IRENE

Walking into the house after Theodore dropped me off, I tip toed around the house trying to make it to my room. Getting up the stairs successfully, I huffed out a breath I had no idea I had in me placing my hand across my chest.

"And where are you coming from young lady?"

Oh shit!

I turned to Mayowa with a shocked expression. "Don't even make an attempt to lie because I saw the boy that dropped you off."

The way he emphasised on the word boy caused me to cringe. I rolled my eyes mentally. "And I know it isn't Desmond in case you were contemplating telling me it was him."

"Can't I have other male friends asides Desmond?" He tilted his head staring at me and he sighed. "Yeah whatever." I was glad he let it go.

"Where were you though? I had been looking everywhere for you. Your mum had called me earlier to know how you're faring and I had to lie you were asleep."

I looked up at his worried eyes and sighed. He does care about me. Maybe he isn't so bad after all. "I'm sorry." I blurted out. "I just needed to see Theodore badly." I only realised how wrong that sounded when it left my mouth.

He looked down at me with a playful smirk.. "So it's Theodore huh?" I looked away and my eyes landed on my shoes. 

Who the fuck is this? My subconscious practically screamed.

Not the Irene Coker I know. The fuck happened to you girl?

Oh yeah, Theodore happened.

Those words burned my cheeks hard and I was aware that my complexion reddened. "It definitely is." Mayowa responded and I groaned making my way to my room.

"Are you two dating already?" He asked and I shot him a look. "No."
"So you like him." He stated and I huffed. "No, I don't know." I finally slumped on my bed as I got into my room.

He took a seat beside me on my bed and I felt him collapse beside me. "Well I'm gonna share with you a little trick. Back in the days, you know when I was younger. I used this trick to know if I liked someone."

I plopped on my elbow with interest and he smiled. "I'll clear my mind and close my eyes and then if I see her face, I know she's the one. Sometimes it's the spark you feel when you make contact with the person. Or the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when they look at you. Sometimes it's how much you're willing to engage yourself with the things they do or you try your best to impress them. Other times, you want to look your best around them and most of all, you feel really hurt when you see them with someone else."

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

And I asked the question. "Is that what you feel around my mum?" His smile widened. "It's way more than that Irene. It's way more than that. I'm in love with Tiffany." He said calling my mum by her first name.

I cringed inwardly. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask how he 'fell in love' with her but I wasn't in any way a fan of gooey and weird love stories.

I gave him a quick once over. "Aren't you like younger than she is?"

"Four years younger, yes. But love has nothing to do with that. Age just comprises of digits." I nodded my mind drifting to the time when my dad used to tell us about how he met my mum.

She slapped him at their first meeting because he mistakenly spilled his drink on her at a party they both attended and surprisingly, that slap kept him coming back.

"You're smiling." Mayowa stated bringing me out of my reverie. I didn't even realize it until he said it out loud. "Oh Theodore's girl." He teased and I blushed. "Please stop it, he's just a friend."

Mayowa got up laughing. "Sure, I'll let you have it your way tonight. You should go to bed now." He  said causing me to turn to my walk clock. It was 9pm on the dot.

I had had dinner earlier around five so I had no worries with going down for dinner. "When is she coming back?" I asked referring to my mum. "Your mum is really busy at work. She should be back by 11pm. You should sleep now though, you'll see her in the morning."

I nodded and he pulled my comforter over me. Yeah, he tucked me in. Squatting by my bed, he gave me a lazy smile. "We'll call it a night then." He said and put off the light in my room. "Goodnight Irene." He said and walked out. "Goodnight." I slowly voiced out but he was gone.

I was not sleepy yet and I knew better than to use my phone. The number of chats I had not responded was overwhelming so I decided to just sit up staring into the darkness.

My mind drifted to my dad and how much Mayowa was doing his best to fill his space. As much as he was sweet and shared some similarities with my dad, he couldn't fill that void no matter how hard he tried.

Pray for us, Irene.

My dad would say that when we were about to have a meal and younger me would smile and begin.

God thank you for making mummy and daddy love us this much...

Thank you for the food we are about to eat...

Thank you for giving daddy the money he used to buy our Ice cream...

Most times, I even deviated from the point which was praying for the food. I'd say something like....

Thank you for making daddy buy me a new dress.

Even at that, I wouldn't be scolded for deviating but its been a long time that I felt that giddy to do anything. Especially not to pray.

And just at that moment, the voice came....

Life is a bed of roses Irene, but have you forgotten that roses have thorns?

Getting down from my bed, I put on the lamp on my night stand and walked to my table to get the bible.

Opening it, I went to the bible passages Theodore asked me to read.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares.

I asked myself, does he really care? Can I trust him with my problem? Was Theodore right about him?

I opened the second passage and read it out loud.

Psalm 56: 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Should I put my trust in him when I'm afraid? For some reason, I felt very conflicted. It was an internal battle for me.

Going to the last passage, I said a small prayer for understand with faith that Theodore was right about this God.

Please help me understand, make me assimilate and most of all, show yourself to me.

