Caught in the Storm – Chapter two

5th April, 2005

Maddison High School

Springfield Ohio, U.S.A.

Sitting quietly in the school counsellor’s office, Sonia’s dark stony glare rested on nothing in particular. She gently rubbed her bruised knuckles, grimacing slightly at the pain shooting out of them. Waves of residual anger swept through her body as her mind kept Ashley’s words in a constant loop. If only Ashley hadn’t pushed her to her limit. If only she had just let her be alone, then she wouldn’t have done the things she had done.

Her pained gaze rested on the desk infront of her, but her eyes registered nothing in the room. Her mind was trapped in the memory, replaying the whole scene repeatedly.

It happened at lunchtime. She was seated alone at a table, drowning herself in a novel amidst the noise in the cafeteria when Ashley decided to show up with her two cohorts. Everyone knew Ashley was a horrible bully, picking on anyone she saw fit to ruin their day. Sonia had tried to remain oblivious to their annoying presence. She even turned up the volume of her headset, desperate to ignore whatever rubbish they may have been spewing at the time.

But Ashley snatched the book away, forcing Sonia to give them the attention they wanted.

Calmly slipping off her headset, she breathed out an irritated sigh and looked up.

“What, Ashley? What do you want?” Sonia asked, her tone exuding impatience.

“You know, instead of being in school where normal people are, you should really be in a foster home, Orphan.” Ashley said sardonically, placing more emphasis on her last word. Her venomous reply triggered scornful laughter from her cohorts.

The sharp words grazed a nerve, causing Sonia to clench her fists instinctively. Her breathing slowed down and her eyes narrowed in irritation.

“Oh my, someone looks angry. Did I hurt your feelings?” Ashley cooed. The girls around laughed mockingly at every statement, ensuring it stung far more than it normally would.

Sonia pursed her lips, resolving to not let them get under her skin.

“Can I have my book back now?” She asked quietly, hoping they would just go away.

“Hmm…let me think about it…” Ashley said, her mocking expression feigning deep thought. “No, I don’t think I will.”

“What’s your problem? Just give me back my book.” Sonia demanded, her tone rising in anger. A part of the cafeteria had started watching the scene, curious to see what would happen.

Ashley grabbed a can of soda from one of her girls and corked it open. “I said… I’m not going to. What are you gonna about it?”

Inching closer to Sonia, she slowly emptied the can of soda on her, squeezing the can till every drop was out. Her girls squealed with evil delight, filling Sonia’s head with their mocking laughter. Gasps and echoes of astonishment from that part of the cafeteria filtered into her ears.

Sonia’s jaw clenched, feeling the screw in her head loosen. Anger coursed through her entire body, desperately clamouring for a release. Her chin began to tremble in rage, feeling the drops of blueberry soda trail down her face till they fell unto the table. The cafeteria suddenly blurred into darkness, with Ashley and her clique being the only figures in her visual field.

Ashley watched her reaction for a second then brought her face just inches close to Sonia’s. She dared to look directly into the eyes of an enraged girl whose pupils threatened to turn into slits.

“And what are you gonna do about that, Orphan girl? Cry to your mummy? Oh wait, that’s right, mummy’s not around anymore.” Ashley whispered with a sinister smile.

The fuse in Sonia’s head blew, blacking out every sense of reason. She exploded into a frenzy of vicious strikes, first catching Ashley on the nose with a wicked punch. Screaming and swinging like a woman possessed, she lunged at them repeatedly with clenched fists. Bodies dropped to the floor with a thud as her animal instincts took over. The next thing she could remember, was sitting at the principal’s office with bloodied knuckles.

The door swung open and Miss Davis walked in, pulling Sonia out of her thoughts. Walking briskly to her desk, she slowly eased on to her seat.

A heavy silence hung tensely in the air, neither of them ready to break the ice. Sonia shifted her gaze to the window, determined to avoid the counsellor’s intense hazel eyes.

“Ashley’s still with the school nurse… just in case you were wondering…” Miss Davis said coolly, carefully adjusting her glasses as she leaned onto the desk.

“I wasn’t…” Sonia replied coldly, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat.

“You’re not the least bit bothered? Ashley has a broken nose, Sally has a black eye and Lucy is missing some teeth…” Miss Davis said, astonished by Sonia’s nonchalance.

