Chapter 11: Chapter 11

I arrived at the place in no time. Rashid had texted me the address, somewhere between Satellite town and Festac city, so it was easy for me to navigate.

The house where the party was being held looked dilapidated, like it would fall apart any moment. Around it where rows of houses, similar in structure and design with peeling paints of greyish green and mouldy brown, a pungent odour lingering in the air.

I cringed in disgust the moment I saw it. My cousin could roll with the rich and elite if he wanted to. He had the money. Had the fame. Had the name. His down-to-earth lifestyle annoyed and infuriated me sometimes. This was one of those times. But I decided to inhale my disgust, suck it in and let it simmer inside me and 'have fun' like my cousin and his friends wanted.

"Forget Asa, tonight." He had told me. "Chill, have fun. There'll be girls at the party. I can hook you up if you want."

"You were literally just preaching I lead a more wholesome life, Rashid."

"Wholesome shmolesome." He scoffed. "You're heading back to the house, yeah? Cut things off. Like Nadia told you."

"How did you know what Nadia-"

"Cut things off, Amir. No fall my hand, abeg."

I had gone back to the vacation house in Offshore, Rashid and Nadia's words, ringing in my head.

Be her friend. I kept muttering to myself. Don't fight it. Be her friend.

I had found myself in her room, wanting to apologise and start afresh with her. She didn't kick me out of her room like I expected, she had let me stay and... Talk to her. She had let me hug her.

"Hey, I want to try something out. Promise me you won't freak."

She had felt so soft and warm in my arms, her chocolate scent, her soft sweater, her generous hug... It was more than I ever wanted.

I should let her go... I CAN let her go.

In the end, Kam walked in on us, probably misunderstood the whole thing and effectively kicking me out.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead, secured the lock on my car and climbed up the dark, dank stairs.

The apartment where the party was being held had Particula by Major Lazer was booming out of speakers, so it was easy to locate it.

I entered the living room, which was vintage themed, having to maneuver around slobbering youths and drunk friends in elaborate circles. Cigarette smokes and the scent of weed brownies and thick cocoa wafted through the air, so different from the pungent odour outside.

The interior was better than the exterior, tiled floors, beat-up, brown furniture, pushed back against the cream coloured walls to create more space. The apartment was an open concept, large panelled beams and frames, dividing the living room, kitchen and rooms and everything was see-through. There were Christmas trees in every corner of the room, balloons, confetti and fairy lights decorated the walls, ceilings and trees... It was all so beautifully messy.

"You made it!" Rashid met me at the door, already tipsy, a wide, sloppy grin on his face and a bottle of beer in his hand. "Come!" He slung an easy arm over my shoulders. "Come and meet my friends!"

I grimaced internally but followed him until we reached a large circle of goofy college aged guys and giggling college aged girls.

"Guys, my cousin! I told you he'd make it!"

Everyone stopped talking and laughing and turned to look at me, confused faces immediately morphing into friendly smiles.

A particular guy stuck his hand out first, brown skinned with coily hair, dyed a crusty golden brown colour to fit his smiling eyes. "Hey, I'm Dere." He smiled at me.

I nodded at him, taking his hand. "Amir."

He purposely held unto my hand for a second more, looking into my eyes and I scowled in confusion when his thumb stroke the top of my palm, twice, before he let me go.

"Are you Nigerian?" He asked, grinning easily at me, tilting his head to the side, eyes glinting. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his faded ripped jeans. "You look mixed."

"Nuh uh!" Nadia suddenly appeared, shoving him away. "Don't hit on my roommate's cousin. He's off limts!"

I suddenly realized what this was about.

"You're gay," I blurted out loud.

"Bi, actually."

"We've heard enough!" Nadia huffed, taking my hand and pulling me along. She dragged me all the way to the kitchen, jabbing a finger at me. "You!" Her finger dug into my chest. "You stay away from Dere."

"But I didn't-"

"I don't care, you won't ruin this for me!"

"What?!"

"He finally notices me and tries to make a conversation with me and you walk in here with your pretty boy aura and steal him without even trying." She shook her fringe out of her eyes, glaring at me, her lips, painted a dark purple colour, twisted into a scowl.

I frowned at her. "Nadia-"

"Zip it, Barbie!" She snapped, pinching my lips together.

Ugh. This girl!

"Look, I'm not trying to steal anyone from you okay?" I said, when she let me go.

She huffed again, folding her hands and adopting a sassy stance. I sighed and involuntarily glanced at the guy now who was talking to a girl in booty shorts, sitting on his laps, straddling him. He was sprawled lazily on the couch, legs spread, arms resting on the top of the couch.

The girl was whispering something into his ears, when suddenly he looked up, catching my eyes. A lazy smile stretched across his lips and he winked at me before turning back to the girl.

I frowned. "Nadia you can do so much better than him. That guy is a dick."

"A good-looking dick."

"So you agree he's a dick."

"I'm not gonna talk about dicks with an eighteen year old boy."

