Yes, wonderful readers why don't we try getting a new title and cover for our lovely book.

I personally adore the name 'All of Us' but it's sounding kinda childish now and it doesn't prick interest at all. I might return to using the name later in the future by Elohim's Grace, but for now, let's go title and cover hunting.

These are some titles I could come up with; Remember, if you have a better name than any of these do comment as well. It goes a long way in giving us a great cover.

My ideas;

•SS3 Students of Great Citizens' Hall.

•Intertwined

•Beginning of the End

•Drama before Finals

Okay, I'm running out of options but remember you're welcome to come up with any title you find suitable...

28/03/20

.......  

31/03/20

So finally, we came up with the title 'Drama before Finals'.  Thanks to everyone who contributed, your help is immensely appreciated😍😍.
   Again, if you can come up with a better title, don't hesitate to let me know💚💚💚.
......

Part Seventeen

°•°•°•°•°•°•
Daphne's POV

   "Daphne!, Daphne... Ugochi" I heard my mom's voice from my room, she's calling me from the sitting room.

  " Yes ma, I'm coming." I spoke louder so she could hear me, I hissed and got up from my bed. I arranged my pink crop top and pulled down the bumshort I was wearing so I could walk properly.

I really do not know why she's calling me right now. My mom and I never had a heart to heart chat before, not after I found out that her and my dad kept the truth about their actual relationship from me. Whenever she had a message for me she always left it with Kachi or just sends a text to me, or even tells me without looking at me. Not that I'm proud of the way things are between us but I can't bring myself to pretend that everything is okay, not after the pain I went through when I found out.

 I arrived at the sitting room and saw her seated on one of our cream-coloured couch. Our large sitting room is painted white and there are some parts of the wall which were made up with black glassy tiles, the couches were facing the television and there's a large black&golden center rug in it as well.

Mom was going through the channels using the small control remote in her hands. She's putting on a black sleeveless body con gown and her hair is tied in a colourful hair scarf. My mom looks young and anyone who's never met her would mistake her for a lady in her late twenties.

  "Yes mom," I replied to get her attention.

  "Please sit," she pointed to another couch.

I did as told and crossed my legs, relaxing into the couch. The leather felt so cool and good against my bare laps.

" Umm, I called you here to tell you that I would be away for sometime, probably five days. I want you to take care of things while I'm away, maybe you can decide to stay at your father's place, I'll tell Kachi and Victor to take a holiday. But if you want to stay here, then they'll stay with you."

I got confused, mother works in a hotel and I'm certain most times the shift does not work in our favour but this isn't the first time she'll be away from home so why is she telling me this.

  "But this is not the first time you've been asked to work for days, so I can manage," I said.

  "Yes dear I know that, but this time it's not about work. I'm going to stay with .... a couple of friends, they'll be needing me around, so I took a leave from work and I wanted to let you know," she said hesitantly.
 
I don't know why I felt she wasn't being completely honest with me, but I shouldn't be doubting my own mother's intentions so I simply agreed.

  "Mom I can handle things on my own, you can go."

"Thanks honey but another thing is, I told your father and he wants you to come stay with them for a while. Since you're on holiday from next week, you should consider staying with them, it's only going to be for five days," looking at my mom's face, I could see she is pleading to me with her eyes I therefore had to agree.

   "Okay mom, I'll pack my clothes." I stood up and she thanked me while I made my way back to my room.

While going up, I thought about how I would endure five days staying at my father's place. It's true that my step siblings adore and respect me. My step mother has no problem with my stay there either, but staying with my dad only reminds me of the dreams I once cherished as a child.  Dreams that my parents would be together one day, that we would be a complete family and I would have a younger brother or sister.
Unfortunately, that dream would never be realized as my step siblings are living it already.

.... .... ....

I've been with my dad's other family for three days since my mom left. Dad and my step siblings picked me from my house in Surulere to theirs in Apapa.

  "Aunt Veronica can I go to one of my friends' house tomorrow. I've been really bored here for the past three days, just watching television, surfing the internet and running around gets tiring you know." I told my step mom, one night after dinner.

  "Of course I do dear, you have my permission to go tomorrow but please inform your father first, okay?" She replied giving me one of her best smiles which makes it difficult for me to stay mad at her.

  Aunt Veronica is an accountant at MTN head office here in Apapa. I like her especially for her classy and free-spirited nature. Unlike my mom who over thinks things, she does things without bothering of the consequences first.

