Chapter Four

The rays of the early morning sun slanted through the opened window of my room, illuminating it with its brightness. A beautiful new Saturday it was. I yawned loudly, folding myself under the covers and sinking my head into my soft pillow.  I couldn't go to kene's party yesterday cause I had cramps. Mum kept on insisting it was the junks I kept eating, but that won't stop me from eating those sugary things.

"Adesewa did you go back to sleep?" my mum shouted, making me groan loudly.

Isn't it too early, sometimes I wonder if she never gets tired, she was the very strong type. A Tom boy back in her days, I can't count the number of guys she told me she floored and dad was not excluded.

We just finished devotion and I was actually about to go back to sleep, before she shouted. For crying out loud, it's still so early. Now I wish I had gotten my own apartment.

Sighing, I threw back my covers and sat up. Before I could stand, a cramp tightened my abdominal muscles. I let it run its course, breathing heavily until it waned.

I rose up and pulled a black hoodie over the tank top I wore with my usual joggers. Padding barefoot all the way to the stairs leading to the sitting room and trailing my fingers across the railings.

I smiled at the colour blocked rug that softened the hard tiled floor in the sitting room, exam scripts could be seen at a corner not to far from the large TV at the center of the room.

Mum could be seen marking WASSCE scripts.

Oh lord save me from this....

As usual she was helping Mrs Adams a close friend of hers.

"Come and help me with this" she said, watching my reaction by balancing her eye glasses on the tip of her nose.

I knew that look she was giving me, I dare you to refuse.

"Are you going to pay me ?" I asked, hoping to get some catch this weekend.

"Have you been paying for the food you eat in this house? " she asked, removing the eye glasses totally.

That's the reason why I want to leave this house.

"But when are we going to finish this, it's way too much and it's English Essay" I said scrutinizing a script with a beautiful hand writing.

"Don't worry, God has provided an helper" she replied.

I observed her, there was something fishy about her and I know she was up to something.

"Which helper is that one" I asked, dropping the script.

"You of course " she replied throwing a pack of skittles to me.

Well a pack of skittles will do the job.

We were still on it when I heard a voice outside with the security guard. Then the door bell.

"Who is that one again, this Saturday is already getting bad already " I groaned, making an effort to get up.

"Go and open the door, our helper has landed" mum said grinning widely.

Our helper or your helper

I walked to the door dragging my legs along.

"My friend stop walking like a pregnant woman" mum shouted.

I walked over to the, pulling my hoodie over my head. I made a cross sign on my head before opening the door, who knows it might be a ghost looking for a body to live in.

"You. What are you doing here?" I asked, shivering slightly.

He was wearing a dark fitted trouser and a snowy-white shirt unbuttoned at the neck .

Did he forget today is not a working day? at least he should have dressed casual.

And he looks good compared to the grey joggers and black hoodie I was putting on.

He smiled at me, checking me out without caution.

"Well your mum invited me" he replied huskily, resting on the door frame.

"And you can't reject the invitation" I asked, scrunching up my face.

"Why should I? When she offered me something mouth watering " he replied, leaking his lips.

The guy didn't even look up, he kept staring at his phone as he replied me.

It's not your fault, it is the person looking for helper up and down.

"Come inside" I shouted, pulling him inside and shutting the door.

He walked in with the confidence of a man coming into his home.

"Good morning babe" he said pecking mum on her cheeks.

Who is this one calling babe, let her husband catch you.

Mum, started laughing like a small child who they just gave candy.

"Kenechukwu our husband, welcome my son" mum, said grinning ear to ear.

Our husband? Please remove me from setting oooo, thank you.

"You guys should continue, let me go and prepare breakfast" mum added, getting up.

I opened my mouth down in amazement, blinking my eyes repeatedly. Is she trying to play cupid or what?

When mum prepares breakfast on a Saturday morning or any other day, just know frying is involved.

"Okay ma" he replied giving me a questioning look.

Wait must I be the one to cook ?

I stared back at him, clearing my throat to make a speech.

