Yobanna

She agreed...

Selena agreed to my idea for  making it up to her and I was giddy for a while and then I picked her up at Nick's.

Nick was really cool about it. Geez. But still,he didn't just let me go without some tease

"Are you in love with my staff?" He asked and he added the funny wiggling of eyebrows and I smacked his head.

"Ouch!"

"Shut up guy, I'm trying to make it up to her"

We were in front of my car,me sitting on the bonnet talking about football for a while before I asked to see her.

"You don't mean it!" He exclaimed in an exaggerated way that made me laugh, his face was fit for a meme.

"Is that why you smell extra nice?" He asked and came closer to sniff me but I smacked his head again and he returned the favor by punching me,fuck,his hand hurts

"Bastard" He cussed me and we both laughed

"As if I don't smell good before"

"No, today seem different"He was coming closer again displaying his pearl teeth and I showed him my fist,I swear I was going to bust his lips this time.

"Always violent"He muttered and eyed me.

Nick was wearing nothing but a pair of turtle neck and trousers,he didn't look in anywhere a boss.

"How is the business moving?" I asked.

"Super well, about 1,000 visitors in a month according to my estimate"

Wow, that's great.

" I'm proud of you" I told him sincerely

"Awwn, daddy" Crazy Nick was back, he tried hugging me and I pushed him off, God, what was with these dudes and hugs.

Dude was laughing really hard at me as he watched how slightly irritated I looked.

"You are so fun to tease" He told me.

"Get out guy"

"But seriously gee, what's going on?" He had a serious face now

"I don't grab" I played along

"Like the whole kiss saga and then picture stuff and now you are in front of my cafe, I know you Yobanna, you don't really care about people's feelings"

"And your point is that am?" I paused and Nick scratched his bushy afro,the one that was still tinted

" Not usually caring, like you know na"

"I hurt someone and I'm trying to make amends,why do you all seem to see something else? I actually care about people's feelings,I'm not a devil"

" And yet you don't mind punching me"He sneered.

" You deserve every punch you get"

"And you didn't even come with your bike?" He pointed out.

Some how Nick had asked someone to fetch Selena and she actually came out. Selena.

She was not dressed for anything,she was simply wearing her work clothes and gazing at me and her boss in a calculative way.

"Selena,you can leave with him"

"Hope you won't sack me sir ?" She asked quietly and I scoffed,Nick would never dare. But I didn't say anything

Nick chuckled.

"I would never, Yobanna is my man" He reassured her, tapped me a little too hard on my shoulder and left.

I'll definitely deal with him.

She was wearing a baggy trouser and blue hoodie,it was a cold day anyway.

"I didn't know if you were going to come or not and I didn't know where I was going, moreover I was cold so I just wore the nearest clothe"

I chuckled. Sounds like something I would want to do, wearing the nearest clothe.

"It's fine, why would I not even come?" I asked but she shrugged.

I let her into the car , I turned the music stero, allowing Wizkids voice singing Come Closer fill the car.

She smiled.

"You are actually making me jealous of this Wizkid dude" I found myself saying.

"It's Wizkid we are talking about here na"She argued and added an eyeroll

" Thank you so much for deflating my ego" I returned and she smiled.

I started the ignition and made my way to somewhere I've had in mind for long, Breakfast to Breakfast.

It was a long road trip and we actually talked about school,my modeling stuff and her getting into modeling

"I've never wanted be a model,it's not my thing" She told me picking some non existent dirt from her fingers.

" But you did really well the last time" I told her.

"It was a one time thing" 

"And you killed it, Selena,you are actually more talented than you know it,get out of that shell would you?"

" I just want a peaceful life"She murmured

I didn't push it further.

She picked the sticker of St Louis in the car and scanned through it.

"Who owns St Louis?" She asked.

"Precious' dad" I replied and she gasped. Trust me everyone had the same reaction.

"He doesn't look like it,like I don't know how to explain it"

I shrugged.

Well,my dad was a stakeholder but I didn't tell  her that,we had shares in St Louis,the reason why I could exert some kind of influence in the school.