I thanked her after that and went into my room. Father had one room prepared for me against the days he wants me to stay. Inside my room which is painted a magneta colour, a white queen-sized bed, a reading desk and closet,  I found my step siblings, Kayode and Kemi in a serious argument.

  'I wonder what it is they're fighting about now', I said to myself. They two of them are ten years old, twins and still attend primary school.

   " Hey you two munchkins, what are you doing here? It'll be bedtime soon," I asked them before sitting at the edge of my bed which they have already occupied the other space.

   "Big sis," Kemi started. She's such an adorable girl, "I told Kayo that I'll be staying in your room with you today and now he has come to stay as well." she looked angrily at her brother who started his own complaint.

  "Is a lie, I told her first and then she decided to run up here immediately after night food so it'll look like she brought the idea,"

    "But a boy is not allowed to stay in a girl's room. Remember you have your own room_"

  "Then why do Mummy and Daddy stay in one room?"

They two of them continued bickering so I had to intervene.

"It's okay, I know what we'll do. We will play a game on my phone, the title of the game is the lost princess. First this princess has to move out of the castle and then get lost on her way, then it is the duty of the prince to find and bring her back. Kemi would play the princess and Kayo the prince. Is that okay with you guys?" I asked, but I already got my answer from the bright look on their faces before they said yes.

"So that means no one gets to leave the room right?" I asked again to be sure they're both okay with it.

" No, no. Come on where's the game." Kemi almost shouted.

I went towards the locker beside my bed and unplugged my charging phone.

"Okay, let the games begin."

..... .....

 When I arrived at Timmi's house the next day, I rang the doorbell and in a couple of seconds a servant opened the front door. The weather was bright and beautiful so daddy didn't have a good reason to stop me from coming.

    "Hello, is Timmi around?" I asked the male servant who opened the door.

  "Yes she's upstairs in her room. I'll tell her you're here, please make yourself comfortable." He told me as he allowed me into the house. I have never been asked to wait in the sitting room for Tims before, but I agreed because he seems like a new house help, he may not know the relationship between us.

  "Okay thank you Sir," I heard Timmi's voice from where I was seated in the parlour. The parlour walls are painted yellow with a silver chandelier hanging down the centre of the room, the four brown couches surrounded the center glass stool and a flat screen television hung above the wall facing the entrance of the house.

  I maintained my position on the couch until Timmi and whoever she was talking with, came into view.
   "But ensure you make a note on all that I showed you and revise them."
That voice sounds familiar, I thought.

It wasn't long before the owner of the voice came into view.
  "Good afternoon Sir," I greeted when I saw Uncle Praise.

 "Good afternoon Daphne, how are you?" He asked

  "I'm fine Sir, aren't you supposed to be in school today and help them with supervision. I mean for the exams?" I asked him.

  "Well dear, I'm not on supervising duty today so I decided to come check on Timmi since she complained of finding some things difficult in Agriculture. I'll be on my way now, they both of you should take care." He said as he made his way out of the building.

  "Hey, I thought you said you were staying at Apapa, what brings you to Surulere today?" Timmi asked in a suspecting tone.

"FYI, I didn't lie about being at Apapa. It's just that I became bored there so I decided to come see you. And my father's driver drove me incase you're still suspicious," I retorted.

  '' I didn't mean it like that haba, you're welcome anyway," she said, patting me on my back.

  "Ehn which reminds me, what was uncle Praise doing here?, I remember seeing him at your party too,"

  "He just came to like he said ' help me in Agriculture' ," she replied. Finger quoting the last sentence.

  "When did you start finding Agric difficult?" I raised my brows at her.

  "Did you come to interview me today, if you don't believe what I said then maybe you can tell me why he was here," she hissed and started walking upstairs.

"Ehee, no be quarrel we dey quarrel oo, I no know wetin dey poke your nyansh. Abeg my friend give me something to eat." I told her while following her upstairs.

  "Let's go in first, I'll tell Ibrahim to get us something ".

  I walked with her into her room but I still can't shake off the feeling that she's not being completely honest with me. I've known Timmi since we were kids and I know when she keeps things to herself.

I don't know what new secret she's keeping from me but I won't pressure her into saying anything, she'll talk when she's willing.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

How many of you find it difficult to stay at home during holiday period?

Thanks for reading, voting, commenting and for just being here with this story, I promise you won't be disappointed☺☺.

                         Yours sincerely,
                             Amyirechi🌸