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Sixteen | Be Good

In the end there doesn't have to be anyone who understands you. There just has to be someone who wants to— Robert Brault.

~•~

Nifemi couldn't believe it. He was here, looking as handsome as ever with his hands in pockets smiling at her as if he was waiting for her to throw herself into his arms.

She exhaled sharply.

"Ifemi say something. Please."

She snapped. "What are you doing here?"

He sighed and Nifemi watched as he rubbed his neck, she remembered that he did that when he was tensed.

"Ifemi let's talk—"

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "Talk? You want to talk abi. Fine let's talk about the fact that you left me with our two year old daughter five years ago." She didn't want to yell but she couldn't help it.  Who did he think he was? Thinking that he would just waltz back into their lives and she would receive him with open arms.

"Nifemi I'm sorry. I have a reason—a reason why I left. Let's talk about it please. I want to see her again Ifemi. Stop putting up an attitude..."

Nifemi scoffed. "I can't believe you just said that and I will pretend that I didn't hear that," she said putting emphasis on the word pretend.

For a few minutes none of them spoke. Nifemi watched him with a pained heart. If only he hadn't left, if only he had come earlier. She couldn't and would not tell him about Tobi, it was too risky. He stood there watching her, assessing her as he always did that to gauge her reaction not wanting to step on her toes. That was one of the numerous reasons she had fallen in love with him.

Obinna!

Her first friend and first love. He had shown her everything, he had cared, he had taught her how to dream but then he had left leaving her with their two year old and taking all her dreams with him.

She had cursed him, cursed the day she met him and cursed the day she was born.  Looking at him now, Nifemi realized that she had never stopped loving him. The man that had loved her against all odds, despite the difference in their social status.

"Obinna please leave..."

"I can't my love. I can't leave without taking the both of you with me."

"You're not even married to me!" she spat.

Obinna shrugged, "we can always change that my love."

Nifemi ignored the endearment. "Where... How did you find me?"

"I have my sources," he smiled cockily. He looked at her and admired her, she was fatter than before—which was good. She looked funny and cute in her Hello Kitty pyjamas and fluffy flip flops.

"Didn't your sources tell you that I am married?" Nifemi lied. She cringed when she saw him staring at her, his expression hard.

"We both know you are lying Oluwanifemi." Obinna said he folded his hands across his chest, his veins jerking on his temples.

Nifemi opened her mouth to protest but was cut short by Tobi's scream.

"Mummy my story!"

Obinna looked at her questioningly but she didn't speak. Was she really married? It couldn't be, he thought. She wouldn't leave him and all this while he thought that she would wait for him. He looked at her and after a few minutes asked, "who is he?"

"It's not your business!" She snapped. "Who do you think you are Obinna?"

"I don't know maybe because I'm the father of your child. Tell me who he is—this man that you married?" He looked at her almost menacingly thinking of a hundred ways to get away with murder. He would kill this guy—whoever he was—twice and make him wish he had never been born. Nifemi was his and his only.

"Mummy is everything okay?" Kike poked her head out of the door. Her round soft brown eyes darted from her mother leaning by the wall of the house to the handsome man standing at her front leaning on the railing.

"Hello," she greeted shyly. Obinna looked at her with a small smile, she reminded him of his own mother. They had the same features—small lips, round eyes and little button like nose. The urge to pull her into his embrace came upon him like a wave on full tide.

"Kike go inside and stay with your brother. Read his story to him," Nifemi said her eyes never leaving Obinna who had a frown on his face as she mentioned Tobi.
She was grateful that he didn't make a move to introduce himself to Kikelomo.

Kikelomo nodded and without a word entered inside the house. Nifemi rubbed her head and turned to leave. It was better to live to fight another day, or was it the other way around?

"Wait Ifemi," Obinna held her wrists. She turned and looked into those dark eyes of his and looked away when she couldn't hold his stare. "She has grown so big, I could barely recognize her," he smiled but his smile wavered when she didn't reply.

"At least tell me who he belongs to. You're not married Ifemi, I know you too well—"

Nifemi drew away from him as quickly as a cat runs away from rain. "You know me too well huh? Do you know what I went through, do you?" Obinna kept mute shoving his hands back into his pockets to keep him from reaching out and kissing her senseless. He had missed her why was she proving difficult.

