<Cool story bro. Wanna hear mine? It's a fairytale. Once upon a time nobody gave a shit. The end.>
|26|
"ARE YOU coming with me to the beach today?" I asked the person on the line, my cell phone at the crook of my neck and checked out the only swimsuit I had to see if it was worthy enough to be worn at the beach.
"No, Olayinka. I'm sorry, but I'm still working on those college applications I told you about," Jayden's voice came through, sounding tired and disgruntled.
"Bummer," I sighed, then giving the swimsuit one last woeful glance, dumped it on my bed. The purple swimwear wasn't worthy enough. It was too tight for me to put on---the last time I went to the beach was nine years ago--- and also showed all my assets in the wrong way.
Tch, Olayinka how on earth did you think a swimsuit you wore eight years ago was gonna fit you?
In a whiny voice I spoke into the phone again because I was regretting my decision and didn't want to show up anymore, "So what you're saying is that I'm gonna be the one facing those wolves, Black Kat and her pack, alone. Not fair, Jayden, not fair."
"Olayinka, I would have come. Really. But I'm busy so it's not gonna work out." The rustle of paperwork flitered through. He really was working on that college application. My shoulders slumped further.
He added in a somewhat flat tone, "Besides when you have Kian with you, what do you need me for? I'm pretty sure he'll look out for you."
"Yeah yeah, you've made your point Den. No problemo though, I'll go all by myself and I hope you do well in those applications," I said lightly, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice and failing at it.
"Yeahh, thanks. Sorry, Jam, I know you're not happy. If I had a way to finish all these fast, I would but I don't. Anyways, make sure you have lots of fun. Don't forget to tell me how it went in school tomorrow or you can text me. Bye, Jam, I really need to go. Talk to you later."
He cut the call and left me staring at the phone with a tiny frown of annoyance etched between my brows. Gazing heavenwards for the nth time this evening, I asked myself what made me accept Katharina's invitation.
Yeah you did that 'cos you wanted to spite her, remember, bad mind sassed. Yeah, thanks for reminding me of behaving stupidly.
And it was stupid really because there was a credible reason why I didn't like going to the beach and now my ego had ruined it all.
Clenching my teeth to stop myself from remembering the bad experiences I had of the ocean, I prodded my wardrobe looking for something, anything to wear. After searching for what seemed like centuries, I happened on a sky blue flowy maxi dress. The gown had a puffy arm with tiny flowers decorated on its neck and screamed simplicity. My kind of clothe.
I put it on and went to stand in front of the mirror to see if it was okay. Hmm, I thought turning to my side, the dress seemed okay enough even if it was too long, reaching to my ankles. Well, it was decent and that would have to do. I topped my outfit with an embellished bead bag, wore some sandals and placed a beach hat on my hair. Yeah, no one wore hats in the evening but then I didn't care. Humming to myself, I went out of my room and began going down.
"You're going out?" Dad asked, startling me. He'd literally seemed to appear from nowhere.
Dad?! Wait, Dad was back! When had he come back? Shaking in amazement and giddiness, I held my clutched hands to my pounding chest from where I stood on the staircase. "Sheesh Dad, you scared me."
He grinned at me sheepishly from below. "Sorry, dear. I just wanted to surprise you."
"You surely did," I said in a dry tone and flying down the stairs, flew into his open arms.
It had been a week since I last saw him and God knows I've missed the hell outta him. Sometimes I hated his job that took him away all the time but what can I do? It was his means of livelihood.
"I've missed you so so much Dad. How have you been? I hope you've not been stressing yourself too much?" I questioned, an arm's length away from him as I observed my dad's face. He looked tired but happy. Which means, nothing bad had happened.
"I've missed you and your mom too baby and I'm good although if I could take some hot shower right now and hit my bed, I'll be ecstatic." Dad chortled.
"Mhmm." I rolled my eyes playfully and punched his arms lightly.
"Where's your mom by the way though?" he quizzed, longing for her filling his honey eyes that I admired so much.
"She went out an hour ago. The agency called, saying it was urgent and she didn't tell me when she'll be coming back," I replied watching him. All the air seemed to deflate out of him as soon as I said that.
"Oh well." He shrugged and I knew he really missed her. "Okay. So how about you young lady, where are you going to dressed like that?"
