Chapter 19: Chapter 19

JASPER'S POV

I wake up with a throbbing headache. Even though the light from outside cannot penetrate the dark curtains on the windows, my eyes burn when I open them. I squeeze them shut to ease the burning sensation and feel around with my hand for my phone. Once I get it, I put it on. 7:31am.

Trying to lift myself to a sitting position with one hand, I fall back down when searing pangs shoot through my head only to bang it against the headboard.

"Shit!" I curse through gritted teeth. I almost scream when the pain triples but press my face into a pillow.

Slowly, I feel my body begin to shake and then it clicks. I need to call that idiot.

I manage to pick up my phone and dial Flash's number. He picks up after the third ring.

"What's up, stupid? Why you dey call?" he says in his usual annoying voice.

"I need that stuff, man. Have you gotten it?" I ask impatiently.

"Uh―" I cut him off.

"Please don't give me any excuses right now. It's been three whole days," I plead, making him chuckle.

"Calm down, hungry boy. You know say you na my man, abi? So, I got it but... there's one that can do double―" I cut him off again.

"I'm coming to get it. I don't need double," I state and he huffs. He has been trying to pull me deeper into this whole mess I found myself but I won't let him.

"What a baby. Look man, what's your stress? You're already in this," he tries the same line he has always used for me and as usual, it's not working. I take in an annoyed breath, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"This is the farthest I'll go," I mutter.

"There’s no such thing. You're in this; you're in it. It only gets better, boy. What are you trying to do anyway? Play the good boy? Daddy's son? Get off your fucking high horse!" he scolds, making my jaw clench. Asshole. He only said 'daddy's son' just to aggravate me. He knows how much I hate those words. I bite my lip to stop myself from cursing him.

"Just get me what I asked for," I growl into the phone as I feel my eyes drooping.

"Whatever, man. Soon, you'll ask for more." I hang up without responding and pull myself off the bed with all my might. Those words somehow, stung.

My phone beeps and I push my hair off my face as I grudgingly pick it up.

Halim:

Hey handsome, still sleeping?

I throw the phone back on the bed as I am too weak to type a reply. I need no soothsayer to tell me that Halima wants us to go out. She cannot live a day without making contact with a male human that is not that palooka of a brother she has.

Ayo must be out of town or something. And N.C must be too busy gallivanting with some new chic to pay attention to her. So I'm the last resort. It surprises me how I'm always available whenever she calls.

I mentally chuckle at the thought of Aramide finding out that another girl is all over her boyfriend as I zip up my grey sweater and walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

Aramide would definitely claw out Halim's eyes but knowing Halim, she’s also equal to the task. Plus, there's no denying that Mide sees other guys too. I almost broke up with her one time when I saw her stepping out of an older man's car. Girls...

A few minutes later, I rush down the stairs, pulling my hood over my head and hoping to get out without having to talk to anyone. But just as I am about to reach the door, I hear the only voice that can set my blood boiling with just a word. I close my eyes and try to put on a neutral expression.

"Where to this early?" dad asks as I turn around. And why are you still home at this time?, I want to ask but swallow instead.

"I need to get something from someone. Good morning sir," I greet, looking down. Mum comes into view and I raise my head a little and greet her too, bending it back immediately.

"Honey are you okay?" mum asks and I nod immediately, still not looking at either of them.

"Why do you look uneasy?" I want to yell at dad for acting as if he cares but mutter 'nothing' instead.

"And your voice is a little hoarse," mum observes, aggravating me even more. This is why I didn't want to meet anyone. I'm sure my eyes are getting red by now.

"I need to go."

"We need to talk." Dad and I say at the same time. My heart drops. NOT NOW!

"I'll be―" I begin but dad clears his throat, signalling me to stop and obey. I unwillingly follow them to the sitting room, wishing the morning could just zap past but hoping I would survive even that.

***

The gravel make crunching noises under my black palms as I walk around the building where I usually meet Flash. Thinking about the name, I wonder how a couple would have a child and name him Flash. I wanted to address him by his tribal name; Kunle, when I learned it but discovered that I was stuck to calling him Flash.

