I'm putting a song and this particular song, for this chapter because I've been vibing to it for a while now🙃

Lojay and Sarz ➪ Monalisa.

dhemzie_xoxo here's your chapter🌚

~he just smiled, and I thawed~

⊱𝙸𝙳𝙴𝚁𝙰𝙾𝙻𝚄𝚆𝙰 𝙽𝙾𝙴 𝙰𝙳𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙺𝙴⊰

~~•~~

Okay, so maybe this bowling thing wasn't going as bad as I expected. I didn't even want to go at first, with Jidenna going to be here and all that. But thanks to a brief pep talk from Lora about having fun while we can coupled with threats from Oma, I found myself in the DaCosta's bowling alley.

And I have to admit, I was having fun.

The boys were thoroughly roasting our asses in bowling, which Oma is pissed about, and claims that they are cheating. I couldn't even lift a single bowling ball from the rack, Dami was still playing with the boys, and Lora almost got her toe broken from kicking a bowling ball.

What was she even thinking?

Rotimi's love riddim was blaring from the speakers, coupled with the dim lighting and flashing blue lights, giving off club vibes to the place. Kanye's voice was the loudest, as he sang along while bowling.

From the look of things, everyone was having a swell time. Both classmates and invitees. Although it seemed as if some didn't really get the message that this was meant to be a fun night out, or maybe they misinterpreted the message Kanye passed across to everyone earlier today.

I couldn't count how many times I had come across intense make-out sessions. Is that really what they came here for?

I mean, I came here to escape my dad's impending fury. I had to come up with the classic lie of a sleepover study session at a friend's house, which he bought, and instructed my brother, Iyanu, to take me there, so that I won't "branch" other places.

Distrustful much.

Dami called me over to continue the bowling game, which I declined. I had given up already, seeing that there was no hope of winning the boys. So I was seated with Regina, and a slightly pissed Oma, sipping on a glass of chilled Chapman.

And as long as we didn't cross paths, it was all good.

"Oh my God!" Regina suddenly gasped. Someone who was slouched on her chair seconds ago was now seated upright, looking stunned.

"Isn't that..."

I followed her gaze, but I wasn't seeing anything or anyone. All I could see were boys huddled around each other, and clingy girls who seemed like they would die if they weren't given even the slightest bit of attention.

And what the heck was Dami doing in their midst?

"Regina what?" Oma queried, with irritation evident in her tone. I was beginning to think she was experiencing that time of the month. She had been nothing but nasty all day.

My heart goes out to all the boys she has rudely rejected today. Quite several guys present here had approached Oma. Well why wouldn't they, when she was looking this good with just a simple outfit?

A white cropped tank top, with nude leggings which clung to her lower body like a second skin, exhibiting her curves, was enough to turn heads twice. The outline of her bra and her nipples were a bit visible from the top.

But this is Oma, and she didn't care.

(Oma's face claim and her outfit for the evening/night🙃)

I had on a purple baggy shirt, and blue faded denim jeans. There was nothing for anyone attracted to be to. Plus I have a boyfriend, so I wasn't really worried about who I attracted and who I did not.

(Idera's face claim and outfit🙃)

"Oh, him?" She let out a loud, and long hiss, which had me wondering what the person had done wrong to her. "I was even thinking it was someone reasonable."

I, on the other hand, was having a hard time seeing who Regina and Oma were talking about. I stood up halfway, with my eyes fixed on the very direction Regina couldn't take her eyes off.

Still nothing.

All I could see were still those boys, and Dami getting way too cozy with one of the guys whose face I couldn't make out.

And by way too cozy, I mean she was straddling him, and his hands were all over her exposed thighs.

Dami thought it a good idea to show up in blue jean shorts and a turtleneck long-sleeved crop top.

(Dami's face claim and her outfit🙃)

That girl has a lot of explaining to do later.

I gave up, and with a weary sigh, I sat back down.

"Me I can't see anyone oh." My words made Oma shake her head at me, and give me a Something is wrong with you look.

I ignored her and took a sip from my drink.

"It's Jude Osasogie! Can't you see him over there? Talking with Kanye. Oh my gosh, Kanye knows him!"

I choked.

Then my brain did a pause, rewind, and play.

Jude what?

"Who?" I asked once I had gotten myself. Maybe I heard her wrong. I hope I heard her wrong. Maybe I was reacting to something in the Chapman. Maybe it was spiked.

Oh my God, was my drink spiked?

"Jude na. That influencer dude." Oma replied dryly.

