Laying on the bed, Toyin looked starved. She was holding her tummy and it made some growling sound. She walked towards the cupboard for the tenth time to see nothing apart from salt in there. She felt exhausted. She laid back on the bed thinking of how to feed herself.
"Ding..Ding" Toyin phone rang breaking the silent atmosphere. Toyin glanced at her phone screen weakly, she didn't want to pick it. She already knew who it was.
But it kept ringing… and ringing… like it wouldn't stop until it dragged her out of the little peace she had left. She sighed and picked it.
"Hello mummy"
"Don't 'mummy' me!" her mother snapped immediately. Toyin heart dropped. It was always like this, at times she wondered why her brought her into this world when she hated her deeply.
"I'm tired of you! Do you think life is easy here? You're just there wasting your life!"Her mother yelled. "If only you have agreed to marry Mr Nicholas we won't be here suffering because of you"
Toyin swallowed. Mr Nicholas was a 75year old man her mother engaged her to when she was away from home. She had broken the engagement when she got back from college and since then her mother disliked her more.
Toyin mom felt like Toyin was the reason she lived a life like this. She felt her life would have been better if she didn't give birth to a nuisance like Toyin.
Toyin dad had gotten her impregnated during childhood which caused her to drop out and become a mother at a really young age. Toyin father died when she was two and Toyin mother had to carry all the responsibilities. She had remarried when Toyin was five. But it was like from fire to chaos.
Toyin stepfather was a drunkard who never knew how to contribute to the family household. He had give Toyin two younger ones and never bothered dropping a dime for them to cater. He would always leave in the morning and return in the evening. He was either with promiscuous females, drinking or gambling the little money that they had left.
Toyin wondered how bad her mother taste in men was that all she ever attracted was low life. "Well your love life reflect how you love yourself"Toyin thought as her stomach churned due to hunger.
Toyin mother got angry hearing no response from her. "Are you mad? I am talking and you are wasting my words, I should not have given birth to you this nuisance" She continued her daily routine.
"I'm not wasting—"
"Shut up. You this nuisance" The words hit harder than a slap and Toyin breathed in silently.
"I called cause I wanted you to send money home. Your younger ones are starving and there is nothing to eat at home"
In the background, she could hear her younger siblings crying.
"Mummy, I'm trying—"
"Trying what? You can't even send money home! What kind of useless daughter are you?!"
Silence.
Her throat tightened, but she forced her voice out. "I'll send something soon…"
"You better! Because at this point, I regret everything I've done for you!"
The call ended. Just like that. No goodbye. No care.
She stared at her phone for a long time, then slowly… she dropped it on the bed.
Toyin gazed at the ceiling as tears ran down her eyes. It has always been like this since she was young. She had to play the responsibility of a father and mother to her younger ones. But what about her? Who bothered about how she was feeling? No one actually cared how she felt.
She wiped her tears. She had to survive. She had no choice. As a kid she had realized there is no angel coming to save her. She was her own angel.
Later that afternoon, her friend Bunmi came over. "Why are you looking so weak?" Bunmi asked.
"I haven't had anything to eat yet" Toyin mumbled. Her eyes was a bit swollen due to her crying in the morning.
Bunmi and Toyin had became friends during their first week in the university. "I brought you lunch" Bunmi settled the food flask with her in front of Toyin.
Toyin smiled. Bunmi was one of the people God sent into her life. She always came through for her several times. "Thank you" Toyin said
Toyin sat down resting her back on the wall and opened the food flask, the aroma of Jollof rice and turkey drifted the hair.
"Oremi Olowo" Toyin whined her and Bunmi laughed.
"It is actually my man that sent me money for upkeep so I used a bit out of it to cook" Bunmi brought out her phone to reply a text.
"May God keep blessing him" Toyin had met Bunmi babe several times and she won't lie she envied them a bit. Their love was just the exact ones she do read in stories. She wondered if she would ever get to be loved that way in this life.
"Toyin, this is the hairstyle I want, you would help me do it" Bunmi showed Toyin one of the popular hairstyles trending among youth nowadays.
Toyin had different skills and among them was plaiting hair which helped her in earning as a university student.
"Hope my money won't be much?" Bunmi whined and Toyin laughed as she kept on munching on her food.
The room went silent for some minute with just the sound of Toyin chewing and Bunmi scrolling her phone.
"Ehen" Bunmi exclaimed. "There is this party they plan on hosting at school. Let's gooooo" Bunmi went to hold Toyin hand looking at her with puppy eyes.
"I can't" Toyin struggled away. "Let's go nah. We haven't been to any parties this 300level at all"Bunmi whined.
"Bunmi you know I don't have the money to shop for cloths or waste on parties" Toyin stood up to go wash the flask in the zinc.
"Don't worry I will give you a dress from my side. And accessories too. Please nah I don't want to go alone" Bunmi begged.
Toyin grunted. "Fine I would go but we are leaving the party early and no alcohol"
"Sure. Bunmi nodded as she began gisting Toyin about who was hosting the party, the location and the dress they should pick.
Note: (Oremi olowo) means "my rich friend"