What do you do when you can't take it anymore? Do you scream? Slam doors? Or take it out on innocent beings?
Let it out or self-destruct. How could we hold it in?
When we lock up our feelings and our pain and put up a façade, we become ticking time bombs. Bombs that will explode and destroy everything with it.
◈ ━━━━━━━ ⸙ - ⸙ ━━━━━━━ ◈
Church service had been even more exhausting than normal for Kasy with the kind of tension in the air. She had convinced Kendrick to stay for the weekend but even that did little to nothing in making her forget that they were a uniquely dysfunctional family.
The drive to church, the service—having to sit next to each other and all—and the drive back, it was all silent awkwardness.
Kenneth and his kids had put hands together to make lunch that Sunday afternoon and Philomena didn't seem to care. Either that, or she had finally decided to give them breathing space.
Sitting at the dinning table to eat too was very much awkward. It was all awkward silence until the woman finally decided to speak and make things worse.
"Nkasiobi, I hope you've picked up a few things in the kitchen. Your father won't be your cook forever."
Kasy didn't say anything to that. Maybe if she ignored it, it would go away.
"Nkasiobi, did you hear what I just said?"
"I heard you."
"So what are the steps in preparing tomato sauce?" she asked before taking a sip from her glass of juice, eyeing Kasy all the while.
The question infuriated the hell out of Kasy but what could she do about it?
"I don't know, my mother didn't teach me."
Spoons drops and forks clattered to the floor. Kasy didn't even know when she had said that.
"Nkasiobi, I si gini?" her mother's voice rose and so did the woman.
"Kasy, why would you speak to your mother that way?" Kenneth looked visibly annoyed as well and that only made Kasy even more fed up.
"Why should she be complaining that I don't know these things when she's not there to teach me?" Kasy exploded, speaking rapidly. "Where has she been all this while? What makes her think she can abandon us and still dictate our own lives?"
"Nkasiobi!"
"It's Kasy!" she yelled, turning to glare at her mother across the table.
"Ara ana pu gi?" her mother had had enough. She stood up and matched towards Kasy. Kenneth and Kendrick stood up as well to stop her while Kasy sat there, breathing heavily in fury. "Get out of my way let me teach this stupid girl a lesson!" Mrs. Philomena yelled at Kendrick.
"Kasy, apologize to your mother, now!" Kenneth thundered, looking down at his daughter.
Kasy seemed hesitant. Everything she'd said was the truth and nothing but the truth. Why should she apologize?
However, she should have just kept her mouth shut and let the woman have her way. After all, she would be leaving the next day.
"I'm sorry," she said in a rush, not meaning any word.
"Sorry for yourself!" her mother yelled back, still trying to get to her. "I can see you lack respect for your own mother—"
Kasy didn't wait to hear the rest. She stood up and stormed out of the place with different voices yelling at her to get back. She couldn't stand it anymore, and besides, she had packing to do.
She slammed her door and locked it on entering her room. She wouldn't mind staying locked in there till the next day when her mother would leave.
• • •
Casper Bassey
So you're basically saying I'll have to play along and be your boyfriend for the week😏
2:19 PM
Kasy K
Not really. Just say yes when anyone asks you😊
2:20 PM
Casper Bassey
LMAO 😂 😂
Alright
What could possibly go wrong?
2:20 PM
Kasy K
Well everything could go wrong but let's hope it doesn't. LOL 😂
2:21 PM
Casper Bassey
😂 Alright.
2:22 PM
Casper Bassey sent a photo
2:23 PM
Casper Bassey
Your shirtless boyfriend 💕💞
2:24 PM
Kasy K
You never give up, do you
2:24 PM
Casper Bassey
Yeah, keep pretending like you don't like it 😏
2:25 PM
Kasy K
🙄
2:26 PM
Casper Bassey
Okay, it's your turn 😁
2:26 PM
Kasy K
My turn for what?
2:26 PM
Casper Bassey
Your pics ☺
I want to see my girlfriend 😉
2:27 PM
Casper Bassey
I want to see that sexy body of yours 😍💕
2:28 PM
That last text had gotten to Kasy and the word 'sexy' stuck. He thought she was sexy? Was she sexy? Not many people thought she was sexy and she needed to hear it. She needed to to feel that way.
