Chapter 6 I Got Married
Angela lay on her bed tossing and turning, trying to come up with something to tell her parents so they would allow her to leave home and move in with Bryce, but nothing came to mind. She defeated all the ideas that came to mind with the excuse that her parents would see right through her. She had not had a reason to lie to them before. This was going to be her first time. Zora came to mind, and she remembered she never saw her again after leaving with the strange man to dance. She fetched her phone, which had charged up a little and dialled Zora's number.
"Hello, Zora," Angela said.
"Girlfriend, where are you?" Zora asked, sounding relieved.
"I am home," Angela replied, sounding downcast.
"I am glad you are safe, but why would you do that to me? I looked for you everywhere and ended up sleeping in my car outside," Zora said, sounding unhappy.
"I am sorry, but something happened. Can you please come over to my place? I really need your help with something," Angela requested.
"Okay, fine, but you owe me lunch for giving me the creep," Zora said.
"No problem," Angela accepted.
"Okay," Zora acknowledged, and the call ended.
Angela put her phone back on charge and lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling.
Outside in front of the club, Zora started her car engine and drove away from the club, with her home as the destination in mind. She arrived at the flat, parked her car under one of the car shades and walked towards the main entrance of the flat. Inside the big open hall, she walked towards the elevator and pressed the button for it. Inside the elevator, she pressed for her floor, five and waited patiently for the elevator to take her there. On the fifth floor, she exited the elevator and headed towards her door.
"Hey, Zora, the landlady was here. She wants her rent. She left you a notice on the door," shouted a neighbour, and Zora shifted her gaze to the man standing in front of his apartment, wearing just shorts and no shirt. He was also smoking.
"Eric, stop posting notices on my door," Zora said and peeled the notice from the door and crumpled it.
"I didn't put it there. The landlady did, and she said you should leave the rent money with me," Eric said, feigning innocence. "So she can easily pick it up. You know you're not around when she comes around," he added with a wide smile.
"Yeah, right. Since when did the landlady change her name to Eric?" Zora asked.
"I don't know. It might be his son," Eric replied, averting his gaze, and Zora shook her head.
"Hmm, I didn't know the landlady now has a son. You can come for it tomorrow," Zora said and entered her apartment, closing the door behind her.
Inside, she quickly took a shower, changed her clothes and put on a simple pair of jeans and a black blouse. She put on her white sneakers and grabbed a shade and her car keys. She exited the apartment and locked the door.
"You are going out again?" Eric asked, still standing in front of his door.
"Yep," Zora replied and started heading for the elevator.
"Okay, I want lunch from McDonald's when you are coming back," Eric requested.
"Sure, if I get to drive past the place," Zora replied over her shoulder.
"Okay, if you return without it, I am eating lunch at your place," Eric said and turned to enter his apartment.
"No problem," Zora said over her shoulder and entered the elevator.
Outside, she sat behind the wheel and soon was out of the compound heading for Angela's place. Not sure how long she would be at Angela's, she purchased the food from McDonald's, dropped it in the car and continued her journey to Angela's place.
She arrived at Angela's place and parked her car. She got out of the car holding the packaged food in her hand, her car keys in another and her handbag hanging on her shoulder. After using the auto-lock to lock the car, she headed for the front door. She pressed the bell, and Mr Anderson answered.
"Good morning, Mr Anderson," Zora greeted with a broad smile.
"Hmm, you two decided to stay in the club till morning, huh?" He said.
"Time quickly flies when you are having so much fun," Zora replied, still smiling broadly.
"Is that Zora at the door, honey?" Shouted Mrs Anderson from inside.
"Yeah. She is smiling ear to ear, here," Mr Anderson replied and invited Zora in.
"I am sorry, Mr and Mrs Anderson, we didn't mean to stay out for that long at the club, but we were having so much fun and forgot the time," Zora said.
"Zora, you are here," Angela said, entering the living room.
"I am glad you two are safe. It's not safe around such places, especially for pretty girls of your age. In the future, don't stay out late like that again," Mrs Anderson said and dismissed her.
"Yes, Mrs Anderson," Zora replied.
"I thought you said you would put them on your lap and whoop their behind," Mr Anderson said as Zora exited the living room with Angela.
Zora giggled, hearing Mr Anderson's statement as she and Angela climbed the staircase, and soon they were both inside Angela's room.
"You bought food?" Angela asked as soon as Zora sat on the couch, and Angela pulled the small chair in front of her dressing table to sit on.
