CHAPTER ONE: (Adewale)
It didn't come as a surprise. I always knew Adewale was spoilt. He had always been a rebel. A lust robust baby, he came screaming into the world. He was a natural star, one who drew others to him by sheer force of personality, amazing good looks and more than his fair share of charm. He was the first child of my mother, who had three children, including myself, for three different men. Adewale's father was white and my mother usually told tales of how she begot him on English soil. She was abandoned by her lover while pregnant with Adewale. So when Adewale was just a couple of months old, she moved down to Nigeria to settle down. Fortunately for her, she met and married my father six months later, Adewale being a year old then. I was born a year later. But then my father died when i was a baby. I have no memory of him.Thinking she was probably cursed with misfortune and refusing to marry again, my mother got into an affair with a married man, leading to Angel's birth.
As a child, Adewale had an almost feminine beauty which turned into a masculine type of handsomeness as he matured. There was never any question of his virility. Girls fell at his feet and at a tender he was already a breaker of many hearts. He had extraordinary looks but it was his colouring that marvelled. The gleaming curly, almost wavy black hair, black brows in contrast to his ivory toned skin. He had an intense hazel eyes fringed with thick long lashes. "Eyes just like his father's" my mother would say. He was her favourite. Had always been.
His eyes and skin was envied more though by I and other girls. Matched with his colouring and handsome profile, he had an athletic body with a beyond average height and not an ounce of loose flesh or fat on him. Even I marvelled at him atimes but being his sister I was used to him.
Adewale was a little vain and had a keen sense of fashion and style. No other kid in the neighbourhood looked better than he did. Everything was at his disposal. Mom slaved for him, was ready to give him the world. He was mother's favourite and it became an obvious fact that he didn't bother to hide. I and Angel were aware of this. Even as a little child Angel knew. But we weren't jealous. We shared our mother's feelings about him. Only uncle Theophillus, my mother's younger brother had treated him any differently, like a normal ordinary person. He loved him as did the rest of us but had no preferential treatment for him. Uncle Theophillus knew that there was a lot of devilishness in the boy, not to mention rebelliousness, temperament, stubbornness and also a lot of vain pride. He thought that Adewale was far too good looking for his own good bit being a very practical man, he knew there was no point in worrying about his eldest nephew who was born with unusual looks. Worrying would not change these facts and he reasoned that it was as well the other's fault for spoiling him to a fault. Uncle Theophillus had done his part. He had tried his best to tame Adewale, make him a little responsible because the rest of us were hopeless in that regard. But were was uncle Theophillus, mom or even little angel to protect him now, save him from himself. I was the only one left, ever since that dreadful incident that changed our lives and made us move around the country.
"Adewale is a menace". Theressa said for the second time like i did not hear her the first time. " He's always been".
She was angry this time. I could tell. I struggled for a way to convince her not to tell.
" He thinks he can just get away with everything by just smiling".
Theressa. The beautiful no nonsense Theressa had held a grudge against Adewale for a very long time. I knew she had been waiting a long time to sink her claws in. Theressa resented him a lot ever since he called her a "skinny idiot". I had no idea what led to this but it did not surprise me. Adewale and his naughty mouth, one character flaw about him. He doesn't know when not to say hurtful things. I was used to him but not the others and especially not someone like Theressa who was forever frettful about her being skinny.
" if I were in the US I'd make tons of money modelling." Sixteen year old Theressa had confided in me one day. " They love skinny people over there, not in this country where they think the only essence of good living is to grow ridiculously fat...' see how fat you are, you're enjoying oh.'
But its not my fault. It has more to do with metabolism than an unhealthy appetite. I loved Theresa's figure and wished i could be like her. She was slender in a lithe attractive way. Her figure got more attractive as she grew older. She was ten when Adewale had called her skinny. She had been holding a grudge ever since. I knew I had to protect my brother.
" He didn't mean to do it. I'm sure its Joseph's idea"
Theressa eyes flashed with anger. " You yourself know how bullheaded your brother can be. Nobody puts him up to anything. And those girls, I know why they cover up for him. Always using people with his looks. That's low."
" Its no his fault the girls swoon over him"
"I don't care. I'm reporting and that's it! I've had enough of that boy." Theressa stormed away muttering angrily to herself. " Ade this...Ade that. He'll get what's coming for him this time. Is he the only boy in the neighbourhood."
*********
" She can go to hell for all I care." Adewale said when I told him about Theresa's threats. "She's never concerned herself with my business. Why start now?"
"But Ade...you really shouldn't have done what you did."
"Its not my fault. Tate and Loveth got on my bad side."
"What bad side?"
"What were they doing there in the first place? Anyways nobody would have known if not for those stupid girls."
"Stupid girls? They were trying to help you. If they knew you had an ulterior motive for suddenly leaving the group meeting, they wouldn't have told anyone where to find you, thereby stumbling on Taye and Loveth."
"Stil..they should have just minded their business." How selfishly ungrateful Adewale could be.
"They were to trying to help"
"Help me? He snorted
" Yes. Cause they like you."
