....
I stacked my note books neatly on my reading table and packed up the ones I'll be needing for the day in my purple bag pack. I fingered my two smooth bun gingerly in the mirror before dumping my bag on my back.
As quietly as I could, I opened my door to check if anyone was in the halls. Omar and I's plan since my dad got back was that we'll stay away and hide ourselves until he traveled again. We'd leave quietly for school in the morning, and when we get back, we'd stay hidden in our rooms. We even took our food upstairs to our room to eat. Iya Iyabo didn't complain, she understood, sometimes she even comes up to collect the plates.
The plan has been going so well for three days now. The week is almost over and hopefully he'll travel soon, our guess is that he is just here to spend a week with his wife and he'll travel, well that's our prayer.
But as soon as I turned the knob and opened my door, the roar of a voice vibrated through my malleus incus and stapes. It made me shiver and tremble on the spot.
I heard Omar's voice shout loudly, "....he was a thousand times better a father than you ever where and will ever be."
I heard a deafening voice answer to him but my ears didn't quite process the words and I was unable to understand, but I knew it was my dad. Then I heard the sound...the familiar of someone getting hit.
I rushed downstairs as swiftly as I could. The sight I saw brought water to my eyes immediately! Oh God what's this again!. Omar was bleeding from the mouth and he was struggling to lift himself from the floor, he was crying and still cursing at my father—Mr Bolade.
Mr Bolade was standing above him enlarged with furiousness. His seemed to be choking with fury as he groaned inhumanly.
"Ahhh" I yelloch and threw myself between Omar and him.
"What the hell are you doing?!. Do you want to kill him?!" I hollered wildly, all the fears I had for my dad evaporated in a single blink, for ones in my life I didn't care how big he is or how he looked like a big angry bear in fury. How could he hit Omar till he was bleeding!.
"How dare you open your stupid mouth and..." He began to talk with the scary voice that always made me shiver. But not today big guy!.
"Lay one more finger on him and I'll kill you" I know it's a great sin to yell at your parents, so great I could go to hell for it but I couldn't hold myself back seeing my beloved Omar like that, bleeding. Blood!. I just couldn't take it.
I wasn't more than a tiny rat in front of my huge father but I kept my stand anyways, I stood between Omar and him.
All of a sudden my feet rose up from the floor completely when Mr Bolade took hold of my collar. He was about to hit me too but someone came between us, I fell to the floor hard on my knee feeling them burst.
Long brown braids flashed through my eyes as I turned my head up. Levi?. And Lila?.
"What the hell are you doing to these children?" Lila spat my father.
"Ree, are you okay?. Oh. Omar!" Levi rushed to Omar instead.
Omar was still bleeding from the mouth and even his nose in large alarming amount that it was concerning. I couldn't help but cry, I crawled over and raised him up with Levi.
Lila and Mr Bolade were exchanging loud words that boomed around the entire house and shook it to the foundation.
"Omar" I sobbed.
Mr Bolade stopped yelling with Lila, he stormed out pushing her out of the way. Lila had tears in her eyes as she came to check out Omar.
"He has to go to the hospital. Get my keys Levi" She said.
Omar's uniform, his white shirt precisely was soiled and soaked in blood. My mind was completely wiped of any precaution to do to stop the bleeding. How could he hit a little kid like this!. It's brutal and wicked and insane and so inacceptable.
"Good morning OOO. Don't be angry I'm late o, it's Iyabo that began her foolishness this morning, emabinu I..." Iya Iyabo stopped dead on her track and yelled at the sight before her. Iyabo, closely behind her with a deep frown took a good look at us and the frown transformed into a smirk.
This stupid girl is a devil!. Of course she was glad to see Omar bleeding and the rest of us in anguish. I hated her more than I ever did since that moment. I was even childish enough to wish her dead but I didn't really mean it...it was the heat of the moment.
Iya Iyabo placed both hands on her head wrapped with her usual green scarf, "What happened to him oo" she shouted in a song sort of way.
"I will take care of it. Just do your job with the house. We will be back soon" Lila told her. She and her daughter moved out of the way.
We helped him into Lila's car and she drove him to a nearby hospital. Omar was treated, he took off his stained white shirt and had on only the black blazer. One of my knees had a burst and was also treated. After the treatment and all, we got back into Lila's car. Gosh I felt ashamed, I've been a little horrible to her.
It seems we were all reluctant to go home, as we sat in the car Lila didn't make a move to turn on the ignition. In my heart I wished I had my own house where Omar and I could just crash in and stay peacefully. A little comfortable how in a quiet place.
The idea I have been ponding on earlier after school resumption now seems decisively crucial. I've been reckoning to write a letter to my late mom's lawyer or see him personally if I could to explain to him that Omar and I needed more money so the money I get every month should be increased. Our school fees have increased and our allowance need an increase.
