Hey♥️

Can we guess who is in the Media Box? 'Cause she gets a star in this chapter 😌♥️

~DABI~

It was already a good hour past 4pm, and the sisters might have spent over an hour or so, discussing and concluding the whole topic on our Dares and Pledges.

Something they all had been avoiding to address since that night we were at Yure's party.

Then, all of a sudden, one faithful Sunday Evening, we meet up in front of S.A Café to finish up our Math Assignment due the next day, and then, after we're done, the topic of the whole Dares and Pledges that the sisters had been long avoiding, comes to show its ugly face.

Turns out two of us, amongst the sisters, had left ours undone; Me, being one of those two, obviously. And the rest, like Soma, had already gotten it done and dusted.

"So, what about the people who didn't do their dares? What do we do about them? Won't the curse of a broken pledge follow those who failed to do theirs?"

I couldn't even believe such blasphemy came out of Ebere's mouth.

I mean, I never thought she would be one to buy all of these Soma's mythical shit concerning the wrath that comes upon one who dares to betray an oath. The twins never believed anything mythical, they always said that in some way, everything that was a myth had a logical explanation, and they bought the idea of Psychology, than Science.

"Unless, the one who gave the dare cancels it, you'd be doomed to face the wrath of the curse if you didn't do your dare," Soma said to us.

Bullshit. I fought the urge to yawn.

"Like, when Ebere cancelled Chika's dare to get a tattoo," Soma continued to elaborate. "She dared Chi to do it, so only she, could release the pledge bondage on her. So, the thing is, do we cancel it for those who never did theirs', or just get it back on track?"

Cancel, please. Cancel.

That was all I could replay over and over in my head, thereby contributing absolutely nothing to the conversation. As the sisters went on and on about it, I aimlessly looked all around of the 'Café outside the Café that the sisters had chose to stay, instead of just going outside to eat.

Needless to say, however, with the number of people coming out from the inside of the Café, and settling here in the outside Café to have their food, I figured that the sisters may not be the only ones who loved this particular scenery better than the one, inside.

Blame S.U Café for making their outside Café better than the inside Café anyways.

It was pretty out here. With the neatly arranged, round wooden bar tables and chairs that filled up the space of the entire place, giving about just a little space to demarcate each table from the other. Coupled with the gold LED lights that, in a way, gave off these cool, vintage vibe. Cool music. Not to forget the railing - like a protector - that demarcated the Outside Café from the Pedestrian Walk and the main road side, as well. And if we're also going to point out that large tree by the side of the Café; the one that had the long stems, and broad leaves that nonetheless was large enough to legit act as a roofing for the Outside Café, we would be adding a more nature vibe to our vintage, I guess.

Front view of what the S.U Café looks like😌

Side view of what the Café looks like oo. Just imagine a railing after where those cars are packed, and it's complete, and good to go😌

I'd have to give it to that big ol' tree because a lot of times, it did justice by shielding us from the sun, and as for situations like now - as the sun was already going down- it was a remarkable form of ventilation.

Maybe that was the reason I hadn't fainted yet. Because there was more than enough air to breathe. Yet, throughout the entire Dares and Pledges discussion, my heart was literally a beating, thundering mess, because I didn't want to have tong through the stress of trying to accomplish my dare. Not this, all over again.

Cancel, please. I vote cancel.

Who even decided to bring back these Dares and Pledges, even after they had all deliberately abandoned it.

I was even wondering why Soma of all people was even thinking twice on this, instead of completely cancelling it. I was sure her own dare had gotten her into some shit that she could not even open up to us about, and she was still even thinking this through? 

I could only ease my anxiety at the end of the discussion, when our 'undone dares' were concluded to be cancelled, and I couldn't have been more relieved.

However, I was just wondering what they would do to salvage the damage that had already been done for the ones amongst us who had, well, already gone a bit too far with their own dares, and in one way or the other, made 'dangerous deals with the devil and his sub-ordinates'.

I looked to Soma to see if she had anything to say concerning that.

But, no. Nothing.  Nothing. She said not a single word.

As much as I loved Soma, I only wished she could she could open up, before it was too late..... Or maybe I was overthinking this? Maybe nothing was wrong. Maybe it was just all in my head.

Maybe. Maybe?

They lost me at a conversation that went into the line of Soma's boyfriend, and as much as I loved it here with them, I started to be a bit concerned about how I would get home on time. My mind drifted back to Home.... And Mum.

