Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Joanna's POV

I swallowed at the intense look in his eyes, a sweat breaking out on my back as my throat went dry and my mind blank. I couldn't find words to say, I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

"Calm down guys can't you see we ruined their beautiful moment?" Ifeanyi quizzed rescuing me from uttering a useless introduction or explanation.

I raised my head to smile at Frank after I had expelled a sigh, but was shocked at what I saw, the expression on his face was priceless, he looked sort of agonized.

Was it because we were interrupted? I asked myself.

Well, that's a good thing then, I assumed.

"I'm Frank, nice to meet you," He said in an intimidating voice that I'd never heard him use until that day. Thank GOD it wasn't directed at me, if not, I was sure I would've to shit my pants right then.

"Guys, this is my friend Frank," I introduced. "Frank these are my very good friends, Tony, Blake, and If--"

"You don't need to introduce us." Ifeanyi interrupted, chuckling. "He's my cousin."

"He's your what?" Tony, Blake, and I interrogated all at once.

The idiot just shrugged in return and blurted, "you didn't ask."

"This wasn't expected," I muttered in disbelief and offered Frank a questioning gaze.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that, I didn't know you knew him." Frank laughed.

"How?" Tony implored, still a bit confused.

"Ifeanyi James, Francis James, ring a bell?" Ifeanyi uttered sarcastically in response.

"So you mean, you are cousin's?" Blake inquired again, trying to come to terms with what had just happened.

"I said so, why do you want me to repeat myself." Ifeanyi scoffed while Frank nodded in answer to Blake's question.

"So... you are the famous Francis James," Tony said menacingly, like a predator about to pounce on his prey.

I suddenly stilled as my brain comprehended what had happened. Frank is Francis James which meant he was the famous bad boy. The new boy everyone had been talking about and I'd been hanging out with him all this while.

"Yep that's me, you got a problem with that?" Frank raised a question, his words sounding more like a rumble that put Tony's menacing voice to shame.

I sensed the tension build up as both guys peered into each other's eyes or should I say one stared up while the other stared down but the issue was the tension became too thick that it could be cut with a blunt knife.

I looked at Blake and Ifeanyi, expecting them to take action but was disappointed when I saw them frozen as they watched the show.

Concluding I had to do something, I drew Tony by the ear which made him yelp, but not able to do anything as I pulled him a bit far away from the others before I whispered in his ear. "I've got this under control, now be polite and act civilly like momma taught you, and don't ruin my night."

"I---. He started but paused at the look in my eyes and nodded.

I grinned in victory at this and afterward tugged him back to the others, this time with his hand and not his ears.

When we reached them he lent me a 'do I have to do this?' expression in which I blinked in affirmation that led him to release a sigh.

"I'm sorry for sounding impolite, I just heard bad things about you that I didn't want Jo to get involved in," he began.

"Still it was not enough reason for me to act hostile and I'm sorry, we cool?" He ended and extended a palm for a handshake.

I then gave Frank a pleading look which he sighed and extended his arm too.

"No problem bro, we cool, I truly understand, but no need to be worried, she's in good hands." He smiled down at me as they both shook hands in a sign of peace.

"That was weird," Blake spoke, stunned as he glanced between the three of us.

"Now that's settled how about we have a good time?" Ifeanyi voiced out in inquiry and shoved us in the direction of the bouncing horses.

I conveyed Frank a stare as we trudged behind them that said 'let's ditch this motherfuckers' to which he responded with a smirk.

I nodded at him in a sign and took off running, him hot on my heels, shocking the extra three guys who I called friends.

"What the!" I heard Tony exclaim in shock from somewhere far back

"Hey!" Ifeanyi shouted. "That's rude you know!"

Giggling in reply, I added more speed to my legs so they wouldn't be able to reach us even if they decided to run too.

"Race you to the suya spot." Frank beamed as he sprinted past me.

My only retort was to scoff and speed up right behind him while I thought about how he could be a baby sometimes.

When I arrived a few seconds after him at the suya spot I noticed him holding a suya paper filled with pieces of suya that he was vigorously munching on as if his life depended on it.

I rolled my eyes and joined him, "you couldn't even wait for your buddy."

"Who says you're my buddy?" He asked, his mouth full as he kept throwing suya pieces in it at every given chance.

"Ain't you my buddy?" I polled a bit curious as to what we were.

"Nope." He laughed, and I suddenly felt my heart stop, my breathing getting shallow, my eyes burning as my throat went dry.

"What?" I whimpered while I tried to stop the aching feeling in my chest.

"I said you're not my buddy," He spoke, furtherly breaking the remaining amount of resolve I had left.

"You're my bestfriend, my crush, my future girlfriend and wife." He smirked.

"Awwwwwnnn!" I squealed suddenly as my heart swelled and a smile broke out on my face the same instant he stood slightly nervous like he felt I would reject his words.

"Get in here." I motioned, my arms wide open ready for an embrace.

A sense of warmth and safety settled in my being when his arms encircled me in a bear hug, squeezing me affectionately. I was so engrossed in the hug that I forgot where we were until we heard a throat clear beside us and made us pull apart.

"Your suya." The old man grumbled as he handed me my suya after Frank paid for it.

Hey! Don't look at me like that, on a normal day I would have fought about paying but he invited me out, so he had to pay.

"Let's go," Frank spoke before he placed his palm on my back and led the way.

"Where to." I blurted while I chewed and enjoyed the peppery meaty goodness called suya.

"Up there," He said and gestured to the empty sitting area that had a rail ladder for someone to climb.

"I'm not hiking up there!" I yelled in panic as I imagined how stressful and draining that climb would be.

I'm lazy, sue me

"Why?" He smirked. "Anyway, I bet it's because you are not woman enough to cli---"

"Shh." I interrupted him as I heard a familiar song playing.

"Wha---"

"Shh." I stopped him again as I made out the song playing before I joined in, singing along.

I sang as I absently gyrated my hips and chewed on my suya.

"Is that not Thank YOU Next by Ariana Grande?" He consulted, a tad confused.

"Yep." I smiled as I continued dancing.

"Then why are you singing it that way?" He snickered and ran his hand through his dreadlocks.

"That's my own version," I replied when the song came to an end.

Freshy

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