Dedicated to :
• Anumba Somtochukwu Nancy on her graduation and the rest of the 0'22 set of Presentation National High School.
•Okon Edima Mfon.
•0'19 set of Presentation National High School.
•My entire family.
LAST DAYS AT PACIFIC CREST HIGH SCHOOL.
•Kainene•
"Do your face well jare,before you're doing like guguru and ekpa" My mother laughed as she placed the facial mask over my face. To be frank,I hated it. She had me putting it on for hours every evening since the day I got back from school in preparation for prom.
The last thing I'd expected from my mother is for her to be this invested in my promenade. It was like a million light bulbs had lit in her head the minute I'd told her about it.
"Mummy it's okay na. My face is already spotless as it is" I whined,pushing her off me just after she'd placed the mask over my face. Although she could be pain in the ass,it made me happy that she spent so much time with me nowadays.
"See this girl oh. You don't want to look fine for that boy that's always calling you up and down abi" she teased. My eyes widened as I looked up at her,her lips etching up into a smirk as mischief glinted in her orbs.
"Jesus,mummy!!" I shrieked,terror imprinting itself in my mind as I watched her laugh. "But I'm not lying naw. You'll naw always be blushing anyhow. What's that his name again sef?" She laughed,coming to take a seat beside me on the couch.
"I don't know what you're talking about abeg" I told her,attempting to suppress the blush which had started to creep over my cheekbones. She went silent for a while and I furrowed my brows at her,noticing that she'd been staring at me with a weird look.
"You've grown oh" she gave a sad smile. "I didn't know you would grow up this fast" she chuckled. "You didn't know I would grow up at all" I found myself jabbing her. I'd tried not to but the fact that she was warming up to me didn't wipe away all the hurt she'd given me.
"That's true" she gave a low chuckle,picking up a candy bar from the side table. "Why the sudden change?" I found myself asking. My curiosity had suddenly started poking me and I refused to pull at their reigns.
She gave another smile,which was followed by a shrug. "I just...."she started,taking a chunk of the candy into her mouth. "....realised I'm not getting any younger and you're really the only thing I have. .....The day I got a call from your school,I realised that you were really growing up and I was at the verge of not knowing you anymore" she gave a low explanation.
"You never knew me. You never wanted to" I blurted at her,averting my gaze from her. "So,don't you want to get married anymore? It seemed that like that was the only thing on your mind for years" I questioned. I'd spent all these years not knowing my mum and I couldn't believe how much exchanging a few words with her had me actually forgiving her. I'd let it all go without her even having to ask.
"Maybe I'll marry after you. At this rate,you'll be marrying before me" she laughed,picking up her phone from the side table. She was so good at changing the topic and I let her.
"Mummy,leave me alone abeg. Rapu'm aka" I laughed. "Let me ensure that they will deliver your prom gown tomorrow oh. Ka ha hapu i kpokwa mu aha( So that they won't call my name). Abi its grey you people said you're wearing" she laughed on,settling more into the sofa.
Giving her one last look,I gave off a chuckle before picking up my own phone. Daryl had officially asked me out to prom a few days ago and even though I'd known it would happen,it still made me quite giddy.
Godson had asked Onome to prom as well and as much as a shock as that had come to me,I hadn't found it unbelievable. She was happy and that made me happy as well. Oghale had been asked by Temi of course and Yomi,well,it was a pass for him. He'd refused to attend anything besides the school graduation.
***
"Oh Jesus,Mummy it's not my size" I cried,trying to fit my leg into the pair of thin-heeled shoes my mother had gotten to complement my prom gown.
"It's you that doesn't want to calm down! I said I will come and help you buckle it ehn! Anne,biko nye ya aka (please help her)" she directed at our housekeeper.
I'd thought planning my prom would have been such a hard phase for me but my mother,my very own mother had taken every part of it upon herself. It was a Friday so she'd come home early from work just so she could help me with my dressing.
She'd done the moisturizing and makeup. My manicure had been taken care of the previous day,she'd taken me to get artificial nails fixed. I'd picked out pink and nude nails with little silver studs on them. Next,she'd taken me to the salon to get my hair washed,dried and pulled into a high ponytail with a thirty-six inches brown hair extension attached to its ends.
"Thank God for these ropes,they'll help you not to lose your balance" My mum spoke up,coming beside Anne who had just finished interlacing the silver leather-like laces of my heels around my legs,stopping right below my knees. The band of the heels which held my toes in place was also well embellished with shimmery motifs.
"I know how to walk on heels naw" I shot her a death glare but eyelash extensions she'd fixed on me probably accentuated the action. "Its like you don't know you'll be wearing these shoes for hours. You think its joke" she laughed,going back to her pacing around the house,trying to gather everything I would need before we would head out.