And without giving it a second thought, she opened her camera.
• • •
Shot number... Fifteen? Twenty five? Thirty? Dele had lost count. And he'd also not realized that the bottle of whiskey was almost empty.
"How come no one suddenly wants to play video games?" Enock grumbled with his eyes glued to the large screen as he tried to not get killed.
That was a good question. Dele was generally not in the mood for anything else asides his whiskey. Ahmed on the other hand seemed to be glued to his phone these days. Dele could bet he was chatting with Tari at that moment and he hadn't even heard a word that came out of Enock's mouth. He'd stumbled upon their chat a lot of times but it wasn't his business.
On a normal Sunday evening, they would've all had game pads in their hands, trying to kill each other on the large screen, but not today.
Dele could see Ahmed occasionally glancing up to eye him from where he sat—a warning that he was going overboard. But Ahmed chose not to voice his thoughts.
Enock shouted and made different noises depending on when he was being slayed and when he was winning. Dele could never understand how someone could be so lively and energetic.
He hadn't seen Ahmed approaching the bar area as he filled yet another glass. His head was beginning to pound but who cared?
Ahmed grabbed the bottle from him and the glass toppled over in the process, spilling the drink on the counter.
"E don do."
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Dele pushed Ahmed away and snatched the bottle back. "Guy, mind your business."
The boys didn't break eye contact as Dele took a swing directly from the large bottle.
"Stop looking at me like that, I didn't steal your kidney." Dele laughed dryly at his own joke. He sat on one of the stools and Ahmed did the same. Dele turned to him. "Did you tell her?"
"Tell who wetin?" Ahmed asked, looking a little bit confused.
"Tari,"
Ahmed's expression changed. He didn't look like he wanted to have that conversation.
"Did you tell about what happened..." Dele trailed, knowing Ahmed already knew what he was referring to.
Ahmed looked away. And without looking at Dele, he replied, "I tell am."
He'd had a feeling that would be the case. They had been so close lately and people who were usually close like that to Ahmed Yusuf usually knew his past. So far, only Dele had accomplished that.
"Buh I lie give am. I tell am say na outside estate una dey stay and I never see you again since then,"
At that moment, Dele couldn't even care less. If Ahmed had gone ahead and told Tari that Junior was Dele and Mr. Aloysius was the same Mr. Aloysius Akindele who had had Ahmed raped at gunpoint, Dele would've probably hugged him. Why?
Because he was tired. Tired of the secrets, the lies, the façade.
"I'm not angry." They were speaking in whispers and even in his tipsy state, Dele made sure to look directly at Ahmed—even if he'd refused to look his way—to let him know that he meant every word. "What happened that day was my fault,"
Ahmed turned to him, opened his mouth to speak but Dele didn't let him. He already knew what he was going to say.
"Yeah, I know, you asked me to get the key but I shouldn't have. It's still my fault." He placed his hand on Ahmed's shoulder. "I was there and I couldn't help me," he was starting to choke on his words now. For some reason, his throat was getting clogged up, "I'm really, really sorry."
Ahmed just stared back at Dele. His eyes said so many things and nothing at the same time.
They'd had this conversation before. Ahmed didn't blame him and had nothing against him. How they'd ended up friends after everything? It was still a mystery neither of them could solve.
Ahmed had turned up to school with a scar on his face after the incident. He avoided Dele like the plague and Dele did the same. They'd been like that months until the previous year, Dele summoned up the courage to finally apologize-since he never did-and surprisingly, Ahmed didn't have anything against him. It was water under the bridge.
How he'd managed to come to his house and not have a mental breakdown was what Dele didn't get. He'd thought that Ahmed would even be too scared of his father to come back but they'd even met a few times and Ahmed only acted in different with Mr. Aloysius. Dele couldn't wrap his head around it but he needed Ahmed, he was the only person who knew how shitty his life was. Besides, trying to understand Ahmed Yusuf was like trying to understand how God had come to be.
"Bro, e don do, you wan cry sef."
Dele smiled. Thank God he still had a sense of humor in times like this.
"What the fuck are you guys whispering over there?" Enock yelled from the living room. "I always I feel like you guys are planning to assassinate me or something," he whined with his eyes still on the game.