"Omar" he was seating beside the window in the back seat to my left, Levi was beside me to my right, "What happened between the two of you?" I asked Omar.
He turned his head further in the direction of the window, staring out with his hand on his jaw, I have never seem him as angry as this in my life.
It's better to leave him alone till he was calm and ready to talk, I resolved. But not Lila.
"Omar, what about between you and your father?" She asked.
"He's not my father!" He literally punched the window in front of him in anger.
So what!. You're living under his roof and living off his money, just stop denying it already, I wanted to yell but it wasn't a good time to argue or lecture so I kept my mouth sealed.
"Then, just tell us what happened" Lila probed.
"I didn't do anything wrong. He is just a big bad cruel bully and a violent thug."
I don't like my dad but still hearing Omar call him that still made my heart sink in disappointment and hurt, I was disappointed I had a father like that, and hurt because Omar called him that so boldly and relentlessly.
What Omar said was not true!. But also true?!. Omar did say something to unhinge him, even after our plan. I don't know how it began or my father had said but I certainly heard Omar say... "...he was a thousand times better a father than you ever where and will ever be."
I'm not aware of whatever brought him to utter that statement. Mr Bolade must have insulted his dead parents, Omar's sensitive point. The true part was Mr Bolade being as Omar said "a big bad cruel bully and a violent thug."
That part might be true.
Lila sigh. It might be hard for her too. She married into the wrong family and left her home a million miles away to start a new family which is obviously now a huge mistake. The biggest in her life I suppose, and she dragged her brother into it too.
Nevertheless, she rotated her head to us. Her long blonde hair flicking over her face.
"Let's skip today and check out my big supermarket. Uh?" She was back to using the voice she used the first time she spoke to me, not the hard voice she's been using because I've cleared her off that we can't be friends.
It seem kind of nice to hear that friendly voice again, I just have to admit. She was staring at us eagerly for an answer.
I glanced at Omar, he didn't look as if he was ready to say anything. I glanced back at her and nodded.
"Alright then. We can put everything behind us and have a splendid day" isn't she the most optimistic person on this earth.
She faced the steering wheels and began to drive. So...when Lila said big supermarket!, She wasn't kidding. I was amazed!, Even Moody Omar winded down the window to get a better look. Hell yeah! It was worth it. It really was a big supermarket, so big it had about 8 different store. I had only picture a large stall as what she called "big supermarket". But no, it was mind-blowing.
The entire supermarket was called, "PURPLE BLOOM."
This was the place Jax had said we'd get my phone from, we would have if I had let him pull me with him after school everyday but I always had an excuse. I don't want my phone bought by a boy.
"Fun fact. Lila means purple in German" she said parking the car in the parking lot, "C'mon there's much to see. Let's check out food first."
Can I do a photo shoot here?, The scenery was the perfect place to take the doppest of the dope pictures and to hang out with friends and then take killer pictures for IG and Facebook. I had a mental image of poses and the outfit I would put on, and even the caption for the post.
I Did put everything behind me like Lila said we should. Great backgrounds for pictures was all that was on my mind as Lila led us inside the massive sizable supermarket.
The first store we went into was "Deutsch Essen". It didn't matter what it meant but the smell. Omo the smell!. The smell of the food coming out of that place was just drool worthy. It was a classic German restaurant. Lila took us straight to the kitchen.
"It's a little bit of German in Nigeria. The little we could bring" she said.
I just had to ask, "Did you build all these in just the few weeks you've been here?" I swallowed. Half expecting her to snub me like I had been snubbing her since day 1, but she didn't.
Lila laughed as if I've just said the funniest thing of the decade, "No my dear Ree. Everything was already built months before I got here. But we opened it up the moment I got here."
Why haven't we been here for a girls hangout?!. Sassy six must be slacking!. Or... should I say sassy four!.
"Let's try some food."
The first food we tried was called schnitzel and then German sandwiches. At least I tried it, Omar refused to touch it.
"This is called Käsespätzle" Levi told us.
I tried to pronounce it in my mind. It sounded awkward.
We tried Rouladen, Brot & Brötchen, currywurst, and Eintopf. Omar ate out of it this time.
Damn!, They were all so good!. The head chef had a welcoming face and a round stomach, he was round overall, just like humpty dumpy. Unfortunately he could only speak in German, deutsch they call it.
After the Eintopf, Omar complained of headache and stomachache and demanded to go home?.
I could almost cry! We were having so much fun and about to have so much more but Omar was very serious about returning home immediately.
Lila even said he could take a rest in her office and use her bathroom if he needed to but Omar wasn't having it. Home he said! And back home we went!. I cried a little when we got home but I eventually slept off.
