Hi, family.♥️

Who's awake?🌝♥️

Someone asked me to open a WhatsApp group chat for my books. What do y'all think?

~ACHA~

It stayed a quiet ride till the end, and all in all, the drive to Nana's house did not take too long.

That, I was grateful for. Although, it was almost getting dark when we arrived, and the street lights that usually hung around the house were already lighted, shining gloriously on the cream coloured two story duplex and I could see it bright and clear as we drove in through the large black gates of the house.

I was already taking off my seatbelts as the car was reversing into a perfect spot in the house compound, and for a moment, as the silence continued between us, I felt an urge to whip out my phone and check if somehow, Dabeluchi would have texted back. That would be the best thing that could uplift the entire atmosphere for me.

But no, nothing.

No text back. No call back.

Sighing, I sent about the millionth text that day to her and I was in the process of typing when Kelechi's voice barged into my consciousness.

"We're here," She spoke calmly and quietly.

It took me a moment to stop and look around me before I realised that she had already long parked the car and as a matter of fact, she had been waiting for me to notice and step down alongside with her.

"Oh, sorry," I said. Sent my message to Dabeluchi.

"Do you want to sleep in the car?" She asked me rhetorically, raised a sleek brow.

"Of course not," I chuckled.

"Then, let's go," She chuckled too. "Come on, pretty boy blue." And she stepped out first before me, while I pushed the door open and took a step out.

I was just about to do a 360 round the car from the passengers seat just so that I could get to the front veranda of the house, but before I could go half way -

"KELECHI!"

I jumped, absolutely startled by the loud voice that scattered the entire peace of the atmosphere at one go. Loud, yet familiar enough to know who exactly it was definitely supposed to be.

From the curve of the car, I caught a glimpse of Sean Ayomide running with all energy, excitement, and vigour like a damn freight truck into a stunned, horrified Kelechi, and for a moment, I was scared he was going to knock the poor girl down. However, he reached her, scooped her in his arms and carried her right off the ground until her feet were kicking in the air.

At least, he was in a good mood.

Or was it because he hadn't seen me yet?

Kelechi was ranting, screaming profanities, and thrashing in the hold of an excited Sean who simply could not care less, and me? Omoh. Well, gently, slow and steady, like I was on a threatening walk down the judgement line on the last day, I took easy steps, cornering the width of the car as I walked around it with a frightening goal to get to the both of them and well, reveal my presence.

Well, they hadn't even noticed me for about a good minute or so.

Sean was still carrying her around, arms wrapped around her body as she spurn around the entire compound with her and Kelechi was shrieking, clearly in displeasure, hitting him, and swearing to pull out his eyes with her nails when he dropped her and it was just by the iota of a second...

Literally.

The dark skinned energetic kid was running around with Kelechi in his arms and grunting in excitement and just by an iota of a second, his eyes jammed mine.

"Will you let go of me, you irritant!-"

Sean dropped Kelechi.

He actually dropped Kelechi. He dropped the girl like a used, broken, unwanted toy.

I winced. I winced in pain for the girl because it was all so abrupt, the way he just manhandled her and then, threw her to the side, having her falling shamelessly to the earth, right on her butt and embarrassingly bouncing on the ground like a tennis ball.

"Woah!" I looked away from Sean and rushed first hand to help Kelechi off the ground, and when I reached out a hand to her, she slapped it right away.

"Irritants!" She shrieked at me and Sean, and I had no idea if she was really pissed or not, but she refused to take my hand, and chose to sit on the floor by herself, dusting off the sand particles on her body with a mighty scowl on her face.

I looked to Sean who was just standing there and staring at Kelechi as though she were a brick.

Bro couldn't even apologize.

In his defence, he looked a bit taken aback to even understand the magnitude of what she did. I mean, he had on an expression on his face that looked plain and impassive, but with a closer look, anyone could have seen the underlying confusion and shock in it.

It was clear enough that he was not expecting me here. At all.

"You don't get too rough with girls though, man," I said to him, chuckled slightly to indicate that I was trying to joke with him, but he did not return the smile back.

