Stop judging me

Adeola looked up at Walter's face. She had no excitement displayed on her face as they both made eye contact, and even Walter could tell.

"How have you been?" Walter asked.

Adeola looked away, and towards the window and replied, "Good."

"Okay…so where did you learn how to play the guitar?"

"Why are you here?"

"I was just passing by and I decided to say hi."

"Well now that you're done, can you please leave?"

"Hey, hey! Don't give me that attitude. You're still alive because of me."

"So what do you want? A thank you?"

"That wouldn't be so bad, would it?" Walter said, folding his arms.

"Just leave, would you? You've already done enough."

"Stop playing victim. I told you already, it won't work on me. You guys are the ones that ruined my lif–"

"I get it! You've said that a million times already…we're evil spirits, we're selfish, demonic, and whatnot. You've said it all. Can you leave now?"

"No."

"You must be really happy, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing me in pain like this. It makes you happy, doesn't it?"

"But I haven't even begun what the commander said I should do to you."

"You know what? You aren't such a good person too."

"You? You're calling me a bad person?"

"Believe it or not, you were just bad luck to me, Walter. If I had known trying to save your life would cost me my mom, my sisters and my village, I would've just let them do what they wanted to with you."

"Bad luck?"

"We were all hesitant. As much as we wanted to live free lives, we always felt guilty. Not just in your case, all the times we brought people down, we always lived with that guilt. It never went away. Even before we discussed you, the guilt was already heavy on us and we hesitated. When we finally found the stomach to be free from the slavery he put us, me and my big, stupid mouth convinced them to let you live, and that we would find a way around it…see where that got me."

"He? Adeola who enslaved you? What are you even talking about? Wasn't bringing people here your choice? So that you would live on earth?"

"You see, this is the problem about men. Mother told me about it, but it didn't make sense to me until now. The judgment in your voice…so real, so sharp. But in these moments of our vulnerability, judging me doesn't necessarily reveal who I am, it plainly reveals who you really are."

"Crap! You've ruined the lives of countless people, and that too without remorse but you're talking about vulnerability? You want to be pitied despite all your crimes?"

"I don't need your pity, Walter, and I'm not trying to change the fact that we've done terrible things. But not knowing the full truth, and not being in our shoes just makes you think you would've done better but you really wouldn't have."

"I would never do this to anyone and I won't ever live by that logic of yours."

"Oh really?Just look at what happened to my village because of you. While we tried to train you, feed you, shelter you, and protect you, your first manifestation cost us our lives. Our hideout was revealed, and all my villagers were killed. Walter, I lost my mother and my sisters because of you. And you knew about everything and didn't even have the courtesy to tell me. You were willing to dump me in that forest, and when your Father's people came for you, you just neglected me here in this room, all alone. Yes, I'm not a saint, but you aren't one too. I'm certain of that because I would've never left you to grieve the loss of your loved ones all by yourself. I don't care if you believe me or not, but I genuinely cared about you, and wanted what's best for you. There was no other way to save you than suggesting you to be made one of us. My people were desperate to live normal lives, they were all tired and had suffered for way too long. I knew all these, but I still chose your life over theirs even though I didn't know anything about you. A decision I would forever live to regret."

"Adeola, Nicole was–"

"Please stop with this Nicole thing you keep doing. You don't even know what's really happening. I doubt your Father has told you anything about where he gets his power from, but I won't either. After her mission, she lost the will to live, and gave up her gifts. She died the most gruesome of deaths because of the weight of her guilt in bringing you here. Remember, when you grieved and missed home, I never left your side. I gave you all the support you needed, but now that it's was my turn, what did you do? You couldn't even tell me what happened. You just left me all by myself. I don't know what to say to you Walter. But mother told me it's fine for friendships not to last forever, what matters is the lessons we learn from them. I've learnt so many lessons in the few weeks I've spent with you. I just didn't know it would hurt so much".

"Adeola, what–"

"My Prince" Tanya interrupted, barging into the room. Her eyes evaluated their position as she browsed through the room.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah…I'm fine." He said, standing up, and walking towards Tanya.

"I hope she isn't bothering you or trying to deceive you with lies again."

"Tanya, no, it's all good."

"Now listen here you good for nothing." Tanya said, walking over to Adeola who was now focused on her guitar, "If you so much as lay your filthy scales on the prince, I would skin you alive. I'm not Jade, I'm not as nice, and I'm not all too mentally stable, but I know a snake when I see one. You and your family are nothing but a bed of snakes. I know just how much you've ruined lives. It's because of filth like you the Prince, the King and even I am here, but I swear on every holy item that if you try to turn the Prince against his father with your cunning words, I won't think twice before reaping you limb from limb." Tanya yelled, her swan-like neck revealed all her veins as she did.

Walter walked over to Tanya who severely agitated and tried to calm her down.

"Please calm down Tanya. She wasn't doing anything. I'm perfectly fine, see?"

"Okay…" she nodded, lowering the tone of her voice and looking into his eyes. "I was thinking that we should go on a stroll to clear your mind. I noticed you were really upset about the discussion with the King the other time."

"Thanks…that's really lovely of you, Tanya. I would be glad to go with you." Walter replied, both walking towards the door. Tanya slammed the door on her way out.

As the door clicked shut behind Adeola, she couldn't hold it in anymore, from nowhere, her eyes welled up with tears and immediately began flowing. She placed her hands on her face, and her shoulders began heaving, a reflection of the pain she felt, and how much she struggled to hold in her tears. She sat in the center of her bed, drowning in her sorrow, sobbing in gasps of air, her face still covered by her hands, she kept weeping.