✏Make sure you've read chapter seventeen cupcakes 👣
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Eighteen | The message
I am dying of thirst by the side of the fountain- Charles D'orleans
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"Sorry I'm not interested, don't get me wrong you're a great guy but I'm not really up for anything right now." Kemi smiled and placed her hands gently on Malik's. He smiled at her and held her hand tightly. She quickly scanned the crowded hall to see whether anyone was watching them.
Kemi smiled at the handsome man in front of her, he had really great features but she wasn't interested. Malik had been watching her since she had started working in the company-so he had said-but Kemi thought him as one of those people she had never really seen in the office before. He had summoned up courage to talk to her at the end of the year party and was dejected when she turned him down.
Malik smiled and looked at her in admiration. "Thank you for not leading me on or playing with my feelings." Ignoring Kemi's surprised look, he continued, "You're a great lady and I think any man would be lucky to have you."
"What?!" Kemi asked surprised but then she composed herself and smiled. "Thank you for the compliment." She had not really expected him to take it well but then, he might be an honourable man.
She watched as he left and turned back to her friend that had been talking selfies and scrolling through her Instagram account for some minutes now.
"I wonder where Nifemi is?" Kemi thought aloud shouting over the loud music in the hall. They were sitting on a table as far as possible from the half drunk people swaying their bodies to the beat of the music blasting from the speakers.
"Uh?"
Kemi frowned and repeated herself. Ada shrugged and kept playing with her phone and looking at a particular spot in the hall. Kemi followed her gaze and smiled when she saw Luke standing at a corner in a heated discussion with someone. She nudged Ada playfully and wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.
"I always knew you had something for the guy. Tell me did you invite him um?"
"No you ninny," Ada snapped. "Daddy did, apparently he seems to think that we are an 'item'. He kept on gushing about him during his birthday party and he even made me follow Luke to his car." Ada paused and looked at her sadly, "that's when we found you."
Kemi pushed away the memory to the back of her mind. "So do you like him?" she probed.
"No! I don't."
"You do. Why are you sitting down here anyways?" Kemi asked Ada before taking a sip out of the glass she was holding. The Ada she knew would have been gallivanting round the hall talking to random rich men and making friends, but here she was sitting and sulking while staring at the handsome doctor. And she says she doesn't like him, Kemi thought to herself.
Ada, obviously grateful for the change in topic didn't bother to hide the relief on her face. "I'm not in the mood."
Kemi scoffed and turned away when Mike a guy from Ada's department came to talk to her friend. Ada made a derisive comment about the man's tux and Kemi chuckled when he turned bright red. She looked away just in time to see Nnamdi staring at her from across the hall. Kemi wondered what he thought about her, he had called her naive and she wondered if he really meant it -if he had really meant any of those hurtful things he had spat at her face that day. Nnamdi looked away from her and smiled stiffly at Linda who was sitting by his side obviously boring him to death. Kemi turned away and tightened her lips into a grim line, she would hate him eventually if he continued behaving like a child.
She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone's hot breath on her ear.
"Hello beautiful," came the gruff voice. Kemi looked up to see Emmanuel leering at her, she cringed when he licked his lips and smiled. "You look really good, but do you know what would make you look better?" He leaned towards her and stroked her chin, she slapped away his hands and scoffed. He chuckled softly and added, "you on my bed without those clothes."
"Ew! That's just gross! You pervert!" Ada shouted reverting her attention to him.
"Is it, Adaeze?" He asked glaring at her like if she was a stubborn fly.
"Yes, now scram if you don't want a repeat of what happened the last time." Ada stared him down fuming.
Emmanuel hissed harshly and winked at Kemi before leaving. "See you later baby!" he shouted from across the room. Kemi rolled her eyes and glanced at Nnamdi who was looking at her with that same blank expression on his face.
He looked down and typed something into his phone, at the same moment Kemi's phone beeped. She opened the message and gasped. It couldn't be a coincidence could it? she thought. She looked at it again memorizing the words unintentionally and sighed.
Please Kemi I really need to see you.
Meet me at the lounge in twenty.
Kemi turned to Adaeze who was still in a heated discussion with Mike and whispered. "I'm going to talk with him."
"Who?" Ada looked at Kemi quizzically. She made her mouth into an oh shape as it clicked. "Him right?"
Kemi nodded feeling grateful that she had a friend that read her so well.
"We're talking about the same person right? Should I come along?"
Kemi laughed. "No don't worry. I really want to do this alone."
