Looking back on the night of the party, it did go as realistically as such a revelation should've gone. Yes there were snorts of laughter, an amused smile from Caleb, and of course, Isaac's intense gaze, followed by a whisper, a promise.

Not for long.

It was Sunday, and I'd gone with Caleb and his family for church. Afterwards, we reclined in their garden, mindlessly talking and relaxing.

As I observed Caleb, someone who was fast becoming one of the best friends I'd ever had, it struck me that he wasn't someone most girls would consider as conventionally attractive.

There were the few scars left by pimples on his face, telltale signs of puberty's visit. He was taller than most people, solidly built, with defined cheekbones.

"Are you checking me out?" He asked, his slight Ghanaian accent betraying his roots.

"Yes, I am." I responded.

"Cute."

Just then, a knock was heard at the door, and he went to respond to them. After noticing they were Jehovah's Witnesses, I excused him to attend to them. I briefly thought of the lady that used to visit me back in Canada and wondered if she was okay.

After about an hour, Caleb rejoined me in the living room and sat on the couch across mine.

"So, next week is CA week." He said.

"Yeah, saw it on the notice board."

CA week, or continuous assessment week, was the dreaded week in our school, when we wrote tests on every subject we offered in school. The tests made up thirty percent of our overall grade, and the results were usually called out during assembly the week after the tests ended.

So far, we were in second term, so I'd only participated in the test once, so I was still considerably nervous about it.

"What are your plans for the midterm break?" He asked.

"I don't know. My dad works like, all the time. I barely see him. So I'll probably hang out with you guys." I replied.

"Well we were planning on going down to Faith's parents house in Eket, it's close to the beach and super big. It has like, seven rooms. Think you'll be able to join us?" He asked.

I hesitated, "Who's we?"

"Me, naturally, Faith, Dami, Isaac, Mimi, Stacey, Tolu, Isaac, Luke and hopefully, you." He said.

It sounded like lots of fun. Ten teenagers, no apparent parental supervision, a seven bedroom house close to the beach. I really wanted to go.

"I don't know, Caleb. I'm not sure I want Dami to start any trouble." I replied nervously.

"Oh come on. There won't be any trouble. Dami knows how to behave, sometimes." He said, chuckling.

"Even if I wanted to go, I highly doubt my dad would allow me." I said, feeling sad.

"Just ask him. Tell him her parents will be there. He has no way of actually confirming." Caleb said with a shrug. "You still have about two weeks to convince him."

"You're right. I'll ask."

"Good. Now get up, we're going to the market to get some things for my mum to cook dinner." He said.

I rolled my eyes, but still lifted my weight from off the couch and followed him outside.

Caleb lived quite a long distance from my house, at an area called Rumuigbo, which I still hadn't learned to pronounce correctly.

There was a small market just down the street, at the junction, opposite a fairly big supermarket known as Everyday Supermarket.

We took a cab to the market and got there in little or no time.

I usually felt very self conscious in these places, because most people were fond of reaching out and touching me. And sometimes their hands weren't very clean.

He walked directed me to a shop where, from the banner above, frozen meat was sold.

"Madam good afternoon o." Caleb greeted, and I followed suit.

"My son, my dear, how you dey?" She replied, in a thick accent that was quite common in the state, I'd noticed.

"Fine ma. How much for your kilo of chicken?" He queried.

"Broiler or layer?"

"Broiler."

"Na one thousand four hundred." The elderly lady  answered.

"Okay, give me two kilos."

She nodded and fished out three large pieces of chicken, and weighed them, showing Caleb, to which he nodded.

She then cut them into smaller pieces, weighed them, and packaged them for him. Caleb paid her and we left to buy other things. Before long, we were done shopping and back to his house.

"How long till your mum gets back, Caleb?" I asked, lying upside down on the couch I had been on before we left.

"A while. Should we go get ice cream? There's a restaurant just down the street." He said.

"We're going to a restaurant for ice cream?" I asked, frowning in slight confusion.

"Well, yeah. The only ice cream parlour I know is super far from us. So we could just go to Daçota to get some." He explained.

"Hmm, okay. Let's go. You're paying, though." I joked.

"Of course, a gentleman never asks a lady on an ice cream date without intentions to foot the bill." Caleb joked.

"Oh this is a date now?" I teased.

"What  did you think it was?" He reiterated, raising a brow.

"More like you begging me on two knees to accompany you I'm satisfying your sweet cravings." I stated in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Oh no, you caught me." He deadpanned.

