I hissed at the automated voice that kept saying; the number that you're trying to call is currently switched off or out of coverage. I've heard that same line for at least a hundred times in the last 20 hours. That was mom's number and even though Aunty had told me not to call her, I kept trying, hoping that I'd at least get lucky and that she'd pick my call.
That was hopeless and pointless because no matter how many times I called her, it was going to keep saying switched off. This wasn't the first time something like this would happen and until she called me herself or they return home, there was no way I could see her or hear her voice.
But that still did not deter me from trying.
Eventually, I gave up, throwing my phone angrily against the wall. It hit the wall before landing on the floor and
~Kunmi~I was in the sitting room, my eyes fixed on the TV that was tuned to a fashion channel where the models were walking a runaway in nothing but rags and I was also listening to a voice note Aminah sent but I could hardly make out what she was saying, partly because of the noises my brother and his friend, papa was making as they played their video game and the occasional laughter from the dinning room where mom and Mayowa were getting the face made up in preparation for Mom friend's birthday party."Yooooooooo. I've killed you."My brother suddenly shouted, shocking me out of my reverie."Are you alright? Why did you scream like that?"Mayowa shouted back and I almost winced. Can't these people just talk normally?"Oya, you and Pap
~Adam~I walked into the house with Charles to see Dad's car in the compound. My heart leapt,For joy, for relief.And yet, I couldn't understand why my stomach tightened into hard knots and why my fists kept clenching and unclenching as I entered. Mom and Dad were sitting on the sofa backing the entrance and dad's left hand was draped over mom's shoulder. The joy and relief I had felt instantly turned into something darker, something terrifying, something threatening to swallow me whole. My fists clenched and unclenched again and Aunty Shade looked up and saw me saw me standing by the door."Hey! The man of the moment is here."Mom and Dad looked up simultaneously and I focused my attention on mom's face. Her face dissolved into a huge smile when she saw me and my heart almost soared, a
~Kunmi~Aminah said the second term was always the most fun with all the activities lined up for the term; the interhouse sports, the excursions, the literacy week and then, the elections of new prefects. In my new school, prefects weren't elected, they were selected and when I was in JSS3, there was this senior who was very proud and stucked up, she'd thought she was going to be selected as the headgirl. In the long, a more gentle and quiet girl was selected and that proud senior had cried her eyes out, because of ordinary post. Tara and I had laughed at that scenario.Thinking about Tara..... "Ooops, too bad we ain't in the same house."Aminah said, jolting me out of my reverie. We just got to the stadium for the sport practice and just right before
~Adam~We went to the farthest corner of the Art Gallery. Most of my paintings weren't there and they were mostly happy pictures, sketches, and all by secondary school students. Nothing deep or overly intriguing. It's kinda exhausting to look at too happy pictures.It's kind of depleting.And not exactly depicting.Kunmi had not exactly said a thing since we got here, just looking at the pictures and following my lead."This is yours."She stated all of a sudden, almost startling me and I turned to look at the painting that she was talking about. It was a picture of a teenage boy staring out of his window, far into the horizon, at the setting sun. It was t I couldn't remember when I drew the picture or the inspiration behind it."Yes but then, how do you know t
~Adam~The sharp impact of sunlight streaking into my room and affecting my closed eyes made me mumble something incoherent before turning to the other side. The one where my eyes wouldn't be affected by the sunlight.But who drew the curtains by the way?"Wakey, Wakey, sleepyhead."Came Mom's voice in a sing-song tone and I frowned, wondering why the hell she'd be waking me up when I just slept like 5 minutes ago. I dragged my duvet over my head, convinced that I was dreaming and wanting nothing to disturb my perfect sleep."Korede, this is the fifth time I'd come to take you to this morning. Do you want me to wake you up with cold water?"Ooops. Do people t
~Adam~"I disliked you for a moment. I really thought you disliked Animal Farm."The frown that was starting to form on my face at her initial words turned into a full blown smile when she completed her sentence."Really?" I asked, turning the empty seat in front of her around so I'd be able to sit ejoor facing her. "So if I actually disliked Animal farm, you'd have disliked me?"She stopped what she was writing, her face ceasing into a frown before she nodded slowly."I guess."Wow. I smiled as I remembered Sophia who basically ignored Kunle and I for almost three weeks because we felt her Korean crush wasn't that fine. What's that dude's name again? The drama Sophia acted for us during that period. Babe yen senseless gan. But she's a very special person t
~Adam~Craving things.I've always craved drawing, painting, brush and pencil moving swiftly against a paper.Right now, what I craved was something totally different.The urge to go over to where Kunmi sat, conversing with Aminah in low tones, excuse her and just talk to her.Weird.Because conversations with her always set me on a edge and it's always like a punch to my stomach.I'm starting to feel the need to run away from conversing with her and yet, still feeling the need to talk to her.Like running away from something and still feeling pulled back towards that particular thing.It was a free period and there was a fervid excitement in the air, the exci
~Kunmi~"People be damned Kunmi. You're hands down the most interesting, fascinating and beautiful girl I know. You're intelligent and deep that I always find myself looking forward to spending time and talking with you and the rest of the world doesn't know that, that's their loss, not yours."I blinked, once twice at his words. It's the most beautiful words someone has ever said to me but I did not believe it. Something that beautiful couldn't be true about me.I looked away from his face, from his eyes that seemed to want to drink me in, my heart thudding louder in my chest, to where he grabbed my hands, right on my wrist. I tried pulling away but his grip remained firmer, stronger even that I had to look up at his face again and yet, I was stunned by the intensity in his eyes.