B L O O M

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My favourite place in the whole world — though I haven't been to the ‘whole’ world yet but yeah — the beach.

I just love the whole serenity of it and the calming effect it has on me as well and it just feels like everything is right in the world at this moment in time.

The five of us — Jon, Lola, Tayo, Yetunde(reeeally wish she could have stayed back though) and I — got to the Resort an hour later because traffic was terrible. I guess everyone was headed somewhere because it is new year's eve and all.. I just hoped Atican wouldn't be too crowded and thankfully, it isn't.

We came here in one of Jon's mo— guardian’s car though, A Ford Focus Sedan, and I think its the 2017 model too. The Dukes’ are really well-to-do and are hardly at home so I guess he has a lot of freedom to do whatever he wants and go to wherever but I honestly don't think he exercises that freedom so much;and most of the time, he's always over at our place. I feel like he's really lonely most times all alone in that huge house when they're gone on business trips because they're no kids at home, the only two they have school at Switzerland and hardly make it home for holidays so most times, they head over there rather. I can't even begin to imagine how bored he's going to be when Tayo leaves for school in ten days time.

I asked Tayo if he doesn't attend a University or anything like that, subtracting the fact that it's the holidays, but he brushed the topic off and never told me anything as usual.

Note to self: ask Jon himself later.

So occupied with mulling all these thoughts over in my head that I don't notice that someone's infact, beside me until I feel a flash on me and hear the click of a camera.

“Heyyy!!”

Jon starts to laugh before taking yet another one that I'm sure, is way uglier than the first and I surprisingly snatch it away from him before he could embarrass me some more.

Speak of the devil.

Or rather in my case, think of the devil.

In a few seconds, the first and second pictures pop out from underneath the camera, its actually a polaroid. I've always loved them but always forget to ask for one.

The pictures aren't so bad though but still not good enough to be seen by other eyes so I simply place them underneath me, on the sand and sit on them. Jon's too much of a gentleman to reach for them there so problem solved! That earns another laugh from him.

“Never take pictures of me ever again! I never even knew you were into photography?”

He scoffs. “I'm not. Just decided to bring this along with me in case there'd be anything worth capturing out here.”

Was that an indirect compliment?!

I say okay and go on to ask if he'd been here for a long time and he says if he had to guess, probably five minutes and then asks what's got me so occupied.

“Nothing serious. I just tend to think a lot when I'm here. It's my —”

“Favourite place?” He cuts in.

I look up at him and smile before nodding.

He stares out into the ocean for a moment before stretching out on the sand beside me and I copy his actions which earns a chuckle from him. Typical!

“So, why were you not with the rest of us back at the barbeque stand?” He asks.

“I don't like her” I mumble.

“Who? Yetty? ”

I roll my eyes, “Yetunde is her name. She must've told you too it was ‘Yetty’. I don't know what Tayo’s still doing with her though and she's been all over him since we got here, its irritating.”

He laughs again!

“Why are you laughing Jon!”

“You're just really really funny.” He responds

“I'm not!”

“Yeah. You are. Anyway, this is the fourth time we've met and she seems pretty cool and —”

“Of course, she'll seem cool—”

“and I think she genuinely likes T though.” He finishes, shrugging slightly.

“She’s very good at pretending.” Touché. “Look, my brother was at a really bad place when they broke up and I hated it, even though I don't like him, so I don't get why they're suddenly hanging again.”

“Oh no!” I suddenly exclaim, “I wouldn't be surprised if they're totally back together again!”

Jon starts to laugh from beside me and then, “I think you're just a bit jealous that she's going to take T away from you, Simi, but don't worry; he really loves you and it's not going to change anytime soon, okay?”

“Me?! Jealous? I'm not! I just don't trust her.”

“Well?” I ask him and raise a brow expectantly.

“Well…. what?” He asks, looking genuinely confused.

“Are they together again?”

“I think you should ask Tayo.” He says with a grin.

“Ughh, not you too. You know he's going to tell me nothing so I might as well stay in ignorance until it becomes so obvious or until he begins to lose body parts.”

Now he really really laughs hard, “C’mon. You're just over-exaggerating now. She's not that bad, Simi.”

“We’ll see. Anyway, enough talk about snakes.” And he just shakes his head in a way that screams ‘you‘re unbelievable!!’

“Promise not to get pissed if I ask you some personal questions.”

“I don't remember much but I won't.” “Get pissed, I mean.” He adds.

“Okay, cool.”

“I feel like walking on the sand for a while, do you mind?” I ask him, rising up.

“No, its cool.” He replies whilst doing same and then I peep Lola from behind us in the barbeque stand ‘discreetly’ sending a thumb’s up my way and I just shake my head at her and begin to walk towards the rocks at the other end of the beach with Jon, beside me.