"If you live to be 100,
I hope I live to be 100
minus 1 day, so I never have to
live without you."
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Chimdi found herself stuck between the plush arm of a leather sofa and TJ, which was totally courtesy of her conniving friends. Her back static from lack of necessary locomotives.
She tried not to acknowledge the hand resting at her back but instead, continued to nibble on a juicy drumstick while listening to Elo go into full drama queen mode.
They'd been at the totally lively and comfortable eatery for over an hour. The brightly lit room gave out total warm vibes. A play on colours of a setting and afro music blaring from the speakers, coupled with customers chatting animatedly was surely a sight for a happy soul.
The eatery wasn't their usual one, that was normally for promotions and ADs. They chose a different eatery this time, which was a breath of fresh air. This time, she had no one telling her to smile and focus on the camera, observe the right etiquette and pretend that the food being consumed was savory worthy.
She let out a breath of relief and at the same time, chewed carefully out of habit.
"What are you thinking about?" TJ was looking at her pensively.
She shrugged. "Birthdays and good food."
They both stayed quiet, watching Elo unwrap several presents with glee.
The table was occupied with stainless cutleries, white ceramics containing food remnants and brutally consumed chicken bones, empty juice cartons, carbonated drinks and lastly, glittering wrapping papers containing Elo's presents.
"Hey." TJ called again, gaining her attention.
She raised a brow. "Yes?"
He took a long swig from his fruit drink. "When's your birthday?"
"August, the 4th. What? You thinking of getting me a birthday present?" She teased, nudging him playfully.
He flashed her a smile that could defy gravity. "Tell me, what do you want?"
Her eyes widened for just a second. "You'll really get me a present?"
"Definitely. What do you want?"
Chimdi was taken aback by the conviction in which his words were uttered.
He leaned closer. "I'm waiting?" His breath fanned her cheeks, causing goose bumps to pop out.
She cleared her throat and just as she was about to reply, she heard Elo's excited scream.
Chimdi rolled her eyes as Elo tried on a silver watch. A gift sent by Antni few minutes ago.
He dropped it's white box on the table.
"Oh my God! She gave me a fucking white Dail?" He gushed, hands flaring happily, while he admired the time piece on his wrist.
"What's the big deal with this white Dail?" Jiki asked, eyes on cellphone.
"Because this one is a limited edition day date rolex duh!" Replied Elo, still drooling over the time piece.
Jiki checked out the glistening silver chain watch. "It looks expensive."
Elo rolled his eyes, snatching the present from the boy's hand. "Of course it's expensive, it's from Antni!"
Chimdi scoffed. "Next present please."
She knew Antni's tactics. She was using her friends to get on her good side, too bad her actions were like absorbing water with a sponge.
"Okay this is really beautiful!" Lara gushed alongside the darker boy, trying to reach for the watch, but Elo was quick to withdraw his hands.
"Jeez let me see. It's not like I'm going to eat it."
However, when Nene reached for the wristwatch, he freely passed it to her while smirking at a sulking Lara.
Lara huffed, smacking his head. "Are you for real?" She pouted focusing on her almost devoured chicken lap. "So, Nens the only one worthy of holding the watch or what?"
The table was suddenly silent, unspoken words loomed over the once lively table.
Chimdi cleared her throat, trying to dissolve the awkwardness, giving the brutally devoured drumstick in her hand a cringy look, she stood up.
Her phone dinged and she suddenly brightened up once she viewed the message sent to her.
She carefully licked tomato sauce off her long fingers. "Okay, it's cake time." She clapped, motioning to Lara and Nene.
The girls stood up, straightening their clothes before walking to the exit
"I'm videoing this time." She called after them, trailing behind.
TJ watched Chimdi practically skip to the exit door. Her legs looked extra long and tan in the little skirt.
May be the flourescent.
He knew he didn't lie about her little leather skirt, they made her legs look extra long, and the black and denim theme did give her a badass look.
But they weren't the things that made her stand out to him. It was the childlike smile and the utter look of joy on her face the moment they walked into the eatery.
She'd forgotten about her supposed anger towards him as she helped him place his order, while happily explaining various Nigerian dishes to him.
Hardly did he remember the last time a simple toothy smile and friendly gestures made him think of things unworthy of being called proper.
"It's the skirt!" He heard Elo exclaim, drawing him out of his reverie.
"Definitely the skirt!" Jiki supported, hiding a snicker.
"What about skirts?" He asked, confused at first before getting what they were on about.
"You guys are crazy, jeez!"
They bursted out laughing but tried to hold back snickers when a waiter came to clear out empty dishes.
"So..." Elo began after having a good laugh. "Have you told her yet?"
TJ stared, wide eyed, before pointing an accusing finger at Jiki who raised his hands in surrender.