He just stared back at me like point, blank, period.

Without warning, Kelechi latched onto my arm and started to adjust so that she could stand up from the ground, and I proceeded to aid her so that she could stand up-

"WHY IS KELECHI ON THE GROUND?!"

A powerful, deep voice thundered and startled me, startled Kelechi too, and she had jumped, scared by the baritone voice, tore away from me and was falling back again to the ground.

God.

I didn't even need to blink and the spiky haired kid, Chido Ihenna was running at a remarkable speed from the veranda, stumping the ground with large, thundering steps as he raced towards us.

"Explain to me why you are on the ground, Kels," He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes and I face palmed, already tired and exhausted.

God knows I didn't sign up for this.

"You can just pick her up though," I said to Chido, but I doubted he heard me.

Sean, rather, looked too chill and quiet for someone who started all of this, and I was aware that he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that I was actually physically here. It made me wonder just how much he had deaded and accepted the thought that I may not have showed up at all and considering that Kelechi had to remind me today, I felt a pang in my chest. Guilt? Maybe. It was not a pleasant feeling.

Awkwardly, I looked away from him and back to the duo, Chido and Kelechi, just as he finally got some common sense and reached out to her to help her up from the ground.

Well, Hallelujah.

"Why was Kelechi on the ground?" Chido, puzzled, asked me, a frown of confusion and a bit of alarm registering on the bulky boy's face as she clung her arm onto him, holding on to it with an angered pout on her pretty face.

"Sean did it!" She did not waste time to tattle tale, throwing an accusatory finger at Sean who was just standing there. "Sean did it! He threw me down!" She was reporting him to Chido in a heartbeat as the latter was dusting off the sand off the hands and shoulders of her sweater.

Chido, like an annoyed big brother who was about to fight off a bully, looked away from Kelechi and whipped his head to Sean immediately. I nearly laughed at how adorable they both looked.

"Bro." He raised a brow at him. Looked like he was waiting for an explanation, and when Sean didn't respond, he looked to fix his gaze on me, insinuating that I should be the mouthpiece.

"He didn't mean to," I started off by assuring him. "It was an accident."

"You don't accidentally drop human beings." Chido retorted, a slight irritation in his tone.

"Well, I didn't drop her," I defended myself and prayed I wouldn't burst out the laughter that was springing up. "It was Sean, attack him, not me."

He looked at me for about a second or two and I could easily tell that he knew I was right, but with that scowl he forced to stay on his face, I knew he didn't want to give in and let me win our altercation that easily.

Hence, in his comeback, out came the most off point and random accusation ever.

"And so? Is that why you want to litter everywhere?"

I backed up. Confused. "Huh?"

Kelechi beside him, hummed sharply, like she was chiding him on saying, 'Oh, yes, he told you!'

"What are you even talking ab-"

I could barely finish my sentence because without warning, Chido just snatched away the empty coke bottle from my hand, one that I didn't even realize that I had been holding.

Kelechi, his wing woman, folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air in babyish sass like 'Yes, that's right! That's what you get!'

First off, I wanted to ask them why they were ganging up on me and not Sean.

And second, funnily enough, Kelechi was the one who bought the coke for me. It was the same bottle of Coke she had gotten for me from the SA Café and I had finished it in her car. However, I did not even realise that I was holding the empty as I stepped out from the car.

Well, until Chido violently yanked it right out of my hand.

"Welcome." He said.

His 'Welcome' was rather aggressive.

He literally grunted it at me as if we were fighting.

I chuckled at him. At Kelechi too.

"Well, thanks for the warm reception," I retorted, a smile lingering at the corner of my lips as the sarcasm involuntarily rolled off my tongue.

I could see the little smile that Chido was fighting away from appearing from his lips and I knew he wanted to laugh.

"Just let it out, bro," I said to him.

Chido was a shameless laughing mess and Kelechi looked so betrayed.

I couldn't help but smile too. Regardless, I had missed this duo and their drama, as well as Chido's hot and cold attitude with us.

"Long time no see," The spiky haired kid was saying to me. "We were starting to think you'd never show up."

