Cousins are those who tear your notes and wear your clothes,
Steal your food and ruin you mood.
~♥~Aliyah~♥~

     I snorted in disgust, something I hate about the roads on rainy days... The muds, the gutters and the stain on my cars, it's all so annoying.

A quiet drive to school as always, me alone and my boring life. No siblings, just me and my parents.

  My parents, Mr and Mrs Paige, popular celebrities who couldn't have their own children and adopted me at a young age, but I guess I was old enough to know my name.

'it's Wilford high daily news, and today the topic is cousins, how do they influence you?... What do you think about cousins, do you love cousins...'

I shut the damn radio off, cousins my foot, I'm the only one that hates my school news, so much paparazzi... So much for going to a big school in Lagos.
So much for driving to school, on a cold morning after the last night's threatening storm.

"Senior Kitan!" I heard juniors scream my name as some of them got down from the school bus.

"Ohh hi there." I greeted trying my very best to sound real, I hate juniors and their fuckin' rumours, always running around joblessly.

I stopped the car on the spot, searching for a perfect place to park, that's the thing about this school... You are late!, no where to park your car.

And that's the advantage of taking the school bus... Well not when the seats are dirty with juniors munching onto biscuit and talking with their mouths open, not when juniors keep shouting and Wilford news is blaring out of the radio.

To top it up no air conditioner on sunny and hot days, and the stink of sweat and vomit, suffocation... It's all so disgusting, so I'll rather drive myself to school or get a driver.

Finally I found a space beside a red van, wonder what a van is doing here but I've got problems to deal with not mysteries to solve.

I've got maths homework!

"Kitan!" Lucy screamed, she's over dramatic, and it was unusual to see her in the school uniform on a Friday.

Uniforms are only compulsory on Monday and Tuesdays, then sport wears on Wednesday, the rest of the days you can wear what you like.

And I know Lucy well to be one of the slay queens, Aliyah was following behind paying attention to her cell phone.
Also phones are allowed in our school... But I still hate the school though.

Aliyah was wearing a blue hoodie and from her voice one could easily tell that she had a cold night.

"What's up guys." I uttered as I slammed the door shut before locking it with the remote control.

"The sky." Lucy replies pointing up, then we both giggled, I flinged my school bag over my left shoulder as we moved into the main school building.

"See your nyansh." Lucy uttered hitting my butt and I just smirked paying attention to Demola.

Demola, the guy who always has a problem with me, we were either fighting or insulting each other, he is and will always be my biggest enemy.

"Why are you wearing uniform?" I asked now focusing on Lucy, with her well ironed uniform.
  The three of us moved upstairs, heading to the SSS2 class, Although Aliyah was still pressing her phone with all the attention in the world.

More juniors screamed my name but I just ignored them, I've gotten used to people staring at me and screaming my name in the school halls... It's a normal celebrity and popularity thing!

I still wonder why juniors like me though, there are so many rich kids here but I'm one of the most popular ones... Why?

"There's a debate competitions this afternoon, don't tell me you did not here the news." Lucy replied, we walked into our class and the usual faces I've gotten used to, turned to confirm if it was a teacher that stepped in.

The usual Friday mornings, students making a noise, gist of what happened last night in Zeeworld or Big brother Nigeria.

Social media trends and latest music, blah blah blah.

Someone screaming "Who has two pen!" and boys in another corner eating hot jollof rice, something they do everyday, as they all gather to battle someone's breakfast... Most likely to belong to a junior student.

Bullying is something I see here everyday!

And students copying maths assignment.
OMG I haven't done my assignment!

I quickly dropped my bag, Lucy lost my attention completely as I searched for my maths note, she just kept blabbing about the school's news and her debate competition.

"Have you done your assignment Lucy?" I asked, she sat down comfortably and nodded quietly.
I raised my head and gave her a serious look.

Lucy never does assignment, she's not even a maths student!
"I did it since yesterday." she added.

"Are you serious?" I asked my eyes pacing around for where I can quickly copy the assignment and from whom.

Aliyah was already copying hers anyways, one minute she's pressing phone and the next, her pen is dancing on her maths note.

"Yes nah... Demmy taught me." She replied smiling proudly.
I still can't believe she's hanging out with Demola.
Some bestie you are! I said in my mind.

  Those two get along pretty well even when he's her besties enemy, Mhen I hate Demmy
I hate his fuckin' life style, his personality and he's bad boy ass!

"Are you sure you guys ain't... You know, dating?" I asked Lucy
She was already parking and we parking her hair.

Demola does not deserve my friend at all, Lucy is beautiful, loving shy and cool but she can be cunning a times and secretive too so that's why I want to be sure they are not dating.

I also have this strange feeling that Demola is up to no good.
Anyways I'm not going to be copying her assignment so I joined Aliyah in the copying.

It's not that I hate homeworks or I'm not intelligent... I just hate mathematics!

                          🌼🌼🌼                    

  We moved to the school canteen, waiting in the long line of students ordering lunch and after ten minutes that seemed like forever of waiting in the long line, I ordered meat pie and a soft drink.

