My Maths Teacher

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 25

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Katelyn’s POV:

We walked side by side on the beach, talking and laughing about other things. I was soo glad he agreed for us to meet at the beach. I suggested since Mom and stepdad were away for their trip, we could spend the early hours of the morning at the beach. To my delight, he agreed.

Now, walking together like a couple, we chatted just as two old friends would as if we’ve known each other for a long time. However close I came, he maintained a respectful distance. It was Soo difficult for me to fill the gap between us and I was scared to anyway.

Finally, the sun was rising. We sat down on the sands and watched the sea.

” Tell me about your parents, Violet,” he asked casually without looking at me.

I bite my lips, not sure I wanted him to know anything about my parents. It was difficult for me to decide. I couldn’t tell him everything but he has to know something.

” My mom got pregnant when she’d just turned eighteen,” I began. ” My real dad wanted an abortion but my mom wouldn’t have it. She explained that in her family, abortion was not an option. Besides, she was afraid of killing an innocent child. And so he abandoned her and ran away, scared of taking the responsibility of fatherhood soo early. He was in his second year in the University while Mom was about writing her WAEC. Eventually she finished her exams and remained at home. Mom told me she struggled with the oppression from her families and friends. Early pregnancy was a big deal where she came from and peoples views about it were gross and intimidating.”

I paused as I drew something on the sand. I noticed Mr Adam staring at me. ” After giving birth to me, she returned back to school, struggling with motherhood and her academics. Have you Read Coolval stories today??. It was tough for her but I was just a little baby to know. Due to financial issues and the harsh struggles of early motherhood, she dropped out of school totally and began selling oranges with her mom, my grandma. My grandma had been unfortunate when she lost my grandpa in a fire accident. So life had been tough for her as well. I grew up in poverty with my mom. Sometimes we go to bed hungry. It got soo bad, oranges were all I ate for dinner before going to bed. Through all these suffering, my dad never came back for us. We later learnt he’d married another woman. Then when I turned eight, this wealthy elderly man met my mother when she was selling him oranges and he fell in love with her. They began seeing each other and in a space of four months, he proposed marriage. He was thirty years older than my mom but he promised her a better life than the one she was living at the moment. His wife had filed a divorced against him years ago and had left with a large settlement that paralyzed him. He swore never to marry again but that was until he met my mom and before everyone knew it, they were married. That was how we broke out of poverty.”

” That’s an interesting story,” he said. ” And your stepdad has been good to your family?”

I winced. ” When it comes to money, we had enough. We didn’t starve. He kept his promise and gave us a better life. But….”

Adam’s forehead creased. ” But what?”

I didn’t look at him. I stared at the sea, wanting to tell him when I turned ten and had started developing breast, how stepdad had taken my virginity and how he’d threatened to throw me and my mother out of his house if I let the cat out of the bag. I wanted to tell Mr Adam how I was scared of returning back to poverty again. My mother seemed Soo happy with this new life. I couldn’t bear to see her suffer again. She’d suffered enough for me when I was still a kid, going to bed hungry just so I could eat. Doing manual labours just to meet up ends meets.

Mom’s businesses were all under stepdad’s control. If he chased her out, she’d have nothing. Mom was too extravagant to have any savings. She was certain her new husband would leave her his businesses as settlement when he’d eventually die. This new life had caused her to be a little selfish and afraid of the past. I loved my mom Soo much. I wouldn’t want her to fall from Grace to grass. I would rather let stepdad ravage my body than allow mom to return back to poverty.

I’ve been doing that for four years now and so long as I kept stepdad satisfied and held my mouth shut, all was good and going until recently, I became tired of it all. This was wrong. He was my stepdad. This was incest, an abomination. How could I stop? How could I tell my mom her husband had been sleeping with me all these four years? I needed help but who would help me?

” Katelyn?” Adam called.

I turned my head and caught his eyes.

” Is there something you want to tell me?”

I stared at him, knowing there was a lot I wanted to tell him and yet, it seemed impossible to let him know the truth. I was suffering and only him could save me. That’s why I chose him to be my private tutor. I was hopelessly in love with him. Also I needed him to rescue me from my stepdad. Still I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. No, not yet. Just not now. Maybe later.

I made a fake smile. ” It’s nothing. Forget about it. There’s nothing to say. We’re living fine. My stepdad has been good to us and we’ve been a happy family ever since.”

He studied my eyes, I had a feeling he knew I was hiding something, that I wasn’t telling him the entire truth but he said nothing. He smiled instead and took up my hand.

” Just remember,” he smiled. ” Whenever you get stuck in trouble, just call on me and I’ll be there. We’re best of friends now, aren’t we?”

I squeezed his hands. ” Yes, best of friends.

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