"Why do you like Wizkid?" I suddenly asked.

"Cos his cute and I love his voice"She replied,she looked like a little fan girl and right now it made me slightly tired. Somehow I felt what Precious was saying about me causing problems to people's relationship except in this case,I wasn't in any relationship with her.

We finally arrived.

Breakfast to Breakfast

"Break..." She stuttered,then shut her eyes severally,like she was trying to find the right words

"You enjoy embarrassing me, don't you?" The same word she told me before.

" I thought you'd like it"

She gestured at her baggy trouser and hoodie and I smiled.

"I gat you covered" I reassured her, there was a boutique close by and I realized this was like the second time we were purchasing clothes together.

She was handed a red dress, the kind that stopped at one's waist and had a balloon kind of shape at the bottom, I didn't know what girls called it, flay or something of that nature.

When she got out from the changing room, she looked more girly and cute unlike the other red she wore at the photoshoot that made her look daring, this particular one made her look hot at the same time cute.

I held her hand, watched her flustered she was when I told her she looked cute.

We both stepped into breakfast to breakfast, there was no need for hoodie. Somehow the place was patronized by really wealthy individuals and celebrities.

Just like Matthew had said, they changed their decor every month and it was a different then from the last time I visited with Matthew.

Now It was a nature theme judging from the green outlook of the place.

"I've heard so much about here" Selena whispered behind me.

I smiled in response, everyone knew here, whether new or not in town, it was one of the really popular places around.

I've made reservations before hand and so I led her there to the exact table the waiter had pointed at.

The waitress came almost immediately.

I waited for her to make her choice,but she seemed confused for a while.

"Would you like to have chicken pepper soup or probably rice?" I asked and she nodded.

" I'll have chicken pepper soup and jellof rice alongside,for two"I told her and she left.

Something was bothering her.

"What's the problem?" I asked,if there was something about her,she was so readable, like you could easily scan her emotions and know what she was thinking of.

"I just .." She paused "I just don't know food here would be so expensive"She muttered.

" It's fine"Someone would think I was asking her to pay.

I didn't see anything on the menu as expensive though, maybe cos I was used to it or the fact that I could splash money on things. Once myself and Matthew had gone to a bar, we parted with close to 500k just one night.

Seeing the way she responded,I realized how different we were in terms of perspectives,I could comfortably splash so much but she,she didn't find it settling.

Our order came fast and we both dug in.

The food tasted great as usual and I knew she thought so too with the way she closed her eyes at the first spoon, trying to relish in the taste.

I watched her, how beautiful she looked with no makeup, how innocent she looked. I enjoyed watching her like a creep.

And then when she had finished eating and was sipping from her glass, my eyes fell on her lips and memories of the kiss came flashing by and I wondered what it would feel like kissing her again and then I snapped out of the thoughts.

She was singing now to 7 rings by Arianna Grande and somehow she noticed my intense gaze on her and she turned to me and I swear i wanted to tell her to stop looking. She had a way of looking at me so quietly yet it made me light.

"I like Arianna too" She told me.

I smiled.

"Me too. She sings well"

" 7 rings is actually my favorite song from her"She told me and played with nothing in particular,her hair and then bracelet and then her hair again.

It was fun watching her.

"I like Positions more" I smirked

She was quiet and when she understood, she laughed, telling me how dirty minded I was.

"Let's play 10 questions"She suddenly suggested.

" What's your favourite color,food and celebrity?" She asked.

" Black,rice and Mayokurn and Burnaboy, can't choose between them"I told her.

"You like black? No wonder all your pictures you were wearing black, looking like a hoodlum"She said and I laughed.

She didn't just call me a hoodlum!

" So you were stalking me?" I asked and she rolled her eyes

" It wasn't actually me,my sister"

"You have a sister?" I asked and she nodded

" Kim"

" Me too, she's the last baby and I've got an older brother"

" So you are the middle baby? Many of them are quite rebellious"She noted but I didn't respond. Somehow she noticed my silence and then her eyes grew large in realization.

