Chapter Thirty Two

New year.

Before I would have been so thrilled for it but now, it's starting to feel like just any regular day. I'm grateful to God for life but the thrill and excitement I used to feel is gone probably because in a span of three months my life has been turned upside down.

One thing I'm excited for is to see Andrew again. After New Year, him and his family are coming back, no more business to handle out of the country, at least for now.

Heaven knows I miss him. One month feels like a year without him and it is difficult.

"Victoria!" I heard my name and I turned around.

Miles was standing in my room, a drink in his hand as he beckoned for me to follow him downstairs. "Thirty seconds," he stated and I nodded and followed him.

We were all at my house, his family plus mine and we connected to the live crossover service instead of having to go to church physically.

It's different but what matters is that we're with family. I had left them all downstairs when all their talking was getting too loud for me.

"Where were you?" Mum asked me when I stood beside her.

"My room," I answered and fixed my gaze to the TV.

Soon after everyone started counting down.

"TEN

NINE

EIGHT

SEVEN

SIX

FIVE

FOUR

THREE

TWO

ONE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

I could hardly process what was happening next so I hugged a few people before escaping again, this time dropping my cup on the dining table.

I took the backdoor to the backyard and just in time my phone rang. It was a video call with Andrew, Adrian and Funke.

"Happy New year guys!" I screamed immediately I picked the call.

"Oh," my face dropped when I saw Adrian and Funke kissing. Andrew looked just as mortified as I was.

"Get a room!" I screamed and that did it. They broke from each other, Adrian's face beet red.

"Sorry about that, happy new year!" Funke quickly said as she rearranged her hair.

"Wait," I looked at the call again and I realized that they were using Adrian's phone. "Funke did you travel?" I remember I still met with her after Christmas.

Sometime before Christmas, she left to stay with Adrian's mum since she was home alone. Her mother wasn't in the country either.

"Yeah, last minute, sorry," she grinned.

I rolled my eyes, "whatever. Next time, take your kissing to another screen please."

"Yes, my poor eyes," Drew whined and we all laughed.

"Where are the others?" Adrian asked.

"None of them were online, let me check again." Andrew said.

"Where's Miles?" Funke asked me.

"Inside," I pointed to the house behind me. "It's so loud in there."

James and Maya were together so they joined the call using James line. Zayn, Zack and Ayo joined next using Zayn's line then I added Jo lastly.

Ayo was in New York and so were the twins. Fortunately for Ayo, Jo wasn't in New York so he didn't have to meet her.

"Zayn did you add weight?" I studied his face well, his cheeks were looking fatter than the last time I saw him.

He touched his cheek and his brother and Ayo nodded confirming my thoughts.

"I'm working out now," Zayn said in his defence and I laughed.

"Good luck with that."

We talked for almost thirty minutes before my mother came outside and insisted that I went back inside because of the guests we had.

I reluctantly left the call and dragged myself back inside the house. There wasn't really much to do now, just hang around and talked till the guests left.

"Victoria, your grandmother is coming tommorow morning, can you go pick her up? Please?" Mum asked as I was stepping out of the house.

Miles was going to drop me on his way back home.

"Yeah sure, what time?" I switched hands that I carried my bag on.

"Nine," she answered plainly and I lifted a brow at her.

"Morning or night mum?"

"Sorry, morning." She placed an arm on my back and I opened the passengers door of Miles' car.

"Wait," I placed my bag on the seat as Miles started the car. "Your mum or dad's?"

"Your father's," she answered.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Love you mum," I placed a kiss on her cheek before getting into the car.

"Love you," she closed the door for me. She looked at Miles "Drive safe Miles."

"You got it," Miles saluted with two fingers before reversing and driving off.

"Do you hate your mother's mother or what?" Miles asked as he drove.

"Nope," I clicked in my seatbelt. "You know she's the Nigerian and she's all big on tradition. When I'm greeting her I have to kneel down and I have to speak Yoruba, compulsorily." I groaned, my mind going back to my previous times with her. "But my dad's mother, she's like the cool one, you know being American and all that." I smiled at the thought of my Nana. "Also, I can call her Nana. Once upon a time I called my mother's mother Nana and she nearly wanted to kill me if not that my mother had to explain that it's the same thing as grandma," I laughed at the memory.

"She sounds like the tough one, I don't know if I want to meet her," Miles laughed.

"But she's kind of fun though, in her own way." I turned down the air conditioning a little since I was starting to get cold. "Don't worry, you're fully American so she won't expect much from you."

The rest of the drive to the house was spent making small talk and when he finally got to my house I said a quick goodnight before stepping down from the car.

***

The next morning on my way to the airport my mother called to tell me that Nana's didn't fly in again, that she had to stay back to handle some other things at home so I angrily drove to work.

The rest of the day was filled with work and I didn't leave the office until it was seven in the evening and it was only because Andrew had called me and when I told him that I was still in the office, he begged me to go back home.

When Saturday rolled in, I walked to a bar and for no reason in particular, I got myself drunk. At least I didn't go on a Sunday night like the other times.

