Gangster Party.

Going after Tonny was the beginning of a good relationship between Chuks and me. Before then I thought he was always in the way. I mean how could I have understood a guy who couldn't speak, how could I have understood his mind, but after the party at Titi's house, I realized just how loyal and crazy Chuks was. I also realized that in this life, you need a crazy, loyal guy by your side.

We went back home to prepare for the party after leaving Sonny's. It was already seven in the evening when we got home and it took another thirty minutes to get ready because Chuks was surprisingly so concerned about his looks.

Kazeem came home when we were getting dressed just to get some stuff. He was absent-minded and distracted the whole time.

"Yo, I got your update on Sonny, he's going to stop being a problem now for his own sake I hope," Kazeem referred to Chuks who just nodded his head.

"I heard you helped out too, Kunle. That's good. It's about time you start contributing."

"I reckon you know we're attending a party downtown, too," I replied.

"Yeah, the Sarumki party. I was gonna go to the party too but I have a business to attend to."

"Seaville's business? I heard about Vibez."

"Well, you don't need to worry about all that. Go enjoy the party."

Chuks picked up the bike keys and gestured to ask if I was ready to go. I nodded in agreement.

"You guys can't go to a Sarumki party on a bike! You gotta represent, let them know you're from Hell's Gaze.

Take the truck, Bounce is coming to get me anyway."

He threw the keys to Chuks and he caught it. As we got out of the house a truck stopped in front of the house and Bounce and two other men, dressed in the gang's colors came out of the truck.

"What's up, young blood?" Bounce greeted Chuks.

Chuks replied with a head nod and continued going towards the truck.

We got to the Sarumki mansion some minutes after eight pm. The party had already started and the place was crowded with the who is who of the city. It was like all the rich people of Harmony city came to play. All the politicians, business moguls, and even royalties were present.

Security at the mansion was tighter than any I had ever seen. Every corner was crawling with guards dressed in black suits, brandishing assault rifles.

"This indeed is a gangster's party," I whispered to myself.

I was staring at the size of the beautiful mansion, jaw dropped when I heard one of the guards in front of the gate shouted at Chuks. Chuks landed a right-hand hook on the guard's face and he fell to the ground. Before I could even move Chuks had been pinned to the ground. 

"I'm sorry, he's with me and we've been invited here by Titi," I tried to reason with the guards.

I was already on the ground, holding my stomach before knowing what had hit me. The guard replied to my statement with a blow to the gut.

"You and your friend brought a weapon here? You guys are in trouble now," he shouted.

There was silence for some moments and I heard the guard talking to another person. The conversation ended with a "yes sir!" I felt my arm being grabbed and I was pulled up from the ground. I looked up and it was Sanusi, Titi's driver.

"You boys are always getting into trouble," he said in his thick voice.

Chuks was immediately unhanded and Sanusi told us to follow him. We went through the crowd of rich people, all dressed in the most expensive clothing and jewelry that money can acquire.

"I want to be able to attend parties like this and be part of people like this," I thought to myself.

We followed Sanusi into one of the inner rooms of the house, I had no idea how we got there or how to even leave if I wanted to. The house was so large that it made every part of the house look the same.

We finally got away from the party and as Sanusi opened the door to one of the rooms we were greeted by Titi's beautiful smile. Sanusi went straight to her and whispered in her ears and she laughed.

"Your bodyguard brother really takes his job seriously, huh?" she said.

"I'm sorry about that. Chuks acts crazy sometimes, I had no idea he even had a gun." 

It's cool, everybody in this city carries guns. 

She was dressed in a red dress that went down to the ankles. She appeared even more beautiful than before.

"Hello Chuks, do you remember me?" she referred to Chuks who just ignored her and started checking out the room.

"I told you he's crazy, didn't I?" I said and smiled and she smiled back.

Chuks gestured to me, asking if he could get his gun back and Titi asked what he meant.

"He wants his gun back apparently," I replied.

"Well, it's interesting how you can communicate with him."

"Oh everybody in my house knows sign language."

"That's cool, so you guys can all communicate without uttering any word."

"Well, I've never really thought about it that way."

She walked slowly to me and grabbed my arm. I was so surprised I couldn't stop staring at her. She stared back for a moment and then turned to Sanusi.

"Sanusi, take Chuks back to the party, get him some food and drinks, and...give him his gun back, please."

Sanusi grabbed Chuks by the arm but Chuks slapped his hand off, he walked out of the room and Sanusi followed behind him murmuring something that ended with "babysitter."

"Come on, Kunle let me show you my favorite spot in the whole house." 

She dragged me after her as she giggled, she appeared to be freer.