And just when I thought I would have a public meltdown, a song started.

A song I didn't know - a song that was too calming, almost like a drug - came on.

And I felt my heart warm and fluster immediately, and the seat I was on, as well as the ground that my feet touched, seemed to vibrate and shake according to the soft, steady, electro type beat of the song, and for a moment, I felt at peace.

I didn't know the song. But, God, I loved it. It made me want to immense myself into it and dance forever. It wasn't the words. I had never been one to focus on the words of a song, it was for of the sound for me. And one with this kind of moving, soft, yet attacking electro sound, had always been my favourite type of songs.

I was at peace. Until the devil decided to ruin it for me.

My phone vibrated with a text message from the person I least expected it from. And on reading it, my eyes nearly bulged out of its sockets.

I couldn't be reading what I was reading! This was probably a hallucination, right? Right?

I couldn't believe my eyes. I actually couldn't believe my eyes. I had to reread the message over and over just to be sure I was not reading incorrectly.

But the message was not changing. It was the same and it read;

"There's a Dance Fare at the Wonder Coast tonight. Wanna come with?"

It was from Clyde.

Marcus fucking Acha.

I wasn't even sure what to feel at this moment. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or angry, because I was just plain confused. As in, thousands of screws seemed to be detaching from my head as I tried to decipher if this message was a mistake or not.

Did he mean to send this to me? As in, me? Dabeluchi Orji?

I mean, the last thing close to an encounter that I had with him was when I had texted him - just as he had asked me to - that night that I saw that pretty image on his Whatssap status and I texted him a 'hey' and he left it on read.... Till date.

I mean, he had been online a lot of times, after that. I wasn't stalking him or anything, but when I checked about fifteen times or so, between that night and today, he had been online about six of those times, and he had even posted up some church selfies on his status, this morning too. Looked like he was having fun. So, that was clear enough message that he couldn't be bothered by me clearly. He couldn't be bothered to speak to Pathetic Dabeluchi anymore, and he was living his best life.

I just thought for a moment that he actually didn't see me as such a disgusting living thing, the way my other classmates saw me. I mean, that day he came to my Dance Class, it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and I thought he saw something good in me at least....

Was I confused? Or was he the one that was confused, himself?

"So, are you going with Clyde?"

I was snapped out of my thoughts, startled, phone juggled in my hands, and I nearly jumped out of the entire seat only to see Soma who just spoke, having her face so damn close to my phone screen, that I thought she was going to enter right into it.

She was quick to catch my phone before it hit the ground, and I couldn't get over the fact that she had been eavesdropping!

"Jeez! Lulu! That was close!" Soma quickly gave back my phone, and that was all it took me to realise that the other sisters weren't around with us.

If I remembered clearly, they were all here with me and Soma, talking about Dares and Pledges before the conversation transitioned into the line of Soma's boyfriend. They were here. It wasn't in my head. Right?

"So, are you?" Soma blinked long lashes at me, brought her face so close, too close to mine. "Are you going to see Clyde, Lulu??"

I massaged my temples and sighed a bit, observing the table that just contained me and Soma. The fact that Soma's face was so close to mine and nearly in the verge of kissing me if I wasn't careful, was the least of my problems. 

"Where did they go? Where did the other Sisters go?" I asked Soma.

She blinked again, at me with big, brown adorable eyes. Seemingly confused.

"To get more drinks from inside!" She was quick to answer, anyways.

To say I was relieved was at the least. I knew I wasn't crazy. They were here.

 "So? So?" Soma's eyes seemed to even get bigger as she was expectant of a juicy answer, blinking excitedly at me. "Who is Clyde?"

Oh, God.

How do I tell Soma that Clyde is the one guy that this entire clique had learnt to hate with every bone in their damn body, over the course of the past few days?

"Some friend from Dance Class," I lied.

What a bloody lie that escaped my lips at such efficiency.

Soma looked at me, still wide eyed, like she was expecting more. Blinking adorably and grinning like she wanted to hear more.

I cleared my throat to lie again. "The Dance Class wanted to be there for the Dance Fare at Wonder Coast."

I didn't even know that there was a Dance Fair till right now, to even begin with.

Anyways, Soma seemed to be so gullible with my bullshit, and I thanked God for that.