Then I turned open the last passage.

Matthew 6:25-27 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Reading this particular passage opened my eyes to something; even though I was flawed, pained, challenged, I was still favored and I understood this only because of the illustration of the birds in the sky.

Sighing loudly, I closed my eyes to pray. I had no idea why we needed to close our eyes while praying but I did anyways. Making a mental note to ask Theodore about it later on, I clamped my hands together and said the words out loud.

For the gift of life, I thank you. For the air I breathe, Indeed I'm grateful. For revealing your word to me, I appreciate. For sending an angel like Theodore, I can't be more thankful.

Help me through this phase, help me overcome my fears, prove to me that you are not just a figment of everyone's imaginations. Show yourself worthy in my life.

Forgive my sins and show unto me your salvation. Amen.

Closing my eyes with the bible on my chest, my mind drifted to Theodore. There was something about him other than his pretty curls and beautiful smile. Other than his flawless skin and witty aura, Other than his piercing eyes and fascinating height.

What exactly it was, I couldn't place my hand on it but I knew one thing was for sure and it was that I felt really different around him. Safe, Open minded, you name it.

It felt like he was my safe heaven where I could bare out my pain and would be comforted thereafter. That kind of comfort you feel even without being touched, the kind of warmth you feel even without being clothed.

That was how I felt whenever I was around Theodore, his whole person was alluring and intriguing.

Yawning loudly, my brain slowly shut down to the reality and I was slowly transported out of the obvious conscious.

THEODORE

It was Monday morning, the very beginning of another school week and the first termly test week. I did my very best in studying as we were having one of our core subjects in few hours time and that subject, Literature in English.

The drive to school was cozy my mind lingering on my latest discovery. That Irene was more than just a super hot supermodel. Yes I said that.

She was more than the brand ambassador of the best of brands, more than just the CEO of Irene's essence. More than just one of the most influential teenagers I know, more than just my classmate or friend.

She was like a drug, surprising but very true.

Thinking about her waded away stress and the nightmares. Since Saturday night when we met at the beach, I felt some sort of peace around her person. It felt unreal but it was indeed very real.

Her ethereal aura was like medication. I kept asking myself why she suddenly gave me this sort of peace. Finding no valid reason, I concluded it was the effect her name had on her.

Irene- Sometimes written as Irini was derived from the Greek word Eirene which means peace. Irene was the Greek goddess of peace.

Maybe she was the goddess of peace and she reincarnated. I wasn't sure what exactly it was but I was aware it was her.

Had I found my sanctuary? My safe heaven? Is it Irene?

The car coming to a sudden halt jolted me out of my bizarre reverie and I got down. Bade my driver farewell and walked towards the academic block with my hands in my pockets.

Shaking my head vigorously to chase away my bizarre thoughts, I walked into the senior block and made for my class.

•••••

"Pen's up!" The invigilator snapped and I dropped my pen as I was already done writing.

"Kodiri drop your pen." The chubby man said referring to a classmate of mine. The poor boy gently dropped his pen but from the look he had on his face, I knew he wasn't able to finish the test.

Taking the scripts from all the students, Mr Kamaldeen the short chubby man walked out of our classroom.

"Hey you." I turned to that unmistakable voice.

Almond eyes...

Coffee black orbs...

Taffy pink colored lips...

It was Irene. My lips easily stretched into a smile. "Hey."

"How was the test?" She asked. My gaze followed her newly made hair that was gelled to perfection at the edges. "It was good. I hope yours was too."

"Yes it was." I nodded tapping gently on the table.

"Thanks for Saturday." I turned to her with a scowl. "Don't thank me. I was just being a good friend. I hope it helped you."

She nodded. "I do feel at peace. I feel settled. I'm trying hard to believe he exists and I'm doing well. And it's all because of you. This peace I feel, this fulfilment is all as a result of your help. It's all you Theodore."

I was really happy for her. She was at peace and it was all me.

I'm also at peace and surprisingly it's all because of you.

At least I helped her to feel at peace, she didn't do anything, yet thoughts of her kept me at peace.

Indeed she was the goddess of peace whose presence and aura oozes of peace.

"I'm glad you're better now." I was about to tell her what went down when I tried hacking through the security of the number that had texted her when another voice interrupted us.

"Aren't you two going to the cafeteria?" Looking up, it was Kiki and then looking around, there were only five of us in the classroom. When did everyone leave?

"Of course we are." I heard Irene answer and she got up while Kiki on the other hand pulled me up and we walked to the cafeteria while she did all the talking, Irene and I chipping in a word or two at some point.

*
Hello all!
How have you all been? I really hope you've been doing good.

Here I am with another update and I'd really love it if you all say what it is you think about this chapter. Share your thoughts in the comment section babies

This is the twentieth chapter...it's a yay day!

Another chapter will probably be coming before the end of today.

Also, I'm really grateful to y'all for 5k reads on Resolutions.

PS: If you still haven't read it, do well to check it out soon. Its never too late 😊

Alright then, I'll be leaving. To sleep for an hour or two.

See y'all later.

Word Count: 2265