Chapter 53: Soulmate
Tracy
I quickly clamped my hand around her mouth before she alerted the universe of something I was trying to keep a secret.
"Need a mic?" I snapped and withdrew my hand when I suspected the coast was clear.
Chioma kept looking at me like she had seen a ghost.
"When!?" she screamed again and I slapped my hand back on her big mouth.
"Will you just...!" I berated hoarsely and she swatted my hand away. "keep it down."
"Fine!"
"On Tuesday." I said, giving her a side eye, "He offered a ride and I left with him."
"So he just," she whispered in a husky breath, "Kissed you?"
I nodded, timorous by how bad it sounded.
"Well, what did you do? Did you push him away? You bit his lip, maybe?"
I shook my head this time and braced myself for the reproach.
"Why are you acting dumb?" she snapped and I sighed.
"I kissed him back, okay? You already know how I feel about Chris. It doesn't even matter 'cause he got that call about Anna right then and I left before he could say a word. I don't think I'd be able to bear a second rejection."
"This Anna girl again." she clucked her tongue in disapproval, "I can't wait to meet her and have her keep her man away from you."
"You didn't go to see her at the hospital?" I queried, ignoring her remark, "I heard everyone was there on Tuesday."
"No, of course not." she said, "Why would I go to see my friend's rival? I declined the invite of course."
"Chi..." I paused and stared at her hypocritically, "she's that girl we were talking about just before Christopher slammed into me last December. The taxi girl, the Americana you wanted to run away with to the white man's land."
"Oh." realization dawned on her face, "That girl?"
"Yep."
"Whatever. I'll go to Christopher myself and have him explain himself to me. Why does he keep trying to take advantage of you, huh? He has that whatever thing he has with that girl yet he's giving another mixed signals. I'm not up for this vile game of his."
"Calm down, will you? Besides, you can't blame him too much. I should be blamed for coming in-between them first. Anna means a lot to him and I'm guilty of taking advantage of a knight in distress."
"Knight in distress." Chioma scowled at me, "That's what you call him now? Babe, open you eyes. This is what they do. It's a chop here, chop there, clean mouth system and he's found a way to make the victim look the villain. He should stick to one girl and shouldn't slam his mouth into another when his girlfriend was in coma."
Hearing Anna referred to as his girlfriend made a load of chunder rise from the pit of my stomach and I had to gulp it back down.
"Now I feel like a whore." I licked my lips and smiled, " Thanks for making me feel better about this."
"Look, I didn't mean it like that but you have to stop defending him too. Unless you still want to have something to do with him despite Annabelle and everything."
I trapped my bottom lip with my teeth and looked away.
"Oh my God!" she exploded at my body language, "You still like him?"
"Chi, don't make this harder for me than it already is. It's not like I can just forget what we shared and everything he's done for me."
"I knew it would come to this." she wiggled her finger into space, "I just knew. I knew you would misinterpret his nice gestures as some shared feelings. That's why I specifically told him to keep his hands to himself in case you made advances only for him to shove his face into yours."
Oblivious of my growing rage, she rambled on. "I also gave you that makeover at the wedding which you finally agreed to for once just so you can spite him and move on from playboys like him but you go on and fall for his lies the slightest chance you got?"
It all sort of made sense after patching the missing pieces together. Christopher being all jealous boyfriend on me when he thought I was seeing Charlie, to him trying to kiss me when I confessed I like him. Heavens, maybe he's been wanting to kiss me a long time now but held back because my friend here had been busy preaching to the choir.
"You told him to turn down my feelings for him? How could you, Chi? And how dare you make me feel dirty for all these? Oh I know! This is just your way of spiting us for what Ike did to you. Well guess what, I'm not you and Chris is not Ike so you can as well keep your filthy advice to yourself."
Chioma stared at me with a pained look but I wasn't having it with her. It felt unfair because for once I liked a guy that bothered to look at me a second time while she got so busy plotting ways to tear us apart.