Dele and Ahmed exchanged amused looks before they both decided to join Enock in the sitting room. Dele staggered a little but fortunately didn't lose his balance.
He downed the entire entire bottle of whiskey by the time he got seated and it didn't take long for him to go from tipsy to outright wasted.
From that moment onwards after he'd grabbed another bottle, he couldn't remember much. Neither could he even pay attention to whatever that was happening around him.
"Dele, how far na? How far your project?" Ahmed asked him and Dele took another swing before responding in the nest way he could manage.
Dele didn't know what he'd said and what he didn't say but he was pretty he'd explained in graphic detail how he'd had sex with Kasy. He must've also included things that never happened because Ahmed was grinning and hailing on top of his voice.
When Ahmed was done hearing Dele's supposed sexcapade and singing his praises, he turned to Enock who had long abandoned his game and now now had a bottle of beer in his hands. "You nko, you don seal the deal?" Ahmed asked.
Enock seemed to pause for awhile before he smirked that mischievous, devilish smirk of his and took a drink from the bottle. Ahmed seemed to be in the mood to hype that evening because he didn't fail to hail Enock too even though he hadn't said much, or anything at all.
Dele remembered Ahmed placing a bet with him but he couldn't recall what it was about.
He'd gone back to the bar again when Sola and Annika showed up. His sober self would've been bothered about getting wasted in Annika's presence but his already wasted self just didn't care as much.
Besides, it was already very late, what were they doing there? Annika lived across the street but she didn't fancy leaving her house at night. Sola must've persuaded.
The girls had to come to the bar area to say hi because Dele didn't trust himself to get up without tumbling over and crashing into everything.
"Someone break your heart?" Sola had joked, trying to figure out why he had drank so much. It was unlike him.
Annika didn't really say anything. He avoided meeting her eyes but he still felt them on him.
The girls left the bar area shortly when they realized he didn't want to be pestered but Annika and Ahmed came around again, talking about something that looked important.
"If my popsi catch her eeh," Ahmed was telling Annika who was looking at something on Ahmed's phone.
"What's that?" Dele managed to ask, already feeling very sleepy.
Annika handed him Ahmed's phone without saying anything.
It was a picture, taken from afar. But you could make out the center of attention on the photo.
If Dele wasn't mistaken, it was a picture of Ahmed's sister and that gentle bastard, Timi Disemi, kissing.
Actually kissing.
Well, it looked like a very awkward kiss but still, who would've expected it? Dele blinked countlessly just to make sure it wasn't the alcohol painting images in his head.
"Who took the picture?" Annika asked Ahmed.
"Tari,"
"Tari..." Annika trailed, darting her eyes around. Dele knew that look.
"Timi's sister," Dele explained.
Annika paused. "The... Social prefect?" she asked and Dele nodded.
Ahmed excused himself, saying he needed to use the bathroom.
Dele watched Annika as she leaned against the counter, looking into the phone in her hands. He could see the wheels in her head turning.
"What are you thinking?" Dele asked her, his voice a little inaudible.
Without responding, Annika opened her purse and pulled out her own phone. It took a while for Dele to realize she was sending the picture to herself.
Her plan was already clear already. Dele knew Annika like the back of his palm. "I thought Timi was your friend."
"He is," Annika said without looking up at him, "but that friendship is not guaranteed right now. He betrayed my trust."
Dele couldn't be happier to hear that, but he didn't show it. "I still don't know why you told him."
Annika didn't say anything as she put her own phone away and looked up at Dele.
"What?" he asked.
"Is this a new thing for you?" She gestured to the bottles and glasses on the counter.
He didn't reply her, instead he decided to change the topic. "Whatever you're planning to do to Amira, keep in mind that she's Ahmed's sister. And Ahmed is still our friend."
They only held each other's gaze for awhile without saying anything. She was pondering on his words, Dele knew that.
"I'm going, see you tomorrow." Annika left before he could say anything else.
When he'd managed to get back to the living room, he realized that Enock had left as without saying goodbye. Apparently, according to Sola, he was moody and just stormed out when she'd tried talking to him.
Ahmed and Sola left soon after, laughing and joking around in pidgin English.
