I'm actually still alive lol. Shocker, right?

I'm not gon bore y'all with excuses sha. So, enjoy 🥂✨.

°°°°°

It hurt. I swear, it hurt so bad seeing my friend like that. And it hurt even more knowing that I couldn't do shit about it.

❦︎

~[JASON]~

Jude and Fidel in the same place was a whole new level of madness.

Looking at them now, I just wanted to smash my bottle of Smirnoff on the floor and chase them out of the place with the chattered glass.

"Del..." Jude was whining, nudging Fidel's elbow. "Just give me a chance." He jutted out his bottom lip, fluttered his eyelid like a six year old daddy's girl.

"Look..." Fidel sighed, dramatically if I may add. "I would, but I'm taken." He turned to me for a moment, winked in what he must have thought was a seductive manner, and focused on Jude again. And with the most serious expression ever, he told Jude, "I have a Zaddy."

God, abeg.

Jude slapped his hand over his mouth, completely stiff as he stared at Fidel. And I shit you not, tears actually gathered in his eyes; just one blink and they would have gone cascading down his cheeks.

But suddenly, like someone had pressed a button that said 'start laughing', they both doubled over, guffawing like crazed rabids. And those tears were freely rolling down Jude's face now.

Really, putting aside their insanity, Nollywood needs these two.

But the sound of their manic laughter was beginning to irritate me, I had half a mind to pick up a fork and stab Fidel's neck. Because they were beginning to attract unwanted attention. Even the weird waiters looked worried, and that said a lot.

I had walked into Susan's Spot to meet with 'the gang'-as Tracy put it when she called me-only to find these two here, having ice cream together for some reason. Of course, I had taken a different booth, but like the mad people they were, they just had to join me. Apparently, my death stares weren't enough clues that I needed them to get lost.

"Zaddy, Juju would be spending the holidays at my place. You should be jealous."

Ignoring the stupid nickname Fidel had cooked up for Jude, I let him know that, "I don't care."

"Our mothers are tight friends, Jude and I, that's why." He went on anyway, and I was beginning to feel a migraine coming. Out of nowhere, he exclaimed, "Ehen!" Then adjusted on his seat, leaned in with wide eyes and asked, "Is it Bubbles you're waiting for?"

"For the last time, Fidel, I don't know this Bubbles you speak of." I closed my eyes, mounted my elbows on the table and began to massage my temples.

What sort of ill luck do I have today?

I heard the little bell at the door jiggle, followed by soft footsteps, and then Fidel's pleased remark. "Speak of the angel and she appears!"

Of course, I lifted my head to behold the angel he was so elated to see.

And he wasn't kidding.

On God, for a second there, I believed it was some kind of celestial being of high hierarchy walking in. An olive green, silk dress, that's what she wore; it was sleeveless with a simple cowl neckline. And of course, she rocked it with her signature Nikes, the white Dunk high-tops with green logos. I promise, with a simple addition of wings behind her and a halo over her afro, she would easily pass off as an angel.

It was rare, but this was one of the times I was grateful for Jude's stupid statements. He said, "why is my oga not with her?"

God knows, I wouldn't have been able to look the fuck away if it weren't for his voice that dragged me back into awareness.

Meanwhile, Fidel was just about ready to rip his lips all in the name of smiling. "Bubbles is just adorable."

I grimaced, and within me, I asked, She's his Bubbles?

"Yup!" He answered my internal question. Perhaps, I had blurted, I wasn't sure. "She shines like a bubble."

Bubbles, on the other hand, was still eye-searching the space. I couldn't blame her though, we had occupied a booth at a corner of the far end of the space. But Jude, in his regular lunacy, got up and screamed her name, fervently waving the girl over.

Even though I knew it wouldn't be granted, I wished for the ground to open the fuck up and swallow me whole.

She warily eyed the space beside me before taking her seat on it, making sure to keep reasonable distance between us; but it was useless, her citrus scent was already assaulting my nostrils, making me to take in deep breaths against my will. And, for some stupid reason I didn't know, I was having a hard time trying to not look at her.

Bottom line, I failed. I was busy observing her profile at this point: the curve of her nose bridge, the pout of her lips; for goodness sake, I even noticed that she had perfect dentition when she smiled at whatever Fidel said.

And a part of me-just a little part, I swear-wished that I had come along with my camera to capture the sight my eyes were beholding.

You are inspired by beauty, I recalled the therapist's conclusion.

And it wasn't something I could dispute, I concurred, Victoria Kanayo was indeed beautiful.

"Boya you should dive inside her body." This time, I was not the least bit grateful for Jude's words. When I darted my gaze to his face, he had amusement dancing in his eyes.

[Boya: maybe.]

Shut the hell up, I wanted to say to him. But I decided that it was useless bantering with him; the Jude I knew could not shut up to save his own life.

"This one you're already looking like your want to lick her cheek." He wiggled his brows suggestively, smirked at me.

Again, I had the urge to pick up a fork and stab someone. This time, it was Jude on my mind. The guy was getting on my last nerve with the way he had heat crawling up my face from embarrassment. And then, out of nowhere, someone spoke.

"Since when?"

Only one person could appear out the blue like that, like a freaking wizard. I didn't even bother to look at him, or respond to his question.

But he wasn't even talking to me. "Since when do y'all hang out with my guy?" He paused, most likely for effect, or stare at one of their souls as usual. "Especially you, Tori."