"And I'm not even trying to snatch Christopher from anyone," I rattled on, "so you can stop running to Anna's defense every time. I have genuine feelings for this boy whether or not he set me up with a producer and I'm getting signed because I worked my butt off for this. For all we know, he actually likes me back because if not, he wouldn't have kissed me after everything he went through with his ex. Hear that? Ex! His ex-girlfriend for crying out loud not someone he's been dating the whole time while I was happy seducing him into being his side chic."
A moment of silence passed before my chest tightened despite letting it all out. I let my anger do the talking and whether or not Chioma was in the wrong, slamming the “you were a wanton slut that got dumped so don't interfere in my business even if there's a slight chance you're just looking out for me” talk in her face was not it.
Chioma sniffed and wiped her face before getting up to swipe her jacket off the desk.
"I'm sorry." I blurted but she ignored me and slammed the door on her way out.
My heart dropped to my stomach, staring at the door and it hit me that I just drove away the only friend I had with words that weighed twice my size. My eyes threatened to water but instead, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door before faceplanting the bed.
~~~
Christopher
I stepped down the stairs while drying my damp hair with a towel and entered the living room to see my dad on the phone.
"Okay then... See you on Monday." he got off the phone and gave me a wide grin the umpteenth time in the past couple of hours. "We're meeting Waec's board of directors at your school on Monday. Be in your uniform."
"That ugly costume?" I grimaced and lied through my teeth, "I burnt it."
"Then your school will provide you with another set. Point is, you'll be in the ugly costume on Monday." he stated and I grunted a dismissal under my breath.
After my dad made a huge deal out of my results, like I'd expected of course, we had an heated face off on my college choice and both of us remained unyielding. Then I steamed off on the treadmill in our house gym, fearing I might have just a month left.
"Chris, you... wanna watch the game?" he offered and shifted uneasily on the white couch.
yeah, bribe me with that shit.
I bit my lip to hold back from spilling my intrusive thoughts and faked a smile instead.
"No, thanks. I don't watch football."
"You're missing out, son." he said in a singsong and returned to the Tv.
At the creepy sensation crawling up my spine, I visibly shuddered to brush it off. Son? The fuck? At that, I left for the kitchen and salivated at granny's cooking.
"Smells good." I commented with eyes dancing around the dishes.
"It sure is. Fried yam and scrambled eggs." she beamed and I gasped excitedly.
The popular combo was fried yam and stew but I say crisp yam and scrambled eggs on the side any day any time.
"Fuck yeah." I smacked my lips appreciatively, "Now we're talking."
Granny wiped her hands on her apron and flicked my bare arm with her finger, causing a brutal sting on my poor skin.
"Ow!" I whined and clutched my arm with a pink bruise signed off on it. "Why does everyone keep assaulting me around here?"
"Everyone?" she asked but I ignored it. I was referring to Tracy's love of swatting my arm every chance she got, well whenever I was intentionally being an ass.
"You stop using foul languages and I'll stop." she chided once more.
At the impossibility of it, I sniggered and she laced me a glare.
"Fine! I've heard." I told her and reached for a piece of yam.
"Take that hand back or I pour hot oil on it." she threatened and I withdrew and pouted.
Granny continued stirring the scrambled eggs on the fry pan and my pout deepened until she caved.
"Alright, take one."
I smiled at her compromise and quickly grabbed two from the dishware before she noticed.
"Congratulations on your wassce." she piped and I stopped munching on the fry.
"You've heard about it?"
"Yes, of course. Why do you think I fried yam, your favorite?" she replied and I lost my appetite.
Still, I forced the last piece into my mouth and swallowed the tasteless mush.
"Right." I mouthed flatly.
"Your dad has been talking about it the whole day." her eyes lit up, "He's so proud of you."
"He is, isn't he?"
"Yes, he is." she answered my rhetoric. "He talks about you just the way I talk about my girl so I can tell you made him proud."
