This chapter is dedicated to oluwa2060 Your comment made my day....
Enjoy.
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°Tatiana's POV°
Getting a call around seven - thirty at night, isn't strange. Getting a call around seven - thirty from Jubilee was extremely strange. Jubilee wanted nothing to do with me because of Happiness, and how he got my new line baffled me.
I got up from my bed and put on my gray hoodie above my night wear, before walking out of my room. Mum and dad had already redecorated Uyai's room, so she was no longer staying in the same room with me.
Moving down the stairs, I could spot Uyai watching a Korean series, while dad was reading the headlines of a newspaper. Funny how Uyai's show wasn't even distracting dad, and funny how Uyai decided to watch a movie when she knew she had lots of studying to do. Uyai wasn't below average, but she wasn't the best either.
I tried to tiptoe my way to the front door, since dad was oblivious about his surrounding. Uyai noticing me first, decided to speak out. "Where are you going?"
I exhaled deeply while staring at Uyai. She shouldn't have asked in a loud tone. "Dad, I want to see a friend at the gate."
"You're not going out by this time," Dad replied. I knew he wouldn't let me, that was the reason I decided to tiptoe in the first place.
"It's just seven - thirty," I dragged. There was no way I was getting out now, not like this. My eyes moved to Uyai, then to the series she was watching. It gave me an idea. "Uyai is watching a series instead of studying the execersises I had compiled for her. She's horrible at all sorts of calculations."
"Uyai, turn the DVD off and switch the television to DSTV." Dad gave instructions, without taking his eyes off of the newspaper he was holding. "Go upstairs and study."
"But daddy___"
I quickly snuck out of the living room in the middle of their dilemma. Stepping out with my fluffy pink slippers, I scurried over to the gate. The air was so cold, I was grateful for my hoodie.
With my instructions, the gate man opened the gate. Out in the dark night was Jubilee, leaning against our fence. He was also putting on a hoodie, and had his head staring at his foot.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting," Jubilee lifted his head once he head my voice. "You said on the phone that you wanted to see me for something."
I still felt the guilt whenever I came across him. It was even worst cause he was moving towards me, his eyes filled with so much emotions. Anger, pain, sadness, pity, guilt.
"Everyday, every passing day, I had hated you." Jubilee's voice was low, so low I had to strain my hearing a bit, just to get what he was saying. "Thinking you were the reason for Happiness' death."
Lowering my head, I whispered. "I indirectly was."
"I imagined how Happiness must have hated you so much, that she had to write a letter in her very own blood." Jubilee's voice wasn't consoling. He didn't give a damn if his words were hurting or not. But who am I to complain, he lost someone precious to him. He had the right to get mad.
"I'm sorry," Was the only thing I could muster. I couldn't bring Happiness back, but I could certainly try to bring the person that had actually slit her throat, to justice.
Jubilee leaned back against the wall with a long sigh. He shook his head subtly, before speaking. "But I never wondered what you went through."
What I went through couldn't and shouldn't be compared with what my best friend went through. Not one bit.
"How you lived with so much guilt and how you remained strong seeing that the person you actually like, was in love with someone else." Jubilee pulled himself from the fence and in a minute, he was holding my hands. My heart skipped a beat with his actions.
"I can't love you Tatiana," Jubilee said softly. He knew, hell he knew! "I can't give you the love you need cause I'm not the guy for you. I had really liked someone else after Happiness, but had to give her away. Dating you just because you both have the same face wouldn't be fair to you, cause I don't have feelings for you."
He knew I still liked him very much, and seeing him rejecting me this way hurt me so bad. I blink twice and lifting my head to suck in some air. I didn't want to cry cause I was grateful for his honesty.
"But I would like the both of us to be close friends." I chuckled sadly at his words. I just got friend zoned. How could the word friends hurt so bad. "I really want to be your friend, Tatiana."
Jubilee had his eyes on me, but once in a while he got distracted by something behind me. I started to turn to see what it was, but Jubilee's next words frightened me.
"Get down!" Jubilee used his body as a shield, as he pushed both our bodies to the ground. Same time he did that, the headlights to a car brightened our paths and gun shots was heard afterwards.
Once the car had zoomed off, Jubilee and I got up almost immediately and rushed into the compound. Mum dad and Uyai, could be seen rushing out of the main house, while our gate man was hiding under his chair.
