I woke up to raised voices downstairs, which is nothing new. At 18 years of age I can now hear them in my sleep sometimes. That was 15mins ago. I spend a portion of my morning everyday staring at the ceiling hoping I'll get Magic powers. Oh well, another bust.
Now to get out of bed.
I groan. 'I wonder how early risers live with themselves', I thought.
A ping sounds in my room. Ah, my cellphone. I grab it and check the notification but it's just an ad message, so I waste even more time running through my apps. I'm one of those people who complain about a particular thing everyday and still do it again and again. I'll definitely regret repeating my routine when I'm late for my lessons today but what can I say, I'm a bit of a masochist. Who isn't?
Finally, the time catches my eye. 10am. What did I tell you? Regret. I drop my phone and stretch. Then take my bath, glad that all my siblings are boarders. Nothing better than a private bathroom. I rush through it and get dressed. I'm not majorly fashionable. I just put on a maroon T-shirt and a pair of jeans with running shoes and head downstairs. My parents are still too busy arguing to notice me and since I don't feel like being ordained a judge, I sneak by and into the kitchen. Dad storms out just a minute later though. Straight outside and drives off. Eh, better that way.
"Morning mum" I greet my mother as I walk into the living room, glad today's war seems over. "Oh, Clara, are you leaving?" I nod while trying not to cringe. How I've come to hate that name.
My friends call me Jayden or J, mostly because I refuse to answer when called any of my given names. I'm trans but that's not really something you tell people where I'm from so I haven't said anything to anyone. Any sensible person can guess though, cause all's really left is a sign on my forehead. Too bad, sensibility is a foreign trait to my people.
Everyone just calls me a tomboy, general tag for any girl so masculine they decide to group her so they don't have to question their values. Then they advise me to dress more feminine and act more fragile but fortunately I'm the single king of ignorance.
Also, it's not the biggest reason why I hate my name.
"Won't you have breakfast first?" She asks. "Nah, I'll get something in school". Mum's always trying to overfeed people so I'm fighting for my life.
She got 'the' look in her eye. The one that says she's about to try and guilt me for sure. I'm convinced guilting people into a meal is her greatest talent. I wait for it but she relents. "OK, have a nice day"
'Well, she gave up easily today', I thought.
"Thanks mum, bye"
I basically run out before she can change her mind. I was about to leave when my reflection on the guest room window catches my eye. My chocolate skin had whitish patches on it. The best type of skin to tell when the weather is cold or even remotely dry. I rubbed at my arms and legs in an attempt to get rid of them as a regret sleeping in again. Seems I forget to moisturize. Then I just stare at myself.
Tall at 5'9 with a curvy shape that even my baggy clothes struggle to hide. Dark chocolate skin bordering on midnight black. Black hair that grows very long for someone of my race, reaching to my shoulders. Plus a smooth baby face with full pink lips under coffee brown eyes.
People say I'm pretty all the time and I can't deny that, but I guess you can't love even a perfect thing when it just feels....wrong.
I leave the gate of my parent's luxurious duplex that feels more and more like a glass house with each passing day, and hurry down the street. When I get to the end of it, I flag down a bike and tell the rider my destination. Then I hop onto the back seat and we're off.
My wannabe prim and proper folks have complained relentlessly about me zipping around town on bikes but isn't that just one other thing they complain about. I love riding and they definitely aren't letting me get a bike so this is my protest. It'll be the first thing I get once I'm out of their control. Ah, feeling the wind in my face, like all my problems get blown away.
This is the same power music has.
I hold on tight as we speed towards the place. When we get there I pay the man and got off. It's not really a bad area but it's a little rundown. An old small but sturdy plaza building with the usual group of drinkers already stationed in front of the mini bar, chugging down drinks before it's even noon. I greet the bartender, an old man who owns the bar as well as the building and head upstairs to the music studio.
I'm supposed to be in school but what my parents don't know won't kill them. I want to be a singer but my folks are academicians and believe school is the only way. Mum downright declares all modern musicians thugs. Add that to my father's love for his image that surpasses any he could ever have for his family and they make up my biggest obstacle.
I go in and see Stan and Chidi. Chidi owns the studio and Stan is his friend and a struggling artist so he's always here.
"Yo, J, I thought you finally left the state" Stan says as he stands to his probably 5'6 height to pat me on the shoulder. I bump fists with him and chuckle. My folks who have me before I'm even two minutes out the border. I drop my schoolbag on the sofa to go up to Chidi who's working at his desk and slap his shoulder before I realize that would probably disrupt his work.
"Stop it man" He slaps my hand away. I pull up a seat to settle down behind him, I'm here to learn anyway. Chidi is a producer, very small time though and I'm his apprentice, so to say.
