Hello babies!
Thank you so much for participating in the previous exercise, honestly it helped in ways, I was motivated to type this chapter.

Honestly, our votes are low!
Will be glad of we improve and make it hit 1k.
Also thanks for the 2k plus reads.

So enjoy, spam me with your comments, I really wanna know what you think, it motivates me.

Dedicated to all my beautiful readers.
Today is a day of love💜💜💜

Enjoy.
Happy Val💕

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

        Seeing him online brought a smile to Geraldine's face. At least there was someone she could speak to currently, because she was dying of boredom, or would she call it loneliness.

Best Fish Neng🦋
God! you are online, crashed at this stupid party, but on my way home now.

Geraldine reads aloud, she could see he was typing something else, but still decided to respond.

The one hosted by Ash or Nathan?

Geraldine asks staring at her phone, also anticipating his response.

Best Fish Neng🦋
More like a get-together, I thought you would be coming through, kinda a welcome home from that cage!

Geraldine let's out a small smile after reading the message, not because of anything, but because of the way he sounded, like the party was crap, but she knew Nengi better. He was just trashing it to make her feel like she missed nothing, and because of he just called there school a cage, besides any party hosted by Nathan or any of his friends where always hits, there was no argument about that.

I didn't know a party was been hosted, Ash didn't tell me, besides...

"Gidi!"

    She stops typing and faces her phone over her blanket immediately, besides she recognized the voice instantly.

"Are you retiring to bed with no food in your stomach?"

Turning around, only to see her Mum leaning on the door, holding a tray, which seemed like her dinner.

"Make sure to eat something."

Geraldine watches her Mum drop the tray on her reading table, looks at the mirror for a while, which made Geraldine curious.

"I am not trying to play favourites, "

Geraldine watches her Mum take a deep breath.

"Like your father said."

There was a way she made mention of the father, like she was angry or something, which picked Geraldine's interest.

"I love all of you, all four of you are very important to me. But you treat Aaliyah differently from your siblings, it's something I have noticed and it isn't fair, they are all your siblings. I don't want her to feel neglected or alone, because..., "

"Her behaviour is totally off." Geraldine couldn't help but say, although she hadn't plan to utter a word.

"She is your sister, your younger sister, if she does something you don't like, there are ways to handle her, than going that way on her, Aaliyah is coming up, talking to her like an older sister could help, not putting those barriers, she is annoying, but who doesn't have a sibling, who could make you go mad..., "

"Aaliyah?" Geraldine calls out with a sour look.

"You see what I am talking about?"

"Mum, Aaliyah is just..., "

"Annoying? But it doesn't mean you should bite her head off. I am thinking of a good boarding school for her, By September next year."

Geraldine takes a deep breath, now trying to maintain eye contact with her Mum.

"Hilton College?" Geraldine asks, she notices her Mum give her look, which meant, that wasn't even on her list.

"Still thinking about it. Make sure to eat before going to bed, I don't want you falling sick." Wendy who was currently on her way to the door suddenly says. "Also." She pauses. "Don't stay up late."

Geraldine watches her Mum till she locks the door. Immediately she picks up her phone, only to see spams from Nengi.

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:40 pm
I just saw a lot of those hypocrites we call classmates.

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:43 pm
You needed to see what Veronica was putting on!

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:44 pm
She went upstairs with Nathan, always knew those two had something going on.

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:46 pm
Gidi, don't tell me you are sleeping!

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:48 pm
Geraldine!

Best Fish Neng🦋 10:50 pm
Seriously!

Best Fish Neng🦋 11:00 pm
Sleep tight😏😏😏

    Geraldine let's out a small smile, she could see he had gone offline, she really wanted to talk to him, fully aware he had gist, and talking to him was always fun, she always had to laugh until tears came out of her eyes, Nengi never ran out of gists.

                     _______________________ 🖊️

"Jason!" Ashley calls out in a hush tone, pulling his totally wasted cousin alongside him, while he tries to navigate himself into the sitting room, with the aim of finding their way into his bedroom.

"Do you know you are boy?" Jason suddenly asks and chuckles, making Ashley groan, he had been making stupid statements since they left the party.

"Jason, shut up!"

He was clearly wondering what Jason had taken to hit him up this badly, this wasn't the first time Jason was taking alcohol, he couldn't say this for Jayden, but he sure, Jayden wasn't as simple as he looked.