I thanked Anne as she stepped back,looking over me endearingly. I guess it wasn't only I who was elated at how much effort my mother was putting into all of this. If this was her way of making up how much she'd neglected me in the past,well,it was working quite well.
"Oya,wear these ones. Anne,yinye ya these rings(Wear her these rings)" My mother instructed,emerging into the living room with a jewellery box. I sat,simply smoothing the large knee-lenght fluffy shimmery baby pink net flare skirts of my gown as my mother placed what seemed like gold bands over the root of my ponytail.
She placed a studded lustrous hair band over the fore of my hair,one whose designed could be akin to that of a real crown.
"Kainene! I makwa mma oh! I sini ginii!(You're fine oh! You say what!)" Anne hyped,helping me to my feet while my mother ensured that the step-like flares of my gown remained dislodged from the silver sequin lace which formed the torso of the gown.
"Before,no be my pikin!" My mother concurred,giving herself the credit as she handed me the silver clutch she'd gotten me and we headed towards the car. She helped me into the passenger's seat before climbing into the driver's seat herself.
"Abi its Ikeja suites and event centre?" She questioned as she started the car. I replied affirmative,taking a while to stare at my reflection in the windscreen of the car. Lord could my mother really work magic,from the contours of my face to the eyeshadow which brought out my eyes to the bronzing of my nose,I looked transformed. I could actually call myself stunning.
For most of the drive,only the music from the car speakers massaged our ears. I was too engrossed in typing away on my phone,ecstasy pumping through my veins the more pictures of my classmates who had arrived at the venue began to flood my instagram timeline.
It was about the umpteenth time I looked up to see where we were that my mum spoke up. "Calm down aunty,we will soon reach" she chuckled,causing me to look her way.
"I don't even know why it's doing me to just get there fast" I breathed,earning another laugh and a shake of her head as we turned on a bend which led us into a narrower road than that which we'd come from.
I sucked in a deep breath as we pulled into the lot of the suite,the flashing lights from the camera disembarking the dark of the night which the streetlights had failed to. Glitz and glamour was certainly the theme for the night.
I watched my classmates,boys dressed in exquisite suits and girls in elegant dinner and ball gowns walk over the red carpet which led into the event centre to the right of the suite.
It was just as we'd planned it to be or perhaps even better. Photographers had been hired as we all knew we might be too busy for the rest of the night to get ourselves decent pictures. We'd also put in a red carpet concept,which would ensure that every single person would have a picture of their own.
"Don't forget to take pictures oh" my mother reminded,adjusting the bridal pins she'd placed at strategic positions in my hair. I on the other hand was too busy texting Onome whose mother's car had been right behind mine. At least,I had someone to walk down the red carpet with,the thought of walking down alone had my feet strangely growing cold.
"Mummy,I will yeah. Thank you!" I beamed at her,climbing down from the car after spotting Onome a few inches away,her gaze running all over the lot,probably in search of me as well.
I believed I'd heard her yell to me to give her a call but I'd been too far off to throw a reply her way. The clinking of my heels against the interlocked tiles of the floor had Onome turning my way before I could reach her.
"My love!" She shrieked,bringing her arms around me as I reached her,emulating her action. "Ahah,see how you're just shining oh" I praised as we pulled away,taking caution to not smudge our makeup and looking over her dressing. She was the embodiment of magnificence.
She'd picked out a turquoise dinner gown. The torso of her dress had been made with a shimmery lace but what intrigued me in the gown. The flares of her gown were made entirely from turquoise feathers. She'd fixed a straight black hair extension which rested and blended perfectly with the melanin of her skin.
"They don't even know what's happening" she laughed as walked towards the red carpet. "Trust boys to always arrive first in things like these" Onome laughed as we made our way down the carpet,our conversation keeping us going and almost causing us to forget the lights which flashed against our faces. We proceeded into the hall after a few camera shots.
My gaze wandered all over the place,a smile settling on my face as I seemed to have found the figure I'd been in earnest search for. I made a beeline for where Daryl stood with Sele,adjusting the kerchief which had been placed at the right side of Sele's maroon blazer.
I'd only reached their back and reached out to give him a tap but he'd turned on his heels that very minute,causing me to flinch and take a few uncalculated steps backwards.
For once,my mum had been right. The laces had really helped me to not loose my balance,but so had Daryl's hold over my arm. "You want to fall fine girl like this down Daryl,you fit pay?" Sele teased as a grin replaced the shock on my face.
"I dey crase? Na her fine wey wan make me fall now sef" Daryl replied,causing us all to laugh and I,to swat his arm.
"You're looking good Kainene" Sele's compliment were his last words before he made his way towards the other end of the reception. "See this boy oh. Why you dey thief my lines?" Daryl shot at Sele whilst he was still in hearing range,earning another chuckle from him.
