20| ℐᏉᎯℕ

   IT'S PAST 12AM. She's not online. Her last seen was 10:10pm. I'm happy at the prospect of her sleeping soundly in her bed. If she was awake though, we'd be chatting.

   She's just asleep in her house and I miss her already.

   "Tomorrow," I take a breath. "Prom."

   Two weeks ago it never crossed my mind and now, I'm awake, nerves racing through my veins colliding with each other every now and again, counting the hours till we walk down the aisle. 

   I stand up and walk to the mirror. I look fresh. My haircut is on point, I massage my moustache, trying different faces, sexy, cute, hot, dangerous, rich, I try a combo of dangerous, sexy and rich, it looks hot. I laugh out loud.

   Good thing my door is soundproof. I walk back to the bed and turn on the TV. At times like this, when he couldn't sleep, Father would stand at the balcony of our old house, watching the world quiet down into nature's whisper. Sometimes I stayed up with him there, and I loved how his breathing always sounded clearer and his smile, more honest. I'm going to do that now. I slip my feet into my slides, open my door and step out. 

   Our eyes collide and she hugs me. "I'm sorry son, I went too far," she says. 

   It feels alien to me, the emotions she's giving off. But I let her go on. "I know Boma's graduation is tomorrow and you're going. I want you to bring her home afterwards, so we can have a nice dinner here as a family." 

   I pull out of the hug to see her face. She smiles. "Are you serious?" I ask. "No jokes."

   "Why would I joke about such? I want to talk with her and find out how she's doing and congratulate her on completing high school." She looks so sober, this isn't the mother I've known. I hug her again, this time tighter. She squeezes my head. I can't believe it.

   "What changed?" I ask,

   "You deserve more," she says. Her eyes actually twinkle. It's been an eternity since she smiled with them. 

   "I love you," I whisper, she holds me tighter. Now my head is clear enough.

   "Where were you headed to?" she asks.

   "Some fresh air, maybe a few laps in the pool."

   "If you aren't Bayo's junior. " Her hands caress the sides of my face. "Enjoy yourself, I'm off to bed." She pats my shoulder. 

   I watch her walk into her room, white dress swaying in rhythm with her movements, hoping this new leaf remains fresh. 

   I head back to my room. After grabbing my swimsuit, I walk out to the balcony. The estate is peaceful, darkness sweeps over all the enormous buildings, shadowing the bright street lights and cloaking the dogs barking in the distance.

    I take the stairs, jogging lightly to the back of the house and past the short fence. Night laps are the most relaxing. I stand for a few minutes, stretching. Allowing my body to acclimate to the cold before diving into the water, listening to the sounds of my splashing echo.

  A few yards away, through the glass doors, I can see that the lights in the gym were not turned off, most likely by Tosin. I sigh and dip my body into the depths of the water.

   The only thought I can't erase as I hold my breath against my lung's cry for air, is the thought that I'm in love with a dying girl.