"I can't miss Sean and Nana's game for the world," I said, made sure that Sean who stood there behind them could hear me.

"Carry me!" Kelechi was smiling brightly at Chido and spreading her arms like a little child.

"Oh, God, no. Not Baby Kels," Chido groaned and I got reminded of this little thing in their little group where Kelechi tortured he and Nana with different versions of herself that she termed her alter egos.

Like Baby Kels and Mummy Kay Kay.

Respectively.

"Carry me!" She was louder with her whining.

"I'm coming. I'm coming." Chido muttered with another groan, rolled his eyes like a pest was at his neck, and then, squatted for Kelechi to have access to climb his back.

I laughed softly. They were so adorable.

Like a little toddler, she hopped onto Chido's back and he got up on his feet, turned around to leave, but stopped when he came face to face with Sean Ayomide.

"He pushed me!" Kelechi reported again.

Whether Sean was going to say anything in face of the accusation or not, I had not a clue because he barely had a chance.

Before I knew what was happening, Chido raised the bottle high up in the air and all I heard was 'KOM!'

"Jesus." That took me off guard.

Empty Coke bottle on Sean's head.

Just like that, guys.

He reacted with a slight wince and while Chido stormed away, Kelechi was on his back, wrapping her hands and legs around him and sticking her tongue out at Sean's back.

Chido and Kelechi left us and the awkwardness in the air that lingered all around me and Sean's silence attempted to swallow me whole.

Rubbing against my neck to ease it off, I looked to Sean who didn't look like he was ready to say too much to me. Man to man, we kept our gaze on each other and for about minutes and minutes, neither of us was ready to start a conversation.

I almost started to fear that my guy had gone mute. So, I decided to break our silence.

"Tomorrow is a big day," I started off by saying to him, and I tried not to wince at the cringy nervous chuckle that escaped my lips reflexively.

Sean didn't say a word.

"Um, I..." Again with that stupid and cringy laugh. "I didn't know you were sleeping over here in Nana's place though. That one came off a surprise to me."

He still didn't say nothing.

"Well, Congrats though, on everything," I continued talking to myself, wished I'd stop laughing nervously too, "I wanted to call today-"

But, I didn't.

"-Especially since you left yesterday and went home without saying anything," I wasn't sure why I was still talking.

I genuinely could not think of a tangible reason why I didn't call.

But in my defence, the entirety of Sunday and today had been very complicated and messy for me. It was somewhere at the back of my mind to call Sean and ask why he left the house without a reason, but I guess with the way things had been going, it slipped my mind.

"Congrats, really. I wish you success tomorrow and I pray all goes well," I told Sean.

But, no response.

"Honestly," I meant it. "I know you've already gotten this. No need. You're already in."

Sean's lips moved slightly, and went into a thin line and just when I thought he was about to speak.... He didn't.

I sighed, frustrated somewhat, ran a hand through the twists on my hair.

"Sean, I know you can hear me," I said to him.

I was seconds away from cornering past him to move on...

"Brah, how couldn't you have known I was here?"

He finally spoke.

Finally.

"Sorry?" I wanted him to repeat his question.

"You really didn't know I was here?" He rephrased.

"Not until Kelechi told me," I answered.

"I called," He said to me. "Six times actually. You didn't answer."

"I swear I haven't seen any missed calls," I told him truthfully.

He stared at me and I knew he didn't believe me.

"I'm serious," I swore it. "I wouldn't want to deliberately dodge your calls on purpose. Come on, naw. Do you actually think I am lying?"

I genuinely did not see any missed calls. I didn't understand how, but I was telling the truth.

"I texted too," He told me. "On Whatssap. You were online."

Faint memories of me getting barrages of messages popping into my Whatssap notifications while I spammed Dabeluchi's DMs earlier today came into mind and I swallowed back every protest and defence that I was about to give.

"That, well, I..." I stuttered as I tried to find the right words to explain.

Sean stared blankly at me like he was waiting to hear the nonsense I was about to spew as an excuse.

And I gave him back to back.

