Melissa

Who are you?

Melissa

She dusted the books ever so diligently- two more shelves to go, she would have been done had it been Dami hadn't walked into the room and demanded all the books cleaned before she continued.

She honestly didn't know what to feel about the woman she called boss. Someone clearing their throat startled her. She turned abruptly.

She wasn't sure what surprised her more, the throat clearing or the fact that Maxwell stood there in flesh and blood with Agnes behind him

She gulped harshly.

She shouldn't be surprised that Maxwell had shown up here- this soon after just meeting her yesterday, but she couldn't help but feel it.

"Madam?" She called ignoring Maxwell's intense gaze, she was blank on emotions and he might mistaken it for anger.

"My boy, Maxwell here says he wants to go on a friendly outing with you" Agnes answered her unasked question.

"But I should really go back to work, Ma Dami won't be too happy about me not working" She murmured shifting her weight on both feet but not taking her eyes off the duo.

Maxwell looked at Agnes expectantly.

"Fine then, a favour since you aren't supposed to be working because you're underage." Agnes said

'A favour? What does she want in return?' She thought gazing at Agnes intently.

She sometimes wondered what Agnes was up because she sometimes felt that everything she did was planned- like Maxwell and her meeting, the errand on a day she wasn't supposed to set foot out of her workstation? She working in this place with this books?

"I promise no one will come in here and tamper with the books you've already arranged" Agnes offered.

She looked at the duo amusedly but nodded unsure.

"Let me go and get changed" She murmured as she walked past them and headed to the room she shared with her mother.

It wasn't long before she was dressed in high waist jeans paired with a crop jacket and a matching sneakers. She found a matching clutch and placed her phone in it before heading to find the duo in the main living room.

"I'm ready" She murmured.

They both turned to look at her. Maxwell had a very startled expression whilst Agnes gazed at her with unshed tears.

"Is something wrong with what I'm wearing?" She asked the duo in confusion to their strange expression. Well, she sorta understood Agnes's expression but Maxwell-

"Nothing, let's go" Maxwell answered her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house.

"Bye greatgg" Maxwell yelled.

She knew that there was going to be a lot of talk about this- she hoped that it won't be as bad as a confrontation. Because as much as she just only met him and didn't particularly see him under any light, she was sure that other girls would definitely have a crush on him and might get nasty.

"Melly !" A voice said startling her before she realised that she was with Maxwell in his very beautiful car.

"Hm?" She hummed.

"How aren't you looking startled right now?" Maxwell asked in awe. She gave a little giggle amused.

"I don't know?" She murmured in more of a question than a statement.

"Anyways, I'm going to take you to the famous Ikeja City Mall" Maxwell stated looking very excited.

"For someone who lives in Nigeria, you're pretty excited about this place" She stated a little excitement laced in her words, she didn't really go to the mall back in the states for pleasure because she never really did have friends over there.

"Me? Why wouldn't I? I don't get many free times to spend because of uni" Maxwell stated as he eased back into his car seat.

She eyed the way he was relaxed in his car seat as she poised her next question.

"Uni? Aren't you a little young for that?" She asked.

"Of course not especially in this part of the world. I finished high school two years ago- I'm eighteen hence why I can drive." He explained.

She nodded in understanding.

"And we are here" Maxwell announced as slowly eased the car to collect a slip from the security at the gate and handing him a fifty naira note before they drove into the very big compound to look for a parking spot.

"There!" She exclaimed pointing three cars far at her right. Maxwell sped up to claim it before a black Audi car could take.

"Yes" Maxwell exclaimed as he switched off the car and they both got out.

"Wow." She murmured looking at the beautiful compound.

It was a very big compound bustling with very many different people. Since she came to Nigeria, this was the first time she's actually allowed to explore the place like someone her age.

"Now that we're here, I can talk freely. How do you survive a second in greatgg's house? No offence though" Maxwell mumbled as he dragged me to a KFC store.

She couldn't help but look at the weirdly shaped- constructed building wondering how big the mall was.

"We're going to get ice-cream then we can stroll about. I'm not going to keep you in a place, you already do enough of that in greatgg's house" Maxwell said as he continued tugging her to the restaurant.

"I thought you wanted to chat?" She couldn't help but ask as she trailed after him to the counter of the food store.

"Darling, we could chat and enjoy ourselves. This isn't a business meeting" Maxwell answered looking at her amusedly before turning to face the woman working at the counter.

"What can I get you?" Counter lady asked her gaze solely on Maxwell

"Girls" She mumbled under her breath with an irritated eye roll. She looked at Maxwell shutting every sound to see what girls saw. Maybe she'd see it too- sure she'd assumed that there was something brotherly- her mind tried to convince her- between them but it might just be her. She sighed, agreeing with herself, Maxwell might as well be blood.

Internally cussing her lack of memories.

"Here" Maxwell said startling her as he handed her a tube of ice-cream, vanilla flavoured- her favourite. She blinked in a daze wondering how.

She looked at Maxwell under new lenses-

"How are you?" Maxwell asked as they settled at a table, chairs side by side.

"Who are you?" She asked the same time as Maxwell.