Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

©2021 Tena Ifiemi

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baby, you make me crazy - sam smith ♪

baby riddim - fave ♪

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"Jiji! Time isn't waiting for you dear." Mom called out and I groaned at my reflection in the mirror.

I never spend this much time in front of the mirror. I barely even look at it at all but here I am. After the third failed attempt, I just sighed and brushed my baby hairs back.

"I'm almost done!" I yelled back as I tried to decide between Airforce 1s and sandals, unsure whether she'd even hear me.

When I finally got downstairs, I didn't see mom but TJ was there. He had a suspicious look on his face as he told me that mom was waiting in the car. I nodded nervously and hurried out, tucking my phone into my bag. Mom had told everyone that she was taking me for a get together with my friends but she hadn't mentioned which friend. So why was my brother looking at me like that?

It's probably not that deep.

"I was about to leave you." My mom said as I got into the front seat. She was tapping at her phone so I wasn't sure whether she was pissed at me or not but I hope not.

"I'm the reason you're going out, mom." I laughed nervously, toying with my bag.

Mom looked at me and smiled, "Right."

I smiled back.

Mom and I had talked later that night and of course she was worried. She had walked in on me randomly crying and I had blamed it on onions that weren't even there.

I'm your mother, Ji. You can tell me anything.

That statement hurt every time I heard it because I couldn't believe it. She said it four times that night. Wasn't dad my father? I refuse to believe that dropping my issues on anybody would be a sensible thing to do...that I could tell anyone anything. What help was it going to provide anyway? It wasn't going to rewind time or somehow end the random nightmares. All it was going to do was cause problems.

So I lied; it seems I'm getting quite good at that because I'd like to believe it didn't even sound like a lie. It just kind of flowed through me. I started by saying that it wasn't anything serious and that it was stupid but of course she said to tell her anyway so I went on to tell her that I don't have friends and nobody talks to me at school.

I might have gone too far with that but it was the first thing I thought of.

She said that she's sure that people want to be friends with me but I'm just really quiet and they're probably scared that I'd snub them if they try to talk to me. Her opinion made sense but the story was just a cover up and I consider myself to be friends with a few people like Khadijah, Mide, Mitchel, Zainab and well, Damian and even Dianne.

After we got that part settled, I decided to make my request. I've never asked my mom to drop me off for an outing before so it's safe to say that I was nervous. Plus, it was quite contradicting considering I had just said that I didn't have friends.

"Mummy, remember that boy that you met on one of my visiting days?" I finally say after making my mom wait in anticipation for what I wanted to say. I had been stuttering for the past five minutes so her patience was commendable.

She scrunched up her face in an attempt to remember, "Umm... Can you maybe describe him?"

I hoped she didn't see me blush at her request. She literally told me to describe the boy I like!

"Well um, he's dark, he's tall..."

Mom suddenly clapped, unknowingly saving my face from combusting. "The one that complimented my special red velvet cake?"

"Yeah, him."

"So? Is he your friend?" She grinned.

"He is actually."

Her grin widened, "I knew you had to have friends, Ji. You're my baby girl after all."

"Mummy..." I sighed, "Don't say things like that in public sha and besides Damian is like my only friend."

"His name is Damian? Fine name for a fine boy."

"Mummy! That's so cringe!"

She shrugged, "So why are we talking about Damian? Just know, no dating till you're married." She said, her face turning serious.

I don't even know why that cracked me up but I almost destroyed my stomach muscles as I laughed. "Did you even hear what you said?"

"I did, trust me. So...?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Damian's mom is really sick." I started and as the softie that I am, tears began to fill my eyes immediately the words left my mouth.

Mom placed her palm on her mouth and I recognized it as the exact same reaction I had when I myself had heard the news. "What kind of illness? Do you know?"

"Some kind of kidney thing." I say, wiping the corners of my eyes.

"My God."

"Damian is taking it really bad." I admitted truthfully even though the next part might be a lie, "He hasn't even been coming online on WhatsApp so I... Well, I was wondering if we could you know, check up on him?"

"Of course Ji, that's very thoughtful of you. It's what friends do, you know? I'm very proud of you."

So here we are on our way to GDC where I was going to meet up with Damian, Mitchel and some of Mitchel's other friends.