"So, this Clyde guy likes you, right, Lulu?" She hit the nail on the head, eyes glinting with delight. The balls of energy she was made up of, bubbling right through her.

What? Acha... Liking me? Oh, please!

"I doubt it," I shook my head.

"He has to! I mean, he's giving such a private invitation, that's like a date!" She nearly screamed in all her excitement.

"I won't even go so just forget it, and forget Clyde too, please, thanks, and God bless." I said. Even if a part of me wanted to actually go, though.

Soma looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't have the chance to as the other sisters quickly joined us, giving out bottles of Soda to me and Soma.

"Sisters, the inside of that place is a joke." Chika criticized, as she popped open her bottle of Coke.

"Customer Interaction; zero. That's the worst part of it all." Ebere took the bottle of H20 bottle that her twin passed down to her.

"Seconded," Ebube said. "Some pervert on the counter was staring at Chika's ass."

Soma frowned in disgust. "Ew?"

"Pervert much, I know," Ebere gasped in horror, before she opened her bottle of water to drink.

"He should thank his stars that I missed out on that," Chika scoffed and shook her head.

All the while, I was just thinking about Wonder Coast and Marcus Acha.

I was thinking of going.

But, I forced myself to kill the thought. I mean, what if this would all just lead to another series of drama in my life? I had enough already. My classmates hated me too much already.

"MY GUY!"

The sudden jovial yell from a guy made me jump, literally making a run for it, and definitely startling not only me, but the entire outside Café, as well, as everyone else jolted too.

Clearly, they too, were not expecting the unnecessarily loud voice that came in here to give a heart attack.

"IS THAT THE IGBO SISTERS WE SEE?!"

I froze. Dead and horrified.

"ABI IT'S THEM OO! IT'S LOOKING LIKE THEM!"

This cannot be.

How-

Oh my fucking....

How? HOW? HOW ARE THOSE BOYS HERE?!

"Well, we have company!" Chika seemed to be delighted to see them. The tiny smile on the twin's faces made it clear that they wanted them around too.

"Oh, they're wearing pink, that's cute." Ebere commented, an approving smile on her face.

"IT'S US OO!" Chika Werey, however, shouted back to them, more than ever glad to join in the madness.

"COME ON OVER, BOYS!" Soma urged on, ever so excitedly.

I couldn't believe this. I just couldn't.

While the twins maintained their sophistication, Chika and Soma fed the boys with just as much energy they were giving them.

And boy, those boys were being so dramatic about it, acting like they had not seen us, sorry them, in ages; Feigning mock shock and unexpectancy, coupled with the most exaggerated gestures and hand movements of surprise, as they literally shouted at the top of their lungs, acted like the goofs they were, completely unbothered by the fact that the entire outside Café was watching them and us, either amused or annoyed.

"Who called them here?" I didn't even know when I asked out loud.

"Well.." Soma started to answer. "I only called one of them to help with our Math Assignment..."

And...?

"I guess I should have known I was indirectly ordering a double package," She seemed to giggle at the fact.

I wondered what was funny.

I really wondered, because Aaron and Casper were making a head first for our table with so much energy and drama, showing off their level one craze, and that bright, baby pink shirt, and camouflage cargo shorts they were both twinning - the one that boldly written on it 'BOYS WEAR PINK TOO'-  and there was nothing I could do about it.

They were walking over here and there was nothing I could do about it.

Unless I was ready to run.

Which I was strongly considering.

If there was one thing that scared me more than seeing classmates in school, it was seeing them outside school.

And people like Aaron and Casper? How on earth was I going to cope with these boys around? How? HOW? Especially now that they were literally both scaring and creeping the fuck out of me from all the things I'd witnessed of them, so far.

"Chika Chioma! Our Ronda Rousey and Kylie Jenner in one body! Give them K.O and flog them with slay! Oshey, fire! Earth and water, sef! Avatar!"

"Somadina, our Disney and Nickelodeon advocate! Our Sophia the first! Thundermans oo. Twale oo, Aunty!"

"Ahhh, The Onuoha twins! We didn't see you there! You man you were there? Oh my God! Give us a spin, you look like candy! Can your twin friends ever! Take-away!"

I didn't even move on my seat. Not my body or a muscle on my face. I looked the most unbothered than I had ever looked in my life.

"And finally, you!" Aaron's figure made me fidget and nearly race away in extreme panic as he plunged himself with lousy and rowdy swiftness and ruggedity into the bar chair, beside me.

