It's Always The Quiet Ones

There's no such thing as too much chocolate

The drive home was silent. The only time anyone spoke up was when Liam asked for my address. I watched the trees pass and before I knew it we were in front of my house. I mumbled a polite thank you and stumbled out of the car almost falling on the sidewalk.

It's like I was born with two left feet.

I blush in embarrassment and I walk into my house knowing fully well that Liam just saw me act like a klutz.

Aunty Amina is in the kitchen as usual and I go in to say hi.

She was arranging some groceries.

"Heyyyyy" I drawled out nervously

"Good afternoon, dear. I waited for you last night. I was worried" I could hear the worry in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. There was a change of plans"

"Just don't scare me like that omo yii"

"I won't, I promise"

"It's okay. I wanted to talk to you about something"

"Go ahead" I sit down on one of the chairs around the dining table.

"It's about your friend Nate, and before you try to deny it I heard the way he raised his voice at you"

Her question took me off guard. I prepared a lie I was going to tell her, but what's the point?

"I know", I blow out my cheeks in a sigh.

"I realized that he wasn't okay and the way he treated me wasn't either so I broke up with him. No need to worry, we're not friends so he can't hurt me anymore." I say trying to convince myself more than her.

"Are you sure?" I nod

"I can take care of myself, don't worry"

She envelopes me in a hug and I tear up a little hiding my face in her arms.

"I know you can. You're one strong girl. But if you feel the little agbero is behaving out of line again you can just tell me and I'll hit my hardest pan over his head" she says demonstrating with her hands and I can't help but laugh. I wipe my eyes and smile at her.

Aunty Amina has been more of a mom to me than my biological mother ever has.

"Are you hungry?" She asks returning to the groceries she was sorting.

"Nah, I had breakfast over there" I answer and she nods.

I head up into my room and lay on my bed for a while. It's Sunday so I take a nap.

I wake up to tapping sounds on my window and I groan, walking over to it and letting Darren in.

"I don't know why you never use the front door" I rub my eyes.

"This way is funner" he answers and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Don't give me that look when you're the one who had me forming a search party looking for you"

"For real?"

"No, but I could've" I roll my eyes at his response.

"Still, you ditched me and if I wasn't super wasted I would've freaked out" he continues.

"I'm sorrryyyy" I groan pulling his hand.

"Whatever," he says rolling his eyes playfully.

"You know what, let me make it up to you. Let's go on a date" I wiggle my eyebrows at him.

"My standards are too high for you, but since you're paying" I giggle at his response and after I change my outfit, we head to an ice cream shop around the corner.

I order a simple vanilla ice cream while Darren orders some chocolate disaster.

That much chocolate looked nauseating to me.

"Don't you think that's too much chocolate?" I scrunch up my nose looking at the chaotic mix of chocolate chips, cookies, bars, and ice cream.

Darren pauses, his spoon in the air and he slowly brings his eyes to mine.

He has the most serious look on his face.

"There is no such thing as too much chocolate," he says narrowing his eyes and I can't help the giggle that forces its way out of my lips.

"Don't you dare slander chocolate like that. Ever" he points his spoon at me.

I put on the most serious look I could and raise my hand as if taking an oath.

"I promise to you dear sir, that I indeed will not discriminate the good name of chocolate"

"It is well, and the next time, if there is one, you owe me five dollars," he says suddenly losing the seriousness in his voice at the last words.

We look at each other for a while before bursting out into fits of laughter causing everyone in the shop to stare at us like we were crazy.

After we're done with our ice creams we walk down to the playground and go on the swings.

"You're tutoring Jordan tomorrow, yeah?"

I completely forgot about Jordan.

"Um no, Tuesday"

"Perfect" I turn to him and raise an eyebrow.

"I don't know how you do that eyebrow thing," he says and I laugh at his hilarious attempt at trying.

"Since you're free tomorrow you're having dinner at mine" I smile, Darren's dad is super cool and his dad's food is the only thing I enjoy eating, being a chef at a restaurant and all.

"Why do I feel like you're commanding instead of asking me" I tease.

"Oh sorry, your highness," he says dramatically, getting down from his swing and bowing in front of me.

"Will thou fairest maiden do me the honor of having supper at my humble abode in the morrow?" He continues with a funny accent.

"Only if thou triumphs in a duel with me" I answer back using the same funny accent, and we fight, using invisible swords and Darren wins.

I don't even know how that works

How does he always win when we can't even see the sword he's using?

We go on all the rides on the playground and it's dark now.

We end up lying in the grass, watching the stars.

"Darren"

"Mhmm"

"What do you call a man without a body or a nose ?"

"I don't know"

"nobody knows" I look up at him and he has a smile on his face.

"That's dumb" he replies and I giggle.

"Are you tired?" He asks

"Mhmm. You?"

"Same"

There's a peaceful silence for about ten seconds.

"Let's go home" he groans as he stands up and dusts himself off.

I reach my hand up and he pulls me up.

I check the time on my phone.

It's just nine, but I feel really tired. Probably as a result of yesterday.

We tiredly walk back to my house.

"Urgh, why didn't I bring my car" Darren groans to himself.

"You can sleep over?"

He doesn't reply for a minute, probably weighing his options.

"Fine" he sighs.

"But this time I'm not sleeping on the floor"

"We can build a fort and sleep in it, like old times"

"Sure"

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Thank you for reading,
xoxo ife❤️