"We are actually rebellious sometimes" I chuckled.

" I don't know what to do with that money in my account" She said slowly to me.

" School? You have school needs, the need will surely arise"I told her and then her phone churned.  I noticed how battered her phone looked.

"Or you could at least buy a new phone" I suggested and we both laughed.

Her expression flickered for a while as she read whatever it was on her phone and when she turned to face me, whatever emotions she had on disappeared and was replaced with a rather too large smile. That seemed fake. But I didn't push it

I pushed my phone towards her, somehow I realized I didn't even have her number.

"Your digits"

"You want my number?" She asked slowly and I nodded and then she picked the phone up and typed in the number.

I saved it immediately.

She still had something mixed in her emotions but she managed to talk to me and then we talked about music,about Nigeria, about my friends and it was from her I knew what people thought about my friends and I and I retold my stories to her about the times myself and Matthew always got into trouble, about my sister and somehow she didn't say much about herself cos she was more of a listener, gazing warmly at me as I spoke of lots of things.

It was safe to say I hadn't spoken so much in a long while but I felt good,it felt so good to talk to her and soon it was real dark and she had realized,an alarmed face on.

I suggested to her about driving her home, she refused and asked me to drive her to the subway,she hurriedly hugged me,her sides pressed so fast against me and was soon disconnected from me as she climbed into one of the trains.

And then suddenly I missed her,her nervous looks,her smiles and her voice singing along to songs and then the faint scent of some kind of cream and laundry that lingered for a while around me.

***
Selena

I got locked outside.

You know how biting harmattan cold can be right,so I got home at about 8:30,I had changed back to my uniform and I was standing at the door,an hour late but never the late hopeful.

"Where are you coming from?" My step mother's voice boomed.

" From work ma"

She chuckled, like she could see I was lying,like she knew what I didn't.

"Work?"

I nodded.

"Tell those your work people to give you a place to sleep this night,leave my house this moment"

" Mum.."

" Get out!"

I hesitated for a while,maybe Kim would come out and beg her mum but Kim was away in a trip and the bastard called CJ,his phone was more important and fascinating to him that moment

"Are you deaf!?" She yelled and rushed towards me like a wounded lion, only in this situation,she would shred me into pieces

I scampered away to avoid her hitting my head hard on the door or something,the last time she had attacked me violently,she had pushed my body again the door and I had injuries,blood dripping from my back, soaking my clothes sometimes and it was hell because I still went to school,my bag strapped behind me.

I rushed out,she was still yelling, calling me a slut, telling me how I was like my mum,like I couldn't explain it,how much she hated my mum,the venom was too much.

So I stayed outside,I was going to  die if I went anywhere to sleep,I could have gone to Faridah's house but I knew my step mother.

I stood outside in nothing but the thin uniform I changed back to after the date. I stood outside the biting harmattan cold counting till morning

I stood outside watching people pass and then I sat down,my hands resting on my curled up knees,in a slouched,tired position,my uniform doing nothing to protect me as the cold bit deep into my skin

And then a lone tears fell from my right eye and I wiped it off,I was tired,too tired.

I sat for hours and more hours and when I checked my phone and realized my phone and saw the time was 2:00am and she wasn't letting me in,I stayed closer to the door.

I had to sleep,my body was really weak and the harmattan cold got worse.

And then there was no light,but I slept off....

Splashhh

"Get you from there you fool, pathetic idiot,you are sleeping there so people will think am evil abi,get inside"

I was shivering,I was cold and then she had to splash cold water on me,on my only uniform and it was a school morning. I knew it was probably around 5:30am now.

You know how hard it was to bath in harmattan,yet my step mother had splashed a whole bucket on me.

She stood at the door looking at me with disgust marred all over her face.

I felt sick,tired even but I managed to go in. Taking care not to touch anything.

