CT: Tales Of Tera

Showing posts with label Tales Of Tera. Show all posts

Tales Of Tera - Episode 15

Miracle at January 19, 2018 0

TERA 15 – GRAND FINALE!

” Grizzy…what’s wrong? ” Her Petit mother asked for the umpteenth time with a worried look on her wrinkled face.

” I love him so much,mom. But he doesn’t feel the same way about me..he abandoned me at the Marina. ” She sulked to her mother and clutched her pink teddy bear closely to her chest.

” Are you sure? Maybe his parents called him,there must be an explanation for his actions. Have you called him since then? ”

” No..he should be the one to make the call. He messed up. ”

” I know my dear..but you need to cheer up.. I’ll speak to Mrs Akinwale later on. Its past 1 a.m,you should be in bed. Should I tuck you in?”

Their door bell buzzed just as Griselda was about to reply her mother. Mrs Ayobami wondered whom it was at that time of the day,and went to get the door whilst her daughter tried dialling Mark’s number;it was switched off. She wondered whom the visitor was,and frowned when she heard the baritone of a male voice,she hoped it wasn’t one of her nosy uncles and pretended to be fast asleep.

” I’m sorry for barging in at this time of the day. I was just informed of your arrival,and…. ” Nick spoke with a bright smile.

” And? Is that all? ” Griselda asked after posing with her hand on her hips

” I love you… I always have..I can’t live without you.. You don’t deserve Mark,he’s a foolish play boy who doesn’t know what he wants. ” He spoke convincingly.

” Okay okay…. Are you really a blogger? Did you really win that lifestyle award?”

” Yes, I am…and, Yes I did. Gulity as charged” He answered with a cocky grin.

” Then… Yes! I love you too.”. She hugged him tightly and pecked both sides of his cheek.

Mrs Ayobami stared on in dismay and wondered when her daughter would finally grow up. Nick on the other hand,was glad that he had finally won the prize he had been longing for. He rushed over to Griselda’s place when he was informed of Mark’s health condition,and was planning on playing the role of a friend with a listening ear for the damsel in distress. He was glad to find out that the damsel was really not in distress,and was rather ignorant of her ‘boyfriend’s’ state.

****

It was two weeks after the incident at the Marina,and Mark had just gotten discharged from the clinic. Tera had paid him visits with her family on several occasions,but never alone,for very obvious reasons. She hadn’t informed her parents of Dozie’s involvement in the incident,and was most grateful that Mrs Akinwale hadn’t either.

” Dozie,you need to apologise to him. You owe him an apology. ” She explained to him with a frown spread across her face. She hadn’t seen him since the incident,and all attempts made to contact him were to no avail.

” I don’t need to..I’ve sent him a text already,isn’t that enough? I don’t have time for this, Tera. My flight leaves in 2 hours. He responded and lifted some of his clothes from the wardrobe.

” Please.. His parents have threatened to press charges.. You need to apologise,its the right thing to do. ”

” Hmmmm….if you had told me you were in love with him, I wouldn’t have raised a finger against him. Why didn’t you inform me? ”

” Love? I’m not. We’re. best friends..or better still,we were. Wasn’t that exactly what I told you? Why are you jumping into conclusions? ”

” I can see it in your eyes, Tera. You two need to grow up and be sincere with one another. You’re obviously hurting,you almost cried your eyes out when I hit him with my fist. I
knew he wasn’t a thief but I didn’t want to stop. That’s what he gets for being so immature. ”

” You’re evil… ” She added with a frown which eventually dissipated into a chuckle.

****

Mark was taking a nap in his room when Richie heard a knock at his door; it was Tera,and she was with Dozie. A smile lit up his face as he tapped his brother’s arm when they offered to come back later; he knew Mark would be more than willing to see Tera,and wondered who Dozie was. He looked much more lively than he once was; he was clad in a white,woolen sweater with a pair of pencil trousers,and blue socks-the cold weather was getting through to his feet.

” What? Why is he here? ” Mark asked Tera with a startling expression as he maintained an upright,sitting position.

” I’m sorry.. He wants to apologise. Please hear him out. ” She pleaded with a hand to his wrist.

” Okay…I’m all ears.Wait… Where are you off to? ” He enquired as Tera walked towards the door.

” I’m still here.. Don’t panic…Just trying to give you guys some space to talk. ” She responded with a blush spread across her face. She was glad to find out that he didn’t want her to leave,and headed over to the garden for a chat with Richie.

” If you love her,then you should let her know.. She’s an amazing lady,and believe me,if she slips off your hand for the second time,I wouldn’t hesitate to sweep her off her feet. Take care. ” Dozie added after expressing his heartfelt apology to Mark. The convalescent was about to respond when Dozie added the sucker punch. He let out a silent ” Thank You ” from his lips in response.

Tera walked in to see Mark who was earnestly trying to coin up a speech. She looked plain and weary. Her natural hair was packed into a loose bun,and her blue knee-length doll dress was of the same shade with her spectacle’s handles. She hadn’t bothered to put on a pair of earrings or ever apply make up; All she was concerned about was Mark and his well being. She was so bent on seeing him that she rushed over to Dozie’s home without scrutinizing her reflection in the mirror as usual.He still made her heart race,and her palms felt sweatier than usual. She cleared her throat hastily as she avoided his gaze after sitting on his bed; she didn’t want to sit next to him on the sofa. She just couldn’t stand such proximity.

” Have you taken your drugs? I was informed that you have drugs to take by 12. ”

” Yes, I have.Tell your friend not to get his feathers rustled. Mrs Akinwale won’t press any charges,I pleaded with her yesterday. So glad she only heard half of the story ” He pulled off his green watch after responding. He had worn it because he wanted to rush to the barbing salon. His hair had grown quite full in the past couple of weeks and he felt it made him look shaggy.

” I’m sorry, Mark. Please forgive me. ”

” For ? ”

” Everything. Dozie… ”

” Has already apologised. ” He chipped in.

” That night in the car. ”

” Was the best night of my life. ”

” Don’t lie to me,stop trying to make me believe a lie. I can see right through your facade. You’re only saying that because you think that’s what I want to hear. ” She shot at him with glassy eyes as she turned to face him.

(Add *07060464153* for more stories)

” I’m not… I can’t fool you. You’re ….. ”

” Not important? Clumsy,fat,stupid and weird? Do you need me to go on? I can’t keep doing this..you need to stop messing with me. ”

” Will you just listen to me for five minutes?I think I deserve that from you..or,don’t I? ”

” I owe you nothing, Mr Luminous.. Nothing! Go and meet your endless chain of girlfriends.. They should be able to give you more than you deserve. ” A cold expression plastered across her face as she spoke. Tera knew she had to leave immediately,else she would literally explode. She was about to twist the door knob when she felt his hand on shoulder. She looked towards the door,and then at him. The sound of his heavy breathing got her concerned,she maintained her gaze on him with darting eyes.

Tera would never have rightly predicted Mark’s move at that moment. The young man wrapped his arms around her neck and claimed her mouth softly with his; images of their memorable night in the car ran through Tera’s mind as her lips worked with his. She wanted to stop,but she couldn’t . This felt a lot more different from that of the previous night. It was softer,yet more intense and passionate. He freed his lips from hers the minute she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

” Is that what mistakes feel like? ”

” I don’t know..I’m just very certain that this can’t be. ” He lifted his hand to her upper lip and brushed off the tear which was headed for her lower lip before replying.

” I love you. I know I’ve been acting like a jerk…I guess its cause I blamed myself for what happened that night and hoped that a bit of distance would help me forget my mistakes,and also shield you from my emotional instability. But every inch I took farther away from you brought more memories to my mind. Nothing has been able to keep my mind off you,not even music or movies or …. ”

” Other girls? ” Her eyes flickered.

” There’s been no one but you…ever since that night I’ve….been unable to commit to any female.That kiss at the concert meant nothing,I just did that to make you back off. I wanted you to regard that night as a mistake.Griselda forcefully kissed me once,but I ended up calling out your name in the process. I’m in love with you. I can’t….. ” He got down on his knees before completing his statement.

” Move on without you. I promise not to hurt you anymore. I love every inch and bit of you…I remember how you got suspended in junior high because you went out of your way to protect me from those bullies who always picked on me and called me a wimp. I’ve grown so accustomed to your clumsiness that I now think its absolutely kind of cute,and how your facial expression reminds me of the angry bird icon…how you scratch your hair when you’re nervous,and bite your lips when you’re trying to get rid of special memories of me….I love that you’ve metamorphosed into an intellectual giant through your determination and focus..who would have thought that ‘ dumb ‘ Tera could ever become a B student in Architecture? I know you love me.. But, does my teddy bear ninja wish to commit her heart to me? Should we give this a try? ”

” Please rise up…. Your temperature. ” She insisted and dragged him up. Her lips instantly got hooked to his the moment he rose to his feet.She leaned towards him,lips parted.

” Yes.. Yes.. Yes..Please don’t let go of me now..I want to cherish every bit of this moment ” She whispered hastily and shut her eyes once more with her arms wrapped around his neck as her lips got entangled with his once more.

ThE END

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 14

Miracle at January 19, 2018 0

TERA 14

” I’m sorry, Ma. ” Tera shook vehemently with every word she uttered. Her swollen eyes were awash with tears. She stared at Mrs Akinwale with much pity,fear and compassion. She had asked Dozie to go home,and informed her parents even before she had dialled Mrs Akinwale’s number. Her instincts had prompted her to dismiss Dozie after the woman had threatened to arrest whomsoever was responsible for the assault. Mrs Rachael Akinwale’s heart skipped a bit as the teenager sobbed before her,and gave countless lines of apology which were incoherent and ambiguous.

Her heart was thundering ” Where is he? What exactly happened? You shouldn’t have done what? Please take me to his ward, I need to see my son…. ” She ran a trembling hand through Tera’s hair.

The doctor was a dark,middle aged man in his forties who managed to smile whenever he spoke. His lab coat was a little on the big side for him and a stethoscope hung loosely around his neck.

” I’m Dr Ndukwe,and you are? ”

” Mrs Akinwale.. Mark’s mother. ”

That was all the woman could accurately remember,her mind wandered off as the doctor spoke to her about Mark’s condition,and how long it would take for him to get fully recovered. It was pointless anyway, she would get Dr Jacobs to come and have a look of at him. He was a trusted physician who had been with their family for over a decade. She finally got the opportunity to ask him the dreaded question which had been on her mind since she walked into the clinic.

