love above all episode 16&17

LIFE, ABOVE ALL

Episode 16

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TIYA

“Nothing affects a person’s character more than the company he keeps.”

‘How dare you fuck with my girl?’ Ken yelled as he landed punches on Jones.
‘Get off me,’ Jones yelled but his plea fell on deaf ears as Ken continued to punch him.
Ken was not only older than Jones but stronger. He was beating him mercilessly, I was afraid he was gonna kill him if no one intervened.
‘Help them,’ I screamed to the group of people surrounding them, they seemed to be enjoying the fight because they were cheering for Ken.

‘Ken,’ someone grabbed his hand but he shoved them off him and continued to beat Jones.
I was scared but since I was a little tipsy I couldn’t do much to help.
I quickly rushed into the house and went to look for Ivy and Harry. I found them in one of the rooms, having sex.
‘You guys have to come and see what’s going on outside,’ I screamed
‘Oh lord, Tiya we are busy.’
‘Ken is gonna kill someone,’ I screamed
‘Ken!’ Harry said before he pulled away from Ivy. I closed my eyes as he searched for his clothes and put them on.
‘What happened?’ Ivy asked
‘He found me kissing another guy.’
‘Holy shit, Ken is temperamental he could kill him.’
We rushed out of the room as soon as they both got dressed.
‘Ken! Ken!’ The guys were chanting when we got back outside
Harry ran through the crowd and grabbed Ken off Jones.
‘Let me go, I am gonna kill him,’ Ken yelled
‘You want to kill him and go back to jail?’ Harry asked
I froze, ‘What did he mean go back to jail? Had Ken been arrested before? And if so, what crime had he committed?’
‘He was fucking with my girl,’ he spat
‘Its fine dude, let it go, he is not worth it.’
Jones was rolling on the ground with blood oozing from his nose, he had badly been beaten. I took a quick glance at him before someone helped him up and took him into the house.

‘I think we should go home,’ Ivy said once the crowd had scattered and gone back to what they had been doing before the fight.
‘Yes, we should go home,’ Ken responded
‘I am sorry,’ I said
‘Just shut the fuck off he said.’
We were getting ready to leave when the gate burst open and some armed police men rushed into the place, the next thing I knew everything broke into havoc.
Before I knew it we were being escorted out to the gate and into the police van. Some people managed to escape but most of us where either too shocked or drunk to react.

‘How are you going to get out of here?’ I cried
I was sitting on the floor in a cell at Long acres with Ivy and some other girls from the party.
‘This is your entire fault,’ the other girl spat at me.
And she was right it was my fault, why did I even accept to go to that stupid party in the first place.
‘Couldn’t you have closed your legs for just a minute,’ she angrily asked
I choose not to respond
‘I am talking to you?’ she yelled
‘Febby just let it go,’ Ivy intervened, ‘There’s no need to point fingers. What’s done is done. My father will bail us out in the morning.’
‘And now we are supposed to be spending a night in this filthy cell?’ Febby asked
‘Yes,’ Ivy snapped, ‘Deal with her.’
I was glad Ivy was taking my side even though it was truly my fault that we were in this situation.
I looked towards the far end and noticed that the other ladies were curled up together and sleeping.
My emotions were running wild, how could they sleep with everything that was going on? I couldn’t sleep in such conditions. The alcohol was beginning to take its toll on me I was fighting off nausea and a headache.

My heart was also racing, I was afraid of what my father would do if he found out I have been arrested. I pray Ivy’s father will bail us all out because I am not ready to be disowned.

I felt sicker to my stomach when I thought of my brother, he had warned me, he has asked me to stay home but I had insisted on going over to Ivy’s place. What would he think if he found out I had gone to a party and gotten drunk? What would he think if he found out I had lied about spending the weekend at Ivy’s house because I wanted us to study together? What would he do if he found out I had been making out with a guy at the party? Lord what would he do if he found out I had been arrested?

There is no way I will let Ganizani know about this, I don’t want him thinking he has failed as a brother because God knows he has been doing a great job at raising Thoko and I since mother died.
Oh speaking of my mother, she must be turning furiously in her grave she raised me better than this. How in God’s name did in find myself in this mess.

Ivy must have been reading my mind, she grabbed my hand and gave it a light squeeze, ‘My father will get us out of here in the morning,’ she said
‘You are not mad at me?’ I asked
She smiled, ‘I was at first but not anymore, I shouldn’t have left you by yourself you must have been bored that’s why you found solace in Jones’s hands.’
I shake my head.
‘And Ken?’
‘He is gonna be fine.’
‘Okay.’
I closed my eyes and waited for morning, I couldn’t wait to get out of this filthy place. This was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
***

Episode 17

“The company you keep has an impact and influence on your choices.”
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TIYA

The next morning, I awoke to someone shaking me. I opened my eyes and looked around, for a second I was confused, I looked around me and I couldn’t remember where I was.
‘Earth to Tiya!’ Ivy clicked her fingers in my face.
I yawned loudly as the events of the night plagued my mind. We were arrested last night, so I wasn’t dreaming, it was real.
‘Stand up and let’s go,’ she said
When I stood up, I felt a carving pain around my neck the muscles in my upper body were aching & throbbing from spending the night on the cold floor.