"Well if you must know Mister, he's Ikenna's son." Nifemi watched his face for his reaction and was taken aback when he laughed, his shoulders shaking lightly.

"Seriously? Try harder Nifemi there should be a thousand Ikennas in this world."

Nifemi scoffed, the tears she had been holding back rolling down her soft cheeks.
"I wouldn't state it that way if you didn't know him."

Obinna looked at cluelessly, then it clicked. He looked at her mortified suddenly feeling repulsed. "What?! How—"

Nifemi entered her house and banged the door drowning out his questions. She cried harder as she leaned on the door slowly sliding down to the floor. She put her hands on her face and wept, she had disappointed everyone.

Her parents, her kids, herself and mostly she had disappointed Obinna.

Nifemi felt little hands on her cheeks meticulously wiping her tears with already wet wipes. She looked up slowly to see Tobi, she wondered how long she had been on the floor drowning in self pity. She pulled him towards her bosom and kissed his forehead tasting her salty tears on her lips. "Where is your sister?" she asked her voice gruff from crying.

"Sleeping," he answered yawning putting the baby wipes away. "Mummy let's get a chocolate, you always give me sweets when I'm sad." He paused searching her face, "mummy why are you sad? Did the bad man hurt you? Kiki told me that you—" Nifemi put her fingers on his lips to silence him, he was too cute for his own good.

Nifemi sniffled. She looked at him and smiled. He was her son and she would never regret having him, even though the circumstances surrounding his birth were complicated she would never regret having Tobi. Obinna could go to hell she didn't care.

"It's nothing pumpkin," she replied smiled at him. "Come let's go get that chocolate." She chuckled when her son looked at her his satisfaction showing on his cute face.

💎💎💎💎

"Please wait here ma'am. Someone will attend to you as soon as possible."

"Okay thank you," Kemi said giving the young lady a stiff smile. The attendant who was wearing a white shirt with 'Denfaz's beauty place' printed in blue returned her smile and walked away briskly. 

Kemi sighed and leaned back on the comfy sofa in the waiting room. She had not been herself lately, the effect of Benjamin almost kidnapping her and also Nnamdi's rejection was branded into her soul. She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Ada and Luke hadn't arrived when they did. Would she be dead by now? What was Benjamin's motive for trying to abduct her?

The past two weeks had been a blur, she had avoided Nnamdi like if her life depended on it. Kemi didn't tell Nifemi or her parents about the incident with Benny, Nifemi only knew about what happened between she and Nnamdi and had taken her out with the kids to stuff her face with ice cream.

Telling Nife about the Benny incident will only make her worried, sometimes Nifemi behaved like her mother. Kemi couldn't get over the feeling that something was eating her friend up but she kept on saying that everything was fine. They had even gone shopping yesterday for clothes to wear for the end of the year party at the office. It was Kemi's first and she wasn't too keen about it as she would have been on a normal day.

Ada on the other hand was always on her neck monitoring her every movement. Kemi knew that her friend was just looking out for her but it was starting to get on her nerves.

Kemi looked down at the card in her hands, Rita had suggested that she come to this salon to get her hair fixed and also get a manicure when had she overheard her complaining to Ada that she didn't know where to get her hair done. A silly excuse to avoid attending the party—which by the looks of things had not worked out.

Speaking of the angel, Kemi looked up to see Rita bouncing towards her with a large smile on her face. She was wearing a white shirt on a black skinny jeans with black suede flats. Her human hair was curled up with flexi wands and her face was devoid of makeup. Kemi couldn't agree more that Rita was a natural beauty.

"Kemi you came!" Rita squealed pulling her up from the comfort zone on the sofa and drawing her close for a bear hug.

"Of course I came. Thanks a million for the recommendation, the place is really nice," Kemi replied and looked at Rita amused by her excitement.

Rita waved away Kemi's gratitude with a flick of the wrist. "It's the least I could do. Come on let's get your hair done, you look beautiful." She winked at her.

Kemi looked down at her baggy t-shirt which said 'kiss and dye' and her faded jeans. Her mother her thrown a tantrum when she had left the house looking like 'a piece of trash'—as the woman had said.