We made our way through a common room filled with people. She took me through a staircase that led to the tallest part of the building. We had to stop a couple of times to catch our breath because the stairs were just too much.

"Why didn't we just use the elevator, Titi?" I asked.

"Well it's more fun this way," she shrugged her shoulders and laughed.

"This place is enormous! How do you?..."

"It's boring living here, I would give anything to live in a normal house with normal people like I used to with my mom," she interrupted and suddenly looked unhappy.

The reality of how lonely she must have been hit me and I saw her more clearly than I had minutes before. A rich girl with everything money can buy but still unhappy with her life, lonely, and would instantly give up all the money just to live a normal life.

Money doesn't buy happiness as the saying goes. I would do anything to be as wealthy as the people who are at the party but the thought that even that much wealth, all the money, the expensive clothes, and jewelry doesn't mean that these people are happy filled me with confusion. It filled me with a question. What actually brings fulfillment to a person?

I vowed there and then not to ever let anything come between me and my family, because they are my happiness and the thought of them being safe and happy brings me fulfillment. I wanted the money, the wealth, expensive clothes, and all the good things but I was never going to let those things get between me and mine. I was going to get those things for them.

"I'm sorry about your mom," I whispered as I grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes. She stared back and smiled.

"Let's go, we still got some stairs, Kunle."

She pulled me up and we continued going up the stairs. We got to the rooftop and yes I immediately realized why she called it her favorite place in the whole building. It was calm and beautiful although it was also cold.

"You can see the whole of the house from here but nobody can see you. That's why I love it here," she said.

"Why don't you wanna be seen, though? What are you hiding from? Because I wanna see you."

"Well I guess I'm not really hiding, It's just when you're used to being alone it becomes hard not being alone," she stared into the star-filled night sky.

"What about your Dad?" I asked.

"What about him? You do know who my dad is, of course, you do. He thinks money is the answer to everything."

"Well I am here now," I grabbed her hand again.

She looked into my eyes like she did before and we both leaned in and kissed. 

We kissed for a moment until we were interrupted by footsteps coming from the stairs. It was Sanusi and Chuks. Chuks was smiling from ear to ears and he gave me a thumbs up.

"Oh God this guy," I murmured.

"Your brother is here," she laughed.

"I think we should all get back to the party, miss. Your father is asking for you," Sanusi said.

We all got into the elevator and went back to the party. I wanted to let go of her hand but she wouldn't let go of mine. We all went to where her dad was sitting, surrounded by guards armed to the teeth.

"He was a very tall man in his sixties then. He dressed in a blue double-breasted suit and had a cigar in his mouth.

"This is my friend Kunle, and his brother Chuks."

He smoked his cigar for a moment then looked up at us from where he sat and nodded his head.

He wanted to say something to Titi but he was interrupted by Sanusi who came to whisper into his ears.

"We have to go, Titi. Something just came up," he said as he stood up to leave with his bodyguards.

"What is going on, are we under attack? Titi asked.

"For God's sake, Titi just listen to the man for once!"

The conversation was interrupted by gunshots from automatic weapons. The whole party descended into complete chaos and people started running in all directions. 

Sanusi shielded Titi and her dad and was trying to get them out of there when it happened. Four of the other guards turned against him. One guard shot Sanusi in the chest and he fell to the ground but he had a bulletproof vest on. The guar closed in to finish him off and Chuks pulled out his Desert Eagle from behind his trousers and shot the guard in the head.

The guards started blasting at us, we both ran and took cover behind a metal table after Chuks quickly kicked it to the ground. Chuks returned fire and the distraction gave Sanusi a chance to get Titi and her dad away from there. Chuks was able to shoot down another of the three remaining guards before he ran out of ammunition and we were pinned down. With the other two assassins Chuks looked to the ground and saw a couple of knives used in the feasting, he grabbed two and threw one to me. We wait there for them to get closer, I was filled with the thought that we were about to die when we heard gunshots, it was coming from behind the guards. Sanusi returned with Mr. Sarumki and they shot the remaining assassins to hell.

"You boys can come out now, it's over," Mr. Sarumki shouted.

One of the assassins jerked a bit and Mr. Sarumki shot more holes into him with a shotgun.

"You dare attack me in my home?"

I and Chuks came out from the table we hid and the whole place is filled with dead people who had been hit by stray bullets. 

Mr. Sarumki grabbed us both on the shoulder and said:

You boys did well. Go home now, I look forward to seeing you again.

Chuks lights a cigarette as we stepped out of the building. He offered me one and I refused. He then burst into laughter.

"You are one crazy motherfucker, Chuks," I joined him and we both started laughing.