When the sun shines,
we shine together
Told you I'll be here forever...
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"Please don't tell me you're actually whipping something together for us." TJ held back a groan once he walked into the kitchen.
Just to see Nene, her swim suit replaced with skinny jeans and a peach t-shirt. A good indication that she was all dressed and ready to leave.
The darker girl glanced up, upon hearing his voice, an eye roll accompanying a middle finger was aimed at him. "You should be lucky I'm feeding your sorry ass. Is Jiki back?"
She asked, making her way to the kitchen island with takeaways in both hands.
Out of rage, the fairer boy had driven out without uttering a word of his way about. While Elo had locked himself up after his sister left. Partly finding himself guilty of all she had accused him of doing.
"Not yet." He hoisted himself on the marble island. "I'd rather have you hurling words at me than feeding me."
The darker girl's hand made to her chest, feigning a hurt expression. "Okay that hit straight." She placed a plate before him. "It's not like I'm gonna feed you poison."
"Oh trust me, poison is way better option."
She hit his chest, causing him to yelp. "You idiot! You're lucky I already ordered these. Your ungrateful ass would have gone to bed without food."
His sent her a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes, his hands running through his hair. "You're the best Nens. But I'll save this for later."
He pushed the plate aside.
Nene sighed, plopping beside him. "Have you spoken to her yet?"
"No, she doesn't want to see anyone." His hand made to his neck to relieve it of it's static state. "I can't get my thoughts together knowing that she's in so much pain. It's like she's put up the barricades again, limiting me from reaching out to her."
The darker girl's eyes hardened. "That bitch really pushed her limits this time," she gritted out. "She's so lucky she's related to El, cos God knows, I'd have beaten the living daylight out of her!"
At the mention of Abike, TJ couldn't help but feel a great deal of irritation. He'd never imagined that she'd stoop as low as clapping back with a topic of such sentimental value. He blamed himself for all that had happened, knowing fully well that, Abike's animosity towards Chimdi had something to do with him.
He'd always wished for her to be happy -- always wanted her to be happy, too bad he was doing a shitty job with all that had gone down. He couldn't get the image out of his head, seeing her battling for control, had him undone.
He buried his head into his palm, trying to rid himself of his haunting thought. "This is totally my fault."
"Why the hell do you think it's your fault?" The melanin bombshell queried, staring him straight in the face, her eyes narrowing at him.
"Oh no you didn't! Was this your plan? You had this all planned out with Abike or were you leading her on, thinking you can just do away with her and focus on my best friend?"
The boy's face turned pale. "What the fuck are you saying? You think I'll do such a thing?"
She shrugged. "That's the only thing my brain could put together since you said it's all your fault."
He came down the island, lividly pacing back and forth. "Look Nens, I might be far from a saint, but I'd never think of such. I said it's my fault cos you know..." He stressed his words, feeling a little weird and not in any way proud of what he was about to say. "Abike has a thing or two for me." Nene cocked a brow up at him at the words he just uttered. But he ignored her nonetheless.
"Bottom line is, if she wasn't so hung up on the idea of us being together, she wouldn't have taken things that far."
Nene had a coy smile playing on her lips as she stared at him. "Tell me, how does it feel to have a girl throwing herself at you?" She cocked a brow. "You must think you're the shit right?"
TJ froze, halting mid step. "What- why the hell do you think I'll glory in such?"
"Gotcha!" The darker girl took to laughing, the look on his face, enough to make her day. Her eyes glinted mischievously. "You should've seen your face. You look like you've been fed a gall."
"That's not funny." He glared at her, letting out a relieved breath.
"Aw c'mon. Don't be a sissy, you should be able to handle a joke or two."
He let out a huff. "Too bad it was a little too expensive."
"Hey guys!" Lara walked in, carrying bags filled with groceries with both hands.
TJ gave her a wave. "Wassup." Before sweeping his gaze to the bags in her hand. "So soon?"
She nodded, dropping the bags on top a deep freezer.
"Hey. You got everything on the list?" Nene asked, peeking inside the bags.
Lara had gotten a call from her Mother an hour after the scene Abike had created, to go buy groceries.
"Yeah," she sighed, scrolling though her cellphone. "This country shaa. Can you believe that price of goods has quadrupled just because it's a festive period?"
"It's like the rule of the day." Nene answered with a careless shrug. "Nigerians are bloody opportunists, what did you expect."
