Chapter 33: Chapter 33

THIRTY TWO- FIREWORKS

"Hey dozie!" I called feeling elated just after I finished flipping my middle finger to Nini. His face came up on the screen, the background was a bit dark and only streaks of  the white bulb street lights hanging on the the fence of an unknown person, shone around the environment.

" Merry Christmas baby"he cooed, a small smile crept up to my lips hearing him call me baby ..from chin chin to baby

Well I can get used to that

"Same to you."I replied "so where are you? "

" do you want to come?"he asked and I scrunched my nose in mock irritation

"Just say you missed me".he smirked

" whatever sails your boat" I raised my eyebrows at him

" shey, your christmas bucket list is to piss me off?" he laughed heartily

" are you pissed?"

I huffed out aloud, muttering profanities at him

"I missed you"he said after awhile.I flickered my eyebrows at him

"No.you didn't" I replied feigning annoyance

"Swears, I did.."he replied in a more serious tone,crossing his index fingers.my lips slowly twitched into a smile as I titled my head to one side and with a pout on my lips.

"What did you miss about me?"

"Everything."he replied making me grin widely

"Everything like what?"

"Aww..aren't you guys so cute?" An annoying voice cooes from behind.

I snapped my head to see whosoever,my gaze lands on Nini standing behind me with a huge smile on her face .I huffed aloud in exasperation

"You got company?"dozie asks as nini brings her face abit closer to the camera

"More like a pest"I replied with a sigh

" Bishh, I'm your cousin alright! Your favourite cousin" she reply, flipping her hair with sass as I rolled my eyes

" Nini..I've probably must have told you this a hundred times but I don't mind telling you again.so- " I sighed

"- Fuck you"

" sorry I'm straight"she replys almost immediately, causing dozie to burst out laughing so hard.

"Bishh " I said scoffing at her.still laughing,  she fixes her attention back to the screen

"Anyways.. since my mean cousin here wouldn't introduce me, permit me to do the honors. So I'm Niniola, nice to meet you"she introduces

"Dozie..same here" he replied and she smiled, turning her attention back to me with a smirk on her lips this time.

"I'll leave you two alone anyway. At least before meera murders me with her glare" she said still smirking as I groaned, face-palming myself

" she's not bad.."dozie said as soon nini leaves and I shrugged

"Totally, but she's hella troublesome"I replied and he chuckled

" hey! Can you come out for a moment, I want to show you something "he said

" really? Now?"I asked and he nodded

"Okay"I replied with a small shrug.shutting my phone off as I quickly slipped into a pair of flip flops on my feet, not bothering to change the light material which I wore.I stepped out into the night.

**********

The night was chilly and a gust of silent breeze cooing softly in soft whispers.i wrapped my arms around my bosom as I walked alittle further away from the house until I saw him standing in the dark.his hands were inside his the pocket of his black joggers which he wore over with a black t-shirt and a blue hockey jacket.

" seriously! How long have you been here?"I asked as soon as I got closer to him.

"Longer than you imagined"

I ticked my tongue in between my teeth as I fixed a mock sneer on my face

"Stalker" he laughed, entwining his palms into mine which sent a warm shiver run through me.the butterflies which I couldn't get tired of, flipped excitedly in my stomach.i smiled, his laughter was so infectious.

"C'mon, I want to show you something"he said, pulling me along into the dark.with the silent night accompanied with sounds of the the cold breeze whispering softly, we trudged on.

I didn't feel the the need to complain, that's because I could trust him and frankly, I trust him not to mess with me.as if on cue, he asked softly

" you scared?" I blinked repeatedly at his question.maybe I was scared alittle bit but I didn't mind exchanging my fears for trust right now.

"No..why should I be?"I asked

" cause..it's dark and it's silent and the streets are empty, and..."

"- I'm with dozie mattew, I don't need to be scared " i cut in sharply. He stopped on his tracks,snapping his face to meet mine.his  gaze boring into mine.he smiled not saying anything instead he sighed.