I turn around when I hear footsteps behind me. Relief washes over me but anger pushes its way in when I see Flash with Ola. Ugh. This guy just had to bring his stupid older brother.

"Guy, you kept us oo," Flash complains as we shake hands.

"Sorry. My dad delayed me," I explain and Ola chuckles. I glare at him and he shakes his head, returning the glare. He hates me and to be honest, the feeling is mutual. He’s twenty-five yet he has no self respect. I guess the ghetto lifestyle was sucked deep into his head. He claims I'm too egotistic and disrespectful but it's not my fault that his life is so messed up, his only and greatest achievement in life is that he holds the medal for sniffing the greatest amount of cocaine in one night among his equally good-for-nothing friends. I can’t wait for the day I'll finally snap and tell him this.

"Here," Flash hands me a small leather bag containing what I asked for. He pulls a small pack out of his pocket and passes me a mischievous smile. I scowl at him and he hisses.

I tighten my grip on the bag and start to walk past them. I don't have the time for this. I hear Ola say something in pidgin and Flash shouts.

"Guy, you don't want this one?" I turn to see Flash wiggling the pack in front of his face.

"Kunle, you sef you dey craze oo. Person say e no want, why you come dey do like say your ear deaf?" (Flash you are crazy. Why are you acting deaf when someone says he does not need what you are giving him?) Ola scolds and Flash glares at him. He continues.

"The boy na oyimbo pikin. See, e no even sabi speak pidgin, haba!" (He’s a foreigner. He can't even speak pidgin!) Giving the scumbag my hardest glare, I turn and walk away.

I hope I don't meet dad at home anymore.

I can't believe he actually disrupted my movement just to talk about some stupid university he wants me to go in America. It only took the grace of God for me to not collapse in front of them.

Sometimes, I wish I had died that day instead. I close my eyes and take in deep breaths, pushing the memory out of my head as I walk down the street, back to my house.

At 2pm, I’m standing outside my house and dialling Halim's number. She picks after the first ring.

"Hello? Oh yeah, you're outside right?" she asks on the other end. "I'm coming," she adds and hangs up. I didn't have to say a word. With a sigh, I place my phone in the pocket of my jean trousers. Today has been a tough day and I hope going somewhere will help me feel better.

After about a minute, she meets me and we hop into my car.

"Mmm, new car perfume. I like it," she comments and I give her a blank stare.

"I've been trying to get my dad to buy me a car but he keeps saying I need to turn eighteen first. How annoying is that?" she rambles on, much to my annoyance.

"As annoying as you sound right now," I deadpan, earning a hard glare from her. I roll my eyes. I am in no mood to talk about her needs right now. Just because mum bought me a car―against dad's wish of course―on my last birthday, Halima won't stop bugging her father to get her one.

"Sometimes I hate you," she mumbles as I pull out of the driveway, onto the road.

"Most times I hate you," I fire and hear her gasp. I’m sure she didn't expect me to say that but today is such a bad day, I don't care what I say to her.

"Yet you're going out with me," she states, looking intently at me.

"Look Halim, we are just friends alright?" I tell her and notice she gives an eye-roll.

"Yeah, and you still call me Halim. Totally just friends. And we practically kissed the other day. Still just friends," she says with a shrug and my eyes flit to her. I narrow them at her before facing the road again.

"Why do you have to cause an argument whenever we’re together?" I ask but she remains silent. I continue.

"We went out, you stubbornly took a drink that was too strong for you and the next thing, you're all over me." My voice grows louder. "Why can't you do without boys? Is it the attention? Ayo alone can give that to you! Or is there something you're looking for?" I am panting a little when I stop talking.

I have no idea why I am angry or why I'm venting it on her but I think she needs to know the truth.

"Maybe there is," she mumbles, earning a hard look from me.

"What?" We are now at the parking lot of New Town mall; a new mall that was opened just last week.