” Can I see my son? ”

” Yes,you can. ” He responded and led her to Room O591,which was Mark’s ward.

Tera sat still on the chair whilst she waited for Mrs Akinwale to exit the doctor’s office. Her mind was caught up with several thoughts,fears,premonitions and ideas. ” What would she tell Mrs Akinwale? Would the woman ever forgive her? Where were her parents? Would the police get involved as Rachael had threatened earlier on? ”

Rachael couldn’t believe her eyes; although it wasn’t worse than she had expected it to be,the sight of her son’s battered face was rather unwelcome and heat-wrenching. A hefty looking nurse was patting his swollen chin with a ball of pink cotton wool. He looked weak and pale on the hospital bed,he seemed to have lost weight in the last few hours. She dropped her hand bag on the bed side table and waited for the nurse to explain his state to her,since she had blanked out whilst the doctor was speaking. She couldn’t remember the last time he had received a drip treatment,or sustained a swollen eye and chin; her son wasn’t the type to get involved in sch onslaughts of physical violence. She walked purposefully to the cafeteria where she had asked Tera to wait, now that she had fully assessed her son’s condition,and realized that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was,she needed to hear the bewildered lady’s account of the whole incident.

” Are you okay my dear? The doctor said he’ll be out in two weeks’ time. Although,I’m thinking of moving him to our family hospital. ” She spoke with a weak smile and brushed her hair aside before hitting the nail on the head.

” What exactly happened? ” She stared into Tera’s eyes and gripped her hand assuringly when the girl tried to avert her gaze.

” I really don’t know…we…we haven’t been on good..terms… ” She sniffled whilst she spoke and wondered if the truth was necessary in this case.

” Yeah..I’m well aware. Although, you two knuckle heads have refused to enlighten us as to what went wrong. ”

” Its nothing, Ma. ”

” Really? You expect me to believe that? He went out with Griselda,and she informed me a few minutes before you called that he stood her up at an eatery or something..the poor girl was crying her eyes out…Were you responsible for Mark’s action? ”

She nodded in response. ” I was there with a friend before they both entered into the restaurant.. I left early,and Mark chased me down the street…. ” She bent her head over and started to cry once more.

” What happened when he chased you? Talk to me,my dear. ”

” He was trying to explain things to me. I didn’t want to listen,my friend thought he was trying to hurt me,and…he did that to Mark. I’m solely responsible for this, Ma. Please forgive me. Please……. ”

” What’s this ‘ friend’s ‘ name? ”

” Its not important, Ma. ”

” Your mom just sent me an sms. She’s stuck in traffic. This isn’t the place or time for such matters,we’ll discuss this tomorrow. I’ll instruct Kabiru to take you home now..its been a long day… I’ll spend the night in his ward.”

” May I..? ”

” May you what? Go in to see your friend? Of course you may. I’ll be waiting for you at the car park. ” She added with a kind smile and rose to her feet; she was briefing Richie on his brother’s condition. The young lad had travelled to Egypt with his father for business. Gasping for breath,Tera twisted the door knob as though it was made of glass.

” I’m sorry… You don’t deserve this… I hope you get well soon…. I’m not mad at you.. I thought I was all this while,but I was wrong.. I’m mad at myself for jeopardising what we had… The South Korean movies misled me into believing that we were soul mates… These past few months have been a living hell for me… I promise to accept Griselda as your girl friend,and those quarter-backs in school as your new friends. I don’t like them,but I won’t mind making such compromises for you… You’re worth more than that to me, Mark. ” She sniffled once more and dried her eyes which were awash with tears with the back of her palms. She kissed his forehead and palm softly before walking out of the ward.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 13

Miracle at January 19, 2018 0

TERA 13

Tera gazed at her reflection in the mirror for the umpteenth time and dabbed at her upper lip carefully as she wiped off the orange pigment; she didn’t think it would complement her complexion in anyway. She wished Debs was present; she was her personal shopper,wardrobe stylist,and closest cousin. The knock at her door prompted her to brush aside such feelings of camaraderie.

” Come in . ” She ordered as she fixed two rings on her index,and pinky fingers.

” Ahhhhh! Dracula? You’ve got to be kidding me !! ” She cried out in excitement as he reached out to peck the two sides of his cheek and hug him affectionately.

” Why does Miss Bunny look so dazed? Could it be..that she wasn’t expecting me? ” He asked sarcastically with his hands akimbo.

” Why didn’t you call to inform me? Mom said your family was coming over,but I wasn’t expecting you to visit with them..its been over 9 years… I wouldn’t have recognised you if not for your frequent instagram updates . ”

” See? You got the memo,but you were just too distracted to pay attention to the details Aren’t I a part of the Ekwe family? ” His rather funny and reasonable question earned him a nudge on the shoulder. They walked downstairs shortly after,and both families had brunch together whilst they broke the etiquette rule and conversed at the table.

The Ekwe’s were very dear to the Olagunju’s heart. The tight bond was formed in their fathers’ teenage years,and it grew tighter ever since the tragic incident; Mrs Ekwe passed on shortly after she had given birth to Dozie,her second son,who was barely seven years old at the time. She had battled with cancer for several years,and undergone several series of chemotherapies,all to no avail. Mr Ekwe was forced to travel out to Ukraine after her demise in a bid to start a new life with his two children. Although he wasn’t particularly as close to Tera as Mark was, she felt very concerned about him after his loss and almost cried her eyes out when she was informed of his trip to Ukraine by her mom two months after. He was now a sophomore medical student at the National University of Ukraine and had grown more handome and able bodied over the years. Her parents were well aware that his company was going to be the elixir Tera required to spring back to life.

****

She sighed in relief as she walked into The Marina. It was her favourite diner,and a spot where she usually hung out with Mark on special occasions. She reluctantly suggested the place to Dozie when he asked for her preferred eatery,and hoped Mark wouldn’t be present therein. Nevertheless,a part of her wanted that to happen; she needed him to see how happy she was,and how fine she was doing without him. She crossed her legs and replied some messages on her phone whilst he went to place an order. He was walking back with a tray of chicken and chips when she heard the doorman greet a prospective customer who walked in with a female. A familiar scent filtered into her nostrils as she raised her head up; It was Mark,and he was with Griselda! Her hands went numb almost immediately and she fumbled with her purse anxiously in a bid to avoid any form of eye contact with him. Dozie perceived that something was wrong; Mark’s face seemed a little familiar to him,but he couldn’t make any conclusions as to where they had made an acquaintance.

” Are you okay? ” He stretched his hand towards hers in an assuring manner.

” Yes, I am. I was just startled,but I’ll be fine. Let’s eat, Dozie. You worry too much. ” She feigned a wide smile and lifted a finger of fries to her mouth.

Mark’s emotions ran wild as he got seated in the restaurant. He felt mad at himself for not making any attempt to contact her since they had arrived,and had a deep seated conviction that he knew the guy she was with. They were seated at the other end of the restaurant,which was Ninety degrees away from Tera’s position.

“……. I want a diet soda. ” He hadn’t heard a word Griselda had been uttering over the past few minutes; his attention was distracted,and she had started noticing it.

” Huh? What did you say? ”

” What? You mean you haven’t been listening to me? Isn’t that Ms Klutzy? The ridiculous,overweight kid from summer school? I must admit,change is inevitable. She looks good,but I would have swapped the rigid spectacles for contact lenses if I were in her shoes. ”

” She looks great to me.I would watch my mouth if I were in your shoes ” He answered dismissively.

” Everything looks great to you so,I’m not surprised. ”

” Can you place an order please? I need to get out of here as soon as I can. ”

” If you insist. ”

Dozie tried his possible best to cheer his childhood friend up but he knew something was amiss,and his instincts led him to believe that had something to do with the guy who entered with a vixen an hour ago. Tera stared in their direction whenever she thought he wasn’t looking,and asked a ton of questions when she sensed he was about to make enquiries about her strange behaviour. They were distracted by a loud chortle a few minutes later; Griselda had wiped a smudge of ice cream from underneath Mark’s nose,and licked it with a big smile. She couldn’t get herself to stop laughing when he complained about her rather ‘ kind ‘ gesture.

” My love … ” She cried out amidst her laughter and hit him tenderly on his shoulder. She was obviously besotted by him.

Griselda’s words rang in Tera’s ears like an alarm. She was devastated and couldn’t believe what she had just heard; she tried to maintain her composure,but she just couldn’t. Tera could almost swear that she felt a tugging sensation in her chest which made it impossible for her to breathe.

” I… I have to go. ” Tera whispered and rose up to her feet.

” Tera! ” He called out and restrained her by pulling her with his hand. Tera jerked herself free from his grip and ran out of the eatery; he was about to follow suit when the cashier reminded him that he was yet to pay his bill. He dashed off to her stand with his ATM and stared right at the door like Tera was standing there. His suspicions were confirmed when he sighted the guy running out of the eatery whilst his date complained and yelled.

It was just a few minutes past 8pm. Tera knew how difficult it would be for her to get a cab right in front of the eatery and chose to walk for a few minutes till she got to the main junction. She usually took such long walks with Mark after their regular visits to the eatery,and couldn’t stop herself from breaking down in tears along the way. The area was unpopulated thus providing her with the privacy she rightly deserved. She sat on a park bench which was placed outside a kiddies playpen to catch her breath and get some rest.

” Tera!!!! ” He called out as he ran down the cobbled walkway that meandered to the main junction which led to the outskirts of the city. It was a route he was most familiar with.He felt tired and worn out; running wasn’t a hobby of his,but his feet just couldn’t stop moving. His heart raced and pounded as he searched for her,and hoped something bad hadn’t happened to her. He was moved to tears when he sighted a feminine figure sitting on one of the park benches twenty-five minutes later. The street lights seemed brighter to him all of a sudden; he could now see clearly; it was Tera,and she was in tears.

” Terracotta..I’m sorry. ” He fell to his knees right before her with his head bowed to the ground; he couldn’t stare into her eyes. He wanted to,but he just couldn’t.

” Don’t be. Just leave,please……. This isn’t about you,its about me. ” She covered her eyes with her palms like she was ashamed of herself,and nodded whilst she spoke. He could sense that her esteem had deteriorated by a landslide,and it was all his fault.

” No. Its not…. I’m the jerk,the idiot. You’re blameless…. ” His words caused her palm to graze his face; his face got instantly reddened by the hit. She couldn’t see it,but she felt it within her.

