African beauty

Chapter 8 - Know It All

It was a breezy Monday, about 10 degrees Celsius outside, but that was cool for London winter weather. I woke up feeling light headed, but it was the first day going back to school in about a week, so I could not sleep in another day, otherwise people would think that I was dead or something. I got up and took the longest shower ever, because I woke up around 4:30, so there was enough time to really reflect on the week in the shower. While I washed and detangled my 4c Afro, I just could not stop contemplating if what I did with Alex was good or not. Now if you forgot, yesterday me and Alex did some 'things' that I would not be proud enough to tell my father, and my mother would certainly cringe at, looking down from heaven. I didn't lose my virginity, but I felt like I did. My vagina looked like it was shaped differently, and the hole expanded a bit, but I tried not to think about it while I was showering. I just kept on thinking about the left striker guy, and what his subliminal message could be for shooting Genies leg. Was he even part of this whole ordeal of murdering my mother? And if he was, what could the shooting of Genies leg be signalling? Everything was so misplaced, and disfigured. I came to the conclusion that I was going absolutely crazy, but the good type of crazy; the type that made you feel like you were doing the right thing, and fighting for justice. I got out of a year long shower and proceeded to moisturise my skin, then go brush my teeth. My morning routine was all over the place, and so was my room, matching up with my mind. I put on a bodysuit and a jumper, and paired it with some loafers. The effort for my look was minimum. I went downstairs to take breakfast, but then I got a text from Alex. "I'm outside babes, not to worry, I got you brekkie already x" he said. Why was he calling me babes? You just ate my pussy Alex, relax. I took my school bag and dashed out, and there he was. My knight in shining armour, but no armour at all. He came with a different car today. "What's with the car change?" I asked, absolutely bewildered. "My dad needed the other car for business, but don't worry babes, this one is good too" he said, looking like he was sweating. The car was a Black land cruiser, with tinted windows, looking like it was built for destroying and crime. Alex opened the door to the passenger seat and helped me up the ginormous car. I got in and buckled my seatbelt. When he got in he did the same.

"I searched everywhere for this left striker guy, and no trace of him or his killings online. Do you think that old lady is taking the piss?" Said Alex. "Well Genie described it the exact way she did, so she couldn't be". "And how the fuck can we trust Genie? She's a psycho and gets High 24/7, so her brain is bound to be fucked up. All I'm saying is, whatever investigation we do, let's just keep it between us Erica. It's safer that way. We can't trust her, not until she proves trust worthy. I'm only trying to protect you Erica" Alex said. I just nodded my head and sat there. Everything was so confusing. Why would Genie lie about something like that? You had to be really sick in the head to lie about that for attention. Though I understood what Alex was saying, I gave Genie the benefit of the doubt.

We arrived at school, and everybody was inspecting me from top to bottom. It felt like I was the new kid again even though I had only been gone for a week. Nobody looked at Alex that way even though he had been gone for the same period of time, as though he was not unfamiliar with being absent for long time spans. Alex walked me to my first class, which was history, because he was too paranoid and feared that something bad would happen to me. "If you feel like you aren't safe anywhere at anytime, give me a call, and I'll be right there okay? Come here". He hugged me and pecked my forehead. I was still rather confused as to what we were, because he had not asked me to be his girlfriend, neither had he put me in the friend zone. I mean, after the mischief we got up to on Sunday, he never even said a word about it, and I don't blame him; it was totally awkward to talk about it. I wandered into class and saw Genie in a wheelchair. She was looking at me like I was the one who shot her leg, which made me completely uncomfortable, because I had to sit next to her. "Oh hello, ms perfect, are you two married yet?" She said in a very sarcastic manner. "What's that about? He just walked me to class. Why are you so exasperated?" I said, trying to raise my voice without the teacher noticing. "Ay don't use big words for me you understand blood? You think you can pop up in London and act like you own the place innit?" She said. I just shook my head and kept quiet, which was a thing I did a lot, because if I spoke any further, I would say things I would regret, which I would have to be liable for. When history class ended, I just stood up and walked out of class, not looking back at Genie. I couldn't help but think that she may or may not have a thing for Alex, which was completely understandable; I mean, Alex was absolutely heavenly in terms of his looks. But he was MY Alex, and that was non negotiable. I felt sorry for her though, because the whole day she had to wheel herself on a wheelchair, which was the perfect scenario for bullying; and the biggest bully was Emily. She even tried to push Genie off her wheelchair at one point, but it looked like Joe helped her out with that. I went to my locker to get my business books, and I got a smell of what seemed like pineapple. When I looked over my shoulder, it was Emily. "Hi bitch, I'm having a birthday party on Friday, bring your wasteman boyfriend with you. See you there babes!" She said as she pecked my cheek, leaving remnants of her pink, expensive smelling lipstick. What a bitch. How dare she invite me to her birthday party and call my boyfriend a wasteman? Okay, he wasn't my boyfriend. But we were damn near close. As I was putting the invitation in my bag, Genie came over to me. "I'm sorry how I acted earlier, I wasn't feeling myself then. Forgive me?" She asked. "It's okay Genie. Don't do that again though, it's getting annoying how you switch up on me". We both laughed and hugged each other. There was definitely something mentally wrong with Genie. I could detect it with ease. She was definitely suffering of something, and struggling with another. Nevertheless, she was a friend to me now, even though I didn't trust her that much.

