Stranger World

CHAPTER FIVE.

At EDEN'S HIGH SCHOOL, school has just dismissed, Pink, Lydia and Ann walk down the road. Nathan comes out of the blue swinging Pink in his arms. He bends asking Pink to climb his back, she happily climbs his back.

Jude is chatting with Lydia and Ann, they all happily walk down the road. Kim pass by in her car, she looks at the rear side mirror carefully studying Nathan's face. She stops beside them whining down her car glasses.

"Good evening ma." They all greeted Kim in unison.

"Evening. Please is there any ATM machine close by?" Kim asked, looking directly at Nathan.

"The closet ATM machine is the one around my area and it's quite far from here. Are you new in town?" Nathan gave her a warm, welcoming response. One that melted her and made her heart smile.

Kim smiled. "Yes I am. Please help me. I don't mind giving you and your friends a ride." She offered. "Come on in, I will drop each of you in your homes."

Pink looked at Kim in suspicion, then whispered to Nathan. "Are you sure about entering her car, we can just give her directions."

"Hey," Kim called out. "I heard that.." She smiled. "I am not a kidnapper or a serial killer, please help me, feel free to check my car, take photos of my plate number and send your parents.."

"She is harmless, let's help her." Nathan said, urging his friends to get into the car.

They enter Kim's car. Lydia rushes to sit in the front seat. Kim drives with the direction Nathan gives her. Nathan quietly raps a verse for Pink, he stops rapping as it becomes obvious Kim is paying attention.

"No, please continue. I was really enjoying your flow. I love music, especially rap." Kim said.

"I didn't know I was loud." Nathan apologized. "I am sorry."

Lydia rolled her eyes jealously.

"It's fine. Please do your thing." Kim encouraged. "Never apologize for having fun."

They all laughed. They spent the rest of their journey in silence, the teenagers were definitely nervous.

"I will drop at the next junction ma." Ann said.

"Same with me, ma." Lydia added.

Kim didn't say anything, she simply nodded politely.

"There you go," She said when she reached the junction. "be good girls."

"Thank you ma." They replied, coming down from the car without saying goodbye or waving at their friends. They quietly walked down the road.

Kim continued driving until Jude indicated he'd be getting down at a particular junction.

"Thank you ma." Jude said as he came down from the car. He was really grateful, she had saved him a few bucks. "I'll buzz you." He said to Nathan, then went his way. He was already missing the sweet comfort of Kim's car.

"More ATM machines are needed in this town." Kim said, as she made a U turn, following Nathan's instructions.

"It's not the entire town, just this side of the town." Nathan tried to correct her impression. "This town is big, you will like it here. And we are close to our destination."

"Thank you." Kim smiled. "Where is she dropping?"

"We live in the same estate." Nathan replied.

"That's the ATM over there," Nathan pointed. "You can drop us here."

"Oh don't worry, I'll drive to your doorstep." Kim insisted.

"Umm, thank you, but we kinda like strolling.." Nathan carefully siad.

"Together.." Pink added, forcing a smile.

Kim already found Pink annoying, but, she kept her cool. "Thank you for today.." Kim said, looking at Nathan.

"My name is Nathan." Nathan said, "If you are free this weekend I and my friends will show you round the city."

"Very thoughtful of you, Nathan." Kim was impressed. "Call me." She handed him her personal card. The moment they stepped down from her, she sped off in speed that surprised Nathan and Pink.

"What business do you have with her phone number?" Pink questioned.

"You heard everything.." Nathan hit his hand on his forehead, running after Pink.

"You were flirting with her right in my presence."

"I wasn't, I was only being nice."

"You offered to show her around?"

"With you, by my side!"

***

Kim is washing her car in her mansion, someone is repeatedly horning outside her gate, she opens the small gate to peep.. BRYAN!

He angrily comes down from his car wearing a hood and sunglasses, perfectly disguised. Kim stood there speechless.

Bryan looked around. "Is this where you live? That is not even important now. Is this how little I mean to you? What happened, why did you leave Paris, did someone, maybe Blade threaten you? Baby please talk to me."

"No one threatened me."

"Then why did you leave?" Bryan's struggled to maintain a calm voice and tone.

"To continue my life. My life is here in Nigeria, not France."

"If you needed change of environment you should have told me, I'd gladly make arrangements for that." He paused for awhile. "Are we still us?"

"Is there an us? There is no us."

"Then why did you kiss me so passionately, why did you love me passionately?"

"There is nothing passionate about everything we did. All I did was try to have fun and make memories."

"So all it meant to you was a vacation fling?"

"Yes. I'm sorry it meant more to you."

"Kim, I love you."

"Please don't create a scene, it will be bad for you."

Bryan had never felt so insulted in his life. Now be understood how his female fans felt each time he turned them them. Quietly, he entered car and drove off in very slow speed.

***

Kim challenged Nathan and Jude to a basketball game. She placed a trophy for the winner; free internet for a year. In few minutes, Jude found himself out of the game.

Nathan was tempted to laugh but he remained focused. He hadn't expected Kim to be a basketball guru.

After hours of playing, Nathan decided he was tired of having Kim beat him silly to the game. He was almost clsoe to tears but he braced himself up.

Kim suggested they all eat at a restaurant, so she she drove to a fancy restaurant.

She, Nathan and Jude placed orders and soon, they were served.

