Waver✓

T W E N T Y - S I X

<Cool story bro. Wanna hear mine? It's a fairytale. Once upon a time nobody gave a shit. The end.>

|26|

"ARE YOU coming with me to the beach today?" I asked the person on the line, my cell phone at the crook of my neck and checked out the only swimsuit I had to see if it was worthy enough to be worn at the beach.

"No, Olayinka. I'm sorry, but I'm still working on those college applications I told you about," Jayden's voice came through, sounding tired and disgruntled.

"Bummer," I sighed, then giving the swimsuit one last woeful glance, dumped it on my bed. The purple swimwear wasn't worthy enough. It was too tight for me to put on---the last time I went to the beach was nine years ago--- and also showed all my assets in the wrong way.

Tch, Olayinka how on earth did you think a swimsuit you wore eight years ago was gonna fit you?

In a whiny voice I spoke into the phone again because I was regretting my decision and didn't want to show up anymore, "So what you're saying is that I'm gonna be the one facing those wolves, Black Kat and her pack, alone. Not fair, Jayden, not fair."

"Olayinka, I would have come. Really. But I'm busy so it's not gonna work out." The rustle of paperwork flitered through. He really was working on that college application. My shoulders slumped further.

He added in a somewhat flat tone, "Besides when you have Kian with you, what do you need me for? I'm pretty sure he'll look out for you."

"Yeah yeah, you've made your point Den. No problemo though, I'll go all by myself and I hope you do well in those applications," I said lightly, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice and failing at it.

"Yeahh, thanks. Sorry, Jam, I know you're not happy. If I had a way to finish all these fast, I would but I don't. Anyways, make sure you have lots of fun. Don't forget to tell me how it went in school tomorrow or you can text me. Bye, Jam, I really need to go. Talk to you later."

He cut the call and left me staring at the phone with a tiny frown of annoyance etched between my brows. Gazing heavenwards for the nth time this evening, I asked myself what made me accept Katharina's invitation.

Yeah you did that 'cos you wanted to spite her, remember, bad mind sassed. Yeah, thanks for reminding me of behaving stupidly.

And it was stupid really because there was a credible reason why I didn't like going to the beach and now my ego had ruined it all.

Clenching my teeth to stop myself from remembering the bad experiences I had of the ocean, I prodded my wardrobe looking for something, anything to wear. After searching for what seemed like centuries, I happened on a sky blue flowy maxi dress. The gown had a puffy arm with tiny flowers decorated on its neck and screamed simplicity. My kind of clothe.

I put it on and went to stand in front of the mirror to see if it was okay. Hmm, I thought turning to my side, the dress seemed okay enough even if it was too long, reaching to my ankles. Well, it was decent and that would have to do. I topped my outfit with an embellished bead bag, wore some sandals and placed a beach hat on my hair. Yeah, no one wore hats in the evening but then I didn't care. Humming to myself, I went out of my room and began going down.

"You're going out?" Dad asked, startling me. He'd literally seemed to appear from nowhere.

Dad?! Wait, Dad was back! When had he come back? Shaking in amazement and giddiness, I held my clutched hands to my pounding chest from where I stood on the staircase. "Sheesh Dad, you scared me."