AMADI

A knowing gaze is exchanged between us and she sits down.

"Hi." She greets simply.

"Really?" I arch an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"Excuse me?" She asks.

"So, you're just going to act like nothing happened?" I respond, perplexed at her change in demeanour.

"You're a married man, Amadi." She points out.

"I am divorced now." I say coolly. The process was finalized this week. So, I am free from any matrimonial committment as at this moment. Also, I got custody over Kaima with the right to permit Nnenna to see her at my will.

"Oh." She says, as if searching for the next available excuse. Funny.

"Look, I can't do this, Amadi." She wiggles her finger between both our directions.

"Why?" I ask, pushing further. She sighs and slumps her shoulder before giving an answer to my question.

"Let's just be friends." She blurts out.

Friends. I hate that word in this context.

However, I just smile and nod. Just as I do that, the door bursts open, revealing Saleem.

When his gaze lands on Shalewa, his face immediately wears a big smile and he goes to drag a chair, then sits beside her.

Next comes Rebecca. And one after the other, the others walk in, filling the class and ready for today's session. We begin with random talks about everyone's day and the past week.

When it was time for the fun activity, I clear my throat, locking eyes with Shalewa before speaking.

"We're picking between two movies. The first option is Acrimony and the second is The Banker." I stand on my feet and pick up the ballot box.

"We know the rules." I pick my paper and pass the box to Saleema who picks hers and passes it across till it gets to the last person who happens to be Shalewa. I walk briskly to collect the box from her, letting our hands brush on purpose.

[AN: Back then in boarding school, we used to pick our duties for the term via balloting. I used to pray for window duty since it's only on Saturdays. I always prayed against Toilet work.]

After counting, The Banker won the ballot and we move on to watch it.

"Awwww... my crush." Shalewa gushes when the face of Anthony Mackie displays on the screen and I roll my eyes in my head.

"I'm better looking than him." Saleem says, obviously flirting with her. I want to hiss badly. I really do but I compose myself and keep on watching.

2 hours later, we are done with the movie.

"So, that's how he lost everything at the end?" Natalia ponders out loud.

"No, he didn't. At least, he still had that one property left." Okafor answers.

"Blacks really had it tough back in the days. Best Enemies was even worse than this. Selma too." She says, shaking her head.

"Yeah, true. I am glad this is a different era, it has reduced, not completely, though." Chioma says.

"That their friend, Matt, took a really huge risk. I still wonder how they never got a clue on him helping them even while Bernard was in jail."

"Well, true friendship and loyalty? Does that answer it?" Zarah says.

"Not really."

"Thank God we didn't watch acrimony. I was silently prayer against it." Rebecca says, shaking in her chair.

"Me too. I hate that movie. I can't even stand watching it a second time. After all she lost because of that man, she still died. Tragic."

"In his defense, he actually went back to her but she couldn't stand him and boom, he became successful." Okafor shrugs as he speaks.

"Exactly. Wait, if he hadn't turned out rich, would you people have wanted het back with him?" Samuel asks. Fair point, though. I just watch them bicker back and forth.

"Men." Rebecca and Zarah glare at them.

How did the discussion conveniently shift from The Banker to Acrimony?

"In my opinion, I think both the man and woman have their own portion of the blame." Shalewa says, shrugging her shoulders.

"I agree with her." Saleem says. So, it's everything she says that he'll agree to? At least, hide your crush on her, man. It's becoming too obvious. I huff in annoyance as I watch him.

For a split second, she locks gaze with me and quickly turns away. Since she wants friendship, I know what to do.

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SHALEWA

"You know, instead of you driving, we could always come here together every Saturday." Amadi says behind me, his hand in his pocket, one leg crossed over the other as he leans his side to his car.

"So that they'll think something is going on between us, abi? No, thank you." I state factually.

"Ouch. The obvious rejection, though." He pushes his body off his car, hand still in his pocket and strolls to where I am.

"Haha." I let out a laugh.

"Look, I respect your wish and I won't bug you." He surprises me by saying.

"So, friends?" He asks, taking his hand off his pockets to stretch it forward.

"Sure. Friends" I respond, smiling and accepting his outstretched hand.

"Divorced, huh?" I ask him. Explains his disappearance for quite some time now.

"Finally." He nods his head in affirmation and winks before walking to his car.

•••••

"Coming!" I say in a loud voice and put on my pj shorts. Looking at the peephole, I smile upon seeing who is behind the door and open it.