I had morning duties and when I was done washing the dishes and mopping the floors,I made my way to the room, school started by 7:30am and I didn't feel so good but I dared not sleep at home,maybe school

Thank God it was harmattan,by the time I was ready for school,my uniform had dried and so I wore it over and sleepily went to school

It was useless waiting for breakfast,my step mother had reminded me, i was not her responsibility and thus,dinner was the only thing she could give me

I could count how many dinners I had in a month anyway,she starved me most times.

I felt my head pounding but I kept walking to school tiredly,my back slouched and my eyes probably red from crying and sleeping late.

Once I got to school,I was able to pass the hallway successfully cos no one was watching me,I went quite early and most student's didn't really come till around 7:40 and it was just 7:10.

There were just  five people in class,some classmates that didn't have much problem.

My class was an alpha class and here was why, most of the people here were the brainy so they spent more time reading than actually doing other stuffs.

I  didn't know what they were talking about but I kept hearing Universe phones,yes,the one I had modelled for but I was too tired to listen

So once I sat on my chair,placed my head on my desk,I tuned out their conversation and I was soon plugged into a really deep sleep,I couldn't help it anywhere

Someone tapped me,I didn't know how long I slept but when I woke up,the class was nearly empty,many milling around the window,the whole passage outside buzzing with noise and some people actually twerking at the corner.

I was still shivering since I  didn't have a cardigan,the one I had,the one St Louis had given me,the one that looked so good had been hijacked by CJ,told you he was an idiot.

I turned and found Yobanna looking at me, worry like a huge banner on his face, he was saying something now, but my head was still clouded.

"Are you okay?" I finally heard him ask.

I didn't respond, I felt dizzy and then the splitting headache like an Igbo traditional dance was going on right on my head. I rubbed my shoulder weakly, I was still cold, really cold.

"You have been sleeping since I came in and it's already time for break"

Wtf, I turned swiftly, wait, I'd missed up to to four classes, why didn't he wake me up?

"You looked really tired" He responded to my thoughts as though I had said it aloud.

He sat still, watching my every move, he still looked really worried and then his hand was on my forehead and he removed it almost immediately and I didn't want him to, cos his hand was warm as hell.

"Jesus! You are burning up"

I sneezed.

"So you aren't even feeling well and you just continued sleeping, come, we are going to the school clinic"

Huh?

He was already up, stretching his hand towards me.

"I said we are going to the school clinic"

***

Yobanna

"I heard you the first time" She replied weakly and deliberately avoided my outstretched hands.

She looked fine the previous day so I couldn't explain how her body was burning up like hot rice suddenly.

I noticed how tired she looked,like the slouched position she was walking,the way she barely talked and then her red eyes.

I had gone home the previous day, reminiscing over every detail and then came to school happily only to find her sleeping. It was strange. Selena wasn't one to sleep

Ever since she became my seatmate,she never slept. And she was really early.

And then when any teacher came into the class,I told them she was sick and she had a pretty good record,so no teacher complained.

"You didn't look sick yesterday" I told her.

" I guess things happen"She mumbled.

The school clinic was a little far from our class,we had to pass the school basketball court and the noisy Ss1 block and then the admin block then finally the clinic painted brown and white, awful color combination if you ask me.

Selena was an independent person I noticed,she didn't reach out to me for help for anything,she climbed the low steps and walked into the clinic and it hit me hard how different she was ,how fragile she looked yet how strong she was.

The nurse on duty was nurse Lizzy, nurse Lizzy was barely 21, really young and she was flirty.
Tall,light skinned and beautiful.

"Yobanna" She drawled my name with her tiny voice,there was a way she called my name,like she was placing emphasis on the Y.

She stood up adjusting her really tight white gown.

"Hey nurse Lizzy"

"I've told you to stop adding that nurse Lizzy,just call me Lizzy"She pouted.

No one would believe she was older than me the way she batted her eyelash. It was more weird now that Selena was here.

"Okay Lizzy then" I rubbed the nape of my neck in discomfort.

And then she smiled,like a really wide grin. She was yet to notice the girl standing beside me.

