~KUNMI~
I opened the door to see a beaming Aminah. Her smile disappeared from her face when she saw me or rather saw the fact that I wasn't dressed up. Infact, it was way pass noon and I was still in my pyjamas
"Babe, why are you not dressed? I thought we agreed on 12pm."
She queried, walking into the living room and I closed the door after her. She was the only one agreed, not me. I did not even say I was going to follow her to the salon or wherever.
"I know that look, Kunmi." Aminah started again, turning back to look at me when we got to the sitting room. "You're trying to think of an excuse but you know what? I'm definitely not going to buy it. I'm dragging you out of the house."
She completed cheekily before she turned towards the direction of the stairs and she raced up to my room, I supposed.
Looked like she was even more comfortable in the house than I was.
I climbed the stairs slowly, thinking back to two days, when I told Adam about what happened with Tara. I've done everything these past two days, everything but to think about the fact her messages in my dm but every time I closed eyes, I just saw her lying in the music studio, blood everywhere.
She was barely 14 and I couldn't even be there for her.
I entered my room to see Aminah pulling out clothes from my closet. I guessed they were what she wanted me to wear to the supposed salon. I looked at her warily. I just wanted to continue sleeping. I've been doing a lot of that.
"What top do you want to wear? This or this?"
She asked, holding two different tops in both hands. I ignored her and I just sat on my bed. Her expression changed from a beaming one to a worried one immediately and she joined me on the bed, her eyes searching me worriedly.
"Hey, are you okay? You look really down."
I blinked repeatedly.
"Yes, I'm just in a bad mood, I guess."
Her face brightened up immediately and her face morphed into a very huge smile which made me frown because me being moody sure couldn't be good news for her, could it?
"A bad mood? I've gotten the perfect cure for it. Let's just get out of this house first."
She was already on her feet and she was trying to pull me up from the bed. I appreciate her efforts but I just really wanted to be left alone.
"Aminah, let's just stay at home..."
She pouted and it made her look like a kid begging for ice cream. My lips stretched into a smile before I could help it.
"Let's just go out. You won't regret it and besides, resumption is next week, you can just make your hair."
Resumption? Next week? I had forgotten that resumption was just in few days time. I touched my hair that was packed into a messy bun on my head. I know I should make another one but not today, I just wanted to crawl into bed and continue sleeping.
"Don't think of saying no. You need to get out of this boredom."
"Aminah..."
"Kunmi.."
She whined, shaking my hands and shaking me in the process. I shook my head and eventually, I gave in. Maybe I needed to do something that'd make me forget for a while.
*********
I immediately regretted following Aminah out when we stepped into the exquisite salon, Tiara's palace. Bola was sitting on one of the chairs, beaming at us or rather beaming at Aminah. Looked like I just saw someone who'd put me in a worse mood."
"Hey babe."
She stood up from where she sat and she hugged Aminah, an hearty beam on her face. I found myself rolling my eyes. She'd probably start talking about Adam in less than 2 seconds.
"I thought you weren't going to come again. I was even about to leave."
"Hey. Don't mind me. I had to go over to Kunmi's house before coming here."
That made the fairer girl to turn towards me. I expected her to look me over like she always do but she did the exactly opposite.
"Hi Kunmi."
She said with an actual and real smile on her face. The fact that she was actually smiling at me made me move back instinctively.
Bola was actually smiling at me?
Now, what's this babe up to?
I couldn't even bring myself to smile back. I was just looking at her warily and eventually, her smile faltered and she looked away, almost akwardly which made me feel she actually expected me to smile and answer her.
No way.
"Bola's mom owns this place so she works here during the break."
Aminah said once we both sat down on the swirling chairs. If I had known that, I probably wouldn't have followed her. Bola was more of a devil's incarnate and the fact she even smiled at me made me more wary of her.
Should I be worried for myself?