***
I hummed softly to myself as I brought out a new clean bedsheet from my wardrobe. I pulled off the old one from my bed, dropped it in my hamper for washing and began to fit the new yellow one with a mixture of white pink, and blue roses dispersed around. I tucked in the sides still humming softly.
After the very short supermarket tour—that Omar ruined—Lila and I have been on good terms, we spoke... greetings at least!. There was nothing else to say. But no more grudges and cold shoulders. I think my dad has traveled again, at least I haven't seen him since the incident.
Today has been uneventful at all. Omar and I are still sad and shaken by the incident, especially Omar, he's not even eating like before. I never thought I'd miss the gluttonous side of Omar but yet here we are. We had breakfast with Lila and Levi, afterwards Lila headed to her supermarket. Omar barely touched his food, seeing him looking all sad and gloomy made me lose my appetite too.
The time was 3.15 on my display clock. I remember clearly the watch was a gift for Jean, sassy six were exchanging gifts then and I gave her hair clips in return.
The air in the house was too sad and gloomy and disappointing and killing my morale. I decided to study.
I couldn't get a new phone yet because our school fees increased which meant less allowance and I want a good phone so I'm still saving up.
I sat in front of my desk and began to study, my only escape.
Time sped by and by 5.00 on the dot I heard a loud smash on my window. I jumped in fright and my pen slipped out of my hand. Did a bird fly into my window?, Or are aliens attacking?, Oh my gosh is it a robbery?, Are we under attack?. Is it raining rocks?.
I took slow steps towards my window, afraid a ray of light would shine through and pulled me into an alien spaceship and i would be transported out of this earth...wait that's actually a good thing, transport me away from this earth and it's miseries.
But a ray of light didn't penetrate my window. I slid the sliding glass aside which I knew was a bad idea because that's literally how horror movies begin, I should have ran out of my room immediately and...and do what?. Call my loving parents to come check, then tell them I'm too scared so that they'll tuck me into their bed with them and it would bring back childhood memories. Yeah?, It's not even an open.
I glanced down at the window and the face I saw made my heart skip a bit and brought a shocked expression to my face. Jax!. It was Jax, right under my window downstairs with a relived look on his face, clad in Green T shirt, grass skirt and green joggers underneath the skirt.
"Come down!" He whispered.
"What are you doing here? How'd you get inside?."
"The two headed dog let me in. Come down before my neck snaps."
I locked up my window again, raced down the empty stairs, out of the house and into the grey evening. Jax was now standing close to the front of door.
"You broke into my house?" I asked in a whisper.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He raised up the grass skirt.
"What?. Why are you dressed like a forest spirit?."
He rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead, "Dummy!. First off why didn't you come to school since Wednesday?."
"Something happened. Omar was kinda sick" I answered.
"I see!. Isn't today Saturday?."
"Yeah?."
"What's supposed to happen on Saturday October 7?. And what happened on October 5, Thursday which you weren't present."
"Sandra's party!. What the god-damned hell??!" I yelled.
Jax quickly placed his palm over my mouth, "Dude, I hope your dad is not around?."
I thought he said he wasn't afraid of him but right now!. It's not about my dad. I completely forgot about Sandra's birthday and her supposed to be epic eighteenth birthday party at Peace beach.
I'm such a terrible person!. How could I forget my own best friend's birthday. I didn't even wish her on the fifth. Gosh this is bad!, I've been sucked up in my stupid life to remember.
"We have to go now, the party started since 2.00 o'clock" Jax whispered.
Oh no! It should be almost 5.30 now.
"Let's go right now!."
Without thinking twice or changing my outfit. I was clad in brown Shorts with matching sleeveless top. I followed Jax outside my house. I had a mind to go back and lock my room so if anyone knocks they'd think I'm asleep. But I didn't have time for that.
Outside my house gate was a red Mercedes Benz. Jax entered the drivers seat.
"Jax can you drive?" I asked but I got in anyways.
"You'll find out" he started the ignition.
Gosh am I the only one in the world who hasn't learnt how to drive yet!. Jax could drive! Jax can drive and he took us to peach beach.
"Oh my gosh, where's Sandra?. She's going to be so mad at me."
"Well she is" Jax locked his car, wait i don't know if it's his but anyways he said, "She almost cried when you weren't in school to wish her on Thursday. We had a little party in class for her with a cake and she kept saying 'I can't believe Ree isn't here', if you had showed up the next day she should have stabbed you with the knife she cut the cake with."
"Wow thanks Jax, You just made me feel like the most wonderful friend in the world."
The party was in full swing. I mean full dazzling swing!. Sandra wasn't kidding! How many people did she invite!. It had to be the entire teen in this state, even though Sandra had said it was just going to be us from Cleverly high, but I was spotting face that I knew was from Travis Scott high school.