"Girl I tire." Lara groaned, leaning against the freezer. "Touch one fresh vegetable and boom, they've called price, claiming that it's dry season. How's Dee by the way? Have you guys spoken to her yet?" Lara's gaze rested on TJ, who shook his no.
"She hasn't agreed to see anyone yet," he replied, defeated. "It kills me slowly knowing that she's hurting and I can't do shit to help out. It feels like I'm being scalded from the inside."
"Awwn," Lara cooed, her eyes softening at the look on his face. "You're so adorable, you know that?"
His face flushed in embarrassment at her words, rubbing his neck awkwardly.
"Alright Larabear, You're making him uncomfortable. The word adorable should be reserved for your stuffed friends only." The darker girl jumped down the island, ignoring Lara's pout while checking her phone when it lit up to a text. "My driver will soon get here. Are you ready Larabear?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know. I don't want to leave here without hearing from Dee," she checked the time piece on her wrist. "The last time she'd been like this was when she had a fallout with Ella. She'd withdrawn from everyone including Jiki." Her fingers played with the chain watch on her wrist. "She was like a whole new being, blocking everyone out. God I swear, if she isn't okay anytime soon, no one's going to stop me from killing a bitch!"
"Me and you both girlfriend," Lara concurred, eyes mirroring just as much fury, as the one on the darker girl's face. "Me and you."
And TJ couldn't help but feel his heart swell up with pride. Happy that Chimdi had friends to look out for her. It was too bad, she wasn't really letting them help.
Nene smiled cynically at the girl. "You don't have to stress yourself b. Your job is to help hide the body, that all."
The quiet girl had dread filling up her face, before shaking the thought off, when it dawned on her that the darker girl had made a joke.
Nene's cellphone alighted to another text and with a groan, she turned to face Lara who knew exactly what the text was for. "He's here already?"
"Sadly, yes. It's so annoying that he's punctual for once in his life only when I don't need him to be." She groaned, obviously annoyed before turning to TJ. "Hey lover boy, promise this to me."
The boy narrowed his eyes at her. Her requests were way over normal sometimes. He didn't know who's head she had her bets on at the moment.
"Trust me, I'm not requesting for John the Baptist's head yet," she teased as if reading his mind, before rolling her eyes at the look on his face. "Promise me you'll take care of her, at least till we get back the next morning."
He nodded, already planning on doing so even before she asked. "Will do."
"Sometimes, I feel like I don't know her at all." She continued, her face mirroring exhaustion. "She's always been closed off and this time, that bitch really dared her creator."
She exhaled, reciting a chakra that she knew would help her keep her calm. "She's gone be okay. She's always been. I don't know why she's always the victim. Those bitches should just let her be and face me if they born them well."
Her driver blared the car's horn to get her attention once more. "We've gotta go TJ." She told the boy, helping Lara with a bag. "You take care of my girl for me, okay?"
"With my life," he cheesed, but couldn't miss the oath behind the words he just uttered.
"You had better," she stalked to where he stood, leaning close enough to whisper to his ears. "You know we haven't had the talk yet right?"
He gave her a look that said he wasn't following. "The talk?"
"Yeah the talk. You know- the 'If you hurt my bitch, I'mma make impotency an issue for you' sort of talk?"
He stilled, reeling with shock at the serious look that replaced the friendly one, she had on seconds ago.
While Lara narrowed her eyes at them, trying to make out words by reading their lips which was a futile mission.
"You get now?" The darker girl asked, the smile on her face dripping with mischief.
"Note taken."
His response was satisfactory.
"Cool. Now you've got my blessing. Don't you dare abuse it." She took steps away from him, turning towards Lara. "Let's go Lara, I don't want Dad to transfer aggression to me. The day is shitty enough."
"What were you guys talking about?" Lara asked suspiciously. Looking between TJ and the darker girl.
The boy looked at Nene before facing Lara. "Umm- stuff?"
"Not that you'll understand, but it's adult talk b, I don't want to stress your brain." The darker girl responded slyly.
TJ nodded in agreement, enjoying that annoyed look on the quiet girl's face.
"You two are idiots." It didn't take long before a laughing Nene dragged an annoyed Lara out of the kitchen, when the horn blared again.
Leaving an amused TJ behind.
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PS: How old were you when you found out that boxing day was for exchanging gifts and not punches? ðððð