The School Wolf.

  "You can always come around," were his friendly words to me. I felt relaxed with My long time friend, he was a nice guy, we haven't met in a while. The feeling of excitement and reunion lit My heart. He was order than me. I can't remember how we met, I just know that we used to see ourselves and chat in the street and at times he visited our house. I stopped seeing him ever since we packed from that area. Where me and My family live now is better than that old place. I didn't bother to know if he still lived there, Probably because I was too young to care that much. Obviously we have not seen for about six years, Meeting again was in the University. 

   I happened to be in the same department with him. studying the same course, Psychology. The first time I bombed into him, he shouted My name out of excitement of old time. I was really startled because I haven't seen anyone I knew since I resumed. He moved forward and hugged me, My head did a 360 degree turn of remembrance. I didn't remember at once on seeing him, that was because I was much young when we part ways, seeing the excitement on his face I couldn't bear embarrassing myself not to know him. Thank Goodness I quickly remembered, one thing is My memory never fails me. He asked me a thousandth question in a breathe like we were never going to see again. Well the one I replied to was the "what are you doing here?" I did this one because of the pride of being in the University. To the rest questions I behaved like I did not hear or understood them.

   I had not taste even water that day. I was starving, well I asked him same "what are you doing here?" he replied that he was Studying Psychology. I felt Happy because I had found someone who will put me through. I was very much a novice to life generally. My Stomach began to hurt again, so, I just said we would see and talk better when we met again.He asked where I was heading to and I told him. He offered to take me. We got to the Canteen, there were other students there chattering admist sipping their soft drinks and buns. I walked briskly to a chair in one Corner of the Canteen with My friend behind me. I sat there gently and asked the Canteen attendant for Fanta and buns. I was served almost immediately. I took it gradually while discussing old times.

    Alex was in his third year in the University and I was just in the first semester of My first year. It is glaring that Alex's education was delayed, his facial apppearance tells he was older than his level in School. Clearly he could put me through in My courses so that I could make good grades at the end of the day. Perhaps I came into school with full determination to excel, so meeting Alex this early in school meant so much for me. I was really confident about him helping me with tutorials. I had seen a lot of My classmates pair up in the name of tutorials but something always told me that their relationships were beyond Academics, probably because My family members had given me tutorials about campus marriages and relationships. On My part I came with the zeal and Will to succeed and make the family proud of the girl they got, more so that I came from a religious family and was highly religious myself.

I was not ready to be any guy's prey on campus probably because I have heard stories of Senior students taking advantage of the timidity of the younger ones they referred to as " JJC (Joni just come)" bluntly I was not ready to fall prey of any guy, as a result I was very conscious of myself and any environment I got in.

  "Psychology is the mental, emotional, and behavioral characteristics pertaining to a specified person, group, or activity" Alext said, I nodded in understanding, I felt impressed as the words flowed freely from his mouth. He went on to explain in details what he meant by that definition, he gave me the scholarly definitions and their implications in the field of Psychology, their strengths and weaknesses. The tutorial continued for sometime then we rounded up for that day.

  " when are you coming to know My place?" Alex asked, I smiled and said I already know your place I teased. We both laughed and then Alex gave me a pat on my cheek.

  "So you haven't changed small girl huh? Well I meant where I live when I am in school" he said.

  "Some day I will know your place," I said with a smile on my face. 

   Alex did not take My promise, so he insisted it must be that day. I asked him jokingly but knowingly if going to know his place was a compensation for the tutorial we had? Alex's face fell and he replied with a rhetorical question why would that be? 

We got to Alex's apartment it was a beautiful self contain, the scent of room freshener fumed the air and AC saturated the atmosphere, I felt good .

   "You're living like a president" I said. Alex smiled and said "This is not anything compared to the luxury enjoyed even by the President's Gateman," but as a Psychologist I could see pride in his eyes. He offered that I sat on the bed but I declined and sat on the one Sofa in the room not allowing myself to lean back cause I felt uneasy and this was the first of it kind in My entire life. Alex laid on the bed with his legs stretched as though to touch mine, I shifted a little to avoid him having contact with My legs.

