"I hate you for this, Merrick." I said through gritted teeth, my fake smile never leaving my face as the camera lights flashed on us.
"You're being overdramatic, Tiana." Derrek replied through his fake smile too, strapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to his side.
"Drama this." I wiggled my hand under his jacket and pinched his lower back through his shirt and he made a howling sound causing my eyes to widen as I glanced at him.
Derrek pulled me away from the photographers, leading me into the large hall were the movie was to be shown and then to our designated seats.
"Did you howl back there?" I asked as soon as we took our seats and Derrek swallowed hard, looking around nervously and adjusting the collar of his shirt, like it was choking him. "Why do you look nervous?"
"Nervous? I-I'm not nervous! What are you talking about! Nervous! That's highly bloody unlikely!" Derrek gave a nervous laugh, adjusting uncomfortably in his seat.
"Y-You're not a werewolf, right?" Derrek's head snapped towards me with his eyes wide open at my question. He looked like I'd uncovered his deepest, darkest secret.
I rolled my eyes at this. He couldn't have believed I would fall for that.
"Look, there's Adesua Etomi!" He pointed ahead of us. "Hi, Adesua!" He waved and I followed his eyes but there was no Adesua. He was obviously trying to change the subject to keep up with his pretence. I had to say, he was very convincing though.
"I know you're just messing with me. There's no such thing as werewolves." I told him and he nodded in agreement.
"That's what I was trying to tell you. I mean, anyone can howl like a wolf, right?" He said nonchalantly before turning away from me. I knew he was still playing mind games with me but I was too smart to fall for it.
"Nice try, Derrek but I'm not at all gullible." I reminded him and he chuckled, nodding.
He was about to say something when a voice echoed round the hall, telling people to silence their cellphones and keep quiet as the movie was about to begin.
"You are gullible and I'm going to prove it." Derek whispered after leaning closer to me until his lips were a few inches from my ear.
"I can't wait to prove you wrong." I whispered back and he smirked at me before turning back to the large screen ahead of us.
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"For the umpteenth time, can we go now?" I asked in a whiney voice, looking up at Derrek who took a sip of the alcoholic liquid from the champagne fluke in hand. I was sick of the after party now.
"You really want to leave?" He asked, his eyes looking down at me and I nodded, giving him a pleading look with my eyes. His eyes softened for a moment and he sighed before answering. "In that case-" He paused for a moment then shook his head. "-we're definitely staying." He smirked, taking another sip of his drink as I frowned at him.
Annoyed, I flicked the glass while it was still between his lips and the liquid spilled out, overflowing in his mouth and pouring down his shirt and jacket. I smiled in satisfaction as he coughed violently, hitting his chest. The drink had probably gone down the wrong way.
We got a few stares but they didn't last as everyone was more interested in partying than paying attention to us.
"The hell is wrong with you?" Derrek glared at me, the moment he was able to get his coughing under control and I shrugged nonchalantly.
"I'm tired and cranky. If you want to stay here, you might as well get used to these types of behaviours." I informed him and his eyes widened in horror for a moment before his expression changed to an annoyed one.
"I can't leave until I say goodbye to Seun. He invited me for this and I haven't seen him all night. It'll be rude to leave without at least saying a hi to him." Derrek explained and I sighed before giving a hesitant nod, telling him I'll wait some more minutes. "Great. Now, let me go clean myself up and we can go find him."
"Fine! Don't be too long!" I called after him as he walked away but I don't think he heard me over the loud music.
"Tiara? Is that you?" I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around to see Beatrice, Chioma and Eseosa grinning at me.
"Hey, girls! It's been a while!" I mustered the nicest voice I could as I faked a smile.
"More like years but who's counting." Chioma said, giving me a once over, her fake smile still on.
Beatrice, Chioma, Eseosa and I had gone to the same secondary school. They were the most popular and prettiest girls in my set and were admired by all but I never liked them.
I used to think they were my friends until I found out they were just friends with me cause they loved getting free plane rides to Abuja for the holidays. Sure, their parents were rich too but they didn't own a private jet like my dad did.
Ever since I told them they could no longer ride with me on my dad's jet, they always looked for a way to low key humiliate me.
I was no one's pushover, so, I always retaliated back when they humiliated me and it got ugly pretty fast, every single time. We'd even gotten suspended for a week for violence on the school grounds.
I was overjoyed after we'd graduated from secondary school. I was so sure I was never going to see them again but here I was three feet away from them, a who-can-give-off-the-most-fake smile battle going on between us.
"How have you been, babe? So much must've happened since we last spoke, you have to tell us everything." Eseosa said gleefully like we were long time friends catching up and I stared at them confused.
"Are you guys feeling okay or did your memories get wiped off? Cause we're not friends." I reminded, motioning my hands from myself to them and they exchanged looks, laughing as they turned back to me.
"That was years ago, silly. We don't hold a grudge." Beatrice said, smacking my arm in a supposed playful manner but it still hurt.
"Really?" My eyes widened in shock as my eyes scrolled from Beatrice to Chioma and then Eseosa.
Maybe I was being a little childish for holding onto a secondary school grudge. We were all adults now and such childish things shouldn't have mattered.
I gave a sigh of relief as I realized this. I felt much better knowing I wouldn't have needed to pull out braids and tear off clothes as it had been a normal behaviour between the four of us back in the old days.