” Don’t follow me. ” She commanded as she rose to her feet and started to walk away from him.

” Please forgive me. Pleease…. ” He pulled her arm lightly whilst he spoke and let go of her when she refused to respond to him.

” Stop following me! ” She yelled without turning back to face him. The sound of a loud thud attracted her attention; Dozie had landed his fist right in Mark’s jaw after pushing his head against the wall.

” Are you a stalker? Answer me! ” Dozie spoke in his loud baritone voice and placed his hand firmly around Mark’s neck,like he was about to choke him.

” Tera! ” He whispered confidently with drops of blood running from his mouth to the nape of his neck. He looked pale,and his vision got blurry almost instantly. He passed out after sighting Tera running towards him with a loud cry.

” Mark! Mark!! What have you done? ” She shot an accusing stare at Dozie before getting down on her knees to check his pulse and temperature. She covered her mouth in shock when she found out that his temperature was cold,which was very abnormal.

” I’m sorry,I thought he was a thief or something. ” He apologised after dialling 911 and reporting the emergency. She thought her heart would burst and she would die right there.

” When did you become a combatant? Take a good look at him! Does he look like a thief to you? Is this the manner of apparel thieves in Ukraine usually put on ? ”

Tera called his parents almost immediately after calling hers and fumbled for words to speak when Mrs Akinwale asked her for certain important details concerning the incident; she wanted to get the police involved.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 12

Miracle at January 19, 2018 0

TERA 12

” Small madam ! Small madam !! ” Sisi exclaimed after jamming Tera’s door shut. She couldn’t believe her ears; the loud noise of Tera’s whimpering was startling. She laid face down on her bed and covered her head with a pillow. Sisi sat next to her after bringing out a duvet from her wardrobe.

” Don’t worry. I’m fine. Its nothing. ” Tera responded in a muffled voice as she felt Sisi’s hand’s on her back; she was covering her with the duvet.

” Are you sure? ”

” Yes, I am. Please don’t tell mom about this,its nothing.. I’m very fine. ” She assured the concerned lady after rising up from her resting position.

” Okay.. My baby. ” She responded and dried Tera’s face with her warm palms before exiting the cinderella-themed room.

****

He woke up rather early the next morning for reasons he couldn’t quite explain. Flash backs of the previous night’s events hit him randomly thus causing him of have a re-think of some of the hasty decisions he had made in past times. He was jolted by a knock at the door; it was Yinka.

” Why do you look so ruffled? Are you alright? ” Yinka enquired after feasting on a handful of M&M’s.

” Not really. I don’t think I am. ”

” You don’t think? What could be the matter? ”

” Not to worry. I’ll be just fine. “.

” If you insist. Talking about fine people,I met with Tera this morning and..I was impressed. I’m thinking of starting up something with her. You don’t mind,do you? ”

” Suit yourself. ” He responded with a cold stare and turned away from Yinka. Mark’s best friend stared at him knowingly and nodded his head.

****
Mrs Akinwale felt very giddy and excited after receiving a phone call from Ireland; she couldn’t believe it ! Griselda was in town. She ran up to her first son’s room to share the good news with him. Her plans were finally falling into place.

” I’ve got good news for you dear . ” She affirmed heartily as she stepped into the room and sighted her two sons playing a video game. Their eyes remained glued to the television screen as the animated characters responded to the control settings on the game pad.

” I’m all ears,mum. ”

” Griselda is in town. She’ll be coming over tomorrow to pay us a visit. ”

” Huh? Why? I don’t … ” He yelled and dropped the game’s controller in anger. It was too late to respond; the woman had deliberately walked out of the room after passing the information.

” I win ! ” Richie harrumphed a loud laugh and patted his brother’s shoulders lightly. That was the least of Mark’s concerns; all that was running
through his mind was Giselda’s sudden arrival. He made a call to inform Yinka and Team Luminous,and jammed his eyes shut in a forceful bid to fall asleep. He hoped Nick wasn’t aware,if he was,chances were,Mark’s prospects weren’t really promising,and he was sure to expect a back-lash aimed at Tera.

****

Mark awakened rather late the next day ; he had battled with insomnia at night; thoughts of Tera and Griselda’s sudden arrival inevitably ran through his mind,and prevented him from thinking straight. He ran into the bathroom almost immediately for a shower and walked down the flight of stairs thereafter with a sweatshirt and a pair of fitted jeans ; he needed to see Tera urgently. The loud,high pitched laughter of a young female caused him to pause for a moment before walking into the dining room. He was most familiar with that lazy, seductive voice; it was Griselda’s.

” Good morning Master Mark! ” A maid greeted as she walked past him a tray of assorted desserts.

” Oh!!! ” He grumbled in a low voice as he heard his mother’s voice; it was too late to run back,he knew he had to make an appearance.

” My Dearest ! ” Griselda cried out with a teasing smile as she headed towards him with outstretched arms. She was clad in a leopard-printed jumpsuit which accentuated her slim figure,and it’s cleavage exposed her full bosoms. She looked like she belonged in a music video of some sort. He forced a kind smile as she held onto him,thus pressing her full bosoms against his chest.

” Nice to have you back,its been ages. ” She added as she loosened her grip on him,and stared at him like a predator salaciously admiring its prey.

” The feeling is mutual,dearie. I’ve missed you too….” He answered with a stifling expression.

” Well then… Mom& Dad,if you wouldn’t mind..we’d like to go upstairs. ”

” Why would we? You two are free to catch up.. There’s no law against that. ” Mrs Akinwale responded after sipping off her coffee mug.

” You’d better behave yourself. ” She warned her son in their native dialect as he trailed behind Griselda with a frown spread across his face.

She was reclining seductively against the wall when he walked in.

” My baby… ” She whispered and held her lips with his passionately . Griselda had missed him more than ever; none of the guys she had been with in Dublin had been able to cause her lust for Mark to dwindle; he was all she wanted and more.

” Terri.. ” He affirmed carelessly as her lips went up his nose.

” What?? Who could that be? One of those British bitches right? Is that why you called me only once in a blue moon? And to think I kept myself for you..for over nine years, I.. “. She lied.

” Its not what you think . ” He tried to soothe the sobbing lady.

” Why can’t you love me? Why should it be Terri? Who is she? Is she prettier than me? Or more curvaceous? What does she have that I lack? Please,tell me. ”

” Griselda ! You’re causing a scene..please don’t let my parents get down here. ” He pleaded and cleaned her tears with the back of his hands.

” Is it a terrier dog you’re in love with? ”

” I’m not in love with anyone. ”

” Of course you are; I could see it in your eyes,you know? But I thought it was all for me.. I have to take a nap now. But… you must fill me in on the details about this Terri when I wake up. That way,I’ll try to speak,dress,eat and speak like her. See ya in a bit ! ” She jumped onto his bed and draped herself with a duvet whilst Mark stared on in perplexity and cleaned her purple lipstick from his lips. He couldn’t believe he had mistaken Tera for Griselda and felt really stupid for calling out her name; he knew nothing could ever happen between them; Tera was too precious and valuable to him for that. Griselda’s attitude stunned him a bit,but he was glad she was more familiar with the name ” Mrs Klutzy ” than she was with Tera. He knew the only reason why she was at ease was because she thought ” Terri ” was a British girl in the UK.

****

” Where’s Tera? ” Her father asked Sisi the minute he walked into the living room. He had just returned from his trip,and was most eager to see his little angel.

” She’s in her room, Sir. Should I? ”

” That wouldn’t be necessary. Why don’t you go and freshen up for dinner whilst I go and get your sister. ” He addressed Christopher as he walked up the flight of stairs.

” Yeah? Come in. ” Tera responded to the knock on her door.

” OMG! Daddy!!!!!! ” She cried out and jumped. off her bed to give him a big hug. Tears of joy dropped down her eyes as she felt his warm arms around her. He seemed much more different to her; his complexion wasn’t as dark as it once was,and his intonation had changed for the better. She hadn’t seen him in over 6 months,and was most glad her trusted confidante was back. Tera’s eyes glistened for the first time in a long time; she was well aware that his arrival would do a lot to take her mind off of certain depressing issues which she’d rather not remember. Her mom was most delighted to see that her daughter had regained her appetite all of a sudden; Tera had barely eaten any meal since she had gotten back from school and this had prompted her to lose a lot of weight.

” I’m fine, Sir. But boys are…. ” Tera complained to her dad as they had a little tete a tete talk that night.

” Are what? What happened? Are you alright? ” The man asked with a hand placed firmly over her right cheek.

” I’m trying to be alright…but its not easy. ”

” Care to talk about it? I was told that you’ve been living like a zombie for the past couple of days. ”

” No,Dad. I’ll be just fine. I just decided to keep to myself. ”

” Why does that seem almost impossible for me to believe. You? Keep to yourself? Without Mark and these crazy female friends of yours? And South Korean Soap operas? ”

” Ah ah… I’m just trying to study and…. ”

” No,you’re not. I don’t know what might have transpired between you and that guy..whoever he is,but my daughter is a fighter. And…I know you’ll get through this,if only you choose to try. True love can’t afford to elude you,and you shouldn’t chase or worry about matters of the heart. You’re too awesome for that. ” His words caused tears to drop down her eyes once more,as she remembered Mark. She nodded her head in response as her father’s words sank in; she knew she had to move on,if not for her sake,then for her family’s.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 11

Miracle at January 19, 2018 0

TERA 11

” I don’t know why he’s doing this to me. I’m just…I’m …just so clueless. ” She muttered under her breath and waved her hand emphatically whilst she spoke,with tears running down her eyes.

” Tera,please calm down. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s in a confused state presently. ” Yinka assured and tried to maintain eye contact with her through the mirror above the driver’s seat.

She shrugged her shoulders as Aminat tried to soothe her and stared at her phone in a bid to check the time. It was 10:52 p.m,and she saw several missed call notifications from her mum and dad. A wicked smile lit up her face when she clicked the red button after selecting Mark’s number. After deleting his phone number,and blackberry contact ID,she swiped over to her phone’s gallery and selected some pictures of them together for deletion. Her fingers went numb immediately,she just couldn’t do it. She
dropped her phone angrily and began to discuss several hearty topics with Yinka and Aminat,who were bothered over the sudden change in her attitude.

