Usually I'm like,
"Whatever," but tonight,
the way you're moving
got me with my mind.
__
"O-ma, o ma gosh!"
Chimdi screamed with Lara, alongside sweaty and adrenaline filled party animals, jumping with so much reckless abandon to the afro pop music blaring from the thumping speakers.
Young boy in a big man posh
Young boy with a big man purse!!
The crowded space hot and so was her whole body. She could feel the thick denim sticking to her body, hand held securely in Lara's viselike grip.
She was sweaty, her body on fire, not the good kind. She needed to get out of there and besides, she felt like the tenth wheel.
After getting a few shots from the make shift bar, she'd felt a little free, like a bird let out of it's cage with a rope binding it's leg, just in case it strayed too far.
Abike's hand on TJ had created a disturbing image in her mind. She couldn't, for unfathomable reasons, bring herself to think about the duo dancing and screaming together, body sweaty to the thumping music.
She watched Chuks dance in circles around them and not so subtly, did he touch her probably oblivious friend. Another reason to get out of there. She wasn't going to stand in his way.
She tried to free her hand and that got Lara's attention.
"Where are you going?" Lara shouted, all happy smile and sweats.
"I'm going back up," she shouted back, trying to beat the music's volume. "I'm tired!"
Lara pouted before letting go and in few seconds, Chimdi found herself pushing through sweaty and over hyped bodies, making her way to the glass-enclose.
"Hey party pooper!" She heard his voice.
She could recognise the voice anytime and anywhere. She looked up to a smiling TJ and she felt something between the lines of relief and joy stir in her chest.
"I'm not a party pooper." She shot back, crossing her legs while scrolling through her phone.
She'd removed the denim, and that left her on only the lacy bralette and her short leather skirt, which rode up as she crossed her long legs. And this time she didn't care, she was grateful for Lara's advice on wearing a bum short.
She looked behind him for a sign of any company, but found no one.
"Where's your dance partner?" She asked with attempted nonchalance.
He let out a laugh before plopping beside her. "Do I sense a green eyed monster?" He nudged her playfully.
"Boy please, you've got the wrong girl?" She retorted with an unladylike snort, trying so hard to focus her gaze on her cell phone.
"For real," TJ began with a nod, "What kind of girl are you?"
"I'm a lot of things TJ. Now don't change the topic, where's your dance partner?" She dropped her cell phone, her attention now solely on him.
"I don't know, she's somewhere down there." He replied, pointing at the crowded dance floor. "Left her here in search of you, but couldn't find you. Why? Are you looking for her?"
She shook her head furiously, "Nope, I just don't want to see her face." She said with finality, causing the boy to be taken aback.
TJ chuckled. "She's not your favourite of persons is she?"
"Uh uh," she replied, flaring her hands to lay emphasis. "We are like oil and water. We can never have a good flow, you get?"
He nodded, amused and a little worried. She was unusually blunt, which was a whole new revelation.
He edged closer, taking her face in his palms. "Are you drunk?" He asked, totally alarmed.
She giggled, mostly because his breath was tickling the base of her nose.
"Nope." She replied, dragging her words. "I'm just buzzed up, I can't get drunk you know..." She pouted, her eyes widening, TJ sucked in a breath just as her gaze caught his.
"Why?" He whispered and she sighed, allowing her face to rest on his palms.
They were too close and his hands were warm, she got comfortable.
"Mum will definitely kill me." She said, shuddering at the mere thought of Ginika finding out about her making a fool of herself.
TJ's eyes widened at her words and he was taken back to weeks ago, her face drenched with sweat, a frightened look and her writhing in pain. The memory, one that had refused to be erased. It still gave him sleepless nights.
"Does she- does she abuse you, tell me?" He asked totally alarmed, she shook her head furiously.
"No, she just scolds me. But she loves me, right? She just doesn't want me messing things up you know." She replied him, same time trying to convince herself.
TJ let out a sigh of relief, letting go of her face and immediately, she missed the warmth.
"How many shots did you have? Did you take something strong?" He queried.
Chimdi waved him off. "Just two shots. I told you, I'd never get drunk." She edged closer, covering the little space left.
"I just had to get a few shots, I needed a little liquid courage to get answers."
"Tell me, what answers?"
She fought the urge to tug at the white ropes of his hoodie, but remembering Abike's hands right on them, she scowled.
"Who are you Tasie Jordan Kodiri?" She began slowly, staring him square in the face.
He flashed her his signature smile, one that could stop gravity and she found herself feeling warm. Maybe it was the alcohol finally taking full effects, but she liked the feeling.
She raised a brow, waiting for his response while he let out an amused laugh.
"You tell me, who do you think I am?"
She mused on his response for few seconds, before her face lit up. "You are this cute transfer student in my class?"
"Oh come on," he whined, pouting in process and Chimdi thought his action was cute. "I hate the word 'transfer student'. And I'm nothing close to cute."
