They walked silently till they got to the riverside.

Habib broke the silence. "Are you sure you want to do this dear?", he asked.

"Uhmm yes, it's high time I got it all out. I can't hide from myself forever and not from you", Salamat replied, looking up at him.

"Ok, let's seat dear", Habib said.

When they were settled, he turned to face her.

"Babe if you are not ready, I understand..... Perhaps we can make it some other time. You are nervous and pale as white. Let's not do this now", he muttered softly, looking worried.

"No please, I want to do this now. If I don't do it now, It might never come out of me again", She answered.

Habib seeing how determined she was, sighed. 'I wonder what the problem is, I like her but she acts weird and scary at times, he thought to himself, staring at her.

"Ok, I am all ears", He rested his hand on his jaw.

Salamat began, "I was very close with my grandma and then when I was eight years of age, my grandma died. I have always been a quiet and reserved girl but whenever I was with my grandma, I was the total opposite. Her love for me was unconditional and I do feel she loves me more than she loves her daughter who happens to be my mum. No one has ever showered me so much love like my grandma. She was my only companion, friend, and confidant and she normally calls me her pet. I loved her with everything in me and she was all that matters. When she died, I was shattered and I returned to my shell", Salamat looked up at Habib and smiled.

Habib smiled back as an act of encouragement.

Salamat sighed and continued. "I didn't cry when she died but I was broken and devastated. I was a strong-willed child and I rarely cry because I do pile things up and then when it's full, I let it out. My tears do come anytime and anywhere which is why people think that I am weird."

"My books became my only companion and thoughts. My mum had to travel to the village for grandma′s burial though mum wanted it to be here grandma told her when she was alive that she wants Ira, our hometown to be her resting place. Mum left for the village leaving dad and me at home and then three days after, dad also had to travel out on a business trip. Dad took me to my aunt′s house who was already married and her husband was my dad′s business partner. Aunt was still in school when she got married and she was undergoing her IT program when I went to stay with her. She didn't want to stay far from home so she took up the job of a secretary at a shopping mall and I do follow her to work."

"Her boss had three children; Tobi, Tope, and Bukola who became my friends. Tobi was 16 while Tope was 5 and they were both males. Bukola who was my agemate was a female. Their house was connected to the shopping mall and I always go into the house to play with them. I then came out of my shell once again. I always felt special whenever I was with them because I was always being pampered. Sometimes, they do feed me whenever we are eating together and even help in slicing my mangoes which we usually take every evening before the close of the day. It was always fun being with them. They had a dog named jack which I always play with. My aunt noticed the changes in me and she called to inform my dad who was surprised and excited."

"A week after, I became withdrawn again and my aunt became confused. My dad and mum came back at the same time and couldn't believe the sudden behavior change. I stopped going to the shopping mall even before the arrival of my parents and I also stopped talking to them. I was always indoors and I even refused to eat. A neighbor told my mum that I was an ogbanje

an evil child

and I needed to be taken out for consultation. Mum became furious and sent her away even though I know mum wasn't convinced that I was not one. I know I was like every normal child but to everyone else I was abnormal."

"I felt normal but something seems to be missing in me, something I tried figuring out all to no avail. An experience that I couldn't even explain or voice out."

"In school, my teachers admire me for being intelligent even though I don't ask questions in class. My classmates on the other hand call me all sorts of names like a snub, an arrogant and boring girl which I never took to heart. Though I sometimes feel the urge to drop out of school I took my education as my number one priority."

"I got to realize what the problem was when I was in SS1 during our biology class. A topic on the reproductive system was been taught by teacher Nkechi who asked who had an idea about the topic. A naughty guy named Lukman raised his hand and the class burst into laughter. Mrs. Nkechi knowing how naughty and mischievous Lukman could be asked him to sit down and then she began the lesson. She defined the reproductive system and the process of making babies which were useful to me alone because the whole class was grinning from ear to ear especially the boys."

"The class was interactive and questions were asked mostly by the boys. I was confused because some images were repeating themselves in my head. I was about to ask for permission to go to the toilet when I screamed "No!".

The whole class was in uproar and the teacher ran to my side shaking me.

"What is wrong with you Salamat?" The teacher asked me.

"Auntie... I....he", and I blacked out.

I woke up to see myself in the school sickbay and my parents were by my bedside. The memories came back again and I began to cry.

"I then heard the word 'trauma' from the matron who was discussing with my parents."

"Salamat", Habib called.

She looked up at him with a sad smile.

"Don't scare me, tell me what exactly happened to you", he asked.

Salamat looked into his eyes and saw the fear.

"I was raped", she said and breathed out with relief that the word was finally out.

"What?!", Habib exclaimed standing up.

"Yes", she answered and looked down. "I was sexually abused by Tobi."