I rolled my eyes at this. "Nadia, he's bad news."

"And I'm a big girl, okay? I can take care of myself. Go and get yourself beer or something. I think there's cake and jollof rice, too... Not sure if it's spiked yet. Anyway, the kitchen is over there. I'll see you later." She practically skipped away from me.

I stalked over to the kitchen, where there was a considerable smaller amount of people, sitting on the dark themed marble top  or standing in loose circles, eating rice, some, gnawing on chicken bones, intoxicatingly laughing and gisting at the top of their voices.

There was an ice cooler on the marble top counter and I inspected the contents, frowning in distaste.

Nothing there, except bottles of cheap beer, small stout, tequila and worst of all... cheap wine. I took a bottle of wine, uncorked it and proceeded to sprawl on one of the vintage, patched up couches in the living room, my body, stretching over the furniture as I found my comfort spot.

I felt around for my phone and remembered I had lost it, sinking back tiredly into the couch. I pulled my hoodie down, to cover my eyes and hopefully prevent anyone from coming to talk to me.

I closed my eyes and thought about Asa.

And started hyper-ventilating, my chest constricting painfully until I couldn't breath.

There was something about her that turned my blood cold and set my heart on fire... That made my heart race and muddled my senses. What was it? What is it about that witch that made me so obsessed with her? That made me do something as stupid as lashing out at my best friend and severing the bond we shared.

I sighed, raising the bottle of wine to my lips and taking a large gulp, not dwelling too much on the cheap, tangy taste.

Why her? Why?

I sighed, rubbing my forehead tiredly, deciding, thoughts about Asa was too great to comprehend. She was pretty, yes, lots of other girls were pretty. She was smart... So many other girls were smart... So... What?

Why is Amir Aleikzandre Aziel in love with Asachi Selene Dooshima? Why can't I get her out of my fucking mind? Why does thoughts of holding her and kissing her even invade me. Why does seeing her with Kam sting me and consume my soul whole?

Why? Why? Why?

Someone pulled my hoodie back. My foolproof plan had been compromised.

I opened my eyes, glaring at the person that dared disturb me.

And froze.

"Hey, a little birdie told me we've met before." She shouted over the music.

Coffee black eyes. Devontae's party.

Ten naira notes and goodluck charms.

Muted laments and blurred stereotypes.

Soul music and honest conversations.

"You." I sat up. For no reason, my heart started racing as I stared at the face I had forgotten and remembered. "What are you doing here?"

She raised an eyebrow, then threw her head back, laughing, so her hair swayed across her shapely hips. "I swear, we have to stop meeting like this. It's so coincidental... Too coincidental." She suddenly froze, her eyes, narrowing at me. "Wait, did they send you? Are you stalking me?"

I don't know why, but I laughed at the entirety of the situation and she smiled back warmly at me.

"Glad to see you still have a little cheer in you. You always look so grouchy and annoyed. Like someone murdered you in your past life or something."

I was still staring at her. Awed by the perfect coincidence. She can be my distraction for the night. "You look different."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Good different."

She suddenly beamed and sat down carefully beside me, in her hand was a bottle of whiskey, almost halfway gone. She looked different from the first time I saw her... Or maybe, she was still the same and I hadn't paid close attention to her at that time like I was doing now. Her outfit was dark themed, almost like she was experimenting going goth.



(A/n Outfit inspo)

Her top left little to the imagination. Black and tight, that full breasts pushed against, and black leather mini skirt that clearly emphasized her shapely hips, long dark brown legs, clad in leather ankle boots. She had on a silver pendant, chunks of bracelets, decorating her arm, purple weave on her head, dark lipstick, diamond nose stud. She was beautiful in a wild, dangerous way I couldn't even describe. When she sat, her skirt hitched up her thighs. She crossed her leg, turned to look at me.

She was beautiful, no doubt. The kind of beauty you couldn't help getting afraid of. The kind that excited and intrigued and screamed don't come close, over and over again. And it's so weird how I'm realizing all these blatant observations now. I literally had to stop and catch my breath when the full force of her dark, foxy eyes found mine.

"So, what brings you to this sketchy side of town? Last time I checked, Islanders and Mainlanders don't mix." She was in close proximity with me. Her eyes were pools of endless brownness and blackness. Of void and mystery. She was close. So close, i inhaled her cherry scent.

It surprised me how comfortable I felt in her presence. It was something I had noticed at Devontae's party but had easily dismissed.

She's a distraction. A wonderful distraction.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I'm a mainlander. Born and bred." She proclaimed, her chest, puffing in pride, like she just said something I should be jealous of.

"My cousin rolls with people around this side of town. He didn't want me staying at his place alone."

"Why? You'll burn down the house?"

"No. He's under the impression that I'm depressed and suicidal."

"Are you?"

It was a simple question but I struggled with the answer.

Am I?

"I... I don't know." I murmured, truthfully. Tore my eyes away from her.

