Life At Green Havens II

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Emerald's POV

"Missed me so much?" I texted Josh after seeing that I had missed his calls while I was training.
"You've been training?" He replied immediately.
"Yeah. What's up? I'm on my way home already."
"I wanted to come pick you up; that was the reason I called you, not what you thought." He texted with a smirk emoji.
"Lol. I know you do." I waved at a cab as it approached me.
"If not for mom and dad, I wouldn't. I'm a busy man now, boy." 
 
I was about to enter when I received the text, but I ignored it till I was settled in the cab.
 
"Are they at home?" I wanted to confirm.
"Yeah, dummy. If they aren't, why will I come pick you up because of them?" 
 
"Change is constant, indeed." I said to myself as I saw Josh's text.
 
Who would have thought my busy parents could comfortably stay at home for days? 
 
"I'd be home soon. I'm in a cab already." I replied.
"You better be, because there's a surprise waiting for you." He replied.
"Surprise? What's the surprise about?" I inquisitively asked.
"Surprises aren't meant to be revealed until the scheduled time and place, dummy." He texted, accompanied by an emoji that had rolling eyes.
"Please, just tell me. You know I hate suspense."
"Bye! I'm now a busy man. We'd continue our conversation when we see."
"Pleaseeeee." I texted, but he didn't reply.
 
"Oof! I hate surprises, and he knows." I muttered.
 
After what seemed like a long journey, taking hours to reach the destination due to my eagerness, the car finally stopped in front of the house.
 
I paid the driver and walked into the compound.
 
I opened the door widely, expecting to meet someone in the living room, but no one was there. In fact, it felt like I was in a graveyard due to the silence.
 
"Anybody home?" I screeched.
 
"Did you expect no one to be home?" Dad walked down from the stairs, while Mom followed him behind.
 
"Is Josh at home?" I asked, still anxious.
 
"Good afternoon, dad; good afternoon, mom." I realized they didn't reply because I didn't greet them.
"Good afternoon. Josh is not at home." Dad flopped down on one of the sofas.
 
"How was school?" Mom sat beside him.
"It was okay." I muttered, not interested in having the conversation.
 
"Why did you ask of Josh? He should be in the office." Dad asked. 
"I thought he would be home because I missed his call, and when I called him back, he said that he wanted to pick me up from school." I sat on the sofa opposite them, still in confusion.
 
"Yeah, that's true. He came home to do something some hours ago, and I told him to pick you up at school while coming." He explained.
"Okay, so?" I leaned forward, still restless and confused.
 
"What is that?" Mom asked.
"He told me that there's a surprise waiting for me upon my arrival. So, here I am." I said.
"He did?" He had a look of unawareness on his face.
"Yes, and since he has left, you'll be the one to tell me the surprise because I know that both of you know what it is, so?" I looked at the both of them, expecting them to let the cat out of the bag.
 
"Have it." My dad threw something at me simultaneously.
 
The thing seemed invisible as it hung in the air, but I caught it, and when I unfurled my tightly clenched palm, I was surprised to find out that the object was a car key.
 
I felt bewildered and expressed my confusion through a puzzled facial expression.
 
"You now have your own ride." Dad smiled.
"What?! You mean you bought a car for me?" I stood up from the sofa abruptly.
 
"Yes, because you deserve it." Mom chipped in.
"We kept it at the back of the house as a surprise, so you wouldn't notice it when coming in." 
 
I dashed there immediately upon hearing it.
There was a small space at the back of our house, but I didn't know it was capable of accommodating a car.
 
I got there, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I mean, the brand new car in front of me is mine!
 
It was a brand new Ford Mustang GT. 
 
The vibrant red paint on it shimmered brilliantly in the sun's golden rays.
 
"Thanks dad. Thanks mom. I love you so much." I pecked them on their cheeks after I entered the house.
 
I wanted to send the pictures of the car I took to Cynthia and Hannah but decided not to in order to surprise them with it the next day.
 