"Well, it was, well, that time, well, I was-"

"Just fashi it, abeg. You sound stupid," Sean had a slight look of irritation on his face as he cut me off me with a dismissive wave of his hands.

"Huh?" I blinked. Felt I didn't hear him correctly.

"I said forget it, brah, fashi. It's okay," He elaborated. "It's cool. We're cool. Just don't stand there and be stuttering as if I caught you cheating on me. Do you know how rubbish you sound?"

It was how he was so rude, yet, I was so relieved.

"Okay," I breathed calmly, "I was just afraid that you'd be upset, so-"

"I was," He clarified.

Clearly. And fair enough.

"But, it's all good. You're here now, so I guess that's what matters," He said.

I couldn't help but not notice however how particularly tired Sean sounded. It was in his voice, a slight hint of exhaustion that no one may have picked up. But I knew him. So, I could tell. There was also that underlying tone of relief in it. It was almost sad.

"I didn't know you were aware of how big a day tomorrow is going to be," He said, and for the first time in a long time, there was a tad bit of softness, almost like a break, in his voice.

"How could I forget?" I retorted, and winced slightly at the invisible cane lash I got on my back for daring to make it seem like it wouldn't have slipped my mind. "I wouldn't miss tomorrow for anything."

There was the tiniest glint in his eyes. Hope? It looked like it.

"Really?" He said. Almost like he needed assurance of it.

"I swear it," I said.

A large grin appeared on his face.

"On your manhood?" He asked me.

I burst out laughing and so did Sean. We were actually laughing together and I missed this. I missed laughing to the silliest things with my best friend.

"Brah, I ain't joking!" Sean was saying in between his laughs. "Do you or do you not swear on your fucking manhood?"

"I swear on my manhood, Sean," I raised my hands in a mock gesture of surrender, giving in to his nonsense, "Are you happy now?"

"The happiest person in the world, I'll tell you that," He claimed, and with one rough buddy slap on my back, Sean and I were walking into the house together.

I wouldn't lie, I felt so much relief that it was a lot easier to breathe. As much as my actions lately had not been doing so well to show it, I did not want to do anything that would affect my relationship with Sean. Not just for my sake, but also for his sake. If this could fly, then, I was at peace. And hence, I would try my best to be there as much as I could from today to be better.

"You still have that secret to tell."

I swallowed a rock, and numbed that voice at the back of my head.

At least, for now. Sean and I were good now. Let it just be, for now.

Just for now, abeg.

The Basketball Court was our first stop. The red and white bball court that was situated at the backyard of Nana's house, enhanced with bright shining streetlights that stood at the very corners of its ends, reflecting orange lights that blended in perfect harmony with the nightlife, adding beauty to the entire court's aesthetic.

"This place," Sean's smile broadened to his ears as he turned to face me, walking into the court backwards with his arms spread wide in all his pride, like a king about to announce the entirety of his possessions, "Is my territory!"

Kicking a random stone on the court away, I kept up a pace that was a small distance away from him and chuckled lightly.

"I mean, it is Nana's home court," I laughed at what he said. Picked up the stray basketball that rolled by my side and fondled it with my hands for a while, " But whatever you say, boss."

"Says who?" Sean scoffed in challenge. I threw the ball to him and he caught it easily, reflexively, without a single flinch in his body. "I can fight for this court. I could die for it, brah."

I smiled, impressed, as I watched Sean start to bounce the ball against the ground, bouncing it against the ground and his hands, his elbows too, dribbling the ball around his own legs, practically playing with it.

I was so impressed. Magic Hands; that was what Sean had. The guy knew how to handle a ball so effortlessly without even being fully conscious or trying. He was simply gifted at this.

"Fight for what you love, that's the energy," I chided what he said on, "It's a free world at the end of the day. You do you."

He paused with the ball in his hands, hung it around his arm to stand up and grin at me.

"I mean, freedom is the sure possession of those who have the courage to defend it," He threw the word of Pericles at me for the pun.

I laughed under my breath. He was so happy tonight and it was beyond wholesome.