Almost letting Jason go, they both bump into something, letting a small hiss and trying to hide, in case anyone had heard the noise, he leans close to the couch, only to hear a sound, also the lights came flashing into his eyes.

"Sneaking in? Ash, I thought I checked your bedroom, and saw you and Jason before getting down here." He heard his Mum say, her facial expression doesn't display any emotion, she suddenly gives him a stern look.

"Or where those the pairs of clothes and blankets? Ashley?" She says almost yelling his name. "What's wrong with him?" She suddenly asks.

"We went to a small get together." Ashley says clearly choosing his words.

He slowly turns to Jason who had helped himself on a couch, with the look of things, he seemed like he was gone already.

"Your Aunt said, you both were doing something over here! Ashley, what's this? He looks wasted! Did you drink?" She suddenly asks with folded arms.
   
Ashley doesn't respond, he knew there was no need lying or denying it, but he wasn't wasted, he only took two cans of beer.

"First impression matters," Fisayo says with folded arms.

"Mum!" Ashley say, while he watches her slump into the chair, like she was tired of something.

"Sneaking out, partying. No matter how scared I am to admit it, considering the fact you never had him in your life, up until this age, you behave more like him, I have no problem if you take after him, he is a very lovable person, but leaving this kind of life would expose you to a lot, especially dangerous stuffs, Ashley I am worried about you." Fisayo confesses, there was a way she made this statement, which made him curious and worried. This was the first time she was ever talking about his Dad.

"Why didn't you ever talk about him?" Ashley finally says, not knowing where he got the courage from.

His Mum becomes silent, he watches her for a while, she looked like she was thinking hard about something.

She suddenly chuckles.

"Most times I forget my little Ash isn't a little boy anymore." She says.

"My Ash, not little," Ashley says, more like he was correcting her, which made her laugh.

This also brought a smile to his face, this was the first time he was seeing a genuine bright look on her face since they got home. He was worried there was something wrong, and everything seemed so.

By the time he was out of his room, he didn't see the man, whom he came to find out was his father, in the living room anymore, funny enough when Nicole woke up, she kept asking for "Daddy"

This was shocking to Ashley, Nicole was already calling him "Daddy"
Most times he wondered, how that word would sound coming out of his mouth, he had never called anyone Daddy.

"He really did hurt me a lot."  Fisayo suddenly says. "You aren't a child anymore, I know you deserve answers but..., "

"What did he do to you?" Ashley suddenly asks with mixed feelings. He also looked curious.

He watches his Mum release a weak smile.
"He has made a lot of mistakes, if there is something I know, it's the fact he loves..., "

"Why did he go to jail?" Ashley suddenly asks, looking curious.

"He is in the best position to tell you that." Fisayo pauses. "He did things he wasn't supposed to do, bad things." She pauses.

Ashley couldn't hide the confused look on his face, and he was sure she knew he was confused and needed answers, he had always wanted answers to all his questions, and he believed he deserved that at least.

"Look. Growing up, I was this unhappy, depressed child." She suddenly, also didn't miss the sudden look of interest on her son's face. "My family, Dad, everything was just complicated." She lets out a small hiss.
"We were all betrothed from birth, also our lives were lived to impress others, not ourselves." She takes her eyes down. "It was quite complicated, but I always wanted to feel loved by my parents, maybe my siblings did too, I don't know if it was just me, but it felt like, they loved the money and making it, more than they loved us. I was a messed up kid, till I met him, " She pauses, and takes a deep breath.

"Him, been your Dad." She smiles. "He was jovial, and full of life, funny enough he wasn't just my senior in school, but older with two years difference. Girls always flocked around him, I saw him couple of times, the first time he spoke to me, I almost didn't sleep at all, not like I loved him then or something, I couldn't imagine someone like him, actually talking to me, forget about the riches, his Mum was a top model then, so money wasn't a problem to them, but...," She pauses and takes another breath.

"Mum!" Ashley calls out.

"There was the way he looked at me, no one had ever looked at me like that. Funny enough, whenever he saw me, he always made some interactions, which I was uncomfortable having. Not until Jay warned me about him, saying he was a womanizer and all, but it didn't stop me from talking to him, because he always tried to, that was how it grew into stealing kisses, and going into secret places."

There was a way she made the last statements, which made Ashley seat up.

"It continued getting deeper and deeper, It got to a point I started getting jealous when I see him with other girls. Maybe because of the attention he gave me, was scared he was giving it to them too. You know, your Dad made me love myself, made me feel special, made me feel like someone really did love me, even though I was always scared of losing him, losing the one person who I thought really loved me. I fell madly Inlove with him, that I kept living and believing in fairy tales." She lets out a weak smile.

"I was betrothed from birth, it wasn't going to work. I realized that when I finally met Jasper my Ex husband..., "

"Your Ex-husband?" Ashley asks quite confused. "You were married, how?" He asks very confused.

"I told your Dad about Jasper, but he never took it seriously, he always told me, I was his and no one else's. When my parents started emphasising and making me see Jasper, I cut everything I had with your Dad for a while, told he to Date other girls, but ended up running back to him, whenever I felt lonely." She coughs.

"Things got sour when I found out I was pregnant." She takes a deep breath. "When I got pregnant with you. I was just sixteen, I hated and blamed him that moment, for destroying my life, because everything seemed like he got me pregnant on purpose, although he always said it was a mistake." She says turning to her son, whose face has become paler.

"Ashley you aren't a mistake, but the best thing that has happened to me, you and your sister! I told him I had aborted you, when he refused to help me abort..., " Seeing the look on Ashley's face, she stops talking. "We should just forget about..., "

"Mum, stop! Just say it, I get it you were young, confused and scared, anything could get into your mind." Ashley says, he didn't miss the tears which rolled down her cheek.

"We spilt up, I had you, then my Dad took you away, I got married when I was twenty, it lasted..., "

"Is Nicole not my blood sister?" Ashley found himself asking.

"You both are from the same father. I met your Dad, three years later, then I wanted a divorce from Jasper, I was broke, and my Dad wasn't ready to help me, even though he knew the abusive marriage he got me into. I had to go to your Dad for help, even though I knew he hated me, because he still thought I aborted you. Ashley everything was just so messed up, your Dad had mixed with the wrong crowd and all that, I had to do some shady things, before my Dad agreed to let me see you and release you to me, after almost six years of not seeing you! You were just six then." He could see the tears drops.

"Ashley, I don't want to remember anything from the past, no matter what, know your Dad loves you, no one is perfect, you just have to give him a chance," Fisayo says in tears.

"What about you?" Ashley found himself asking.

"It's difficult to just let go, I don't think I can ever forget what he did to my family, even though I have forgiven him. He let hatred and resentment get the best of him." Fisayo cries out.

                     _______________________ 🖊️

"Mummy!" Aaliyah screams while she runs downstairs, meanwhile Geraldine takes a glass of water, she doesn't miss Aaliyah running into the kitchen.
"Morning morning!" She says in a sing-song voice, which was typical Aaliyah, the only things was, Geraldine wondering if the greeting we're for her.

Because that was the last thing she should be expecting from Aaliyah.

"Breakfast is on the table," Gini says now walking into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Aaliyah suddenly runs, with the aim of getting to the fridge but bumps into Geraldine, sending the glass cup crashing to the floor.

It takes Geraldine the grace of God, not to land a slap on Aaliyah's back, she didn't miss the look of fright on her face.

"It's...,"

"Just move!" Geraldine cuts her off immediately, yelling at the same time.

Almost getting down, her ringtone
cuts her off immediately, she quickly gets up, her eyes meeting with a confused Ginika, she carefully pulls her phone from the island, not bothering to check the callers ID, she swipes it.

"Hello!" The voice which she recognized from the other hand says, she just had to pull the phone off her ears and check the callers ID, like a fool, even though she knew it wasn't saved.

"Gidi!" The caller calls out again. "Its Jason!"

                     _______________________ 🖊️

        Pulling the earphones from her ear, Cherish plays a music out, looked more like she was tired of wearing headphones.

The sudden creak on the door makes her take her head up, only to see her Mum, standing a few feet away.

"Your Aunt is here. Come down for breakfast."

She watches her Mum who had a calm look on her face say. Whenever she heard Aunty Flourish came to visit them, her mood changes.

Aunty Flourish is her Dad's twin sister, but Cherish hated having her around. To Cherish she was always a pain in the ass, because she always got what to say.

And nothing she said was nice, she always had a stunt to pull.

"Okay Mummy." Cherish says sounding like a ten years old child.

                      _______________________ 🖊️

     Staring at the picture for the umpteenth time, Jayden finally removes it, only to hear a screeching sound, which makes him look up immediately, only to meet Ivy leaning on the door and staring at him, he couldn't hide the shocked look on his face.

Wondering when and how she got in without his notice.

She had a skirt and blouse on, her hair loosed and not parked.

"When did you get here?" He found himself asking.

"You didn't seem to notice." She chuckles now hurrying to the bed, she sits down, not giving him any space, their bodies touching each other. "You were busy, seems like I have a competition. What's her name? OfficialGidiJohnsons!" Ivy says pulling his Ipad closer, meanwhile Jayden gives her a funny look.

"That's a classmate, not what you think, we don't even talk," Jayden says, meanwhile Ivy pulls his Ipad closer and minimises.

"Gidi Johnsons!" She smiles at the Facebook profile pics. "You were just dancing around her Facebook and Instagram accounts." Ivy chuckles. "I hope she hasn't replaced me totally." She smiles leaning into him.

"She isn't even a friend." Jayden suddenly says, taking his Ipad away and clearing it.

"I was just teasing. I know." Ivy laughs. "Who doesn't know you, I wonder what your new classmates thinks of you, loner with no friends.., "

"Actually there is someone, his name is Leo." Jayden suddenly says, he didn't miss the shocked look on Ivy's face, although he wasn't surprised, anyone who knew him months ago, would react like this, if they heard him say that.

"Should I be worried?" Ivy suddenly asks.

"What? How?" He asked confused.

"I know you aren't gay, but don't know if you are bi..., " She burst into laughter, which she does for a while, while Jayden stares back.

"God. Jayden, that was meant to be a joke." She laughs. "Now smile." She says to Jayden, who just shines his teeth in seconds, intending to obey her commands to smile.

"Clown!" She laughs now placing her lips on his for a while. "I missed you." She smiles. "I know you didn't miss me, you stopped talking to me on social media."

"I was in school." He says.

"You always take your phone along." She says "Thought you blocked me." She says.

"No!" Jayden says quite shocked, because he meant it when he said, he missed her.

He could feel her hands slowly getting into his shorts, while she had a naughty smile on her face.

"I was scared you did, that was partly the reason I didn't hesitate when I was asked if I wanted to come with Grandma, besides I wasn't going to be at peace, knowing she was sick, and I didn't know how she was," Ivy explains.

Jayden suddenly groans immediately she grabs him by his dick.

"Ivy!" He whispers. "My Mum is home."

"You know I am not a screamer." She laughs.

"No con..., "

"I have one!" She suddenly says waving a pack of condom over his face, she didn't miss the shocked look on his face."

"Where did you..., " He stops talking when her lips gets in contact with his.

3,300 words🌹

Spoiler

"I can't be seen with you." She says avoiding making eye contact with him, looking grim.

"Why?" He questions, his voice sending shivers into her body.

"Everyone knows Nathan is my boyfriend!" She responds boldly, still not looking his way, instead she struggles with her bag pack.

"Then what am I?" He asks, you could tell he was anxious.

"I love Nathan, not you. Just forget about..., "

"Forget about what? Why are you confusing yourself? I can't continue seeing you in secret...,  "

"I don't love you. I don't want to lose Nathan."

"But you can screw me? Stop playing this game, you can play this game with other guys, but not I and Nathan. You need help. Don't worry I would stay away." His voice broke immediately.

Meanwhile, she tries to zip her bag pack, her hands shaking.

"You are a friend." She says, scared of looking into his eyes.

"I don't want to be just a friend. I can't see you with someone else, especially after everything we shared, I should just stay away." He pauses. "Why can't you look into my eyes?" He suddenly asks, instead of responding she picks up her bag pack and storms off.

Questions

So what do you think about Jayden and Ivy, awesome couple right🤭

Did I make a mistake, or did you also see Jayden stalking Geraldine, wonderful!

Ah, who missed Jewel in this chapter😂😭😭 because I did😂😂

AN

Yh, I know most of us here haven't read Frenemies: Betrayal, whatever Ashley's Mum was talking about, her love story with his Dad, There love story, there pains, and the reason Ashley's Dad went to jail is there. Yh, its worth it.

As for Aunty Flourish. She staired as Flourish Alikor in Frenemies; Betrayal. If you haven't read and you want to, I would link you, it isn't currently on wattpad becase my previous account with over 11 of my published works, got deactivated, I am slowly bouncing back, God help me.

Vote and flood my comment section babies💜
Love you all.

THE BETRAYAL SER🌹ES