Attached to his hand is a bubbly Kaima.

"Aunty ShaSha." She squeals, forcefully detaching her hand from her dad's before running to hug me around my legs.

I squat to her level and lift her up, twirling her around.

"How are you, Angel?" I ask her.

"Fine." She answers, giggling. She takes my hair in her hand to play with it.

"It's not only Kaima that is here o." I chuckle at Amadi's remark.

"Jealousy." I tease him, sticking out my tongue. His gaze lingers on it before he speaks.

"Ehn. You just opened the door and simply ignored me." Right now, I am holding myself from laughing.

"What are you here for, Uncle?" I ask him.

"Good evening to you, Aunty." He replies, sarcasm lacing his every word.

"How are you?" He asks with so much concern. Goosebumps form on my arms from how soothing his voice sounds. It's now I appreciate the Kimono I threw on in a hurry. It's perfectly concealing it.

I sigh and smile "Fine. You?"

"I'm good too. Do you have matches?" He answers before asking. I pause and look at him.

"Really? Matches?"

"No, fried plantain." He replies sarcastically again.

"Ehen? Go and collect your fried plantain somewhere else." I take calculated steps backwards and quickly shut the door. Thank God for jam lock

"Open the door, Shalewa. Biko." He says from outside, banging on it.

"Don't break my door, abeg."

I place Kaima on the sofa and go back to answer him.

"Why do you like shakara like this?" He cocks a brow at me and I just shrug.

"You're still talking." I shoot back.

"Please, matches." He says again.

"Lying daddy!" Kaima retorts from inside the house, resulting to a chuckle from me. Note to self; never lie in front of a kid. They'll innocently call you out.

"Okay, I surrender. Kaima says she wants to swim in your pool. I swear, it's not me. It's her."

"Alright. Let me set it up for her." I actually bought some children friendly toys for the pool because the other time Kaima came here, it was a struggle. So, I just got them in case she comes again to play in the water.

"I could help." He follows me even without me agreeing. I stop at the store to retrieve them.

"We'll be back, baby." I hear him kiss Kaima and run after me, falling in line with my steps.

"Take." I toss the bag to him. Together, we set up the pool to suit her safety.

Sitting by the pool's edge, I place my two legs in it, cooling off and splash!

"You did not just do that. Amadi!" I scream from inside the water and use my hand to wipe off the water on my face.

"Here. Let me pull you up." He offers his hand and an idea comes to my head. I smirk and before he could register the meaning of my evil expression, I drag him into the pool.

A loud thud, followed by splashing water, he lands inside. He gasps for air and brings himself above the water. I flip my hair sideways to sprinkle the water droplets on him, laughing hysterically.

Wrong move.

He grabs my waist to stop me and holds my head in place. By this time, my back is already resting on the edge of the pool. It is only then that I notice how awkward this position is.

None of us speaks, just silently staring in each other's eye while I hear our hearts beat. I notice the gold dust specs in his eyes and melt under his gaze. His hand brushes my cheeks before he drops it on my waist.

His eyes darts from my face and moves to my lips. My heart beats faster and faster as his chocolate brown face comes closer to mine, making me a nervous wreck. When he leans in, I know what is to follow but I didn't pull back.  Instead, I continuously exhale loudly as a result of the built-in anticipation before meeting him halfway, that's if it even exists seeing as we were so close, bodies almost touching.

And then his tongue was in my mouth, shutting me up completely. Sparks erupt within me and I could swear I felt it from him too. He slowly massages my scalp with his hand and I moan, shamelessly. Plunging his tongue deeper, it over powered every ounce of reasoning in me. I let out a satisfied sigh and enjoy the kiss.

See who said they're looking for friendship. I silently mock myself.

He wiggles it and consistently assaults my mouth's vault. He pulls out to look me in the eyes before leaning in again to pepper my shoulders with feathery kisses on them. My stomach insides are running a marathon. My feet are tingling and I could feel my body shiver from both the water and his lip's contact on my skin.

"I've been wanting to do this since you opened that door." This comes off like a breath against my neck as he nibbles on it. A low moan follows, this time from him.

"Hmmm.." My body is a complete mess as I feel the electricity waltz through it when our skins finally come in contact.

"Daddy! Aunty Shasha!" The distant call from Kaima takes us off our reverie as we instantly pull away from each other, panting.

The pitter patter sound her feet makes on the ground draws nearer and I rush out of the pool, leaving them to it.