Ada hesitated for some seconds before she sighed. "Okay just call me if anything goes wrong."
Kemi squeezed her hand softly in silent appreciation and shuffled out of her seat. She couldn't believe she was really doing this, she was going to settle things with Nnamdi.
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"Where the hell have you been?!" Ada shouted at Nifemi the moment she reached where she was seated with Mike. Nifemi looked at her and shrugged. She had gotten their numerous text messages but she had not been in the right state of mind to return then. She had to retouch her makeup and calm her herself down before she summoned the courage to set foot into the hall.
"Where is Kemi?" She asked trying to change the topic.
Ada looked at her suspiciously. "If you don't want to talk about it, say so don't avoid my question."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Better. Okay bye Mike see you later," she said dismissing him with a flick of the wrist.
"So where is Kemi?" Nifemi asked the moment Mike left.
"She left about twenty minutes ago, she went to see Mr he-who-shall-not-be-named," Ada stated flatly.
"Mr what?!" Nifemi asked laughing. She knew that the week Kemi had the quarrel with Nnamdi, that she was so sensitive when his name was brought up that she sometimes burst into tears. While Ada thought it romantic, Nifemi had thought it childish.
"I think Kelechi-"
"Um hello," Rita interrupted Ada and waved nervously. The duo mumbled their replies and she continued, "Is Kemi back yet?"
"No. Wait how did you know that she-"
"I ermm... I bumped into her a few minutes ago," she shuffled her feet nervously and sat down next to Ada.
"Did they send you here to be cutting short my sentences?" Ada asked rudely.
"No, I'm sorry."
"Is that the new D&G wrist watch." Ada yanked Rita's arm and admired the diamond studded wrist watch that shone under the light in the noisy hall. Rita laughed and explained that she had gotten it as a gift from Linda on her birthday. Ignoring Ada's spiteful look as she mentioned Linda's name, Rita also mentioned that it was a three piece set and each of them had one-meaning she, Linda and Nancy.
"Oh I wanted to buy it but it got sold out," Ada said sadly.
Rita chuckled softly. "Too bad."
"Why did you want to see Kemi?" Nifemi queried.
"Oh nothing," she glanced away from them.
"Hello ladies!" Kelechi greeted them dropping into a chair next to Nifemi.
"So here's the deal," he started as soon as they acknowledged his presence. "I've done all you asked me to, you know the candle lit dinner, soft music and all that gag worthy Hollywood movie stuff. So what is left is to send the messages. You know the one where they tell the guy to meet the girl saying it's the girl-"
"Kelechi-"
"And then they tell the girl to meet the guy saying it's the guy-"
"Kelechi-"
"And now I have confused myself. Are you guys feeling me because I don't want my office to burn down because of the candles and then the food would go to waste-"
"Kelechi!" Ada shouted agitatedly.
"What?!"
"You mean you haven't sent the message?" Nifemi asked incredulously.
"Oh great! Now all my ramblings were just in vain." Kelechi threw his hands up in frustration. Rita giggled.
It had been their plan to stage a dinner for the both of them-Kemi and Nnamdi-and fake messages telling them to meet each other just as Kelechi explained. He had thought it stupid and childish at first but had later given in when Ada wouldn't stop bothering him.
"Initially, when Kemi told me that she was going to meet him I thought that you had started carrying out the plan," Ada said.
"No I haven't but let's just hope that lover boy actually messaged her."
"I hope so too," Nifemi sighed.
"I'm lost," Rita said, her face squeezed up in confusion.
"Find yourself," Ada stated. Kelechi chuckled and shook his head.
They stayed there for a while discussing about other things mainly about how badly each of them wanted to leave the party. They took turns ranting about the state of the country when Nnamdi strolled towards them.
"Hey man!" He greeted Kelechi with a manly handshake. He turned to the girls who were staring at him open mouthed except Rita which was focusing on a bead on her chemise blouse.
"Have you girls seen Kemi?" Nnamdi asked rubbing his neck
"No, have you?" Ada queried.
"No! I really need to talk to her." Nnamdi said and pursued his lips, for a moment Ada thought he looked cute.
"I thought you sent her a message?" Ada asked and with the confused look on Nnamdi's face she figured out the answer was no.
"I saw her heading towards the lounge earlier," Rita chipped in. They all turned towards her questioningly. "I saw her so I figured out that she was headed there I dunno I just guessed."
"Okay thanks," Nnamdi said and left quickly without a word.
