It's the thought that counts... Chapter two

"Mayowa do you have to go right now?" Chioma asked concerned. Mayowa had began to get uncomfortable with Chioma's existence and decided to leave earlier than she had planned, before she could say something even she would regret.

"Yes, I totally forgot I had something to do at home" She lied.

"Shall I escort you Mayo?" Bola asked also concerned.

"No don't worry, the exit is just ahead" she said and immediately regretted not taking his offer.

"Okay then" Chioma said.

Mayowa smiled at Junior and then hugged Bola and Chioma before turning around to take her leave, biting her lower lip in anger. "I'm so stupid", she said slapping her cheeks with both hands. As she got to the exit, she turned around to take one last glance at them, Bola had his arm around Chioma's shoulder and Junior was occupied with the glasses he just got himself. She saw how pathetic her plan was from the very start, and the thought of it all being her fault for not telling Bola long ago about her feelings only made her feel worse. A tear began to form as she turned around once more to take her leave and she quickly rubbed it off.

"Young lady" a woman in rags said grabbing Mayowa's wrist firmly. She was quite stronger for her looks, she had the eyes of the blind, her teeth were all colored, scars from the tribal marks which fully decorated in her face causing her true beauty to become hidden.

"What is it?" Mayowa yelled in disgust at the sight of the woman from whom saliva oozed from her mouth down to her body, "leave my hand old woman!!"

"I'm sorry my child, I haven't eaten any meal since morning and I am very hungry, please help me with a little so that I can have something to eat" she said looking frail and weak.

"You want money?" Mayowa asked annoyed at those words

"Yes my daughter" she said releasing her grip.

Mayowa's furry riled up even more, she dipped her hand in her purse and the threw in the hundred naira note.

"May God bless you my daughter".

"Keep your blessings for your own children that can not take care of their own mother" Mayowa said hissing and then began to walk away.

The woman stared at the bowl with a smile on her face and then with her hands began to feel it's contents. Suddenly her smile turned into a frown as she said, "Such bad luck and misfortune for such a young and beautiful child". The wind changed directions and then blew up her hair, her tribal marks began to glow brightly. The sky darkened around her and then her face transformed.

"Oh child! This misfortune was not your own to bear, but now your heart has become poisoned by thy hatred and you have become worthy of this curse" she said, the sky cleared and the sun took its rightful position.

Mayowa stood at the junction looking to see any bus passing by so she could cross over. None were within sight, she looked around and saw not a single soul, this was an unusual phenomenon especially at that time of the day.

"Where is everyone?" she asked looking around once more, yet there was no one there but her.

"Mayowa!!!" a voice called out her name from behind, she turned swiftly dropping her purse in shock but saw no one. The items in her purse rolled out onto the road, seeing this she hurried to grabbed them before any damages could occur.

"Thank God you are safe" she heave a sigh of relief as she picked up her phone that had fallen at the center of the road without having a single scratch.

'Honk! Honk!! Honk!!!' the horn of a fast moving trailer signalled as it moves uncontrollably only 5inches away from her. Mayowa's legs froze as she now say her doom was near.

"Mayowa!!!" Junior yelled swooping her away from the road with both of them falling flat on the other side.

A voice spoke into Mayowa's mind saying, "He who owns thee is coming, you aren't safe anymore young one".