Chapter Four

Chapter four 💕

"Okay before we continue, you'd have to hold up to take care of this next assignment of ours -- It's important we don't get distracted and forget to do it," Ree said. 

"Yea" Esther chimed in rhythmically like she had been doing.

"Esther, shut up! " Ree said quickly to prevent the next melody to come out from Esther's mouth. She knew what she was going to say. 

"Somebody's gonna be abse-int " Esther blurted out melodic all the same. 

"Who?" Rolape asked 

"Ree..." Esther answered. 

"Esther shut up!" Sounding a little more aggressive.

"Why? I'm going to fix the assignment if you want we can all sit with Temi so we can get it done under two hours. The project is next Saturday" Rolape encouraged.

"That's not it" Ree sounded depressing fondling with her blue pen cover.

Rolape gazed at Ree. Her depression had gotten worse, she wondered who was more depressed----- herself or Ree?

Esther gladly took up reporting the gist about how Danny stood Ree up, got Ree drenched, and got her also grounded by Alhaji.

"Dang it!" Rolape said.

***L***     ***O***     ***V***    ***E***

"Congratulations son. You have worked so hard, you deserved it." Ifueko, all light-skinned in red blazer and same color suit skirt. She had a wolf red lipstick, red was her favorite color maybe because it sparked out her exceptional bright skin and made her look beautiful. 

Temi stood beside his seat in his office, the chair had his check blue suit covered on it, he was wearing a white shirt, hands in pocket. His mum was holding a glass of Bordeaux. She is from Edo state. Her pupils were of the golden brown color she passed on to her son and daughter with thick dark eyeliner. She apparently doesn't have the sharp pouting pink lips her children shared.

Temi just nodded, he was deep in thoughts about Ree replaying what Rolape had said earlier. 

"You know, with you now being the new CMO, chief marketing officers reports to the CEO, I mean it still is your Dad, okay" she sounded soft and low, a sophisticated female aura she flashes, quite very sophisticated even.

Temi nodded again. He obviously was looking beyond his mother, deep into her even. He clouds his thoughts with Rolape as well. He needed to breathe. Why does he feel burdened somehow? Slightly cheated even?

Ifueko had already gotten closer and snapped her well-polished red nails fingers "where exactly are you right now?" She called him back.

Temi looked at her now as casually as can be as if he would honestly rather not talk to her. He sighed. "Ma?"

"I was telling you that you'd still be reporting to the CEO, that is your Dad, okay?" She repeated while she held the glass with red shiny nails and raises the glass unto her mouth.

"Okay ma" he replied casually.

"Are you okay?" She had to ask. 

"No mum" he confessed and sat on the table while his mum still stood in front of it. 

"What is it?"

"We miss you at home..." Temi started.

Ifueko snorted.

"...why don't you just come home to have supper with us, Madam Remi would prepare something nice and it would be the most pleasant guesting, Rolape and I would love it, even the m..."

"Shut that brat thing you call mouth! Not even Rolape is a baby, you of all people should not be complaining. We need all hands on deck, all... Brains' on deck. Do you want the company to leave the Adekan's again and there would be no name, no money for us?" she rasped out

"Ro 'is' a baby. I get to still see my parents and her? I'm getting exhausted. I feel exhausted!" Temi's jaw tightened, his eyeball became red, it put Ifueko off guard a little but she talked emotionless all the same with her chin up. 

"I'm pretty sure you can't say all these gibberish nonsense in your dad's presence. "

"Do you even know what she is going through for God's sake!" Temi stood up, walked behind the table. His hands helplessly braced the table, he nodded his head. Something in him snapped. He rarely got angry and he was scared he was marching into that world right now.

"I don't care" Ifu dropped the cup on his brown glossy table. She said it. She looked like she meant it. She turned to leave his office. Temi gave a short laugh. He had been avoiding the truth. 

"Mum!" He called out on her.

She stopped just at the door. He should apologize, she believed. 

"I do care about my sister. And I know you care about her. Please mum, I am happy and proud to take care of her, just one dinner." He started.

