Hustling is a different ball game in this part of the country;Lagos. At least, that's how Temiloluwa sees it. All she wants to do is listen to her music,help her mom sell and have all the fun she can.She is the daughter of Mr Kola;a wealthy politici...
"How old are you turning?" Her dad asked Temi as she was reading a Wattpad novel on her laptop.
Temi looked at him for a few seconds.
He didn't remember her age?
"Didn't you hear me?" Her dad's stern voice said.
"I'm turning seventeen, sir" she said
"Oh,yeah," her dad said and that just made Temi internally roll her eyes. "What do you want for your birthday? Because it's in like two days"
"Nothing" Temi said
"Nothing?"
"Nothing. It's not like the gift is gonna come from your heart or anything,I mean.. you don't even know how old I'll be turning. Sometimes,I wish I-" she stopped as tears gathered around her eyes.
Her dad stared at her with confusion and guilt.
Temi got up with her laptop and went to her room.
She closed the door and sat on her bed.
She ran her hands through her hair as she got up and began pacing.
Sometimes,she wished she didn't have all this.
She felt guilty.
She felt she didn't deserve any of it
Because her father didn't even seem to take her as his child,so it made her feel... incomplete,. It made her feel there was something she lacked which prompted her father's constant hatred towards her.
*** *** *** Temi sat in the class as she stared at her notebook.
She had a lot of pending notes from this morning,but she couldn't bring herself to write it.
Her mind wandered back to how stupid she felt.
Her dad obviously hated her.
Jamal was acting distant.
She didn't even know if she could perform well at the competition,she didn't know why she was this...smart because she clearly didn't deserve it.
She was far gone.
It's like she was on Cloud 9. Just an opposite of it,where there were huge stones hitting her head constantly and grease everywhere where she constantly slipped and fell flat on her own face.
"Temi, it's lunch time" A hoarse voice said,and she looked up to see Neville.
She immediately wiped under her eyes as she stayed quiet.
"I know" she said sternly, finally getting some willpower to write her notes.
She held her pen and began to write.
"So you're just gonna ignore me?" He asked
"Pretty much"
"Why?" He asked as if he did nothing.
"Because I don't like you," she snapped. "You act like a psycho"
"Was it because I took your inhaler?" He asked
"Yes! Now,stop frustrating me"
"I was just... having fun," he said. "I wanna be your friend"
"Well, that's not how to make friends" she replied.
"Can I make it up to you?" He asked.
"No-," she stopped. "Okay,you actually can. You wanna know how?" She asked
"Yeah" he said
"By staying away!"
"Come on,I'm sorry"
Temi wasn't answering him anymore,she just continued to write.
"I'll try to be a good friend," he said as he sat down. "I've always liked you,and it seems you don't like me back,so the least I can do is try to be a good friend to you"
Temi didn't say anything
"All I'm asking for is for you to try to be nice to me. Maybe you can...change me," he said. "I almost made my brother lose his legs yesterday because of my temper,and my parents want to send me to a correctional center. I told them to give me a few weeks to change. And I know you'll help me"
"What makes you think I'll help you?" She asked him
"I've been stalking you,Temi," he said. "You lent someone three books on your e-library and didn't ask them to pay. And who follows people that would never follow them back? Oh wait,you" he said
With how angry she was,Temi managed to chuckle.
"I'll see you later," he said as he walked towards the door. "I'm skipping English class" he said as he walked out. Well,not before winking at her.
Temi just slightly smiled as she continued to write.
*** *** "Mom," she tried to call her mom's attention from over the phone. "Mom,these teddy bears are so many" she said as she put a hand on her forehead and looked at her bed.
"Baby, it's your birthday"
"I know,but don't you think seventeen teddy bears are a little too much?" She asked as she walked towards the huge see-through glass in her room.
"Nope," her mom said. "More things are coming later in the day,honey" .
"Thank you mom," Temi chuckled and shook her head. "I really appreciate"
"No need to thank me," Temi could feel her mom smile,even though she couldn't see her. "Just call me if you need anything else. And I'm sorry once again that I can't be there. My aunt is really sick"
"It's fine,mom" Temi smiled.
"Have fun, baby," her mom said. "I'll send you some cash once I'm settled,then you'll receive your other gifts later"
Temi chuckled again. "Thank you,mom," she smiled. "Bye. And send my regards to grand aunt"
As she hung up,she walked to her closet.
*** ** In about thirty minutes of getting ready,she was finally done.
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She smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Blue was the colour of the day for her. After all,she loved blue