I panicked. Shook in lethal fear. Why was he sitting so close to me?

He was sitting so close to me. On the chair that Soma was previously previously sitting on, before she went to bring he, and Casper in, with the other sisters. 

And this closeness to him was so uncomfortable, I nearly died.

But then....

Something clicked in the midst of my panic.

Something that made my fear turn to outright confusion.

As I looked at Aaron shuffling the large packs of popcorn in his hands, and singing - out loud- a weird song I didn't know to himself, I only wondered...

Who did he just address as 'you'?

I know he wasn't talking to me!

He couldn't have been speaking to me. I'd be crazy to think he just spoke to me. I'd be sick in the head. And I knew I wasn't.

But then, the sisters were still coming over with Casper, and at the moment, I was the only one on this table with Aaron.

My eyes grew in surprise as the realization dawned on me.

It only seemed like it... Like he did speak to me.

Aaron Godson just spoke to me? Me?

"Take this one, Dabi!" The boy, Aaron shocked me the more as he just threw one of the popcorn wraps he was holding, onto my lap, ever so casually, like he was not realising everything was going out of character right now.

What the fuck?

He even knew my name? I mean, I would have concluded that he didn't know who he was talking to, and that was why he was talking to me, but he just clearly said my name.

I looked at this seemingly playful boy as he sang his song to himself, placed all the popcorn packs - a LOT of them- he was holding on the table, one by one, as though he were counting each one.

Wait... Was he talking to me because we weren't in School? Like, he wouldn't bat an eyelid at me in school, but since we were not in a place were people could see he was talking to Pathetic Dabeluchi, he could talk to me then. 

Was that what was happening?

"I.." I stammered. Looked at him. "I don't understand.. What's happening? What..." I looked at the popcorn in my hand. "What is this?"

"It's popcorn!" He told me, as he started to count the remnants in his hands . "Yeah? You eat popcorn."

I know what popcorn is, you fool!

I just want to know why you're talking to me, all of a sudden!

"I don't want popcorn." I declared.

He may have poisoned it for all I know.

"Well, you have to, baby girl," He casually answered, humming the next part of his song.

Baby girl? Excuse me?

"I-"

I wasn't even allowed to speak.

"Casper made us waste over 5k on popcorn that we couldn't finish," Aaron cut me off, "So, we need all the help we can get!" He made sure to grin at me after he said it, before going on to finish the next part of his 'School Boy' song that he was making noise, whilst singing out loud.

I looked away when he looked directly at me. 

Somehow, I had never been able to hold eye contact with Aaron all my life in CH.

"Love the hat!" Soma complimented Aaron.

"I'm a school boy and I'm here to learn...." Casper came along, singing along to the stupidly weird and contagious song Aaron had been singing.

The sisters were already filling up the table, and he, Casper, was squeezing himself between Chika and Ebube, as he was singing his song.

And what the fuck is that stupid song they're even singing, anyway?

What's really happening right now?

Right in my state of confusion, panic, and discomfort, the whole table was starting to hum the same song too, and I was right about sure that shit was getting stuck in my head.

Remind me how we got here again.

For all I knew, this may just be a bad dream. Whatever it was, I tried my best to NOT make eye contact with Casper Bassey, just as much as I couldn't look at his friend. Anyone, but Casper.

Wow. How things suddenly switched up so quickly and got so uncomfortable. I swear, I was at peace for a moment here.... Until this.

The fact that Aaron and Casper were here made my heartbeat pace lousily, and I was so scared and I didn't understand why. The normal feeling that came around being around my classmates if they weren't the sisters.

Man, If there was a way to leave.

I started considering that Dance Fare strongly.... So strongly.

"Dabi oo!" The bastard, Casper had to make it even more difficult for me to ignore his presence.

Reflex caused me to look up just in time to catch the big grin on his light skinned face. That big catchy smile that was his signature.

"Twale!" He made sure to salute, smile intact.

"Hey." I muttered, looked away. Tried to avoid looking at him again, even though I felt his gaze on me, unwavering.

I felt so bare, so vulnerable. So uncomfortable.

For starters, Aaron was sitting by my side. Aaron; the possibly deranged beast who beats up Ss2 boys like he's possessed. He was sitting by me. And his best friend, Casper, who probably knew every single thing about what goes on at home, was opposite me, grinning and showing all his 32.

