ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ

44

He'd never heard silence scream that loud, never felt loneliness crowd him, even with loads of commotion happening downstairs as they prepared to welcome her.

He felt his lips stretch into a smile, she was returning today and he'd be a bloody liar if he wasn't crippled with anticipation. He'd finally get to see her -- and maybe, have her right in his arms like those damn disturbing dreams, filled with unholy thoughts and actions.

Too far TJ, slow the fuck down.

He let out an animalistic groan, craving to immense himself in a cold bath to rid him of the myriad of thoughts going through his head. Standing up, he made his way to the terrace, the dust-bearing wind taking with it his uncomfortable body fluid.

Soon, the burning smell of beef and flour, attacked him through his nostrils, causing him to choke back a noisy expulsion of air.

I swear, Nene is surely going to burn this house to ashes soon.

He groaned. Not able to hold back the urge to rid his throat of the toxic air, he began coughing seriously. The polluted air making breathing a hard task. Quickly, he slipped on his flip-flops, grabbed his swim suit and scrammed the hell out of the room.

Loud voices greeted him as his feet padded down the spiralling staircase. It was so hard to believe all his friends were present at Jiki's condo.

The high structured building which reflected it's owner; with it's bland walls overlooking the beach and it's silent as hell neighborhood. At first, he'd wondered what had brought a teenager to the eerily calm environment, best known for it's sole purpose of serving as recommended retirement home and a haven for peaceful gateway, until he got to live in, for a few days. With the company of twitting birds and sound of clashing sea waves. Away from the rest of the world and just live in the moment.

"Solitude is gold Kodiri," the fairer boy had told him. "It's your sanity over the whole world."

The only disruption, coming from his friends who'd never make room for silence whenever they were present. If they aren't bickering around, they were busy busy tongue-lashing a particular being.

"Where are you off to?" A voice halted him on his track.

He looked up to see Abike, wrapped in a flowery playsuit and an equally bright, oversized bonnet, holding her locs captive.

Aww c'mon! You should really come with a warning label!

"Hey Aby?" He still found it hard to have a smooth conversation with her, after the little stunt she'd pulled back at school.

He'd made it his mission to avoid her, especially now that things with Chimdi were a work in progress.

The fatter girl, not-so-subtly gave him a once over and TJ felt completely exposed. Scolding himself for not pulling on a shirt or vest.

He cleared his throat, wishing that the awkward air would disappear too. "I'm going to the pool."

The information had her perking up. "I was also thinking of going to the pool." She smiled, getting ready to head to the room she'd been assigned. "Give me few minutes to change into something comfortable and we'll go down together."

The boy exhaled out in frustration, thinking of a way to throw in the right excuse to rid himself of her company. He already felt bad for the way he addressed the issue back at the school's sickbay -- the hurt look that clouded her face still made him feel guilty.

"Please..." She pleaded, her face nothing but innocent. "The girls aren't even talking to me and Elo is busy at the backyard. You're the only one who doesn't find my company annoying."