Adura

Chapter 7

"Fun. Killer," she taunted.

"Okay fine. If I go with you, do I get a better nickname?"

"We'll see."

"What time?" he asked, tracing circles on the gray bedsheets.

"How about seven? We can leave early if you're still not feeling it."

"Fine with me."

"It's a date then. Night, fun killer," she replied.

"Night," he said and the call ended, leaving him to anticipate tomorrow and what it would bring.

He remained in high spirits next morning as he waltzed into the kitchen, humming as he took a bottle of zobo from the fridge.

"Good morning sir," he heard Zainab say. He turned to face her, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Morning Zee. Still haven't dropped the 'sir', have you?" he said offhandedly, using Noah's nickname for her.

She was still in her blue floral nightgown, her 'slave driver' had travelled yesterday which meant she could sleep in. John didn't care either way, as long as there was food by the time he woke up.

"No sir," she replied, taking a pot from the cabinet above the kitchen counter and putting it in the sink, rinsing it and filling it with water.

But you dropped it for Noah the first week, Matt thought.

"I guess I'll get out of your hair then," he said, walking out. Come to think of it, they hadn't shared a real conversation asides from regular unavoidable questions and the time they spent together at the pool.

He guessed that was partially his fault. Roberto always said he had the expression of an angry old man. Even though he thought that was overly exaggerated, he did admit that he wasn't the friendliest guy around. He went back to his room to spend the day, lying around and playing on his laptop, having nothing better to do. He could hear John and Noah at one point before they left on some outing.

Zainab used the opportunity to invite her friends over and the giggles and chatter of the teenagers filled the house. He and Noah came up in their discussions, the two oyinbos, as they liked to call them, who were hanging out at their house. He wasn't surprised that she talked most about Noah, he was after all, the one she talked to the most. But he was a bit taken back when he heard his name. He couldn't make out all the words being said downstairs but he could have sworn he heard 'fine' and 'too quiet'. She said more but he decided to tune it out. He picked up his guitar and strummed, playing a riff from the first song he learnt how to play on his guitar.

He played for a while, letting the noise drown out their voices. Then he paused to listen. All seemed quiet, too quiet. The hen he heard the whispers at his door. They were spying on him. The thought amused him more than it should considering they were invading his privacy.

"Guys, lets go na. I don't want any wahala. He will vex if he catches us," Zainab whispered with a hint of fear in her voice.

Wow, is that what she thinks of me? Matt thought.

"Chill jor. Make I just hear the guitar. Why you too dey fear?" another voice whispered a bit harshly, a bit more deeper than Zainab's voice. He couldn't completely understand the pidgin English she spoke but he knew that she wasn't planning on going away.

Might as well keep them entertained, he thought, playing another song. He was already in the middle of the third song when he looked up at the clock above the door to see it was almost six. He dropped the guitar, walking towards the door. He waited for a moment before opening the door to see three pairs of shocked brown eyes gawking at him.