“So?” Sonia shrugged, her gaze still fixed on the window.

“Miss Jackson, I don’t think you realize just how much trouble you’re in. You brutally assaulted three students. You stand a risk of expulsion. Not to mention the charges that’ll be brought on by their parents…”

“Whatever…” Sonia muttered, her tone revealing indifference.

Miss Davis took a deep breath and removed her glasses. She observed Sonia quietly for a minute, noticing the pain hidden underneath her cold expression.

“You were never like this, Sonia. You’ve had a clean record all these years. What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m fine, alright? They’re the ones who couldn’t take a hint. They messed with me and got exactly what they deserved.” Sonia snapped, finally turning to face her.

“Surely you don’t mean all this?” Miss Davis asked as she stared deep into her pained eyes, slightly astonished by her reasons.

“I’m not a weakling, okay? They started it. They pushed me to my limits. I had to show them that I am not some weak helpless child that everyone can pick on…” Sonia rambled, her raised voice trembling with emotion.

“Miss Jackson… you kept hitting her. You didn’t stop… you just kept going, pummeling her without any form of control. If they hadn’t pulled you off her… I fear we may have had a different story by now. What’s happened to you? How is this about weakness? Who ever made you feel so weak to the point that you had to prove this point?”

Sonia opened her mouth to speak but choked on words that wanted to come out. Pursing her lips, she turned away and faced the window again, her eyes suddenly beginning to glisten.

“All that anger… all that rage… where did it come from?” Miss Davis asked, watching the tears trickle down her face.

Sonia took a tensed pause, feeling the negative emotions surge through her. Her mind replayed the years of agony she had passed through in the hands of that man. How helpless she had always felt when he descended on her with hellish fury. The gory memories flooded her head, overwhelming her with the dark emotions they brought.

“You wouldn’t understand…” Sonia whispered, her voice raspy from the tumbling emotions. The tears flowed freely now, her strong resolve finally softening.

Miss Davis let out a soft sigh, saddened by the pain she saw in her eyes. She got up and walked towards her, easing unto her work desk. She placed her hand on Sonia’s shoulder, squeezing it affectionately as she looked at her tenderly.

“Sonia… I’m here to help you. But I can’t do that unless you open up to me…” Miss Davis said softly.

“I can’t…” Sonia said, shaking her head softly as she sobbed softly. Years of anguish reflected on her pained expression. All the sorrow and heartache she had kept within her for so long forced their way out as she shed salty tears.

“C’mon… why not? You can trust me.”

“I can’t…he’ll find out. And when he does… he’ll make me pay for telling.” Sonia blurted, raising her head to face the counsellor.

Miss Davis saw the look of fear in her widened teary eyes. She was terrified of something, or someone.

“Who are you talking about…”

---

Present day…

Sonia stood infront of the tall modern dressing mirror at the corner of her bedroom, giving her outfit a thorough assessment.

She had finally decided that going out with Dayo wasn’t exactly a death sentence. Besides, it was a Friday night and she needed to unwind. She had poured herself into her work all week, subjecting her mind to long hours of data analysis. She had earned at least one night of fun, a moment of escape from her busy life.

She knew what Dayo wanted, what most men wanted, but she didn’t care much. All she wanted was to have a good time, and maybe laugh so hard that she’d forget the misery that tagged along for a moment. Maybe, she would finally feel something for a man after all these years. Hopeful thoughts filled her head as she gazed into the mirror.

The door to her bedroom swung open, calling her attention. Monique strolled into the room and slumped on the bed.

“Choi! Forget… Hadiza sabi this cooking thing,” She said while swirling her tongue in her mouth, still savouring the taste of the sumptuous dinner she just had.

Hadiza was the help Sonia had hired. She came in every morning to cook and clean the house, and stock the fridge with groceries. Due to Sonia’s hectic work schedule, having the help around was more convenient for her. However, Hadiza was never allowed to pass the night. Once it was 8pm, she was done for the day.

“I would expect that. I mean, it’s her job,” Sonia replied, still twisting in different angles infront of the mirror.

“You know, for a guy you’re not really into…you’re really putting in a lot of effort,” Monique commented, her eyes glued to her phone. She hadn’t even noticed what Sonia was wearing.

“I look good for myself, not for anyone,” Sonia replied, turning around. Realizing that Monique hadn’t noticed her outfit, she frowned.

