Maduka's POV:
Friday sees me at home, staring at an old photograph. It is of me at eleven, solemn as I stood between my new parents. Mum and Dad held each of my hands, smiling and singing, urging me to blow out the candles on my birthday cake and make a wish. The cake was a large, rectangular one, in the form of a football field complete with miniature players, goal posts, and a football. In the centre stood eleven little candles.
My mind flies back to that day:
"Smile, Kaka," Mum pleaded.
"It's so difficult," I replied frankly.
She looked over at Dad, who squeezed my hand in reassurance.
"We love you. You know that, don't you?" he asked.
When they spoke to me, they did so like I was their equal. This was because of my nature. They said I acted like an old man, that I had an old soul.
"I know that, Dad. Thank you for loving me. I'll never disappoint you."
At eleven, still trying to get used to my new family and Nwanyieze's absence in my life, I felt the party was too much. That day,surrounded by the Obiagu's and presents wrapped in beautiful boxes and fancy paper, the only birthday present I asked for was a visit to the orphanage.
Jide hits the back of my head, snapping me back to the present.
"Guy, comot for my house," I demand, frowning up at him. Get out of my house.
Jide studies me for a moment longer. "Something dey worry you, abi?" Something's worrying you, right?
It's too early to confide in him, and so I pull a hand over my face and sigh. I don't want to tell him that I'm thinking of Saheed's new conquest.
"Let's turn up tonight, as we're less busy. Saheed invited us to Quilox. Phyno and Olamide are performing there tonight. Even the super sexy Yemi Alade will be there."
"Jide."
"Wetin?" What?
"Jide."
"Wetin?"
"Jide."
"Wetin na?"
"How many times I call you?"
"You don dey craze ba?" You're going crazy, right?
I'm not going to tell him that I dislike Saheed, after what he'd done to Nwanyieze. I mean, who throws a fully clothed girl into a swimming pool and watches her drown? Minister's son or not, Saheed Bello is not the kind of person I'd be friends with.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jide asks.
In order to avoid Jide's questions, I say, "We'll turn up tonight."
***
Club Quilox, Nigeria's most expensive night club.
Owned by the socialite Shina Peller and housed in a massive building, Quilox is renowned for its exclusive celebrity clientele, star performances, and costly drinks.
I'm not one to go clubbing every Friday night, and I've been to Quilox a few times but Jide is just my opposite. The people at Quilox know him already, and as we approach the door after alighting from our seperate cars, one of the bouncers spots him and quickly rushes over.
"Welcome, bros!" he greets. He is a huge mountain of a man, dressed in a dark suit.
"Ahmed, how far na?" Jide asks, shaking hands with the man.
YOU ARE READING
Preordained #ProjectNigeria
RomanceWhen Maduka meets Nwanyieze, he is certain they are meant to be. He knows she is a woman with secrets, but he cannot stay away from her. He also has secrets of his own, of a past that he has been fearing and seeking to confront at the same time... N...
