twenty-five more days until she returned home.
It won't be long.
If only she knew that the next time she reunited with Priscilla would be a painful parting.
Lost in her thoughts, Ifeoluwa walked down the streets with a guitar case in hand.
The streets were packed with people, and she could hear the occasional honking of the cars and motorcycles as they passed.
She reached an intersection and waited until there were no vehicles before crossing to the other side.
Earlier, she noticed a hotel a few streets away. It looked old, but the structure was sturdy.
They also didn't charge much per night. At most four thousand.
To find such a place in this city, Ifeoluwa felt her luck wasn't all that bad. And fortunately, she still had ten thousand left.
It would suffice for a while.
As she shuffled through the streets, Ifeoluwa didn't notice that she was being followed.
Their steps were strong and organized, like well-trained soldiers.
They followed her at a constant distance and increased their pace when she came to a more deserted area.
A cold wind blew, and it caused Ifeoluwa to shiver and draw her thin clothes closer to herself.
Luckily, she wasn't far from her destination.
She only had to make a turn at the next junction.
Just then, she felt a hand clasp her shoulder and saw two giants standing in front of her.
She associated them with giants because of their large figures with muscles that seemed to stretch and expand with each rise and fall of their chests.
One of them had a head of dreadlocks with a steely gaze trained on her. The person next to him had short hair with a receding hairline and an impatient air.
As for the person holding her shoulder…
Ifeoluwa turned her head and gulped after seeing the person behind her.
Like the other two, he had a bulky figure, but there was a moral, no-nonsense air around him that made it impossible to look him in the eye.
"Miss, we'll need you to come with us." James began simply. He released his hold on Ifeoluwa's shoulder and just stood, staring down at her.
"What? I don't know you." Ifeoluwa's brows raised in panic. Her grip on the guitar tightened as the numerous scenarios she had seen on TV flashed in her head.
These people…are they here to kidnap me? Will they use me for rituals!? The man just now…he touched my shoulders. Will I…be able to refuse if they ask me to do anything? Have I been charmed!!?
Ifeoluwa felt her heart beating haphazardly in her chest. The pulsations were so chaotic that she feared her heart would explode.
The way she looked at the men was the same way one would look at an executioner.
The three men felt strange under her gaze, but James spoke up and cleared the tense atmosphere.
"Don't worry miss. You don't know us, but we know who you are." He said and continued.
"Our boss liked your singing and would like to invite you for a meet." James ended simply, and although he said invited, the other two men were already taking stances to block Ifeoluwa, in case she made any sudden movements.
"Oh, then how about we meet tomorrow? I-I'm pretty tired now, so I won't be able to discuss anything with your b-boss." She responded and slowly backed away from the trio. However, they weren't going to let her leave.
"I'm sorry, miss, but you must come with us." Dare, the man with dreadlocks, spoke while Folu moved to grab her guitar.
"Hey! Give that back! Get your hands off me! Help! H-help…!" Ifeoluwa shouted and called for assistance, but unfortunately, this area was deserted, and the available people only looked at her before ignoring her predicament, or leaving in a hurry.
She was alone.
This understanding quelled her raging emotions as she was led away by strangers.
She wanted to quit her struggles as they dragged her away; but, what if she couldn't see tomorrow? Who was the mysterious boss? What if they took her, and she was found dead in a ditch?
Would mother be sad?
'No, I can't let them take me!' Her last thought ignited a fire in her heart as her survival instincts kicked in, causing the teenager to increase her struggles. Her favourite guitar was held by Folu while James held her hand.
Trying to escape, she chomped down on James's arm and punched him. But he caught her limbs and carried her like a sack on his shoulder.
"Hey!! This is no way to make a negotiation!" She thrashed violently, flailing her limbs and hitting his back. Yet to James, her efforts were like a chick trying to peck a boulder.
"I finally found you, sis. Tsk, who would have thought you had such interests." Just then, the four people heard a lazy female voice in front of them.
They looked at the lady with a thick afro and halted their steps.
Ifeoluwa couldn't see what was happening, but she knew someone was here to save her.
Recalling what the person said, she decided to play along.
"Sis. Sis! You're finally here. If you had come any later then our parents would have lost their favourite daughter!"
Tejumole raised a brow and hooked her lips slightly.
"Looks like she's not an idiot."
Ranta on her shoulder nodded in agreement.
Gazing at the three men, she continued.
"You heard her. She doesn't want to leave with you. Put her down." Tejumole calmly ordered. Though, her brown eyes flickered in warning.
James, Dare and Folu glanced at each other but remained motionless. They communicated through eye signals and Dare advanced towards Tejumole to capture her.
Big mistake.
Ifeoluwa saw someone moving and became anxious. This lady was done for if she got caught!
In her panic, Ifeoluwa yelled.
"Mi… sister, go get the police. Don't let them catch you!"
Tejumole smiled at that.
"Silly girl…" She gripped Dare's hand just as he reached her. He widened his eyes in shock as he couldn't free himself from her hold.
His eyes then narrowed after realizing that she wasn't a weak maiden.
Before he could react though, Tejumole raised him effortlessly from the ground and slammed him heavily onto the pavement.
Her movements were crude and plain. The force of the collision was so strong that web-like cracks formed under Dare's body.
She repeated her actions two more times, causing a human-shaped dent to form under Dare, before carelessly tossing the unmoving guard to the side.
He crashed into a street lamp with his head, bending it completely in half before sliding to the ground.
It didn't take long for Dare, the unfortunate soul, to pass out.
If he wasn't already unconscious.
"How could I leave you alone with these bad men…?" Tejumole continued in the same warm tone, but her smile was unnerving, and her gaze had never left the person carrying the teenager.
The beautiful face under the thick afro held a shallow smile as her head slowly tilted.
Her eyes staring at the men were like honey. Brown and hypnotic like that of a leopard.
However, they were laced with lethal intent.
James understood after watching her movements that she wasn't someone to treat lightly.
But he still had to obey his boss's orders.
"I'm sorry. But we must take her with us."
Tejumole's smile widened.
She looked different tonight.
Instead of her calm and steady aura, she was surrounded by an air of feral brutishness.
Like this, she no longer resembled her usual self, but gave a feeling similar to Aanu. The spontaneous person who came and went as she pleased.
Perhaps years of familiarity had begun to rub off on the professor.
Chuckling, Tejumole took slow, purposeful steps towards the duo. They didn't know why, but they felt like prey being watched by a dangerous predator.
"Dear me, that was a wrong answer…" She crouched down, and her brown eyes glinted excitedly as she made her move.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Scarletwaves18
Scarletwaves18 LT
In a vast expanse of yellow flowers,two girls are running with their hands holding their hats.
TJ:Run faster we're almost there.
Iffy:I-I can't run anymore.Go on alone.I'll see you on the other side.
TJ stops and watches her respectfully.
With a hand on her chest, she replies solemnly;
Tejumole:take care soldier.
Ifeoluwa:*in the same posture*Hmm!
Ranta manning a cake stand:How dramatic. You're here already.Are you eating or not.
Haoyu:Here.Have a taste. I made it myself.
TJ:It's delicious!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone