18| ℐᏉᎯℕ

   THE TIME BETWEEN bursting my hand last night, avoiding my mother this morning, going prom shopping at noon, sprawling out across my bed and binge watching MTV cribs, has gone by in a blur.

   I let the guys drive me to the only place I ever buy clothes, Tom Whyte and today like every other day, walking into any of their outlets always has me buying more things than I planned. 

   Deji suggested I buy a navy blue, Dolce and Gabbana, with shiny black Saint Laurent shoes, and I thought it looked great, but the black damask Givenchy suit, with a thin gold-stoned lapel, also called out to me. So I got it as well, with a pair of black suede Saint Laurent shoes. I also bought two dress shirts, white for the Navy blue and black for the Damask. I didn’t get a tie, I’m going for a semi formal look. 

   After that, I stopped at the mall for the wristwatch I saw earlier, and there was a set of female accessories. I remember thinking how I’d never seen so many charms on one piece of jewellery and I knew it was a must, so I took a dive and bought it.

   Lastly, I placed an order for her flowers. A lovely bouquet of fresh white roses from the store I bought the flowers last night. Something about the way the florist smiled made me believe that she suggested her personal favourite.

   When we got back home, I saw Mother. She sat in the courtyard, reading a newspaper, eating from a fruit cup while another domestic staff waited on her. I felt her gaze on me the whole time as I walked into the house and I appreciate that she consciously stayed out of my way. 

   Since then, I have not left my room. Yet watching 'Mrs. Walters' from MTV Cribs banter with her sons Michael and Tristan, about refurbishing their hot tub, makes me think about Mother. I haven’t told her about the prom, but that's because she didn’t let me breathe yesterday.

   Maybe I went too far. 

   But she provoked me, I didn't have any plans of saying those things, I had a really long day and was just trying to unwind. I'm not going to feel guilty for defending Boma, I don’t need her permission for tomorrow, and hopefully, she won't try to stop me. 

   I pull my phone from my pocket, it’s 8pm. I decide to make a video call. It rings the first time but doesn’t connect. She’s probably running around her house and freaking out about tomorrow. I call again. 

   “Hey,” she smiles like she’s been waiting for the call.

   I smile, choosing to observe and soak in her cuteness. 

   “Ivan,” she calls me out of my trance.

   “I think I need to get you a different name, something that captures how you make my heart flutter.” I say. 

   She smiles shaking her head as her cheeks turn bright red. “Is this how you plan to get me in the prom spirit?” she asks. 

   “Maybe?” I reply.

   She laughs. “Cause it’s working.” 

   I laugh. “Okay, I suck at this but I'm still going to try.  Feel free to decline."

   "Let me hear it," she says.

   "Pick one, puppy, fuzzy, babe.”

   “Puppy doesn’t sound sexy, it sounds like I’m a pet which I’m literally not. Buzzy…”