"Do you work here?"

Rita shrugged, "sometimes. My aunt owns the place. It's nice huh?"

Kemi nodded her approval. The salon was huge and very beautiful, attendants ran around seeing to the customers every needs. Rita came to a stop in front of a dressing mirror with different hair products on the dresser. Kemi took the hint and sat down quickly on a swivel chair in front of the mirror. Rita pulled the band that held Kemi's hair up in a bun (doughnut) and ran her hands through her hair.
Another lady, younger than the one she had seen before but wearing the same uniform came close to where they sat and got busy with Kemi's nails.

"So what hairstyle are you thinking of?"

Kemi clicked her tongue racking her brain for a hairdo she then sighed in defeat. "I dunno. Maybe biggie box braids," she replied. She chuckled when Rita frowned.

"You too like box braids but it fits you perfectly sha. I doubt if any hair you fix won't fit you."

"Thank you," Kemi smiled genuinely. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"Sure I do!" Rita beamed. "I'm going to fix this pack here for you. It's a Noble product and it's a bit costly but don't worry girl, the bill's on me."

"Really?" Kemi looked at the pack and felt the smooth texture of the hair. "Thank you so much!"

"It's nothing." Rita smiled shyly and cleared her throat. "I've always wanted to be your friend Kemi. You're so pretty and nice but you don't seem to notice me."

Kemi didn't reply, she didn't know what to say even if she wanted to.

"But that aside we're friends now right?" Rita looked at her through the mirror.

"Of course! You're very pretty and nice too," Kemi answered quickly.

Rita smiled and got to work immediately gisting Kemi as she did her hair. Kemi couldn't help but laugh, the lady was very nice and had a good sense of humor. Rita had offered to pay for the manicure too and when Kemi tried to thank her she waved it off saying, "come on that's what friends are for!"

"So do you have any man in your life?" Rita asked suddenly taking Kemi by surprise as they walked towards Kemi's car.

"Yes— I mean no!" Kemi exclaimed. "Seriously, I don't know," she sighed.

Rita giggled, "oh don't be modest. I heard you and Nnamdi are an item."

Kemi felt her eyes widen. "Who told you that?! Well you heard wrong," she added.

Rita looked at her intently, "but do you love him?"

Kemi looked away. "I don't know," she replied with an edge to her voice.

Rita laughed softly, "you do. It shows." She drew closer and put her hands on Kemi's cheeks. "Be good."

Kemi laughed at the unexpected advice, "I don't plan on getting into trouble anytime soon." She watched as Rita gave her a ghost of a smile. "See you tomorrow night Kemi."

"Okay bye. Thanks for everything." Kemi got into her car and hesitated watching Rita lean on a white Hilux while waiting for her to drive off. She waved at Rita again before she backed out of the shopping complex.

Kemi kicked off her sneakers and flung her mini bag to a corner of the room the moment she entered her room.

She smiled at Didi and collapsed on her bed drawing the teddy bear close. Her mind drifted to Nnamdi, she wondered what he was doing now. She also wondered if he felt the way she did. Probably not, she concluded.
No matter how she tried, she couldn't get herself to hate him. He was too cute to be hated. She touched her lips where he had kissed her, a habit that she was getting accustomed to.

It hurt that he never looked for her in the office, it meant that he didn't care.

"Love hurt Didi," she looked at the beady eyes of the fluffy teddy bear.

As her eyes fluttered close she heard her mother's loud voice calling her from downstairs.
"Oluwakemi come and wash this fish oh!"

Kemi grumbled and grudgingly pushed herself out of bed. "Kemi!"

"I'm coming mummy!" she shouted and hissed when her mum complained about the tone she was using on her.

As she made to leave the room, a paper lying on the floor caught her eyes. She drew closer to where it lay noticing that it must have fallen off from her bag when she flung it. It was just like the other one than she had gotten—pink and folded with the words printed in italics;

Do you know?
How it feels

To watch the one you love
Love another

Do you want to know?
How it feels

To watch the one you cherish
Lie six feet under

—X

*Insert dramatic music here*
🎶This is super story...*coughs*

Who else loves free things? 🙋
Votes and comments are greatly appreciated! 🌟💬

Be good,
Sky_teddy✌