Personal advice below. Pls read.

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Good news! My mum and dad have met Freddy's mother.

I was at the hallway of the hospital with Anita beside me. My parents decided to take us to the hospital themselves. At the entrance, we met Freddy's mom and my parents began a conversation with them. I was too worried about Freddy to listen to them talk so I made my way to Freddy's ward.

I got to the door and paused. My body tensed and my breathe hitched.

"Open the door na!" Anita whispered behind me.

"I'm scared!"

"Scared of what?" she asked as she quirked her brow in confusion.

"That I will cry if I see the state Freddy is in. I don't like to see blood and I definitely don't want to see Freddy weak and injured"

"But he is already weak and injured. He needs you to help him recover and for you to be strong. Don't even dare cry, Naomi. You will make him feel bad"

"Okay!" I sucked in a deep breathe. "I will be strong". I gripped the door handle and crept it open. I gasped when I saw Freddy on the bed. He had bandages wrapped around his head and some on his right arm. His eyes were closed as he lay fragile on the bed. I silently walked to his side and placed my hand on his. Freddy's pretty, smooth face had cuts. I cringed and ran my hand down his cheek. There was a heart monitor beside his bed and a drip was connected to his hand.

I slowly ran my fingers through his hair and sighed. "You must be going through a lot of pain, Freddy. Falling down a staircase? That will be painful. I'm glad you survived it," I whispered and studied his face. My brows knitted and I swung my gaze to Anita. "This life no balance!"

"Ah ahan! Why did you say that?"

"Come and see!" I gestured at Freddy's face. "Apart from the scratches on his face, he has no pimple".

Anita shook her head, "Jealousie!"

"No na! See my face!" I pointed at my nose. "There is a stubborn pimple that refused to leave me. It just there and it is paining me".

Anita bowed her head as peals of laughter left her lips.

"That's not all oo!" I exclaimed and pointed at Freddy's eyes. "His eyelashes are long eh!"

"So?"

"I've always wished to have long eyelashes" I pouted and batted my lashes.

"It's okay na!"

"But not long!" I sighed. "I wish it was long".

"So you came here to just look at Freddy's face?"

"Ah! What else should I do? He is asleep" I placed both my fist below my head and gazed at Freddy. "He is handsome sha!"

"Sha? Na wa oo. You have not changed. Is it so hard to say that Freddy is really handsome and that you have fallen for him," Anita exclaimed and chuckled.

"Hey, don't say that out loud. What if someone hears you?"

"No one will hear me"

I rolled my eyes and placed my hand on Freddy's face. "I am giving you two seconds. If you don't wake up, there will be war," I threatened with a husky voice.

"Naomi, you need help. Thank God we are at a hospital. Maybe I should call a doctor to check on you. I need to know if it is time for you to visit a psychiatrist"

"What? How can you say so? I'm your sister"

"Darling sister, do you know two seconds has passed? Freddy has not wake up. So let the war start. Are we fighting with our fists or weapons?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"I should be asking you that. You can see Freddy is in a deep sleep and you are declaring war"

I chuckled, "Anita, didn't you say I shouldn't cry? I'm trying to be strong"

"Is that how to be strong?" she shot her brows up.

"I don't know! But acting silly keeps me at a better mood. I want Freddy to wake up seeing me smiling and calm. It will improve his mood"

"Chai! You are one crazeee gal" she snickered and slammed her hand at my back. She went to a chair close to the window and slumped into it.

"I'm not crazy. All Nigerian girls act like me. I am their role model," I jested.

"Which role model? You and your mumu behavior. Abeg oo! Nigerian girls are not like that. They are sensible and smart like I am," she waved her hand up and down her body. "They always want to be cool like I am".

"Be deceiving ya sef!" I hissed. "I am the cool one between the both of us. Ask all our friends".

"Mtchew!" she rolled my eyes. "You know I am cool. There is no need to pretend".

"Naomi is cool! I am cool" I chanted and stuck my tongue out at Anita.

"Childish girl," she said and waved her hand dismissively. She shut her eyes and relaxed on the chair. "When Freddy wakes up, inform me".

"Sure!"

Just then, Mrs Okoro walked in. She embraced me and rubbed my back. "Thank you for being here for my son," she whispered and wiped the lone tear on her cheek. She went to Anita and rubbed her back too.

"What did the doctor say about Freddy's condition?" I asked and fiddled with my fingers on my thigh. "Is he going to get better soon?"

"He will. I will make sure of that. I can't lose my only son and only child. My mother and daughter died. Now, Freddy and my husband are my only hope for living," she exclaimed and shook her head as she heaved a pained sigh. "I can't lose them".

"So...um...how many weeks will it take for his recovery?" I inquired, still hesitant to hear her reply.

"It will take a long time"

I shut my eyes and nodded my head slowly.

"We will be going to America," she added.

My eyes snapped open and I sprung to my feet. "What? Wh...Why? Just...why?" I stuttered as fear crossed my face and jogged around my system.

"Freddy is still at risk. The doctor said that he has a head injury that might affect his brain. He needs a neurosurgeon and I want the best doctor for him"

"Nigeria has good doctors"

"I know but I want to meet my husband. I need his support and strength right now. He needs to see Freddy"

"But your husband is chea...." I trailed off the moment I remembered that I promised Freddy not to tell anyone. If Mrs Okoro goes to America, she would find out that her husband has been cheating on her. She would also separate me from Freddy. I don't want to lose him. "Can't you just stay in Nigeria? You will find good doctors here. Please!"

"No, Naomi!" she stomped her feet. "I have made my decision. We are leaving two days from now. Freddy's health is more important. What if he loses his life during the surgery in Nigeria? Don't you want him to go to specialist and get better?"