Only three of the girls had managed to sleep on the small mattress in the cell, the rest of us had to sleep on the cold floor.
‘Hurry up I don’t have the whole day,’ the officer yelled at us.
We walked out and he locked doors then he led us down the corridor to the reception.

Ivy’s father was waiting for us, he looked at me then at Ivy, from the look on his face, I could tell he wasn’t pleased at all.

‘Thank you so much officer,’ he said.
‘You are welcome!'
They handed us back our shoes, jewelry and phones then we were free to go home.
We walked closely behind Ivy’s father till we got to the car park. He got in the front seat and we got in the back then he drove off.
On the drive back home her father was quiet and none of us bothered to make a conversation.
We arrived home a few minutes after ten we stepped out of his car and walked into the house.
Ivy and I were about to proceed to her room when her father stopped us.
‘Sit down, both of you,’ he said
Ivy and I sat on the couch next to each other.
Her father looked at us for what seemed like an eternity, he wasn’t saying anything he was just staring at me intently I could feel his gaze on my face. The way he looked at me kind of made me uncomfortable. I wanted to run out of that house but my legs felt too weak to move so I stayed in one place.
Finally he cleared his throat and looked at his daughter, ‘I am very disappointed in you,’ he hissed
‘I know,’ Ivy responded ‘but…,’
‘No buts,’ he cut her off, ‘You have the freedom to do whatever you want to do but getting arrested is out of the question.’
‘I am sorry daddy,’ she said
‘And you?’ He looked at me, ‘I thought you were a responsible child. What got into you?’
I chose not to respond.
‘Make this the last time I have to cut my vacation short to come and bail you out of the police cells,’ he said
‘It won’t happen again daddy.’
‘I hope so.’
‘Yes.’
‘Can we go and rest now?’ she asked
‘Sure.’
We instantly stood up and walked to her room. I was quiet tired and my head was pounding.
‘I am sorry for last night,’ I told Ivy when we got to her room.
‘It’s fine.’
‘Thanks. Your dad is cool,’ I said
‘I know right, many girls would die to have a father like mine, I know he is a little disappointed but he would never allow me to spend two nights in a cell.’
‘I see.’
She laughed, ‘He is totally cool.’
We stripped off our clothes and went into the bathroom. After we bathed, we decided to sleep.
I slept almost the entire day, when I woke up it was almost 17 hours, I rolled out of bed and stretched while yawning loudly. I guess it was time to go home.
I walked out of the room and went to look for Ivy because she wasn’t on the bed anymore.
I was heading towards the living room to search for her when i noticed her father’s room slightly opened.
I don’t know what got into my head but I tiptoed across the passage and when I got near, I peeked carefully from behind the door and gasped in disbelief.
There was Ivy and her father exchanging a passionate open mouthed kiss.

I rubbed my eyes with my hand, took a deep breath and looked up just to be sure my mind was playing games with me.

And lo and behold, this was really happening. I quickly walked away before anyone could see me.

In the kitchen I pulled open the fridge and grabbed a container of water. I took a gulp of water and placed the container back.
I was confused with what I had seen I started pacing back and forth in the kitchen.
‘Tiya,’ the maid called me startling me from my thoughts.
‘Huh?’
‘Are you okay?’ she asked
‘Yes.’
She shook her head, ‘You want me to give you some advice?’ she asked
I remained quiet.
‘You are a beautiful young girl, you have a whole life ahead of you, go back home and concentrate on school, Ivy isn’t someone you should be blindly following. Not all that glitters is gold,’ she said
I gave her a quizzical look.
‘What do you mean?’
‘A word is enough for the wise,’ she said before she walked out of the room.
‘You are awake?’ Ivy walked to me smilingly.
‘Yes.’
‘I woke up some hours ago I didn’t want to disturb you, you looked peacefully,’ she said
‘Okay.’
‘Are you okay?’ she asked
‘Yes.’
‘You look like you have seen a ghost.’
I looked at her contemplating weather I should ask her about what I saw or not.
‘I am okay,’ I responded
‘You are sure?’
‘Yes.’
‘Okay.’
‘I want to go home,’ I said
‘I thought you will leave tomorrow.’
‘Nah, I need to go, I miss my siblings,’ I said. That wasn’t a lie, I missed Thoko and Ganizani. I missed spending time with them.
‘You could go tomorrow,’ she said
‘No!’ I snapped
‘Fine,’ she raised her hands up in surrender. ‘I will ask dad to take you.’
‘Okay.’
I walked back to her room and packed my stuff in my school back. When I walked out, her father was standing at the door waiting for me.
‘I guess I will see you tomorrow at school,’ I said
‘Okay,’ Ivy responded, she wasn’t happy but at this point I needed some time away from her.
‘Shall we?’
‘Sure,’ I responded before we walked out of the door slamming it behind my back.
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To be continued