Here's what happened: I called Mitchel and talked to him about well, everything. Everything I told Dianne, that is. I wanted to talk to Damian and I knew I had to do it before school resumed because I didn't want to risk things being weird and we hadn't talked since that incident.

That's were Mitchel comes in. He lives in the same city as Damian and I so I suggested that he find a way to get Damian to meet him up somewhere and then I show up. We had a hard time deciding but it all came down to GDC since it was conventional and there was this new Marvel movie all the guys wanted to see.

Since, hopefully, Damian and I were going to hang out together, Mitchel invited his other friends so he won't have to third wheel. If Reya finds out she's probably going to do something bad to me in my sleep.

When we pass Sweet Tooth, I know that GDC is just a few minutes away and I begin to get nervous. Mitchel texted me two minutes ago to tell me that him and Damian both were already there and they were buying tickets. He said he had bought mine already and that he would text me what theater they would be at in a bit.

I toyed with my bag, zipping and unzipping it until I felt my mom tap my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded absently.

"No need to be nervous sweetie. Damian would appreciate you guys reaching out to him like this."

I nod.

"Although, I still think you should make more female friends my dear. Are you sure there are going to be girls there?"

I giggle, "Yes mummy, I'm sure."

"I'm not going far oh. If you leave this building I will know, do you understand me?"

We had gone through the gate now and my mom was parking the car.

"I don't plan to but yes ma'am."

"Good girl."

"I'm going, see you." I said and reached for the door.

"Ehen, I gave you my card doesn't mean you should finish my money o."

"Yes mummy."

"And don't forget to make sure nobody is behind you when you're imputing the pin."

After a few more overheard advice, I went in and only then did my mom drive off. I shook my head, she legit waited for me to enter first. Did she really not trust me at all?

Since I wanted to stall as much as possible, I forewent the elevator and decided to use the steps instead. That's when Dianne called me.

"Have you guys kissed yet?"

"Dianne, what!?" I gasped, placing my hand on my forehead.

"Calm down." She laughed. "Maybe not today, but soon, yeah?" I could almost see her wink at the end of her sentence.

I let out a shaky breath, if only she knew how much she was scaring me, "I just got to the place. I haven't met him yet." I told her.

"Well, I'm proud of you for doing this. I know how much of a scaredy cat you are."

"Wow, thanks Dianne." I say sarcastically.

"Don't worry, your boyfriend would be very happy to see you."

"Not my boyfriend Dianne."

"Yet."

"Bye."

"Go Ejiro." She cheered and I shook my head.

By the time I cut the call, I'm standing in front of the theatre and well, Mitchel since I had texted him to come out. There was a brief greeting and side hug and then he showed my ticket to the guy who let us enter.

When I was sure I could sight Damian, I stopped in my tracks. Mitchel stopped like two seconds after, when he noticed that I wasn't following. Although it was dark, maybe it was the light from the screen but I was able to make out the questioning look on his face.

"I'm scared." I managed to say.

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Of who? Damian? Pfft. Definitely not, Ejiro." He said pulling on my hand but I still didn't move.

"Look, I get it. I agree that this is scary but you've come this far. And doing this is important for you both. I'm here if anything goes wrong and you know I'll always be there for you. Although, that wouldn't be necessary because nothing will go wrong, okay?"

I nod, and this time, when he pulls on my hand, I follow.

Damian's eyes are glued to the screen when I take the seat beside him. Mitchel hands me my popcorn and leaves so there's nobody beside us. My heart is beating so hard that I'm convinced that he can hear it but he hasn't turned away from the screen. I know I should say something, but I do not have the courage to do so. I was hoping he would at least turn instinctively to see the person who just sat beside him but he didn't.

I finally look look at the screen — I mean, I've been facing front but my mind has been somewhere else the whole time — but it's a waste of time because all I see are people fighting.

"Are you going to stay silent until the movie ends." He suddenly says and I jerk in shock. "What happens then? We'd leave this place and go our separate ways and you'd say, 'oh well, at least I tried?' Is that it?"

My mouth opened and closed like a fish. He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were still glued to the screen as he spoke. I wanted to convince myself that he wasn't talking to me because he sounded...annoyed.

Maybe this was a bad idea? I was obviously right to be scared. Dianne and Mitchel both obviously said what they said to make me feel better. It's the way the world works. How could I have been so...

