After straightening my hair, I pick my knee length Floral belted flare dress from my wardrobe. I feel like it fits this summer season. I slip into it and I move to my shoe rack to pick matching shoes. I go for my sparkly glitter ballet flats then I strut towards my mirror and take a look of my self. I feel satisfied with this look. I'm wearing minimal makeup, I have my glasses on, okay during the summer season the intensity of sunlight is much brighter and I can't survive a day without glasses, can't take that risk.
I pick my red Cross body bag hanging on the wall and I start shoving things that I'll need to use into it. I need my spectacle case and my lip gloss from my school backpack. So I get it from the back of my chair which is at the corner of my room under my reading table. I rip open my zip and the first thing that my eyes meet is my favourite vegan white chocolate. It's so big that I doubt it. This vegan white chocolate is so smooth and creamy you'll totally fall in love with it.
My heart is beating first as my trembling fingers reach upon it and I start scanning it closely. I'm convinced for a second that ghosts do exist and demons too. When am about to throw it outside my window, a grey sticker catches my attention. I move it closely enough to read the words written on it with the worst handwriting I can muster.
'Enjoy your favourite chocolate princess, please take it as my peace offering, don't throw it away.'
Princess... Oh lover boy, you're giving me a whiplash. I smile widely at the ugly contents written by the most handsome guy in the universe. I pluck the sticker, stupidly sticking it on my bed post. I then rip the chocolate aluminum foil wrapped around it open and I move it close to my nose inhaling the milky mixture of cocoa butter and vanilla scent. I'm salivating already and since I've no time for my breakfast, this will be it! I take a good bite of the heart shaped moulds and I'm hit immediately by the sweet creamy taste that renders me closing my eyes . I literally moan as I shove another chun into my mouth. After taking several moulds and my body can't stand the sugar anymore, I duck my phone from my Cross body bag texting Ballice.
Me: Thank you so much Bally for this chocolate. I wonder how it got into my backpack?
What a sweet surprise.
I pick a hair ribbon from my drawer and move towards my mirror with my phone. I can have my hair tied into a neat high ponytail today. It's always free. As I'm about to pack it, a text goes off and I put it on read.
Bally: You're welcomed princess😁 I actually thought you already threw it out. Yesterday when you were busy talking with your friends I sneaked it into your backpack. I thought you'll turn me down if I gave it to you physically.😔
Me: Maybe I would have turned you down but that was not likely going to happen. Chocolates are life for me. Anyway are you set?
Bally: Thanks for letting me know that chocolates are life for you😂🤩 . We are ready, almost leaving
Me: Bye see you, thank you so much for the chocolate, seriously.
Bally: Can't wait to see you, bye😊😜.
I smile at his message and I start packing my hair using my one and only trusty ribbon hair tie. I tie it in a firm high ponytail which extends it's way down stopping at my upper back making it seem like it's Halo extensions on top of my natural ponytail being securely attached to it using bobby pins.
Taking one last satsfying look on the mirror, I pick my bag and leave the room. It's like I'm the one who is dragging every person behind. Both my dad and nanny Cassandra are ready and they are both seated on the wooden bench at the front porch. Lodzin is busy playing with my Golden German retriever, Fiula.
Once fiula sees me, he runs towards my direction and jumps into me excitedly. I deep my fingers in his thick fur shuffling it as I lower myself to it's height. "Did you miss me Fiula? Wait You're so bad, today you didn't come to wake me up, why?" I mumble into his fur kissing him lightly on his head thus making him close his eyes in delight as he sticks his tongue out panting.
"I had him in my room the whole morning!" Lodzin chimes showing me his single tooth gap as he chuckles loudly.
"Is that so fiula?" I raise a brow at him pinching the bridge of his nose lightly and then stands up. "I'm sorry I can't take you with us, I'll be back by evening, is that okay with you? " It starts playing with my Cross bag.
