Chapter 18: Chapter 18

"What did we just do?" Alice breathes out slowly as she, like the rest of us, stares wide-eyed at the screen of the laptop seated in front of us. I swallow hard.

My friends and I are huddled up on my bed, each transfixed to her spot as a spine chilling soundtrack plays out with the end credits of the horror movie we just saw flashing red on the screen.

I cannot count the amount of horror movies I've seen all my life but this one...this one got me scared silly. And what's worse?

The idiotic movie ended with the child protagonist growing up and settling with his wife and little daughter. Only for him to go into the basement with his daughter and get stabbed in the chest by the same dreadful evil entity.

The movie ended just after we screamed! How is that a normal end note for a horror movie?!

"This is why I don't watch horror movies," Melody whines, abruptly closing the laptop without even switching it off. I turn to glare at her.

"If you wreck my computer, I'll feed you to entity," I threaten and she moves away from me. Entity is the title of the movie.

"Gee, the title of that movie is an understatement," Lima utters, looking at us.

"Heck, that one named 'the thing behind you' sounded a lot scarier," I state truthfully. It was because of Melody's extreme fear for horror movies that we chose the one with a less scarier title and cover photo. How wrong...

Lima's phone rings and she answers the call immediately as though she had been anticipating it.

"Hello? Are you outside now?" she asks the person on the other end. I find myself arching a brow.

"I'm coming," she says as she picks up her bag and starts toward the door. The sound of a throat clearing gains her attention as she places her phone in her bag. Three pairs of questioning eyes are settled on her and she shakes her head in amusement.

"Gossip mongers. I need to meet Jasper," she jeers before hurrying out of the room. Her statement leaves me stunned and I find myself turning to Melody with a frown.

"So she goes out with everything that's not a girl." It comes out more as a statement than a question and Alice winces at my words. I roll my eyes at her.

"Is anyone gonna say anything?" I inquire, passing them an interrogative look. Okay, I don't know why but I'm really upset that she's doing all this and her friends can't even confront her.

"Come on Belle, let's just leave Lima to do her thing," Melody cajoles and Alice nods. Really? They are not at all upset that she is dating every guy? Including Jasper?

Wait, why did I add that part? Hmph.

"What? She's dating Ayo, dating N.C, dating Jasper? Who else?" I press on, ignoring the pout on Melody's face.

"We've tried okay? We have. But she won't listen," Alice states and releases a sigh.

What if she's dating one of your boyfriends?

Melody suddenly chokes on her drink and my brows knit in confusion. Wait...

My eyes expand. I said that out loud.

"Okay I trust Simon," Alice nods repeatedly.

"If I had a boyfriend, she would respect the fact that he's taken," Melody chips in and I nod slowly before speaking.

"Just like she respects the fact that Jasper has a girlfriend," I say slowly, still nodding my head as if piecing the puzzle. The looks of shock on their faces makes mine contort.

"What, you don't know?" Melody shakes her head and Alice follows suit when I look at her. I speak again.

"I met her before Christmas and boy, is she annoying. Her name is um...yeah, Aramide," I tell them but instead of any form of recognition, even greater surprise masks their faces.

Melody snorts moments later, saying, "how annoying is she?"

I scoff. "She thinks I'm hitting on her boyfriend," I state with a catatonic expression and Melody chortles.

"Are you serious?" Alice asks with a hint of disbelieve in her voice. If I didn't know better, I would say Alice looks betrayed. Is there something I'm not getting?

This thought brings a question to mind and I blurt it out before giving much thought to it.

"Why do you and Jasper have the same framed drawings in your houses?" Something flickers in Alice's eyes but disappears quickly.

"What framed drawings?" she arches a brow, feigning ignorance. Melody simply looks from me to her and sips her juice through the straw noisily.

"Really? You don't have to play dumb, Alice. I saw the same frame that is hanging in your personal sitting room in Jasper's house," I tell her. She looks a little short of words but clears her throat.

"Maybe we accidentally bought the same painting," she shrugs but I shake my head stubbornly.

"Jasper drew that," I state and she steals a glance at Melody.

"You want to know the truth? Fine," she starts. "When Jasper first came to Nigeria two years ago, we kinda dated. But it was short lived," she expounds, much to my astonishment. I look at Melody and from her pursed lips, I know this is not a new story to her. I face Alice again.

"Why was it short lived?" I question and a sceptical look crosses her face.

"I don't know if I should disclose that," she says, looking away.

"What do you mean?"

"If I tell you what happened, it might create a rift in this group." Heh? Now she has confused me even more.

Do I really know the group I'm in?

I scoff. "Now you've lost me." Melody clears her throat, gaining our attention. She signals Alice to just tell me and Alice sighs.

"Halima got his attention," she finally says but quickly adds, "but don't let that make you hate her more." I am taken aback by the revelation but the last statement hits me harder. I shake my head as though I am clearing a fog that is preventing me from hearing her correctly.

"Make me what?"

Melody scoffs at my reaction as if what Alice just said is even more obvious than the fact that she has a juice glass in her hand.