“Well, how do I look?”

Monique turned to give her a casual gaze but froze, the look of awe climbing on to her face. Her phone slipped out of her limp fingers as her eyes widened, taking in the glamorous spectacle that was Sonia Jackson.

Standing at 5 ft 9, she possessed the kind of ethereal beauty that commanded heads to turn whenever she walked into a room. Her dark glistening caramel skin was blessed with a glowing lustre that made it shine under golden lights. Her lucid brown eyes held an empyrean charm that often left men with spaghetti legs under their intense gaze. And now, her outfit complimented her rare beauty, which wasn’t strange anyways. Sonia Jackson never missed when it came to serving looks.

She had on a fashionable red shirt with tapered sleeves. Her black slim fit fringed pants held onto her lower body, firmly anchored on her wide curvy hips. Her feet were adorned with a pair of black Alexander McQueen boots, and her ears were graced with golden star drop earrings. Filed to perfection, her red-polished fingernails ran through her black waist-length silky wig as she struck a pose. Her outfit hugged her in all the right places, revealing her hour-glass figure.

“Ah ahn… Ki leleyi?” Monique gasped, sitting up. “Omo…you are a whole meal! Seriously, this guy is going to lose it, for real… “

Sonia blushed slightly, gently pushing soft wisps of her hair behind her ears. Monique was certainly the type of energy every girl needed. Even though she often gave off an aura of confidence, Sonia was largely self conscious.

“Please… I offer you my neck, step on it,” Monique said, getting on her knees and bowing her head.

“Monique? Tell me… is it crack?” Sonia asked amidst soft giggles.

Monique laughed. “Seriously, you look like money. Ah ahn! See, if he doesn’t say anything about this outfit ehn. Just call me, I get boys wey go touch am small.”

“Thanks babe. Um… I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. So try not to get too bored around here.” Sonia replied, picking up the keys to her black Mercedes from her dressing table.

“Oh, don’t worry about me feeling bored. I have alcohol, remember? Monique snickered. “By the way, where are you meeting him?”

“At some…Chinese restaurant I think…” She said slipping on her Pandora charm bracelet. Picking up her Hermès mini bag, she set out the door.

“Have fun!” Monique called out before she shut the door.

---

The dim lighting cast a warm glow over the classic interior decor of the restaurant. The place hummed with low yet comfortable voices engaged in conversations, and the air was thick with the scent of rich foreign delicacies. It was still a bit early, but quite a number of tables were already occupied. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Everyone except Sonia whose gut churned with regret.

She took another sip of wine, wishing it packed a little more punch to knock her out of this disaster. Her appetite was long gone. How on earth did she agree to this?

Dayo filled every pause and breath with more chatter. It felt like he was using the air in her own lungs to speak. She felt like she was drowning in the unending sound of his irritating voice. No matter how much she tried to get into the conversation, his verbal diarrhoea flushed her right out. How could someone be so obsessed with the sound of their own voice? The sound of his unending chatter had become so irritating, she actually wanted to exchange her ears for a bottle of vodka.

She tried to distract herself, using her cutlery to play with her food while her mind wandered off. She cast her mind back to the day she met Dayo. She was having a really bad day and had decided to blow off some steam at the estate gym. He had came over and with a few jokes, her sour mood had disappeared. That didn’t happen often with anyone. In light of their seeming chemistry, she had agreed to exchange numbers. He had even started calling her before she got home.

She had agreed to come because of the temporary feeling of happiness she had in those few moments. She felt like she had tasted a little bit of peace, seeing someone who could chase away her sour moods. Now all she wanted to do was pull out painkiller tablets and down them with strong wine.

“Hey, are you listening to me?” Dayo asked, noticing her absent mindedness.

“Huh?” She said, snapping out of her thoughts. “Oh, sorry my mind wandered off for a bit.”

Her expression showed no apology.

Dayo furrowed his brows in slight irritation. They were out on a date. The least she could do was be interested in the conversation.

“What do you mean ‘your mind wandered off’? Aren’t you having a good time?” He asked, his countenance slightly changing.

Sonia let out a small frustrated groan, gently rubbing her temples. She took her glass, downed the remaining wine inside and pushed her hair behind.

“Look, Um… I don’t think…this is gonna work out,” she said, her expression reeking of boredom.

