Jolayemi

Chapter 3: The Other Twin

It was midnight, and the stars sparkled brilliantly, the air warm but also a little chilly. I rubbed my arms as I glanced around. Where was I? I looked down, what the hell was I wearing? I was clad in a floral baby pink dress, giving me a Belle vibe. The sound of waves caressed my ear, as the yacht moved softly on the water.

A light attracted me and I moved towards it. Chandeliers hung loosely from the ceiling and the tables were full with food. I drooled a little, staring at the feast in front of me. Don't let this be a dream, please. Fancy wines were placed in a fancy way on the table, tempting me to move closer. I glanced around, why was the hall empty, and why was I dressed like a modern Cinderella? I stopped short, noticing my reflection. Normally, I'd jerk my head away, hating to see a reminder of how ugly I looked, but now, I hesitated.

I looked almost...pretty. My hair was curled and styled beautifully, and my makeup gave me a good feeling. I smiled, showing my pearly white teeth, and my dimples which rarely showed and for the first time, I liked what I see. "Jola", a voice called out. I gasped when I jerked my head. I opened my mouth to explain but no words came out. That was mostly because of the person that was standing before me.

"Jola", Gabriel called out again, motioning me close. I gulped, taking one step gingerly as I glanced at him. Was there something I was missing? Gabriel was sporting a tuxedo and I'm sorting out adjectives to describe the beauty I'm seeing. I stared at his eyes, the reflexion of the stars in them, making it a shade of honey brown. He smelled heavenly, I could smell his lavender shampoo and the fact that his stubble was gone did not go unnoticed by me.

His smiled, and just then, I melted completely and I smiled like a bubbling idiot. He drew out a chair and motioned for me to seat, I wasted no time obeying him. He took his seat beside me, and stared at me. I smiled gingerly. "Where are we?", I asked, wanting to diffuse the tension. His eyes remained on me "Does it matter?", he asked. I shook my head. "All that matters is that we are here together", he finished. Okay, what the hell is going on?

I cleared my throat, his stare was making me uncomfortable. I heard his chair scrape back, and I looked up. He was on his feet, looking like a man on a mission. He gave me his hand and I took it, he held me up and stared down at me. "Gabriel", I muttered, like the blushing mess I was. "Sshh", he said, pulling me closer. "I've been wanting to tell you something, Jola", he whispered.

I gulped. "What is it?", I asked. He pulled me impossibly closer, a little bit closer, and our lips would touch. I was embarrassed, cause that was the first time I'd been this close to a boy. "I like you", he said. I blinked. "Huh?", I asked, still not sure I heard correctly. He smiled "I like you, Jola", he said, moving to kiss me. Just like in the movies, I closed my eyes, puckered my lips, and I prepared for my first kiss. I felt pain when someone pull my puckered lips, hard.

"Ow", I yelled. Mum's angry stare and raised eyebrows cleared the rest of the dream, and I stood up alert. "Mum", I muttered, looking at anywhere but her. "Who were you kissing in your dream that made you pucker your lips like a frog?", she asked. "Nobody Mum", I lied. "Do you know what the time is, Jolayemi?", Mum asked, livid. I gasped, as I checked my now silent alarm clock. 7:45am. I didn't need no soothsayer to tell me how late I was.

"I'm going downstairs, if I do so much as to call your name before I see you there", she threatened. I nodded, as I made a beeline for the bathroom. I was done in seven minutes, I smiled as I put on my wristwatch. Barry Allen who? I took my phone, and my backpack and ran downstairs. Everyone was done eating, and I scowled when I realized that I would not be able to eat due to how late I was.

"You should have slept there", Mum eyed me, as she picked up her bag. I rolled my eyes as soon as her back was turned to me, but her stiffened back told me she 'saw' me. I gulped when she turned back "Did you say something?", she asked. I shook my head vigorously "No, ma", I said. She nodded "I thought so", she said. Seriously, how does this woman do it? Nothing goes unnoticed by her.