   "feel at home my dear, this is my place you can always come around". I Muttered thank you with a jerk in My voice.

   "Do you live here alone?"I asked

   "Yes I do but very soon I will be living here with a damsel such as you" Alex said smiling. I didn't smile cause I didn't find anything funny and immediately I felt disgusted, He offered me food but I declined stating that next time I came I was going to eat. He insisted that I ate but I refused so he made me promise that I was going to come visit him soon and I will eat, So I did. I then stood up to leave. Alex's eyes shone with surprise and disappointment, but he managed to ask "just like that?" 

  "Yes!" I said, "I just came to know where you live just like you said earlier in school" I defended

  "Have rest a little before you leave My dear" why are you acting like you don't know me? Alex enquired. 

I smiled so he got up and came closer to me My head spun and My heart sank into My stomach, I felt like the ground opened up and Swallowed me, I stood still. He grabbed My arm held my head up slightly and asked me to look into his eyes, I couldn't so I shook My head and tried to move away from him. I reached for the door but Alex held me back putting his hands round my waist, I almost screamed out loud but I quickly Remembered that I was in a strange land. He turned me around drew me close and reached for my lips. I almost fainted My mouth felt dried I pleaded with him to let me go that I will be coming back to visit him soon, all that fell on deaf ears. Alex placed his forehead on mine slowly moved his finger in My neck down My back and was reaching for My zip when I screamed out unconsciously, he quickly let go of me I didn't know what happened next but I found myself heading home without my purse.

   The next few days were hell on earth for me. I could not think straight, I lost appetite and avoided Alex like a plague. I didn't want anything to do with him or any other guy on Campus. I kept to myself, I wished I had someone to share my God forsaken experience with but I didn't because I had no friend on Campus. I left my purse with the sum of Two thousand Naira in Alex's room the day I hurriedly dashed out, well that didn't bother me I was grateful to God that it was not My phone or My bag that contained my books, in My bag was little change that I had alighted from the bus that morning so I used that to go home the day I left Alex's place. It never mattered to me if he took the purse and used the money in it. I tried as much as possible to concentrate on My studies so I avoided thinking about that horrible day. Each time that thought slipped in My mind I pushed it far into hell. That was not working though, I felt bad and blamed Myself for going to a guy's house at all.

   I was reading in the library when I was startled by a paper that slid under my arm and unto the book I was reading. I moved back looked up but didn't see the person properly because the person moved behind one of the Library shelves and My view was blocked by the stack of heavy Psychology Text books, I really did not bother to stand to check who it was, I knew deep down that it was Alex who could possibly do that. I picked the folded paper unwrapped it, at the top right hand side of the paper was written "To a Damsel," I quickly remembered when at Alex's house he said a Damsel would soon be living with him. I pushed the thought back and continued, it was Alex, he wrote every word of apology I could ever think of. He said he had done everything possible to apologize to me in person but it was obvious that I was avoiding him as much as I could, he rounded up by saying he was going to bring My purse to school the next day and I should please avail myself for collection. Well, of all the things he wrote,I think only this last sentence made sense to me. I torn the paper in a cross shape after reading the last word.

   I was on my way to the School book shop when I suddenly felt the presence of someone walking behind me, I pretended like I did not notice anything and continued walking when suddenly someone grabbed my arm, it was Alex I removed My hand from him not turning. He said please Mirabel take your purse. I snatched it from him without looking at him and walked on. Alex followed me with all manner of "I am Sorry"

   "I have heard you" I finally said so that he would let me be. 

  I got home and opened My purse and there were stacks of Naira notes lying there. I slowly counted the money, it was Twelve Thousand Naira. Alex had put an additional Ten Thousand Naira to the Two Thousand Naira that was in My purse. It is was huge money for a student to hold. I was not surprised at how he got the money, he had told me at his place that he was working and schooling at the same time. I remembered him say he made Twenty Thousand Naira every week besides his regular Monthly pay of Fifty Thousand Naira, that is huge amount of money in our society. I took the money and promised myself never to return it, besides I didn't ask for it I said to myself, Perhaps it is My luck and probably his compensation for treating me badly that day. I drafted a budget on how to spend every dime of the money.