Aminah wanted us to make the same hairstyle, focs locs but heaven knew how much I hated sitting for hours to make my hair. To me, it was just plain torture so eventually, we agreed on doing separate hairstyles.
When I told the stylist that was to make my hair that I wanted box braid, Bola who was at the other side of the salon rushed, nah, she practically ran to us and she attempted to collect the attachment from the other stylist.
"Esther, don't worry, I'll just make her hair, right Kunmi?"
"No."
I practically screamed, my eyes not leaving hers in the mirror. She'd probably pull off my scalp or something.
Why was she even acting all nice to me?
Aminah, on the other hand was practically oblivious to what was happening. She had her nose buried in her phone as two of the other stylists worked on her hair.
**********
More than an hour later, my hair was long done and I found myself staring too long at the girl in the mirror. It was just box braids but the edges were laid perfectly and it glided upwards making my facial features more pronounced.
The girl in the mirror looked beautiful.
"The hairstyle really looks good on you."
My eyes met that of Bola's in the mirror and she was actually still beaming at me. Oh wow. I just looked away, my mind trying to come up with all sort of things that girl must be planning.
Aminah's hair was still halfway done and I was already feeling suffocated, especially with Bola occasionally glancing at me.
I really hope she wasn't being nice because she wanted to ask for Adam's number. I wouldn't even be surprised if that was the case.
I ended up excusing myself from the salon and even though, I had no destination in mind, I took the elevator to the bottom floor where the café was situated. I entered it and I was instantly surprised by the interior.
For starters, it looked more like a bar than a café with high circular tables and bar stools around it. The interior was dark, again with the bar's vibe and yet, it still seemed like a café, probably from all the sweet flavors that I could literally taste them.
It was almost crowded and I tried my best to ignore the stares that were so obvious. I sat closest to the door so I'd save myself the stress and indignation of walking further into the café. I sat there, after buying a bottled water that cost almost 20 times the actual price and I busied myself with candy crush while I tried not to drown myself in my thoughts.
Aminah would probably still take up to an hour or so.
"Comrade."
Oh God!
Now, I had to ran into King Weirdo out of all the possible humans I could have ran into.
He made himself comfortable on the stool beside me without any permission and when I looked up from my phone to look at him, he was in the middle of saying something but he just sorta froze for a nanosecond before he smiled.
"You look pretty."
He said, looking away from me. I suddenly felt all fuzzy inside and I almost smiled. He picked up my bottled water and he took a gulp from it, without permission. Why did this guy act like we're friends every time? It was then that I remembered that I actually knew him, that I've really met him before Cresent High.
"Look like you figured out where we met."
He said again, a little smile on his face. He could read minds too. Now, that's another similarity with his Queen.
"Yes, Sounds fest or was it Fest of Sounds?"
"Bingo, fest of sounds."
He replied, tapping two of his fingers together, a smile on his face.
"Why did it take you so long to remember me though? You were pretty excited to meet me that first time."
Because I had too much on my mind and definitely because the Alex I met then was a chatterbox and he wasn't playing mute. I smiled at the memory of one of the first things he said to me in the music studio.
I can actually talk but sometimes, it gets too tasking to do that so I resort to other means.
Please, what kind of a human being would say that?
"What are you doing here by the way?"
I asked, asking a very obvious question. He probably came here to get an haircut or just to hang out.
"I'm a little bit embarrassed to say why I'm here though."
He looked around and he leaned closer as if we were in some sorta conspiracy.
"I got dragged here by....."
"Alex, I've been looking for you......."
He rolled his eyes at the intruder's words and he leaned back at the same time Gabriella got to us. Her hair was newly styled in parking gel and I instantly knew why he was here. She must have dragged him here.
"I thought you were going to wait till I was done with my hair. Why did you have to run off like that?"
He shook his head and he muttered something that sounded so much like I've become so jobless.
She flashed him a smile and she patted him on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Aburo, I've gat you."