"Actually, you don't really talk about your daughter and she has never come to visit."
Granny turned off the heat and took off the apron.
"I do speak of her once a while but there's just no point talking all the time about someone you haven't met. Olive works close by too but she's refused to stop by. Apparently, she doesn't want me working here but little does she know that you all are also family to me."
"Mhm." I hummed in reply and crossed over to the fridge to grab an apple.
"That young lady that visits you is friends with my daughter so I'm sure you'll bump into her soon enough." she added and carried the tray of food.
"Tracy. The young lady is Tracy. Should I help you with that?" I asked her sauntering round figure making her way to the dining.
"No," she replied over her shoulder, "no need. Grab the plates instead."
"Okay."
I set down the red apple behind the sink and began to pick up ceramic plates from the basket and rinsed them under the tap when a squeal startled me into nearly dropping the fragile ware.
"There's my darling Christopher! I've missed you so so much."
"You saw me this morning." I deadpanned.
She dropped her handbag on the counter and came up to deliver wet kisses on my cheek.
"Ay! Ma, stop it." I shook free from her side hug and wiped her lipstick from my cheek with my shoulder.
My stepmom gave me a playful glare and slapped my butt which sent me jumping back in shock.
"What the actual fuck?" I shrieked in horror as she returned to her bag on the island, "Did you just spank me?"
"Things would be so much easier if you were a girl." she sighed it off and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I'm grabbing our plates for lunch." I grunted, "Can you please not do that again? That's some weird stepmom milf porn intro right there."
She sent a pen flying in the air and I quickly ducked, laughing.
"You're a spoilt shild." she said, imitating the main actress in Jenifa's diary.
Placing the last plate on the pile of others, I turned off the tap and dried my hands.
"Let's go shopping after lunch." she clapped excitedly, "My credit card is all yours for today. I've boasted to all my friends about your distinction and it's time to put a crown on it."
"Thanks but no thanks. You don't even act like a pregnant woman, Aunt Lydia. I'm afraid your husband would have to tie your legs down to stop you from stressing out."
"Mom. Call me mom." she grinned and I rolled my eyes, "And do I look pregnant to you? As far as I'm concerned, I have a worm in my belly. Have you seen my abs? No one knows I'm five weeks gone and obviously, I'm still enjoying that privilege."
"Just take it easy. You don't look pregnant but you are pregnant."
"Now you're just sounding like your dad. I'm pregnant, okay? Not sick." she waved me off and I dropped it. "Ehen! Have you gone to see Annabelle? It's been two days. I heard she's awake."
My expression glazed over at the touchy topic.
"No, I haven't." I answered and she pulled up a stool by the island and sat down.
"Why not? You've always wanted to see her conscious and now that she is, you're avoiding her? Or does this have to do with... what happened?"
Aunt Lydia was referring to the leaked video but it had absolutely nothing to do with that. Well, now that she mentioned it, I hoped Anna found a way to forgive me for that shitty stunt.
"No, no it's not that." I countered and leaned against the sink.
"Then, what is it?" she inquired in concern and I had the urge to tell her everything.
I've always had Kelvin figure out my shit for me but I suddenly craved a fresh perspective.
"I..." I blew a sigh and closed my eyes for a second to rethink my choice of words. "I like another girl."
"And?" she drawled, pressing for more.
"I don't know." I shrugged, "I mean I like Annabelle too so I'm not sure how she'll feel when she finds out I ki–, um, like another girl."
"It's Tracy, isn't it?" she asked smugly.
"Why do you think it's her?"
"Just a guess." she smiled, "Is it?"
I nodded wordlessly and she gave me a creepy smile.
"Don't look at me like that." I uttered defensively, "I mean I don't do shits like commitment, never have. But Anne came around and you know everything she went through. I just think it's unfair that I'm thinking of another girl, I mean Tracy, that way."
