Chapter 25: Chapter 25

~Jade~

Zee's room was locked when I got home. That's absurd because Zee rarely locks her door. Maybe she went out. I thought as I made it to leave her room, then I heard a sob from her room. I knocked louder.

'Zee, are you inside?'

No answer

'Zee! Zee!! Zee!!!'

I was only answered by silence. I turned to see Saheed entering his room. I followed him inside.

'What's wrong with Zee?'

I asked him immediately we were inside his room. He heaved a sigh and sat on his bed.

'Our parents told her the truth'

I staggered a little.

'What truth?'

My voice shook as I asked.

'The strange woman that came was right. She's Zee's mother'

I staggered and stumbled. Saheed grabbed me before I hit the floor. My eyes were blurry for a while and he took me to his bed.

'That can't be true' I said, shaking my head. 'No No No. That's a lie. What kind of ridiculous trick are you guys pulling?'

Saheed kept staring at me, his brows furrowed.

'It's the truth, Jade. I've always known.'

No-no-no. This can't be true. I need to leave. I can't stay in this room a minute longer than this. I feel suffocated. How can Zee not be my elder sister? We looked alike. We have the same nose. We grew up together. I don't remember any moment of my life without Zee. I stood up to leave the room. I turned the doorknob and made it go out, my eyes became blurry and the room started spinning in front of my eyes. I fell into Saheed's hands as everything blacked out.

When I came to, I was on my bed. I immediately attempted to stand but my head hurt like crazy.

'Take it easy' Saheed said, giving me a cup of water and pain relief. I did not collect it.

'Where is Zee? I need to see her.'

I attempted to stand up again but he pulled me back.

'Just listen to me okay. Zee doesn't want to see anybody right now.'

I'm not anybody though.

'What of mom and dad? They should come and explain what all this is about.'

'They've gone to the hospital. Mom's blood pressure increased. She......'

I blocked out whatever it is he was going to say by my cries. I did not remember the last time I cried, maybe when Grandma died. I continued sobbing and Saheed gathered me in his arms and started consoling me.

This can't be true. This must be a dream. I want to badly wake up from this dream. I can't breathe like this, I can't live like this. Oh, God.

Saheed forced me to take the pain reliever and a sleep inducer.

I should have slept peacefully but I kept dreaming, about my childhood days with Zee, about everything about us.

Oh God!!!

I can't handle this.

*******

I keep slipping in and out of consciousness. When I came to, it was almost noon the next day and my whole body hurts. I stood up gingerly from my bed, my head hurting like a group of angry players were throwing bats around in it. I opened my door and stepped out. I noticed Zee's room was opened so I entered quickly. It took me a minute to realize that she was lying on her bed. She looked so frail and small and my heart cut staring at her helpless figure on the bed.

'Hey sis' She said and smiled. 'Oh, except that we're not sisters afterall. We're stepsisters.'

She smiled again and her smile flattered as she drift out of consciousness. I realized Saheed must have induced her. I moved closer to her, sat down her side at e, and caressed her face. Her whole body was hot. Too hot.

What does she mean by we're stepsisters?

I thought as I stood up to go and search for Saheed. I needed answers to everything. Saheed was writing something in his notepad when I got to his room.

'What does Zee means by she is my step sister? She is dad's daughter?'

'it's a long story. Come and sit down if you're up to it.'

I settled on the floor, leaning against the door.

'The woman that came was dad's secretary Nineteen years ago. They had an affair that led to a pregnancy. The woman wanted dad to marry her and update her status to that of a second wife. Dad did not want that. That situation threatened to ruin mom and dad's marriage. Mom took me away from home. It was a major blow to dad. When the woman eventually gave birth, she gave birth to a girl, and then she didn't want the baby again. Grandma collected the child, Mom returned home after a series of apologies and she decided to raise Zee. She chose to.'

So that's the story. Dad, who I never thought could glance at another woman once cheated on mom, that led to Zee, and now, her supposed mother is back to claim her? Is this a drama?

We suddenly heard a loud gurgling sound from Zee's bedroom. We both stood up and hurried to her room. She was leaning over her toilet bowl, vomiting.

'Are you okay?'

I asked and moved closer to her. I saw a paracetamol pack on the floor near her bed. It was empty. I looked at Saheed and his eyes mirrored mine. Zee has swallowed an overdose of paracetamol. It happened very fast. Saheed quickly carried Zee and started running towards the car pack.