Shot after shot and when I was about taking the tenth or maybe ninth one, it got snatched from my hand.

"Hey!" I protested, ready to yell at whoever took my drink but stopped when I saw Miles' face. "What the hell Miles?" I reached for the drink in his hand but he stretched it far from my grip.

"Okay, that's enough. Why are you even drinking?" he took out some cash and dropped it on the counter." He draped my hand over his shoulder before holding me by my waist and lifting me up from the stool, taking my phone and purse with him. "Come on, let's go." He dragged me with him.

"Wait," I used all my strength to push him away then reached for the shot that I hadn't taken before and downed it. "Okay now we can go," I grinned at Miles just as I felt myself falling.

Before I could reach the floor, Miles caught me, cursing to himself.

"Did you and Andrew fight?" Miles told me to rest on my car while he took out my key from my purse then unlocked my car.

"Nope," I shook my head. "Can't I decide to get drunk again?"

He looked at me then shook his head before assisting me into the car and buckling in the seatbelt.

When he was in the driver's seat he adjusted the seat so he could drive comfortably and that only reminded me of Andrew and the times he would do that when he wanted to drive my car.

I giggled at the memory causing Miles to look at me with a confused look.

I wove my hand dismissively and reached for my phone, in my drunk haze it took me a while to unlock it but I shoved it at Miles, "play some music." I ordered.

He took the phone from me, "I'm driving Victoria." He only glanced at me once as his gaze still remained on the road. "I don't want us to crash."

"But I want music!" I whined and he pushed the radio button and an unknown song began playing from the radio.

I don't know how but I turned to the window and closed my eyes and the next thing I knew was that Miles was unbuckling my seatbelt and carrying me out of the car.

"Can you walk?" He asked when he noticed I had opened my eyes.

"Yes," I nodded and he let me go, his arms still out to hold me. I took one step forward and it felt like the ground was shifting so I held unto him, griping his bicep for dear life. "Okay, I can't." I shook my head slightly.

"Alright, I got you," he picked me up bridal style, his body warmth engulfing me.

I smiled and leaned more into him, resting my head on his shoulder. Moments after he laid me on my bed and just as he pulled away from me I held his hand, stopping him.

"Stay with me," I requested.

He looked around for a second then his eyes scanned my body then back up to my face. "I don't think that's a great idea," he helped me out of my shoes before pulling the comforter over my body.

"I want you to stay Miles," I said, my voice stronger now. "Please." I didn't know what I was doing but all I knew was that I wanted him beside me.

He sighed, "okay. I'll be in the next room."

"No!" I said in a rush holding unto him again. "I want you to stay here," I patted the spot beside me.

He looked at my hand on the bed and shook his head, "I'm too young to die Victoria. I'll be in the next room okay?" He got out of my grip and I watched him walk out of the room.

Immediately the door closed behind him, I felt the contents of my stomach make an attempt to leave so I rushed out of bed, slightly hitting my head on the bathroom door frame in the process, and puked my guts out into the toilet.

When I was done I flushed and rinsed my mouth then splashed warm water on my face. I dragged myself back to the bedroom and just in time Miles walked back into the room with a glass of water.

I grabbed it from him in a flash and finished it's contents in one go. "Thank you," I set the glass on my night stand and laid back on the bed.

Miles was helping to tuck me into bed again when I stopped him once again and complained that I needed to get out of the dress I was wearing. It was making me uncomfortable.

"Just get me some sweats, please?" I began to take off the dress and I heard him move.

He came back with one of my sweatpants and a T-shirt. I took it from him and noticed that his eyes widened and he quickly looked away.

I was in nothing but my matching underwear and bra and I was about to take off my bra.

I laughed, "stop acting like you haven't since a half naked woman before Miles."

"I'm pretty sure sober you wouldn't like me to see you half naked," he said with his back still to me.

"Who said?" I stood up. "You never know Miles."

"Victoria, you're drunk, don't tempt me." He looked up at the ceiling.

I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, the only piece of clothing on my body being my underwear. "I don't want you to hold back," I pressed my chest against his back and I heard him suck in a breath.

"What the fuck are you doing Victoria?" He held my hand that held him. "Stop."

"Stop being a pussy Miles, you want this just as much as I do." I slowly began to take off his shirt and for a second he didn't stop me until he turned around and his eyes widened when he saw that I wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Victoria," he warned as he pried my hands off him. "Stop, please." His eyes remained on my face.

"I don't want to stop Miles," I stood on my tip toes and pressed my lips against his.

He held my face and pulled away for a second before pressing his lips back on mine, kissing me with so much passion.

After a moment he pulled away, his breathing ragged. "No, we can't do this, you're drunk. In the morning you'll hate me for this."

He began to pull away from me and my face dropped. "Miles."

"No, I don't want to take advantage of you Victoria. If by morning, you still want this and I'm positive you are completely sober, then I won't hold back."

With that he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and I stood there with disappointment written allover me.

***

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