She looked at me now, with those foxy eyes of her, squinting really, then she shrugged, chugging down her whiskey.

"What about you?"

"Huh?" She blinked.

"Are you promoting your music?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "No. Not this time. Me and my girls just want to have fun." She nodded towards a tight circle of girls that were gyrating along to the sick, Afrobeats playing, stealing curious glances at us and looking away immediately, excitedly laughing to themselves when my gaze shifted to them.

"Not exactly suave and smooth now, are they? We were checking you out like a second ago."

I raised an eyebrow at this, a soft smile, tugging on my lips.

"Cynthia." She nodded her head in the direction of a short wispy girl with red braids twerking along to Major Lazer. "She thinks you look like Zayn."

"Zayn?" I stared at her blankly.

She blinked, stunned by my confusion. "Zayn. You know, Zayn Malik?"

"What?"

She gasped in horror, her eyes going wide. "One direction? Zayn? Hottest guy alive?!"

I shook my head and leaned against the seat, still staring at her.

"Hopeless." She scoffed and made an angry noise at the back of her throat and nudged me. I shook my head, chuckling.

"Anyway," she continued, rolling her eyes, "there's free food, free drinks, good company and the chances of getting laid are optimal."

I raised an eyebrow at her last statement but she just shrugged it off, digging into her handbag.

She brought out a packet of cigarettes, offering one to me. "Want one?"

I cringed in distaste. "No."

"Oh." She hastily shoved the packet back into her bag. "Sorry, I didn't... I don't-" she was fumbling around for what to say, apologies and excuses, rolling off her tongue, both making sense and not making sense at all.

"It's no problem," I touched her arm, ignoring the jolt of electricity that passed between us when our skins touched. It started from my finger tips until I felt the tingle at my toes. "I don't mind. Just do you."

She tucked an errant strand of hair, behind her ear. Her ear was slightly pointy, decorated with a number of piercings that glittered in the dark. "I just... I'm not comfortable smoking around a non smoker."

Her hands were trembling.

Shocking her and shocking myself, I draped my hand over her trembling hands. They were warm against mine. "I'm serious. It's okay, my guy smokes once in a while."

I hate it but I don't hate him.

She was staring up at me with big coffee black eyes.

The first time I saw her, I had felt drawn to her, because she reminded me of Asa in a way... But now, I struggled to point out the similarities in their features.

While Asa was all wooly sweatshirts, jean shorts, thick-backed books and late night mugs of black coffee, this girl was all sparkly mini dresses, edgy piercings, nightlife aesthetics and shots of whiskey.

Even her aura was different.

So, basically, they weren't similar in anyway.

Suddenly, her phone rang, jeering me out of my reverie. She frowned at the name flashing on the screen. Involuntarily, I stole a glance at it. Corey.

She stubbornly ignored the call but as soon as it ended, the annoying ringtone started again.

"Boyfriend?" I blurted, without thinking and immediately regretted.

She sighed, shaking her head. "No... He's my neighbour. A close friend. I... It's complicated."

I raised an eyebrow at this but she laughed, shifting even closer to me now. Our thighs were touching and I was weirded out by how comfortable I was with our clothe cladded skin, touching.

The space around us was crowded and punctuated with people, Davido, blaring out of the speakers, but in all honesty, it felt like we were alone in the room. I didn't even have to struggle hard to hear her voice.

"What about you? Any girlfriend?" She asked, quietly. Almost hopefully.

I immediately thought about Asa, my mood, dampening.

What is she doing now?

Reading? Napping? Eating?... Sleeping with Kam?

I frowned at the last thought in my head.

Be her friend. Let her go. Be her friend.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my breathing tense.

Let her go. Be her friend. Let her go.

How do I fucking do that when I look for her in every girl I meet?

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

My eyes snapped open.

"No, it's not that." I reassured her quickly, trying to get my breathing in order. "I don't. I don't have a girlfriend."

She looked at me skeptically... "Well... Any exes?"

"No."

She frowned, eyeing me suspiciously. "For real?" Then, she gasped. "Oh my God, you're not gay, are you?"

I laughed, exploding. "No. No, I'm not."

She smiled an almost relieved smile and muttered something that sounded like thank God.

"Do you want to get out of here?" I suddenly asked, shocking myself again tonight.

"Why?"

"I'm bored."

Coffee black eyes were boring into me, like oceans and oceans of inky darkness. She whispered and I found myself concentrating on her lips that were so red, they looked dark. "You have me."

"Come with me."

"I don't even know you."

"Do you want to?"

I was breathing hard. She was a stranger. A familiar stranger. Where is this irrationality coming from?

"W... well..." She was hesitating. "I'm kind of hungry at the moment."

All I knew was she was my distraction for the night and I didn't want to let her go just yet.

"What if I take you out to eat somewhere where the chances of your food getting spiked is considerably lower."

A soft smile touched her lips. "I like the thought of that."

I smiled back.

I'll forget Asa tonight.

.

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