 Alex made sure I trusted him again after Many weeks passed from the ugly incident at his place. Well, I never did again, but little did he know. I did not trust him again and was never going to, although I acted like I did. 

  "Mirabel remember your promise to visit me and eat at my place" Alex said.

  "Oh yes, I did promise" I replied

  "So when are you coming?” Alex asked, I did a check and said this weekend. Weekend was a few days from our discussion, So I went home and from that day I made a research on how to fight Rapists I checked every where on Google read a few books and got my tactics ready for war.

   "Excuse me" I said when I got to Alex's place.

   "You are excused" came a voice within, It was Alex I know his masculine hoarse voice, I got in, the room was ten times more beautiful than the last time I visited, the curtains were changed there was a new bedsheet on the bed the walls were also decorated with beautiful frames and wallpapers. 

"Your room is beautiful" I said trying to sound confident, that was one of the tactics I had learned for fighting Rapists.

   "Thank you" Alex said giving me a frail look. 

   "You look tired,w'at wrong?" I asked

    "Nothing, just feeling tired from weekend chores," Alex answered. 

    "Hard luck" I said, you guys are lazy and feel tired at the slightest chores done but we Ladies are always up and doing I went further.

    "Well that's why I need a Damsel in this house", Alex retorted. He offered to give me food, but I said except we were eating together, he agreed and I felt safe, he dished the food and placed it on a table in the corner of the room and said this is My student dinner sacarstically, I just smiled, when he went to the Fridge to get water, I moved the food making his side to face me so that if there was any sedative in it he should eat it instead. This also was one of my tactics. I prayed for the food and eating started we ate the food admist discussions about the behavior and character of every Lecturer in our department. Alex told me about some who slept with students and add grades for them, I was amazed. He finally said "you are just a kid Mirabel, so you don't know what happens in your department" almost a question.

Alex gave me a Can malt to push down My food, I did not drink it at all, this was because he opened the malt himself and I suspected fowl play so I acted like I was drinking it, but I never did. When Alex was quite certain I had taken the malt he excused himself, went outside and stayed for some minutes and returned only about fifteen minutes later and met me operating My phone and smiling at the screen of My phone. I could see the shock and disappointment in his eyes, He managed to ask "Haven't you taken your malt darling?" I replied that I had taken it, he moved forward to shake it and be sure I did but I grabbed it gently before he did. 

"Finish up and rest" Alex said to me

  "OK" I replied.

  "I will just gulp it down in a giffy". I assured him.

   "Alright!". Let me get something down the road, Alex said.

   "No problem" I replied.

  Alex left and when I was sure that he was no more within I took the Can of malt and emptied it in the toilet and flushed it properly then I sat back into the Sofa and continued Operating my phone. As soon as I heard his foot steps back to the room, I immediately laid back in the Chair and pretended as though I was fast asleep. I heard Alex sigh heavily with relieve as if to say mission accomplished. He clapped his hands and removed his shirt and trouser and made his way to the Sofa where I was sitting, waived his hand in My face to be sure I was sleeping, I am sure the excitement in his face didn't allow him see that my eyes blinked, he bent over and held me gently unto the bed then I jerked up as though startled.

  Alex was visibly shaking at this point having realized that his mission was an impossible one. I thought to myself that, he must have being a Rapist all the way because of the way he immediately composed himself and asked me if I finished my malt, when my answer was in the affirmative, he said "I like you because you are a strong woman" I replied hysterically as though I didn't know what he meant by "strong woman".

I stood up and opted to leave, but Alex grabbed my hand so tight like a police man trying to prevent a criminal from escaping. I turned around to go shaking off My hand from his. I made for the door, but Alex stood in My way preventing me from leaving. I stopped and asked..."Do you want to rape me Alex?" He replied with how could I? he made to say something but I cut him off you want to rape me, I said.well, it is probably because I reposed some level of confidence in you for old times sake that you got the gut to attempt this with me I said.

"I thought you took me like a Sister Alex, well, You've met the wrong person, I said before living his place outraged.