"We're here"he announced, tugging my hands along as we stepped into a whole new environment.

The whole place seemed so enchanting, yellow lights shimmered around the walls in a decorativly, christmas trees stood, beautifully decorated at each side of the walls.Christmas carole sang out softly from one part of the environment and  a small crowd of people buzzed around there while sparks of fireworks decorated the night cloud in its  sparks.

It seemed magical.i never saw a place like this

" wow!" I exclaimed, staring at the fireworks which shot sparks across the sky

"You like it?"dozie asked.I glanced at him, he was wearing a huge smile on his face

" it's beautiful...how did you even know this place?..this is so nice " I gushed in admiration

" I know right.." he chuckled in reply as I returned my attention back to the fireworks

" do you love fireworks so much?"he asked

"I'm a huge fan of fireworks..the shiny lights, the sparks, the feeling- "I replied excitedly, pausing in between to face dozie. He was quiet.unusually quiet

"Are you okay?"I asked softly, my voice almost in a whisper

"I am..why did you ask?" He replied, turning his attention to me

"Cause you don't look okay" I replied and he sighed. I folded my lips in between.

" it's nothing"he said and i nodded

"You can talk to me"I replied softly.he walked backwards, his hands resting in his pocket as he said nothing.

I sighed,walking closer to him, gently removing his hands from his pocket and clasping them in mine.I asked

"Is it about family?"

" you could guess?"

I shrugged "well..."

"Nah..it's not " he replied

" so what is it?"

"I'm quitting visual arts"he replied and i laughed

This wasn't funny, I knew that cause it was so much of a humorless laugh.

"You are giving it a break.you're not quitting"I replied

He cocked his head sideways "I'm serious "

" so am I." I retort.he stared at me trying to figure out what I meant.

" - listen, the guy I know doesn't quit.cause if that happened then both of us wouldn't be here right now "

" but this is different"

" and what's different about it? Visual arts is like a second 'you' and I know you can't give up on yourself just like that" I said.a part of me, wondering where those words even came out from.

He stared at me for a split second, then threw his arms wide open.a small smile slowly found its way to his lips

" come here " he called. I obediently leaned into his embrace.he wrapped his jacket around me,he leaned his head on the crook of my neck. both of us neither saying a thing to each other as we silently watched the fireworks.

" I'm sorry" he wheezed out. I raise my face towards him

"For what?"

He opened his mouth to say something, then closing them again as though the words wouldn't come out.finally he replied

" I'm sorry for not saying thank you"

I smiled "aww..you know you always have me to support you huh?"

He grinned widely "yea.thanks baby, I love you- " he paused,I could feel his breath hitch as soon as he said those words.

my insides were thriling with excitement.the feeling of butterflies fluttering around my stomach.i could hear our heart beating erratically,he gulped.pulling away from the embrace as he scratched  his neck nervously

" uh..i mean..umm.."  he was stuttering. I bit back the smile which had formed widely on my lips, making my cheeks heat up as I pulled him into a hug.

Wrapping my arms firmly around his torso as my head rested on his chest.yea..dozie was tall..dang!! He had this natural scent of Jasmine and a combination of lavender. He smelt so good, I could literally bask in his embrace all day.

Lmao.okay...I'm starting to feel really hopeless like Nini said

" are..you..umm "he started speaking

"-shut up" I cut him off in a soft whisper.i was feeling exhilarated.he wrapped his arms around waist.as we both hugged.

" your hair smells nice " he said."what do you use "

" Shea butter "I replied, pulling away to meet the grim expression on his face making  me laugh

" did shea butter ever smell nicely?"

I clicked my tongue " nah..it has an awful smell but sheabutter with a mixture of cinanmon and rose petals essential oil could be a huge help"

He grinned "yup..that confirms it"

Santa give hanna for a day by Daddo gyan had started playing softly. I looked up at dozie's, his facial expression seemed alot better than before.