"Not my words, but write them down," He shook a finger at me and I laughed.

Without warning, he passed the basketball smoothly behind him, caught it with his left hand easily, and shot towards the basket from the middle of the court, throwing in an effortless three pointer that dropped my jaw to the ground.

"Oh, never gets old," He smiled proudly at his work, jogged towards the ball to carry it back up and get back to bouncing it and shooting hoops like a professional that he clearly was.

I watched him and just smiled. Certain that the world was not ready for a talent like Sean Ayomide.

He stopped again. Abruptly. Just paused with the ball in his hands after his last shot and whipped his head to me like a light bulb twinkled in his head.

"You know what I just remembered?" He asked me.

I wanted to hear. "Yeah?"

He laughed softly and that smile lingered on his face as he smiled softly to what I perceived was a memory.

"Remember when we were seven years old and we snuck out of church together on New year's cross over?" He asked me.

I broke into laughter. I was a laughing mess immediately. I mean, if there was something I could recall vividly from my childhood with Sean, it was that particular experience.

"We snuck out because of the fireworks," I recalled that night. "We wanted to be a part of the knock out celebration because it was boring staying in church."

Sean laughed too. He also remembered.

"Man, we got our ass WHOOPED that day," He stated as a matter of fact. "My mum and your Dad were furious as hell. I can't ever forget it. I can still remember Mum pulling my ears so hard that it hurt for days."

"My Dad gave me the scolding of my little life," I shared my side. "And forced me to start taking evening lessons and extra ball practice as punishment."

"I got locked up in my room for a week," Sean told me. "All I got access to was food and water. Mum took away my toys, my action figures, my video games, and practically everything that gave me joy."

His mum was always fond of that since we were kids. Taking things away from Sean every time he messed up.

"No one was as supportive as Dad all those periods Mum took everything away," Sean said and my heart pricked with a pang when he mentioned his dad.

Hard, I swallowed. "Yeah?"

Sean nodded, smiled, "He is a good man."

There was a bit of silence between us for a moment as we both pondered on his last words.

"But Mum left the TV when she grounded me that year," He told me. "Remember how I always told you that my love for Bball started from TV?"

"Yeah," I nodded. I remembered. "After we snuck out to see the fireworks that cross over night, your mum left everything but the TV and all you had was NTA and Sports channels."

"And she knew that at that time, I was such a cry baby weakling child who hated Sports," Sean laughed at the memory. It was almost a bitter laughter. "But, hey, if that never happened, I wouldn't have noticed Basketball enough to give it a chance, right? Maybe everything happens for a reason." He shot another clean hoop and smiled proudly on it.

Maybe. Maybe everything does happen for a reason.

"I can't believe I am going to be eighteen tomorrow," Sean said to me.

"Best believe it, bro. You're finally going to be legal," I said back.

"It's a bit scary though," Sean said, laughed softly under his breath.

I wouldn't say it was not surprising to hear Sean admit that he was afraid of something.

Childhood was the last time that I knew Sean had fears. After all of that, he grew a madly thick unbreakable skin.

However, one thing lodged at the pit of my stomach, rising to my throat and I felt an urge to let it all out here.

"About your Dad..." I started telling him.

He stopped. Looked at me. Raised a brow.

"Yeah?" He said.

I hesitated for a moment.

"Is your Mum still pulling through with the divorce?"

Sean looked away for a moment, eyes downcast, and I felt bad for ruining his mood so easily.

"Mum is the most stubborn person I know," He started by saying.

I mean, he was his mother's child.

"And, yes, by the end of the year, they are finalizing everything once and for all," Sean said.

Quietness ensued.

"I want to stay with Dad in case matters on custody arise," He told me. I swallowed. "He is a good man. Hands down my favourite person in the world. I could die if Mum took him away too. If anything or anyone took him away from me."

That was very unsettling to hear.

"He was there every step of the way," Sean poured out his heart and broke mine. "Even when I broke my hip at 10. Remember that?"

"Like it was yesterday," I nodded.