I turned my head back so fast, that it would have snapped.

And he was right there.

Talking with Kanye, just as Regina had said.

With Dami now all over him. And he wasn't even doing anything to ward her off. He let her touch him.

My blood boiled.

"You're going to break that glass if you keep gripping it like that." Oma's voice cleared the gathering haze of anger.

Get it together Idera.

Inhaling a breath, I looked away from them, released my grip on the poor tumbler, and adjusted myself on the chair. I could feel Oma's scrutinizing gaze on me, which made me feel uncomfortable.

So uncomfortable that I almost snapped at her, but thank God for Kanye's presence.

"This is my twin sister, Oma."

He was here, and my eyes took in his appearance. Just a blue jersey and black jeans which had a gold zipper on each leg, white Nike sneakers, and a gold chain. I dare not leave out the two silver stud earrings on both ears.

Simple, yet he managed to look so hot.

"Hey, Oma."

"Hey." That was all she said to him, without her eyes even taking a break from her phone for a second. That I was thankful for. At least she didn't see me openly check him out.

Excuse me, but I just couldn't help myself.

"I get to finally meet the girl who has taken over K's Instagram page," Jude said, not surprised by her attitude. I had kind of filled him in about most of my classmates, the girls especially.

The majority of all what Kanye posts asides from his music covers, and all that, are Oma's pictures, and promotional posts of her upcoming clothing line. Twin love, I guess.

(My jobless ass wanting to post this picture, and creating fake Instagram accounts for my characters🙃)

"This is Regina."

"Hey, Regina." He flashed her a smile, an enthralling one at that. My jaws were starting to hurt from how hard they were clenched, but my anger overshadowed the slight pain. My heated glare could bore holes in his face, and I'm sure he felt it too.

"Hii!" She replied with so much enthusiasm, admiring him like he was the only precious thing in this alley.

It made me want to blind those eyes of hers.

"She's like a fan."

"Oh right." He chuckled and stretched his hand towards her. "Nice to meet you, Regina."

"You too Jude."

She accepted his hand eagerly. I could see that handshake linger, and it just made me want to...

Get a fucking grip Ideraoluwa.

"Can I get a picture with you, please? I need to show my friends I finally met you."

I almost scoffed out loud. Almost.

She sounded so stupid to me. Regina was going to flaunt that picture to not only her friends but the entire Ss3 class. The entire school if possible!

And God help his soul if he granted her that request.

"That's not a problem." He replied, and she giggled.

That was the last straw for me. So I did the one thing that any other angry girlfriend would do.

And that was not snapping at Regina, and confronting Jude. Nope, I wouldn't do that. Not when I was still sane.

I got up and left the building instead.

I didn't care that my exit might seem a bit strange or even suspicious. If I had stayed there for even a second, I'd have lost my shit.

Jude, Jude, fucking Jude!

Everything in me badly wanted to storm out the gates of this place, take a cab, and go home. But that would be jumping from frying pan to fire. And even though I could just lie to my dad that I wasn't sleeping over anymore, I didn't want to risk it.

"Oh, God." I groaned as I paced back and forth in the dark and secluded part of the parking lot, trying to get my head and thoughts straight.

How could Jude just show up at a place where I was? This surely wasn't a coincidence. His stubborn ass was hell-bent on seeing me and talking to me.

After that unfortunate incident, I completely shut him out. I didn't want to see him or talk to him, I made that very clear. But this boyfriend of mine bombarded me with calls I didn't reply, to and texts I haven't even read till date.

So I'm guessing he decided to take it to the next level, by stalking me.

This persistent nature of his which I adored, was extremely irritating at the moment. I hated it.

And speaking of the devil, his Cologne wafted into my nostrils, before I felt his presence behind me.

"Can we talk? Please?"

"No." That was my simple reply. I didn't want to see him. Not now.

"Idera please,"

"I said no. I don't want to talk to you." I fired back. I was getting irritated for reasons unknown to me. Was it almost that time of the month? Or was I just plain pissed?

"Then would you please, just hear me out?"

I said nothing. Did I want to hear what he had to say? Did it mean he had an explanation for what he did? For hurting me?

"I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional. You know fully well that I will never do that in my right mind."

Just hear the boy out. My subconscious urged.

And that I did.

He explained to me how he and his cousin had a disagreement, which morphed into a serious fight when the latter mentioned his late sister. Hence, the battered face.

I was fully aware of the constant feud between them. I had even witnessed one of their arguments, and it wasn't child's play.

