Chapter 42: Chapter 42

: 7 rings

→Narrator: Kam

"Ah! How cool is this, Kam? You get to sleep over at my place. This is like middle-school all over again!" She was squealing excitedly, nearly bouncing off her seat in excitement.

Fuck.

I cursed under my breath and she noticed.

The entire car got silent.

"You know, you should loosen up, Kam." She said quietly, placing a soft hand on my thigh. "I understand you're in love with Asa. I'll be on my best behaviour. I promise."

I raised an eyebrow at her hand on my thigh and she retracted her hands slowly. "I'm sorry. I really am." She bit her lip, repentant.

I sighed, trying to relax. We were a good five minutes from her doorstep and my nerves kept acting up. Going off like crazy.

I knew I needed to relax before I lose my mind.

Parking the car in front of her highrise apartment, she guided me into the building, through the elevator until we were standing in front of her door.

I took a deep breath and walked into her apartment, the scent of roses and lavender, enveloping my senses. I breathed in, immediately calming down.

Looking around the moderate sized living room, I had to nod in appreciation.

"Nice place you got here, Ariel." I told her, admiring the purple and pink, Ariana Grande's 7 Rings inspired theme, she had going on.

"Thanks, Kam. Courtesy of my manager while I stay in Offshore for work." She blushed, rubbing her elbows nervously. "Uh... I have charmamoil and green tea. It'll help calm you down a bit more... If you want, though, I could make some."

I stared at her for a while, wondering why she was suddenly so shy and compliant.

"Sure, Ariel." I sat back on a plush watermelon-red recliner, taking out my phone, deciding to call Asa and inform her we had arrived safely.

I noticed my battery was almost dead and when Ariel emerged from the kitchen, with a tray of fancy chinaware, I asked for a charger.

"Sorry, that's a Samsung you got, right? I'm using an iPhone. An older model for that matter. The charger won't fit."

Sighing, I tucked my phone back in my pocket and watched her prepare the tea in my presence. When she handed me my cup, I took it from her, adding extra sugar and cream than was deemed healthy.

"You know diabetes is real, right?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Huh?" I looked at her, bringing the cup to my lips, feigning ignorance.

She rolled her eyes, making a funny face and I laughed at her expression.

I spent the rest of the night worried out of my mind and trying to calm down my nerves that were going crazy, before the tea started working its magic and I started feeling calmer. Light headed.

Later, she showed me to the guest room, where I retreated for the night.

I tried calling Asa again but this time, her line was switched off.

Sighing, I composed a sweet goodnight text, telling her that I loved her and reminding her of our date tomorrow.

The last thing I remembered before falling asleep, was her beautiful face, smiling at me, before everywhere went black.

The thing about Asa is that she weighed like a feather, light and soft on top of me... Just the way I wanted her.

I pulled her closer to me, eyes still closed, sleepily, a shit eating grin on my face. She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Morning Kam!"

I froze.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three.

For the first time, I felt her hair. Tenderly. Warily. She had a nice weave on...

Asa didn't wear weaves.

She had faux locs.

I opened an eye, carefully. My heart slamming inside me.

Ariel's face greeted me a good fucking morning.

"What the fuck?" I practically shrieked, stumbling out of the bed, only to realize she was completely topless under the sheets.

What the fuck is going on?

She looked at me, hurt and confusion in her eyes, "Kam?" She whispered.

"What the fuck are you doing, Ariel? What the fuck is this?!"

Suddenly feeling exposed and self-conscious, she brought the sheets up to cover her very VERY bare chest.

My heart was slamming inside of me, apprehension rising in the pit of my stomach.

"Kam?" A heart broken whisper. "What are you talking about? You... Last night... You..."

I.... What?!

Dread, pumped into my veins. Turning my blood to ice.

"No, Ariel! I'm sick and fucking tired of all your lies! Fucking stop this!" I lashed at her. My head was on fire, heart pounding. Pulse, obliterating.

"Kam, what is wrong with you!" She screamed, sitting up, pulling the sheets to cover more skin. "This! Last night, Kam! How can you not remember? Everything you said to me! Everything we did! Kam!" She was crying, screaming at me. Tears, streaming down her cheeks.

She wiped her cheeks angrily. "You know what?! You!..." She pointed at me. "You are a fucking liar! Look!" She reached towards the bedside table, taking hold of a phone I didn't even know was there.

My feet moved on their own, and in no time, i was taking hold of the phone.

She tapped on the screen, a video appearing.

I watched with horror. My blood turning to ice.

Is it recording? A high-pitched giggle I recognized as Ariel.

Fuck if i care. That voice... Mine.

And what we were doing... Oh God.

My entire world tipped over. Falling apart. Tearing to pieces. Crumbling into dust.

I gripped the phone, a lump forming in my throat. Headache, setting in.

I grabbed my head, feeling like ripping it off.

When did this happen?

How did this happen?

Ariel sat up on the bed, cold black eyes I used to love staring into were looking back at me now, and I started questioning if this was the same Ariel I always knew my whole life.

"You see? I didn't fake this shit. That was you and I."