"Who asked for their stupid help? Not me. And who asked them to like me? I definitely didn't. Now see where that so called like has gotten me. A lot of good it has done me. And that skinny. I don't care what she does. I'm sitting right here. I'm not going to explain myself to nobody."
He tried to wave it off like it didn't matter. Like it was nothing but he was troubled. I could see it. He's acting tough was just a facade. He was seething.
"That skinny..I'll have to so something about her. I'll get Joseph and.."
"What do you plan on doing!" I asked alarmed.
Adewale resented Theressa almost as much as she resented him. But I knew he could never really hurt her. Only I knew he had a secret crush on her and part of the reasons he resented her was because she would not bow at his feet like other girls. It hurt his ego.
"I'll just have to teach her a lesson." He said, his eyes darkening. It was characteristic of his eyes to become stormy when he was very angry.
Later that day Viola came to meet me. "The rumours, its spreading. The rumours about what those kids did in the backyard. How disgraceful. And in big mama's store room. Its Ade's fault for locking them up in there. He's also in trouble."
And then I knew it was only a matter of time. I knew that even if Theressa didn't tell the news would get to big mama. If not by one of the other kids, then definitely by Biola the gossip. She never could keep her mouth shut.
**********
"Big mama please forgive Ade..please he didn't intend it." I pleaded on Adewale's behalf.
"I'm so disappointed". Big mama glared at the shamefaced Adewale.
I did it. I knew I had to. Better me telling her than Theressa or Biola. They would paint it in a way that would make Adewale look bad.
" And where is Loveth and Taye?"
"The won't come." Biola readily answered.
"Are you even remorseful Wale?" Big mama stated fixedly on Adewale, a contemplative look on her face. He resented her probing stare that most times unnerved him.
Adewale would not say anything or meet her gaze but I knew he was.
"And where's Theressa?"
"She's at home." I answered.
"Why didn't she tell me about it? She knew all along."
"She just found out." I quickly defended Theressa. "She wanted to tell but I pleaded with her not to, that I would."
Adewale scowled at me then, hurt. He had no idea that I was the one who told on him and not Theressa. I would never forget that look of betrayal. But then I comforted myself with the fact that I did it for him.
Later that day he said to me. "You've sided with that skinny girl against me right?". Adewale never referred to Theressa as anything other than "skinny".
"Since when?" I challenged.
"You think I don't know how 'buddy buddy' you both are and that's why you blatantly refused my warning not to meddle with the issue. You wanted to please skinny."
"If I hadn't told it'd have been worse coming from her or Viola.
" Yes..I guess, you made it easier for them." He sneered.
"I don't understand."
"You slowpoke!" He snapped making me flinch. "If you hadn't gone and told big mama trying to be dignified and all I'd have wriggled my way out of it."
"You mean lie to big mama" I gasped.
"And why not?. He challenged.
" But Ade, you're not a liar."
"Its not my fault. This freaking place has turned me into many things. Its not my fault."
"I still don't understand what difference it would have made."
"You don't?" He stared incredulously at me. "If skinny or Biola had reported it, it'd have been my word against theirs. You know big mama believes everything I say. But coming from you my sister of course she believed hook line and sinker, cause its you!"
His voice grew louder and angry. He started pacing. I hated seeing Adewale in that mood. "I had a way out of it..." He rapped on. "But you had to go and blab. I clearly told you not to interfere but no! You had to be the hero of the day. 'Joice, always coming to Adewale's rescue." He snorted. I never needed you stupid help!"
Tears stung my eyes. "But Ade..I never thought..."
"Of course you didn't. You're never smart. I've always told you, let me do the thinking.
That's Adewale for you. Always belittling me. You see, I had different emotions about my brother. I loved, hated, resented, disliked, admired and heroworshiped him. That were conflicting emotions and I didn't understand it. I always wanted to do things, be useful. I could never sit in one place and mind my business. I was a curious child. Curious to a fault. I always wanted to 'right' things but I couldn't. I could not be as good as Adewale. Everybody liked him more. Even mom had. I always got into trouble, never relenting. Always wanting to price my point and anytime I failed, Adewale would readily have that smirk on his face. That annoying one that said "I told you so". It angered me and I hated him. But Adewale always helped me out of trouble. Nobody had the right to bully his sister except him. He stood by me against anyone and only tongue lashed me in private. Adewale would do things for me, things not most people would do for their siblings. I was the only one he had in the world. Adewale always helped me out of any mess and so I loved him. I admired and heroworshiped Adewale because everybody did. He had a kind of relentless, almost bullheaded resoluteness, determination and courage. Part of the reason why he always got what he wanted. There are the kind of people that command respect and Adewale was one of them. He dared things ordinary people would not and so most people were in awe of him. I sometimes disliked Adewale because he was brimful of vain pride and ego. He had to have his way and would never stoop low and beg for things he wanted. He took it as his God given right.
Adewale was a very complicated individual but I knew him better than anyone. Mom always said I had the ability to read people. But as much as I understood others I didn't really understand myself. But Adewale did. He could always read my mind. I resented him for that. And now I knew he and Joseph were planning something. That was very mischievous and living without mischief meant taking the very life out of them.

o