KHALID

Immediately the wedding ended, I left for home. On getting home, I noticed the house was somehow quiet, ascending the stairs, I sighted my mom standing at the entrance of my dad's study with her arms folded.

I creased my brows before deciding to walk up to her, immediately I got to her, she barged into my dad's study.

"So, you're still contacting them? My hunch is always right? So, you didn't back off?"

I arched my brows at this before my eyes trailed my dad who dropped his phone with a shocked expression that soon morphed into a relaxed one.

"It's not what you think, Ruslana."

My mom scoffed, "Then it's what?"

"I'm trying to protect us here, I already stopped the dealings but it isn't that easy to just back off, I don't want them coming after me or my family," he explained and my mom's shoulder slumped.

"Is that all?"

He moved closer to her, "The thing is Dapo doesn't want me to back off and he's trying to get me back into it or rather betray me but there's no cause for alarm," he assured.

Dapo is Abimbola's father and also my dad's acquaintance. From his looks, you'll know he's the representation of greed, betrayal and many more, Abimbola actually took after him.

I eased my way out of the room when they hugged each other, it was funny how they didn't even notice my presence.

Entering my room, Kikiope's call came in and we talked for hours before my mom called me for dinner.

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"So, I'll be the only one at home till your mom comes back from her honeymoon now," Moye uttered as she dropped Kikiope's bag in the car.

"You can just visit your step-siblings till Mama D gets back," Kikiope replied her before smiling at me.

"That's what I'll eventually do," Moye told her before Kikiope entered the car, we both waved at Moye till she entered the house.

Immediately the driver started the car, Kikiope turned to me, "Bimpe is waiting for us at her junction oo."

I puckered my brows," Really? She didn't tell me she'll leave with us."

She nodded, "She informed me this morning, you know that girl has been trying to be an enemy of progress between us."

I smiled before lifting my brows,"Which progress?"

She slapped my hand before I instructed the driver to stop at Bimpe's junction.

"Where is this girl?" Kikiope questioned as she looked around without any sign of Bimpe, it wasn't until we heard the bang from the back did we realise she was around.

"Open the boot oo," she shouted and I shook my head.

Few seconds later, she joined us in the car.

"Hi people," she revealed her teeth as she inched her way to our middle.

"You told me you won't go back today," I started and she smiled.

"I was only joking, though it's as if I shouldn't leave home but education comes first."

"So, you know that?" Kikiope asked with wriggling brows.

Bimpe turned to her, "Of course, I'm not like you."

They went on with their chatter till we got to school, the school environment was very silent, it was apparent others hadn't resumed yet whereas others were on holiday except the SS2.

After the driver left, we went to our various hostels and we conveyed at the field later in the day.

"So, they are getting divorced now?" Bimpe asked as she sat down with Doyin by her side, Kikiope had arrived before them seconds ago.

"Who is getting divorced?" Kunmi queried and Bimpe eyed him.

Doyin tucked her legs beneath her, it was crystal clear she was ready to fill us in on the news.

"They're not getting divorced, they already divorced before I went home, you know from the start, my parents only lived like housemates, my father comes home with different ladies and my mom doesn't complain, you know sometimes I wonder if they were for forced to get married from the start or is that how someone falls out of love, I wonder why they didn't get divorced since all these years…"

Bimpe cut in, "Maybe they thought it could still work out."

Kikiope replied, "That can't be the reason, Doyin already told us that she'd never seen them act like a couple, they only lived together as housemates."

Doyin nodded, "And now the worst thing is they've decided to get married."

I scrunched my brows in confusion while Kunmi talked, "They are getting married again after divorcing?"

Bimpe pursed her lips, "Why are you this dumb?"

Kunmi turned to her, "I didn't ask you."

"And I didn't want you to keep embarrassing yourself," she shot back as she kicked his sprawled legs, they were sitting right in front of each other just like Kikiope and I, and he opened his mouth to retort but Abee stopped him.

He turned to Doyin who was sitting opposite him, "Doyin explain it very well jare before this two start their nonsense again."

Kikiope and I erupted into laughter that didn't last long due to the glare they dashed us.

Doyin readjusted her sitting position, "Not that they're coming back together, my dad is getting married to one Ghanaian lady called Ejo…"

"Ejo!" Kikiope and I shouted in unison before laughing.

"Like you mean the lady's name is Ejo as in snake?" Bimpe laughed and Doyin shook her head.

"Ejo is a Ghanaian name, it means a child born on Monday," she explained and we nodded.

"That one too is good," Abee uttered in a mocking tone.

Doyin chuckled before continuing," And my mom is getting married to an American, I don't even know that one's name and you know the worst thing is that they've decided to get married the same day and Pipe and I don't even know the one to attend."

We all sighed in unison before laughing.

"That's complicated," Kunmi uttered and Bimpe eyed him.

