Chapter Two NJ

Ahana's house was very crowded, Zawadi thought. It was full of very many beautiful girls. She had heard one of the girls ask Ahana why she had brought q child to a brothel, but she didn't know what that was. Maybe it was a group home, she remembered her talking about group homes where many people lived together at once.

Zawadi was lost in thought when she had someone tap her shoulder. She turned to find a young boy, around 10 smelling at her.

"Hi, my name is Eugene. What's yours?"

the boy asked.

"My name is Zawadi. Zawadi Mwamba"

"Would you like for me to show you around? "Eugene asked.

"Yes, thank you. "

"Come on let's go " He said offering his hand to help her up.

"Thank you"she said as she took his outstretched hand.

He chuckled before saying " You really like to say 'thank you ' don't you "

"Well my mom always says that one must be grateful. So I say thank you to show I'm grateful. "

A few moments later Ahana came towards them.

"Where have you guys been. I was worried. Can't you see its dark? " She scolded, worried.

"We are fine mum. I was just showing Zawadi here around. "

"So the two of you have met. Good. Zawadi you will be staying with us until we find your parents. Is that okay? "

"Yes aunt. Thank you" Zawadi answered.

"Good. Now come along, dinner is ready "

Dinner went by smoothly. Instead of seeing all the beautiful girls at the dinner table like Zawadi had expected, none of them are with them. It was just her Eugene and ma'am Ahana.

"Ma'am, where are the other girls ?" Zawadi asked.

"Some are at work and others are asleep already. "

"What work? " she continued to inquire, intrigued.

"You are still too young to understand that. So, let's forget about it shall we?" she answered, though it was clear from her voice that she was getting irritated.

She knew that she didn't want to upset her. After all she had shown her so much kindness by giving her food and shelter. Her mother always taught her to be careful about her tongue. She said that the. words from ones mouth could destroy families and cause war. The last thing she wanted was for a disagreement to occur because her.

After dinner she was shown into her new room. It was beautiful, not as beautiful as hers back home, but it was warm and lovely.

As she lay on her bed, she wondered how her parents were. Where they okay? Where they looking for her? Will they ever find her? She sat up and started braiding her hair. Her mother had always done it before she slept every night,it was their own mother-daughter routine.

She missed them already, but all she could do was hope and pray that she sees them again. She sighed heavily as she continued to braid her hair. It had grown so long since the last time she had cut it. she had refused to cut it again because she wanted to be like Rapunzel. Of course her mother had refused at first, but after a few tears, she gave in. Now, now her hair was very long, nearly knee length.

Still she didn't want to cut it, it reminded her of her mother. Whenever she run her fingers through it, she remembered all the time she had braided it, all the time they had spent together.

She finished with her hair and changed into pajamas, given by Ahana . She curled into a ball on the bed and cried herself to sleep, as all her pain and fear flowed out like a river during a flood.

The next morning , Zawadi felt better. She was still sad for having separated from her parents but she couldn't hold on to the pain. Like had to go on. She could play and be a child until Ahana found them.

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Zawadi sat by the window in her room. It had been six months since she had separated from her parents. The emotions were still there, the pain of not being close to her parents, the sorrow.

She knew she had Ahana though. She had taken care of her very well. Just like her mother would. Ahana had tried everything to find her parents without success. She didn't give up hope however, she still believed that one day they would meet again.

She had however continued to wonder what 'work' the beautiful women who stayed with them did. Whenever she asked Shana, she would always brush it off saying she was to young to understand and that it shouldn't worry her. In fact, Ahana hated it when she brought up the subject. Eventually, she stopped asking. She was nolonger a total stranger at Ahana's home anymore. She had friends to play with, like Eugene, and the women in the home were also really nice to her.

Ahana had also started training her in dance. She had realised that Zawadi liked to dance a lot, so she thought it would be a good idea to perfect her talent. An investment, she had called it.

Zawadi had also stared going to school. Shana had enrolled her in a nearby school. The same school were Eugene went. They barely had any friends. All the students kept taunting them. Those of higher grades called them children of the courtesan.

They had complained about it to their mother, Ahana, who talked to the principal. After that, the bullying went down but never stopped. Nevertheless, Zawadi and Eugene grew even closer as each of them stood up for the other to survive the hellhole they called school.

As the days went by, Zawadi aND Eugene became more than friends, they became siblings. Sharing each others sorrows and joys. Their bond became stronger. Hey comforted her whenever she had dreams about her parents, and she was always there for him to help him in his studies. She had lost her family, but she found another one here with Ahana and Eugene. She couldn't be happier.