"Don't look at me," The fairer boy defended, a michevious smile playing on his lips. "I told you, you weren't that subtle with the stares."
TJ swore under his breath, trying to avoid Elo's inquiring gave. But he knew better, Elo wasn't the one to let go off a case. So all he did was pray to God to make the girls return in a jiffy.
But of course, the odds weren't in his favour.
"So?" Elo continued, a brow up.
"Ogini! Are birthday boys irritatingly nosy too?" TJ asked, causing Jiki and Elo to crack up at his weak attempt to cuss in vernacular.
"Come on guys, I'm not that bad baa? " Another attempt got his friends to double up in fit of laughter, attracting attention to their three man table.
Letting out a huff, he found himself an empty table and settled down.
When they are done laughing, they'd come get him, he thought.
"Awwn come on man, loosen up a bit. It's just a joke." Elo said, occupying the empty seat opposite him.
He glared at the shorter boy who raised his hand in mock surrender. "Bad joke then."
Jiki occupied the second seat,face beetroot from laughing. He still tried to keep himself from bursting out.
"Asshole." TJ muttered, causing the fairer boy to burst out laughing again.
What was the use of finding a separate table again?
"Dude seriously, don't say that outside. You sound like a choking Englishman." Jiki said, reaching for a complimentary napkin.
"Not funny." He snapped again, but soon joined them in laughing. The fairer boy's face was enough to crack anyone up.
"Back to the issue at hand gents..." Elo said after their laughing charade had died down.
TJ groaned, palming his face. "Dude just drop it."
Elo waved him off. Propping his palm on his jaw. "You like our dear Chimdi?" He wiggled his brows, causing an eyeroll from the taller boy.
Jiki rolled his eyes, shaking his head exasperatedly. "Quit stating the obvious El."
"That's right," Elo agreed. "If you want the girl, you'll have to go through me." He said, rubbing his palm together. "You know, as per big brother thingie."
TJ gave him a crazy look before bursting out laughing, alongside Jiki.
This time, he took the wheels of their clown ship.
"Guy you never manage arrange girl for yourself." Jiki mocked between fit of laughter, tears brewing in his eyes.
Elo pouted, shoving off TJ's hand, giving him a comforting pat on the back. "You two are assholes."
Jiki sighed, rubbing his palms together in a bid to warm them up. "No jokes though, have you come clear with your feelings to her?"
Elo sighed, his hands making their way to his head. "Yeah I did-"
"About damn time! Thought It'll take forever." TJ exclaimed, a grin gracing his face.
Jiki propped his hands on the clear table, his eyes crinkling with mischief. "So... are you guys now dating or pretending not to know each other while you sealed the whole confession with a kiss?"
TJ laughed, exchanging a high five with Jiki, like he said the most reasonable of words, known to man.
Elo snorted whilst rolling his eyes at them. Since they'd made up the perfect story, he let them bask in their little bubble of fiction.
"You forgot the part where we rode away on a unicorn." He sassed out with a long hiss.
TJ stared at him in disbelief. "You didn't tell her?"
"Nope, I did. She just didn't say anything." Elo snapped, seething with anger.
Jiki let out an unraveling; "Oh."
"Yeah, that's the problem with coming clean. Everything gets thrown back to your face." The darker boy whispered, wiping imaginary sweat off his face.
"Did you try calling her?" TJ added, after musing for seconds.
"What's the need. There is nothing left to be said."
Silence took over the the table for few seconds.
"You know," TJ began, a reassuring hand resting on Elo's shoulder. "If you are too worried, we could find you a new girl."
Elo glared daggers at him, while the taller boy bursted out in guffaws. "It's like you're crazy."
"We don't always get what we want." TJ defended.
"True." Added Jiki, which earned him middle finger.
"How about this, why not forget Chimdi who's not interested and face my sister dearest!" Elo exclaimed in mock excitement.
"Who said she's not interested?" TJ challenged, rolling his eyes.
Whereas, Jiki crossed his legs, pretending to find his neatly cut nails fascinating, while blowing imaginary dirt off them.
"What are you guys doing over there?" Chimdi called out.
The boys looked up to Lara holding a plain white box and Chimdi's phone camera aimed at them.
"Probably getting on to no good." Nene concluded, the same time the boys made it back to their previous position.
"Can you imagine," Lara began unboxing the white box on their wrapping sheet covered table. "The delivery guy almost made away with the said cake."
Jiki's face morphed into a confused frown. "How?"
And so she told them how the delivery guy had been flirting with an uninterested Nene who threatened to report him to the company and in turn, the delivery guy made to walk away with the cake.
"He's hot shaa." Chimdi added after Lara was done narrating.
TJ cleared his throat awkwardly.
