𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕

7

°•~☆~•°

I found Gran seated on the sofa by the veranda reading a book. "Hey, Gran. Do you have a minute?"

"Oh! Hey, honey." She chirped looking up from her book with a smile. "How's the art stuff going?"

"The usual. Just finished one of my pieces which I started months ago and already finishing off the next. But I decided to take a break and save it for later with all the free time I have on my hands." I said sitting next to her.

"Okay. So, what's up or as you youngsters say, 'spill the tea'."

I cringed hard. "Please don't say that."

"I'm allowed to be hip and cool." She whined slapping my shoulder. 

"Yes, but is sounds cringy coming from you and it's really painful to hear." I told her. 

I rolled my eyes at the sulky pout she gave me. "Anyway, I have a question."

She looked at me attentively, waiting for me to speak. 

"If a friend offers to invite you to a mini vacation, would you go?" I asked.

"Absolutely," she answered with no hesitation nor a second thought. "me and my girl friends used to go on trips all the time - before I had your father, and again after he graduated. God! I miss those days."

"But can't you think about the pros and cons of going on this trip? Like, what if you wont like it there. What if something goes wrong?"

"Well, personally, I won't know unless I go on this trip and see what it has to offer." She told me honestly. "My friends and I had our fair share of bad trips and vacations, but we always found ways to make the best of it."

I hummed in response, pressing my lips into a thin line, taking in her words and made no comment. 

"Did that happen to you by any chance?" Gran asked, catching me off guard and made my face flush. 

"How did you guess?" I asked sheepishly.

"You have a habit of indirectly asking for advice through hypothetical questions."

I let out a sheepish laugh and rubbed my neck. 

I always had a habit of asking people hypothetical questions when all I wanted to get from them was their honest opinion and their advice on my problems or trivial things; but I would often make sure that I excluded myself from their questions. It worked on everyone except Gran, Dad, Brooke and Maren - people who had known me well and long enough to catch on to that habit. I still did it either way even though I knew they were going to catch on sooner or later.

"So, who invited you to this trip?" she asked inquisitively. 

"Maren did. She was supposed to take her boyfriend, but he bailed on her again. So, she decided to take me instead." I told her.

"Do you want to go?" she asked. "I mean, it's good to ask for a second opinion, but you can't rely on a second opinion to make a decision all the time."

I paused. "Well it doesn't sound half bad...but it's all new and different for me...and it's kinda scary. It kinda feels like it's too much of a risk to take a leap of faith."

Gran nodded thoughtfully. "I see. But that's like a quarter of the reason for why you're hesitant."

"What's the third quarter?" I asked blinking confused.

"You're afraid of making a decision that isn't inline with what your father wants."

I felt the air being knocked right out of my lungs. I swallowed the lump in my throat but didn't say a word. Gran sighed and placed her hand on top of mine. 

"You don't always have to follow what he expects you to do if it's more than what you can offer, Bee." She told me.

"I know, but I don't want to disappoint him," I said. "it's already too much to ask him for anything after telling him I wanted to pursue a degree in the Fine Arts over Architecture during A level."

"Yes, but is he in charge of your life?"

"Well...no but - "

"I understand you feel obligated to fulfill his wishes to lesson his burden, but he can't decide your happiness." She emphasised. "You need to let him know that you're not a little girl anymore and you're capable of making your own decisions.

"Plus, I think you should go on this trip with Maren and live a little. It's better than spending it here in your room doing God knows what you do there."

"Alright, I get it! I'm an introvert and I need to out more. No need to remind me." I rolled my eyes. "I'll talk about it with Dad, but I doubt if he'll like it."

"That's why I'm here. Your father can't refuse when I'm around." She grinned as she nudged my ribs.

°•~☆~•°

I heard a car honking outside. That must be Maren and Matthew waiting outside. 

"I'm leaving." I announced, grabbing my suitcase and backpack. 

I looked at my dad and I could see the reluctance in his eyes even though he was trying to hide it. It took a lot of debating and arguing to finally get him to agree, but he was still not pleased about me going on this trip.

I sighed. "Dad, we talked about this. I know you don't want me to go but, it's my decision."

"I know," he sighed as well. "but I can't help that I'm worried, okay?"

"I'll be fine. I promise." I smiled.

"I hope so." He sighed again.

I heard the honking once again. I quickly pecked his cheek. "See you when I get back." 

"Travel safe." He kissed my forehead.

°•~☆~•°

"Honey Bee!" Maren cheered. 

"Mare-bear! And Kevin?" I gawked at the gentleman who was leaning against the Jeep. He simply smiled and waved at me.

"Apologies if I'm coming off as rude but, what's he doing here?" I whispered. "I thought he wasn't coming."

"I thought so too until he decided to pull up at my crib by the time Matthew came to pick me up saying he wanted to surprise me."

"Do you think that's the real reason why he changed his mind?"

"I know that ain't the real reason why he changed his mind. The bastard was lucky that Matthew's generous to use his plus one privilege to bring him along."

"Okay...but shouldn't you be happy that he's even coming with?"

"Hell naw! This nigga had the audacity to pull that shit thinking he'll be forgiven that easily?!" Maren snapped. "I think the fuck not. He's getting the silent treatment until I deem it necessary for him to speak to me."

"You know I can hear you?" Kevin said.

"SILENCE!" she spat venom in her words, glaring daggers at him.

"Maren, I know you're angry but that doesn't give you the right to be rude to him." Matthew, who was in the Jeep the whole time, scolded her. 

Maren rolled her eyes and scoffed before stomping her way into the car. 

"Let me get your things into the car." Kevin offered.