Looking back at me,he took a deep breath,wrapping his arms around me in a hug and placing a kiss on the crane of my neck. "What he said" his gaze shot towards the direction Sele went,causing me to laugh as we pulled away.
"You don't look too bad yourself" I smiled as wrung my arm into his and we made our way towards the hall. "I'd have to get you tipsy to give me a proper compliment Kay" he chuckled as I looked over his silver motifed blazer,with a plain black collar and a glossy floral broach placed at the left side of his chest.
He'd given himself a clean shave,a new hair cut and a pair of silver studded dress glasses sat over the bridge of his nose. My heart fluttered just looking at him,so much that it had taken a lot to not gape when he'd turned my way.
The talk was suspended as we walked into the hall,mixing with the rest of our mates. Looking over how much effort everyone had put in in looking exquisite,I thanked my lucky stars that mother had done what she did.
Besides Daryl,the second person who had my heart fluttering with her look was Oghale. She was clad in a glittery black mermaid gown. It hugged her whole figure up to her knees before spreading out to the floor. The sweetheart V-neckline of her dress had a bit of her cleavage on display and a shimmery net was used to cover the rest of her chest and hands,giving the dress a turtle neck and long sleeves.
We all finally settled down on our rounded tables,six on each table,after a while of taking pictures. The prom started out with a fashion show,I only got hold of the programme after we'd taken our seats. Temi,who was clad in a black suit probably to match Oghale's gown,Oghale,Daryl,Sele,Onome and I.
The fashion show had been short-lived,either that or I'd been so engrossed in seeing the different styles and dresses,colours and designs burst before my eyes that I'd lost track of time.
Next,a few games had been played. I wondered where art students had even picked up the games. Firstly,a few selected individuals had been invited to the stage and made to play a game of Pepsi or Coke.
The rule of the game was that they were put in pairs,a male and a female,and then the males were the Pepsi and the females were the Coke. Whenever the MC called a name,which could be coke or pepsi,everyone on the other team would have to rush to the side that was mentioned.
The humour of the game was that the MC always called on the boys and the girls were always made to rush to the other side,on their heels. Of course,they'd been buying time as servings of pastries,which we liked to call small chops,drinks and cupcakes were being distributed by the hired ushers.
The next game that was played was musical chairs. The event became more rowdy at this point,a few people joining the contestants on stage to dance. I hadn't watched most of it because Daryl had pulled us away from the event and into a hallway I barely noticed had been there.
"What happened?" I inquired as we came to a pause. "Nothing,I just felt like I hadn't seen you enough" he told me,bringing out his phone and putting me on video.
"My girlfriend y'all" he hyped,placing his index finger below my chin. I rolled my eyes before beaming wildly then shrugging off the camera. "Stop jare" I laughed,taking his phone from him.
"Daryl,my legs are paining me oh" I told him as I maneuvered through his apps,tapping on the snapchat icon. "Come let me carry you" he told me,wrapping his arms around me and trespassing into my selfie video. I smiled as he pecked my cheek,turning to him and emulating his action on his lips.
"Did I tell you? Sister Whitney called my parents oh" he suddenly informed me as I stopped the video. "Ahah,that woman doesn't use to rest oh. Because of the fight?" I questioned,my hands crossing over my chest.
"Yhup. And my dad got very angry,like crazy angry" he chuckled. "Chai" I found myself observing the nuances of his face as he exhaled.
"I dont really know how to feel about everything. My mum got mad as well and said she wanted a divorce" he shrugged. "Jesus,Daryl. Why didn't you tell me?" I sulked as it was my turn to wrap my arms around him.
"I don't know. I don't really think it's only because I fought sha. My mum really wants me to stay in Nigeria and she's kind of fed up with my dads antics and all. Omor,I just hope it all works out. I don't want them to get a divorce but I want my mum to be happy. And right now,she's not" he expounded.
"But you're okay,right?" I questioned,cradling the side of his face and earning merely a smile from him and then another exhale. "I'm fine...I think" he added,his expression morphing into a nuance which caused me to laugh.
"We're going to stay together right?" He questioned lowly,taking my hand from his face in his. I hesitated,watching hope swirm in his eyes as he gave my palm a light squeeze. "Yes,yes we are. Whether its abroad..."
"Or Nile..." he added,causing us to laugh. "Yes,or Nile...."
"Most likely Nile..." he cut me off again,causing me to glare at him. "The point is,we are staying together" I confirmed. "That's nice to hear" he smiled.
When we finally got back to the prom, a dance presentation was being made by SS2 students. We hadn't missed much of it but we'd made it back just in time to witness that of final year students.
The song presentation began thereafter and the boys took out the time to head for some game corner I knew nothing about. That left Oghale and I walking towards the other end of the room to pick up a glass of wine.