"Maybe there is something I'm looking for," she says, a little louder this time. As I turn off the engines, I turn to her.

"What is it, then?" I question and she replies sharply without looking at me.

"Pleasure." A brief period of silence passes before I speak.

"What kind of pleasure?"

"What do you think?" She looks at me stolidly.

"And you think dating three boys at a time will give you what you want?" I query and she scoffs.

"Look, I was born this way alright? So it's not my fault that I want everything good to myself. It's not my fault that I always want to have the opposite sex close to me," she rambles on.

I take in a deep breath. "And you think you can continue like this? You don't think that at one point, you'll have to settle with one person?" I ask solemnly and she gives a shrill laugh. I quietly wait for her to get herself together.

"You, Jasper? Talking about settling down? After all the atrocities you've committed?" she jives.

"Atrocities?"

"Oh please. Anyway, of course you'd say that. I mean, you've enjoyed sleeping with all the girls when you were in America. I wonder why you stopped when you came to Nigeria," she sneers.

It feels like a large block was just thrown straight at me. My head snaps to her and I feel my jaw drop.

She begins to say something I don't understand but I stop her.

"Halima! What are you talking about? Look, this..." I move my hand in small circles in front of her. "...this is not some kind of teen fiction novel where the guy sleeps with a bazillion girls, okay?" She huffs, an indication that she doesn't believe a word I said. Then sudden realisation hits me.

"Wait," I raise both brows at her and she crosses her arms and looks outside her window. "Is that what you..." I trail off, not needing to continue because I know the answer. Unbelievable!

"Wow, this is―wait, please don't tell me you've done it with...with that guy." Dang it! What the hell has this girl gotten herself into? With that dangerous guy.

"Halima!" I yell in anger. I can't believe she actually went that far when I clearly warned her to stop whatever she was doing with him.

"What?" she yells back, tears welling up in her eyes.

"N.C, Halima, N.C!" I yell but instead of responding, she storms out of the car, slamming the door shut and walking off to the entrance. That bastard.

I hurry out of the car and follow her.

Hours later, I wake up from a crazy nap and step out to take some fresh air. I reminisce how my outing with Halim went and shake my head.

We had argued all through the small shopping she had done and I ended up storming out after we settled down to eat at the restaurant.

How could she possibly defend her terrible actions? How could she accuse me of sleeping with girls when I was in America? She knows nothing about my life there. She actually thought I was jealous when I kept insisting that she did wrong. Why on earth will I be jealous?! I'm just looking out for her but look what that got me...

Accusations.

But then, a thought comes to mind and I immediately feel sorry for judging her. Even though there is nothing between Halim and I, I still care about her. A lot. She can be a pain in the ass but somehow, I’m still stuck with her.

I’m pulled out of my thoughts when I see a girl walking past our front lawn. She is wearing a large white T-shirt over red and black plaid ankle-length trousers. Her black frizzy hair is held up in a bun with some short strands falling down the side of her face.

Everything about her makes her stand out. The air of grace she always carries around her adds to her uniqueness. Bella. I look closely at her, as though trying to decipher something but it seems she can sense my gaze as she turns around and looks straight at me.

A lot of thoughts cloud my mind whenever I see her. Thoughts I find difficult to understand. Maybe it’s because she reminds me of her. But she cannot come close to me. She cannot like me at all. That is the major reason why I always taunt and annoy her. I cannot handle a repetition of history.

It seems the expressionless look on my face makes her uncomfortable as she immediately breaks the eye contact. I however, continue to stare at her as she walks towards the junction. Where could she be going?

My phone starts to beep, making me tear my gaze from the empty road where she had just been. I swipe to the left on the screen to stop the alarm.

Time to go.

As I walk back into the house, I begin to feel slight pain in my head. My thoughts snap to earlier today when I talked to Flash on phone.

"Whatever, man. Soon, you'll ask for more."

I close my eyes and a thought comes to mind. A thought that scares me.

I might just need more...