"No! If all the things you claim are true, then do the needful regarding her and stop complaining" she said.

"And if I find out what's missing in all of these puzzles, you and dad sleeping in hotels to be so close to work, Rolape sick to the mind, me? I would not only tell gibberish nonsense to dad himself, but I would also deal with whatever piece I find myself and I... Would... Deal...with... It... Rashly!" He finished, his teeth clenched and if it can be seen, smoke could be felt all over his hard head.

Ifu knew something was wrong but she was honest about not caring, that spoilt girl ought to be grateful that they work their butts off to secure her future. How else does a parent train and care for their daughter? She opened the door, stepped out, and closed it behind her. 

 It felt heart breaking to have thought he knew the patterns of life. Graduated from school, loved a girl, making fine fulfillment in his work but right now he seems to be feeling a crack that he must have been closing his eyes to for a long time. He sat-dropped in to his chair feeling disappointed in himself having realized he indeed felt upset, those whose experiences with rage he'd known don't usually end up good and this season of his life don't seem to be excluded from that category.

"Oh God, I don't want to stupidly and blindly harbor bad behaviors just because I selfishly take pleasure in filling the gaps" Temi realized there that there were gaps and he had been filling them up by himself to please every single body.

***L***     ***O***      ***V***      ***E***

Esther's phone ringing stopped the music she was listening to which gave her the atmosphere where it was easy to remember childhood memories when things are solemn and one where you daydream of a fairy prince charming because real-life guys are leaving all the sparks behind at only God knows where. She picked up her Iphone 8 from beside her books on her baby pink fluffy looking bed which read ‘Rolape’

She picked up her Iphone 8 from beside her books on her baby pink fluffy looking bed which read 'Rolape'. She removed her black and silver-colored headphones and picked up the call.

"Hello," Esther said into the phone. 

"Esther, what's up?" Rolape called out.

"Trying to read and quietly praying that those boys don't mess up my fantasies" Esther replied, Rolape gave a hoarse laughter. Esther knew why her voice was hoarse so she didn't bother to ask. "So, what's up?"

"Please text me Danny's address" Rolape requested

"Um... May I ask why?'

" Um... No, you may not... Please Asap." 

"Hmm... Okay... Are you sure you...er..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyways,  ... I'll send it"

"Thanks, bae"

"Welcome bae" and they both laughed like silly girls. "But you should know that Ree can't get ungrounded by meeting Danny nor will he willingly replace Ree on Saturday.

"okay"

Rolape dropped her phone on her dressing table expecting the message. She sighed. She missed mummy and daddy. She wondered what she did wrong that the hugs disappeared and they don't even want to 'see' her again. She truly missed them. But she loved her brother, happy she had her brother with her. Rolape touched her bruised neck as she sat and stared into the mirror. It was sore with red bruises. 

‘’Turum.’’ her phone beeped.

The message got into her phone, while she quickly replied her chat saying 'thanks'.

She looked more into the mirror while she felt the ugliness of her neck. Even inside her throat had unpleasant aches like the bones were being separated with very dry aches and blood, and she could feel every bit of that.

She went downstairs to bake a cake. By the time she brought it out from the oven, and got done decorating, she had mint green vanilla flavor cake, tempting to taste this rich and creamy work of art. But she wasn't going to, at least, not yet.

"Madam Remi..." she called the chief maid who was beside her in the kitchen adding up skimmed milk to a glass bowl of wheat. That was probably her own work of art- and her lunch. It looked boring for people like herself but healthy meal for elderly people like Madam Remi.

"Yes dear."

"Can you please call my number and tell me to come home ma, after you have seen that an hour is passed?"

"I don't understand..." Madam Remi turned to look at her, puzzled.

''That's it. Just call me is all. In estimated one hour. Please ma?" 

"Okay, if that's what you want."

“yes, thank you ma.”

She boxed in the cake she had baked and watered over, the maids weren’t in close sight including Madam Remi but she left the house, compound and out of the gate. All she needed was a yellow and black taxi cab. She flagged her hand down for one. "Number 1ALB, Abule Oja road..." She told the taxi driver. 