Dayo’s expression was caught between shock and confusion. He watched as she refilled her glass with more wine, avoiding his eyes.

“W-Why not? I’ve been planning this all week…” He replied, seeming hurt.

Sonia let out a heavy sigh. She hated being in this position. But the sooner she said it, the faster she could go home and get drunk or high, whichever wiped the memory of the night faster.

“Look, I’m sorry. It’s just that…I agreed to go on this date because… I was looking for something. And… I didn’t find what I was looking for…so…” She shrugged half apologetically.

She saw flickers of irritation in his expression.

“I’m really sorry, Dayo. It’s not you…it’s me…” She lied, trying to cushion the blow.

“Don’t feed me that bull…” He replied. His tone clearly revealed how upset he was. Anger lurked within his expression, waiting for his heart to give the go-ahead.

“This …was a mistake,” she said, seeing the anger rise in his eyes. She knew she had to leave.

“No, you’re the mistake, and I’m just wondering how I didn’t see it. You probably just came here for a free meal.” he retorted, allowing his anger take control. He proceeded to allow more derogatory words express his utmost displeasure. His tone had risen, calling the attention of nearby tables.

The words felt like daggers hurled at her heart. Free dinner? He said free dinner. Her breathing slowed and her eyes narrowed. She bit her lower lip, holding back the nasty words that conducted riots in her head. Shutting her eyes, she bent her head and summoned every ounce of self control she had left.

“You don’t have to be so insulting,” she managed to squeeze in, her tone now dark. Her hunched form exuded so much animosity, it was impossible to miss. But Dayo’s anger blinded him.

“Are you kidding me? You post me all week and now you’re gonna leave just an hour into the date? And you expect me to be happy?” He continued, clearly exasperated.

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, I just felt it would be better to tell you the truth rather than lead you on…” She explained, still seething.

“That’s just trash. You know what I think? I think you’re just a child.” He retorted sardonically.

Child.

Her brain stuttered. Everyone else in the room suddenly blurred into a foggy illusion. Her body quaked as the rage surged through her like molten magma, waiting to erupt. Her hands moved towards the dinner knife, clenching it so tight her nails dug deep into the balls of her palm.

“What… did you just call me?” She asked with a small laugh, daring him to repeat himself. She tightened her jaw as she waited, her angry glare challenging him to utter one more word.

“I said you’re a child. For God’s sake did you have Daddy issues or…”

His words were cut short as the blunt cutlery caught him in the forehead, just missing his left eye. Disgruntled, he didn’t see the ceramic plate flying in his direction. The edge of the heavy plate caught him directly on the bridge of his nose, causing pain to shoot out of the bruised organ. His chair flew backward from the impact in a frenzy and he landed on the floor, holding his nose in pain. He cursed loudly, willing the pain to subside quickly.

Eyes from every corner flew in their direction. The low pitched hums of pleasant conversations turned to a buzz of murmurs. The waitress hurriedly made her way towards their table.

Sonia got up abruptly, her countenance still oozing dark rage. She picked up the bottle of wine and walked towards him. Towering over his disgruntled frame that was now covered in sauce, she emptied the bottle of red liquid over his clothes. Frightened gasps echoed across the room alongside snickers of mocking laughter.

Sonia shook the bottle until the last drops were now on his outfit. Slightly appeased by the shock that had him paralyzed on the tiled floor, she dropped the empty bottle and picked up her glass. Still glaring at him, she downed the remaining wine in the glass and dropped it on the table.

Turning around, she saw the waitress shift uneasily as her angry gaze rested on her. Reaching for her mini bag, she pulled out a fat bundle of notes and slammed it on the table.

“Here… for the damages.” She said darkly. The waitress hurriedly got out of her way as she stormed out in a huff.

The drive home felt surreal. Her mind was filled with dark voices, their words drowning her soul in condemnation. They reminded her of the look in his eyes, like she was some crazy person. She remembered the frightened look the waitress gave her, the sound of gasps echoing across the room when she drenched him with wine.

She pounded at the steering wheel periodically, cussing herself out for losing her temper. She should have just left. Why didn’t she just leave? Why did people always have to bring out the worst in her?

She sped home, craving the burning feeling of vodka rushing down her throat.

---

Later that night…

David removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes gently. He had been working on a project for hours and now his head ached badly. Massaging his temple, he shut his laptop and decided to go for a stroll. He picked up a jacket and headed out.