Elo scoffed, "I bet he wants my fist!"
The group exchanged knowing glances, while Elo and Nene avoided each other's gaze.
Lara cleared her throat. "Guys, our cake is still waiting." She pushed the cake forward and immediately, Elo's eyes lit up with excitement.
Before them sat his surprise birthday cake.
A chocolate and caramel filled goodness, carved into the shape of an inflated basketball on a flat, linoleum wrapped board. Dark chocolate icing dripped down the spherical cake in curved lines, giving the cake the ideal basket ball look.
Elo stared at the cake in amazement, while trying to hold back a drool.
"You guys- I- I'm speechless. This is the best cake I've had since my 17 years of existence!" The darker boy exclaimed, wiping off an imaginary tear. "You guys are the best."
"Nah. This was all Nens doing. She deserves the whole credit." Lara grinned, waving off his gratitude.
"That's not really necessary," Nene said, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
Yet, the darker boy gave her a grateful nod, still avoiding eye contact.
The awkward scene lasted for about three seconds, before a shocked gasp escaped Chimdi's lips.
"Jeez! We're live on IG guys," She clasped a hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle. "All these cold vibe, come on y'all, it's a birthday party not a pity party."
She focused the camera on Elo. "Birthday boy, where's the happy smile?" Elo flashed her his perfect set of dental, a smile so infectious that she found herself grinning.
He turned the cake to fully get the perfect view all, googly eyed.
"Are we singing the birthday song or what?" Lara asked, her question was answered with series of irritated protests.
"Jeez, cut me some slack will y'all?" She giggled, raising her hands in surrender. "El make a wish let's get started! We have a party to rock El!!"
Elo grunted, remembering his last birthday, when they almost got him blind with a red velvet cake.
He groaned. "Come on, we can't ruin this perfect cake nah."
And just as he was about to protest, cake smeared hands landed on his cheeks, followed by giggling and guffaws.
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They were greeted by strobe party lights and blaring hip hop songs as they stepped into 12,O'Club. An underage club, ran by Jiki's father.
Two hefty bouncers guarded the door and when they sighted Jiki, they let them in with one of the bouncers standing behind.
Above, right at the DJ's stand were calligraphed words in neon lights, which read; Elo es casi un hombre.
"Talk about a fucking loud house!" Chimdi sang out, bopping her head to lil Wayne's uproar.
"Dude, did you invite the whole school population?" TJ asked as a group of giggling girls he recognised as students of pacesetters, walked past them.
They stepped into the building, the strobe lights almost blinding them.
The sheer number of students astounding.
"It's time to lay down some ground rules," Jiki began playfully. "No getting drunk Nens..."
"Yes Zaddy." Nene grunted.
"I'm serious," Jiki warned. "I'm not babysitting anyone tonight."
Nene rolled her eyes. "Boy please, like you have what it takes to babysit me."
Soon they separated, with Elo and Nene leaving together.
The remaining four were led to a cube-like glass-enclose which stood above, overlooking the party animals, which was guarded by two more bouncers at it's stairs.
"Ladies and gentle guyyyys, it's DJ Mickey behind the wheels of steel!" The DJ, a familiar face Chimdi recognized to be a fellow senior at pacesetters called out, making the crowd go crazy.
"Here with me is the birthday boy, give it up for Elooo!" He shouted again, adding a dramatic effect and in turn, the spotlight was aimed at Elo who waved at them, all teeth and smiles in the midst of familiar faces.
Chimdi and TJ sat awkwardly at the VIP booth, just like the others, Jiki got comfortable and was seen dancing away.
"Come on, don't be a party pooper, let's go join them." TJ shouted as the music changed to a well known hip hop, causing the crowd to go crazy.
He stood up, offering a hand to her and just as she was about to reach out, Abike emerged on a skin tight, velvet gown and gold gladiators, all dolled up.
"Look who we have here." She shouted snaking her hands around TJ's neck and totally ignoring Chimdi.
Chimdi's jaw clenched at the sight on their own volition. The urge to pry her her hands off his neck came, with full force.
"Hey Aby," TJ greeted back, a friendly smile on, while he freed himself off her embrace. "Having fun?"
"Nope, not yet. You owe me a dance, remember." She drawled out, her hands playing with the white ropes of his fit hoodie.
Chimdi forced herself to look away, the sight irritated her for unknown reasons.
Unnamed emotions surged through her. She stood up, not paying heed to whatever they were saying and made her way down, straight to the bar.
"Rum and coke please." She told the bartender, hoisting herself on a barstool.
The drink arrived just as she settled down and without wasting a second, she took a gulp of the dark liquid. It created a burning sensation in the pit of her throat.
Right then, all she could think about was Abike getting burned.
And she didn't mean it in a literal sense.
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