My phone chimes, signalling that I just got a text.

Enny: amy, you there?

Enny: have you spoken to Joy?

Enny: she's not replying my whatsapp, twitter or instagram dms.

Me: have you tried sending an SMS?

Enny: why would I do that?? what am i now? an animal?

Enny: amy?

Enny: why are the both of you ignoring me?

Enny: amyyyyy

Enny: i can see you're online. why aren't you replying me :(

Enny: is this about the ice cream? i was going to buy it but you left.

Enny: ok fine i wasn't really going to buy you any ice cream. i'm sorry okay?

Enny: sorry na :(

Enny: i promise to make it up to you. maybe a box of pizza?

Enny: a box of pizza and cold stone ice cream?

Enny: alright alright, I'll add KFC

Enny: reply me!!

Me: gee, calm your tits

Enny: since morning. what were you doing?

Me: you literally sent all those texts in one minute.

Enny: your point?

Me: forget it. what's up?

Enny: joy left me on read.

Me: why?

Enny: how am I supposed to know? have you spoken to her today?

Me: nah. i'll text her now.

Me: so you weren't even going to buy ice cream for me.

Enny: are we still on that?

Me: i don't think we ever left it.

Enny: just go text Joy.

Me: you owe me pizza, cold stone and KFC sha.

Enny: yeah, yeah, whatever.

Joy
Online

Me: hey babe.

Read

Me: what's up?

Read

Me: i'm calling you now

Joy: pls don't.

Me: so now you can reply -_-

Joy: i just don't feel like talking to anybody.

Me: is this about what happened with Nonso?

Joy: who's nonso? what is a nonso?

Me: i'm taking that as a yes.

Joy: your cousin just makes me so angry, my god. He's so freaking annoying. how can someone be that annoying, pls tell me ugh!

Me: I think the both of you just need to talk

Joy: he's an idiot. i don't think he'd ever be able to hold a sensible conversation.

Me: now you're just being extreme. you've been hating him for a very long time now.

Joy: how am I being extreme? you just can't see it cos he's your cousin. take his side all you want.

Me: woah, calm down tigress. I wasn't taking any sides.

Joy: sure you weren't. I have to go now. bye.

Joy
Last seen one minute ago

•••

Philips' Pov

My driver swivels into the compound and my heart immediately does a flip when I spot dad's car in the compound. The car he used to go to the airport was in the compound. That means one thing.

She's already here.

"I want to lock the car. Are you coming down?" Mr Kunle, the driver asks, bringing me from my thoughts.

"Err...s-sure." I stutter, coming down from the car.

I take hesitant steps towards the house.

"Guy, calm down. Just act like you've forgotten what happened. It's been four whole years after all." My subconscious advises.

Of course that's what I'd do. I shouldn't even be making a deal out of this. She's probably already forgotten sef.

I turn the door knob and I'm greeted by a very pleasing aroma.

Jollof rice.

Nkechi, the cook, must be at it again.

I saunter into the house and the volume of the tv gets louder at each passing step.

I catch a glimpse of braided hair and make to turn upstairs without getting noticed.

I tiptoe one step at a time. There were just six steps before I'm out of view. Easy peasy.

First step,

second,

third, creek.

I halt wide eyed.

Thankfully, she's still absorbed in whatever she's watching.

Fourth,

fifth,

sixth.

Finally!

Omo that was intense.

Beat that stealth, TMNT, I dare you.

"You're back." I squirm under how loud my dad's voice is.

He shuts his room's door behind him and comes over to me.

"Have you greeted your aunt?" He asks, putting one of his arms on my shoulder and guiding me down the stairs despite my protesting body language.

"Dad-"

"OMG, my favorite nephew is here." The familiar shrill and annoying voice says.

"I'm your only nephew." I reply in a flat-tone.

For the first time, I look at her to see her  rather large eyeballs staring intently at me. Can she like...look away or something?

"You're now a big boy." She says with a sly smile, as she reaches out to cup my cheek.

I turn my head away in an attempt to dodge her touch.

"I'm-i'm going to my room. To change." I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder and move away from my dad's hold.

"I cooked jollof rice o. You like jollof rice, don't you?" She asks with a stupid smirk. What's so amusing?

Wait she cooked the jollof rice?

"I'm not hungry." I say sternly and my dad shoots me a look. "I mean err...yeah I like jollof rice."

I quickly make my way out of their presence, hurriedly jogging up the stairs.

I feel her stare on me all along and when I take a peek back, I jam her unwavering gaze, accompanied by her wistful smile.

B!tch

I shut the door behind me and fling my bag on the bed. Images from that day come playing in my head and I fall back on my bed with a groan.

"Janet please tell your friends to leave me alone."

"Shhh."

I rub my palms on my face as I will the memory to go away.

"Stop it. I'm serious, stop."

"Come on just chill. Don't be a baby."

I jolt up up from my lying position and shake my head.

"It's all in the past. It's all in the past." I say to myself.

I take a quick shower and wrap my waist in a towel, leaving my wet curls to fall all over my face.

I look into my wardrobe for an outfit when my room door suddenly opens.

Janet in all her witchcraft glory comes sashaying through the door.

"Get out." I say without looking at her.

She pays me no mind as she closes the door behind her and rests on my reading table.

"Are you deaf or what? Get the fuck out of my room."

Remember how I said I was going to act like I forgot all that happened? Yeah, I don't think I can.

"Why are you being so rude to me? I'm your aunty remember?" She asks, advancing towards me.

"Funny how you remember that now."

"Nice abs." She replies instead, shamelessly staring down at my biceps.

"You've grown a lot." She says again so silently that I wouldn't have heard if she had been two feet farther.

"You're so disgusting. Asides from you being way older than me, I'm your nephew for fuck's sake."

A dark look crosses her eyes and she stretches her long manicured nails to trail them down my chest.

"How long are you going to keep pretending you don't like me?" She asks in a sultry tone.

What?

"You're crazy." I spit at her and push my way out of where she had cornered me.

"You make me crazy, Philips. I came back because I missed you. I missed you so much." She says in a soft voice, not once taking her eyes off of me.

I stare at her in disbelief. This one is mad o.

"You're my father's sister." I tell her. Maybe she has forgotten.

"It doesn't matter. We love each other. Love conquers all." She smiles, coming even closer to me.

"Get out or else I'll tell my dad, who is also your brother, all you're saying." I threaten but she only rolls her eyes.

"Are you really still on that? You would never be able to tell your father and do you know why?" She asks and I only glare her. "It's because you love me. You would never admit to it but you do. You enjoy every second I spend with you and you know it."

"I don't. I-i can't. You're my aunt." I don't know why, but I feel my heart start to hammer in my chest.

"See?" She laughs with mirth. "You don't even sound certain. Let yourself be loved Phil. Let me love you Phil." She dives into my space, placing a quick kiss on my lips. I push her off with a frown, my heart still banging hard.

When I try to make out words, only sharp breaths come out.

"Put on some clothes. I already served your rice." She says with a wink before leaving me alone in my room.

I wipe off the strawberry lip gloss she had left on my lips before sitting on my bed dejectedly.

I can't believe this is happening to me.

•••

A/n

Your thoughts on this chap?