Read Parts 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Pristine series here, here  Here Here here here, here, here Here  here here  here  here and here

“I hope you found what you were
looking for.”

She turned in the direction of the
voice, but saw David instead in the dimly lit room. He wasn’t wearing the white
shorts and tee or the khaki uniform she was used to seeing him wear. He wore a
black suit and looked even more handsome than she remembered him to be. He was
still holding the orange handband like the first time they’d met, but this time
it was in an open ring box and he was on bended knees.

She looked further to see Chika
beckoning to her with his ever charming smile. She started to run towards him
but Uju beat her to it. Chika looked delighted to see her too and scooped Uju
up in his arms.

Tayo showed up from nowhere and
took her right hand in his left. But Christy’s hands were wrapped around his
waist from behind.

“I hope you found what you were
looking for,” the voice echoed after her as she walked away…

                                                         
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Dara woke up to realize the car
hadn’t stopped moving. She had lost count of how many times she had dozed off
on the 18-hour trip. Nothing was ever
taking her back to Gombem that she was sure of. Her 1-year madness was over,
she inwardly scolded herself, wincing as she adjusted her behind on the car
seat.

Had she gotten what she had
wanted? Her mother would definitely ask her that when she got home. Every dream
she had had on the trip had been centered on the same question.

Before she left home, she had
wanted the freedom, the exposure—which she wouldn’t still say were bad for a
girl to crave. At least, she had learnt, she had grown, and she hadn’t had
entirely bad experiences. She had done some pretty good stuff, in fact. It
could have been way worse. She would
have wasted a precious part of her and moving on wouldn’t have been as easy!

Green and yellow. Dara’s heart leapt at the sight of the first
Ilorin cab. She was home! No more sharing the toilet and bath with everyone in
the compound, queuing and waiting till she could get in, or having to hurry out
when someone else started banging on the door. She felt stupid to have chosen
to live like that, but she felt blesses at the same time. She would never have
realized how much of a luxury home was if she hadn’t been away.

THE END

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