****
Tera travelled out to school a few months later. She had gained admission in the University of Lawnville,to study Architecture; her love for building plans and structures turned out to be not just a hobby,but a career choice. Oghene also began her collegiate studies in Cyprus,whilst Aminat and members of Team Luminous travelled to South Africa. Mark,on the other hand,was stuck in the same college with Tera but they never really said a word to one another,or acted like the best of friends that they once were. As expected, Tera rolled with the nerdy students on campus,whilst Mark cruised with the classy,athletic,and sophisticated dudes. Her distaste for him grew at an alarming rate daily. They had just vacated in their second semester when Mark’s mum travelled down to Lawnville in her Boeing jet with the intention of undertaking some business projects,picking up Mark& Tera,and taking them home.

He had grown more handsome and mature over the past few months;his lips appeared to be paler and his eyes seemed brighter and larger. Mrs Akinwale was most delighted to see her first son. After catching up with him in his hostel flat,and assisting him in packing his belongings into several boxes,she asked him a dreaded question.

” Where is Tera? I’m surprised that you haven’t mentioned her since we got talking. ”

” Huh? I really don’t know. I don’t care either. ” He spoke non-challantly and glued his eyes to the television set.

” But,you should have her phone number and flat address,shouldn’t you? Mary would never forgive me when she finds out that I came to pick you up from school,without visiting Tera and taking her along with me. ”

” Well….Maybe I should,but I don’t. ” He answered,deliberately ignoring the second half of his mother’s statement.

” Okay,if you won’t help me,then I’ll help myself. At least I still remember her department. ” The woman added with a look of contempt and slammed the door on her way out.

Mrs Akinwale received the necessary information she required to contact Tera at her faculty and the bewildered teenager met with mother and son at the airport.

A whiff of fresh air hit her nostrils as she alighted from the yellow cab at the airport. She met with Mrs Akinwale there and then and the excited woman gave her a big,bear hug. She couldn’t believe her eyes; Tera had quickly gotten metamorphosed into a full fledged lady. Her bosoms appeared fuller than normal,her hips had sprang forth like the handles of a trophy,and her face had trimmed down on a bit of fat;her cheeks were almost invisible,thus placing her well structured cheek bones on the lime light. Her hair fluttered beautifully as the gentle breeze caressed her body once more. She placed her gloved hands into the pocket of her army green coat;it was winter time,and her temperature rose and fell at random; she had contacted the flu a few days back.

” My queen! You don’t look fine. Your temperature is quite high,we need to get you settled in on the plane now. Samantha!! ” She called out as she waved at the air hostess and asked her to assist Tera onto the plane,whilst she dialled the phone number of her disgruntled son who was yet to arrive at the hangar. He was supposed to have met with her at the airport and hour ago,but there was still no sign of him yet.

(Add *07060464153* for more stories)
Mark wished his mom had informed him of the special guest on board the plane. He was about to settle in on one of the chairs when his eyes caught the appearance of a specific female figure which he had gotten estranged from in the past few months; it was Tera! His Tera!! He had seen her once or twice at the library and several other casual places in college,but he hadn’t really taken time to assess her feminine features,or even speak to her. And besides,the cold stare she always directed at him wasn’t welcoming either. He smiled as he sat opposite her on the plane which wasn’t yet in motion. After wearing his seat belt and glaring at his mother with a mischievous grin,he stared at Tera’s face more. She was feigning to be asleep; her left hand was placed protectively over the left side of her face; like she was avoiding his stare,or shielding herself from an infectious malady or mishap of some sort. Her nails were well manicured and fixed,he hadn’t seen her on fixed nails before,but it was a look he was most proud of;she was finally evolving into a 21st century compliant lady.

” Sam,may we have some fresh croissants accompanied with a glass of mint tea, please? ” Mrs Akinwale asked the middle aged air hostess who was of foreign descent. The ordered meal was for Tera,the woman seemed to perceive that she was pretending to be asleep. The herbal aroma of the mint tea forced her to open her eyes and take a sip shortly after Sam had placed the tray before her. He smiled as she lifted the cup to her lips; she was still a lefty. Although she was aware of his presence,and unwanted stares, Tera still chose to keep to herself and avoided any form of eye contact. Mrs Akinwale stared at the stubborn teenagers from where she sat and shook her head; it was a 7 hour trip. She wondered how long it would take for them to continue with their taciturn behaviour,and couldn’t wait for them to get reconciled with one another. Mrs Akinwale chose not to interfere and returned her gaze to the novel before her.

****

They arrived at the bubbly city of Lagos at 2300 hours that night. Mrs Akinwale ordered her son to escort Tera home,whilst she sorted out her clothing shipments at the airport. Tera was too tired to refuse the elderly woman. She jumped into the vehicle which was waiting for them at the airport,and frowned when he sat next to her. The dark skies emptied showers of rain as the driver wheeled onto the main junction. Drops of water hit the windows incessantly,and she stared at them with an ingenuous look and deliberately avoided his gaze. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time,and her tongue was unable to taste anything savoury. She clutched her arms underneath her mid-section,and shuddered once more; she had tossed her coat Into her bag the moment their plane flew into the african continent.

” Here! Have this….before you turn into an ice sculpture. ” He affirmed with a bright smile and wrapped his leather jacket around her shoulders.

” No. ” She responded with a big frown spread across her round face and threw the jacket at him vehemently.

She alighted from the vehicle and bade the driver farewell after he had assisted her into the living room with her luggage. Her mom had gone for an all-night meeting with Chris,and Sisi was home alone.

” Hei!! ” The large maid exclaimed as she performed a celebratory dance and hugged them both. Tera dashed upstairs after complimenting Sisi’s new bohemian look and shut the door against herself as she pulled off her clothing; she need to take a hot bath; that seemed to be the only remedy for her rising temperature. The clasp of her bra was about to get loosed when she heard the door open; it was Mark,he was wielding a tray which held a bowl of warm soup and crackers.

” I’m sorry.. I just.. ” He stuttered as he dropped the tray on her table stand,whilst the bewlidered lady jumped on her bed and shielded her body with her bed spread.

” Just get out. ” She ordered instantly. Her eyes got reddened with hot tears as she stared at herself in the mirror;and at the cream lacy bra which had been revealed to him earlier on. She felt ashamed of herself,and couldn’t believe he had seen her in such a compromising state.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 10

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 10

He sighted a feminine figure sitting still on the stairs in the dark; it was Tera. Her glasses had fallen to the ground and she was trying to find them with her hands. She felt a hand wrapped around her waist; it was Mark’s.

” Leave me alone. What more do you want from me? What?? ” She grizzled out loud and struggled to free herself from him.

” You’re the most important female in my life,my best friend..my everything..there’s no way I can let go of you. ” He pleaded and refused to let go. The generator was kick-started there and then,and the entire mansion was lit up once more. He let go of her waist reluctantly after she bit his wrist. Tears dropped down his eyes as she walked away from him. Viewing things from his own perspective,she was walking away from his life,and as some might as well add, ‘ For good ‘ . And there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

****

” He doesn’t love me, Debs. I humiliated myself. I’m just a big fool. ” Tera lamented with. tears dropping down her swollen eyes.

” No,you’re not. Now you know better. Stop beating up yourself. ” She urged her with a big smile.

” But I can’t live without him,and I’ve broken my glasses,and I bit him. How do I explain this to mummy? ”

” How? We’ll just tell her the truth and nothing else. ”

” The truth? ” Tera enquired with a look of fear.

” Yes. It dropped when you were walking down the stairs. Mark’s case doesn’t deserve an explanation,there’s no way she can find out ” Debs answered with a facial expression of mischief which caused Tera to smile faintly.

They attended the end of year service several hours later. Tera sat next to her little brother in church and their eyes glowed with joy as the fireworks reverberated in the sky after the clock struck twelve. Tears dropped down Tera’s eyes as she remembered the previous year. This was the first end of year service she was attending without Mark in six years. She smiled when she remembered that she had expected him not to show up the previous year because his parents insisted that he must attend service in their chapel,and how he miraculously showed up next to her just a few minutes to twelve. He had always been there for her,but now it seemed like things were about to start going downhill. She wondered how the new year would turn out and poured out her heart to God in prayer,whilst her brother glared on in pity.

****

It was barely two weeks into the new year,and Tera was gradually getting saddled with worries,anxiety and fear due to her insipid lifestyle; all she did was wake up and eat,except for extra-special days when her mom took her two children out for a treat of some sort;Debbie had travelled to Ibadan for a wedding,and her dad still wasn’t back from his trip. She noticed that her arms had added a bit of weight as she tried on a shirt that was once too large for her,and was now her perfect size. Sisi opened the door after hearing the the bell ring; Tera’s two female friends had arrived. She had informed them that she was back from her ‘trip’ a day ago. All of a sudden, she looked sullen and felt a bit of shame regarding the incident at the Tutorship awards,but the two girls dragged her out of it in no time.

” Guess what? ” Oghene,the typical sanguine asked with a bright smile as she hid her hands behind her back and waited for Tera to make several attempts whilst Aminat winked at Oghene as the teddy bear looked clueless.

” Tickets to the cinema? ” She flashed her teeth in excitement and hoped her guess was right.

” No! Tickets.. ” Oghene answered and waited for Aminat to complete her statement.

” To Luminous’ concert! It starts today. ” Aminat giggled excitedly and wrapped her arms around Tera.

” Wait a minute. Why do you look clueless? Does it mean you don’t know? Mark didn’t inform you? You two haven’t sorted out yourselves? ” Oghene asked with a look of unbelief.

” No,jor. We have. He asked if I was interested in coming and I blatantly refused,that was why I didn’t get tickets. But I think he gave some to Chris. We’ve discussed about that and now we’re fine. ” She lied.

” Fine? Or dating? ” Aminat asked and she chased the frustrated Tera down the hall when she refused to reply..

They arrived at the Pavilion Center two hours after the concert had already kick-started. This was because their visit to the salon took more time than was expected,and they were stuck in traffic for over seventy minutes. Tera reluctantly stood behind Aminat on the queue as they waited for the able bodied guard who stood with a frail looking guy at the entrance who punctured and vetted all tickets.

” Ah ah ah..where did you get this from? ” He asked Aminat after collecting the strip of golden paper from her.

” We purchased it online. ” Oghene spoke up from where she stood.

