The Right One

Fourteen

Weekends, especially Saturdays were usually the highlight of Hope's week. There was no special reason, but it was like even the air she breathed on weekends was different. She'd counted herself especially lucky when Raymond had managed to work it so she only had to work during weekdays at Momalicious which left her weekends free and untainted.

She pictured herself going somewhere and doing something really relaxing, like going on one of those weekend long vacations on a far away island sipping piña colada or whatever it was the lead actresses did in the many movies she'd watched overtime. A girl could wish.

Hope groaned. Her reality however couldn't be more different. She'd woken up and figured she'd go spend the day with Tayo. She had even managed to go as far as bathing before a sudden wave of laziness had claimed her.

Now, she was lying dead on her bed still clad only in her towel although her body was very much dry by now, arms and legs flung wide and her gaze set unblinkingly on the ceiling with nothing else to do but daydream.

A knock sounded on her room door but she ignored it. It was obviously Val and the girl was going to come in anyway.

"Hey, Hope." It was her head that poked in first. When she confirmed Hope was indeed awake and saw the state she was in, her whole body followed.

Hope's head turned and her eyebrows raised as she took in her cousin. She was wearing a knee length double strap bodycon peach dress that accentuated her perfect figure. She'd worn a shoulder length straight wig and she had light makeup on. Although she wasn't necessarily looking glamorous, it was a far cry from the oversized shirt and shorts Hope was accustomed to Val wearing anytime she was home.

"You're looking too fine for a Saturday morning. What's the occasion?"

Val chuckled, twirling. "As opposed to how I'm usually ugly?"

Hope rolled her eyes, smiling. She knew her cousin was only fishing for compliments and wasn't ready to boost her ego anymore than it already was.

"Really, where are you going?" She asked instead.

Val shook her head, motioning for Hope to scoot over so she could sit. Reluctantly, Hope obeyed. "I'm not going anywhere."

Hope sat up, adjusting the towel that had almost fallen in the process. "So you're telling me that you, Val are dressed up like this for no reason at all. On a Saturday. And I'm supposed to believe that."

One thing Hope had picked up off Val was the fact that she was very transparent. The girl wasn't good at hiding what she was feeling, for example the embarrassed flush that was currently spreading all over her fair cheeks.

Hope laughed. "You're so caught."

Val chuckled. "Stop it jor. I'm not lying, I'm not going anywhere."

"Hm," Hope murmured halfheartedly. "I hear you."

"I'm serious!" Val insisted.

"I've heard now. What else do you want me to say?" Hope laughed.

Val clucked her tongue and stood up. "Just put some clothes on. You're not going to prance about in that towel all day."

Hope tsked. Was that a challenge? "Watch me."

Val shook her head but said nothing else as she exited the room.

Hope wasn't sure how much longer she just laid there, it could have been a couple minutes or hours as far as she was concerned. She was just beginning to fall asleep again when her phone started ringing obnoxiously.