"To the beach." I beamed in a gay manner because I knew he was aware I detested going to the beach.
"The beach?" His brows went up in confusion. "I thought you hated going there."
"Yeah, hated. That was then, this is now Dad," I lied still showing my teeth.
"I like it there now so I'm going. I was invited and I just couldn't turn the invitation down, you know."
"Honey I'm your dad and I know that years ago you weren't always happy to go out but you seem to have changed your mind. Is it because of that Kian guy?" He shot me a look.
No dad, it's my evil ego but I didn't tell him that so I nodded.
"Do you like him?" Dad's back was against the wall now and he was giving me this dad-ly stare that made me feel like hiding.
I blushed and faced the floor, giving away my thoughts in the process.
"Hey I'm not complaining, Olayinka. I'm happy if you do. I'm just kinda surprised though 'cos you never used to go out before but ever since this Kian guy came into your life you've been different. Not a bad difference mind you, just different. You're free to go, I'm not gonna stop you," Dad said in a quiet voice.
This was why I loved my dad, always understanding. Hugging him again I uttered softly, "Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome baby. Have fun and make sure that your friend escorts you back home." He shooed me off with a hearty pat on my back.
"Bye. See ya later," I threw at him, dashing off but not before gifting a tiny peck on his warm cheeks.
***
Arriving at the Penfield beach, I looked around wishing I hadn't come exactly at 6pm on the dot. There was no one here, just me and the waves beating on the shore.
After avoiding here for so long, I'd forgotten how it felt like to be at the beach. But now, the salty air, continuous whisperings of the ocean, the sweet night breeze and the soothing movement of the water made me remember. It was a beautiful place to be, no cap and even more breathtaking in the night with the moon's silver beams skimming the waves and torching the sand in a silvery ashy hue. Inhaling and taking it all in, then exhaling deeply, I berated myself for abandoning this exquisite place but then looking back, it hadn't been my fault.
Drifting around and enjoying the peaceful scenery I had denied myself since, I waited for like 30 minutes for someone to appear and when they didn't, I decided to hightail it out of here. Just when I was about to leave, people started trooping in, all geared up in their beach outfits and swimwear.
Why on earth would all of them come way later than me? They wouldn't plan to do that right? Unless. . . Unless, they had been told to come at a different time. And it hit me like a punch in the stomach, Katharina had played a prank on me, telling me to come early while others came later. Tch, that two faced bitch.
Pissed and more than a little bit annoyed, I laid a medium handkerchief on the ground and sat under a coconut tree, surveying my surroundings to see what was going on.
No one and I mean no one at all appeared to know that I was alive. They all focused on arranging hampers for the party and lighting a huge bonfire. Soon, someone cranked the music way up and everywhere went crazy, swarming with teens that were high. Girls danced, boys swam and vice versa. Coolers went open and in a minute everyone had a bottle of beer in their hands. Some peeps huddled around the fire eating marshmallows and telling spooky versus funny stories which I heard 'cos their voices were loud too, even louder than the music. It was a cacophony of different sounds but they really seemed to be having a whole lot of fun.
I craned my neck around searching for Kian but he wasn't here and even if he was, I hadn't seen him yet. Groaning, I relaxed against the trunk of the tree and gazed at the water.
The ocean was serene apart from the waves crashing every once in a while and oddly enough, I had this feeling of wanting to go into the water, even if it was to sink my legs in. Drawn, as if in a hypnotic daze, I dragged myself to the shore, removed my footwears, then placed my feet inside.
Bliss.
I felt bliss. Pure and unadulterated bliss sang in my veins. God, I let a pleasurable sigh leave my lips, it had been a while, a long while since I did this. The cool water was soothing and reached my ankles, making the hem of my gown float. Closing my eyes, I immersed myself into the simple act of swinging my legs in the refreshing water body and let the swirling current tug at me. It was in that moment that I knew I never really hated the ocean.
After I had enough, I lifted my sodden gown and was about to step out when suddenly Katharina came up to me where I stood at the edge of the foamy water.
Nnah ehn, what did she want now? Nawa oh.
Clad in a sexy two piece bikini and standing next to the water, the moonlight shone on Katharina aka Black Kat---never was I gonna call her that---, bestowing on her this godly and eerie air that seemed like that of a watered down Aphrodite, the goddess of love said to come out from the ocean. She was almost like her, all bitchy, jealous and basically someone who couldn't keep her legs closed.