"Okay, let's say you are this new guy, but what's wrong with being cute?" She asked, giggling.
Her gaze met his dark orbs, a gaze so dark she was scared, she might drown in them.
He edged closer, flashing her a smile that got her heart beating a little too fast. "I think cute shouldn't be the right descriptive adjective for me..."
"Ooh," Chimdi narrowed her eyes at him, "You are one of those boys who think the word cute should be reserved for the female population alone?"
"No. C'mon that's not what I'm trying to say. How should I put this," he absently took her hands. "The word cute is kinda meant for kids, there sheer innocence and adorableness, and I'm nothing close to innocent."
"Ooh." Chimdi nodded in understanding before flushing, mostly because of his hooded gaze, staring pensively at her and the warm hands absentmindedly stroking her hand. The effect had her shuddering in comfortable pleasure, causing goose bumps to pop out. It was then she realized the double meaning of his words and how flirty they sounded and most definitely, he was a lot of steps above cute.
The awareness of the intensity of his gaze on her was embarrassingly flattering, he stared at her like she was the only one in the room, like the loud music blaring and happy screams had nothing on the moment they were sharing.
She offered him a shy smile before nodding at the same time clearing her throat.
"Do tell me, Uncle I'm-not-innocent, how should I describe you?" She continued, totally aware of his warm hands and the sensational signal they did send to her body.
"Honestly, I'm not sure."
Chimdi pouted and again, he found himself drawn to her cute childlike actions, fighting the urge to pinch her blemish free skin with the self-assurance that they'd feel as smooth as they looked.
"Come on, you're trying to avoid my question and that's every shade of unfair."
"Fine," he chuckled, his head getting comfortable on the chair's headrest. "But, It's also unfair to only supply answers."
She narrowed her eyes at him, and the action caused him to flash her one of his toe coiling smiles, while he fought the urge to coo at her cute actions.
"How about, we swap questions and answers. It's uncomfortable being the one who supplies the answer. Hmmn?" He suggested and Chimdi's face totally brightened up.
"Fine, you can start. It's only fair cos I started this." She drawled out, leaning back and getting comfortable on the soft cushion.
He pretended to think for a few seconds before turning to face her. "What's your favourite colour?"
Chimdi rolled her eyes so hard that it felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
Giving him a crazy look,she asked. "Seriously, it's that all you were thinking of?"
"It's like a rule. Besides, I'm saving the better questions for later." He said, winking to lay emphasis on his last phrase.
She waved him off, a total opposite of how she felt inside. The wink alone had her feeling hotter than she felt seconds ago.
"None."
"What?" He asked, confused.
"I don't have a favourite colour and besides, each colour is unique in it's own way. So, why pick one above the other?"
He nodded at her words. "Reasonable point there."
"I know right? So... My turn. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?" Her question got him whistling.
"You don't play around, do you?" His hands made to tug at the sleeves of his hoodie, pushing them to his arm.
"I think that should be the summer before sophomore, the last days actually." He began, visibly cringing at the memory. "We were at the beach, Milo and I. He dared me to go talk to this red haired. It all happened in a flash, I was walking towards her, she was smiling and suddenly, my shorts got pulled down."
Chimdi sucked in a shocked breath, eyes wide in shock while trying so hard to hold back her laughter.
He glared at her playfully. "Yeah, that went my chance. I lost the girl and... My pants too."
Not being able to hold back any longer, Chimdi bursted out in fit of guffaws, edging closer and still cackling, somehow she felt relieved that he lost his chance with said girl, the reason behind such thought, not fathomable.
"So what did you do after?"
"Picked up the scattered piece of my fragile ego of course and my shorts. God, it was the worst way to start a new school year." He shuddered at the unpleasant memory.
"Awwwn," Chimdi cooed in mock sympathy. "You poor thing." Her eyes shining with mischief.
He scowled playfully. "Jeez, you're the worst." Before a mischievous smile appeared on his face. "My turn. Your best moment?"
Chimdi immediately felt relieved that he hadn't asked her of her worst moment. She had a lot of them. It'll be pretty awkward and uncomfortable if she left the main story to coin a fake one.
"My first day at Pacesetters."
Stunned, he gave her a look that spoke volumes on how unbelievable she sounded.
She shrugged, twisting her fingers. "Yeah. I didn't get the chance to meet much friends while growing up. I was this kid who was stuck with her Mum, Aunt and no friends. The close thing I had to friends were primary school classmates who didn't know my last name and the way to my house."
She offered him a small smile when she saw the genuine look of sympathy on his face and quickly added. "Mum said it was for security reasons. You know, being a celebrity and all that shit." The lies were easy to spit out, the pain too engraved in her memory to be forgotten.