"Look, we have always known you and Lima dislike each other okay? So there's no need to hide it from us. Lima can be annoying, truth be told." She nods when she says the last part. I am so confused right now, I am almost rendered speechless until I remember something.

"So that's why you talked about that status thing that day." It's more of a statement. Heck I'm a good thinker. But wait, what?!

I scoff. "I can't believe you actually think I hate Lima. Okay, hate is a strong word," I vent. They pass me unsure looks and Alice speaks up.

"Really? We saw the way you two almost ripped each other apart with your eyes at the parking lot."

"Look, Lima tries to get on my nerves sometimes but that doesn't mean I dislike her. If I did, I wouldn't be friends with her. I'm only concerned that she's dating more than one guy at a time. Do they even know about it? Does Ayo know about it?" I only care about Ayo because he seems to be the innocent one among the three boys. Melody chuckles.

"Who doesn't know the kind of girl Lima is? That's why we're hardly worried. These boys know what she's capable of, yet they date her. If I were you, I would stop bothering." She sips her juice and picks up her phone. A smile crawls up her lips as she stares at her phone―which isn't even turned on―and mumbles something along the lines of 'yet she gets so insecure'.

"Sorry what?" I ask and she looks up. There is something different about her countenance; something I have never seen before.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking about the fact that the guy you're getting so worked up about doesn't exactly deserve it." Her statement takes me unawares. Why is she talking like that? There is an undertone in her voice that is bordering on anger.

Alice rubs her hand and she scowls at her before looking back at me. This part of Melody, I must say, is scary.

"W-why would you say that?" My voice comes out in sputters. Alice comes in.

"Because Ayo actually left her for Lima." BANG! A deafening silence blankets us as I just sit there, staring from Alice to Melody, dumbfounded.

"Why?" I manage to whisper after about a minute. I continue when they don't respond. "Why are you still friends with her?"

Alice sighs while Melody shrugs. Melody speaks.

"What's the use de-friending her? Or the boys for that matter. Lima has big issues, I know but she's still a very loveable person and we can't just dump our almost livelong friendship because of her hiccups." The anger in her voice has dissipated and her usual bubbly voice is back.

I must say, the amount of revelations that has been dumped on me in just one day has knocked me for a loop but the feeling of guilt that is gradually settling within is completely unexpected.

"Girls, I'm sorry," I bite my lip and they gape at me. "I forced you to tell me things you probably didn't want to. Plus, I suddenly feel like I'm actually the rift in this group," I admit my feelings.

"First of all, how the coconuts can you force us to talk? Well, you can if you're armed but...you can't even lift a fork at a fly," Melody jives in her crazy voice, making us throw our heads back in laughter.

Alice adds, "second of all, how the pineapples can you ever think you're a problem? Lima needs time to get used to the fact that another person has been added to the group and that that person is one hot babe." I smile at that. We stare at ourselves before bursting into laughter.

"But wait..." We stop to hear Alice out. "...how did you know about the frame?"

"Oh, the day I did math with him. Yeah." I nod and they bob their heads in remembrance. I chuckle as I reminisce the events of that day; especially when dad interrogated me.

"What's up?" Melody asks as I smile.

"Nah, nothing much. Just remembering how my dad came home early only to discover that I was missing and my mum didn't know my whereabouts." Their eyes are now bright with excitement as they listen with keen interest.

Newsflash, not because they care about my wellbeing but because, being the gossip mongers they are, they want to know if I got thrashed or was asked to kneel down, raise my hands and close my eyes for two hours straight.

I scowl at them and continue. "No, I did not get beaten or punished. My dad only asked where I was with this hard look that screamed 'if you lie, you die'. But I told him I went for an assignment with a classmate," I narrate and Melody pouts.

"Oh. That's a little disappointing," she states, earning a glare from me. She laughs.

"Good thing he's okay with you doing homework with boys." Alice wiggles her eyebrows and Melody makes sharp nods with her head.

"Uh, I didn't tell him who the classmate was."

"Why?" Melody asks amidst giggles.

"What? Remember the dinner? My dad thinks he's an insolent kid. And he already seems to be harbouring some kind of believe that I have something to do with him," I expound and our laughter intensifies.

"Simply because he stared at you?" Alice asks in a high pitched voice.

I lift my palms skyward with a shrug. "Well, why was he staring at me when he was being questioned about his bad attitude?!" I ask in the same pitch. Melody keels over in mirth. I try to control my laughter but with the way my friends are bursting at the seams, I fail.

"Thanks for accepting me girls," I say truthfully after we have managed to control ourselves. They smile but Melody gasps suddenly, startling us.

"What's wrong?" I ask in alarm.

With wide eyes, she says, "I just remembered Entity." Argh! Leave it to Melody to bring back such scary history. Alice grimaces and we both shout at the same time...

"Mel!"

***

"Is that Owl City's west coast friendship I hear?" I ask, beaming at Nes as I walk out of the kitchen. She scowls at me and my grin widens. "I thought you always complain that I like the guy too much?" To be honest, I don't even know what he looks like.

With a scoff, she defends, "you made me like the song!"