'I'll follow you.'

I said to him once he put Zee in his car.

'No, you wait at home. Or better still, go to Hana's house or Aunty Shade's house. There's no guarantee we will be back today.'

He said hurriedly and drove out. My mind was in turmoil as I entered the house. I can't stay here alone. I needed to be out of here. I went upstairs to pack my overnight bag while sobbing.

******

~Uthman~

I stayed up till like 11 am talking and watching a film with my stepmom. When I lather retired to my room, I wasn't sleepy yet so I decided to browse through Instagram. Dan just uploaded a picture of him and Hana and he tagged her, I clicked on her username. I knew I wasn't interested in her account or profile, I instantly went in search of Jade's picture, she was putting on another off-shoulder top. I smiled, she must like off-shoulder clothes. It was a picture she took in a park, she was smiling widely in the picture. I smiled at the picture and clicked on her username. She has just three pictures on her IG account, one was the picture she took when she won the Nelson Mandela Essay Competition, the second one was the picture she took with the crazy girl, her elder sister, they looked alike and I couldn't help but compare their looks together, her elder sister has a wild beauty but for Jade, there was a mild innocence to her beauty, she has a baby face and would easily pass for a 12-year-old except that she has curves a 12-year-old don't dare have, the last one was the one Hana uploaded. I followed her without thinking much of it. I was about to fall asleep when WhatsApp notified me of a message from Dan. I opened WhatsApp. He wanted me to follow him to Hana's place the next day, I initially declined but on second thought, I decided to go because who knows?

Jade might be there.

*****

Hana was waiting for us by their house gate when we got there

"Hey, Guys. Come this way." She was putting on a bum short and as she walked in front of us, I followed Dan's eyes as he stared at the point where the bum short stopped.

"Hmm, just take it easy, hmm, You're still too young for your thoughts to be trailing to the things they are trailing too."

I whispered to his ears, he smiled and whispered back.

"There's no too young when you're with the right person."

I rolled my eyes as we get to the vendor and sat down on the chairs arranged in a semi-circle.

"I'll be back guys, let me get you something to drink."

She said and left. She returned with chilled Hollandia your gout and chin. She served us.

"So, how are you?"

Dan asked her and she smiled.

"I'm fine. Hope you guys are fine too?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you said Jade is here, where is she?"

Dan asked and I felt my heart beat a little faster. At least I will get to see her.

"She's inside. She is not in a very good mood so......"

'That's a first. Is she okay?' Dan asked again.

"Hmm, just some family stuff, she'll be fine."

Hmm. The rest of the evening passed in a blur. We spent more than 3 hours in the vendor and Jade did not come out at all. I wondered what could be wrong with her. She's always so spirited and..... I hope she gets through this sha.

We left around 5 pm and while driving, I asked Dan the question that has been on my lips since.

"How did you know you like Hana?"

Dan turned to look at me, his eyebrow creasing.

"Why do you ask? Are you finally liking Michelle?"

I groaned.

"Just answer the question."

"Well, I kept thinking about her. I've always known that she's a pretty one but I did not think much of her because I think she'll be the same as Jade. But after our, you know.."

He trailed off and smiled.

"just continue."

"After that, I kept thinking about her, there'll be like 10 girls in a room and the only one I'd notice would be her. I longed to be with her, to touch her, hug, just be in her presence, you know... those things."

I turned from the road to look at me, he'd this dreamy expression on his face. I smiled but it was a smile that did not reach my eyes.

If all these were the signs of liking someone, then I'm pretty sure I like Jade I'm probably starting to like her.

God damn it!!!

*****

~Jade~

"They left already."

Hana told me as she entered the room. I was facing the wall and I was not even interested in that piece of information at all.

"Have you spoken to your brother?"

She asked again.

"He's not picking up my calls."

My voice was throaty from excessive crying.

"God! Jade, listen to your voice. Don't kill yourself and your brother already called me, he told me that you should not worry and that I should take care of you."

I nodded and she came over to sit beside me.

"Jade, stop crying. I'm sure everything will work out fine."

I sat up.

"How will everything work out? Zee attempted to kill herself. I don't even know what state mom is. Everything is so messed up. I thought my family was perfect but look at us now, look at where we are now.."

My voice cut and I started crying. I let Hana console me.

How on earth was I supposed to grow through this?