"What was that?" Uyai asked shocked, as she approached Jubilee and I. "I heard gun shots. Was it real or our gate man's chinko phone?"
I was shocked, I was shaking. Someone had just pointed a gun at me. Jubilee on the other hand was more composed. "More real than the Kdrama love series you were watching earlier," I found the strength to muster.
Mum and dad were already right in front of me. Mum held me in my hands while dad wasn't looking happy. I had just disobeyed him. His eyes moved over to Jubilee, and his frown deepen. Dad wasn't against young love, both he and mum were high school lovers. But to him, Jubilee was trouble.
"Dad," I left mum and rushed over to dad. "Daddy, someone shot at us. I-I couldn't see their faces but Jubilee here, saved me."
"There wouldn't have been no saving if you'd obeyed me!" Dad boomed, making me to move back a bit. Mum drew me towards her and held me securely while dad moved towards Jubilee. "Did you by any chance see who was behind the wheels?"
Jubilee shook his head sideways. "That person happened to be at the back. It was dark, we couldn't see that person's features."
Dad wasn't happy, it was obvious. He almost lost a daughter, which father would be happy?
"Thank you," Dad muttered quickly, then turned to the opposite direction and head for the main house. "The police needs to be involved."
"Your friend is crazy T," Uyai began to rant, as she moved back and forth. "Happiness is crazy!" With those last words, she stormed towards the house.
Still held securely in mum embrace, I turned towards Jubilee. "Be safe while heading back."
Jubilee nodded, and was about taking a step. "Thank you, son." Mum said sincerely. "Thank you for saving my daughter's life."
"She's an important friend," Jubilee said, but his eyes were on me. "I just couldn't let another important person die."
Mum was grateful and I was too. We both waited till Jubilee was out of the compound, before slowly moving to the house.
In the living room, dad busied himself as he talked to the police on the phone. Uyai and I were pacing back and forth while Mum was tapping her feet nervously.
Dad finally dropped his phone after he had ended his call. He moved towards me and held me with soft hands. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"No dad," I said with a soft smile. Dad pulled me closer and gave me a warm hug. I wasn't a fan of hugs, but I couldn't remember the last time I had actually gotten a hug from my father. "Thank you, dad."
Dad finally let go of me. We all waited patiently to hear what he had to say. "Tatiana, you have to go with me to the station tomorrow. The police wants to question you about this night."
No no no, I just couldn't go. Well at least not tomorrow. "I've got Civic test tomorrow and I also need to practice for the competition the day after that!"
"Your sister will fill in for you tomorrow," Dad stated, pointing at Uyai.
"Me?!" Uyai pointed at her chin with her index finger, same time I pointed towards her direction. "Her?!"
"It's not a big deal my girls," Mum said to us. I groaned loudly before getting hold of Uyai hands. Funny how the word 'Test' could change an atmosphere. I mean, I almost got killed but here I am, thinking about a test coming up tomorrow.
"Where to?" Uyai suddenly protested.
"To study," I reminded her. I began to drag her towards the stairs.
Uyai sighed, not liking this idea one bit. "Well thank God it's Civic and not Math."
"Maths," I corrected her.
"Uh," Uyai stopped, making me to halt my pulling.
"Both math and maths are short for the word mathematics. Math is the preferred term in the United States and Canada. Maths is the preferred term in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and other English-speaking places. Now, Nigerian was colonized by which country?" I said to her, as I resumed my pulling. We were now climbing our way up the stairs.
"Does it even matter? Is it not the same thing?" Uyai replied dryly, making me to groan loudly.
"No it's not," I tried to say to her. Once I looked down from the stairs, I could see mum and dad discussing. "Seriously," I said loudly, so mum and dad could hear me. "She's actually gonna take the test for me?!"
I shook my head in an unbelievable manner, before swinging my hands over Uyai's shoulder. We kept climbing the flight of stairs, as my one aim was to get to my room.
"I love you sis," I reminded Uyai, as we finally got to my room. "But you better not let me fail."
Eddy : Uyai thinks Happiness is alive and she had stated her reasons.
Tatiana thinks Happiness is dead and she had stated her reasons.
Who do you think is right, and why?
With that said, what do you think about the following in this chapter.
U and T Dad ➡
U and T Mum ➡
Uyai ➡
Tatiana ➡
Jubilee ➡
Don't forget to vote, comment and share.
Till next time,
Saranghaeyo
X
-Eddy