She'd never tell anyone the reason behind not having much friends was because she thought herself a freak. The constant abuse had created a huge abode for self-loathing. She'd battled social ostracism while growing till she met Jiki, the first male to ever picture her as a friend in a genuine way. The way he'd looked at her like a fragile creature at the school's pavilion, offered her his game box to play with without asking for anything in return had been the right and first awakening to the world of genuine kindness.
"Being a celebrity can be stressful." TJ muttered and she nodded, praying that the awkward air was only felt by her.
"Your turn."
"Yeah. Do you miss New York?"
He pondered on the question for a few seconds. There was nothing to think about. He did miss his city and his friends, that was, if he thought about them. He'd been so carried away by the warmth of the present vibrant city he was in and his new friends that he had not given a few thought about New York for weeks.
He nodded. "Yeah, now that you've mentioned it." Came his honest answer. "But I definitely miss my old Man. Whenever I reach out to him, once I'm satisfied that he is okay, New York becomes a distant memory."
Especially when it houses an Ex.
"They say home is where the heart is." Chimdi chipped in, also lost in her own thought.
"Yep. In that case, I think I have two homes at the moment." The lingering gaze was back and so were the goose bumps, it felt like he was speaking to her soul, like he was trying to convey a message to them.
She swallowed, gaze still held by his. "Your turn Kodiri."
__
"I play the drum." TJ said as he pantomimed playing a drum.
"Dude, that's not a talent." Chimdi said with a playful eyeroll.
They'd been chatting for over an hour, their kneesbumping, fingers brushing, lingering gazes and hidden blushes.
They'd traded funny and embarrassing stories about mostly, his childhood. He felt she wasn't comfortable talking about her childhood and he gladly did the talking.
With carbonated drinks in their hands, TJ had told her all she needed to know and more.
"And you call twerking talent?" TJ snorted, fiddling with the fancy yo-yo ball of Chimdi's phone pouch, before casting a quick accessing glance her way. "Besides, how the hell can you twerk with this body?"
"Better believe it, you don't need unnecessary assets to twerk!" Came her quick retort.
TJ cocked a brow, mischief inspired smile tugging at his lips. "Unnecessary assets?"
Chimdi's face was on fire, she didn't realize the impact of her words till she saw the mischievous grin gracing the boys face.
"Forget about whatever asset, necessary or unnecessary-" She cringed at the way the words sounded. And so wished to slap away the smile on his face at the moment.
She cleared her throat. "Why the hell am I explaining the basics of twerking to you. No no no, why are you countering my words? You're a boy, you don't know anything about twerking, so I'm doing the talking and you have to listen."
"Really? Now you're being sexist." He countered and that got her sitting up.
"Do explain."
"There's nothing much to explain. You're among those girls who think twerking should be reserved for the male population alone." He answered, using her own words against her.
Chimdi tried hard to bite back the smile tugging at her lips.
"Besides," he continued. "Girls aren't the only ones allowed to twerk. I myself can bounce my bootie."
That got Chimdi bursting out in howls of laughter. Suddenly, an image of TJ on a tutu, waist bended, ass wobbling in the air had her laughing harder. The image very, very perturbing.
"What? You don't think I can?" A visibly amused TJ asked.
She shook her head, still laughing. TJ stared at her, waiting for her to be done with laughing, with a smile tugging at his lips.
"Why? Chimdi Gentry, you underestimate me a lot." He asked after she was done with her laughing fit. "
Chimdi shook her head, eyes wet from laughing so hard. "You give yourself too much credit Kodiri."
He shrugged conceitedly. "More of having a healthy amount of faith in myself."
She snotted. "You're too full of yourself jhoor. Where were we again? Right, talents."
Her dismissal had him laughing silently.
"So..." She began again. "You've not answered."
"You've not answered either, any way, I write." He said in a voice so low that it could pass out as a whisper.
"And I fly. C'mon, jokes apart this time." She nudged him with her knees, when she looked up to goad him further, the look on his face was enough to tell, he wasn't playing around.
"For real?"
He responded with a nod and that got her edging closer.
"Wow. Is that all you have to say? Only?" She asked, prodding him to spill more.
"What do you want me to say?"
"More silly. You should start by telling me what genre, how you started writing... Do you get?"
"That's like more than one question." He answered, finally relaxing this time.
She pouted, "Let's say it's a context question. You know you'll have to explain further."
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Except this isn't a context question. How about, you answer first, then I'll explain."
"Honestly, I don't think I really am talented." She answered in all honesty. "Unless you'll count posing for the camera and walking the runway as a talent." She offered him a tight smile.
"And twerking?" He added with smile matching hers, earning him a nod.
Despite how close they were, TJ edged closer, eyes meeting hers, as if, in search of answers. "Did you get the answer you were looking for?"
She shook her head negatively, a grin making it's way to her face. "Not yet, I still have enough time to figure you out."
Figure me out?
He liked the sound of it.
"And I, you." He replied, with grin matching hers.
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