PrimRose

37. The Adekoyas

The bell rang indicating the close of school for the day. I packed up my bag and turned to Abel and Jake.

"The offer still stands though," I told them.

"It will be fun if all four of us hangout together," Gold added and made a puppy face at them.

"I have some stuff to take care of with a friend," Jake said vaguely.

"I have some work to do," Abel said and stood up.

"Suit yourselves then," Gold sighed. "Come on, guys."

We all stood up and exited the class, saying hi to a few people on our way out.
Elijah walked past us towards his classroom without a word. He nodded at the others and made eye contact with them but completely ignored me.
I felt even more annoyed and frustrated with him.

"What happened between the two of you?" Jake asked as we descended the stairs.

"I do not know. He has been mad at me for God knows how long. Elijah has been nothing but annoying and irritating and infuriating and arrogant and obnoxious and_"

"Easy Rhys. Do you hate him that much?" Jake asked.

"I do not hate him," I said honestly. "Okay but maybe I do, it's just a little though. He is just so annoying."

"And difficult to understand and hot," Abel completed for me.

"Yes! Absolutely! Wait what?" I looked at him in surprise, "Elijah is not hot. On a scale of one to ten he's a minus ten."

The others laughed. They had knowing smiles on their faces. I hated that look and I just wanted to scratch it out with my nails.
Psychotic. I know. I don't care.

"I don't think you hate Elijah," Gold said.

I ignored her and the conversation moved on to something else and we parted ways at the gate. Jake and Abel went their separate ways while me and Gold entered her mom's car.
We were going to shop for her father's surprise birthday which was in a few days.

"Hi, mom! Aunty Moremi!" she squealed excitedly.

"How is my troublesome niece doing?" her aunt turned in her seat to face the two of us in the back seat.

"I'm fine! I'm so happy to see you"

"So am I" she laughed.

I awkwardly greeted the two adults.

"Rhys, right? How are you?" Mrs. Adekoya's eyes sparkled warmly as she turned on the ignition while staring at me through the rear mirror.

"I'm fine"

"So this is the Rhys Gold wears our ears off about? How are you, sweetie? I hope you are nothing like this witch here" she said and playfully pulled Gold's nose.

"I promise I'm nothing like her. We are pole opposites, maybe that is why we attract"

Moremi threw her head back in laughter while Gold stared at me like the traitor I was.
I shrugged innocently.
I heard her mother chuckle softly. It was beautiful to hear.
Her mom was so pretty and young and classy and elegant.
A modern mom.
Modern, yet traditional.
She looked absolutely stunning in her native attire which I later learned was called buba and iro.

"Which store are we going to?" Gold asked.

"We'll check out Sahad Stores first, then maybe ShopRite" her mom replied.
"What do you have in mind?" she asked Moremi.

"It's your husband not mine. You know him better" Moremi shrugged.

"Dad likes it simple. We just need basic decor, wine, cake, ice cream, cookies, wafer, chocolate_"

"I thought it was your father's birthday we were planning not yours" Moremi said.

"It is. I'm only trying to make it more colourful"

"Of course" Moremi shook her head with a ghost of a smile.
"Rhys, where are you from?"

"My mom's from Imo"

"Your dad?" she asked.

I hesitated, "I don't know much about him. My mom doesn't speak about him"

"Oh! Is he gone?" she asked cautiously.

"They weren't married" I said. The strain in my voice evident.
"I have a stepdad, he's more than I could ever ask for" I said with a wave of my hand.
I felt so stupid for my slip up. I would have just told her about Shawn as my father. Then I realized that I knew nothing about Shawn.

"So Rhys what do you like to do with your free time?" Moremi asked.

"I like to draw"

"Her drawings are jaw dropping" Gold commented.

"Have you tried painting before?"

"Yeah. I've not done that in a long time"
The conversation drifted off to something else.