Sorry Aphrodite but I can't help comparing her to you. Take heart though, at least, you're a goddess with sweet nectar running through your veins while she's just a lowly pathetic human with bitter blood running through her parched vessels.
Smoking hot and her voluptuous shape flaunted in that scrap of clothe, Katharina simpered, knowing very well the effect it had on boys from the catcalls hooting her way every minute like now.
"You hear that Jamila? It's the whistle of desire responding to my siren song," she gloated, her blood red lips pressing together in a smirk.
Siren song? Ebelebe, make I hear, it was more like a trash song, if anything. And for someone who aced all her classes, her use of descriptive words were so lame and wack.
She continued, gloating even further, "And you know why they won't even spare a glance at you? Because we all heard that it's best you hide under that rug you call a dress. Like, who wears this?"
Normal people do, bitch. Huffing, I gave her a look of boredom. "Why are you here Katharina?"
She shrugged. "I came to have a swim too. You know, you're not the owner of the sea." Believing she had dismissed me---which she hadn't----she slid into the water like she was born to swim. I watched her, jealous she could swim like that while the only thing I could do was wiggle my toes and that was if the water called to me. The unfairness of it all stung.
Turning my back on her, I stepped to shore. Again, she swam back and stood, the water gleaming off her body and setting her curves off. What was this girl's problem again sef? Nawa oh, nothing musa no go see for gate.
She siddled up close, and pointed her index finger to someone in the distance, someone who seemed to be having the time of his life. Kian. The doofus I'd been scouring for all night.
Wearing only a frayed three-quarter levi jeans, the firelight dancing along his well muscled body, highlighting his packs and charming facial features, Kian stood, drinking and laughing with a bunch of guys from his football team. He was also drunk, I could tell that because he kept on staggering.
To say I was hurt was an understatement. Okay, like he'd invited me and he hadn't even come to say hello. Tch. My hurt swiftly turned to annoyance.
"Do you want to know what they're laughing about?" Katharina questioned. When she saw I was still gazing at him and wasn't replying, she continued anyways.
"You. They're laughing at you because he's telling them about you. He's telling them what a big slut you were on the night of your date. How you came all close and plastered your pathetic body against his and how he still hates you." Her face was cruel and twisted with hate now.
Stopping myself from face palming, I refused to believe a liar like her. She came nearer and I took a step farther, my feet touching the damp soil. Darn, I was getting closer to the water.
The one thing I hate very much is someone slandering my name and spreading false allegations. All these she was saying couldn't be true, I knew she was just jealous and Kian had really really changed for the better but as I cast my gaze to Kian once again, a slimy worm of uncertainty wiggled its way into my heart. Had he really?
Katharina eyed me, a hair's breadth away from me now. The breeze from the ocean whipped her hair awry, blowing them into my eyes and making them water.
Outright malice shining in her eyes, she whispered in my ears, her venomous tone grating, "You know Jamila, just because you dated Kian doesn't make you get to feel confident or high, which you've been feeling ever since. Let me tell you, blackie, you're still that same dimwit you were when we were bullying you and you'll always be that stupid pathetic nobody."
With that said, she pushed me right into the water, laughing wickedly. Dazed, I tried to get my bearings but it was no use. I had already sunk in and my gown heavy with water wasn't helping out in any way. Because I couldn't come to terms that she'd just pushed me and also from the fact I couldn't swim for the life of me, I started calling for Kian but from the corner of my eyes, I saw him slumped on the sand, obviously intoxicated.
I screamed, panic making my motions sluggish, and in the process swallowing more salty water. This was it, I was going to die. Pushed and drowned to death by a wicked being with no heart.
A memory I had kept hidden for eight years flashed in my head and I recalled how I came close to drowning during summer holiday. The main reason I always avoided the ocean.
"Hey guys, watch as I push dirty skin into the water," ten years old Kian screamed noisily to his friends.
It happened in a rush. One minute I was gaily placing my tiny toes into the frothy water, the next I was lunged headfirst into it.
I shouted, fear coursing my body, since I didn't know how to swim and actually thought I was going to die.
Just when I was feeling lightheaded, few hands dragged me up and out of the water. Coughing and rife with cold, I spluttered out water while Kian pointed at me, laughing like a maniac.