Dele was left all alone once again in that big, haunted mansion of his. Strangely, he felt like the beast in Beauty And The Beast. The only difference was, no one could actually see the beast in him.
The only other two people who would've possibly been in the house was Martha, the housekeeper and cook. But she worked part-time and left around 4 PM. There was never a full time staff in the Akindele mansion, except the gate man whose quarters was far from the main building, close to the gate.
The second person was his father. Mr. Aloysius Bamidele Akindele could fly in and out of the country without Dele's knowledge. Hell, he could've even been at home for a whole week and they wouldn't set eyes on each other. The man stayed downstairs and Dele stayed upstairs. It was all very intentional.
The only actual proof he had that he's father was well and alive was the monthly allowance alert he got. But even that wasn't proof since he was sure the transactions were automatic; every month, a particular amount of money, to Bamidele Desmond Akindele's account.
It was better that way. How could he look the man that killed his mother and had his best friend sexually molested-all in that same place he called a home-in the eye every day?
Why hadn't Dele reported him to the police?
Because it was all his fault. Maybe it wasn't fully his fault, but he could be blamed. He should never have come downstairs with a knife that night. He shouldn't have attacked his father like that, making him stab the woman in front of him. He should never have given Ahmed the key to the basement. He should have done more than just scream at his father while those women assaulted Ahmed, even if it meant his father shooting him.
Ahmed was part of the reason why he hadn't involved the police, even after all these years. Ahmed would die before the whole world knew what happened to him. And involving the authorities meant just that.
And besides, who else did he have? His mother was gone and ever since he could tell, there were no other distant family members. What would it benefit him if his father was behind bars?
Thinking about it alone drove Dele crazy. He wouldn't even wish for his enemy to have a life like his. He was just tired.
The large, bronze-framed portrait stared back at Dele and the more he looked at his mother's smile, the more he wanted to lie on the floor and just cry until he cried blood and there was no more blood to cry.
Why?
Why this twisted life?
It was becoming too much especially when he had to act like everything was good and fine. It was all far from that. And it was driving him crazy.
Yelling out with rage and sadness and agony, he didn't know why he did it but he just threw his whiskey bottle against the portrait and crashed to the floor with it.
He was sure he'd remain there till morning; reeking of alcohol and experiencing a major hangover.
He didn't mind. Hangovers were way much better than what he was feeling.
• • •
Fourteen hours.
It had been fourteen hours since Casper last came online. That was all Kasy could think about that Monday morning. And also the fact that things would definitely be awkward when she would see Dele again. But Casper not coming online was just very unusual.
She pulled out her phone and read their last conversation again.
Casper Bassey
I want to see that sexy body of yours 😍💕
2:28 PM
Kasy K
Okay.. 🙈
2:29 PM
Kasy K sent a photo
2:35 PM
Kasy K sent a photo
2:36 PM
Kasy K sent a photo
2:38 PM
Casper Bassey
God 😳
You are truly beautiful 😘😍
And sexy as hell 😉💞
2:41 PM
And that was it.
Kasy had never sent nudes to anyone before but she was very sure it was weird for them to ghost you right after.
On a normal day, she would've been complaining about the Michael Jackson music her dad was addicted to and forced her to listen to whenever he took her to school, or try to make conversation with Kendrick who was in the car with them for the first time in a long time. A lot was just going through her head.
The ride was silent but she could tell Kendrick wished their dad would drive faster because they were already late and Kendrick didn't want to be late to work. He was actually already supposed to be in school, making arrangements for the sports competition since he was the appointed teacher to go with them. It wasn't a surprise that they would put Kendrick up for the job. The other teachers were either too old, too lazy, or too pregnant.
Kenneth drove into the crowded school premises and after he'd found a parking space, Kendrick jumped out and took off.
Kenneth offered to help Kasy carry her bag to wherever she was taking it to after they got it out of the boot but she insisted on carrying it. She wouldn't want her classmates thinking she was a daddy's girl-which she was-and give them more reasons to stare.
Yes, Kasy knew her father was young and good looking enough to appear on a Vogue magazine cover but the staring was a little bit over the top.
