Nandi | EDITING ✔

Fifteen.

Nandi

As Paul parked the car in front of the palace, I braced myself for my arrival. I knew that my father wouldn't be pleased to see me, especially because I'd been dodging the long-awaited 'you're next in line for the throne' conversation. I also wasn't looking forward to seeing the royal family of Ghana, especially Jerome.

I stepped out of the car and hurried inside before the girls could bring out rose petals to shower me with, and I was on my way up the stairs when my father's voice boomed through the foyer.

"Nandi," he said.

I'd stopped dead in my tracks to turn around and look at him.

What a way to start my return, I thought.

"Hello, father." I said to him.

"It's good to have you back, my child. I hope you're ready for what's to come." He said.

I could only put a smile on my face.

"We'll be having dinner at six. I'd like for you to join the family."

"Yes, father."

"As you were." He turned on his heels and disappeared down the corridor and I went up to my room.

Just as I'd crawled onto my bed to take a moment to breathe, Mellow burst through my door as he sang my name.

"Oh my goodness!" I covered my face with a pillow.

Mellow only laughed.

"How was Cape Town?" He sat on my bed and poked my leg repeatedly.

"A roller coaster." I put my pillow away and looked at him.

"Boy problems?"

"How'd you know?"

"It's my job to know." Mellow winked at me.

"How's home been for you?"

"Usual." He rolled his eyes, "but the drought project has been keeping me out of the house so it's all good."

"I'd kill to stay out of the house." I muttered.

"I know how you feel. Brace yourself though, little one. Your father has a whole lot of things in store for you."

"Gee, thank you, Tumelo." I smacked him on his chest. "How have you been since our last conversation?"

"It's too early to talk about that. You haven't settled back in yet." He teased me.

"You're annoying me." I gave him the middle finger.

"I love you too. See you at dinner."

"Yeah, whatever."

Mellow walked out of my room as he sang some random song in his horrible singing voice and I sat up to get my phone out of my pocket.

First line of business: text Justin.

To: Justin
'Got home safely. Parents are yet to breathe down my neck 😒🔫'

While I waited for a response from him, I passed the time by going onto my Instagram to see what I was missing while locked up in this palace.

Nina seemed to be working on new mixes which she said she'd be playing at her next gig in another province, Justin and his friends, mom and grandma had spent the day on the beach and Justin had put up an unnecessary yet sexy picture of himself tanning on a boat.

I missed him but I knew better than to let myself fully believe that I liked him. I had a different path to follow, one that I was born for, and fighting it had obviously been of no use.