I gently laced our hands together, tugging him towards the center of where we were.he stared at me with a fazed expression, I didn't say a thing, instead I took his hands above my head and did a spurn-around gently

"What are you doing? "He asked and I smiled, shrugging

"I'm waltzing....isn't it obvious? "I replied and he chuckled

"Seriously?"

"Hey! Don't you dare laugh..I'm trying out a new dance step"I replied, spurning around again.this time, my feets doubled-cross, making me stumble.

I ended up landing in dozie's arms which were wrapped around my torso..we were so close that I could comfortably hear our heartbeats racing. His gaze ran through my body for sometime then returned themselves to my eyes.

Holding each other's gaze..it made those fluttering feelings flush me up, every single moment with him seemed so brand new, so sublime.his hot breath fanned my cheeks and his lips stretched into a smirk

"What did you say you were doing again?"he asked in mock intrest making me sneer

" it's not your fault anyway..." I replied with a faux scowl making him roar into a fit of laughter as he gently released me from his grip.

I watched as he laughed heartily, his voice sounded so meledious.his eyes sparkling brightly like fine wine and his long eyelashes seemed to flare up when he threw his head backwards in laughter.I didn't know how long I stared at him laughing so beautifully, until he cleared his throat

"You'll soon start paying fees for ogling me"he said and I rolled my eyes with a small smile on my lips, touching his chin gently

"Oh please..besides, you should smile more often.it suits you more "I said

" I look handsome with any expression"he replied with a pout which made me chuckle

Cocky douche..he was right though

"Nah.." I shook my head with a smirk on my lips "you prolly look like a dead oaf when you think of frowning" I said and he burst out laughing,alongside with me.

We spent the rest of the hour leaning on each other as we gazed  at the fireworks glisten through the sky in colourful sparks and wishing the night would never end.

******

I stepped into my room,wearing a huge smile on my face. the lights were turned off. Uju must have thought I was sleeping with Niniola and she would have to sleep alone which I knew she couldn't do.so basically there would be no one in my room.

I switched on the lights, turning around to plop myself on the bed when I was met with a smirking Niniola, sitting on my bed while munching a  pack of chips.

" what the heck?" I whisper yelled

" what's up?"

" that's what I'm trying to figure out" I replied. She emptied the last crumbs of the chips into her wide-opened mouth, then thrashing the pack, she turned her attention to me

" where did you go? I was trying to call you? "

" ooh..I switched off my phone "I replied, changing my clothes

" really? So where did you go?"

" girl.can you stop trying to bite off my ear, I want to sleep "

She rolled her eyes at me "seriously? "

" then how about I tell your mum that you went out this night without anyone knowing?"

I huffed "fine.I was with dozie"

She looked at me wide eyed "doing what?"

" doing sales at mile one." I replied in a sacarstic tone "what kind of question is that?"

She sighed "you're not feeling fine sha..it's only right to say something about your whereabouts..I was almost walking on eggshells cause of you "

I glanced at her.my face morphing into a grateful one "aww..okay I'm sorry for snapping at you..I went to watch fireworks with dozie " I replied

She glanced at me "wow..what if something happened? "

" nothing happened...we just shared a moment "

" a moment is past fourty five minutes huh?"

I chuckled "yea.whatever "

She settled back on the bed, her worried expression slowly vanishing "well...take your phone next time. You're lucky mum didn't notice cause I told her your already at sleep when she asked of you..I guess it was to give you your lectures"

I threw her a hug "thanks babe..you're the best evil cousin I know afterall " I replied and she poked my sides with her fingers

" idiot..abi that one is compliment?" She asked and we both laughed

" so how did your night go?"she asked and I proceeded to tell Nini,especially when she demanded that I tell her from scratch.

I'm pretty sure my mouth would have lost it's elastic by tomorrow morning with the way i was gisting an active listener like Niniola.