It was one of the most traumatic things from our childhood. Sean fell from the stairs and broke a hip. That was the beginning of the crumbling of his basketball dreams. How could either of us ever forget such a thing?

"Well enough with the depressing talk," He discarded all of that and spread a large grin across his face immediately and was back to his happy, jumpy self, "Let's make a deal, brah. After my game tomorrow, we have a party in Gomery, just you and me, and we hit it with some drinks?"

"You know I'm in, my brother," I agreed to that.

"Cool," He smiled in victory. "We could drink to our heart's content."

"Right behind you," I chided.

"Bullet or Smirnoff?" He excitedly asked me, walking towards me to propose what I supposed was a bro hug.

"Smirnoff, bro. You know the game," I shrugged in the usual.

"I'm down with Bullet, as always," He said and we embraced in a bro hug.

One that lasted a little longer than it should have.

I was immensely happy. I had my friend back.

And I knew Sean was thinking the exact same thing.

The entire night, Sean spent it shooting hoops and showing off and I was his personal hype man. Believe me when I say that I could not be any happier this very moment.

But then, I thought about Dabeluchi and instantly, my mood dampened.

I checked my phone. Still nothing from her.

"I see you two have kissed and made up."

I was startled as someone joined me on the bench and immediately, I whipped my head to see who it was who said such a thing.

Chido, surprisingly, was sitting with me.

And with a genuine smile on his face.

I tried not to act too surprised. He had been strangely calm with us lately and especially since I got here. Chido, for one, had never really been too friendly with us before this session. I was happy to see that there was some kind of dynamic to whatever relationship we had.

"I mean, you and Sean," He clarified.

"Ew, what the fuck," I gagged.

He tried not to cringe at my cursing and it was obvious.

"Clearly," He sounded like he was stating a matter of fact. "You two were not on good terms before now."

"Something like that," I said back to him. "How did you know?"

"It was too obvious that something was wrong with Sean," Chido said, "Even when we met him here, he was acting very odd. More quiet and to himself. Brooding. And when we asked about you, he gave an off answer."

I became curious.

"What did he say?" I asked Chido.

"He just mumbled something about being on his own," He responded. "Kelechi was the one who was talking to him. That wasn't my business."

"I see," I took note to myself. Wondered if there was anything that Sean and Kelechi talked about that she didn't tell me. Wondered if Kelechi's action to remind me of Sean's birthday and his game was a deliberate action.

"It's all good," Chido said, shrugged nonchalantly, and stared ahead at Sean who was still busy on the court. "Friends fight all the time."

"Hmm," I looked at him as he stayed quiet, watching Sean. "Do you, Kelechi and Nana fight too?"

Chido seemed puzzled by that question the way he looked at me.

"Of course," He answered. "I mean, at the end of the day, we are mature about things and settle our differences as soon as we can."

"Wow," I smiled. "I didn't think you guys could even have a fight, honestly. Your pursuit with God makes it difficult to imagine you guys being at loggerheads with each other."

"Acha, we're Christians, not dead." Chido joked and I laughed. "Anyone can fight with the other. You being close to God does not entail that you can never fight with others. We are only human at the end of the day. We all make mistakes. At the end of the day, we may be more imperfect than you can imagine."

I nodded to that.

"'Never let the sun go down in your anger' - that's our motto," Chido told me. Looked me over a shoulder and added playfully, "That's Ephesians 4:26. Look it up."

I laughed softly to myself. The events of this afternoon to evening was all shades of bizarre. Odd encounters with acquaintances like Kelechi, make ups with my best friend, Sean, and now, Chido is here, sitting with me, chatting with me like we were friends and telling me about the bible.

It would have been a complete and perfect night if only Dabeluchi would reach out.

"What if one of them did something really bad to you?" I asked Chido.

"Huh?" He turned to me. Blinked for me to come again.

"Or, what if you did something really bad to them?" I rephrased my question. "Something that could ruin the friendship completely."

His brows furrowed slightly.

"I don't believe that's a possibility," He said.

"Just imagine," I insisted. "Let's say you are keeping a terrible secret from them."

"Secret," He repeated.