He, Casper, extended a hand to give a handshake, and when I didn't take it, he awkwardly brought his hand down.

Thank God.

"Pretty Boy, swap seats with me, will you?" Chika said to Aaron.

"No." Aaron deadpanned.

I looked sharply to him, wondering if I heard him correctly.

Even Chika blinked. "What?"

"I want to sit with Dabi." He declared. Ever so casually.

The blood of Jesus.

"Wahala." Chika couldn't even believe her ears.

Wahala indeed. This was trouble.

Was I really safe? What was happening here?

I moved slightly away from Aaron so it wouldn't be too obvious that I was trying to run away. And it was all in the middle of the little chit chat going on on the table with the sisters who ate the popcorn Aaron and Casper brought without the fear of getting poisoned, I sat there, making sure to not get bothered by their presence, but to no avail.

"Oh, check that baby out!" Chika catcalled, and if I didn't know her better, I'd think she was looking over a guy's ass.

Yes, you read correctly. People like the twins do that weird shit.

But, no. It was definitely not a guy. Nor his ass. It was a new looking big car that pulled up by the park.

"Omo, see machine!" Aaron hyped first.

"Sharp ride, ba?" Casper joined in, and both boys were quick to go on with the hype.

"Sharp die! Me too, I want Range Rover too oo!" Chika actually joined them, complimenting the new ride that just pulled up.

The car, or Range Rover, as Chika called it, looked nice.... But I didn't just grab the whole excitement people had over cars.

"It looks familiar though," Chika seemed to observe it too.

"I was just thinking the same thing too, Chi Mama!" Soma said.

"Of course, it looks familiar. You've all have seen that car before," Ebere said.

"Seconded," Her sister quipped. "Ivandor Fejaun drives that car to School with his sister and cousin, sometimes. Mostly on Fridays. It belongs to his mother."

She gave the details like she was certain.

Casper, however, whipped his head so fast to Ebube with a startling force, I thought his neck would snap.

"Krisdana?" The colour on his face seemed to drain for a moment. "His cousin, Krisdana Moe?"

Ebube seemed to roll her eyes, with a straight face. God know how she did that.

"How many of Ivandor's cousins do you know, Cas? Of course, it's Krisdana Moe." She deadpanned.

"Is she in there right now?" Casper asked again, seeming a lot more urgent than necessary, to get an answer.

"Casper." Aaron called his name to get his attention, and there was a seemingly cautious look he had communicated to Casper, through his deadpan.

That was all it took for Casper to get calm. We, the sisters were just looking at him, looking at both of the both of them, and wondering what the hell was going on with them.

The twins however looked unbothered to an extent, and one of them answered Casper.

"Yes." It was Ebere. "Yes, Casper. Krisdana is there."

And with the revelation, the girl who we were talking about; Krisdana Moe, majestically stepped out of the passenger's seat of the car.

And needless to say, grabbed all the attention of the entire Outside Café.

Even I swallowed.

She had such a heavy presence.

The girl, Krisdana, legit looked like she was just stepping out of a Fashion reality TV show for Divas. Rocking a black knitted halterneck crop top, and fancy white palazzo trousers that made her look like an Instagram model that crawled out of my phone screen. Her flawless milky, medium light skin shone a gold colour as she stepped into the light of the outside Café, and as she looked around the place, she adjusted the brown, large sunglasses on her face, paused her well glossed, pink lips for a moment, and struck an intimidating, yet casual pose that screamed all the class and confidence she was made of.

"Jesus." Someone muttered in absolute awe.

I didn't note who it was, but it was a guy's voice.

Souvenir by Selena Gomez was on that moment and the girl, Krisdana, properly shut the door behind her, made sure to whip her long, curly full hair that defined her as mixed race, behind her. And with that stylish, sassy whip of her hair, her expensive silver choker came into full view. I swear, I think I even saw her blow off imaginary dust off her long, fancy acrylic fingernails in all her attitude.

You see? Don't let the description fool you. This girl called Krisdana Moe wasn't a celebrity or an Instagram model or influencer. Neither was she the president's daughter.

Krisdana was a regular girl who went to Castron High with us.... And her being that dope nonetheless, was what even made her - in the twins' term- the 'baddest bitch in the world'.