He muttered something incorrigible at her words and she only smiled further before she sat down and her eyes landed on me. It widened in recognition.
"Oh my, Sophia's baby. I didn't know it was you. How're you you?"
Sophia's baby? Was that supposed to be me? Good!
"You look pretty by the way. I love you hairstyle. I should have probably done box braids instead of parking gel."
She touched her hair subconsciously and she turned towards Alex.
"Alex, what do you think? I should have made braids, right?"
The latter only face palmed in exasperation. I smiled at the both of them, they looked cute together and they gave me the vibes that they were dating but what would happen to the King Weirdo and Queen Weirdo ship and then, there was this stupid joke about liking me at Sophia's house.
Well, he wasn't king Weirdo for no reason.
"I think it'd have been better if you cut it all off."
She glared at him before she smiled at me. I found myself smiling back. Why was she even smiling at me?
"So did you come here alone or is there...."
"I came with Aminah."
I replied in a nanosecond and the smiled on her face faltered for the briefest second before it was back again and she looked around, her brows arching at Alex who now had his eyes fixed on the huge flat screen at the opposite wall of the bar, oh café before looking back at me.
"So where is she? I can't see her anywhere."
"She's still making her hair."
"Ohh ohh."
She was still smiling at me, looking beautiful and all that. I still found myself smiling subconsciously back at her. This was one of those very few times that she did not have her buried in a textbook.
"Alex, we should probably leave now, I still have tons of readings to do."
Hmm hmm. I said it.
"Let's just keep Kunmi's company till who she's waiting for gets here. And besides, don't you get tired of reading?"
He replied her, his eyes still fixed on the television that was tuned to a music station. The song changed to a new one and the whole mood in the café changed as most people started moving their body to the music, albeit subconsciously. Of course, it'd change. It was after all a song by Triple J and I mean, who doesn't know Triple J?
They were arguably the best music band taking over the music scene, bagging international deals and awards, dropping hit songs and winning the heart of millions of people. Most of the teenage girls were going gaga over them. Scratch that, girls of all ages were going gaga over them.
Gab's smile deepened even more and I could literally feel excitement oozing from her. She turned to look at Alex whose eyes were still fixed on the screen.
"Alex, do you remember that time you and tripl........"
The words died in her throat and she sobered up immediately, the smiling wiping off her face as if she just got hit by a truckload of realization.
"Oh my. I'm sorry.. I just..."
She stammered before trailing off while Alex's expression just remained impassive. It was almost like he was alone and the rest of us were just thin air. The lively mood changed just like that and I looked at the duo, wondering what could have caused that. Did they have a problem with the music or Triple J or was it something entirely different. And wasn't Alex supposed to be eager about anything music?
God! I already had enough headache. I shouldn't overthink issues that I had no business thinking about.
"Should we just leave now?"
Gab asked again, her voice low and worried.
"But..."
"Gab!"
Ohh. I cringed at his tone that seemed to have an angered edge to it. Something was obviously going wrong between the both of them. I remembered a similar incidence that happened between the both of them when we were travelling to Oyo and I just looked at the both of them now, Gab's apologetic and worried one and Alex's impassive one.
We remained like that, the distinct chatters of the other people in the café and the song blaring from the TV filling the silence. Eventually someone's phone rang and I heaved a sigh.
"It's the driver. He must be outside already."
That was Gab and I could hear the forced cheer in her voice. They left after Gab heartily said bye byes and Alex gave me a mock salute.
Weirdness overload.
*********
~ADAM~
"Mama's boy, are you missing your mom? You've been quiet."
I answered Charles' question with a low hiss that I couldn't help. He was in my room or rather we were in my room and he was playing PES all by himself after he asked me to play with him and I refused. He was sitting on the bed, his back to me while I laid down, more like propped myself against the headboard.
"Why will you stop calling me that stupid name?"
"When you stop acting like a mama's boy."
I hissed again.
