You who have read and voted on each chapters of my book, I love you to the moon.

No exaggerating here. Nah. I'm actually euphoric and grateful.

Thanks a lot. Read this chapter with love💝.

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I choked again on my coffee as I remembered the events of earlier this evening. It was just too disconcerting and painful.

Firstly, mom later told me that his parents were actually involved in the life taking plane crash. No one in that particular plane survived. They all passed out before they could get help.

It was even sadder because his parents came back with the intentions of staying for few months and then return back to South Africa with him after he would be done with his exams.

Secondly, it was quite torturous because the guy in the actual pain already fore saw the event. He was having lucid dreams and getting sleep paralysis.

Life was so fucked up. It really was. Like it would clothe one with way much things than they ever asked for and then strip them of it all when they get used to being in that position.

I shivered as the breeze emanating from rotating standing fan blew across my skin again sending me both shivers and goosebumps. It was as though ice ran through my veins and into my bloodstream.

I trembled under the cold. What was I thinking when I wore just a singlet and a short skirt in this cold room. And then brewing coffee and drinking it, thinking that it would make me feel any better.

Swiftly, I reached for the fan switch and then offed it.

Just then my phone buzzed indicating that I had received a notification. I ignored it, as I was lazy to pick it up from where it was charging.

Another second and it buzzed again. I groaned wondering where all those stupid notifications came from when my mobile data was switched off. It better not be a message.

As I came down from my bed where I sat with my legs stretched to my chest and head on my knees, my phone began vibrating.

I yawned tiredly before swiping the screen to answer the incoming call. The caller Id said Boo Thang.

A sweet smile crossed my face. "Babe," Somehow I knew that this call wouldn't end with me remaining the same. It never did. It always uplifted my mood.

"Yeah. How are you? I heard what happened between you and Obinna and I've been texting you. Are you alright?" That concern in his voice always melted my heart like butter.

"Hm. Where were you sha? It's not like I couldn't handle him. If he had messed up, I would have shown him the true significance of the colour black and blue on ones face." I boasted, trying to put up the strong girl complex.

"Obviously," He said sardonically and then changed the topic. "You're at home, right?"

"Yeah, why?" I quizzed.

"You know I haven't given you that particular kiss that I promised you few days ago." He stated.

"The evening of the dinner party?...Oh! You haven't o and you still owe me that one." I paused and smiled. "This one that you are bringing it up, do you have any means of kissing me right now?"

He laughed softly. And that was the last I heard from him as his voice got drowned by the quick opening of my door.

My phone was still glued to my right ear. I freezed, unable to bring down my right hand. "Mom?"

"Who is kissing you now?" Her alto voice went all soprano. Her eyes looked at me questioningly and suspiciously.

I gulped down my saliva which formed a huge lump in my throat. Now, my right hand just fell beside me. I looked at my phone screen and saw that Dindu was still on the line.

"Are you no longer answering your call again?" Her voice was accusing.

"You eavesdropped again," I stated slowly, stopping myself from barking at her. "Who does that on their child?"

"Golden." Her voice warned. "Continue with your call."

I looked at the phone in my hand, he was still on the line. As though it was heavy, I dragged it up to my ears. "Babe..." I trailed off. "Did you..."

"Give the phone to your mom." He requested and I was quick to vehemently refuse. Why would he want to talk to her? What for?! "I'm serious."

I eyed my mom and gave her the phone. I couldn't help but notice the surprised look on her face.

After a few seconds later, mom nodded her head and laughed softly as she spared me a glance. Then she laughed even more and then exited my room with my phone, still on the call.

What the exact fuck was that supposed to mean?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ding Dong!

The electric door bell rang as I carefully ran over the stairs. It was eight pm in the night and it was a wonder to us who would be knocking at this time.

"Who is that?" I was finally face to face with the entrance door. All I did was go wait to know if the person would speak up. If not, I would totally ignore the person forever.

"It's me!" That familiar voice. It was thick and deep. A beautiful baritone and it didn't take me up to seconds to recognize the voice of my father.

Without hesitation, I unbolted the door and opened the door wide ajar for him to enter like the king that he is.

"Daddy welcome!" I quickly bolted the door and then hugged him from behind. He was all sweaty and it was evident that he had a busy day. "How was your journey? Mommy didn't tell me that you will come back today."