"Oh she can't even swim. How would she when she can't do anything right? Such a baby and you all saw how she was struggling like some stupid fish." He doubled down in laughter and soon, everyone joined him while I sat down on the sandy ground and let tears of humiliation rain free.
And just like that sunny day eight years ago, no one seemed to be interested that I was drowning. When it finally dawned on me that I had no one, I started struggling anew, refusing to die.
Dying now meant that Katharina would win. Dying this moment meant I wouldn't ever get the chance to understand what was going on between Jayden and I. Dying also meant I wouldn't see my family anymore and I knew that would devastate them. And fuck, the one which had me clawing my way through the water surface, I couldn't die now without having my first kiss. Never. With that thought in mind, I did everything I had been thought long ago during swimming lessons. I swam. Or rather, tried to swim.
I don't know how I did it but all I knew was that I found myself on the shore of the beach. For a moment, I laid and stared at the stars which blanketed the sky, thinking I was dead. That I hadn't made it.
But slowly, my sense of feeling returned and I could feel the sand sticking to my uncovered legs, the fierce wind stinging my teary eyes and the icy fingers of cold trailing my body.
Silently, I thanked God and stood up as dilligent as I could---even though I felt faint and all the strength drained out of me---because I knew that they were watching. Fuck them if they thought I was gonna be a gone person. My God was bigger than theirs and he'd proved it. On more than one occasion.
Everyone was quiet, even the music was put off, which proved my theory that they had all known. How wicked were human beings please? Was Katharina that mean and bitchy to want to kill me? Yeah and if she killed me, no one apart from my family would really care. Sure she may go to jail or something but they'll probably not do much for me. Maybe most black Americans will rave and rant all they want but in the end it'll all fade away and I'll be just like every other murdered black person out there. Justice denied. And even here sef, there were still black people on the beach but they hadn't helped me out so in the end, it was just only my family. Life is sad.
I retraced my path, crossed the bonfire and where Kian was still slumped on the ground, picked up my bag, turned around and continued walking like a zombie. Once I turned, they began talking again like nothing big had happened. Like I hadn't just kissed the face of death. Fuck the world.
I overheard Katharina say to one of her minions, "I already knew she wasn't going to drown. Bitch be acting like she almost died."
Immediately she said that I wasn't numb any longer. Fierce anger roared through me. She knew? Oh yeah she knew alright. She knew I wasn't a good swimmer and was gonna drown. What she hadn't known was that I was gonna save myself. And I acting like I almost died? Fuck yeah, who wouldn't do like that? Especially if they were in my situation. My hand curled into a fist and it was only God that prevented me from punching her face in. One day, I was gonna do that. Just one day.
I walked steadily away from them, because I knew that if I ran---which I more than wanted to do---I would drop out of exhaustion from my near skirmish with death.
Somewhere I'd lost my beach hat and sandals so I was basically trekking barefooted. The road to the beach was far and I had no energy to walk. I couldn't call Mom or Dad as Mom was busy and Dad was probably sleeping so it was just me. All alone.
When it seemed I couldn't walk any longer, I reluctantly took my phone out and called the only person available. Jayden. He answered on the first ring. I didn't want to disturb him but I had no choice.
"Hey, Jayden. Can you come pick me up? Please. I'm still at the beach," I croaked, because my throat stung and was raw from being dunked in the water against my wish.
"Olayinka, I'm in the middle of this very important application right now and if I log out, I'll have to start from the top," he complained.
"I see. Okay, you can go on but can you please maybe call a friend to come pick me up." I gritted my teeth hard. They were chattering due to the chill from my wet gown.
This was life, where you had no friends whatsoever. Just you and your family. And that was if your family cherished you.
He must have sensed the quiet urgency in my tone, because his voice sounded concerned. "What about Kian? I'm pretty sure he can help out."
Yeah right, someone that was drunk as Dionysuis would help me out in this situation.
"Kian's not here at the moment. Please Jayden, I'm not feeling very good right now. I need . . . "
And my voice trailed off as my world went black.
A/N: Kedu? Yh it's been long and I'm sorry. So someone requested I upload Jayden, Olayinka and Kian's picture above and there it is. This has to be one of my longest chapters and fear not peeps but we're getting to the climax of the story. Yayy!!!!!
Nita.