Aliyah and Lucy settled on fried rice and we headed for the senior dinning as we started a discussion about Senior Sakinah

  Senior Sakinah, a light skinned bitch that has always bullied Lucy ... But I'm proud to say I gave my bestie liver.

I mean, before I came to this school she's always been bullied, and Lucy can easily be influenced and picked on, she's sometimes too nice so I had to change that.

I helped her to gain her self esteem and confidence, being the only child with a single mom that's always too busy, there's usually no one to advise her and put her through things she doesn't understand.

  I hope I'm always there for her and I hope Demola does not turn her to something else seeing how close those two are now.

"... I slapped her face yesterday." Those words brought me back to reality and my jaws dropped completely, my protuberant eyes were wide open now.

What she said left me hanging
Did she just say she slapped Senior Sakinah?

"You say wethin?" I asked my tone fixed with curiosity as I stood in front of her demanding an answer and also the gist of how it all happened.

"Well... She slapped me and I slapped my own back, do you expect me to let it slide so easily?" Lucy uttered, I still looked shocked as she spoke with so much confidence.

Demola is the cause of this, he's turning her into a violent bitch. Lucy would talk back, but not hit a person because she's always been committed to a life of non violence.

"Are you fuckin' serious?"
Aliyah asked before clapping my hands an amused look danced on her face.

"Yes I'm damn serious, she crossed the line!" She uttered looking serious.

We settled down on one of the dinning tables and Aliyah started a topic about the debate for today and the Wilford news.

"Table manners." I uttered interrupting their boring conversation, I really don't like it when they are talking about some stupid news.

Lucy rolled her eyes and they just continued, "Cousins, cousins are fun to be with, they are like the siblings I never had, they are a whole new vibe." Lucy uttered a smile plastered on her face.

I rolled my eyes and snorted in disgust.
New vibes my foot!

  I have never met any of my cousins or relatives mainly because most of them live abroad and they really don't see me as family, they see me as just a child living with Mr and Mrs Paige even though I have been adopted legally.

That's why I convinced my mom not to ever let my cousins come over, I don't want to seem like an other kid in the house and I don't want people to often make feel that I'm an orphan.

Let's not forget I'll be sharing the small attention my celebrity mom gives me, and in the end I'll become someone's slave.

  Matters like this have gone through my head especially when Caleb, a cousin of mine wanted to come stay with us in Nigeria a few months ago.

  And up till now he is not able to come because I did not approve of it, You can say I'm spoilt cause my mom does all I want.

"Cousins are so annoying, they interfere in your personal life and don't give you space." Aliyah said looking a bit irritated as she chewed the rice aggressively.

One could easily tell that she was talking from experience.
I smirked and the thought of Caleb interfering in my personal hit me.

Not right for you to judge a person Kitty... You've not even met him before!

  I thought before Lucy's voice brought me back to reality.
"Nah... Cousins are the best, you get into trouble together and live together as one big happy family,  especially on holidays." Lucy uttered between mouthfuls, I must say she's very pretty when she's talking and eating at the same time.

It's cool when you have one of the prettiest girl as your best friend, the only problem is that seniors always have a problem with us.

Lucy and her curvy shape, long hair that's often parked into the two shuku style.

Aliyah also has long hairs, she's brown skinned and looks younger than her age.

I'm also brown skinned and tall, just a normal Nigerian girl nothing special I guess, just that I'm very popular in school since my parents are well known artists.

"They are not the best, they invade your privacy, tear your notes and borrow on your clothes, steal your food and ruin your mood." Aliyah uttered.

I chuckled, it's so sweet when a poet is angry... The inspiration keeps coming.

"I admit that they can be frustrating a times but I still love all my cousins since they don't frustrate me on purpose, they share my clothes out of love." Lucy uttered.

Anyways I don't blame you, you have many clothes.... I thought.

"You love all your cousins even the guys?" Aliyah asked I just listened to their conversation and chewed my snacks gently.

My eyes moving around the dinning room also noticing the way Demola was staring at me.

"Well I once had a crush on my older cousin... But I got over it sooner than I expected, I figured out he has a girlfriend and it's weird dating your cousin, unless he's really! handsome." Lucy uttered, she can be very dramatic a times.

"Seriously?" Aliyah asked looking very amused, I smirked at the thought of having a crush on my cousin.
Is that even possible? Just imagine having a crush on Caleb.
That would be really weird even though he's handsome.
Did I just say he's handsome?... Get the fuck out of my head!

"Well maybe cousins aren't that bad after all... But they do annoy me a times." Aliyah uttered smiling genuinely.

Yeah maybe cousins aren't that bad... Maybe If I allow Caleb to stay over life might be better.

  I'm sure I've seen his pictures on social media, he looks nice and innocent, I'm sire he's not going to make me feel inferior or cause unnecessary problems in my life.

  Maybe a cousin like a sibling is worth having.

Boring chapter, I know but the next is going to be much more better than the last.

Don't forget to vote and comment... Thank you!

Zainab 🙃💋