Àyànfé

27

Kanaan

"I'll miss you babe" Ayanfe pouted cutely, cuddling into me more. The strike had been called off and I was leaving for school soon, which meant that I would not be seeing her as often as I liked.

"I won't be able to breathe without you Miss A" I joked, and she laughed loudly at my joke. She had a way of making me feel like the funniest person on Earth.

"Shut up Kay! But seriously, I'll miss seeing you almost everyday" She stared at me, and for a moment I got lost in her eyes.

"Azin ehn" I sighed, rubbing her chubby cheeks. "But you can come see me in school na. Just pretend like you're coming to see Tokunbo" [I know right]

"Ah please, no one would buy that" She puffed, rolling her eyes like a child. "I've never gone to see Tokunbo at school, so he'd be suspicious"

"Yeah, that's true. I forgot your brother's still in his feelings" I shook my head, remembering how Kanaan almost beheaded me the last time we saw.

Never again.

"I know right! He should really grow the fuck up" Ayanfe rolled her eyes again.

"But I kinda get where he's coming from, to be honest. If I see my guy eyeing my sister, I think I'd do worse sef" I picked a lint off her hoodie. Well, my hoodie.

"Ahh I don't wanna hear it" She groaned and covered her ears.

Ayanfe could be such a baby.

"Stop being a baby" I started tickling her. "Beg me"

"Abeg abeg abeg!!" She begged breathlessly, amidst heavy laughter.

"Damn I wasn't expecting you to give up that easily" I shook my head at her.

"So that you can break my ribs abi?" She smacked me on my head and quickly got up to run.

"Why are you so troublesome Ayanfe?!" I chased after her.

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Àyànfé

"Why is that baby crying so hard Ayanfe?! I hope you people are not playing any rough play there!" Mummy Monifa shouted from the kitchen.

"No ma. She doesn't want to eat!" I shouted back, and looked at my baby sister who started back at me with a little smirk on her face.

Mischievous baby.

"Can't you be like your brother Dunsin?" I asked her like she could understand me. "See him sleeping gently in his cot"

This baby laughed in my face.

"Ahh I see you're bonding with your sister" Dad walked into the living room, laughing, with a tie in his hand.

"Not you saying it like I normally don't" I was about to compliment him, but he upset me, so I wouldn't any longer.

"You are always running off somewhere with your friends...and who knows if you're still seeing that boy I told you to stay away from" He stared right at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

His name is Kanaan, Dad!

I maintained a poker face and changed topic. "So where are you going today Dad?"

Dad continued staring at me, before chuckling humorlessly. "Ayanfe, you do know that you're very stubborn, right?"

Wetin I do again?

"What did I do again Dad? I'm not seeing anybody, if that's what you want to know" I lied through my teeth, matching his stare.

"Better be what you're telling me, because the next time I see that boy, it's over for him" Dad threatened, walking off towards the kitchen.

I pulled my hair in frustration. "What did he even do Dad?!"

Stupid stupid Ayanfe! That was a very wrong question!

He stopped walking and turned back to me. "Are you about to go back there? Because if you are, I'm ready for you. Do you know how disappointing it was for me to catch in bed with a boy?!"

"And I've apologized a million times Daddy! Can we move past this situation already?! We wasn't even having sex for God's sake!" I raised my voice at Dad, with anger brewing inside me.

There was an awkward silence. "Don't you ever raise your voice at me" He glared at me, and walked away with an already pouting Dunsin. I fell on the sofa dramatically.

"So much for peace"