Ada got up suddenly saying that they should go look for her. She had a nagging feeling that something was not quite right. Nifemi offered to go with her but her phone rang and left to a less noisy area saying that she really needed to take the call from her last minute babysitter. Ada turned to face Kelechi and smiled charmingly, he sighed and frowned rubbing his face.
"Okay fine. I'll help you find your cute friend."
Ada laughed and shook her head deciding not to ask the question that was on her lips. "Thank you."
A man that worked at the accounts department approached him and whispered something quickly into his ear. Kelechi frowned and turned to face her. "Sorry I have to take care of something." Kelechi turned to leave without waiting for Adaeze's reply.
"Looks like I'm on my own then." She dusted her maroon satin knee-length gown and looked at Rita. "Stay here please I'll be back soon."
"Will Kemi be coming back with you?" Ada looked at her quizzically and nodded slowly. "I'll stay and take care of your stuff then, you can thank me with a bottle of Coke." Rita finished and winked at her.
Ada shook her head and laughed. "Will do pretty lady." Rita smiled at her shyly at the nickname.
Ada turned away and marched towards the exit with determined steps. A lot of things ran through her mind; what if it was the same person sending all those sick letters that also sent the message. What if she was too late? What if Kemi had been kidnapped?
Shaking her head, she pushed away the negative thoughts and pushed her way through the crowd. Adaeze narrowed her eyes when she saw Nancy throwing herself all over a man that looked old enough to be her father. Ada stepped towards her and yanked her away from the burly old man.
"Hey! What the the-"
"Shut up!" Ada spat looking at Nancy's transparent red gown that did nothing to hide the lingerie she wore underneath. "You've been sending Kemi letters to stay away from Nnamdi haven't you?" Ada was sure of this but she couldn't help but suspect Nancy.
Nancy scoffed. "As if!" She looked at Ada and continued, "don't get me wrong. Nnamdi's a really great guy I think but he not that 'rich', he's comfortable but not rich as in stinkingly rich!"
Ada laughed without humor and glared at Nancy amused at her stupidity.
"He's a great guy for those into commitments and such but he's not my type. He even had a girlfriend back in school then."
Ada's eyes widened at the revelation. "He had a girlfriend? You went to the same school? How come?"
Nancy yawned. "Questions questions. Yes we went to the school and we even had one class together one time like that. And yes he had a girlfriend, I think her name was Chioma or is it Chinenye? I can't remember. They were like one and two really close, they broke up though I don't really know what happened. Maybe that explains why his grouchy and rude but that was then he probably might have forgotten about it."
"Maybe. Thanks anyway." Ada turned to leave but stopped when Nancy grabbed her arm.
"I will tell you this not because we're friends or anything but Linda really likes Nnamdi. She hates seeing him with Kemi."
Ada looked at her and smiled sourly. "You're not as bad as I give you credit for."
"You're not so bad yourself."
The two smiled at each other, an unspoken pact signed as they looked at each other.
"This doesn't mean we're friends."
"Hardly. See you around," Ada said looking at the watch on Nancy's wrist as it was identical to the one Rita had on.
"Back at you cupcake." She winked at Ada and the latter chuckled.
Ada took a deep breath as she left the toxic atmosphere of the party hall. She took a quick glance at the people littered around the corridor and made her way towards the elevator. She could practically hear the wheels turning in her head as she thought about what Nancy said wondering how much of it was true.
The hairs at her back stood as she felt someone following her. Ada turned quickly and gasped as she saw Luke looking at her with a stoic expression on his handsome face.
"You've been avoiding me," he said dryly as he edged towards her. Ada swallowed as she moved back, he was dangerously close now.
"What did you mean?"
"You know what I mean Adaeze!" Luke snapped looking her. She could decipher what was running through his mind as he inched towards her.
Before she could speak, he snaked his arms around her waist and drew her flush against him. She looked into his eyes that were shinning with his desire and trembled.
"Let me-"
He cut her short by pressing his lips against hers nibbling softly against her lips and thrusting his tongue in as she opened her mouth. Ada moaned and kissed him back wrapping her arms around his neck.
She savoured the taste of his lips on hers completely forgetting why she left the hall in the first place.
Heya cupcakes!
Please bear with me I'm not really good at kissing scenes hehe.
I'm pretty sure this isn't a cliffhanger so put down your tomatoes *sighs*
The next chapter wee start from where Kemi left to go see Nnamdi so...
Who do you think sent the message?
Okay bye! *Author disappears into the darkness as she dodges the nasty tomatoes and carrots*
Love,
Sky_teddy✌