As I maneuvered the brand new Ford Mustang GT into the school compound, the engine's powerful rumble echoed through the air, turning heads in every direction. The vibrant red exterior, basking in the sun's warm glow, seemed to command attention.
 
Stepping out of the car, I was greeted by a collective gasp from students who had gathered to see the owner of the exotic car. 
 
All eyes were on me as I confidently walked towards the school building, each step exuding a sense of pride and accomplishment.
 
I intentionally dangled the car key from my finger for all to see and gush over.
 
Everyone whispered and murmured as I walked past them.
 
"You must be kidding me. "Is that brand new Ford Mustang really yours?!" Cynthia screamed as she ran to the class.
 
The teacher who was meant to teach us for the first period hadn't arrived.
 
"Yes baby. That's mine." She opened her arms with smiles as she walked close to me, which prompted me to stand and hug her.
"Congratulations. Does that mean I won't be seeing Josh anymore?" She frowned as we pulled away from the hug.
"You have his number, right? Moreover, you could visit us or he could, but the man has been busy recently." I curled my lips.
 
"You'll be taking us to our respective homes with your ride, right?" I was so engrossed that I didn't know Hannah and Ysa walked in with her—although they didn't run.
"Sure." I nodded my head.
"Ysa lives close to you, right?" 
 
As I mentioned Ysa's name, both Ysa and Neriah turned to look at me. 
 
Neriah's reaction surprised me because I had thought she had moved on.
 
"Perhaps she isn't." I concluded since she was always looking in our direction whenever Ysa and I were conversing.
 
She turned away before I could make contact with her, but I knew she was looking at me, possibly in our direction, and continued talking with her friend.
 
"Congratulations Emerald." Ysa said in her calming and soothing voice.
"Thank you, baby." Her eyes widened.
 
Most of our mates also turned, gazing at me. I knew exactly what was going through their minds, but it's my intention, so I don't care.
 
I could also hear Cynthia and Hannah chuckle.
 
"What did you just say?!" Although she tried to hide it, she was obviously blushing.
"You heard me right, Ysa. Stop acting deaf whenever I'm talking business with you." I smiled broadly.
 
 
She nodded her head and said, "You're crazy," and turned back.
 
"Yeah, I'm evidently going crazy, but the doctor told me that my cure is you, your heart, your body, your soul, your everything." The class became uproarious as I spoke.
 
She placed her head on the desk, trying to hide her blushing.
 
The teacher came in after some minutes, and we had subsequent classes before the bell for break rang.
 
"Are you two going for lunch now or for training?" While I was stuffing my book into my backpack, I didn't realize that Ysa had left the class.
 
"We are heading to the cafeteria first for lunch. Why are you asking?" Cynthia inquisitively asked.
"I want to celebrate my new ride for you... Where is Ysa?" That was when I realized she had left.
"She left immediately after the teacher left. What happen?" Hannah asked.
 
"Meet me at the cafeteria. Your bills would be on me." I dashed away from the class to meet Ysa.
 
I ran across the school's hallway, brushing against people as I sprinted forward, which felt like a frantic pursuit. It was as if I had transformed into a dog on a mission, chasing an elusive perpetrator. I could hear the sounds of my footsteps echoing off the walls, and I weaved through the crowded corridor, determined to catch up with Ysa, repeatedly calling her name.
 
Although she was in my line of sight, she didn't hear me because she was wearing headphones until another girl called for her attention.
 
The girl signaled my approach by looking in my direction, prompting Ysa to turn around.
 
 
"Emerald." Just like a spell, Neriah's voice made me come to a halt unexpectedly.
 
Her voice seemed to be coming from the right side of the hallway's intersection.
 
I was in the middle of the intersection.
 
It seemed I was on a movie set at that instance, because all gazes were on me.
 
I was fixated on the same spot, confused, not knowing what to do—whether to ignore Neriah and approach Ysa to invite her to join us in the lunch plan I made with Cynthia and Hannah or to answer Neriah's call.