Anyeong!!!

This is kinda like the part 2 of the last chapter.

So...we'll get to see what happened at the beach in Chetachi's POV.

Are you ready?

Let's get it!

~~~~~~~
"Just the two of us;
building castles in the sky."
~~~~~~~
-Grover Washington ~Bill Withers
(Just the two of us)

Chetachi

"PHINEAS ASKED YOU ON A DATE?!"Beryl yelled as soon as I spilled the gist to her and Deja.

"He asked me to hang out, you this girl, and you don't have to tell the whole world, na!" I said, throwing a pillow at her.

"Enhen?Date and hang out, i it not the same thing? Be there deceiving yourself," she retorted.

I rolled my eyes.

"Besides," Beryl continued, "when did you two become close? And how come I didn't notice?"

She nudged Deja. "Did you know?"

The doe-eyed girl smirked. "I had my suspicions,but I wasn't really sure."

"Oh, come on, you guys!" I protested."We're just friends."

Beryl snorted. "Remind me to say that in my speech at your wedding!"

I picked up another pillow and launcher it at her.

"Chetachi and Phineas, sitting in a tree....." Deja began in a sing-song voice.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" she and Beryl completed.

Haew!

God, You see Your children?

"I need to go shower and dress up," I said, pushing myself off the couch in my room.

"Yes o! You must look good for this thing, mehn," Deja said, flashing me a huge smile.

I stepped into the bathroom and came out minutes later, freshly scrubbed.

"What are you wearing?" Beryl asked.

"I dunno.... something super simple, I guess."

I slipped into a black sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"How 'bout this?" I asked.

Deja looked me up and down critically, like she was a judge on Nigeria's Next Top Model or something.

Then she shook her head.

I frowned."Isn't this good?"

"It....it is....but, I mean, all black on a first date? It's not someone's burial, Cheta."

Beryl nodded and popped her bubblegum.

"I like black and IT IS NOT A DATE!"

"Why not wear something with a bit more...color," Deja offered.

Sighing, I changed into my grey, BTS merch hoodie and shorts.

So I have a thing for sweats and hoodies, and I live in Lagos....don't judge me.

"Cool!" Beryl said, clapping her hands.

"But grey is so.....grey!" Deja whined.

Adejare Ogundele and her love for bright colors.

If you couldn't see it from a mile away, there's little chance she'd wear it.

Even now, she had on a bright yellow t-shirt, with a matching scarf holding her hair back.

"I'm not changing again, o. It's almost 7:00," I said, looking at my digital wall clock.

"Aww! Look at you not wanting to be late!" Beryl coo'd.

I pursed my lips sarcastically and rolled my eyes.

"No makeup?" Beryl asked, as I observed myself in the mirror of my vanity.

"It's night, Beryl. He won't be able to see if I have makeup on or not. Why bother?"

"I just want you to be extra pretty, that's all."

"Mmhmm."

I turned my head from side to side in the mirror, trying to decide what to do with my hair.

I settled on a simple messy bun, grabbed a rubber band and got to work.

Majid's words played in my head as I worked on my braids.

I'm just helping my sister out, that's all.

I'm not going to hurt anyone.

Besides, Tochi and I practically the same person.

Her thoughts are my thoughts.

We're one.

Having convinced myself, I finished the bun and admires my handiwork.

I turned to the girls and Beryl gave me a thumbs-up.

Lastly, I applied my strawberry flavored lip gloss, dropping the tube on my vanity table once I was done.

"Carry it o!" Deja said.

"Yeah, you might just have to reapply it....because...y'know....stuff might happen," Beryl added, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously."

"I have to go, you guys," I said, shoving my phone in my pocket and heading to the door.

"Greet Phineas for us!" Deja called after me.

"Whatever," I mumbled, shutting the door as they laughed.

.......

He was staring at the setting sun when I approached him, the fading light highlighting his perfect features.

I was a little surprised.

He was earlier than expected.

"Wanna grab a smoothie?" he asked, after I'd called him a stalker.

"Sure."

We both started walking in the same direction.

When someone from Hillsong mentions smoothies, just know they're talking about 'Smoothies 'R' Us' ,specifically the one at the beach where Zik works.

The funny thing about working there is that the franchise belongs to Rhianne's dad, and Rhianne just so happens to be Darius' girlfriend.

And, as I've mentioned before, Zik and Darius are sworn enemies for some reason no one knows about.

Their whole situation is like a telenovela.

We got there and placed our orders.

Zik kept looking back and forth at me and Phineas, a tiny smirk on her face.

"Um, Phineas, could you wait outside for me for a lil' bit?" I asked, when our drinks were out and he'd paid.

"Sure," he said and stepped out.

I turned to Zik.

"Eeehen! When did all this one start, kwa?" she asked.

"All which one, Azikiwe?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

She raised an eyebrow, going full on sassy mode.

"Don't act dumb with me, Adigwe. You know what I'm talking about."

"If it's what I think you think it is, then no."

"Really?"

"Really."