” Oh! So you’re together? Well..I’m afraid you can’t go in,your tickets are fake. Pls excuse yourself from the queue. The guard ordered and moved towards them with a frown whilst others looked on. Tera felt excited as they turned back and headed home. A frown spread across her face at the gate when she sighted Mrs Kodjoe. The giddy woman got them front seat tickets in no time at all. Tera shut her eyes as she heard Mark’s voice; she didn’t want to see him..she couldn’t . His skin tingled as he saw her walk in. He smiled when he saw her two companions with her,he was most certain that they were the reason she was here. She looked beautiful and clueless as usual,and a bright smile accentuated his li ps as he saw that her eyes were jammed shut. His fingers strummed the strings of the guitar once more,and he tried to brush off memories of
the last encounter they had.

She blushed after sighting the plaster on his left hand; ‘ Payback ‘ She muttered to herself and stood as still as a rock throughout their whole performance. Tera silently prayed for the concert to end sooner than expected.

” We’ve got backstage passes. Let’s go in! That way,you’ll be able to introduce the whole. team to us ” The excited girls urged Tera and dragged her into the pathway which was a hub of activities. After flashing their passes to the guards,and asking for directions,they were led to Luminous’ special hive. The hive was painted with several flashy colours which could literally blind an individual. The boys looked stressed and tired; they assumed various weird positions on the chairs and sofas on which they sat.

” Tera! ” They exclaimed unanimously and all reached out to give her a warm embrace with a knowing look in their eyes.

” How have you been? We were just talking about you.. Are these your friends? Come! Have a seat. ” Chima affirmed with a wide smile and sat her down on the sofa which he was lying on,whilst her friends sat next to her with joy and excitement literally.

” Yeah. Fine. ” She whispered with a weak smile and tried to avoid their gazes. The door was opened shortly after; It was Mark! He carefully placed the cans of cold drinks he had gone to purchase from the supermarket and walked out almost immediately without saying a word to anyone. Tera bit back tears and rose up to her feet,with her friends trailing behind her as she bade the duo farewell and walked out of the room.
” Wait! Let me give you a ride. ” Yinka offered after Chima rose up and wrapped his arms around Tera re-assuringly.

” What’s wrong with him? I thought you two were dating? ” Oghene asked angrily as she jammed the door shut behind her.

” Let her be. This isn’t the time to ask such questions. ” Aminat whispered to Oghene reasonably. They arrived at the parking lot shortly after;and sighted Mark in a compromised state with another female as they approached Yinka’s car. Tera couldn’t believe her eyes! He was making out with a girl who looked way-ward and flashy. Her hand bag fell off her hand unconsciously as she stared on in disbelief.

” We’ll handle this. Take her to the car. ” Chima instructed Aminat whilst Oghene stared on with her mouth wide open. Tears dropped down Tera’s eyes as she was led to the car;she felt like fainting,her heart was exploding into tiny bits and. pieces. She heard Aminat’s voice as she lay down on the car seat,but was unable to decode any meaning from her words.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 9

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 9

” What’s wrong? Mark! I need you to talk to me. ” Yinka urged him with a hand placed over his shoulder. Tears flowed down Mark’s eyes as he cradled his head with his hands,and bent his head to the ground. Beads of perspiration covered his face and arms;he couldn’t believe the mystery girl was Tera.

” Talk to me, Mark . Where’s Tera? ” He enquired once more.

” Tera is… ” He trailed off once more and nodded his head emphatically.

” Is what? Were you involved in an accident? Why do you have bruises? ”

” Nope. I fell. ”

” So? What about Tera? ”

” She’s the mystery girl. I can’t believe I took advantage of her,Yinka. Nick played the video at the Awards Ceremony; he called her a harlot,I’ve tarnished her image. I’m such a mess… ” He responded without raising his head.

” Are you serious? ”

” I’ve got to go now. I need to question Nick. ”

” But,you’re a mess…you need to treat your wounds first. ” He smiled faintly as his friend dashed out of the lounge without even giving a listening ear to his objection.

He walked into Banana Haven with a frown spread across his ashen face. He was tired and frustrated to say the very least; his legs hurt,and his entire body ached. The parlour was filled with a cacophony of irresponsible looking individuals. He trudged lazily towards Nick’s table and dropped his frail figure right in front of the renowned blogger who was seated with Emerald and several bottles of beer. He dismissed her rudely and loosened his tie before looking at him.

” Why? How could you have done that to Tera? Why do you hate her so much? ”

” You think I’ve got beef with Tera? How stupid are you? ” He enquired with a vilipend expression after emptying the contents of the wine glass down his throat.

” If its not Tera? Then..? Griselda? Seriously? ”

” Of course,its Griselda. I loved her,you know? But you stole her from me. How heartless are you? So,you expect me to fold my arms in admiration and watch you live happily ever after despite the fact that you chased my love away from me? ”

” I did no such thing. We courted but…that wasn’t really any of my doing. She led me on and…” He felt uneasy and confused at the same time,his fingers were cold and stiff due to the chill that was spreading through his veins.

” You think I’m stupid? Aren’t you the reason why she fled to Ireland? ”

” So,what if I’m responsible? Can you stop hurting Tera? I promise to get you hooked up with Griselda if only you’ll agree to let my Tera be. Please.. ” He pleaded and went down on his knees with his head bowed down. Rapid tears dropped down his eyes; he couldn’t remember the last time he had gone down on his knees,but this was a sacrifice he was willing to make for his best friend.

” Fool….na only woman you sabi. ” He added with a wicked expression on his face as he rose to his feet and pushed Mark aside.
****

” Where am I? What’s going on? My head hurts. ” Tera enquired after she had regained consciousness in the hospital. She stared at Debbie with a look of solemnity in her eyes; images of all that had transpired at the Tutorship Awards had jolted her memory,and tears dropped down her eyes once more. She turned sideways on the hospital bed,and dropped her head on Debbie’s bosom for comfort.

” I messed up, Debs. Everyone now knows. Where is mummy? Does she know? ”

” Not really,the doctor informed her that you had a nervous breakdown,but he didn’t explain to her in full details. She went to get you a change of clothes from home,she should soon get back. ”

” Okay,that’s a relief. And my Mark? Have you heard from him? Has he called or?? ”

” No,he hasn’t. I’m guessing he’s still trying to come to terms with what happened. Let’s keep our arms folded; if he doesn’t call by this time tomorrow,then I suggest you apologise to him formally and try to move on. ”

Tera stared into space and tried not to listen to Debbie’s advice. She checked her phone for the umpteenth time; there were tons of missed calls and instant messaging notifications,but none of them was from him. She heaved a sigh of relief and feigned a smile at Debbie before shutting her eyes once more in an attempt to forget all that had happened in the last four hours.

****

It was three days after the incident at the Awards Ceremony. Tera was seated at the dining table with a bowl of fresh fruits before her. She had lost her appetite and child-like playfulness for reasons she couldn’t quite explain,and had instructed Sisi and Debbie to inform her few friends that she had travelled to Ibadan; she couldn’t stand pity parties right now,and her friends were experts in that field. She raised her head up after picking a finger of yellow banana and sighted her mother staring at her from the living room with her arms akimbo.

” Tera ! Tera !! What’s the matter with you? Why aren’t you eating? What aren’t you telling me,my sweetheart? ” The woman walked up to her and soothed her daughter’s shoulder whilst she spoke.

” I’m fine,mum. Are you going somewhere? ”

” Yes,I’m off to the market. But..I’ll be back in a jiffy. Are you sure you’re fine? Do we need to talk? ”

” No,Ma. I’m good. Just missing daddy. ”

” Awww…..I just knew it! Well,not to worry. He’ll be back next week. But,I’m afraid we won’t be able to attend the new year’s service as a family. He won’t be back by then.

” Its no problem,a few more days won’t hurt. ” She added and smiled heartily as the woman reached out to give her a warm hug.

Tera’s eyes were jammed shut on her bed when she heard a knock at her door; It was Sisi. The fair skinned lady walked in after receiving a response from her.

” You have a guest. I told him to come back but he’s adamant. ”

” Really? Who could that be? Mark? ” Her eyes lit up with excitement as she awaited a response.

” No, Ma. Its Nick. He’s also with a bouquet of flowers ”

” Hmmm…okay. Tell him to wait. ” She responded and stared at herself in the mirror. She adjusted her hair and glasses before walking downstairs with a look of mixed feelings; of fear,and anger.

The young man who was clad in a pair of blue jeans and white t-shirt rose up with a look of excitement and opened his arms towards her,in a bid to receive a hug from her.

” What? What do you want from me? ” She asked with a look of fear and distaste after rejecting his offer.

” I came to apologise to you,my dear. I’m sorry for hurting you…I shouldn’t have acted so immature. Please,accept my sincerest apologies. ”

” Why should I? After humiliating me in public..after calling me a harlot. ” Tears almost dropped down her eyes once more; but she bit them back.

” Well,I talked to Mark yesterday and,I must confess,now I know better. Please, dearie. My conscience has been bugging me ever since then. ”

” Its no problem. Apology accepted. Thanks for the colourful bouquet. You may leave now. ”

” Wait…one more thing,dearie. Mark…he’s in love with you. I suggest you pay him a visit as soon as you can. He’s feeling love lorned and guilty at the same time. You two are a match made in heaven. ”

****

Tera knocked at his door for the umpteenth time and muttered a heart-felt prayer under her breath; she hoped the security guard hadn’t divulged bits of false information to her. According to the able bodied Northerner, he was home alone. Tera knocked thrice and heaved a sigh of relief when she heard him twisting the door knob. He assumed that it was one of his maids who had come to drop off dinner and was astounded when he saw Tera standing before him. She looked different; her hair was packed in a loose bun,and her lips twitched incessantly,like she was muttering something under her breath.

” Tera! I’ve missed you so much. I know you must be really disappointed in me right now,where do I start from? ” He enquired with a solemn expression spread across his face.

” Mark,I’m not disappointed in you. I messed up that night and…. ” She chipped in after sitting next to him on the bed.

” No…I messed up. I took advantage of you and..I can’t help but wonder if we can still remain best of friends. You were humiliated because of me.. ”

” No… ” She responded with a look of defiance and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tera shut her eyes after reaching out for his pink lips with hers. Tears dropped down her eyes as his lips touched her cheeks and the nape of her neck. He was about to claim her lips once more when his countenance changed.

” This can’t be, Tera. I’m sorry. ” He apologised as he stood up and turned away from her.

” It has to be. I love you,I’ve always loved you. Maybe we can’t date now..but in the nearest future..I can give you time,if that’s what you need. ” She rose up gently and placed her hands on his shoulder whilst she spoke.