"I understand. So what do you intend to do? Pick Tracy and let Annabelle go. Or pick Anna out of pity and let Tracy go."
I tried to wrap my head around how simple and straightforward she made it look but it really wasn't that easy.
"Pity? No, I like Anne..." I faltered when she fed me a look of doubt.
"Then if you truly like Annabelle like you claim, you would never have fallen in love with Tracy. There's no such thing as a love triangle. Your heart can only truly yearn for one." she relayed and I cringed.
"I don't love Tracy, okay? I like her."
"Love is a beautiful thing, Chris. It doesn't make you less of a man when you say you love someone. When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily. Understood?"
It must be the reason Anna never took my confession serious until I officially used the L word.
"Great." I exhaled, "You just made this more cheesy and complicated than it already was."
"No, I didn't. Okay, now tell me about the two girls and we'll figure it out from there." she said and clasped her hands in her lap, reminding me of Tracy.
"Well... just like the moon, Annabelle has a side so dark that even the stars can't shine upon it. She also has this side of her so cool that the hottest sun can't melt it. I always thought little of her anxiety and brushed it aside and every now and then, I ask myself why I didn't try to find out what was wrong. It pains me that she couldn't confide in me but I know I shouldn't be too hard on her lest I've walked a mile in her shoes. We share similar topics, we love the same things and asides her frequent doubts, she's overall a nice and sweet person on the inside.
I didn't need anyone to tell me to know I fell in deep for her. When people bad-mouthed her in her absence, I always came to her defense 'cause I felt it was the right thing to do. A part of me feels we just have to talk things out and we'll be happy together moving forward. She did do shit with her friend and fucked me over too but it doesn't mean I should give up on her. I would do whatever it takes to have her smile which makes everything seem right when her dimples come out of their hiding."
I took a deep breath and was glad I let all that out. I looked at my stepmom and she gave me an encouraging nod to go on.
"Then, Tracy..." I said and smiled, recalling how she nicknamed herself Teewilly. "She's upbeat, optimistic, stubborn and goal driven. We've known each other for just a month. Well, we bumped into each other way back and she promised to hand me my ass so technically, we've come a long way.
She acts tough sometimes but she's pretty vulnerable and doesn't even try too hard to keep it all buried in. My ruthless demeanor didn't faze her. If anything, it made her stand up to me instead. Um. She found a way to affect me with her optimism and gladly, I haven't punch a wall in months." I joked. Dark humor might just be my thing.
"I finally felt like I could lean on someone, y'know. Made me understand that I'm not the only miserable thing on earth." I said, recalling her outburst on the front porch after that late night dinner.
"It's thrilling to just sit down and watch her with small lines across her forehead while she brainstorms answers to her question pack. Or times when I secretly smiled at the way she rolls her eyes at my cocky remarks. She can be innocent but also sassy and courageous when she wants to." I chuckled again.
"I mean, she fucking locked me up in my room and gave you the keys which means she's a ball of energy when she meets her bully. We're two very different people and I feel bad for destroying her headphone after I realized how much music means to her. I now understand what she meant when I drove her back from work that day. She said life is more beautiful when it's filled with diverse personalities and creatures rather than ones. She just complements the way I view life in the most beautiful way possible."
"Chris."
"Yeah," I chuckled, "I drifted off, sorry."
"Do you know who you truly love now?"
All I did was tell them apart.
"No, I don't." I whined, finding this might be pointless.
"Don't get frustrated. You know who you want, you just haven't tried enough to figure out who it is." she said and I brushed back my hair.
"That doesn't even make any sense."
Aunt Lydia gave a small smile and I wondered if she was getting a splitting headache like I was.
"Want to hear my honest opinion?"
"Of course I do."
"It might be possible to fall in love with two people–"
"You just said it wasn't. Why are you taking it back?"
"Just calm down and listen. You love Tracy and you love Annabelle. Correct?"
"Yeah?"