"But seriously, what's wrong with you? You've been quiet, not like you're ever chatty anyway."
"You've answered your own question."
He made a dramatic sigh and he turned back to look at me, one brow raised as if indicating a question. He was about to say something when we heard a knock. I opened the mouth to ask whoever it was to come in but the person beat me to it and in a nanosecond, Papa was in the room.
"Adam, you have a visitor."
I sat up straighter, thinking of who it could be but could it really be?
"Who?"
"Sister Kunmi."
The rate at which I jumped from the bed, shrugged on a top baffled me and from the corners of my ears, I could see Charles looking at me as if I had grown two heads but I could care less. Kunmi was downstairs.
Wait, would Kunmi really be downstairs?
My hands stilled on the doorknob and I turned back to look at Papa who looked like he was going to burst from suppressing his laughter. Our eyes met and he finally gave in, the sound of his laughter vibrating through the room.
Wait, that was a prank?
I stalked towards him and he cowered back, still holding his stomach from laughing too much.
"Please, don't kill my younger brother because of a girl oo."
That was Charles and I could hear the laughter in his voice. My lips stretched into a smile and I moved back, falling back on my bed.
"We were bored so we decided to prank you guys."
We? Guys?
I sat up again and I eyed Papa warily. He was now leaning against the wall, that amused smile still on his face.
"We? Who are the we and the guys?"
"Junior and I. You and sister Kunmi."
He replied, still smiling and I suddenly felt like wiping that amused smile off his face. But wait, Junior really pranked Kunmi like Papa just pranked me? What were these kids?
"We were behind the arcade that last time..."
I sat up even straighter and his smile be and a full blown laughter before he ran out of the room, leaving me with my mouth ajar.
I took it back, every single wish for a younger sibling.
I laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about her, wondering if she was okay now and if she was cool with that her friend. She appeared to have been shaken up pretty bad because of it, berating herself and dealing with that kind of guilt but then, what kind of stupid school would do that to their students?
"So you're and Mayowa's sister......"
Charles' sly tone rather than the words jolted me out of my reverie and I turned sideways to see him looking at me with an even more sly look.
"Her name is Kunmi."
"Of course, I know that and I know that you like her."
I shrugged, looking away from him.
"That's a fact."
I did not need to look at him to picture his exxageratedly surprised face.
"Really? Then what about Sophia?"
He asked exasperatedly and I turned go look at him again, a frown on my face.
"Sophia?"
I echoed dumbly, momentarily forgetting that my best friend's name was supposed to be Sophia.
"Yes, Sophia, that insanely hot model that's always following you around. I thought you guys liked each other."
I chuckled at that. Sophia would probably smolder me in my sleep one day if I should even look at her like that and her brother! Her brother!!
"Of course not, Sophia feels more like a sister than a friend self."
I actually tried to picturing Sophia as a girlfriend and I cringed. She'd probably kill me, Stephen would hide my body and Stephanie would make whatever traces could link my disappearence with Sophia disappear. Never seen a more perfect siblings.
"So, you and this girl...."
"Kunmi."
I interrupted, starting to get a little bit irritated. He put his hands up in a mock surrender, something like a smirk on his face.
"Sorry. So and this... You and Kunmi, you guys are dating?"
"No. Well, not yet, I guess."
"Not yet, you guess."
He mimicked, looking at me as if I just landed from outer space.
"Wait, how do you guys do it? After liking a girl, you wait for wait before telling her? For Jesus to come and help you or for another guy to come and whisk her away?"
I heaved a sigh and I turned away from him to look at the ceiling.
"Just continue to play your game, I've got this."
"No, you've not got anything especially when she was pretty huggy with someone..."
I sat up, something freezing through me.
"at the park three nights ago."
I hissed and I laid down back. Finally figured out where Papa got his foolishness from.
"Look at you, getting all worked up when you're not even doing anything. How are you even my cousin?"