” But..I’m in love with someone else. That night was a mistake and nothing more, Tera. I’m afraid…I just can’t . ”

Bitter water works dropped down Tera’s eyes and clouded her vision. With fury surging through her veins,she raised her hand to his face and slapped him twice.

” Thanks for everything. ” She affirmed loudly and ran out of his room. The mansion experienced a power outage at the time and Mark ran to her rescue. She couldn’t see in the dark,and he had heard the sound of her spectacles hitting the ground.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 8

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 8

” Here she is ! ” He exclaimed heartily as he courteously pulled out a chair for her at the table. Tera’s eyes darted back and forth at the people seated in the restaurant. She disliked Emerald’s countenance and appearance for subtle reasons which she couldn’t quite explain. The clinching of wine-glasses at the table next to them brought her mind back from memory lane.

” Why haven’t you been partaking in our discussion? Is something wrong? ” Emerald asked with a broad smile that accentuated the mole above the curvature of her full lips.

” I’m sorry…. ” She managed to utter before Mark chipped in a quick reply.

” She looks befuddled. Are you alright? ” He retorted with a look of concern and checked her temperature with the back of his palm.

” Of course, I am. Stop acting too nice. ” She lied with a mild smile.

” I need you to explain something to me,my dear. How can this guy be your best friend? You look like a saint and he’s… ” Emmie trailed off with a loud chortle.

” I can’t argue with you on that one. My Tera’s simply the best. ”

” Really? Have you ever been kissed? ” She asked emphatically and patted her lips with the napkin.

” Is that a real question? Of course,not. ” He answered defensively and held onto Tera’s icy palms. He could feel the chill surging through her veins.

” Emmie,I must confess.. Your sense of humour is enviable. We should be able to talk about this some other time. I’m afraid I have to take my leave. Mark? “.

They walked back to the car shortly after. Tera heaved a sigh of relief when she realised that the car was different from that of the previous. night. She settled down on the front seat,and tried to prevent herself from listening in on their conversation.

” This is my stop,bae. ” Emmy affirmed with a lazy tone in her voice as the driver halted in front of a cream-coloured bungalow situated just a few meters away from Tera’s home.

” See you tomorrow. ” Mark replied as he pulled her in for a tight hug. She held onto his lips tightly for a few seconds and whispered several sweet words into his ears before teasing Tera and alighting from the vehicle.

” My Love! ” He exclaimed shortly after with a loud shriek and wrapped his arms around Tera’s shoulders which were dropped back on the front seat.

” Mark! I really don’t feel good and you’re … ” She complained and tried to free herself from his strong arms which were stretched from the back seat.

” Why? You don’t like her? That’s the mystery
girl I told you about. What do you think? ”

” She’s beautiful. But I dislike her attitude,she’s not my kind of person. But if she makes you happy… ”

” I think I need to study her more carefully. I kissed a novice that night.. And Emerald is most definitely an expert in these matters. ”

She shut her eyes instantly and nodded her head intermittently without paying much attention to his words.

****

Tera was doing the dishes in the Kitchen when her phone’s led light turned red; she had just received a message from Emmie via bbm. She dropped her phone with a loud shriek and fell to the floor in tears.

” What? What is it? ” Debbie enquired as she lifted her up from the tiled floor where she fell to.

” Emerald knows. ” She added amidst her sniffling and passed the phone to her. Debbie’s mouth was torn wide open as she zoomed in on the image; it was a photo of Tera’s kiss with Mark. Above it was the caption, ” Bring me His signature ring,or this will go viral in minutes. “.

” What do I do? I can’t tell him, Debs. I can’t . ”

” I understand. Give her the ring,then. But you know,you’re going to have to tell him as soon as possible. I love the picture sha. You two look good together. ”

” Stop teasing me ! ” Tera added with a child like expression as she dried her face with the back of her hands.

The transfer was scheduled to take place at a supermarket which was quite far away from home. Tera waited for half an hour before Emmie showed up. After giving her the metallic ring, Emerald deleted the photo from her phone and. pecked Tera’s left cheek happily.

” Thanks, my dear. But..you should be ashamed of yourself. You took advantage of your best friend,you know? ” She enquired rhetorically and dashed off immediately.

****

The Tutorship awards was a red carpet event organised by the owner of the summer school Tera attended. It was a spectacular event which was attended by all past and present students of the Tutorship programme. Present at the event were Aminat and Nick,who were the hosts, Oghene, Marilyn,Yemi et al. Tera walked into the hall with Mark; they were amongst the last set of people to arrive. She had mixed feelings about attending the event,and he had to force her to get dressed so they could go together. Seated next to them was Trevor (the nerdiest guy in the programme ) and Oghene,one of Tera’s few friends.

” OMG! You look stunning ” She whispered into Tera’s ears after taking a second look at her fuchsia pink gown and Mark’s navy blue suit.

” Are you two now officially a couple? ” She seemed to have forgotten that her first comment was yet to receive a reply.

Tera felt uneasy. She smiled faintly as Mark’s palms reached for hers subliminally. The stage was lit up with an array of colourful spotlights as the Award winners were announced. Trevor received an Award for the Overall best student, Yemi for the best Governor, Marilyn for the best female student,and Mark for Mr Good-looks. The last category was being announced by Aminat when Tera bent her head downwards; she hadn’t even congratulated Mark and Trevor for their awards,she felt uneasy and tired. Her attention was attracted by the amplified sound she heard from the speakers. It was the award for the Best Behaved Student,and her name was mentioned. She reluctantly arose from her seat with Mark’s support. As she walked towards the stage,the projector screens were switched on and she heard a familiar voice moaning through the speakers. Aminat’s microphone fell from her hand. unconsciously,and the loud noise this generated was startling to say the very least. Whilst others opened their mouths in awe,Tera stood still; she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Blood rushed to her head as she sighted Aminat running towards her with a look.
of worry. Tera felt dizzy all of a sudden.

” Call the ambulance! She has fainted. ” Aminat cried out as she held Tera’s unconscious body after hitting Nick on the right side of his face. Tears dropped down Oghene’s eyes as she cradled Tera’s head with her two hands.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 7

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 7

He woke up by 1:30 pm on the next day. He was scolded by his parents for coming home drunk the previous night,his mum practically forcefed him with a huge glass of milk before tucking him in.

” What time is it? ” He asked the maid who pulled up the window blinds after he commanded her to do so. His head hurt him intermittently. As expected,Richie was seated on a cubby couch,he stared addictively at the comical characters on tv,he was busy playing video games as usual.

” What happened last night? ” Richie asked the moment the maid left.

” I took the wrong drink so I got drunk…I had an unforgettable experience. ” He responded with a big grin and called the maid to return the ash shirt he wore last night,she wanted to launder it.

” What happened? Why is there so much lipstick on it? ”

” I was with a girl. It was the best moment I had ever shared with a female. I think I’m madly in love. ”

” Seriously? With who? Tera? ”

” I’m over Tera…we’re best of friends and nothing more ”

” Then who was it? ”

” I really don’t know. ”

” You don’t know who you made out passionately with last night? ”

” Yeah..dumb right? I was knocked out by the alcohol. ”

” Okay..where was Tera when this happened? ”

” I really don’t know..I think she left angrily,the party must have gotten too wild for her. That reminds me,I’ve gotta apologise to her,and find out if anyone at the party knows who this mystery girl is. ”

He started making phone calls to almost everyone who attended the party.

” Why not ask Solomon? Didn’t he drive you last night? ” Richard suggested wisely.

” Yeah..that’s right ” Mark responded and called him up instantly.

He was a tall,dark complexioned man in his early thirties with a wife and five kids.

” Oga Sirs! ” He hailed Mark who sat cross legged on the living room sofa,and Richie who grinned excitedly.

” How are you? ”

” I’m fine, Sir. ”

” Good…can you recount last night’s events for me? ”

” Yes Sir..that your friend wey dey sing call me say make I come pick you from the party wey u comot go…na im I come..e get one very fine girl with small load(endowments)wey enter the motor with you sha.”

” Who was it? Tera? ”

” Oga no be she ohh…this one different well well..and she no dey wear glasses. I just remember say I drop her for around Allen Street sha…but I no too sabi her face…if I see her,maybe I go fit recognise her. ”

” Okay..bring out the car from the garage. We’ve got places to go. ” Richie smiled excitedly and ran into the car with Mark.

His first stop was Tony’s house. He met with his other band members there and they all seemed clueless about this ‘mystery girl’.

” Are you sure it wasn’t an hallucination? ”

” Of course I am Yinka…her lipstick’s all over my shirt. I mistakenly bit her lips whilst we were together. ”

” I think you should ask Tera,since your driver insists the girl stays on Allen street,” Tony advised.

” That’s a good idea. ”

” Hmm…Mr Casanova is in love…this is a serious something ” Chima affirmed with a wink.

” Why did I agree to go out with you if you wouldn’t let me step out of the car? Its really not fair ” Richie complained the minute Mark got into the car.

” I’m sorry,our discussion was a brief one..I didn’t wanna bother you..We’ll both enter into Tera’s house. That way, you’ll be able to catch up with Christopher. ”

” Thanks, big bro! You’re awesome..I hope this ‘mystery’ girl rocks as much as you do ” He replied with a bright smile.

****

” Debs! I need your help! ” Tera yelled and ran into the kitchen where Debbie was cooking with a hand to her chest.

” What is it? ”

” Its Mark…he’s coming over…What do I do? He mustn’t see this! ” She affirmed with a hand to her bruised lip.

” Hmmm…I’m out of ideas oh…maybe we should rub lots of cream on your face and lip..we can tell him that its a skincare treatment. ”

” What if I mistakenly lick it? Besides..I don’t wanna see him yet…I can’t see him without blushing and acting nervous. ” The apple of her cheeks got reddened instantaneously.

” Uhh…I understand sweetie..I would tell him that you went to drop something off with Daddy at the office…sounds better right? ”

” Yeah it does…Thanks…you’re the coolest cousin ever. ” Tera hugged her tightly.

There was a knock at the door a few minutes later. It was Mark and Richie as expected.

” Sweethearts! When last did I see you guys? You two seem to be growing more handsome daily. ” Debbie commented after hugging them with a broad smile plastered over her face.

” Thanks..I know I’m more handsome than he is ” Richie replied with an air of confidence. After laughing at his remark,they asked to see Tera.