The estate lay silent under the moon’s sliver hue, partly illuminated by a few streetlights. The heat of the day had now been replaced by a cool breeze that whisked gently across the property. David sauntered along the paved sidewalks, thinking about his family.

He didn’t quite get his mum’s refusal to move in with him. He had heard her reasons, but didn’t quite agree with them. She had said that she wanted him to have his privacy as a man and she was more than content where she was. She didn’t want to impose on his personal space. David had still urged her to come over, desperate to make her move away from that wretched neighbourhood. Everything was wrong about that place, from the nasty septic smell to the unending chatter of nosy neighbours. Why would his mother choose that over luxury?

He raised his head and let out a deep sigh, unable to figure out what to do about his mum’s decision. He may have to get another apartment for her. Thankfully, he was earning a lot now so that was possible.

Strolling by a cluster of the detached apartments, his eyes caught a figure leaning against the bonnet of a black car parked just infront of one of the houses.

Suddenly, the strong urge to walk over there overwhelmed him. He slowed to a halt, puzzled by the leading in his spirit. Reasons why he shouldn’t do it flooded his mind, questioning the illogical line of thought. He tried to move on but the urge came stronger on him.

He paused, placing his hands on his hips. Why on earth would he need to go over there?

He was familiar with this type of leading from God, but he just couldn’t see any reason why it was coming. The debate waged on in his heart as he paced about in deep thought, unable to cross that part of the estate.

Finally resolving to follow the leading, he sauntered towards the house. As he inched closer, his eyes got a clearer view. It was a lady, all dressed up like she went out somewhere. He watched as she took long drags from her cigarette, puffing out clouds of smoke through her nose and mouth. He stopped in his tracks, questioning his decision.

“Keep going, Son,” the Spirit echoed.

With those words, he reluctantly moved towards the house, wondering what he was going to say.

“Um… hello?” He managed to say, waving from afar.

Her dark gaze moved slowly towards him, staying only long enough to acknowledge his presence before it went back to empty space.

He drew closer, grimacing at the stench of the cigarette she puffed. Catching a better glimpse of her face, he saw the glassy layer of tears that glistened her sad eyes. Her face revealed pain so sharp, it cut him deeply at the heart.

“Is… everything okay?” He asked compassionately.

She took another drag as though she didn’t hear him, puffing the grey slowly into the air. Turning slowly, her eerie gaze rested on him again.

“What do you care?” She asked darkly. Her tone reeked of despair. Beneath her dark undertone, she sounded sad. She sounded broken.

Caught under her stony gaze, he searched for a reply but his mind didn’t give any. After a tensed pause, he watched as she shifted her unsettling gaze away.

Someone then emerged from the gate, wearing a pink woollen sweater that swallowed her upper torso. He furrowed his brows, recognizing the familiar face.

“Sonia, you’ve been out here for too long. C’mon, let’s go in. What do you need?” Monique asked tenderly. She hated seeing her friend this way.

Sonia straightened and threw the cigarette on the ground, crushing it under her boot.

“Vodka,” she replied as she walked past the two of them, disappearing as she went through the gate. Monique let out a bitter sigh, letting her fingers run through her hair.

“Hey…um… is she gonna be okay?” David asked, breaking the tense silence.

“Yeah, eventually.” Monique whispered sadly, her gaze still fixed on the gate.

“Oh…okay then.” David replied, still curious about why he was led there in the first place.

“So, what’s up, handsome? Missed me already and decided to come visit?” Monique asked with a naughty smile, struggling to brighten her countenance a little.

David laughed softly, slipping a hand into his pockets.

“Uh, actually I didn’t know you lived here. I just saw her… in so much pain… and I felt to come check on her.” He said, still puzzled by the whole scenario.

“Well, that’s very sweet of you.” Monique replied coyly.

“Thank you. I guess I’ll be heading back now,” he replied with a small smile, slowly turning away.

“Do I at least get your number this time?” Monique asked smugly, giving him a cute look.

David breathed out a small laugh, raising a curious eyebrow.

“Um… sure, why not?”

TO BE CONTINUED…

Hey guys!😁 How did you find this episode? What are your thoughts about Sonia at the moment? Which of the characters pique your interest? Let me know in the comment section👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾

The next episode will be posted on Saturday. Stay tuned!❤