I rolled my eyes, wondering what screw had gone off in my cousin's head.
"Well, is something holding you back? Like, you probably feel that you're not good enough or you don't deserve her or something like that."
I sat up again, eyeing him warily. He was almost right. There were thousands of things holding me back but then, Charles was saying all these?
"Charles, are you sure you're talking about me or yourself?"
He chuckled but there was this glint in his eyes for a split second.
Oh wow. Charles? Really?
"Anyway, I'm just saying you should go for her. It all boils down to what's bigger, whatever is holding you back or what you feel for her."
What's bigger?
When I'm with her, I felt like I could be someone other than that boy. She made me feel something gratifying, something euphoric and even more.
I wouldn't even know how to be without her.
**********
It was dark and I stood in front of their gate, hands shoved into the pocket of my joggers. I heard the catcher being pulled back from behind and I suddenly felt nervous, fingers almost shaking.
God! Just look at me.
The gate opened and she stepped out, the street light highlighting her every features. She was dressed in a knee length trouser and an hoodie. I sucked in sharp breaths just staring at her, her box braids were pulled up and tied into a dough. She looked pretty, too pretty to be stared at.
"Adam?"
She called out, jolting me out of my reverie and I looked away from her face.
Charles was right, I've not got this at all.
"Hey! How're you?"
She frowned a little, her brows arching up. I for sure did not call her out by 9pm to ask her that.
"Go on a date with me."
Her lips parted slightly and she moved back, her eyes widening. My left hand subconsciously moved to the back of my neck in a gentle caress and her lips stretched into a smile.
"I mean.. Would.. You... Would you like to go on a date with me?"
She still said nothing, her face flushed with surprise and something else I couldn't decipher. I was pretty sure I've ruined it until she said;
"Did you bring a flower?"
A flower? I looked around.
"A flower? Was I.. Was I supposed to bring one?"
She burst into laughter, the melodious sound rolling off her lips and she shoved her two hands into the pockets of her hoodie.
"Of course not. You just looked a little bit nervous."
Wait, what? She was still laughing at me and I subconsciously joined in too.
"So, is that a yes?"
Her laughter trailed off into a smile, an amused smile and she nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Ohhh. I only smiled at her when all I wanted was to dance or do something along that line.
Minutes later, we said our goodbyes and she entered their house while I just stood there, smiling to myself as if I just won a lottery.
I was about to turn back to go to the house when I heard someone laughing, an hearty cheerful laughter that made me turn around in panic because there was no one around.
Or so I though until someone walked out of the flower beds.
Tari.
She was still laughing or rather trying hard to control her laughter. I frowned at her.
"What are you even doing there?"
"The question is when did you become a stammerer?"
"Tari, shut up."
She started laughing again and I shook my head, leaving her behind but she wouldn't leave me alone before she soon ran up to me.
"So, you like Kunmi? Where are you taking her to? I have really good ideas for a first date. Ehn? Just stay the word."
God! These three siblings ehn.
"Eeeh, Adam, you better tell me now before you ruin it all."
I turned back to look at her and she still has this amused smile on her face.
"Don't you you have anything to do?"
"Of course, I do. I have to tell you the best places you guys can go to."
She replied, a smile still on her face and I heaved a sigh.
"Don't you have an assignment? A chemistry textbook to read or something like that?"
The smile vanished from her face immediately.
"Oh my God. I totally.. I was in the middle. I forgot... Oh God."
She stammered before she ran into the compound and I shook my head.
Who's the stammerer now?
Wahala for who bring flowers just go ask someone out for a date oo 😂😂😂
And a bigger wahala for who doesn't know Triple J??? Just check out I_am_Jazzy book, shattered heartstrings and fall in love with the boys like we've all fallen for them.
Omo, are they really going on a date? 🤔🤔🤔
Have you figured out Alex? Can you even figure him out?
And yeah, it's a double update 💃💃💃