"If you say so," she said, still giving me that weird look.

"I heard of your little spat with Darius after Sports period," I said with a smile.

"That asshole, I'm gonna have to kill him one of these days......why are you smiling, Adigwe?"

"Is it bad to smile? Biko, I don't want wrinkles in the future."

"Chetachi, you have with your wahala again! In fact, be going."

Don't tell Zik, but I seriously ship her and Darius.

I laughed. "My mat, please."

She reached under the counter, pulled out my rolled up beach mat and handed it to me.

"Oya, go! He's waiting for you," she said, pointing at the door.

"Bye, Zikky," I chirped.

To think, I'd almost gotten mad at the girls for teasing me, yet here I was doing same to Zik.

She huffed and I laughed as I stepped out.

Phineas was standing a little distance away.

"Did you bring anything for us to sit on?"I asked, even though he clearly hadn't.

He froze and face-palmed himself.

He turned round with an apologetic look on his face.

I held on to my smoothie so it wouldn't fall as I laughed.

"I figured you wouldn't come prepared, so I did," I said.

As well rolled out the mat, I couldn't help but remember all those nights Tochi and I would sneak out from the house to sit and watch the waves.

It was our favorite thing to do together in our favorite place.

I shook my head.

We're one....but let's focus on me tonight.

Phineas and I sat down and soon we were having a conversation surrounding things that I like.

I told him the ones off the top of my head, though.

Like, I didn't mention the fact that I collect seashells and rocks or that I have enough stuffed animals for a small village of children.

Because Tochi liked the shells and half of those toys were hers, anyway.

I subtly shook my head again.

Me!

I want to focus on me tonight.

I tried to distract myself by talking and talking.

Phineas' nods, smiles and laughs gave me a sense of calm in a way.

He let me talk and talk, not once showing any sign of boredom or disinterest.

"Right now, I'm a bit tired of hearing my own voice. Next time," I said when he asked me what my dislikes were.

I said that mostly because I wanted to here what he had to say.

And maybe, just maybe because I wanted something like this to happen again.

That's good, right?

The breeze that was blowing round became a bit chilly and I shivered slightly because of my exposed legs.

"Here," Phineas said as he stretched out and arm, "share my warmth."

I wasn't sure whether he was joking or not.

But before I let myself dwell on it, I snuggled into him.

He felt like some kind of muscular pillow; strong, yet soft and comfortable.

He smelled of cedarwood and vanilla, and I found myself relishing in the sweet yet masculine scent.

His arm draped over my shoulder and he began stroking my braids.

We stayed like this for a while, both of us staring at the ocean in front of us.

Then I raised my eyes to his.

"Your turn," I said. "But can I ask a question first."

"Shoot,",he said, his hand still gently stroking my hair.

"You're obviously mixed, so which one of your parents is Nigerian?"

"My mum. She's Igbo, while my dad is Irish with Jewish roots."

I giggled. "See combination."

"Yeah," he said, smiling."My dad grew up in Ireland, while my mum grew up here in Lagos. They both met in the US, got married here,moved to England where they had me and then finally back to Nigeria to stay."

"You grew up in England?"

"Er...not exactly, but kinda."

"No wonder you sound like a Nigerian James Bond."

We both laughed at my little joke.

"It's funny, 'cause in my opinion,my accent is more Nigerian than British."

I shook my head at him."Like I said, you sound like a Nigerian James Bond."

"Is it...bad? My accent, I mean," he said, reducing his voice to almost a whisper.

"No, it's perfect," I said in the same tone of voice.

He smiled, squeezing my shoulder a little before he continued stroking my hair.

"You stayed behind to talk to Zik, right?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I didn't know you two were friends."

"Well, we are. I needed her to teach me some self-defense techniques and we just struck up a friendship."

"Self-defense, huh?"

I nodded and laughed.

"To protect myself from the evils of the world," I said breezily.

Memories flashed in my mind.

That man.

Maybe if I had known how to throw a few punches or kicks, I wouldn't have had to-

"Earth to Chetachi," Phineas said, tickilng me slightly.

I jumped and punched his arm.

"Ow!"

"You caught me off guard and I'm really ticklish."

He rubbed his arm. "Damn, Chetachi, you're quite strong."

I flipped a loose braid back dramatically. "I know. So don't tickle me out of the blue again..or else!"

He laughed and I could hear the reverberations from his chest.

I could feel his heartbeat.

"What's your full name?" I asked.

"Don't laugh!"he said. "Phineas Ozoemena Geronimo Eamon( Jr.) Sullivan."

"Geronimo?!" I said, stiffling a laugh.

"My mum's very....eccentric," he said.

"I'm Chetachi Rarity Onyinye Derorice Adigwe."

"Rarity," he said softly, "isn't that the name of one of the characters in My Small Horse?"

I burst into a fit of giggles.

"It's My Little Pony, you mumu!"

He snorted. "Same difference! My sister used to be obsessed with that show."

"You have a sister?"

"Yes, she's in our school; SS1."