The man nodded his head, he looked 50s'. She entered into the cab, placed the cake on her legs and breathed into enjoying the breeze that blew. 

****                                                    ****

Danny looking as clean with his ever sparkling brown skin. He had on his gray top and black trouser. Smelled of a lively spray brand Rolape couldn't identify. But where he lives doesn't look as clean as himself. He lived in a gray painted one room building with a step to the entrance of his house. Rolape noticed roughly written on the wall with charcoal " no. 1ALB" and "THIS BUILDING IS NOT FOR SALE BEWARE OF 419" Rolape found herself wondering what real estate investors would be interested in buying or selling a building whose netted window has a breached wood frame. 

"How may I help you?" Danny asked her staring down at her as she stood on the step, he had a warm smile on. 

Rolape's puppy dog eye came on, it looked dreamy while Danny felt speechless. What does she want? "I...er...oh my God...I" Rolape stuttered 

Danny folded his arms leaning on his door frame. He was hungry. And right now his stomach could snatch off that box of presumed goodness if it weren't for courtesy. 

"You want to come in?" He offered.

"Er... Okay" she breathed in deeply and then out.

Danny stepped back for her to come in but didn't lock the door so 'Adekan Ro' wouldn't feel unsafe just at the sight of cockroach. What was she even doing here.

"I'm sorry for the blab. I just thought since there was no class today I could eat cake with you. " Rolape said being modest enough to sit on the chair. 

Awwn! What would actually make a girl like herself be nice to him except she actually like him. Wow!

Well he honestly doesn't care. He gave a short laugh. "Thank you. .. Let me get a knife, fork, and a plate." He stood up to go get them. But she told him just fork and plate were okay as she had a knife.

"Okay then"

He brought back two plates and two forks. Rolape noticed he had a clock at the edge of the door's frame. She collected the plate and spoon and She cut out some in cone shape for him. She stared at him as he munched in the cake happily. 

Danny... Also stared at her. His stomach fluttered as he dipped in the vanilla flavored cake into his mouth. He felt warm.

***        ****        ****                  ***

Rolape made herself comfortable on the covered clothes blue flower design settee, "so- you must have been done with the assignment?" She asked. And he laughed again. "What makes you think that?"

"Oh...er... " Rolape laughed too. Her sheepish behaviour made it seemed like she had some crush on him.

"I'm reading up for the course' next class. And yes, I am done with the assignment."

They both laughed again."well, as expected." Rolape stared at him as if she could hack out his whole life at just one stare. She was searching for the page at where he ditched her friend. 

Danny dipped in a bite of cake into his mouth again from his plate. Inferences' danger glitched in him. Why was she here? Anyways, he was hungry and he appreciated the cake but would have appreciated food better. "You should also take a bite, come on" Danny urged. 

Rolape sighed. Pressed forward in her seat to cut out her piece, served it on her plate, just then her phone rang. 

Danny noticed her iPhone was the newly released one. The 10Smax. She checked her phone, it was Madam Remi. She took a bite "Ummmmn... Hmm...i have to go..." She said between muffled bite. 

"Oh..."

"My attention is needed somewhere else." she stood up from the chair and walked out of the door already before Danny stood up. 

"Yeah. Thanks------ thanks for everything." 

"Yeah... You are welcome" she went down the step and Danny closed up behind her. The road was hard squeezed mud floor with a little geyser and all she needed was to walk straight down the path between houses to get to the road where she'd find a cab. 

While Danny went into the kitchen to bring out plates and spoons, Rolape had placed the neutralized targeted improvised explosives she brought with her on his two windows with broken louvers and torn nets. It was timed, and even if he definitely would know she was the one, he should be grateful she didn’t blow up the whole house. What was his problem?!One egoistic guy just thinks he can pop his head out from nowhere and treat a girl badly because he had assumptions. The assumptions that Ree was obsessed with wanting to graduate with a first class. So? Danny was obviously selfish and heartless, ready to play games and even prepared to manipulate her friend. She wasn’t going to let that happen.