I was walking into English Literature, and I saw Alex sitting there, with a bag on the seat beside him. When he saw me he removed his bag and grinned at me. You could tell that he was saving the seat for me. "Erica, can I talk to you about something?" He asked. "Yeah Alex. Go ahead". "Erica. About what happened Sunday morning...." and I interrupted him. "Don't worry about it Alex. Nobody will know about it. Promise". "Okay. Thank you Erica". The teacher then came in. Even though Alex was sitting beside me, I paid close attention in this class. You could cut the tension between us with a spear. Was he ashamed to let people know that we did those things together? Or was it something else? Anyway, beside me, Alex kept on tapping his pen on the table, probably signalling for me to look at him, but I didn't look. I couldn't look at him right now. He slipped his hand under the table to meet with mine, holding it tightly and stroking it. "Erica, I know you're mad at me, but believe me, now is definitely not the right time for us to be together. You're in danger right now, and so am I. I should be watching after you. I promise you, when the whole thing dies down, I still have you at heart". "Should've told me that before you went down on me" I said, removing my hand from his. I usually don't fall deep for any man, because I knew how horrid they could be. But it was too late with Alex. Looking into his eyes alone was enough to make me melt. And our intimate encounter did not allow it to die down.When class was over, Alex kept on trying to walk me to my next class, but I walked fast enough so he would have to run to catch up with me. "Erica...Erica". I went to a stop and looked back. "Erica, I...." and I interrupted him. "Save it Alex. Just give me some space okay?" I said as I walked faster to my class. At this point I was kind of sprinting.

I could tell you how the remainder of my day went, but it was boring, and I walked home, because my father had still not come back from Nigeria, and I was for sure not going in Alex's car, just to show him that I was not going to be taken advantage of. I went home and locked all my doors, because Alex was not around to protect me. I went upstairs to my room and had a long, Well deserved nap. I went to sleep at around 3pm, and woke up around 6pm. When I woke up, I saw about a 100 missed called from Alex, and one text. "Are you okay babes? How did you get home? Answer me as quick as you can". I texted him saying "I'm okay" and put my phone away. I went up and freshened up my face, which was saturated with saliva and nap marks. I put my hair up in a bun and wore my t-shirt dress with a leather jacket; the one Alex had left at my house. Though I was furious at Alex for not telling me about why it was not the right time for us to be together, but it was the right time for his mouth to be on my private part, I missed him, and I always felt secure around him, so I called him. But when I called him up to five, six times and he didn't pick up, I got a little bit concerned. It was extensively unlike Alex to ignore even one of my calls; not to talk of six. I immediately wore my ugg boots and walked out to find a cab in the cold. "24 Jenfor street please" I said to the cab driver. "10 pounds please". That was a little bit of a rip off, but I was so concerned about Alex that a million pounds would seem minuscule. The cab took me to the street and I got off and sprinted to Alex's house. It sounded like there was some sort of party going on, with multiple voices sounding like they were no stranger to celebration. I tiptoed to the window and overlooked the whole saga. I couldn't believe it. It was Alex and Genie, holding hands, with Alex's parents, and the man I saw giving Alex's father money when me and Alex were in the restaurant. "I am so happy for your engagement, dear" Said the man to Genie. "We both are, daddy". IT WAS HER FUCKING FATHER. I screamed so hard, but inside my head so they wouldn't realise that I was there. They were getting married? No fucking way. I just walked away from the window, towards the same cab that was surprisingly waiting for me, with a huge pain in my throat. I had never felt so betrayed by people in my life. I wished that a car would just hit me so I could go back to my mother, who would always console me. I went into the cab and just buckled my seatbelt. "Take me back to where you picked me" I said with complete sadness. The cab driver nodded and gave me some tissues to clean my tears. But when the cab driver removed his cap and looked over at me, it was Oliver, who did not look sad or happy, just neutral. "Surprised to see me? Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You were warned but you didn't listen. Now look at yourself". My crying turned to shock and utter surprise, and I tried talking but no words were coming out of my mouth.