"Well there is a rule in Oyewole's

house and It states: Adesewa is not

allowed to fry anything in the house

cause she will only end up finishing

half of it, be it Meat, Fish, Akara(baked beans) and most especially plantain."  I explained.

"In fact anything you can fry" mum added from the kitchen.

Exaggeration mama......I hail you, did I tell you. she has supernatural ears.

"I understand ma " he replied, still looking confused.

What are you understanding ?

***********

After finishing breakfast which was a large portion of Yam and egg.

We were back to marking. Mum wasn't really doing anything, her phone was the thing keeping her busy.

"Sewa, my data subscription is exhausted. What's the problem with GLO network" mum complained.

"I think you should call the Customer care service" kene replied, not taking his eyes from the script he was making.

Mum made sure I was the one who talked to them, and that's how we got to know she was sharing her data with two different people, two codes were given. One was to check the number, the other was to remove the number. What we saw made me laugh and cry at the same time. Sade the former laundry girl and the man who flashed mum's phone last year were the culprit.

"Rubbish, this is rubbish. What is this world turning too " mum kept on saying.

"Let's finish up here, I'm going out soon" she added.

**********

After we were done with the markings, mum went out leaving me alone with kene, but not without giving instructions. I was to prepare lunch and dinner for him before he leaves. Yes that was the offer he was talking about.

We were both sitting down on dad's favourite black sofa. He was busy typing something on his tablet and I was playing cooking fever on my phone.

"Sewa we need to talk"

Silence

"Sewa we need to ta.."

"I can hear you, I'm not deaf" I caught him off nonchalantly.

"I was expecting you at the party last night" he said softly.

Silence

"Sewa.... why didn't you come? " he asked.

I was dying of pain while you were busy partying.

"I was not in the mood for parties" I replied, still not giving him the attention he wants.

"You are being cold to me" 

Silence

"Sewa!" he shouted, snapping me out of cooking fever land.

"What do you want kene? " I asked, finally dropping my phone.

"You " he replied, rubbing his hands on his face.

"What ! " I exclaimed, opening mouth and closing it back.

I stared at him, trying to see if I could read anything.

"I want you back "  he replied sincerely.

"You.. You...You..... " I stammered, trying to find the right words to say, but I was just blank, like totally speechless and scared of what I just heard. A relationship is the last thing on my mind right now.

"I was never yours before, to begin with. So what are you saying? " I whispered back, hoping everything will just stop at the moment.

"Sewa... You are making this more difficult for me "

"How ? I'm not understanding" I replied, feigning confusion.

"I can't tell you why I left yet, but I'm back for you. I came back to claim what is mine "

That statement pulled at my heart strings.

"Kene I think you should leave" I said calmly.

"I'm not leaving till we talk about this" he replied moving closer to me .

"No stay back " I cautioned, raising up both hands to keep him at bay.

"Are you scared of me?" he asked.

No I just don't trust myself with you

"Sewa" he whispered. Cupping my cheeks with both hands. "Someone will just be getting prettier without permission every day " he whispered

That statement made me turn red and I wish I was dark skinned just for today.

"Tomato face " he mocked.

"Wait look at me" he added chuckling

"This one that you can't make eye contact with me, is my eyes scary?" he asked.

"Look at me" he whispered bringing his face closer to mine.

Our eyes met and we maintained eye contact for a long while, till his gaze shifted to my lip.

"Don't " I whispered, as my heart did multiple flips and skips.

"Don't what?" he asked still not taking his gaze away.

"Don't what?" he repeated, has he brushed his thumb against my lower lip.

"Kene we shouldn't be do.. "

I was cutoff by his lips claiming mine. I heard on tightly to him. Muscles rippled beneath my fingertips as I clung to him. I couldn't think straight, couldn't do anything but respond to his demands. I was far away from the real world, I didn't hear the gate open or anything else.

"What's happening here Adesewa ? " a voice bellowed.

I'm so dead today, like really dead. How come I didn't hear the car horn and why didn't I close the door.

Glossary

WASSCE--- West African Senior School Certificate.