The Things We Do

TWENTY

Zehan eyed the bowl of popcorn before looking up to Jamal who was slouched against his chair. "Don't you have a movie to watch or something?"

"No...you're entertaining enough," Jamal shook his head, "I like watching you chat with your girlfriend."

Zehan closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "For the last time, I don't have a girlfriend. It's Adam I'm talking with." He turned the tablet to show Jamal his chat with Adam but his brother couldn't see it from the distance.

"Be deceiving yourself, I'm a guy like you, you can't fool me." Jamal grinned mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows but Zehan only sighed, rolled his eyes and went back to what he'd been doing.

Jamal immediately hated the fact that Zehan wasn't paying attention to him anymore.

Before Zehan knew what was happening, popcorn had joined the chat. He frowned at the pieces of popcorn that were now appearing on his screen before one actually hit his forehead.

Zehan groaned very loudly and his brother laughed. He dropped his tablet and finally faced his brother properly. "Jamal, when did you say you're going back to school again?"

"This weekend," Jamal replied honestly and Zehan grinned.

"Beautiful," Zehan mumbled before picking up his tablet again, "I just have two days to deal with your annoying ass," he said more to himself.

"You'll definitely miss me." Jamal grinned.

Zehan snorted. "Yeah, whatever," he simply mumbled sarcastically, knowing he would gladly pack Jamal's bags for him, see him off to the park and still pay for his entire transport fair back to Ibadan. It was a miracle that the Academic Staff Union of Universities had finally called off their month-long strike and Zehan couldn't wait to push his pestering brother out the door.

"Zee..." Jamal called in a singsong voice. Zehan visibly cringed at that nickname and his brother laughed knowing it would have the desired effect. "Zee, there's plate in the sink that you haven't washed."

"Later," Zehan said with his eyes glued to his screen.

"It's better you wash it before mom comes back," Jamal said with a mouthful of popcorn but Zehan heard him perfectly.

At first Zehan was going go scream another "Later" at his brother but something he said caught him off guard.

"Wait, what did you just say?" Zehan finally looked up.

"I said you should wash it now before our mother comes back!" Jamal laid emphasis on each word. It was funny how he was a second year Microbiology student but still behaved like a child.

"Which mother?" Zehan found himself asking out of shock.

"How many mothers do you have?"

Zehan froze. Was his brother trying to tell him that Monica Essien was finally coming home after spending more than a month in Lagos? She had said she would be there for a long time, four weeks wasn't what Zehan had in mind.

"Are you serious?" Zehan asked his brother who was now on his feet, an empty bowl in his hand. Zehan had to make sure that Jamal wasn't pulling his legs.