Life Of A British African Teenager | ✔️

Chapter 16 - (Let the party begin!)

The next morning, I meet up with Sam to fill him in on the heated exchange between the girls. His reaction mirrors my own astonishment.

"I can't believe they took it this far," he exclaims, disbelief etched on his face.

"Me too, Sam. I was thinking that we could try to mend things at Nana Yaa's party tonight. What do you think?" I suggest, hoping that a social gathering might help smooth over the tension.

"Yeah, I think that's a great idea since we'll all be there," Sam agrees, his words resonating with positivity.

"Okay then, do you want me to pick you and Cassie up?" Sam offers.

"Aww, thank you, my friend. You can pick Cassie up, though," I reply, grateful for his willingness to help.

"I'll come with Bryan," I add, my voice trailing off slightly.

"Oh, I see. I saw his Instagram post, yeah," Sam says with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"What? Omg!" I exclaim in a mix of surprise and embarrassment.

I quickly grab my phone and log into my Instagram, only to be greeted by a post showing a picture of Bryan and me, with me giving him a kiss on his cheek. The caption reads, "Had lots of fun with my pretty girl."

"Omg! I want to sink into the ground," I mutter, my face flushed with embarrassment.

Sam bursts into laughter. "You guys actually look great together, I must say."

"No, we're embarrassing. What was he thinking?" I reply, my shyness evident.

"He likes you a lot. Trust me, as a guy, I can tell you it's not an everyday thing to see a guy posting about a girl with such a cute caption," Sam reassures me.

His words bring a smile to my face. "Thanks, Sam. I have to get going now. I'll see you later in the evening, okay?"

"Alright, Leona. Take good care," Sam says, and we share a hug before going our separate ways.

~~~

Later that night, Bryan picks me up as we head to the party.

"Hey, pretty girl," he says with a warm smile, giving me a hug.

"Hey, ugly boy," I playfully retort, a mischievous glint in my eye.

"Oh, so that's how it is, huh?" he teases.

"Yes, Bryan, that's exactly how it is," I reply with a laugh.

We enjoy the music in Bryan's car as we make our way to the party. After a little while, we arrive at the venue, and the grandeur of the mansion before us leaves me momentarily awestruck. The anticipation of what the night fills me with excitement.

"Are we going to stand here and admire the building all day?" Bryan quips, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Of course not. Let's go!" I respond enthusiastically.

Bryan takes my hand, and together we walk into the lavish party. Though I notice some murmurs and stares from others, Bryan seems unfazed.

Suddenly, I hear my name being called from a distance. "Leona!" Cassie's voice rings out, and I turn to see her heading my way. Bryan takes the lead as I wait for Cassie to reach us.

Cassie envelops me in a hug, and I reciprocate with the same warmth.

"I'm so sorry for how I acted yesterday, Leona," she apologizes.

"It's okay, sweetie. I understand. I'm glad you're feeling better now," I reassure her.

I inquire about Sam's whereabouts, and Cassie explains that he had an emergency and couldn't make it. We discuss whether Angela is around, as Cassie wishes to apologize for everything. We enter the mansion, taking in the impressive decorations and the soothing sound of slow music in the background as more guests arrive.

Cassie points out a familiar figure. "Isn't that Angela over there?"

I adjust my glasses to get a clearer view. "Yeah, that's her."

Deciding to approach her, Cassie initiates a conversation. However, Angela's response is far from friendly. She scans us with a dismissive look, even pushing me aside.

"She's still annoyed, Cassie. What did you expect?" I comment. "Let me talk to her. I'll try to fix everything. After all, I was the one who started it. Just wait here for me," Cassie suggests before heading off.

Left on my own, Bryan approaches me, concern evident on his face.

"Is everything okay?" he asks gently.

"Everything is wrong, Bryan," I admit, my thoughts heavy.

"I thought as much," he responds, his tone empathetic.

Curious, I ask him why he thinks that, and he reveals that he saw Angela spending time with Nana Yaa and her friends.

"That's odd," I comment.

"Exactly what I thought," Bryan concurs.

Before we can delve further into our conversation, Nana Yaa makes a grand entrance, descending the staircase in a stunning mini flared gown that's the most beautiful shade.

The celebrant welcomes everyone, and the party officially begins.

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