"Oh really?" I give her a mischievous look and she frowns and looks away.

"When I wipe the tears from my eyes

The warm water took me by surprise

And I woke up beside the ocean

I re-alised

I must be in California..." I sing along and take happy steps past Nes, making sure she sees me.

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes, causing me to laugh.

"So, do his songs make you fantasize too?" I question and she reluctantly nods in affirmation. "Awwn," I coo as I flop down on the couch beside her.

"What other songs of his do you have?"

She looks at me to see if I'm still trying to mock her and replies when she does not find me wanting. "‘Be brave’ and, I think ‘Madeline island’," she says and I gasp.

"You have ‘Be brave’? Send it to me!" I exclaim. "I don't know the other one," I mumble.

"Oh you should totally listen to that one," she says, now excited. She transfers the songs to my phone and I make a mental note to play the new one soon.

A call comes into my phone and I answer it.

"Hi," I say with a slight smile.

"Is it K?" Nes whispers, earning an eye roll from me.

"I'll be at the junction in five," Kunle says and I mutter an 'okay' before ending the call.

"What's up?" Nes asks eagerly.

"Nothing," I shrug. "I'm going out with a friend. I'll be back on time." I stand up to leave but Nes' next words halt me in my tracks.

"You and Jasper are finally together?" I turn around in bewilderment.

"Didn't you get it when I told you he has a girlfriend?" I ask, shocked at her insistence on shipping for me and Jasper. Heck, there has never even been any sign of likeness between us!

"Uh, I don't speak Spanish," Nes deadpans and my nose scrunches up in confusion. She sticks her tongue out.

"You know what, whatever," I state. She scoffs loudly.

"Babe, we both know Aramide is a bitch," Nes fires, making my eyes expand.

"Agnes!" Okay, I know the girl is as annoying as hell but she shouldn't lead us to utter profanities. She's kind of not worth it.

"What? It's true," she insists as she crosses her legs and focuses on her phone. If only she knew even Lima is in the picture. I shake my head.

"Say what now?" Her head snaps up. Err... Crap. I face palm, realising I just blurted out something I’m not supposed to say.

"Uh, nothing."

"Uh, something. What about Halima?" she queries with a questioning glare.

"Nothing. She uh... she kinda likes Jasper?" It comes out more as a question. I just had to give her a part of the truth because I'm not very good at lying when it comes to her―and Jasper, I figured.

"Oh my gosh, are you serious?!" Her eyes are big from utter shock. I wince. I shouldn't be saying this.

"I'll see you later," I squeak and run off, denying her the chance to utter a word.

As I walk past the Lawrence's front lawn, I descry someone staring at me from the front porch. Impulsively, I shift my gaze in that direction only to be met with those unmistakable grey orbs. He may have very similar eyes to Luke but something about his own makes them distinct to me.

He has an unreadable expression on his face. We lock gazes for a bit but I buckle under his intense stare and break eye contact. My brows slowly pull closer as I wonder why he is staring like that.

On a normal day, there would always be a reaction to clear the confusion about what is going on in his head but today, there's nothing. I clutch my bag tighter as I suddenly feel too conscious of myself. What is wrong with him?

"Hello gorgeous," Kunle greets once he sees me, making me flush.

"Hi, the one with the sugar-coated tongue," I reply, making him laugh. I have always known that Kunle is one to sweet talk all the time and I should probably be careful around him or even avoid him altogether but I'm enjoying this new phase of my life. At least I'm not a baby.

"Hop in," Kunle says, bringing me back to reality. He pushes himself up from his leaning position as I walk to the other side of the car.

"Where are we going?" I ask as he makes a turn at a T junction. He glances at me and continues driving.

"What's with you people and keeping someone in suspense?" I whine when I discover he’s not going to answer me.

"Who else keeps you in suspense?"

"Uh... No one."

"Well, one way or the other, you'll know where we are going." I huff at his response.

Minutes later, we are seated at a table for two in 355 restaurant. I am having nacho veggies with grape wine while he is having just chicken with an alcoholic wine. I look up to see him staring at me. Slowly, I purse my lips to be sure there's nothing weird on them. When I feel nothing, I clear my throat.

"What?"

He simply shakes his head. "Why won't you taste this wine? It's great," he coaxes, earning an eye roll from me. His attitude reminds me of Jasper but I will not fall for it this time. I'm not taking any chances with this one.

"No thank you, bro," I state and he laughs.

"You look beautiful," he comments and my eyes dart to him. I give a flustered smile before looking down again. A cool song replaces the boring one that just finished playing and I espy his expression light up.

"You know this song?" he asks me and I shake my head.

"Well, can I have this dance?" I look up to see his hand stretched towards me. After a few seconds of reluctance, I take his hand and we join the people dancing close by.

"What's the name of the song?" I ask once we are on the dance floor.

"Mad over you," he replies and flashes me a charmed smile.

A few seconds into the dance, I realise something: I can't dance to the song. I begin to flash Kunle a pleading smile and he gets the hint. We walk awkwardly back to our seat and chat through the rest of the lunch. But there is a problem...

I can't get Jasper's stare out of my head.