No.

No.

No no no no no no.

"We had sex Kam."

She just confirmed my greatest fears. I stared at the replaying video in my hands.

"Oh, don't worry. We used protection."

As if that was supposed to make me feel better.

I gripped my hair with trembling hands, rubbing my face tiredly, screaming into my palms.

"Kam?" She touched my shoulder.

I jumped up, away from her. "Don't fucking touch me, Ariel! What the fuck?! Are you fucking insane?" I yelled at het, murderous rage, pumping into me.

As usual, the f-word was just spewing out of me, the way they usually did when I got mad or confused... In this case, both!

"Don't 'what the fuck' me, Kam!" She yelled back. "You enjoyed it! You told me so yourself, so stop fucking lying to the both of us. You want me back. Say the word and I'm yours."

I gripped my hair, feeling like I'd run mad any second.

What will i tell Asa?

...

I stopped for a moment.

Asa. Asa. Asa.

"Asa?" Ariel scoffed, like she just heard my deepest thoughts. "I bet sex with her isn't that good! Face it, Kam! I'm ten-times the girl she is!"

I snapped, losing my shit.

Walking towards her, I grabbed her arms, roughly shaking her. "No, Ariel. Fuck you! Asa is hundred times the woman you are! She's no cheating, lying, scheming, bitch!"

In all my life, I have never said that to another living soul. But right now, i deadass didn't care anymore.

Her eyes expressed so much pain and desperation. "I love you, Kam! Fuck it! I'm in love with you!" She finally screamed, pushing me away, momentarily blindsiding me. "How many hints do I have to throw your way to make you see that?!"

There were tears in her eyes now and all I could do was stare at her.

In love? With me?.. No. No. No.

"Go on, Kam! Run along to your little anorexic girlfriend. I swear, I don't even give two shits anymore. Go!"

Frustrated, angry, exhausted and confused, I cursed under my breath, grabbing my hoodie I had taken off in the night, my car keys, and storming the heck out of there.

In the living room, I caught the sight of the wall clock, stopping me dead in my tracks.

It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon already. Had I slept that long?

I don't know how long I stood there, watching the wall clock but a voice from the television suddenly caught my attention.

And that's a wrap, guys, you've heard it from the prince himself, Amir Aleikzandre Aziel. Even though he's topping charts on YouTube with a huge fan base already, this rising teenage music sensation has no intention of pursuing music professionally.

At the sound of Amir's name, my head snapped towards the direction of the tv that was tuned to a celeb gossip channel.

The host suddenly turned to Amir, who was sitting on a plush couch beside her, looking as calm and collected as ever.

Woah! He landed himself an interview?

As fucked up as i felt I had to smile and be happy for him. Even with the whole love triangle thing between us, I was still proud of my best friend.

So, Amir... The host of the TV show, Naija Celeb Scoop, asked him. Any last words before we go off in two minutes?

Amir chuckled, facing the camera, piercing grey eyes, softened by his smile. Uh... I owe coming here to a very important person. To be honest, I wouldn't be here if she hadn't agreed to come along. She's very close to me and she's one of the few people I trust in my life.

My blood started pounding again. Clenching my fists, I seethed quietly, waiting for the worst to happen.

The host shifted closer to him, conspiringly. And who is this girl to you? A special person.

Amir grinned now, suddenly turning his head, towards a different direction and smiling softly at someone there.

Of course, the cameras followed his line of sight and there... Right there! Standing there, caught offguard by the sudden glare of multiple cameras was Asa.

My girlfriend!

She gave the cameras a small smile and a tiny wave and soon, they concentrated back on Amir who was still staring in her direction like she was the only girl in the entire universe...

This girl that was mine already.

A very special person. Just a friend for now. Amir replied the TV host. But I'm hoping to change that soon.

Oh, fuck no!

Over my dead body!

Oooh! The host giggled. You mean... Like, you want to ask her to be your girlfriend?

I wished the host would just shut up. I wish I could just stop watching... But I couldn't.

Oh no. Amir shook his head.

No?! The host frowned, taken by surprise.

Amir shook his head, again. I'm trying to make her my princess... And maybe in the future, my Queen.

His reference to his royalty never irked me before more than they did now.

The host giggled. My. My. You kids of nowadays are go-getters. You're what? Eighteen? And you're talking marriage already.

Amir shrugged. My mother always told me to chase my dreams early. The earlier the better... I failed to listen to her once, and I regretted ever since. Right now, I'd be damned if I don't listen now. That girl is gold. And I'm tryna think fast here. We all know that gold don't stay in the market for long.

The host beamed at him, nodding her head like he just spoke

some wise shit.

She turned to face the camera, smiling in satisfaction at this added scoop. No doubt, this will be the latest gist for a couple of months. Everyone watches Naija Celeb Scoop and reads their news blog.

And that, my country people, is all we have time for now. Goodbye and have a blessed day!

A commercial came on and I stared blankly at the TV for a couple of seconds. Confused, angry and irritated as fuck.

I gritted my teeth.

Fucking Amir!

This is the last fucking straw.

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