The studio is a tiny place. Just one room with a mini booth built up against the inner half of the right wall with the desk where Chidi sits and the equipment arranged in front of it. There's a two seater sofa which is getting old beside it, also on the right wall, where Stan currently sat. Pushed closer to the entrance of the place so it wouldn't block the door to the little booth. Across that by the left wall is a single sitter couch that's far newer and two plastic chairs, one of which I was now sitting on. The place had just one tiny window on the farthest wall above the work desk and a ceiling fan above.
"Where have you been anyway? Your ass is supposed to come here every afternoon". Oh yeah, I knew Chidi would give me crap for this.
"I've been busy. I have a life, unlike some people", I grunt. That earns me a death stare while Stan just chuckles. I recognize the file Chidi's working on.
"Is that Ekene's file?" He hums in answer. "I thought you finished it last week?" He sighs. "Something doesn't feel right". It was my turn to give a small laugh. "Classic you man, always over thinking it". He shoots me the finger. I make fun of him but this is why I choose this studio over the better ones in town. Chidi is a perfectionist when it comes to his music, just like I am. He has to enjoy it before he's ok with it. It's not just a job, but a passion, so he challenges himself.
My ringtone sounds throughout the room and Stan starts bobbing his head to it. He idolizes Lil Wayne and says 'Drop the world' is the greatest song in existence. I go outside to answer the call. "Hey babe" comes Sasha's voice in a singsong tone. She's always overly cheerful. It's one of the things I like about her.
"Hey Sasha, what's up?" She giggles. "Nothing much, where are you?"
"Work. You?"
"Home, but I knew you wouldn't be in school so I just wanted to let you know timetables are out......" she trails off. I smile slightly.
Sasha is one of my closest friends, and as much as she tries to be supportive she doesn't see why on earth someone would abandon medical school to pursue a musical career.
"And you're telling me this because...." I return, playing her game.
Sasha lets out an audible breath. Oh lord not a lecture. I almost groan but hold myself back because I know she'd definitely give me crap for that.
"Oh come on Jayden, you know I'm all for whatever you want to do. I just keep you informed, in case you change your mind, you never know what you'll wind up choosing" she finishes without the complaint I expected from her. I'm just glad I got out of the lecture.
"Believe me, I very much do"
"Aren't you being a little forward about this?"
"I'm not" I answer in a decisive tone, to spell the end of that conversation. Sasha hums and accepts defeat, knowing not to push further right now.
"Alright fine" she grumbles. She means well but everyone thinks they do. "You're still coming over tomorrow right?" I nod like she can see me, "yes sure".
"Kk. Bye, love you girl" She sings. "Don't call me that" I half shout but she just laughs and hangs up so I go back inside.
"Who was that?" Chidi asks. "A friend from school" I answer as I take my seat. Chidi snickers like the man child he is. "You were taking so long I thought it was storm" he said. I groan. "Please don't start" I say. "Hey, we're just trying to be good friends and find out how things are with you and Stormy" he says still chuckling it up. You know, I'm certain he just always aims to irritate me.
"I really don't have the strength for your games" I huff.
Storm is the nickname everyone has for my 'boyfriend' Kent. And I'm either cursed, under a spell or plain insane to still be with him. But I guess I'm just hung up on the past. He used to be the closest to perfect I could ask for but in the last year since he failed to graduate high school, he got in with the wrong kind of friends and now he's just spiraling downwards. Oh and he doesn't want to hear a thing I have to say about it because 'I'm a nagger'. Classic beauty ain't it.
My friends say to leave him, and by all means are they reasonable, but here I am. Hanging onto the hope that I'll get my Kent back someday.
Who am I kidding though, he's just not mine anymore and that's probably it.
I put thoughts of him outta my mind and try to focus on what matters to me now but Chidi speaks up in a rush of words, "I was just asking to let you know he's coming here today".
That took sometime to sink in.
"Wait, what?" I stare at him incredulously. "He's coming here today" He answers and blinks at me like he has no idea what's wrong. I'm convinced this man kicks puppies in his free time.
"When?" I ask. He hums, "What's the time?"
"1:30pm"
"Ok, right now" the bastard chuckles. "He's actually a bit late"
"What?!" I growl at him. "What?" he returns like I was being unreasonable. "You should have told me that, asshole" I say. "Oops" He shrugs and goes back to work. He really does just aim to irritate me!!
I hurry and pick up my things, with my thoughts screaming at me, 'I really don't want to face him now'. Slugging my bag on my shoulder I head for the door but before I could even touch the handle it was pulled open.
And there stood, in all his 6'2 of gorgeous male glory, Kent Omezuo.
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Hi everyone. Author here.
I know I finished the first chapter before but the story was just starting wrong to me so I had to rewrite it.
But this is it and I'll try to be faster with the second one.
I'm not sure of a update time yet cause I'm like still developing this but I'll work on it.
Pls tell me what you think and vote and share.
Thank you! Xoxo