"Hey let's leave already sunshine it's getting a bit late." Dad says motioning us all to move our legs towards the parking lot. I carry fiula into his kernel and I close it after Lodzin helps me with his food from the house.
We all load into my dad's Volkswagen Golf which is actually a family car. The VW MK8 is easy to drive, spacious and well equipped. Its looks won't appeal to everyone though, and some features are tricky to use but it's really great. I take a back seat with Cassandra and Lodzin takes the passenger seat while Dad drives us to Brewster in Putnam County. We were to choose between Brewster and Westchester so we chose Brewster.
It's probably a forty minute drive to Brewster. After a Lodzin filled stories in the car for forty minutes, our car takes a halt at Brewster fair grounds. He parks the car outside the store selling household stuffs since we can't get through the crowd that is bustling around.
Father Lord, how am I even going to see Ballice? Are they already here?
"Auntie Zila call auntie Cassandra, we're riding the carousel with Bruce remember?" Lodzin squeaks his voice out in excitement as he struggles unbuckling his seatbelt. Thank God.
"Why are you thanking God?" Na'zila asks next to me and my eyes pop out in disbelief. I said that out loud? Oh shit. As if she's reading my mind, she arches a brow at me a smug smile playing on her lips. I feel like wiping it off but I choose to recover from the shock by composing myself in the best way I can.
"Uh... Uhmm for helping us arrive here safely." I can't think of anything better than that sweet lie.
"Oh." That's what she manages to say as she pulls out her phone to call Cassandra.
"Dad what will you be doing today?" I ask him as I lean my head closer to the back of his seat.
"I'll be at the cattle ring first then I will go to the goat ring and finally go to the pull ring to watch oxen drawing contest." He replies casually unbuckling his seatbelt.
"You've not yet seen the fair programme, right?" I ask trying hard not to laugh at him. All those contests took place in the morning.
"Fair programme?" He turns looking at me quizzically. "Was there any?"
"Hahaha.." The three of us fall into a deafening laughter leaving him more confused.
"Yes dad, there was, I'm sorry we didn't mention it, who knew dad likes watching such contests?" I say in between laughters as I bend towards him to make his back collar. " But we still have doodlebug pull, class III at the doodlebug ring though it's at seven in the evening." I state seating back on my seat.
" Seven? there is no way I'll wait, anyway I don't like doodlebug pull it's for kids like you." He declaims turning his head to face us with a big grin on his face.
"Hey, watch it dad! I'm not a kid, incase you've forgotten, I'm turning eighteen in months time. I know I just turned seventeen on April and it's July now. But this is my eighteenth year, that's how we count it, right? I cross my arms over my chest moving my eyes out of the window. "Oh that's Ballice's car coming towards us."
"Ballice?" Both dad and Zila squeaks out their surprise at the same time. Fuck you shitty running mouth ughhhh.
"Do you know him?" Zila comes out first.
"Of course, he's my classmate." I say trying to sound as casual as I possibly can.
"You Know all your classmates' cars, don't you?" Dad comes out second. Of course he'll say that. I know him. Now what am I going to defend myself with this time.
"No, he's my deskmate and we were paired for our geography project, so I've seen him countless times driving it, in and out of school ever since I knew him. " I explain myself praying so hard that it will shut their mouths.
"Okay." Zila drags as dad says Okay with finality, thanks Dad. I exhale silently as I watch Ballice stop his car behind ours. He walks out and then goes to open the back door for Cassandra and Bruce. Gentleman enough, I say inwardly as I scan his dressing code for today. Oh boy, you never ceases to amaze me.
He's wearing black distressed denim shorts, sky blue t-shirt contrasting the colour of his eyes and black vans. Oh God he's so cute. His hair is messy, it seems like he has run fingers through it countless times, maybe when he was driving. That's something he's used to be doing when driving I think, it's like an habit. Na'zila waves her hand outside the window and Bruce saws it first and run towards our car as we all disembark.
😘💓