” She’s not around ….she just went out…I’m surprised that you didn’t see her on your way here. ”

” Really? She didn’t inform me. Where to? ”

” Dad’s office. And I think they’ll come home late. ”

” Okay! My regards to everyone. I’ll call her later. Thanks Debs! ”

” Thanks sweetheart! ” She waved at them smiling.

****

” Wait! ” Mark commanded his driver when he sighted a tall and average looking girl walking down the street.

” Look at her…is her face familiar? ” He asked his driver.

” No oh oga..no be she. ” He replied.

Mark felt quite frustrated when he returned home. He was very sure this mysterious girl was his soul mate,he had never experienced such desire for any of the girls he courted in the past. He received a phone call from Yinka a few hours later.

” I’ve got good news for you dude! The girl’s name is Emerald Badmus. That’s the name of the person you’ve been looking for. Check out her facebook pictures for confirmation. ”(Add *07060464153* for more stories)

Mark conducted the search the instant he ended the call. She had some of the features he remembered,and for the first time in hours,he smiled and kept trying to reach Tera to no avail.

****

Emerald Badmus walked elegantly into the eatery. She was clad in a short black gown with long sleeves and a pair of red heels. She wasn’t really beautiful but there was something very much desirable and appealing about her due to her full endowments. He saw the plaster on her lips..it was the full proof he needed.

” Hello dear! Nice to see you again ” She remarked and held onto him briefly. Emerald was enchanted by him. His beautifully sculpted face and dreamy eyes enraptured her attention. After patting his sweaty forehead with a pocket square,Mark summoned the courage to speak.

” Uhmm…..I’ve been looking forward to this meeting for quite a while. Although,I’ve got one question for you ”

” Ask away, my sweetheart. ” She replied and embraced his fingers teasingly.

” Why did you jump into the car with me? ”

” I was concerned..you were drunk,and I needed a ride home so I figured that there was no harm in hitching a ride with my Luminous crush. ” They chatted for hours before parting ways.

” Did you kiss her? ” Richie asked him after he had briefed him on how the date went.

” No I didn’t…maybe on our second date. ”

” Yeah…don’t hesitate to try that next time..that way,you can be sure if it was your heart speaking or the alcohol. ” He advised wisely.

” I just sent Tera a text. I want her to go on the date with me..if she approves of Emerald,I’ll date her right away. ”

” That’s a great idea. ”

****

” Debs! I think Mark remembers..he wants us to meet at a restaurant tomorrow. ” Tera exclaimed with a bright smile and she adjusted her glasses slightly.

” Really? That’s great news! Let’s pick out something for you to wear..I’ll try applying foundation to your lip sha..so it won’t ruin your look.”

****

Tera alighted from the cab with an excellent carriage. Her green jumpsuit complimented her skin colour perfectly,and the black blazer added a sophisticated edge to her look. She made heads spin when she walked into the restaurant. She thought her spectacles were deceiving her. Mark was sitted at the table with a scantily clad girl who wore a purple gown. She stared at the card in her hand just to confirm that she wasn’t mistaken. Tera bit back tears and walked slowly towards the table.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 6

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 6

She rang the doorbell. A maid dressed in a navy brown uniform opened the door for her and welcomed her into the magnificent living room decorated with deep blue and cream.

” Good evening, Miss Tera. Master Mark isn’t around,he went out with his parents. ” The young lady explained to her.

” Okay then..I’ll just… ”

” Terri! ” Richie cried out and hugged her tightly after pecking her cheeks. He was a smooth fourteen year old who behaved more maturedly than his peers. He had Mark’s good-looks and he was dressed in a black tuxedo.

” Hello sweetheart, you look amazing ” Tera said to him with a wide smile.

” Its been ages..mum just got me the new play station version..come and have a look. ” The prankster said and literally dragged her up the stairs.

His room was beautiful and quite masculine with a spiderman wallpaper on the wall.

” I win! You’re looking for Mark, right? ” He asked after winning her in a god of war battle.

” Yeah..its been ages. ” She replied with a coy expression.

” He’ll soon be here..I just pinged him..he went for one of those drab balls at the Royale Hotel. Mum wanted me to tag along but I spent hours in the bathroom so they would leave without me. I’m smart right? ” He asked Tera after offering her a glass of juice.

” Yes you are ” she tugged at his cheeks briefly.

” I love your transformation. You look so hot. I just told Mark you’re here,he would practically sneak out and run home as fast as he can.” Richie rejoined with a mischievous look.

****

Tera was getting quite tired of waiting when he knocked at Richie’s door. He walked into her presence and said not a word. He was dressed in a dark green tuxedo with a white shirt and he wore a different hairstyle. Tera couldn’t believe her eyes,he looked like he belonged on the cover of the seventeen magazine.

” Mark! ” She yelled and rose up to hug him tightly whilst Richie looked at them with a broad smile,and winked at his brother. Mark said not a word to her and dragged her out of the house,opened the door of his Range rover Sports vehicle, and buckled her seat belt.

” What’s going on? Where are you taking me to? ” She asked after checking the time on her watch,it was a few minutes past 10pm.

****

He parked in front of a garden and opened the door for her to get down. It was a beautiful and serene environment. The scent of fresh,blooming flowers filled the air. A handful of lovers were making out with themselves whilst others chatted and stared at the star filled sky.

” I’m sorry for abandoning you. I shouldn’t have deleted you from my bbm and skype account.I felt quite disturbed by Nick’s words. I never stopped praying for you and your family,I just felt like giving you some space.I’m sorry for everything Mark,Please forgive me. ”

” I’ve forgiven you Terri,believe me I have.I’ve really missed you sha. What did Nick say? He told you I had feelings for you right? ” He asked with a smile on his face and she nodded in response.

” Yes I did. I was so very scared of telling you to your face..was afraid it would affect our friendship and all that.. Nick wasn’t helpful either..he suggested that I take advantage of your innocence..and when I declined he promised to play you on my behalf whenever he was provided with the opportunity. But that’s all in the past. Those feelings are long dead and buried. ” He assured her with a bright smile.

” Really? That’s good,I knew you would get over it….” She answered. They gisted endlessly for hours and had lots of fun together.

****

Tera cried uncontrollably the moment he zoomed off after greeting her parents and giving Christopher his christmas present.

” What’s wrong darling? ” Debbie asked the teddy bear after cleaning her tears with the back of her hands.

” I think I love him Debs…even whilst we gisted..all I could think of was wrapping my hands around him and touching his beautiful lips with mine. ” She narrated sadly.

” OMG! Really? And what did he say about the note from his diary? ”

” He said he was once into me,but not anymore. My heart feels like its breaking into a thousand pieces. He showed me pictures of several hot girls on his tablet…and they’re all asking him out. He was asking me to pick the one I liked most out of them all. ” Tears welled up in her eyes one more.

“Just calm down sweets..what is meant to be will be…”

” You think so? He wants me to go out with him tomorrow but I don’t know if I wanna. I’m afraid I would do something wrong,I can’t breathe whenever I’m staring directly into his glassy eyes ”

” Then scratch your palms whenever you feel that way. That should help you get rid of the anxiety. ”

****

He looked less serious than he did the previous night. He wore a pair of black trousers with a cream coloured blazer over an ash shirt. She wore a lengthy royal blue gown and a golden piece of costumed jewellery. They were on their way to Yinka’s birthday party which was supposed to hold at the Deluxe hotels, a hotel which belonged to Mark’s mother.

” My Terracotta looks beautiful ” He said to her with a smile even whilst he turned the steering wheel.

” You look amazing too… ” She replied and scratched her hand tirelessly.

They arrived at the venue twenty five minutes later. He opened the car door and held her hand whilst she got up from the car. It was a beautiful and sophisticated party,everyone was elegantly dressed. Yinka hugged her tightly and hesitated not to tease her as usual. She sat at the same table with the Luminous team members and their dates. Marilyn’s clique sat at the last table.

Luminous hit the stage a few hours later and performed their hit song “Unrequited Love.” Marilyn shouted out loud saying ” That’s my boyfriend ” when Mark grabbed the microphone.

” I’m dedicating this to my very best friend in the whole wide world…glad to have you back Tera ” He affirmed with a wide smile and performed excellently thereafter.

All the females around stared at her;some looked envious,and the others couldn’t believe she was Mark’s bestie. Tera scratched her palms once more,she felt like crying. Marilyn eyed her angrily and went to use the bathroom.

” I loved your performance ” Tera said to him with a bright smile,and he hugged her tightly.

” Should we leave now? The after party’s about to start and I don’t think you would be comfortable when it begins. ”

She didn’t want to depart from his presence,not even for a split second. “No..let’s stay..if it gets wild then we can leave..I don’t wanna go home yet.” She answered with a smile.

The party got kind of wild thereafter. But, Mark was there by her side,they made fun of people’s wacky dance moves together and laughed out loud when drunk guys did weird things. Yinka was asked to come forward for a celebratory dance and he asked his band members to come forward,Mark asked a waiter to sit by Tera’s side and keep her company when Tony dragged him to the center stage. The airwaves were filled with Skale’s ” Shake body.” Tera smiled when he stood still like a rock and hesitated to dance. A drunk dude from nowhere pulled a plug and showers fell over the luminous band members. It tasted very much like water. He asked the waitress for a glass of water to drink and unknown to him,the lady brought him a glass of Air (water flavoured alcohol) . He gulped the entire liquid down without realising that it possessed an alcoholic content.

Tera looked on in amazement. He was dancing in public and he didn’t feel or act shy,she was surprised at how energetic he was. A few minutes later he returned to her side with blood shot eyes.

” What’s wrong with you? ” She asked him,and Tony told her he had mistakenly taken alcohol and was drunk. He called Mark’s driver to pick him up since he was too drunk to drive.

****

The driver arrived thirty minutes later. He assisted her in getting Mark into the car. His speech was slurred,he looked tired and sleepy. She was about to rest his head on her laps when their faces got close to one another. Mark stretched his head closer to hers and his mouth claimed hers hungrily. Tera was to stunned to move or say anything,her bottled emotions were aroused and released. Her back was rested on the car door which was locked,he wrapped his hands around her neck and kept kissing her tirelessly. He kissed her face,shoulders,neck and mouth. They hit a bump on the road and Tera landed flat on the car seat. He bent down to kiss her more passionately and said those three words,” I love you. ” Fortunately for her,her glasses were safely hidden in her bag.
For the first time in her life,Tera acted without thinking. She cared not about the driver who was listening to several songs on the airplay,or the fact that the car was in motion too.