She was also Ivandor's cousin. And no, her star player, academic scholar hunk of a cousin had nothing to do with her popularity in CH. Krisdana, on her own, was a badass. The half-caste girl had a reputable fame in our set for being the only person who could openly show it out to the world that she could NOT stand Giwa Falade.

You can imagine. The one girl who had the entire set had in her evil control, only Krisdana Moe could openly challenge her, without giving a shit.

I mean, it was always a show witnessing the biggest, deadliest fights between Giwa and Krisdana all the time, and the scary thing about Krisdana was that she was a one man army, yet she was so fierce, so bold, so confident and intimidating, and anyone else could testify that she was one hell of a bitch too.

Who was a bigger bitch; Giwa Falade or Krisdana Moe?

Well, that was a debate that was almost on the lips of every CH student. The answer always sparked a whole lot of controversy.

The girl, Krisdana, turned back towards the car she just came out from, as the window of the passengers seat started to wind down, and that turn was enough to reveal at her bare waist, a bold tattoo of a fucking lion.

Woah.

"Mad!" Chika smiled, impressed. "Mad! Mad! MAD!"

She turned to the sisters.

"Told you I wasn't the only one in CH who had a tattoo!" She threw in their faces.

Aaron looked shocked. "You have a tattoo?!"

We apparently weren't the only ones who noticed Krisdana's presence. However, as it seemed, the adults sitting all around us, did not exactly approve of what she looked like.

"For God's sake! What is she wearing! Why is she naked!"

"All these Onyinbo Children don't have home training!"

"See tattoo sef! I'm sure she's possessed! She's in Illuminati!"

"As pretty as she is, she cannot dress responsibly!"

I got reminded that we were in Nigeria.

After talking to an unknown figure in the driver's seat of the car - one I figured to be her cousin after I saw a shadow of what looked like a low man bun - the girl started to make her way into the Café, completely undisturbed by the revolting adults against her.

It was Aaron that called attention to her.

"KRISDANA OO!" The boy who had absolutely no chills started to call out and wave to the girl, with all his might.

She stopped. Halted on her tracks.

I watched her pause with a hand on her sunglasses for a moment like she was trying to understand something, then she raised them up with style, looked towards our table.

Her, just looking at us made me uncomfortable. Krisdana had the most slit, cat eyes I had ever seen on a human being, and they were so intimidating to even look at. And with how unimpressed her face looked, she downright looked like the meanest person ever.

But on recognizing us, a smile spread across her face. A smile that made her a lot less intense and a lot more.... approachable. I felt a lot more at ease.

"Well, colour me all shades of surprise!" 

Krisdana was at our table in no time.

"Ouu! Love the hat!" She flicked Aaron's bucket hat.

"Hey, Kris!" The twins greeted her first.

"Hi, Dabi!" She surprised me with a random and spontaneous, specific greeting.

I want to believe she wasn't aware that the twins greeted her.

But the fact she seemed to regard me, before everyone else actually warmed me and made me instantly feel a calm, surrounding her presence.

I almost said 'thank you.'

But then, if I was being honest, she had not spoken to me or noticed me for the past how many years we had been together in Castron High, and she only started acting like I existed after she saw my Dance Video with Marcus Acha.

Apparently, she was one of the few minority that actually grew to like me because I was in their terms 'talented'.

"Well, I didn't see you guys there," She finally regarded the rest of the others, looking over them in mock boredom and disinterest.

"Haha! Funny!" Aaron responded sarcastically.

"Real smooth, K," Chika saluted the girl.

Without even asking permission, she grabbed Casper's Sprite bottle, drank right from his straw, and went "Haha! We just kissed, bitch!" to Casper, stuck her tongue out at him, before letting out a cute, tiny burp.

Casper looked pale. "Uhhh...."

"What are you guys doing here sef?" Krisdana easily dropped Casper like he wasn't important and threw the question to the rest of the table.

That accent.... I wondered how everyone got so used to that American-Nigerian accent that Krisdana had. It was slightly funny.

"We're doing Maths Assignment!" Aaron answered.

Krisdana raised a dead, unimpressed brow at him.

"C'mon, pretty boy," She scoffed. Deadpanned. "You'll have to impress me better than that, or I leave this place."

Casper smirked, adjusted himself close to Krisdana, and wriggled eyebrows at her. "I'm also a pretty boy, aren't I?"

"Hmm. You're just 'ait." Krisdana dismissed with a blunt wave of her hands.

Ouch. 

Casper just....  laughed it off?