"Obviously." I laughed, linking my arm with his and walking out of the door.

We got to the restaurant in less than five minutes, even though we walked, and that surprised me.

"This looks fancy, Caleb." I said, feeling apprehensive for some reason.

"Yeah but their food sucks. Come on." He said, urging me to go first with an encouraging smile.

He pulled out a chair for me to sit, and helped me tuck myself in, then went to get us the ice cream.

When he got back with two trays of ice cream and red velvet cake, I smiled.

"Thank you. But you didn't tell me we were gonna go somewhere fancy, I would've dressed less homeless-y." I said, feeling self conscious. I was in a pair of joggers and a tank top, and on my feet were half dirty flip flops from the dust.

"I'm not exactly the picture of elegance, either. We look like a match made in kpoto-kpoto." He said, snickering.

I laughed loudly, even though I had no idea what that meant. It just sounded funny. "What's that?"

"It means mud, but sounds ten times funnier when you say it." He said, smiling.

"You're not wrong." I replied.

"Eat your ice cream before it gets cold, unless you need some help?" He asked, reaching forward with his spoon.

I slapped his hand away, playfully, "I'm good, thanks for offering, though."

"Okay, okay, just asking." He surrendered, raising his hands up.

We finished our ice cream in comfortable silence, a smile never leaving my face. After we were through, I linked my arms with his again and we walked out, ignoring the odd stares from people who no doubt were confused about our outfits.

By the time we got back, I noticed a car parked in front of their house.

"It seems your mum is back." I commented. I'd only met Caleb's mum once, and it was a confusing experience.

She'd sounded odd, and I couldn't exactly place her accent. Or accents. She pronounced every word differently and reeked of ingenuity. Obviously, though, I didn't say that to Caleb.

"Crap." He commented.

Wasting no time, we entered the house and met his mother sitting on the couch I'd previously occupied, watching a Nigerian film.

Caleb's mother was tall and light skinned, but not necessarily beautiful. Whatever appeal she might have had, in my opinion, was overshadowed by her poorly applied makeup and obnoxious personality.

"Mummy good evening." Caleb greeted.

"Good evening ma'am." I said as well.

"Oh! Are you back?" She asked, making a show of turning to face us. I wondered why she bothered to ask that, considering we wouldn't have greeted if we were still out, obviously.

Still, Caleb answered her. "Yes, mum."

"Oh, welcome. Mavis did you enjoy the service today?" She asked, although she pronounced my name as Marves. It annoyed me a bit, but I swallowed it.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay that's good. So tell me about-"

"Mummy, Mavis has to go home now, her dad has already called her to start coming back, because she doesn't live around here and she might get stuck in traffic." Caleb interrupted smoothly. I eyed him subtly, questioning the lie.

"Oh? Okay my dear. Bye. Greet your parents for me." She said, smiling somewhat falsely.

I nodded and returned her smile before hurrying out.

Caleb walked me out to the road, steadying me with his hand. "I'm sorry about my mum, she can be a bit much."

"It's okay, there's no problem at all." I responded, in spite of the fact that she made me uncomfortable.

"You don't have to spare my feelings." He said with a chuckle, stopping a cab. "Drop?"

"Where?" The driver asked.

"Herbert Macaulay close." He said. Then looked at me, silently confirming if I knew my way from  there, to which I nodded.

"How much?"

"2000 naira." The cab driver responded.

"Oga na one two na." Caleb negotiated, reverting to the Nigerian pidgin.

"Bros oya enter, give me one five."

"Oya na. You go carry me come back o." He said to the cab driver.

"No wahala. E go be three k."

"Okay, Mavis go in." He said, holding the door open.

I went in, surprised that he followed right after, shutting the door, but I didn't make any comment.

I allowed a comfortable silence to wash over us as we drove towards my area, mulling over the fact that I'd actually spent the whole day with Caleb.

Wondering exactly why I felt so good about it.

--

A/N

A slightly longer chapter as an apology for the delay😁 exams haven't been easy. Thankfully I have just one paper left so I was able to complete this. Anyway, this is unedited, sorry for the mistakes and errors, I'm half awake.

What are your thoughts on Caleb and Mavis' friendship.

Is there something more, hmm?😉

What do you think about his mum?

Its Sunday in the life of Mavis, so we will be seeing the others when they go to school on Monday.

Tell me what you think

-Rhys😴