” I love you too.” She reiterated and grabbed his tender nose with her lips. She kissed his neck and chest,after unbuttoning the upper part of his shirt. When he nibbled on her ears,Tera knew she had to stop. He mistakenly bit her lip and it bled out.

” I’m sorry..I didn’t hurt you..did I? ”

” No you didn’t. This is my stop,I have to go now. ”

” Wait..what’s your name? ” He asked and his head crashed.He fell asleep in the car immediately.

” Goodnight Ma.” The driver greeted with a knowing smile.

Tera dropped three blocks away from her house. It was a dark, moon-less night. She was guided by the security bulbs behind the houses in her estate so she hurriedly ran home,and sneaked in through the back door. She successfully tiptoed into her room,everyone was asleep except Sisi. She was doing the dishes when Tera greeted her casually and ran up to her room. Luckily for her,Debs was watching tv there.

” Tera! What happened? You look scuffled..your hair is scattered…and your lips are swollen. What happened? ” Debs asked her,Tera leaned back against the wall with dreamy eyes.

” I made out with Mark ” She replied whilst blushing.

” Ehn? Gist me. How did that happen? ”

” He was drunk after gulping down the wrong drink…we were in the car and..he kissed me..I was reluctant to respond but,he kissed my neck and shoulders…I couldn’t control myself and..he said he loves me. This is one of the happiest days of my life! ” She exclaimed and pulled off her gown with Debs’ help. Something metallic fell to the floor,it was Mark’s signature ring.

“Did I do something bad?” Tera asked her cousin who was lying next to her,she took a shower reluctantly that night. She wanted to keep smelling his perfume on her skin forever,and luckily enough,his mild scent was still on her body.

” No dear..you didn’t .. Are you sure he knew it was you? ”

” Yeah..he should have…although he asked me who I was..that must have been a prank of some sort. ”

” I guess so. Don’t forget to remind me to treat that your lip tomorrow. Let’s expect his call..a good gentleman always calls. Goodnight! ” She rubbed Tera’s head soothingly and slept off. Tera couldn’t sleep,she licked her lips countless number of times that night. Thoughts of Mark filled her head and mind.

Tales Of Tera

Tales Of Tera - Episode 5

Miracle at January 18, 2018 0

TERA 5

The beautiful song was a remarkable hit. Everyone loved it and the girls couldn’t stop singing the chorus which goes thus;

” You make my heart beat faster! How can I live without you? I have to tell you..feel like I’m dying with this unrequited love. ”

Other amazing songs of theirs were performed, and at the end of the concert the likes on their facebook page literally hit the roof.

****

” I’m so in love with your song! My bestie is a star!! Those lekki teens are absolutely in love with you. Three girls were shedding tears during your performance of unrequited love. Who is she? Ms X? ” Tera chattered excitedly whilst they were being driven back to camp by his music manager.

” Maybe..I’m not telling yet…Tera the amebor…please take us to cream palace ” Mark said to Mrs Kodjoe,his band’s music manager.

” You must pay me for this taxi driver job I’m doing ” She answered with a chuckle.

****

Miss Tera woke up the next morning with a cramp.

” I shouldn’t have taken that Ice cream. ” She said to herself.

” You no be better person oh..you go flex last night..come forget person abi? ” Oghene asked Tera when she realised that she had woken up.

” I’m sorry. You know Mark fell ill now..haba.. ”

” Its true sha..the video of Luminous’ performance last night has been a massive hit on you tube..I watched it sef…that your bestie get talent ohh..but you don’t wanna give him to me. Bad roomie ” She complained with a sad look that turned into laughter when Tera stoned her with her teddy bear.

She received a text message from Mark a few minutes later. Tera ran down to the lounge and was surprised when she saw him being escorted out of the hostel by his mum and two bodyguards.

” Good morning Ma.” Tera greeted the stylish middle aged woman.

” Good morning Tera..I’ve come to take your bestfriend away for a short time..I don’t want these media reporters to come and ask him stupid questions as they always do. We’ll be going to South Africa for a while and he’ll write his exams there. Please talk to him for me. He’s quite angry as a result of this sudden development. ”

Tera’s legs felt like jelly. She walked into the jeep and met him sobbing at the back seat.

” I don’t wanna leave ” He clouted sadly and she held onto him tightly.

” I don’t want you to leave either. But its better you do. I don’t want those reporters to come and humiliate you here. You don’t deserve that. I’ll miss my Marckie. ” She replied with tears dropping down her eyes.

” I’ll miss my Terracotta more” They sobbed out loud and held onto themselves tightly.

” Please take care of yourself for me…we’ll skype and ping whenever we can,” She added.

” Yes we would…always study and stay under the radar..if Nick tries anything funny,don’t hesitate to report him to Yemi..or Team Luminous..I’m sure they won’t hesitate to sneak in and break his head..okay?..what am I saying? My Tera is a big girl. ” He teased and tickled her sides lightly.

” Of course I am.. Your mum is getting impatient..see you soon..” She pecked the two sides of his cheek and he returned the favour.

****

It was nine days after Mark’s departure and the camp had less than a week to round up. Tera missed him terribly but she found solace in the fact that he was doing great. On her way back from a study class with their teachers,Tera was apprehended by Nick who tried to talk to her.

” Tera..you look so sumptuous and beautiful. ”

” Thanks..you look good too..”

” Please stop and talk to me. Why are you in such a hurry? ”

” I’m sorry. But I’m busy. ” She eventually stopped and reached out to bring her glasses from her blue handbag.

” I still love you. ”

” Well..I don’t love you..stop chasing shadows. ”

” Does that mean you’re with someone else? Who? Its Mark right? Has that ass-hole finally summoned the courage to ask you out? ”

” Me? Mark? What are you saying? We’re just best friends and nothing more. Stop what you’re saying. ”

” So you’re still naïve? Well..I’ll show you proof at the campfire tonight. ”

” Mtcheeew..” She sighed at him and walked away.

****

Tera scratched her hair nervously and tears ran down her beautiful eyes when Nick showed the proof to her. He called her out from the camp fire gathering,howls from the adrenalin filled teens were heard from where she stood.

” How did you get this? You hacked into his computer? ” She asked with a confused expression.

” Why do you care to know how? But examine carefully..does this look fake? That’s why he dislikes me..because I told him that its not right to pretend that you’re a girl’s bestfriend just because you want to get into her pants ” He said as he thrusted the sheets of paper into her hands. Tera dropped them in her bag and ran up to her room.

She was afraid of reading the diary notes,and too anxious to sleep either. She eventually summoned courage at late midnight since her roomies were yet to return to the room.

12th of August,2011

We both went to the cinema today. I’ve never had so much fun in one day. I think I’m in love with Tera,I can’t breathe whenever I’m next to her. I once regarded these feelings as childish and lust filled but now I know better,this just has to be true love. I feel uncomfortable writing her name whenever I feel the urge to pour out my emotions,think I’ll call her Ms X as from now on………”

The five pages were all about the same thing. All she could see was Love,X,Love.

” But I don’t love him. Could Nick’s words be true? Mark is in love with me according to these notes but I didn’t see any blue print for a lustful motive. Could Nick be right? ” She cried for a few minutes and refused to pick Mark’s calls the next day.

****

He felt devastated and confused when he saw the message. Tera said she didn’t want to have anything to do with him again.

” How can that be possible? What have I done wrong? ” He wondered as tears dropped down his eyes. This was the last thing he needed right now,especially since his dad’s trial wasn’t going well.

” Why could she have sent that? Maybe she has found out. ” Richie,his younger brother chipped in after reading Tera’s message.

” I’m clueless Richie..I’m so clueless ”

” Try skyping or chatting with her.. ”

” I have..she’s not responding.I think I should just give her the break she needs. ”

****
Five months later

Tera was getting ready to go out with her family for a christmas dinner celebration organised by their church. She gained entry into the University of Lawnville in the UK after excelling in her Jamb and Foreign exams. She finally got a clue as to what she wanted to do with her life and it was Architecture. Her love for buliding structures and plans eventually granted her direction.

She looked remarkable in her red knee length gown which hugged her body tightly and her jewellries sparkled as brightly as her smile.

” Tera! Don’t you know Mark is around? Why haven’t gone to see him? You promised to go on your own after refusing to go with us remember? ” Her mum asked with her arms akimbo.

” I’ll go tomorrow Ma ” she responded nervously.

” No oh..you must go as soon as we return from the dinner. Have you heard me? ”

” Yes Ma ” she replied with a sad look on her face.

****

” I’ve been searching for you since the dinner ended. ” Tera explained to her beautiful cousin who arrived from the US to spend the holidays with them.

” I’m sorry dearie..we were busy clearing up the place. What’s up? You look like you wanna tell me something. Let’s sneak out to the eatery nearby “,The black beauty with a model like figure suggested.

” Mummy wants Add (08030708859) for more stories....... to go and see Mark ” Tera explained to Debbie after finising half of her chicken burger.

” That’s good news. I think you should too. Your reaction was quite immature you know? ”

” I do..but I’m afraid..I don’t love him. ”

” Well..that doesn’t stop you from being friends or does it? Are you sure you’re not feeling uncomfortable because of what that other guy said? What makes you think its true? Can’t you remember when Mark shielded you from a car when you both were seven? He was hospitalised for three weeks..I’m sure he still has the scar. Why would a seven year old protect his friend because he wants to get into her pants and abandon her thereafter? Something is amiss Terri..it doesn’t make sense. And remember the smile that graced your face when his band was featured in a magazine last week? ” She added reasonably.

” So you’re saying I should go? ”

” Yeah! And apologise to him for being so immature. Shut out Nick’s allegations and treat Mark like you used to. If its love,you’ll surely know. Love isn’t always about the fireworks that light up in your head and the butterflies..sometimes we don’t know that’s what we feel. Its more about the urge to care,shield,protect, and be with the person. If you feel something,you’ll find out tonight. ” She said and patted Tera’s back gently.

Debbie instructed the cab driver to stop when they got to the chocolate brown coloured mansion.

” Be good Terri! ” She affirmed as she waved at her and the cab driver sped off.

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Tales Of Tera - Episode 15

Tales Of Tera - Episode 14

Tales Of Tera - Episode 13

Tales Of Tera - Episode 12

Tales Of Tera - Episode 11

Tales Of Tera - Episode 10

Tales Of Tera - Episode 9

Tales Of Tera - Episode 8

Tales Of Tera - Episode 7

Tales Of Tera - Episode 6

Tales Of Tera - Episode 5

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