"Yeah, it's for my neighbour," Zora replied and put the package whose aroma had filled the room somewhere. "If I don't get it for him, he will invite his crazy friends over to my apartment to eat, irrespective of the time I return home," she added, and Angela smiled.
"It's not funny," Zora said. "His friends are like the entire neighbourhood," she added.
"Okay, let's forget Eric's drama. What happened last night?" Zora asked.
"I lost my virginity to a man," Angela said, almost whispering with a downcast face, and Zora's eyes widened.
"Oooh, girl, just one night out and you couldn't resist the men outside," Zora said and giggled. "Now I understand why you are always indoors," she added, laughing.
"Zora, it's not funny. I don't know how it happened. I was going to use the washroom, and someone grabbed me from behind. That was all. I passed out," Angela said, and Zora leaned forward, her face now carrying a serious expression.
"Oh my God, that is bad," Zora said. "Do you know who the guy is?" she asked.
"Yes," Angela replied, fidgeting with her hand. "He was part of the panel who interviewed me yesterday," she added.
"Wait, someone from your new workplace did this to you?" Zora asked. "Does it mean that he was stalking you or something?" she asked without waiting for a reply to her first question.
"I don't know, but that is not all. I also got married," Angela added, and Zora's jaw dropped.
"Girl, why would you do that?" Zora asked after a few minutes of silence.
"He forced me to. It was either I marry him or end up in prison. If I go to prison, my parents would know what I did last night, and I don't know how I was going to prove I didn't drug him as he claimed. Weighing the options, a secret marriage felt safer than going to prison," Angela explained. "He gave me little time to decide," she added.
"Your parents don't know about this?" Zora asked.
"That is why I called you," Angela said, and Zora tilted her head to the side.
"You want me to help you tell your parents?" Zora asked.
"No, he gave me 24 hours, counting from an hour ago, to move in with him," Angela said, and Zora stood to her feet abruptly.
Angela followed her with her gaze, with a frustrated expression registered on her face. Zora started pacing up and down.
"This is messed up," Zora said. "It sounds like a planned thing to me. Do you know him before the interview?" she asked.
"No," Angela replied.
"Think, Angela. Maybe he might be a crush from college or something," Zora said.
"Zora, the interview was the first time I met him, and it is only this morning I got to know he is called Bryce Moore," Angela said.
"Did you say, Bryce Moore? As in the Moore's family heir?" Zora asked, and Angela raised an eyebrow, wondering why the sudden change in Zora's mood.
"He says that was his name. I don't know anything about him," Angela replied with a frown.
"Is that the guy?" Zora showed Angela a picture after typing some keys on her phone.
"Yes," Angela replied.
"He owns the club," Zora replied.
"So why would he do that to me?" Angela asked.
"I don't know. Rumour has it that he is not into women. He is still a bachelor," Zora said.
"So why would he sleep with me and marry me if he is not into women?" Angela asked with a frown.
"Well, I said it was a rumour, I didn't say it was the truth," Zora said and sat back down, looking relaxed. "Well, I guess some good can come out of this. Since you are now married to Mr Moore, I guess we can now go to that club for free," Zora said.
"Zora, I lost my virginity to a stranger, married him, and he wants me to move in with him within 24 hours. That is the problem," Angela reminded.
"So you move in with him," Zora said, and Angela frowned.
"My parents," Angela said.
"Oh, yeah, them," Zora said and cleared her throat. "Just tell them your new job came with an accommodation. You are the secretary to the CEO, right?" she said.
"Yes," Angela replied, staring at Zora.
"So, such positions can come with some privileges. So just say that and get your things and move in," Zora said and smiled.
"Zora, this is a serious matter. Not a club fun moment," Angela said.
"I know," Zora replied.
"So do you think it would work?" Angela asked.
"Of course it would. Come with me," Zora said and stood Angela on her feet.
Zora was excited that Angela was married to the owner of the club. She would not pay when going to that club. She pulled Angela towards the door and soon out of Angela's room, heading for the staircase.
"Zora, please promise me you will not tell anyone. He asked me to keep it between myself and him," Angela said, and Zora frowned.
"Fuck!" Zora cursed as they descended the staircase.
"No cursing in my house," Mr Anderson said, exiting the living room.
"Sorry, Mr Anderson, but Angela has something to tell you," Zora said, smiling, and Mr Anderson shifted his gaze to Angela.
"My new position came with an apartment, and I have been given 24 hours to move in," Angela said, staring at Mr Anderson like she had committed a crime as she waited for his reaction.