"Good. You can find yourself torn in between two people you have feelings for but at the end of the day, just one out of the two is truly meant for you. You see, anyone can love a rose but it takes a great deal to love a leaf. Don't just love someone that is beautiful, rather love the one that makes your life beautiful. The way I see it, you're probably finding it hard to choose between love and lust. "
"That's not possible." I spat impatiently.
It's taken me two sleepless nights to know I didn't love one more than the other and lust was not an option for either of them too. Her thesis was wrong, else I'd have had this shit figured out before now. Perhaps, I could just have them both. Not quite the option to go for but anything better than being this conflicted right now was worth the shot.
"Yes, it is. See, you can always fall in love with a girl but between these two, one of them has to be your soulmate and the other, let's just say is not meant to be."
I digested the last piece in silence and tried to make sense of it.
"What's a soulmate?"
"Just someone you have a special connection with, spiritual even." she replied in a cool manner.
"Spiritual my ass." I muttered and dared to ask, "Who do think my soulmate is?"
"That's not up to me to decide. But if I'm to be frank, I think it's Tracy. You need to see the way your eyes lit up the whole time you talked about her and you were not going to stop if I didn't cut in."
"That's beside the point."
"Maybe. And this has nothing to do with my relationship with Tracy's mom, okay? I want you to make the right choice too."
"Right choice? Hell, I'm not getting married. Why does any of this shit even matter?" I scoffed and she stepped down the stool to meet me.
"It does. Your soulmate comes around just once. I'm not necessarily saying you'll end up marrying either of them. If it's just two teens getting along on their journey to adulthood, you should still enjoy the thrill of making the right choice and owning up to it."
"I need aspirin. This shit is worse than hangover." I spat irritably and she laughed.
My stepmom was really a cool person. Here I was making jokes about hangover and milf porn and she didn't mind them. Perhaps, she learnt of some of my past delinquencies from my father and nothing fazed her anymore.
"Okay now, let's try something more fun. I want you to close your eyes and think. Forget everything you know about the two of them, both their bad sides and their good ones."
I wanted to refuse and call her cheesy again but I closed my eyes and followed through.
"Okay?"
"If you were meeting them both for the very first time, who would you choose?" she asked and I opened my eyes a second or two later and smiled.
"I know."
_____________
Annabelle
I dabbed on my face with a tissue and Bassey helped me with the takeout cup of iced Americano he got from the cafe.
"Thanks." I said and collected the styrofoam cup from him.
"You're welcome." he replied and sat on the chair beside me while I tipped the cup and downed the coffee.
"You... wanna talk about it?" he asked and I shook my head and licked my lips.
"I just need a moment to collect myself." I said, "I really should've seen this coming. I'm not good enough for him."
"Don't say that, Anna. You're an amazing person. I'm sure your dad knows this too." he said and I smiled sadly.
"Rose. My name is Rose."
"It is?" he frowned, "Then.. why do you go by Annabelle?"
"Because I try too hard to be someone I'm not. I'm a fake version of myself." I laughed sadistically.
"I'm sure–"
"No Bassey, you're not sure. No one is. You don't know anything about me, alright? I'm just a loser and a big fat liar." I spat.
"Well, you're not fat so..." he uttered in a quiet voice and I felt bad for snapping at him.
It wasn't even his fault my life turned out this way.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "for snapping at you."
"Nah. Snap all you want. As long as it makes you feel better."
Bassey was just too sweet for my bullshit. I dabbed on my wet lids again and threw the tissue in the bin beside me.
Just as I was beginning to get used to the silence, nurse Eunice opened the door and stepped in.
"Anna, there's someone here to see you." she squealed like a kid.
Honestly, I've had enough of people seeing me at this point but at least I knew who it was this time.
Christopher walked in and the air shifted immediately. I gazed at his ever lovely face and willed myself not to lose all my resolve at the sight of him. Taking a sip of the coffee again, it seemed to cool my aching heart on its way down and I slowly broke into a fake smile.
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