"Just attend anyone, like the parent you love most," Kikiope advised and Doyin scoffed.

"I don't love anyone the most, it's just neutral, there's no way I can love the people I didn't really live with, they never acted as parents, I can even count the number of times I see them in a year even this holiday I went for, I only saw my dad once, I didn't even see my mom's perfume let alone her,"she explained in bitterness while Kikiope rubbed her shoulders.

"What of Pipe? What did she say about it?" Abee queried and she shrugged.

"We are both confused and also  they both want us to come with them, like they're even fighting for custody again, if I go with my mom it'll be meaningless likewise my dad too, who knows what the step-mom or step-dad can do? I'm just so confused," she lamented.

"It isn't a must you go with anyone, Pipe will finish her service soon right? And you'll finish secondary school soon, you and Pipe can just live together, just tell your parents you've decided to live alone not like they won't neglect you when you stay with them whereas you guys are old enough," I told her and she looked up at me before nodding.

"I think I'll just do that," her face lit up and we all smiled before she talked, "So, Abee you were telling me something about your dad too."

Abee nodded as she glanced at all of us then he cleared his throat, "My dad is also getting married."

We all snapped our heads towards him with wide eyes.

"Really?" The girls screamed and he nodded.

"That's good news right?" Kunmi asked and he slumped his shoulders.

"I don't know, I'm just having mixed feelings about it, him getting married shows he's finally over my mom, maybe he'll be off my case now," Abee explained and we all bobbed our head.

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"Where is Kikiope?" Bimpe queried as she strolled into the hall with Doyin.

"She went to the toilet," I replied while looking around the almost empty hall, we'd started our GCE exams few days back.

Amongst us, Kikiope and I were the only ones posted to this center while the others were at the other centre which wasn't that far from here, so, the school had decided others trek to our own centre so, they'll pick everyone up at the same time.

Abimbola flashed a smile at me as she walked away while I only nodded.

"I know that girl has been whoring around this centre right?" Bimpe turned to me and I shook my head.

"I don't know about that."

She eyed me, "How will you know?" Then she hissed before sitting down.

"There are lot of fine boys in the centre oo," Doyin uttered as she sat by Bimpe.

"Did you just notice? Unlike our own centre that looks like a home for Gorillas," she replied and I laughed then she turned to me.

"Where is Kikiope na? Abi, she followed one of the fine boys?" She wriggled her brows and I chuckled.

"It's been how many hours now?" Doyin questioned and I almost laughed at the exaggeration but when I glanced at my wristwatch, I realized it wasn't much of an exaggeration.

"Over thirty minutes now," I replied. I hadn't noticed she'd been gone for so long because I'd been pressing my phone since she left.

"What!" The girls shouted in unison.

"Where is the toilet?" Bimpe inquired as she rose to her feet.

"Let me take you there," I offered before sliding my phone into the pocket.

"When it's not as if she's giving birth in the toilet," Doyin said as I led them to the toilet.

We got to the secluded area that housed the toilet, while the girls went in, I stayed outside till they got back with worried looks.

"She isn't there," Bimpe enunciated.

"There's no one in the toilet," Doyin added and I creased my brows.

"Call her number," Bimpe said and I nodded before dialling her number only for me to realize my pocket was vibrating.

"Don't tell me she didn't take her phone with her," Bimpe said as I brought out the phone from my pocket.

"She didn't go with it," I told them and they sighed.

"Where could she be?" Doyin questioned no one in particular.

"I swear if that girl is playing a prank on us, I'll break her neck," Bimpe shouted and I couldn't find the zeal to laugh.

"Let's check around, she might have gone back to the hall or maybe the bus," I said and they nodded before we commenced our search.

"You didn't see her?" Abee questioned and I nodded, he and Kunmi had just joined in the search, likewise other students, it's been almost an hour now and we didn't even smell her cologne let alone see her shadow.

"I hope it's not what I'm thinking sha," Bimpe voiced out as we all conveyed in front of the bus.

"What are you thinking?" I asked with worry etched in my voice.

"Maybe she has been kidnapped," she and Doyin answered in unison.

"When she's not a small child, how will they kidnap her?" Kunmi countered and Bimpe dashed him a scowl.

"You're very stupid, this is Nigeria, you can kidnap anything kidnappable," she retorted.

"But Kikiope isn't a kid, who will want to kidnap her? Why will they kidnap her?" Kunmi fired back.
"Are you this dumb? Are you asking me that question?" Bimpe glowered at him.

Kunmi wanted to retort but I stopped him, "You people shouldn't start again, the main thing here is Kikiope's disappearance, we have to focus on that and not your childish banter."

They nodded in return before we searched around again, it wasn't until nightfall that we realized she was actually missing.

Dun dun
It's a double update
So, Kikiope is missing?
Do you think she was kidnapped?
Comment your thoughts on this chapter and don't forget to vote.