Truth hurts,
needed something
more exciting...
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Chimdi's palms were balled into a fist, with perspiration dampening them in growing seconds.
The closer her ride got to their destination, the more paranoid she became. She inhaled -- in and out, creating a rhythm as she tried to calm her racing heart. She couldn't for the life of her, figure out why she was getting so worked up at the dying minute.
It wasn't her first red carpet event and she'd never been this nervous. Her nerves were far from being smoothed out and her sweaty palms? She'd lost count of the times she'd tried to dry them up with the designer cloth she had on. Sadly, they never got the memo, but instead, dewed up seconds later.
Memories of 2017 saga still haunted her. The nervousness, the state of unease were all courtesy of the dreadful year. The day had been quite eventful - with the bad kind of fun that only appealed the cynical and trouble tasty - a gentle reminder of what might happen next.
The sleek limo trailing behind Antni's Bugatti had the key to a lovely night or another scandal that would top the gossip and entertainment headlines. She could make a perfect mental picture of what the blood tasty bloggers were capable of doing.
Child Star, turned homewrecker!
She shuddered in fear of what was to come. All the while, trying to figure out why her mother and godmother had handpicked another stranger as her date, when the last time was a big disaster.
She felt a perfectly manicured hand rest on her leather covered knee. She looked up to see Antni's elegant face, looking nothing less than moderate. The makeup the older woman had on, was a burst of the right colours which in a way, suited her perfectly.
"You're antsy aren't you?"
Her godmother's face, poised and perfectly upright met hers. She sighed.
She was the star of the company and yet, she couldn't help but feel out of place.
Antni looked flawless, with no hair out of place and her fair skin -- looking like it got dipped into a milky bath. She sighed again, sitting upright, while straightening the cloth moderately clinging to her body. Her lilac nails, which cost quite a fortune yet moderate, grazed them lightly.
"I'm okay." And so she said, but was feeling like a total fusspot.
She wanted her friends and wished they were there with her and not her Mother trailing behind, with her supposed date and her godmother sitting beside her. She felt like she was trapped with strangers. She needed her friends, it was meant to be them with her, against the world -- a kick-ass team.
She looked away from her godmother and her attention was directed to the image staring at her through the tinted, one-way window. To her utmost surprise, she looked nothing like how she felt. She looked calm and calculated, quite the opposite of the hailstorm going on inside her head.
Done by the best makeup artiste in the country, her makeup and hair looked nothing but elegant and moderate, with the ascending pearls on her ear giving her a regal look. Sighing out in utter relief, she told herself that everything was in total control. If she could look like that -- Pretty, perfect with no care if a tornado or hurricane was on it's way, then she was good to go.
As they pulled up to AKWAABA five star event center, she eyed up the smattering of paparazzi at both sides of the long and narrow red carpet. The car came to a stop in front of the gold and red themed carpet, narrowing into the entrance of the massive hotel. And as she waited for her date to open the door so they could walk in - hand in hand, her fingers held tight her cellphone and itching to call the one person she couldn't stop thinking about for the past three days. She'd promised she'd chat him up as soon as the event began and he'd joked about watching on TV while she smiled at his texts. She'd rolled her eyes then, telling him not to get ahead of himself, while in reality, she wanted nothing but that and more.
She felt her lips stretch into a smile. That boy, she sighed shaking her head in disbelief. She just had to think of him and her mood would be light in a second.
The door opened, followed by blinding flashlights and a tuxedo clad arm. The arm of said date, Omoshola Akide -- A&A's new scouted model who had a chance at making it big in the industry with his beautiful black skin and lean muscled body. Stepping out hand in hand with her date, the paparazzi began their word assault.
How do you feel returning to the ANTT after 2017 miss Gentry?
Miss Gentry! Are old scores settled or are we to await another saga?
She cringed at the last question, walking hand in hand with Omoshola.
Is that your boyfriend? Who are you with tonight tell us?
A word for miss Edidong?
She continued walking, remembering her mother's words before they journeyed to the event center.
Wave, smile and pose Dee. Don't let them have the upper hand.
And she needed to do just that, putting on her weapon of deception.
Soon, the attention was diverted from them when her mother walked out, doing what she does best, and stealing the show.
Chimdi never felt more relieved.
>>
Chimdi stepped out of the restroom with her heart blooming with joy, the widest grin known to man stretching her facial muscles.
She finally did it - finally heard his voice. She giggled when she felt her skin twitch with excitement. Mushy goo -- that was what thinking of him turned her into. She could feel it on the hairs on her skin, as they stood erect in attention, the gentle strum on her chest showed that she'd made peace with her feelings. But for reasons unknown to her, thinking about what they could have been up to few nights ago had her heart taking the off tone route.
Thoughts of what could have happened that night, if they weren't interrupted, kept flashing it's sneaky head, making her body heat up with excitement. She'd never felt such feelings before, never spent time daydreaming about someone - anyone. But recently, her daydream featured a certain boy and what his lips would have felt like, if she'd just gone in for the kill.
She could vividly remember the words he spoke to her minutes ago like he was in her presence, hear his interesting Ebonics accent that refused to be corrupted by his mother tongue. He'd watched her receive her first award on TV, he'd gushed about how proud he was. Words she'd never hear from her mother, who thought the award wasn't enough.