The entire place was mad. Everyone was in grass skirt, the boys still had their trousers on under the shirt like Jax but most of the girls wore nothing under. Loud music! Sweaty looking bodied!. A DJ!. Cute guys!. Damn, the hot Travis Scott guys were present!, I flushed pink trying not to look!. Jax and I darted through the crowd in search of Sandra.
They really had constructed a huge tiki bar with bamboo sticks, a man was there handing out drinks to two guys and a girl on wheelchair. Sandra!.
I rushed over to the tiki bar, "Sandra!. I'm so sorry..." I started to apologize, "Omarrrrrrrrr?!. Leviiiiiiiiiiiiii?!" I almost passed out.
Omar and Levi were the two guys beside Sandra. There were also in grass skirts and long green trousers. Are you kidding me!. Those two aren't even in the house!, They came to the party without meeeeeeeee!!.
"Aunty Akorede we've been expecting you for a while" Omar said with a smile. What happened to the depressed face that came down to breakfast this morning.
I stared open mouthed at both boys. Levi and Omar!, Gosh I feel betrayed.
"You too Levi" Omar had the tendency to be s criminal anyways but Levi.
"We needed to shake off our sorrows" he said and gave me his drink, "let's go for chocolate" he and Omar ran along hand in hand.
I closed my mouth and turned back to Sandra. Oh no!, My sweet Sandra was definitely mad at me. She mixed her drink with a straw pretending not to notice me. Oh shit!.
"Sandra?. Hey Baby. I'm sorry" I made a crying tone and took her hand.
She said nothing and turned her face somewhere else.
"Baby I'm sorry. Happy birthday" I went on my knee in front of her and gave her a hug.
"Forever my babe nah!. She's on her knees" Jax pleaded for me.
Sandra cleared her throat, "Well I'm not that angry. I know something must have happened. But you missed the entire party" she pulled a bag from underneath her wheelchair.
I looked inside, it was my own grass skirt and apau mālō' or whatever she called.
"I was going to give it to someone else by 6.00 if you didn't show up."
"Thank you" I kissed her cheeks, I pulled on the shirt over the short. I was wondering how to put on the apau mālō' but I heard a squeek behind me..
"Ree!."
It was Jean and Mary. The runaway sassy six. With Ashley and imade too. They pulled me in an embrace and we jumped and squeeked together until Sandra coughed, so we went on our knee and gave her a hug too. Jax joined in.
"I don't want to be left out on a chance to feel breast" he said.
We laughed and hit him playfully.
Sassy six all together for the first time in a while, I could cry.
"Ree since you missed the entire thing. There's only one thing left" Sandra said when we all disengaged.
"Dance!. You're going to dance!!."
What!?.
"Yes, dance Baby girl" Imade was one of the girls with nothing underneath their grass skirt, and Mary too.
"I can't. C'mon. Please let me do something else" I pleaded going pink.
"No my darling" Sandra took my hand and wheeled my along to a podium beside the DJ. The rest of the sassy six were already cheering, "Go Ree!."
No no!.
"Play water by Tyla" Imade probed.
"No, a different one" I shouted turning to the DJ. I cannot whine and twerk in public.
Thankfully it wasn't water he played. I don't even know the song he played but I did a puppy face at Jax. He winked "I gat ya" and he joined me on the podium. Now the crowd was starting to converge at the podium, recording.
Okay, Jax is the best. I don't know how we did but I followed his move and we twirled so perfectly even though we never practiced it. We did a little dance and bow to the cheering audience. Gosh I was laughing madly and having the best time of my life.
We jumped off the podium and ran away from the crowd to the tiki bar to get something to drink, I was sweating profusely. I heard water by tyla come on and "Go Imade" oh gosh I know Imade was definitely breaking her waist up there.
The man serving the drinks was no where in sight. Jax and I found our way into the bar and got ourselves drinks. We stood in front of the bar gulping down the nonalcoholic liquids.
"I didn't know you could dance" my breathing was still sharp and unstable, even my heart was still slamming rapidly against my rib cage.
"For you babe, I can do anything" he whispered moving closer to me. His hot breath fanning my face.
"Are you..." Those two words left my mouth but before I could utter the rest of the sentence Jax's lips touched mine, his tongue parted my lips. His arm found their way around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
With no care in the world at that moment, I grabbed his shoulder and kissed him back fiercely. Chocolate, I tasted chocolate and Pepsi on his lips and tongue.
"Ree!" A deep angry voice yelled my name.
I broke the kiss reluctantly and turned to face the voice. My eyes almost popped out of their socked. It was Lila! And she was holding Omar and Levi by the wrist with her two hands.