So I guess his explanation was valid enough for me to accept his pleas. After all, it was the first time the incident has ever occurred since we started dating. Taking his anger out on me isn't something Jude would do.

I was going to let this one slide.

"So...are you okay now? How's your face?" I asked, fiddling with my bracelet while staring at the window of a car parked in the vast compound, and watching the reflection of the flickering blue and red neon sign on top of the building.

"Better, but still a little pain from my Jaw." He replied, and I nodded. He must have gotten hit hard there.

I took my eyes off the car, and fixed them on the bracelet on his wrist, made out of cowries, a handmade gift from his grandmother. Jude is not one to attach sentimental value to anything, but he cherished this bracelet more than anything.

Probably because he was so close to his grandmother, and loved the elderly woman to bits. He never wore anything on that wrist except his wristwatch, which he rarely had on.

None of us said a word, as we let the silence take over, with the dull beat of Ruger's bounce which was now playing from inside the building. But we were aware of the fact that we had a lot of things to say, and questions to ask each other. And knowing Jude, he wasn't going to wait for another moment together or wait till another day.

"You know-" He began, as expected, but the loud voices of two persons arguing cut him off. Voices that couldn't be ignored.

"No. You have to tell me what the fuck you were thinking when you decided to invite that piece of shit over."

"Dude chill. Don't put this on me. How in the world was I supposed to know you have beef with the guy?"

The voices belonged to Jidenna and Kanye. I didn't even have to think twice about the former because one could hear the haughtiness in his tone.

It irked me.

"You should have fucking asked!"

"Ask you what exactly? Ask for your permission to invite a friend over to my father's bowling alley?"

We needed no soothsayer to tell us it was Jude they were arguing about, and that got me slightly annoyed.

"I don't want to see him in there again Kanye. I don't care what you do, I just don't want to see him in that building."

The damn audacity!

And yet people still ask me why I have a problem with him.

Unbelievable.

"Or what? You'll beat me?" Kanye questioned, then let out a dry chuckle.

"Your father doesn't own the world Jidenna. So stop feeling so entitled."

"Fuck this guy," Jude growled, and that was when I realized he was going to confront Jidenna. I quickly grabbed his arm, in a bid to stop him.

"Jude no," I begged, but he shrugged my hands off, and walked away.

I remained hidden in the darkness, my heart pounding in my chest, with fear of things going wrong.

"Didn't know you went around threatening people, J boy."

What the hell is J boy?

"You might want to leave K. Trust me, you don't want to get involved." He warned Kanye.

"Gladly. But whatever you two do, please don't break anything." I didn't hear his voice after that, which meant he had left.

Wrong idea if you ask me because I don't know how long it would take before one provokes the other to throw a punch.

My heart now pummelled in my chest, my stomach churned, and my hands were sweaty as I thought of how things could go wrong from here.

I quickly searched around me for an escape, and thankfully, I found one. I left where I was to check it out, and it was a door that led into a storage room that should lead into the main building.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Came Jidenna's angry voice, drawing my attention back to both boys. I went back to where I stood.

"You know how this always ends Jide."

I was so tempted to step out and take a peek at what was going on. But the fear of getting seen overrode my curiosity, so I stayed put and settled for just listening to them.

"Unable to enjoy your fun night out because of me? Well, that must suck. Unlike me, having the time of my life."

"Do you think I give a fuck about you?" Jidenna spat out at Jude. There was so much venom in his tone, and that got me wondering how bad was their enmity towards each other.

Probably worse than ours.

"Yes, I do. I mean, it's quite obvious that you do. If not, you wouldn't be here, acting like a rabid dog."

If there was one thing I had noticed about Jidenna, it was his quick reaction to words, and that was what caused 90% of our arguments. He didn't know how to let things go. That was his weakness, and I always preyed on it, just as Jude was doing.

He was using only words, yet he riled Jidenna up so well.

"Jidenna!" A voice called out, effectively stopping the boy from acting out on his anger.

It was Hugo, and he was worried. Beyond relieved was an understatement for me, and I could breathe easily. Jude could have been nursing a bruised face if Hugo hadn't arrived.

As long as he was here, Jidenna couldn't do anything. And by couldn't do anything, I don't mean Hugo holding Jidenna back or stopping him from fighting. He didn't even need to do that, because Jidenna wouldn't dare throw a punch in his presence.

"Are you guys okay? You two look like you're about to murder each other."

I could just imagine the bloody scene, and I shivered at the images playing out in my head.

Thank God for you Hugo.