"I swore I would never try alcohol after that day. Like God,see headache" I commented,earning a laugh from Oghale as we sipped our wine.
"Like do you get?" She laughed. "Your own was even good Kainene. I practically whooped myself out that night,if not for Temi" she smiled. I followed her line of vision to Temi,who stood with Daryl,Sele and Andrew,engrossed in whatever their conversation was about,each with a wine glass in hand.
"Are you sure you won't regret it?" I pulled her out of her reverie and then back to it. "I don't know Kainene. I'm actually starting to feel stupid for being cowardly. We're going to the same university and all but....I'm starting to realise I might lose him if I keep up with this" she sighed,yearning filling her gaze as she looked on.
"Then what's stopping you,Oghale? You've said it all. And take it from me it's kind of hard not being certain of what the next phase is going to be like but it's nice to know you're going through it with someone. Someone that you can confidently call yours." I told her.
She parted her lips to say something but Onome's call had me turning the other way. I looked back to her thereafter only to find her spot empty and looking further,seeing that she was making her way towards Temi.
"Onome,we have to see this" I turned back,taking hold of her hand and following the trail Oghale had left behind.
Her hands were trembling,but her mind was made up. I'd been seeing a lot of this side of Oghale lately and yet I hadn't the slightest hint as to what she was going to do. She subtly took hold of Temi's arm,causing him to turn her way.
Subtly,her hand slid to the crane of his neck as she etched forward,settling her lips over his in a kiss. If Temi had been shocked by any other action of hers lately,I was sure this had him mortified.
Their kiss had the heads of everyone turning their way as even we,their friends,were taken aback. Our hands went up to palm our mouths as we let out a gasp.
Oghale pulled away,her gaze darted to the floor as even she was trying to take in what she'd just done. Temi,who was even more perplexed than we were,turned to the table and placed his wine glass over it.
I could tell,Oghale's heart pounded with fear. She didn't know if she'd done the right thing and she'd begun to doubt herself. Perhaps,she shouldn't have. But Temi's next action had all those qualms settling.
Turning back to her,his hand went around her waist,pulling her closer to him and cupping her face,his lips met hers again. This time,cheers filled the air from all our classmates. Onome leapt with joy in my arms,screaming atop her voice as she hugged me.
Laughs eluded my lips as I watched Oghale's arms encircle Temi's neck as their kiss deepened. "I thought they were never going to do it,finallyyyyyy!!!!!" Onome yelled.
"No! Jade has to see this!" She declared,taking out her phone from her purse and putting them on video. She was too late though because the rest of the set had beat her to it.
When they finally broke apart,the two gave off hearty laughs,catching their breaths as Temi rested his head against Oghale's temple,not minding that her makeup may leave a mark or two on his face. I was happy for them and I was glad that I'd been the catalyst to the reaction.
Like it was the perfect cue,Weyimi took to the stage and the lights dimmed,the only part of the room being lit being the dance floor and where Weyimi stood on the stage. It was finally time for the prom dance which we'd practised time without number in school.
I hoped I still remembered the steps of the dance. Daryl had given me no time to let my thoughts wander,walking my way and extending his hand to me.
"May I have this dance?" He'd mused.
"Of course,good sir" I played along,causing us to laugh as we made our way towards the dance floor.
It was some form of adulterated salsa. The instrumentals for Johnny Drille's Wait for me started as we got into a ball dance stance. The song had been suggested by Jade,and the whole set had agreed to it as it reflected the exact words most of us wished to tell the other,the words we wished to part with,the words we wished to recall each day,the words we needed to soothe the wounds we had borne from having to leave. Mostly,the hope that we had met to part and we were parting so we could meet. Someplace,sometime,someday.
We'd been over the dance about a million times but only now did the words touch me. I could only feel Daryl's soul smothering against mine as we repeated the sequence of twirling,separating,reuniting and waltzing. A step to the back,one to the right and feet back together again.
Weyimi was the best vocalist in our set,but never had her voice cut through my very being,so much that as I now swayed in Daryl's arms,my back against his chest and our arms entwined over my waist. The last words of the song echoed in my head,my last thought being Jade,just before Weyimi let out the last words of the song.
My love,I think of you tonight
Because I no dey by your side
Just wait a little while...
Just know that I'm alright
And I'll see you soon
Make you wait for me,
My dear.
"I love you,Kainene" Daryl whispered,placing a kiss on my now trembling lips. As much as I'd tried,the tears still trickled down and I fought them all,to be able to whisper back. "I love you too,Daryl"
I can't believe I'm done with Brown Skinned Bet! I'm so happy guys😭😭. I'm reeling with joy. It was meant to end in the last chapter but I had to put my all into this end and I had to extend it.
Thank you for reading this story. It's been such a long ride. I'm so grateful,thank you for all the votes and comments! Thank you for reading❤. I love you all🤗💕.