She'd sulkily gone to the rest room to get a grip on her emotions after her Mother had pointed out that the first award she received wasn't enough and how inferior it was to what she'd expected. She'd been hurt, but knew that she shouldn't expect flowery words from the woman who bore her.
But when she'd reached out to TJ, heard his excited voice and soothing words, she knew everything was going to be better. She sighed, wondering where he'd been all her life and what she'd done to deserve someone so beautiful.
"Well, well. If it isn't Africa's very own top hoe. What a pleasant surprise!" A sultry, slightly accented mocking voice cut her off her daydreaming.
She turned to put a face to the voice instantly judging her. Her feet moved back on their own accord when she met her face. Deep, heavily lined catlike orbs greeted her. There was an odd feeling that came with staring at the girl, who albeit was same height as her, was older. She guessed, the girl might put a good two year gap between their age difference.
But that wasn't what left her unsettled, it was her eyes. They took her in behind a sheen of coldness, deeply harbored and nursed for quite a long time. Her silver sprayed hair was a shaved crown over shiny skin, rich in melanin pigments.
The silk silver robe-like gown she had on caressing the slender curves on her body and complimenting her beautiful skin. Chimdi gulped, she'd never seen something so beautiful, yet unnerving. There was an odd energy surrounding the beauty before her, making her try to run for safety.
"Don't bother that pretty skull of yours. You don't know me and you won't because you've broken all links." The strangers chill giving, sultry voice cut her off another reverie.
Chimdi took in a breath - in and out. She could feel sweat form wet beads on her temple and fear crawling at her skin. She didn't like the company, didn't want to have any conversation with the girl before her.
She cleared her throat, trying to put on a friendly smile. She'd avoided the press and silly interviews during the red carpet show, tried her possible best to avoid any gossip worthy show and she wasn't going to stop trying.
"How may I help you?" The skinny girl asked, clutching her cellphone tight.
A mocking cackle followed up her statement. "No honey. You need the help here, not me."
Chimdi respired out.
Okay...
"Look, I do not have an idea if there is a personal history behind your action earlier," she paused. Patting her back internally for sounding so confident, despite the hailstorm going on inside her head. "Honestly, I do not care. If there isn't anything worth listening to, I'd love to get back to my business."
The ice on the girl's stare told Chimdi that she'd struck a nerve.
Serves her right. Some of us know the use of words too.
"The Kijana inside?" the stranger began, a maniacal smile in place. "That's the business you want to attend to?" Her scary cackle came next. Sending icy ripples down Chimdi's spine.
"Ella deserves the spot you're sitting on, feeling all high and mighty," The stranger seethed out through gritted teeth.
Ella's name had Chimdi taking a step out. How could she miss it, why didn't she think that something of such possibility could arise.
Because you've been busy thinking of TJ.
"How does it feel getting the truth shoved to your face?" The strange girl continued. "You ruined her after all she did for you! You stripped her bare, you snake-"
"Stop!" Chimdi gritted out, eyes mirroring fury. "You can't throw accusations my way when you have little or no idea what the truth is."
"The truth? I know it hurts, like your heart right now," The stranger retorted, "the western world says it hurts like a bitch but I'd love to think it slices like the swordsmith's favorite blade. It's sharp edges twisting and turning mercilessly, until it has had it's way."
Chimdi's breathing was becoming far from even. The panic attack was coming back, the event taking place a few feet away from where she stood slowly turning into a distant walk.
"Chimdi?" She heard his voice. It was foreign yet soothing at the moment. A fresh air from the sultry torture she'd been forced to listen to.
She turned to find Omoshola's long strides coming to where she stood. Relief never felt better at the moment.
"Chimdi, what took you-" he halted, taking in the strange girl standing before him.
The look of terror on the skinny girl's face had him alarmed.
"Let's get you out of here." He said, not acknowledging the strange girl.
"Ah! The destined boy toy for tonight." Strange girl sang out, cackling. "Has she told you of her plans for tonight? Are we to expect a savoury worthy news from you too?"
Omoshola kept mute, his eyes on the skinny girl in his arms.
While Chimdi felt the blood slowly leave her upper region. Her greatest fears were being made into a reality and for the first time ever, she'd never felt more helpless. She was forced to cater to a mistake she knew nothing of.
"Let's go, AA is asking for you." The lean and tall model said again, taking Chimdi's arms into his.
"The night's flavor has already fallen prey," strange girl sang out again. Finding amusement in Omoshola's kind display. "Hope she's told you that it's all for one night. Don't get your hopes up, after tonight, you'll remain nothing but a memory used for post-twitter reference," she cackled icily. "Don't say Nebula never warned you."
Nebula... So that's her name.
The name had a distant ring in Chimdi's memory, but she had nothing but a vague memory of where she heard the name from.
"I'm capable of taking care of myself," Omoshola snapped. "You can shove your self pity wherever pleases you."
He turned to Chimdi, who stood there, frozen and unable to fight anymore.
"We should get going. AA might get worried."
Nodding, Chimdi let him lead the way. But not before noticing the icy stare the girl sent her. She had a feeling there was more from where it came from.
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