"Uh..." From my periphery, I saw her shift tensely. "I'm not hanging- I mean, Tracy called me here, so..."

"Hmm." He hummed. And he must have beckoned on her to move for him, because we were now brushing thighs, Victoria and I. Well, I moved farther, pressing my side against the wall, because there were weird tingles where her skin was grazing mine.

"Jay?"

It was when he called out to me that I even took note of his presence. I lifted my gaze, looked at Charles that was already seated beside Jude.

"You okay?" He squinted slightly with that inquiry.

I exhaled lowly and nodded, dropped my gaze back to my index that was swirling circles on the table. I should have been asking him that, I had been asking him that; for a whole seven weeks, I tell you.

He'd been listless since our midterm week, and during our exams, I feared he'd flunk them. And anytime I asked him what was wrong, I'd get something like, "It's the harmattan, that's all."

My guy must have thought I was a freaking idiot or something. Maybe if I should ask again, he'd blame it on the poor weather, or the fact that our results were being sent to our parents today, I didn't know which excuse he'd choose.

So, I decided that I wouldn't ask, not when I was certainly going to get the same damn answer, or even a stupider one. I wasn't Chris that could get someone into spilling their life secrets.

"They opened an arcade upstairs recently. Jude and I are going." Fidel announced, I still didn't lift my head. "Who's coming?"

"That's swell." Chris's voice came next. He got up, I knew because I heard shuffling. "You coming, Charles? Jay?"

"Nah."

"Nope."

Charles and I declined.

The bell jiggled, and whoever came in must have caused Charles to have a quick rethink.

"You know what? I want to see the arcade." He sprung up just as I looked up at him, even began walking ahead of Fidel and Chris, Jude lazily trailing behind them.

Naturally, I glanced at the entrance to see who it was that came in, and that was when it all made sense.

Tracy was approaching, her feet moving in miserably slow drags as she hugged herself. She looked twice as miserable as Charles did the past seven weeks, and I'm not even exaggerating.

On a normal day, Tracy would come out looking like a super model, the next Bella Hadid, like she belonged on the cover of Teen Vogue. You'd see her and you'd awe at how she effortlessly shone.

But recently, she'd been looking like she was... a homeless person.

I swear, I'm just saying it as it is. I mean, the black shorts and hoodie she had on were so damn faded, almost looking like grey. And how the hell did she think to leave her house with that pair of oversized Crocs; it wouldn't have been as shocking if it were someone else, but Tracy? Ah. And let's not even begin with how her brown curls were sticking out in random directions.

"Stop looking at me like that, abeg." She bit out with a dry tone, waved her hand as she plopped on her seat opposite Victoria and I.

I have to say, looking at her up close wasn't any better. Tracy never ever forgot to apply layers upon layers of lipgloss on her lips, but how parched her lips were at the moment could have as well been the eighth wonder of the world, because I didn't even think it was possible for a person's lips to be that dry. They were wounded, with traces of dried blood across them.

It hurt. I swear, it hurt so bad seeing my friend like that. And it hurt even more knowing that I couldn't do shit about it.

Maami is not there, she had croaked out to me on the phone one night. My mother is not at the asylum!

I didn't know what to say. Really. All I could ask was, "how?"

Victoria's careful voice brought me out of my thoughts as she said, "Tee, I think you should ask your dad." She must have heard the gist too.

"You think I haven't?" Tracy raised her ungroomed brows at her. "He told a flimsy lie of moving her to the asylum at the Hills. Chris checked, and guess what? She's not there either."

"Ehn?" Victoria blurted, as shocked as I was.

Could her father be-

"Baami's hiding her somewhere," Tracy voiced out my suspicion. "And I don't know how I'm supposed to even begin my search for her."

"Maybe he's taken her outside Ikoyi, possibly out the country?" Victoria offered. "Y'know? For better treatment."

"Nah." Tracy shook her head. "Not out the country..."

I sighed, drained and defeated. And as I observed Tracy, I could visualize the wheels turning in her head. Then just a moment later, she shook her head, waved her thoughts away and announced,

"That's not why I called y'all here sha." She licked her parched lips and winced at the pain from the contact with her wounds.

"The twins are upstairs though." Victoria let her know.

She frowned, looked between Victoria and I. "Both of them?"

"Um... yeah?" Victoria let out as more of a question. "Didn't you call them here too?"

"I called Chris, not-" she paused, swallowed thickly, adjusted on her seat, and flicked her wrist in the air. "Whatever. I'll just call Chris to come down."

As she rang Chris up, I couldn't help but ponder upon how she emphasised inviting just him. Of course, I was aware things between her and Charles were a little strained, but I didn't think it had gotten to the point where the idea of being near him was this uncomfortable for her.

And when Chris had showed up alone, I heard mutter something like 'thank you, Jesus' to herself. I don't know, I may have heard things.

"So, what is it you wanted, Tee?" Chris had taken the space beside her.

"It's very simple." Tracy clamped her fingers over the table, and announced like she was merely asking us to pass her salt, "I need you guys to help me kidnap my father."

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A/N

Tracy might just be going insane 🙂. Cos what nonsense??? 😭

This chapter was a little different for me to write, I don't know why. That's why the ending's kinda weird. Bare with me 🤲🏿.

Updates will be coming slower than it already is, cos my schedule has gotten tighter. Maybe once in two weeks? Idk yet.

Anyways, y'all should stay safe 💕.
Love ya ❤️✨.