"Yes," I confirmed, "A really bad secret that could ruin your friendship for good."

He was patiently waiting for me to get to my point.

"What would you do in that position?" I posed the question to him.

"First off," He sort of laughed at the question like it was ridiculous, "I don't know what kind of secret I could possibly keep from Kelechi and Nana that would be as dangerous as you're insinuating..."

I swallowed hard.

"But," He continued. "If somehow, I had something I needed to confess..."

Yeah?

"I'd go right ahead and speak the truth." He easily answered.

I deflated low-key, having all my hoped of him giving another answer other than that dead.

But what did I expect? It was the right thing to do at the end of the day.

"Whether it is capable of risking the friendship or not, I will confess," He said to me. "Being honest is the number one most important thing in any relationship. No matter how bad it is, I will let it off my chest and leave the rest to God. If our friendship is meant to be afterwards, it will be. If it's the end of it, I brace it, learn from it, and never repeat the same mistake again. Simple, Acha."

"Noted," I responded ever so quietly. Pondered on what he said.

"So, what did you do to Sean, Acha? What secret are you hiding?" He asked me.

I was taken aback by the question.

Instantly, I shook my head in the negative to assure him and make him believe it wasn't what he was thinking it was.

"No, no, forget it," I said, "I didn't do anything. It's nothing. Forget it."

"Whatever you say, brethren," Chido mock saluted, not bothered in the slightest to pressure it out of me and I was grateful because I was not ready to talk and explain it.

I just was not ready right now. Not even a little.

"Not thinking about dinner yet, boys?"

I turned to my left to see who was joining us on the bench. The gentle aura that was like a calm ocean breeze was so magnetic and contagious and I knew that only one person could radiate such peace and coolness.

"My man," Chido was happy to see Nana Obi, stretching a hand over him to exchange a handshake as I sat in the middle of both boys.

"I am ready for dinner though," Chido said in referral to what Nana had said. "Man dey h."

"If you're hungry, dinner is all set," Nana said to his friend, made sure to acknowledge me too by asking promptly, "What about you? Are you staying for dinner?"

"I might," I answered. "But, I can't sleep over. Sorry. But I will be here early in the morning to hit the road with you guys."

Nana side smiled, nodded gently to what I said.

"No qualms," He assured me.

"Big day tomorrow, huh." Chido teased his friend.

"Man," Nana chuckled lightly to that.

"Are you nervous?" I asked him.

"Not when my God is in control," He easily had an answer.

I could see it in his eyes. All the hope that I knew had never died even in the midst of all the storms. I was so happy for him. He was finally getting what he wanted.

"And I see Sean is already getting at it," He didn't fail to notice.

For a moment, we all cast our gaze to Sean on the court who was busy with that basketball, endlessly shooting hoops upon hoops like a boy who was not ready to quit.

"He is good," Nana acknowledged and having that the guy himself was the king at this game, and I mean, the absolute Odogwu himself, hearing him pass on a compliment to Sean made me feel very honoured for my best friend. More than honoured in fact.

"He is, isn't he." I agreed. Watched Sean run around the court bouncing the basketball while looking for a new angle to challenge his hoot shooting skills.

"He has a nice wing span," Nana got critical with his analysis, looking onto Sean with a seriousness in his eyes as he observed him like a certified professional who was passing on his judgement. "His dunking skills are impeccable too. I'd say for his dunking and lay ups too. He makes an impressive small forward on the bball team."

"Agreed," I chided.

But, this was not my review to pass on. So, I let the master speak his word.

"He is also very quick on his feet too," Nana carried on as we watched Sean move like a jaguar, efficient and speedy, oblivious to the fact that he was the centre of our conversation. "He is fast. Very fast. That's also a perk for him."

I nodded in agreement.

"He is quite an aggressive player too," Nana actually laughed to himself as he pointed that out and so did me and Chido. "His speed and aggressiveness combined is good in the sense that he could easily power through a defence without stress, and make a point. I'd give it to him; through his brute force and aggressiveness, he is able to win most of the rebounds."