"We're good. It's just that your friend here doesn't know how to control his temper and his mouth."

His mouth, most especially. That thing needed a lock or something.

"I swear, I'll end you!" Jidenna yelled, and I could imagine him struggling in Hugo's hold, desperately wanting to just retaliate.

"You don't have to react to everything everyone says, Jidenna. Just ignore him and let's go. I didn't come here to separate fights uncalled for." Hugo said to his friend, and I could swear that there was an edge to his voice.

Or did I just imagine it?

Unable to keep standing there, I made my way back into the building, wanting this night to be over, and fast.

~•~•~

"...and I didn't even reply her because she was just busy capping rubbish. You know the funny thing? The truth was so obvious, but she was still lying!"

That was Lora, going on and on about an Ss2 girl who she had an issue with recently.

"Lora, it's enough please."

"Shut up and listen to me."

I had already zoned out long ago, I wasn't even in their midst anymore. I only came back to get my phone from Oma, so I could distract myself from stealing glances at a certain boy.

But it wasn't that easy when he was doing the same.

While I was seated, all I did was swipe. My eyes were on the screen, but my mind was far from what was on it.

Why is he even here?

"You like him?"

"What?" I looked beside me to see Dami, who was leaning on the table giving me that weird smile that obviously had a meaning to it.

"Him." She tilted her head toward his direction. "Jude. You've been staring at him."

I was alarmed for a few seconds, already racking my brain for a lie, until I remembered that exaggeration is kind of Dami's thing.

Thank God.

I wasn't still happy with her actions earlier, but they were clearly out of ignorance, so I let it go. Plus I had already forgiven Jude.

"I wasn't. I was just watching the boys play."

"Sure." She replied, and my eyes followed her as she stood upright with a teasing smile, which she tried to hide by taking a swig out of her bottle of Pepsi.

I frowned. "Dami stop it."

Her eyes widened, amusement dancing in them, as she brought down the bottle from her lips.

"Stop what? I'm only saying what I'm seeing." She said to me as she screwed the cover back on the mouth of the bottle. Still holding the bottle, she leaned on the counter and swung her arm around me.

"But yunno what? I can talk to him for you. That's if you want."

I raised a brow at her ridiculous suggestion.

"And where do you know him from that you want to talk to him? Besides, he has a girlfriend."

I glanced back at Jude, and the first thing I caught sight of were his faint, but visible dimples being showcased at intervals as he conversed with a random guy. My breath hitched in my throat, and I felt fluttering in my stomach, as I was a sucker for those.

"An anonymous girlfriend." She scoffed, drawing my attention away from him. "How are we even sure he's not using it for clout."

Because I am proof. This, I wanted to say to her. But that would just be a dumb move.

"He has pictures of her on his page. It's not for any clout." I defended.

"Silhouettes and pictures of her hands don't classify as actual pictures. It might just be some random girl he messes around with."

Ouch!

I'm pretty sure she meant no harm, but I couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed, and offended by her words.

"Don't underestimate me Dera." She winked and earned an eye roll from me. I looked back at Jude, who was now smiling, as he waved at...us?

It was then I turned to Dami, who had all her 32 on display and was vigorously waving at him too.

This babe.

My phone vibrated, and I took it out of my pocket to see a WhatsApp message notification from my brother. I should be worried, but I wasn't, because the message wasn't from Iyanu, but from our eldest brother who hadn't been home for months. Why? Well because he didn't live with us.

𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬😎❣️
Online.

Daughter of Zion.

Don't daughter of Zion me oh😒
When are you coming home?

😂😂
Probably next month.

It's too far💔

I exited WhatsApp and went over to Instagram as I waited for his reply.

"What in the world?" Hearing those words from Dami made me look up from Irene Coker's latest Instagram post, just in time to see Jidenna shove Jude, really hard.

What I feared most this night, was coming to play, and I couldn't watch. I didn't even want to know what was going to happen next.

I slipped my phone back into the pocket of my jean trousers, got up, and left the building for the second time this night.

───────•••───────

Even though I'm a woman of vayolence, I don't support violence😌

Thoughts on this you guys. I need your feedback. Constructive criticisms are welcomed also.

I would tell you to pay attention to every single thing in this book, and at the same time, I wouldn't. But anyways, keep on reading.

What nicknames do your siblings call you?

And a happy belated birthday to my baby and my loveeee _melanin_xo🤭🤭❤️❤️❤️✨✨✨✨ We are patiently waiting for Jasmine.❤️❤️

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