"We're done with Math Assignment," Soma told Krisdana.

"Interesting." There was clear sarcasm in Krisdana's tone as she sipped on Ebere's bottle of water, and the twin immediately took it back from her, covered it and dropped it on the ground where Krisdana would not get to it again.

"And Casper," Soma rolled her eyes at him, and accused, "Was supposed to help us out, but he cane here late!"

"Sorry about that, Mama," Casper laughed.

"Sorry for yourself!" Soma retorted.

"Well, I'm supposed to be getting food for my cousins.." Krisdana informed us, gesturing towards the car that drove in here. "And I won't want to waste time 'cause Ivandor has been in quite a mood lately. You know? He broke his leg and all..."

"Yeah, the whole accident on the field?" Aaron asked.

"Ou, I heard about that. Was nasty," Soma shivered.

"Acha got Ivandor's leg all fucked up," Casper said.

I swallowed.

"But, he'll be all good, I'm sure!" Aaron sounded certain.

"Yeah, yeah," Krisdana said, "He'll be fine. Physically yes, but mentally, I don't know. I'm not sure about those screws he that are detaching from his head. Lately, he's had this creepy assurance that Giwa is like some damaged and misunderstood character from a Wattpad book that needs saving. Ew."

Ehh?

"Noticed that." One of the twins quipped.

"Oh, God bless that boy's poor soul!" Krisdana mock shivered.

I didn't notice.

"Thankfully, the entire set is too obsessed with Dabi and Acha to pick up how my cousin's been all about getting that witch to talk to him," She continued.

"Acha and I aren't-"

"Ivan's always been very discreet anyway," She totally cut me off. "Oh, and if you excuse me, I'll be heading into the Café!"

She grabbed Ebube's bottle of water before leaving us.

The twins looked like they were about to stone her with their iPhones.

Meanwhile, Aaron and Casper were already up and jumping, running to a neighbouring table that was chorusing a happy birthday song to someone we didn't know, joining them to sing along, and cheer and all of that.

And while I expected the twins to react to Krisdana, they completely sobered up on sighting something.

No, it wasn't the birthday party by us that Aaron and Casper just crashed.

"Wait-" Ebube deadpanned, looking straight ahead at the Jeep that just parked in.

"Aww, isn't that-" Soma was trying to say.

"DADDY!" Ebere rather screamed in so much joy and energy that stunned me.

She didn't even wait for any of us, she just stood up, and ran with such an energy I thought only Soma had, to the jeep where her Dad just parked in.

I wouldn't lie to you.......

My heart absolutely broke watching her so excited like that.

You wouldn't understand yet, but right about the rest of us, knew exactly why our hearts were breaking so, so damn much, just by looking at Ebere, the car, her Dad, and their baby brother.

I noticed Ebube clear her throat and remembered she was still on the table with us.

Aaron and Casper joined us again immediately, all jumpy and excited, holding fat pieces of cake and icing in their hand.

"WE BROUGHT CAKE!" Aaron announced.

"You don't even know them!" Soma accused.

"Well, we know them now! We just met them!" Casper countered.

"Oh, yeah, for sure! Her name is Kristin and she is turning 23 today!" Aaron told us, as he started to share cake and icing round the table.

"Yeah? And she said we were nice, jovial, and funny boys, and thanked us for spontaneously showing up for her little celebration!"

"And turns out her siblings go to Crestview International Academy, and they even knew who Casper was, so that was a double bonus!" Aaron told us all.

"She also said she had been having a bad day, and she said we made it all better," Casper said, "I mean, yeah, we, no, I have that effect on people!"

That's how Aaron and Casper started a childish squabble on who made people happier.

And for the first time ever, I actually felt nothing, but warmth watching them.

They balanced each other so, so well.

And judging through the smiled on Chika and Soma's faces, who obviously couldn't help it, as they tried to balance their heartbreak for the twins with Aaron and Casper's antics.

"But guy," Aaron exhaled, tired from their little squabble. "If me and you had sense, e for fresh oo!"

I actually giggled a bit.

"I swear, my guy!" Casper agreed, "Just imagine it na. But it's because of you, I use to do like mumu. You know I'm not like this in public, I'm sophisticated!" 

The laughter became richer, spreading out in all its contagiousness across the table. 

"But see see see..." Aaron rounded up his laughter, pinched his nose, "On the bright side, we be mumu, but we got cake.."