"Are you having headache,you know I'll gladly give you a bed like usual,you just forgot me despite everything"She accused.

This was definitely sounding wrong.

The thing was that nurse Lizzy was my good pal,she gave me beds to sleep on even when I wasn't sick but I stopped coming to the clinic cos I know what she wanted.

" I didn't forget you" I responded slowly.

"My friend is actually ill" I told her and then it was then she realized that there was someone beside me, someone who was now probably tired of standing so she was now sitting on the white plastic chair, an expression I couldn't read on her face.

"Oh" Lizzy drawled and then focused on Selena. She touched Selena's neck softly and asked her a few questions and then led her to a bed.

"It's just a cold" Lizzy said.

Selena was still quiet on the bed, her face backed away from me.

"Do you still want to sleep?" I asked her when I realized we were both alone

She mumbled something that looked like yes

"I'll grab you a quick snack then so you'll take your pills"

She didn't respond and so I left.

In my life I had never had to grab anything for anyone at the cafe and somehow here I was walking to St Louis cafe,my hands in my pocket, hoping she gets better.

Soft music played from the speakers,some song by Tems,I liked the song,but my attention wasn't really there. She was fast becoming a fav of mine

You know the usual drill na, people staring at me as though we weren't all students or probably I was some sort of alien

The line was unusually long,my friends were seated on our table, talking,I wondered what they were talking about though that made Precious so hyper,he was usually the type to be hyper as usual,normal him but even Dozie whose face I could see clearly was chuckling and then somehow he noticed me.

And few minutes later,a text came in from him

Why aren't you sitting here yet?

I read the text and saw him looking at me,his eyes still asking the same question.

I texted back

I have some stuffs I'm doing

I shoved the phone back into my pocket.

I wasn't the one to follow lines,so I cut the line,no one mumbled,not like if they mumbled anything would change,maybe I would have been patient other times but I had someone to attend to.

"This Yobanna is so arrogant, what's he feeling like?" I heard a girl mumble when I was about to go out.

I wanted to ignore her but I didn't, I turned around and saw the girl. She wasn't in Ss3,she was an SS 1 student,a freaking SS 1 student, somebody spell audacity. I took two deep breathes.

How did I know?By our ties,if you were in Ss 1,only a single stripe of white was on your tie and in Ss 2 you had another stripe.

"Did you say something?" I asked her calmly.

You know something with this Ss1 students,they felt like they stepped into university once they got into the senior block,I didn't really bother myself with them,I had important things to do than disciplining them,it was Dozie and Ken who were prefects that tamed their wings.

The girl could pass as an ss3 student, those kind of kids that looked really bigger than their age. Probably the queen bee of her set with the kind of people that surrounded her table.

"I asked a fucking question?" I relaxed my hand on the table. I wasn't yelling,no,I could never lose my cool because of some 14 year old.

"I didn't say anything" She replied trying to act brave though she was shivering.

"Stand up" I ordered

Everyone was suddenly watching and I knew it was a couple of minutes before Ken probably came over. The whole cafeteria was quiet, everyone knew I hardly spoke to people outside my friends not to even talk of a junior student.

She was up on her feet.

"I want you to go to that door,you are going to be on your knees till school closes"

People gasped and I didn't care less.

"...and no,I'm not going to be here with you,I'll go right now,but I dare you to stand up"

She moved quietly and knelt by the door.

And then I walked out of the really quiet cafeteria. Sometimes I just had to really act like myself.

I walked into the clinic that took less than 10 minutes and ,I was late.

Selena,she was facing someone,a boy,she was chuckling and he was also chuckling and I felt my head boil. I stopped in my tracks and then watched them talking about something.

I knew the boy, Zion Ayo,son of the popular musician.Star football player in St Louis,she wasn't smiling with me this morning I noticed,she barely spoke any word to me. I clutched my fist tightly and sighed.

"Please give this to Selena" I told Nurse Lizzy, dropped the pies and walked out.

****
I just don't know what to say😂💔
4k+ words, I'm doing well🍺🍺🍺