No matter how she tried, Kasy couldn't get herself in a better mood. She made it past the crowded hallway and and into her classroom with her bags. The place was deserted since everyone was standing in the passage, probably still on the whole Enock and Tamara drama.
Kasy didn't know how long she sat there alone, thinking and staring into space.
Maybe Dele didn't go through with having sex with her because she had small boobs. Or was she just too skinny?
Casper had also probably ran away after he saw her shameful body. What had she been thinking? He'd simply said all that too make her feel good, she should have known that.
Now he'd ghosted her and probably wanted nothing to do with her because she was nothing more than a disgrace to womanhood. Calling her a girl was just an insult to other girls.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Kasy looked up to find Adam standing there. He was wearing a white sweater over his uniform, his short black hair was as curly as always and his cheeks were still full and cute. He looked concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine." She tried to force a small but even that was too hard to do.
"Okay. I just wanted to ask because you look..." Adam didn't finish his sentence. She looked miserable, Kasy didn't need anyone to tell her that. "Anyway, did you see the news about Tamara-"
"Yeah," Kasy cut in, "the group chat is going wild. Besides, I think it's just gossip."
"I think so too." Adam nodded in agreement. "Anyway, see you later," he said before walking past her to talk his seat.
She might never be close friends with Adam again but the fact that he'd started talking to her again was a big relief. At least it still looked like he cared a lot and Kasy was okay with that.
• • •
It surprised Kasy that she had even been paying attention enough for her to realize that Ms. Isong was now calling on the debaters. Reluctantly, she stood and walked to the front of the class and just stood there, absentmindedly.
"Kasy, where's your partner?" Ms. Isong asked, looking at her from where she sat. The whole class seemed to be looking around.
Partner?
She meant Dele. The guy wasn't even in class. Was that how much he wanted to avoid her?
"Uh..." she looked around, still shocked at the fact that he actually wasn't there. "I don't know, I haven't seen him today."
"Okay, carry on," said Ms. Isong amidst the murmurs and whispers concerning Dele's absence.
Kasy couldn't look at Ms. Isong without remembering what had happened to her so she decided not to look the lady's way too much or she might just give herself away.
She zoned out once again, deeply lost in thought as Tamara spoke. But then, the next thing she knew, Tamara was running out of the class, crying.
Enock stood there, awkwardly looking around.
"I'm not feeling well," Kasy said to the English teacher when she looked at her. Before any questions, she hastily walked out of the classroom.
She just couldn't do it; stand there and tell everyone that premarital sex-which she'd almost just had-was a bad thing.
Kasy didn't even know when she'd started crying as she thought of everything that made her feel so disconsolate. The thought of of her mother, the thought of Dele, the thought of Casper.
She like she would self-destruct. And before she knew it, she was screaming at nothing in particular like a mad woman, in the girl's bathroom. When she had gotten there, she didn't know, but she was now on the floor, crying like there was no tomorrow.
"Kasy, Kasy...what's wrong?" she heard the voice but she didn't look up to see who it was. They must've been in one of the stalls. "Stand up." They pulled her up to her feet but she still couldn't get herself together.
"Talk to me, what's the matter?"
Kasy realized that it was Tamara after the girl tried wiping her wet face.
"I made a mistake and now..." She tried explaining but her words were coming out fast and jumbled up. She should never have sent Casper those pictures. "I don't know what's wrong with me! He's not even replying my messages anymore!"
"Kasy, calm down, what are you talking about? Who's not replying your messages?"
"C-Casper... He's not responding and...my mum, she's back! And Dele...Dele..."
She knew she wasn't making sense. There's no way Tamara would understand, no one would. After all, this was silly, it was all silly. People had bigger problems and here she was, crying about mummy issues and boys who didn't want anything to do with her. How pathetic.
"See, Kasy, just calm down. Take a deep breath!"
She did just that, deciding that her tears were foolish tears. She wiped her face with her blazer and kept her breathing in check.
"Kasy, what's the matter?" Tamara asked, looking very concerned.
"No, no, don't worry. It's okay. Don't mind me," she said to Tamara, trying herself in the process as well.
"Bu-"
Kasy didn't wait for Tamara to speak. She walked with the speed of lightening, in search of somewhere she could be all alone.