His uproarious laughter sent shiver down my spine. It reminded me that no matter how comfortable we were here, home was not fully home without him. "I came home due to something urgent. And I will continue my business trip next week."

I nodded with mixed feelings. First, I was happy that he would stay at least for the remnant of these week. And then saddened that he would be gone by next week.

Too soon but he was a committed business man. He had to do his work to set meal at our table and of course foot our bills.

"You must be hungry. What will you eat? There is vegetable soup and pounded yam, white soup and wheat." I paused and then finished up with a smile. "Or better still, porridge yam."

He grinned, showing off his nice dentition which I took from him. "You know my choice. It's the porridge for me."

I laughed as I cornered off to the kitchen while he ascended the stairs. I dished out his food from the gigantic iron flask it was preserved in, into his favorite ceramic plate.

Zimuzor came down from his room and joined me in the kitchen. His face was dull and expressionless. Like I just couldn't predict his emotions at the moment. "Your dad is back." He stated.

I nodded.

"But mine can never be." He chuckled sadly and smiled sadly. I looked into his eyes to read his mind, to search his heart. But no, his eyes was void of emotions and everything that could link one to his heart.

I swallowed hard. "Look, it hurts and...and I know..."

He cut me off. "But you can't relate."

Was I meant to? Like how should I? when my dad was still very much alive. And I had no plans of wishing him dead. "I can't but I know how it feels like to loose a loved one. My childhood best friend died in my arms due to cancer of the blood. She was only eleven." I felt my heart grow heavy. It was hard digging up the grave of my past.

I carried the iron which contained my father's food up the stairs and into the private lounge.

"Where is he?" I was quite sure dad was talking of Zimuzor. I told him that he was still in the kitchen then dad proceeded to tell me that his parents would be buried next week. And if I'm not wrong, I think that should be during WAEC.

How was he going to concentrate on his books?

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"Biometrics! How many times will you repeat the same question?!" Sarah- A dedicated follower of Naomi shouted on Chelsea who turned to look at her angrily.

"And who was talking to you? Was I? I really doubt."

Sarah rolled her eyes heavenward. "The person you were asking is already fed up of answering the same silly question and I helped her with it. Besides, you were literally deafening me with that stupid high pitched voice of yours."

Chelsea sighed and ignored Sarah. "Please," she turned to Teddy. "How much will we spend there?"

Teddy took her turning to him as a cue that he was being referred to. "Biometrics? It's a thousand naira. Mr Maxwell will be the one to take us there via the school bus. Then we would pay the money to those in charge of conducting the biometrics stuffs."

"I just asked you the purpose of the money not what means we would reach the school and trash." Chelsea muttered.

I couldn't help but watch them. Of course, I was among those that wanted to see his reaction. "I was just being detailed, dude."

A deep frown was what Chelsea's face morphed into. How dare, just how dare he refer to her as dude! "Teddy don't you ever call me dude again. I don't look like any of your bros."

"What is wrong with...okay! Alright, I won't make that mistake again." He shook his head as he raised his hands in surrender.

Chelsea rolled her eyes. "Better!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We arrived Awka forty minutes later. There was no serious hold up on the road but we stopped twice to pump the tyre of the school bus at a vulcanizers' shop and then a filling station to buy fuel.

From outside the gate of our destination were hundreds of students in diverse school uniforms. They too, were there for the biometrics capturing which would be essential for our WAEC exam that was just three weeks away.

"All the girls in the school looks masculine." Obinna commented as he looked outside the window. Resting on his shoulder, was the neatly braided her of Naomi.

They weren't yet officially a couple but they acted like one. And the hilarious aspect, I couldn't wait for to reach, was he denying everything having feelings for her.

"Swears. Look at the yam leg of these one. Chai! And she's forming fine girl." Another of our boys seconded and that was how the busy got filled with noises.

"Come down," Mr Maxwell who sat in the front seat with the driver ordered. And we did just that. "Just enter that building there."

Outside the gate of the place where we came to was like I earlier said filled with diversity of students. When the bus has driven into the compound, it was just seas of students. Obviously, our school was held high and told to enter the appointed building where we would wait until one of the biometrics officer would be sent to us.