I chuckled, impressed at such a good review, and I couldn't be more impressed.

"However,-" Nana spoke.

I stopped.

"He has a weakness," He pointed out quietly.

Oh.

"His handling is not very strong," Nana shook his head slightly.

"I think his handling is just fine though," I begged to differ.

"No," Nana disagreed calmly. Quietly observed Sean still. "He needs a bit of work in that aspect."

"How?" I challenged.

"Like I said, he has a lot of speed and is an aggressive player," He went on to elaborate, "Sean is way too fast and too abrupt on the field that sometimes, he fails to pay attention."

Hmph.

"He is all take, own, and win," Nana spoke and I wondered if we had transgressed from just Basketball, "And on the court, it's a bit risky. He doesn't think before he acts on the court; he just drives right into the lane, fails to size up and analyse, and jumps right into action."

That was oddly similar to Sean's characteristics too.

"But he will do fine tomorrow," Nana clarified. "I am certain."

"No doubt about you though," Chido came right in. "These scout guys ain't got nothing on Castron High's most versatile bball champion, right?"

Nana smiled. Blushed, to say.

"Congrats," I said to Nana. "This is an opportunity of a life time. This is all you ever wanted and you got it, my man."

Nana smiled at that.

"It's not by the works of thine hand, my brother," There was a lingering smirk on his face as he said that. "All glory to God."

"Amen," Chido responded, nodding his head.

There was a comfortable silence between us and I couldn't help but have a smile on my face.

We just sat there, all three boys, on the bench and together, we watched through Sean's game with himself, and in this union, it felt like a typical bro moment.

I could tell that Chido and Nana were feeling it too.

Even Sean.

It was an almost perfect moment.

Only that Dabeluchi....

I hoped that everything on her end would be fine in the end. I really hoped so. No matter how happy I was tonight, my happiness felt incomplete without my Aurora.

It felt incomplete.

So incomplete.

"Alright, Sean. That's enough! We have dinner and I am starving!" Chido was clapping his hands as he ordered for Sean to wrap it up and come with us for dinner.

Sean was laughing on the court and protesting, shooting hoops upon hoops and giving Chido the boot, jumping around the court and demanding his freedom as he played his whole heart alone on that court.

He was so happy. It almost hurt to see him so happy. It had been so long that I had seen Sean so happy like this. It had been so long and there were nearly tears in my eyes as I watched pure joy and energy radiate from him. It reminded me of when he was still a child and had so much hope in this basketball career thing. All that fire and hope was reignited again and it was magical to see him that joyful.

Tomorrow was surely a huge day for him.

And I wouldn't miss it for anything.

I wouldn't ruin it too....

So, I made up my mind on one resolution.

After Sean's birthday, after his big game, after all of this was over, I would tell him everything. I would tell him the whole truth. I would take Chido's advice, confess everything, and hope God for the best.

But as for tonight? No. I could not ruin it for Sean.

This confession could wait.

I mean....

What is the worst that could happen?

Omoh, guys. 💀

This tomorrow go hot sha. 💀Someone is lurking out there with Soma's secret (That Dabi spilled) and now, Acha wants to postpone coming clean till after Sean's birthday. How do you see all of this going?💀

Oh, and this chapter was one of my favourites to write so far. I realize that I love writing chapters that have Kelechi, Chido, and Nana in them. It's so peaceful and sweet, just like them. And my heart was a mess of emotions as I wrote the reminiscing scene between Acha and Sean, and it broke me as I thought of how bad things would be in the future of this book for them after all of that......

Neither Acha nor Sean is a perfect friend and that's okay, they are both growing, they will get better. So, cheers to that, right?

Oh and what part of this chapter was your favourite?

Me, I don't even know. I laughed so hard at the beginning, and nearly cried at the Acha/Sean scenes (I revealed a lot there too), and the Chido and Acha scene made me feel curious even though I was the one writing lmaooo, the Nana analysing Sean scene particularly hit for me because of how I successfully connected Sean's basketball skills to his personality. Share which part got you the most.

In the meantime, see you later during the week!♥️♥️♥️