"So what does that make us...?" Casper's eyes glinted in humour as his cheeks blew as though he was holding back an explosion of laughter.

"A HAPPY MUMU!" Both boys screamed, and the table was an explosion of laughter.

I actually couldn't help but smile. Watching Aaron laugh so hard and slap his thighs,  Casper letting out the most wheezing, silent laughter that made the veins in his temple pop out, as well as Chika and Soma who were almost on the verge of crying before their arrival...... I actually felt good.

Maybe these boys weren't so bad after all.

But the moment I remembered the reasons they creeped me out, I became cautious again.

Meanwhile, Ebere and Ebube arrived at the table again, and the atmosphere changed.

Even Aaron and Casper stopped for a moment.

"Umm..." Aaron seemed to say. "Hi."

Ebere was with their baby brother, carrying the toddler in her arms, very carefully. Ebube sat by her, quiet, but smiling as casually as possible.

"Hi!" Ebere greeted back. Her excitement was so much, too much. Her smile was so broad and fixed, and eyes so wide. It was almost creepy.

"Meet my baby brother, Marvin!" She gestured to the moaning, weak child she was carrying in her arms. So much excitement in her tone. "He's three years old! Isn't he adorable?"

Chika seemed to be fighting back tears as she forced a smile on her face, and broadened it, nodded encouragingly. "Yes, Ebere. He's beautiful. He really is."

Ebube was just quiet.

"So, these people are thieves. Can you imagine they-"

Krisdana was back and the moment she walked in and took sight of Ebere and the child in her arms, she stopped. Paused. Stuttered. Staggered.

"Can I hold him?" Even Soma looked like she was fighting back tears as she reached out to hold the little child that may have weighed twice as less for a toddler at three.

"Sure!" Ebere chirped, carefully handed him over to Soma who held him, as the others, Chika, Aaron, and Casper petted him softly. Ever so carefully.

I looked to Krisdana who was already seeming to be crying.

"Hey, there, little boy," She wiped the strings of tears that were about to fall out, dropped her pack of food and went to focus on the child as well.

I wanted to hold him.... But I was scared of hurting him. Or breaking him by accident.

Marvin, the twin's little brother had a condition. I knew it because it was easy to tell just by looking at him. It was too obvious to tell.

And I felt bad for him because I knew he would have challenges growing up. Especially in a wicked, insensitive world that was so biased towards people who..... didn't look like them.

And that was bullshit.

I was just happy that the little boy was surrounded with so much positivity.

But what bothered me was that the 'positivity' seemed a bit too much. To the extent that it was starting to look toxic. With Ebere's sudden over excited jumping, squealing, and happiness, and Ebube's peace and quiet.... I started to get very worried.

"Let's take him back to Dad," Ebube quietly told her sister, and she obliged.

When they left the table, it was..... Awfully quiet.

The boys were silent. Krisdana was trying to wipe of her tears, and Chika and Soma were doing the same.

"Umm.." Soma sniffed in some tears. "Okay, so, where were we? Yes, my polygraph!"

Huh? Her what?

She started searching her bag for something, and I knew she was desperately looking for a distraction for all of us.

"Yay!" She beamed with some little tears in her eyes. Wiped them off. And started placing some weird looking gadgets that looked like small gaming controllers, cut in half. Or No.. More like large, bulky calculators with the screen and no buttons, I don't know. I don't know what the hell she was showing us, they look weird.

"Maybe, when the twins come here, we can all play a game!" She said. "These are lie detectors, we could test them out!"

Is she being serious right now?

I would rather just leave....

And honestly, I was strongly considering Wonder Coast. I'll only pretend and decieve myself that I was going there for the dance fare, and not Marcus Acha.

It made it a lot easier to go.

Without telling anyone anything, I stood up to leave, and was close to making it out of here in peace.

However, just when I thought no one was going to notice me, leaving....

"Dabi, where do you think you're going?"

I stopped, mentally groaned, and debated running off.

I love you, Somadina Kasarachi Best.

But right now, screw you.

Thoughts? Thoughts?

What's the deal with Marvin? (I didn't want to be detailed, because I can't be detailed without being disrespectful, but as time goes on, we'll learn what is wrong with the twins' baby brother)

Then, as for Krisdana 😂♥️Let be honest, she shows way too much skin though. But oh well, who are we to judge??

Bye, for now!!♥️