• • •
The headache had hit him like a hurricane, just as he'd predicted. He groaned, trying to sit up but the pain was too much. He glanced at the clock close to the bar area; 12: 43 PM.
He'd missed school.
He would just meet up with everyone else in the hotel-wherever that was. He managed to get up, took some aspirin and went ahead to pack. He hadn't packed anything at all but it wouldn't take time.
Luckily, Martha came around and make him lunch before proceeding to clean up the mess in the living room. He put a call across to his driver and asked him to come over in two hours time.
It was already past three by the time he was done bathing, packing and eating. He was basically ready but then, being honest to himself, he didn't want to go. He didn't feel like going. But he didn't have a choice. It would be a disaster if Bamidele Akindele wasn't there.
Sitting on his bed, he reached for his phone on the bedside table and sent a text to Enock. He told him he wasn't feeling well and he would meet up with them at the hotel. He would have to send the address once they got there.
There were a lot of other messages from classmates who wanted to know why one of the star athletes was missing in action but Dele didn't reply them. He'd let Enock deliver the message.
He went into Kasy's direct message, his hands hovered on his keyboard as he thought of something-anything-to tell her but nothing came to mind. He groaned, turned off his phone and laid down.
• • •
Kasy was the last to get into the bus. Her luggage was in her left hand, her school bag on her shoulder and her phone in her right hand with her eyes glued to it. She stared down at her chats with Casper trying to make sense of something she didn't know of.
"Are you okay?" Kendrick asked her as she walked past him at the door. He must've seen the scowl on her face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied without looking up at him.
There was a vacant seat at the front so she took it.
Kasy K
Casper where are you?
3:40 PM
Kasy K
It's so unlike you to be offline for more than 24 hours 😢
3:40 PM
Kasy K
Maybe you're busy getting ready for the competition. See you tomorrow, I guess ❤️
3:41 PM
Yeah, that was just it. Casper Bassey was just too busy getting ready for the competition. Or maybe he hadn't been able to charge his phone because there was a blackout in his area or something. Everything would be fine, she was just being paranoid for nothing.
Kendrick closed the door of the bus and took the seat next to his sister. He put his arm around her shoulder as the vehicle revved to life.
Bloody Samaritan by Ayra Starr came on on someone's music player and it was a whole new vibe on the bus as the students chanted the lyrics like they owned it.
Kasy smiled as Kendrick joined the students in singing too.
Surely, everything would be fine.
• • •
(Secret conversation on a messaging app)
AZE007: Mission accomplished. I got what I wanted.
AZE007: Thanks a lot for your help. I owe you one.
AZE007: hey, are you there?
IGBO_SISTER3: Yeah, no problem. Nice working with you.
AZE007: Cool.. I have one question though.
IGBO_SISTER3: What?
AZE007: How did you get those pictures of Casper?
IGBO_SISTER3: That's not your concern. And don't disclose my identity.
AZE007: Fine. I won't. See you at the Olympics.
I would give my kidney to know what you guys are thinking right now! Like, these last five chapters have been too hot, even for me.
What part shocked you most, or what did you think of them?
The Kanayo twisted family dynamic and what happened to Ms. Isong.
The fact that Mr. Aloysius and Mr. Akindele are the same person and he was also responsible for killing Dele's mother AND raping Ms. Isong??!? (like seriously though)
Or the fact that Dele and Kasy were one inch away from HAVING SEX!!!
Let's not even talk about Kasy sending her nudes to Casper.
And let's not forget that Annika now has the picture of Amira and Timi, KISSSING!!!
AND FINALLY, THIS LAST SCENE WITH THE SECRET CONVERSATION!!! WHO DO YOU THINK ARE THOSE TWO PEOPLE? YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE IGBO SISTERS FROM TOO MANY BROKEN THINGS BY lovetori_xo, YEAH? WHICH ONE OF THEM IS IT?
It only proves that the drama in store for the sports Olympics is crazy. And mind you, Kasy and Dele chapters aren't finished.
A lot of truth has been revealed, a lot of questions has been answered, please don't leave without telling me how everything is making you feel.
And if there's a lot of typo in these chapters, blame proctor98 the guy has literally been threatening me to update. So I had to update quick before he killed someone's first son 😂
I'll see you guys in the comments ♥.