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| DO YOU LOVE GREY WEDNESDAYS 6 PM |
WOMEN’S TALES
PART 1
Amaka has always been a close friend. I saw her as my best
friend and we shared a lot of things together. I cannot really say what I did
wrong but I hope you my reader might see the mistake I made and probably learn
from it; here is my story…
It happened when I was in JSS3; Amaka’s boyfriend raped me
and now in retrospect, I feel like I should have been more careful because
really, I’m not sure who I can blame.
Amaka had a boyfriend in JSS3, as friends we got to hang out
together most times, we went and left school together. On one of those days on
our way home Amaka asked me a strange question, she said “Gloria, are you a
virgin?” I was surprised because it came out of nowhere I really could not
decipher her thought process so after about thirty seconds I answered and I
said no. She said ok and we left it at that.
Amaka had hinted me getting a boyfriend many times but I
told her no, simply because I came from a strict family, my parents wouldn’t
condone such, besides I had no interest, I was still too young and I saw no
value in such relationships. Frequently after the first time, Amaka kept asking
if I was a virgin, by the fifth time I got exasperated with her.
I asked Amaka why she kept asking such question repeatedly
after all I had given her my answer before. I noticed her facial expression
changed
and in her words, she said: "Gloria, well I’m not a
virgin and I am uncomfortable with the fact that I have a boyfriend and you, as
my friend, don’t"; immediately I disabused her of the notion, I told her I
am not interested in judging her lifestyle and really I never even had such
thoughts!
All seemed to be well after this conversation with my friend
but precisely two days after our conversation, Amaka asked me to wait for her
in the classroom after school closing because she had an issue to sort out. She
later came back to drop her bag with me and left again, not up to 10 minutes
later, her boyfriend came in to the class.
I thought he came looking for Amaka but I will never forget
the oily expression on his face. My sixth sense was alert but I could not
denote what really could go wrong. I have never liked Wale, I only condoned him
because of Amaka; after all, he was my friend’s boyfriend. All of a sudden
while I was distracted Wale grabbed me, I could not believe how strong he was.
My school skirt really made it easy for him, Wale forcefully penetrated and
violated me, I couldn’t overpower him even with my struggles and my screams for
help seemed to have no effect. The heavens did not hear my cry. No one came to
my aid. Till today I’m not sure how this happened to me. He left me right
there; Amaka later came in while I was trying to put myself to rights,
immediately I tried to wipe my tears but strangely Amaka did not ask me why I
was teary eyed. The journey back home was painful and Amaka acted like she did
not see my red eyes or my quite awkward gait.
I couldn’t go to school the following day. I was so
embarassed and scared, it all felt surreal, like it happened to someone else I
was so ashamed, my life suddenly seemed like a Nollywood movie. I could not
bear to see Wale in school the following day. As for Amaka, I concluded she was
not aware that Wale was a rapist.
Most of my siblings are girls, I could not share what
happened with them or my mother, I felt I would be marginalized for being raped
and also for no longer being a virgin. All I could do was to insist on changing
my school, but my parents had other ideas, my mum particularly objected. She
noted how I loved the school and my "best friend" Amaka also attended
the school. Besides, I was in JSS3 and no other school would accept an about to
graduate JSS3 student.
I could not share my reasons, Wale had threatened to kill me
if I so much as whispered about what he did to me. That was how I endured the
remaining months of my junior secondary year seeing Wale and Amaka every day.
Not knowing it was a set up between Amaka and her boyfriend, at often times I
felt like sharing my experience with her but I kept mute; I only discovered
that Amaka’s jealousy and wickedness initiated my rape after I left the school.
A mutual friend heard from Amaka while she was bragging that she set Wale loose
on me to ‘level the field’ so both of us were no longer virgins and I had no
reason to prove being better than her.
My greatest folly was trusting Amaka. I never thought she
would betray me in such a way, even after the incident, I never suspected her.
This trauma lived with me for so long, and it has taken me a long time to move
on but I’m wary of friends. I am not sure I can ever forget the oily expression
on Wale’s face.
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