I nodded, making a mental note to look out for a mixed girl in SS1.

"Okay, your turn for likes and dislikes."

He took in a breath.

"I like poetry. I read it a lot.....and I write it too."

"You seem like more of a sport-playing jock, not someone who'd spend hours in a coffee shop, scribbling away in a note book," I said.

He chuckled. "So what if I'm both?"

"I'm into photography as well,"he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. And aside sports, music, art and food, that's pretty much all I like. Including you, of course,"he said with a smile.

I ignored the tiny beat my heart skipped.

"I'm flattered," I said sarcastically.

"As for dislikes...I dunno."

"You don't know what you don't like?"

"What I mean is, I don't keep a list or something. I just don't like what I don't like. You get?"

"I think so?"

He laughed.

"What the first thing you notice about a person?" he asked after a bit.

"Where did that question come from?"

"Just answer."

"I dunno.....but,maybe their shoes."

"Shoes?"

"You can actually tell a lot from the shoes a person is wearing," I explained.

"That's something Majid would do."

I nodded.

Ironically, I'd learned that from him.

I wonder if I should tell Phineas about Majid and I.....

No,not yet.

"What about you? What do you notice first?"

"Their eyes," he said, looking into mine. "Like you, you have very beautiful eyes."

I felt heat creep up to my cheeks." I do?"

He nodded. "Your eyes are like looking at copper through a lens of pure honey and sage. They're like all the colors of leaves in Fall, at once. Red, brown and gold; combined in a kaleidescope of brilliance."

My mouth hung open slightly, and I'm sure my cheeks were burning red beneath my melanin.

He smiles as he gauged my expression.

"I take it you're not used to receiving compliments. But you should be, you're very beautiful."

"You weren't kidding about being a poet," I huffed, turning away from his gaze.

He tickled me and I punched his arm again, softly this time.

We kept on talking and asking questions until I pulled out my phone to check the time.

My eyes popped open when I saw the digits.

It was a few minutes to 11:00pm.

Na wa o.

"Phineas," I said, sitting up from him.

"Mmm?"

"Look at the time," I giggled as I showed it to him.

"Geez," he said, running a hand through his auburn curls.

I stood up and stretched a little.

"This was fun," I said.

"My thoughts exactly," he said, standing up too.

I pulled the mat and rolled it back up.

"Lemme escort you to your car," I offered.

"No, let me walk you back home."

I rolled my eyes."It's right over there. I won't get kidnapped or anything."

"I know, I'm just tryna be a gentleman."

"Your mum must be proud to have raised such a gentleman,"I said.

He smiled dryly.

"Okay, fine, you can walk me home."

We walked away from the beach and across to my house.

I stopped at the gate.

He held my wrist, turning me to face him.

"Tonight was great, Chetachi."

I smiled. "Yeah, it was."

"Isn't this the point where you give me a goodnight kiss?" he said with a smirk.

"Dumbass!" I said, hissing.

He laughed.

"Bye."

"Bye."

I watched as he walked back to the beach parking lot to get his car.

Then I pushed open the pedestrian part of the gate,that I'd instructed the guard to leave unlocked,and went into the compound.

.......

The girls were still up watching Netflix when I came in.

They'd changed into their pyjamas.

"We thought you were not coming back again o!" Deja said, pausing what they'd been watching when she noticed me.

I shook my head and slipped into my comfy PJs.

"Oya, come and gist us,"Beryl said.

She stood and grabbed a bottle of bright blue nail polish from my vanity.

Then she jumped on my bed, flipped her legs over her head in a chest hold and started painting her toenails.

A/N: The pose Beryl was holding and what she was doing.

Believe me when I say Beryl is mad flexible.

She can do all these crazy tricks while I can't hold a split for more than two seconds.

I crashed on a bean-bag chair and briefly took in my room.

The room I used to share with Tochi.

It was all whites and purples, with fluffy fairy lights strewn about.

After a sigh, I recounted my night to the girls.

"So let me get this straight," Deja said when I was finished. "You two met up on the beach?"

"Yeah."

"Had smoothies."

"Yup."

"Got to know each other better."

"Mmhmm."

"Snuggled, abi cuddled?"

"He was just keeping me warm."

"And then he walked you home?"

"Oui, mon ami."

"And you still say that one is not a date?!"

"Leave Cheta and her 'hangout' mentality."

"But it was just a hangout," I protested.

Was it though?

"Wahala for who no get who to hangout with,o!" Deja said, raising her arms and eyes to the ceiling sarcastically.

I grabbed a cushion and hurled it at her.

We ended up having a pillow fight, before watching Netflix till I eyes hurt.

That night, I slept with no nightmares.

🤓🤓🤓.

I was the inspiration for how Beryl and Deja were in this chapter.

My friends can testify that I'm such a tease🙈🙈🙈.

Who else ships #Phetachi (or #Chineas)😩💗.

What was your view of this chapter and TRO so far?

I'm curious👀👀👀.

Anyway, please comment and vote.

See ya soon💗💗💗.