"Seriously? That's it?"

"No, Damian. You just..." I stuttered, "You just seemed so interested in the movie, I didn't want to distract you."

"Bullshit." He muttered. "I've asked you before and I'm going to ask you again Ejiro, do I scare you?"

"No, why would you think that?"

"Maybe because you flinch when I touch you and you barely let me hug you or hold your hand and right now, you're shaking like I'm going to hit you. I'm not going to hit you Ejiro!" I gasped. His voice was a crescendo and that last part seemed to ring in my ears.

"I know. Please don't say that. You don't understand... Please let's not bring that up." I was sitting straight in my chair and my hands gripped the arms of my seat.

Damian sighed, and from the corner of my eye I saw him run his hand through his hair again and again, almost violently. I wanted to reach for his hand and make him stop.

"I'm sorry, I just... Do you know how it makes me feel, to think that you might be scared of me? It haunts me. I wonder everyday, what I could've done wrong..."

I finally reach for his hand although it wasn't in his hair anymore, "You haven't done anything wrong. How do I convince you to stop worrying? I'm just... That's how I am with everybody... I —"

"But how? Why?"

"It doesn't matter. Please stop thinking about it." I beg.

He goes silent and I don't speak as well.

"What I came here to say... I don't really know how to start and that's why I was quiet..."

"It's okay, just say it."

I frowned, nervous, "Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"You look like you are." I pressed.

"I promise, I'm not." And after a short pause he chuckled, "I could never be angry with you Ejiro. I was just...frustrated but I'm fine."

"Oh... Well..." I began to sweat. "What I want to say is something I was meant to say ages ago. I was just scared I guess... Not of you, I promise." I quickly amended when he frowned. "I'm scared of what happens after I tell you and —"

"Please, Ejiro, the tension is killing me."

"I like you." I say and when I could no longer look into his eyes I looked down at my hands, "I'm not saying this because you've said it all those other times. I really do like you and I have for some time now..."

He didn't say anything but a few seconds later, he took my hands in his. Even in the way he did it, there was a question, like he was afraid to make me uncomfortable. It was heartwarming but at the same time it made me realize just how selfish I was...the amount of things I just couldn't give him.

When he strokes the back of my hand with his thumb, I force my thoughts away from all the uncomfortable things and think about how happy I am to just be here with him. And when I turn to look at Damian and find out that we have matching smiles.

"What happens now?" I ask.

"Oh, the thing that you're afraid of?"

I blush, "Yeah, I guess."

"You can't be afraid of my joy now, can you?"

I chuckle, "After that."

"Don't lean in like that, you're tempting me." He suddenly says and I sink back into my seat.

Damian laughs and massages my hand in his, "Why are you always so tense?... It's a rhetorical question, don't worry."

I just smile, embarrassed.

"Seriously though, considering I've been hoping for ages to hear what you just said, I would've been doing more than just smiling. Although..." He smiled assuredly at me, when I started removing my hand from his, "Although, I understand that you have boundaries Ejiro and I respect that, okay? There's really nothing to be afraid of."

"Thanks." I say honestly, even though I know that he still doesn't know what exactly is it that he is agreeing to respect...the volume of it all.

A few seconds of silence later, the light came on and the credits started rolling.

Damian groaned, "I really wanted to watch this movie. Now I'm going to be blank when everyone is talking about it." He grinned, "How are you going to repay me?...since this is your fault."

I smiled back, indulging him. "How about this?" Not waiting for a reply, I leaned in and kissed his cheek.

His eyes went wide, but only for a second before he caught himself. We still matched though, judging by the fact that we were both blushing.

"That'll do."

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GDC - Genesis Deluxe Cinema : if it isn't the most popular cinema in Port Harcourt. where kids go to play and teens hangout. apart from that it also has boutiques and from what i heard, has a club at the very top.

Sweet Tooth - ice cream shop near GDC.

Happy New Year my loves! (/^▽^)/

I'm sorry to inform you that I'll be taking a break from Wattpad and consequentially; Life Of Jiji. Apart from pressing school work, I also need time to work on this book to avoid stuff like writer's block and filler chapters.

In the meantime, you can check people's profiles from the comment section and try out their stories if they have any.

Kamsamida!

                                          - Tena