I honestly just wanted to have a peaceful evening but of course I should've known that wasn't possible, certainly not when these girls were involved.
"Of course not." Chioma frowned at me. "'We don't hold grudges?' Of course we do." She laughed and the other two joined her. "We can never be friends with you, Tiara."
"Then, why are you here?" I asked, not totally surprised by this. I would've been shocked if they really had changed, although, I had sort of hoped they had cause this night was surely not going to end well now.
"We just wanted to see how miserable your life is and have a good laugh about it." Beatrice answered, shrugging like it was a totally normal thing to do. It was normal for them anyway.
"And what makes you think my life is miserable?" I scoffed, crossing my arms.
"We could smell your misery all the way from the door. How do you think we found you?" Eseosa retorted, rolling her eyes at me and my nose flared in annoyance.
"Well, you smelt wrong. My life is going great." I replied and they gave each other knowing looks, laughing as they passed side comments like they used to do in secondary school. They really hadn't changed.
"Good for you then." Chioma gave a fake smile, her eyes wondering to something or someone behind me. "I'd love to chat but my husband needs me." She said stressing on the 'husband' and my eyes widened. If someone as evil as Chioma could get married, then, I must've been cursed. "Don't look so sad. I'm sure someone would love and marry you someday." She encouraged, patting my shoulder in pity and I glared at her, a scowl making its way to my lips.
"That didn't sound genuine, Oma." Beatrice snickered and Chioma turned to her.
"It's not. No one would marry Tiara. Ever." Chioma chuckled as she spoke to Beatrice like I wasn't even standing in front of her.
I wasn't going to lie, her words hurt, they always did but just like before instead of letting her see my vulnerability, I attacked her.
I grabbed a fist full-or as much of the fabric I could pull of her skin-of her black lace dress but before I could hit her or do anything to hurt her, I was pulled away from her.
The force caused my acrylic nails to rip open the light sheer fabric that covered her chest, earning a scream from Chioma.
I laughed at this, feeling somewhat satisfied by this. I couldn't punch her in the face but public humiliation worked too. It was just sad that not many people could see what was going on as it was dim in the hall.
The music went low as someone called the attention of the crowd but I couldn't care less.
"Tiara! What are you doing?" Derrek said in a reprimanding voice as he turned us, so his back blocked my view of Chioma and I frowned as I glanced up at him. He'd been the one that ripped me away from Chioma. He had spoilt all my fun.
"Getting revenge. What does it look like?" I glared at him, yanking my arm out of his grip.
"It looks like you're attacking Seun's wife." Derrek said and my eyes widened in shock at the same time I slapped my hand over my already wide open mouth.
"Your friend, Seun married Chioma Ndukwe?" I shook my head as my expression turned into one of pity. "Eya. I feel so bad for him." At this, Derrek gave a sigh of exasperation.
"Here he comes now." Derrek nodded behind me and I turned to see a dark skinned, good looking man who looked around Derrek's age approach us.
"There you are, sweetheart!" Seun headed straight to Chioma who ran her fingers over the hole in her dress. "Whoa! What happened to your dress?" He asked, eyes wide as he took in the state of Chioma's dress.
"It was some nobody but don't worry about it, I'll just go change into something else." Chioma said and Beatrice and Eseosa snickered beside her while she smiled sweetly at Seun who stood a couple of inches taller than her five foot six inches frame.
"Okay but before you go, I want you to meet someone first." He said just as Chioma was about to walk away and she shook her head.
"I can't see anyone looking like this. Just give me a minute." Chioma tried to protest but Seun shook his head in disagreement.
"He's leaving in a minute. I just want you to meet him and his fiancee then you can leave. It won't take long, I promise. The tears not that bad. It's kinda hot even." He assured her and she gave a sigh in defeat, nodding.
Derrek and I silently watched them, trying not to be too obvious but the moment Seun turned towards us, Derrek started saying random things to me, making it look like we were paying no attention to them at all.
Seun and Chioma approached us and Chioma's eyes landed on Derrek, her eyes widening a little as she looked him from head to toe. She seemed to be checking him out and I rolled my eyes at this. Her eyes left him and looked confused as she saw me standing beside him.
"Derrek, this is my wife, Chioma. Chioma, this is one of my best friends, Derrek. We were roommates in the university." Seun introduced with a smile on his face. I was still shocked to hear the words wife and Chioma together in a sentence. She hadn't only gotten married but she'd married a good looking man and a rich one at that.
"He was a terrible roommate just so you know." Derrek joked as he took Chioma's hand in a firm shake and she laughed at this, her eyes not leaving Derrek for one second. It honestly pissed me off.
"Liar!" Seun laughed, giving Derrek a playful punch on the arm. "Don't believe him, sweetheart, he's crazy." He said to Chioma and she laughed, nodding.
"Seun, Chioma, this is Tiara. She's my fiancee." Derrek introduced and Chioma's eyes widened just like mine had when she said she was married. I couldn't help but smirk at this.
"I know her. We went to secondary school together." Chioma said, sending a smile in my direction.
"Yeah, we go way back." I added, faking a smile of my own.
"That's great!" Seun exclaimed. "This makes dinner tomorrow less awkward."
"Dinner?" Chioma and I voiced out, our panicked eyes meeting. I couldn't have dinner with her tomorrow. Something bad was going to take place, I was so sure of it.
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So, this is the first update in a loooong while. I hope y'all like it.
Thanks for reading.
😘