With You, For You

||2||

"What was that about?" I asked.

"What?"

"You hugged him. I told you not to." I said.

"He's my best friend."

"But he's a boy. You don't hug boys." Especially not Ebenezer.

Chioma moved closer to me. "Really? Even you." She hugged me suddenly and my first reaction was to push her away. But realising it was her, I let her stay.

"I'm your brother. That's different."

"It isn't. I see him as a brother."

"But that's not how he sees you," I muttered. She lay her head on my lap. She even dozed off. When we reached home, I carried her out of the car while the driver brought our school bags.

I carried her to her room and I placed her on her bed. I walked out of her room and closed the door. I was supposed to wake her but she seemed tired. I let her rest.

I went to my room that was adjacent to hers. I changed into house clothes and went downstairs to see my parents in the parlour talking.

"Dad, Mum, Good afternoon." I bowed in greeting.

"Where's your sister?" It was only my dad that would ask for her first. She was his favourite child after all. I saw my mom hit his arm.

"Sleeping in her room," I answered.

"My baby boy." My mom hugged me. "How was school today?"

"I'm not a baby. School was okay." I hugged her.

"Of course it was. I know you must be hungry. Tell Iruka to give you your food."

"Is he that lazy? Let him take it by himself." I heard dad say. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I knew I would be punished.

"Thanks. Oh, I'm going to a party tonight. And I'm taking Chioma." I informed them. I was going to go even if they don't allow me to. It's just that I'll leave Chioma at home.

"Party party. You should be reading your books." Dad complained and mom hit him again.

"Like you were any better during your time. You that threw parties every weekend." Dad coughed. "You can go dear. Just be back by ten o'clock." Mom said.

"Nine. Nine o'clock. And keep an eye on your sister because if anything happens to her. You will see pepper." Dad threatened.

I thanked them and went to eat.

★Chioma★

God this boy didn't wake me up. He didn't even lose the tie in my neck let me sleep comfortably. I climbed down from my bed and changed my clothes.

As I was about to go downstairs, I heard a knock. "Come in." And in walked Buchi carrying a plate. He brought food for me. How sweet.

"See the way you are smiling. The food is not your own."

Oh. "What do you want?"

"See your face." He laughed. "It's your own. Finish then you greet Mom and Dad."

"Aww. Thank you." He sat on my bed.

"Have you finished your homework? Give me literature." He said.

"I still wonder how you manage to come first most of the time. It's on the table. The black notebook." He stood up to get it.

"I'm hardworking that's why I come first." Hardworking. He skips class in the name of working in the laboratory or running errands for teachers or doing practice. He was the Male Social Prefect. "Which one? There are so many black notebooks here. Oh, I've seen it." I rolled my eyes.

"How do you write summaries as long as this? This thing is twenty pages." He complained while flipping through the book.

"I'm hardworking and don't spend time on rubbish people." I was talking about his girlfriends. Our parents didn't allow us to be in relationships till we were in SS3. They said we were still too young but this guy has had four girlfriends since SS1. He was with his fourth and I never liked anyone. Fake girls. I don't know why but they never lasted up to three months. His longest was his current one which was just two months and two weeks.

"Ah ah. Leave my people alone. If you want go and get your boyfriend. Though I will not allow you. If you even try I will tell mom and dad." He said.

"Let's see who they'll punish first. The guy who started in SS1 or the one who doesn't even have."

He scrunched his nose at me before walking out with my book.

After greeting my parents, I started writing my homework. I was about to finish the third one when Buchi opened my door.

"It's almost time. Change. I'll help you pick clothes." He said and I glared at him. I didn't want to go. I lay on the bed not moving. He walked towards me and carried me.

"It's for the handkerchief. Why did you take it? You're coming with me. And you also received a personal invitation." He put me on the ground. I walked towards my wardrobe and brought out some clothes.

I showed him the green party gown. "Too short." He said that for all my party gowns. They were either too short or revealed too much.

He stood up and chose a t-shirt and a jean skirt for me. It was the same colour as the one he wore: red and blue.

"Oya go let me change," I said.

"Hurry up. I'm driving." He closed my door.

I came downstairs and walked outside. "Be back before ten." My mom shouted.

"I said nine. Be back before nine." Dad said.

"Hapụ kwánụ ụmụaka." My mom said in our dialect. (Leave the children.)

I waved to them and entered my brother's car. "You look great." He said and I smiled. "Maybe it's because you look like me." He added. He was teasing me. I frowned.

"Smile. I'm joking. My sister is the most beautiful." He patted my head before starting his car.

"You have two sisters." We weren't the only children. Our parents had four children. Chinedum, our eldest brother who was studying abroad, us, and our younger sister, Kaima, who was going to another school. She was in JSS2.

"I'm talking about you na." I didn't reply and brought out my phone. I saw a message from Eben asking where we were. I replied.