I bit my lips and nodded.

"So he will be leaving?" Anita voiced from the corner of the room.

"Yes!"

"Will you come back?" I asked.

"If Freddy want to...yes! If Freddy prefers there, then we will stay"

I squeezed my eyes shut and bite my lip. It hurt to know Freddy would have to go through more pain. He would have to do a surgery. He was still at risky of losing his life. "Alright but Mrs Okoro, please can you call me daily to give me update on Freddy. I want to know how he will be doing. Before his surgery, tell me. I will make sure to pray always".

"I understand. Thank you, dear!" she forced a smile and sat on the plastic chair I was previously on. I looked around the room and then, my eyes darted to Freddy. My heart writhed the moment I saw the bandages, drip and heart monitor.

I stalked to the window and fixed my gaze on any object or creature I could find. Birds, trees, vehicles, buildings and dogs, I gazed at them all.

Silence hovered among us until we heard a dry cough. I swung my gaze to its direction and I caught the sight of Freddy coughing as he tried to get a cup of water on the table a few steps away from his bed. I ran to the table, picked the cup and brought it to his lip. He gulped it all and sighed in satisfaction.

"Thank...." he rose his brows and stared blankly at me. He rubbed his forehead and snapped his brows together. "Wait...err...Am I hallucinating?"

I cocked a brow and regarded him. "What do you mean?"

He poked my cheek and nodded. "This feels real"

"It's real na! I am really here"

His eyes went round in amusement. "Cupcake!"

"Naomi!" Anita corrected as she walked to us laughing.

"You are here?" he directed his question to Anita.

"No oo! It's my spirit!" She replied and smirked.

Freddy turned his attention to me and smiled. He wrapped his hand around me and embraced me tightly. "Wow! I can't even find the right words to describe how happy I am to see you. I missed you so much, Cupcake!" he whispered and the warm air from his nostril fanned my neck. I couldn't help but giggle.

"My son, I see you are fond of Naomi. Are you two dating? Don't fool me. I'm not a naive woman," Mrs Okoro quizzed and chuckled.

"She's my girlfriend" Freddy exclaimed proudly and placed his arm on my shoulder. "Don't mind her. She truly likes me".

"Mhmmm!" I sent a sidelong glance. "I thought it was you who truly liked me and was begging me to date him. I'm dating you out of pity".

"Chai! Naomi! What shall I do with you?" Anita taunted and shook her head.

"Naomi!" Freddy whispered my name softly and our eyes locked. "I like your name a little though Cupcake fits you more".

I pursed my lips and gazed into his eyes. "You are just realizing this now? Naomi has always been a nice name  for me".

"I am sorry!"

My brows knitted and I sent a questioning look at him.

"I am sorry about everything that happened before you left. I didn't kiss Kate. She kissed me. She is obsessed with me. I would..."

I cut him short quickly, "That's enough. I don't want to talk about that now. I just want you to get better. I want you to recover and go to school with me. I miss you a lot".

"Anita told you everything?"

"Yes! She told me everything. I know it's not your fault"

A knock echoed in the room before a nurse walked in. She whispered some words to Mrs Okoro and they left the room.

"I really like you and I don't want you to think I am a playboy or cheat," he continued and clasped my hands in his. A mischievous smirk crawled on his lips before he added, "You are like the love of my life".

I gasped and smacked his arm. "Don't say that," I chuckled and my cheek rose as I blushed.

"See how she is blushing!" Anita teased and burst into a fit of laughter.

"I'm not blushing," I snapped, feigning anger. I glared at her for a moment and settled my gaze on Freddy. "I feel guilty".

"About what?" he asked.

"That I wasn't in school when you needed me the most. If I was with you, you won't have fallen down the stairs. I could have prevented that," I heaved a sigh and nipped on my bottom lip.

"It wasn't your fault. Trust me"

"You had an asthmatic attack, Freddy. I could have assisted you. Maybe I could have ran up the stairs to get your inhaler"

"I didn't have any asthmatic attack!"

"I know you did. Peggy told me".

He scrunched up his face and voiced, "But I didn't"

"Then how did you fall down?"

"Someone pushed me"

I paused, my brows drew together and I sneered, "Who?"

"Kate!"

"What?" I yelled.

"Eh?" Anita screamed.

Freddy's expression hardened and a vein popped out in his neck. "Yes! That crazy girl, Kate, pushed me down the stairs and ran away," he snarled and his eyes narrowed to slits.

Personal Advice:

So yeah.... my story is about teenagers and they are dating. Now, I may have written this but I have a reason why my story is going this way. However, my advice to you is that do not date when you don't have a strong reason to do so. Dating takes your time, mental health and emotions. Don't hop into it when you are uncertain about it. It's best to leave dating for when you are emotionally, physically and mentally prepared for it. Use your time during your youthful days to achieve all your dreams. There is time for everything. There is time to date and there is time to achieve.

I'm sharing this because I have never dated and I'm writing a story about it. I won't be happy if I don't share this truth about me. The reason why I don't date at this point of my life is because I don't see a reason why I should. The love I'm getting from my family and friends are enough for me right now. When I need a spouse in my life, I'll give dating my time, emotions and energy. Till then, being single is a moment I want to enjoy to the fullest before it changes. 🥺

Stay blessed!

     ~~~Author's note~~~

Did you enjoy this chapter?

How was your reaction when Freddy said Kate pushed him?

Are you sad that Freddy will do an operation on his head? Do you feel sorry for him? Do you think he will survive it?

Will he leave Naomi?

Thanks for reading. How you all doing? 😋😋 Best wishes.

Peace out,
Naija Babe.