Upon us entering the purposed building we found some other dignified private schools already seated on the provided seats.

"I'm staying in the back o." Chelsea broke the silence by voicing out her mind.

"Seat here and keep these space for me, let me go and get something." Dindu told me and I nodded sheepishly, putting the JAMB novel I was almost done reading on his seat which was beside mine.

It was a matter of seconds and ninety percent of us were already settled on the chairs.

"Amarachi are you mad?! My friend stand up from my seat. Didn't you hear when I announced that I would be seating in the back?" Again, the voice of Chelsea resounded all over the spacious hall and many students from other schools turned to us.

"In your own best interest, you better stop yelling my name like a lunatic. You said that you were staying at the back but did you specify the particular seat?" It was getting hot hot.

"I'm serious..."

Amarachi cut her off. "Now look at me who is not serious." She eyed Chelsea and then continued. "I know your plans, you want to seat beside Teddy but I'm so going to burst your bubbles because that won't be possible."

I chuckled darkly. Really, I loved the squabbles going on. I couldn't wait for Mr Maxwell to enter and then add more spices to the drama.

Just then, Dindu came inside and sat on his, not after handing me my novel. "I got us drinks and doughnuts."

"Aw, babe you're so sweet." I made a baby face and hugged him. I so much loved doughnuts, it was one of my favourite snacks.

"Stop this! Stop fooling yourself!" The shrill cry of Chelsea reminded me of the dramatic situation our school was in before Dindu returned.

The latter cocked me a brow. "What's going on?" He asked, turning back to behold what was happening.

I shrugged. "Mr Maxwell should just come in now. See how our classmates are disgracing their ancestors here."

"Even Chelsea?" He turned back and now looked at me straight in the face.

"That one too, she has been behaving weird of late. I think she has a huge crush on Teddy." I giggled.

"Good luck with that then." He suppressed a laugh.

Now it was me giving him the what don't I know kind of look. He just took my hands into his and smiled at me.

A silent rumble of my stomach made me remember the doughnuts and drink on my laps. I smiled at the snacks and then went on to devour them.

I was just looking around the hall. Some of the students here had their school representative with them, explaining their quietness. But our Mr Maxwell of Standard High was doing God knows what outside there.

My wondering eyes caught a scene. It was that of a petite light skinned girl from what looked like a missionary school looking at the ongoing drama between Chelsea and Amarachi, and then talking to her clique.

I nearly hissed. All of those idiots that wouldn't just mind their business.

Before I could get my eyes off her and to the nearest object of fancy, I beheld her standing up and moving towards the rows occupied by the SHS students.

Now that she was nearer, I could make out that she was not just going to a missionary school but an all girls one for that matter. Not just that, her bold badge that rested on her right breast made known that she was the Head girl of the set.

"Good day everyone," Her voice was tiny. Annoyingly tiny. That kind of voice that you would strain your eye to hear whatever it speaks.

Almost all eyes of everyone around rested on her. Most of the looks my classmates were having on their faces was Speak your rubbish, sisterly, and get out.

I gulped down the last content in my canned drink and too rested my curios gaze on her.

"Please, Standard High you guys should try and respect yourselves. The spotlight has been on you guys for quite a long time especially these two that are arguing endlessly at the back." She spat out, using her two hands to plead to us.

I let out a loud laughter. What the exact fuck was that for?

"Hey! You better go back to chair and shut your mouth up. And save these advice for both you and your school management." Chelsea spat out.

"I'm just trying to..."

"Oga get out of here, joor!" Nelson the purposed most handsome boy in our set shouted. And the girl shook her head and went back to her seat.

"What is going on here?!" Mr Maxwell deemed it fit to barge into the hall just now. "What are my hearing of you guys?" He looked pissed off.

A sigh escaped his lips. "Few minutes away from you all and you have tarnished the image of the school. Get up all of you and get your silly selves into the school bus."

Mutterings came up. What of the biometrics capturing that we came here for? We better not be denied that as a punishment.

We all got to our bus and settled inside. "Are you guys done? Already?" The driver that was resting his bald head on the steering when we entered, sat up and inquired.

No one answered him. And when he dared to ask us that question for the second time, he got his deserved scolding from one of us.