"You play basketball so well." Nathan complimented. "You're a genius."

"You are the first person I've seen that beat Nathan in basketball. He has won so many basketball awards." Jude chipped into the discussion.

Kim smiled. "Impressive. I am proud of you Nathan. Basketball is my favourite sport of all times and I did win a good number of basketball awards in my prime when I was still very full of life and energy."

"Trust me you're still full of life and enough energy. You are still in your prime." Nathan said, doing justice to the chicken wings on his table.

They all laughed.

"Since you are very good in basketball why don't you enroll for this year's Olympics?" Kim asked Nathan.

Nathan shaked his head. "No. I am too busy working on my music career now."

"Oh.."

"Nathan is a very good rapper." Jude praised, doing his job as Nathan's personal hype man.

"What plans do you two have for your lives?"

Jude went first. "I am a cinematographer and I want my cinematography to be the next big thing in Nigeria."

"I want to be a rap legend."

"Jude how and where did you learn cinematography?"

"I attend School of Performing Arts and Entertainment."

"The one we passed by on our way here?"

"Yes." Jude nodded. "I will be graduating next year as a professional cinematographer."

"Nathan, how about you and school?"

Nathan frowned. "I don't like talking about school."

"How long since you dropped out of school?"

"More than a year now, close to two years. You won't understand."

"I will try my best to."

"It's not like I don't like school or want to be in school. I know I am meant to be a professional rapper. So it only makes sense that I should attend the prestigious and expensive school of Performing Arts and Entertainment."

"Then go for it." Kim said.

Nathan could only wish. "Unfortunately my family don't agree. My mom says it is a waste of time, my grandma believes it is ungodly, while my uncle says it is too expensive."

"And your dad?"

"I don't even know where he stands. I don't understand him anymore, I thought he had my back and wanted to support me."

"We will properly talk about this later but right now I want you to know that school is not an avenue for making money or fame, school is for learning and enlightenment. School is important."

"I know. I love school...only if I was allowed to study at School of Performing Arts and Entertainment, not reading law in that boring university."

"I am a lawyer."

"Were you forced to study law? Don't teenagers have the right to make certain choices for themselves?"

"Everyone needs education, enlightenment and exposure. Everyone has the right to make choices for themselves but as a teenager you need proper guidance to enable you make the right choices and decisions for yourself."

"What if the guidance is misleading instead?"

"What are you scared of, making mistakes? Everyone has the right to make mistakes."

"Is that one of my legal rights?"

They all laugh, reducing tension on the table.

Nathan continued. "Besides everyone at that performance school is so talented. Most of them play three or four instruments, and I don't do anything except sing and rap, and I've never had voice lessons or anything."

"Nathan, so where do you think you'll learn? They don't expect you to come in knowing everything. They're looking for potential. Give it your best shot. That's all you can do, but you'll be sorry if you give up on yourself."

"Are you married, do you have a kid?"

"I am not married but yes I have a kid. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, I'm sorry. But, how old is your kid?"

"Your age."

"Do you force him to do things?"

"Nathan.."

"I am sorry I asked. Forgive my manners. By the way, you don't look like someone that has a child of my age. I am nineteen. You look sixteen."

Kim laughed. "Please don't flatter me."

Nathan insisted. "I swear, you do."

"Who else is enjoying this meal?" Jude chipped into the conversation, feeling left out.

"I am." Kim raised her hands."

They shared heartfelt laughter, then proceeded to enjoy their meal.

***

After lunch, Kim dropped Nathan and Jude in front of Destiny Estate, then drove off.

Both friends happily walk home with big bags in their hands.

"This lady is God sent." Nathan said.

"I can't remember the last time I went shopping."

"So we are now iPhone users?"

"Courtesy of your sugar mommy." Jude laughed.

"It is not funny. That lady is just a nice human, stop making fun of her good heart."

"Nice people don't go around taking strangers for basket ball game, lunch, exotic shopping and giving them money. She bought each of us the latest iPhone...dude! This kind of niceness doesn't come for free."

"You watch too much Nollywood films." Nathan said, sighing. " I wish she gave us the money instead to invest in our hustle."

"Just avoid her from now onwards." Jude, from the dept of his heart advised.

"Why? I like her personality. And she looks like someone that won't mind investing in my music." The first day Nathan entered Kim's car, he promised himself not to let go of Kim until she invested in him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Jude changed the topic. "Where will you tell your family you got these from?"

"I won't let them see any of these, else my grandmother will instantly start crying that I have joined an arm robbery gang or kidnapping squad. My mom will say I am now a Yahoo boy whereas my dad will seize everything till I properly explain myself. Left alone for my uncle he would't mind as long as I am willing to share the goodies with him."

"You don't need to hide and use stuffs in your own house, tell them the truth."

"They won't believe me."

"Exactly my point, it's unbelievable. That lady..."

Nathan interrupted him. "Please stop." He looked inside to the bags. "Do you think Pink will like the things I picked for her? Her favourite color is yellow so I shopped a lot of yellow clothing for her."

"Mr. Lover boy. Will you also give her the twenty thousand naira your sugar mommy gave you?"

"No. I will give the money to my mom. She wants to upgrade her car so hopefully this small amount will help."

"Bribe, okay, where will you tell her you got the money from?"

"She knows I assist you in cinematography sometimes, do cinematographers work for free?"

They both laughed, at their parents, whom thought they were wise and smart.