Episode 2
Ritah`s POV
I was 18 years old then, born from a family of three, my elder sister worked outside the country. She was employed in West Africa working with an NGO and she earned quite a lot. My brother was an assistant to the Chief executive officer of some big company within Lusaka and my father owned a company too. My mother died a when I was 14 and ever since I was raised under the care of my dad and the woman he married later on and my siblings. In a nutshell, I came from a well to do family and somehow never lucked much financially.
I had been always been a spoiled child and my brother and sister made sure anything I wanted was provided for me.
However, I have never felt so fulfilled growing up in a big house. I was not so intelligent in terms of academics which led me to fail grade 12 three times. My father insisted I repeat so here I was, repeating for the third time. Now instead of working hard as required I decided to channel my energy into doing some crazy staff with my girls.
I met Felicia and Pamela at a local school my father took me to within Kafue seeing how I was still failing despite being at some expensive private schools. Felicia was the craziest of the three of us. She had made us all follow her dreams of hooking up older men for our boyfriends. I found it funny and thrilling and I felt important handling older men so much that I found guys of my age boring.
Felicia did it for money wanting to get herself a better life than what she and her family had. Pamela too, but my own reasons where quiet awkward given that I had access to money.
Here I was listening to the loud beats of the music playing on the stereos watching some guys from my brother’s work place drinking and chatting. Others stood by the outside bar where they were enjoying themselves with some cold wines. My attention shifted to this particular man, he looked to be around 40 or so and I was secretly stealing glances at him I could see him from the corner of my eye as I pretended to be looking towards the pool.
“What is it kid sis, you out here alone, won’t you find something to drink or eat” my brother Bright asked making me look at him.
“Well, am bored Bright, this party is like for old cargos and the music is boring me to the core. I just want my friends to come by so we can change this entire thing” I shrugged making a face.
“mmmm that is it my sister, you just want your friends and nothing else, by the way how was school this week? I never got to talk to you over the week I was so busy” Bright asked sipping on the cold glass of wine which was in his hands.
“Well great, Felicia is so good with school, I mean the girl never puts in so much effort but she passes with good grades every time we sit for a test. She’s been helping us and am getting there” I responded honestly. Felicia despite being filled with crazy ideas was so brilliant and made it through most subjects with As. Sometimes I envied her brains.
‘’ that’s good to hear sis. Now let me leave you to your waiting. Am going to check on my friends. “He sighed rubbing my back.
“Yeah happy birthday once again bro am so proud of you” I smiled at him and he raised his wine glass at me.
“I love you too sis” he smiled back.
I was walking around the balcony trying to text the girls and ask how far they were when I felt a warm hand touch my bare back. I was wearing a jumpsuit with left my whole back bare and fall up to my knees. I turned to look at the owner of the hand on me just to come face to face with the guy I was checking out earlier.
“Hey beautiful, he smiled at me.
“Hey friend to my brother” I smiled back at him with a smile pretending to be all grown up.
“My name is Angel, I need to use the bathroom, would you please show me where it is? “he asked making me stand straight eying him
“Is this guy for real?” I asked myself inside looking at his stupid face as he smiled at me.
“Yeah sure, it’s along the passage, the third door on your left” I pointed inside still looking surprised. Here I was thinking I had managed to get the attention of a man just to be asked a dumb question.
I thought he would say something sweet or s*xy to me like, “hey I love your attire, you look sexy or you have a nice smile” h*ell no, the guy simply turned and walked away bouncing himself and disappeared behind the door. I shook my head disappointed, just then my phone beeped and I smiled seeing a text.
“We are here” from Felicia
“Oh God finally” I sighed running down the small stairs to meet them by the gate.
“hey hey! Ba guy what too you guys so long, you almost killed me with heart attack around these boring people” I shouted hugging my friends one after the other.
“Well I had to sneak out from the house, you know my mom with her weekend prayer group. I just had to pretend to be present for some time before I could chance an opportunity to escape” Felicia responded sighing deeply.
“And I had to wait for her “Pamela laughed looking at Felicia who nodded her head.
“so tell me any interesting guys here, you know what I mean?” Felicia smiled as we walked to the back where people were gathered for the party.
“Nope, I have never seen such boring people dear, I bet lawyers are not our kind of people girls just look at them” I looked up pointing around with my face.
“so dull right? “ I chuckled.
“well, the question is can we get what we want from some of the men around here” Pamela asked walking ahead to the bar without minding the eyes of people on her. She settles on a long stool and sat on it exposing her long legs as the short she had on went half way her legs.
“Well bet we have to join her right?” Felicia laughed pulling my hand.
She was in a short jean short and a white crop top and pink gladiators, her hair well combed and falling on her back some would think she was some working class. I saw my brother look at our direction his eyes on her.
“oh no not my brother” I screamed in my head.
“Guys I think we have had enough of beer.” I tried to shake the girls as they talked and laughed with some guys. All of them older that my brother from their looks, they seemed comfortable and I hated the fact that I was the only one feeling out of place.
Hours later I sat down the outside chair lost in thoughts.
“you were right ba guy, these men are so boring, I tried to cheer them up and chat with them but most of them seems not interested in me. I hate we are losing our grip you know, she whispered sitting next to me.
“ oh yeah you can say that again Fey, am so pissed right now I thought you guys were having funny there” I shrugged hugging myself.
“ I told you guys the solution, let’s go and see that Witch doctor and get ourselves what we need to get the attention of these men” she looked at me and spoke seriously.
“I don’t know Fey, it sounds so off and creepy. I recall the Nigerian movies I have watched of such people and I cannot help feel goose pumps every time I think of them” I winced
“There is no such thing as creepy. Those movies are just exaggerated. “She argued.
“Well then, what do we need?” I asked her.
“good, now you talking, Pamela!” she called out raising her head to see her as she was on the other side dancing.
“Coming!” Pamela who seemed a little stoned now walked to us her heels making some sounds as she approached.
“ba guy we are good to go. Ritah will sponsor the trip and we both will pay back when we find the money which am so sure we will get afterwards” she smiled
“Sure?” Pamela looked at me.
“How much are you guys talking about?” I asked.
“Oh the man told me we need white chickens each and our used pants. Plus a sum of K300 each then we are good to go” she responded casually.
“Okey let me get this straight girls, you have already talked to the man? “ I frowned looking at them
“yebo!” answered Pamela nodding her head.
“Oh girls you are so fearless you sometimes scare me “I giggled.
“So?” Felicia asked me
“What?” I looked at her.
“Come on, you asking ne back? We told you about money. Are you going to give us or what? “She asked pushing my shoulder a little bit.
“Yeah sure, my daddy and step mom are out of town and left me some cash, I could use part of it” I shrugged
“Good girl, now we need to start going now” she looked at me and then at Pamela.
“What now?’ I sighed
“Yeah now, we cannot go in daylight with people watching us.” Felicia looked at me.
“We have to get there by 19 and this is only 15 minutes to 18 hours we will make it before that. It’s in Chilanga. We might find the small busses by Shikoswe” Felicia spoke standing up.
“Let’s grab our bags and start moving people, today is the beginning of a new verse in our lives” she added proudly walking ahead.
I was told to get my own bag and put a wrapper there as well. My insides felt numb I knew something was going to back down on us but I had no courage to say no. Felicia had such influence on all of us and we somehow just did what she wanted us to do.
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