Nineteen

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The universe was passing a message to me and I heard it loud and clear; it hates me.

‘That is not your school uniform’. Kunle observed and Marcel tore his eyes from me, his smile diminishing.
‘Yes, these are Chris’. I crashed at his place’.
‘What do you mean crashed at his place? You just vacated’. He didn’t sound annoyed, a tad bit confused though.

‘We actually vacated yesterday but we both had to stay back and help Ms. Flora clear out and were tired afterwards. I wasn’t going to go house hunting at night after all that work so I slept at Chris’.

‘Why didn’t you just explain this to me before?’
Marcel opened his mouth to speak but mom was faster.
‘Let the boy rest Kunle so he and Amanda can get to know each other better’. She said

‘That won’t be necessary, Marcel and I know enough of each other already’. I spoke up and his repelling smirk made its appearance.
‘Speak for yourself, brown eyes’.
‘Brown eyes?’ Mom looked suspiciously between us.

‘It’s something they call me at school’. I hurriedly explained
‘You go to the same school?’ Kunle asked, spitting crushed bones into his hands.
‘We do’. Marcel answered.
‘This should be easy then. Amanda, show Marcel to his room’. Her eyes were once again adoringly staring at him.

‘Food should be ready soon, it’s just basic rice and stew’.
Marcel eyed the meat his father was drooling on.
‘I’m sure it will be okay’. He said and I began walking in the direction of the visitor’s room before he completely charmed my mom.

I opened the door and stepped into the furnished to the doorknob room. Mom had gone all out, the room had been repainted to a forest green, there was a large poster of Usain Bolt on the wall to the left and the wall adjacent to it was covered in quotes, most of which didn’t make sense to me.

The bed was made and the open closet was half filled with clothes. How long had she been preparing for this?
‘I take it you haven’t been in this room’. He said from the door.
‘Not since its recreation’. He chuckled
‘So Efua is the mysterious daughter of a rich mom’.

‘I think that nickname doesn’t work. For one my mom is not fat, materialistic or married to a rapist. Aaandd, I’m not mysterious’. He smiled
‘I really underestimate you sometimes’. He stepped in and dumped his bag on the floor beside the bed.

Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anyone can complain but not everyone can make a change’. He read one of the quotes on the wall.
‘I see where you get your motivational streak from, she doesn’t seem to specialize in feminism like you’.
‘We all cannot be feminists’.

‘So, my dad and your mom eh? What does that make us?’
‘Definitely not friends’. His smirk expanded and he had this look like he was watching his little sister get married and recollecting their childhood memories.

‘If you need anything, ask my mom’. I left and returned to my room to bath.

Mom’s excitement had not diminished when she came to call me for breakfast and only intensified as we sat round the table tearing through hefty meat.

‘Your father said you run track that’s why I had that poster put up but I can take it down if it bothers you’. She continued to engage him in pointless conversation.
‘No, it was very thoughtful of you, Usain Bolt is my… idol’. His dad gave him a look to let him know I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t being fooled.

‘Your principal said your grades are great, that you stand a good chance of getting that NDDC scholarship’. Kunle said after gulping down his glass of water.
‘You know I have to get it’. Marcel replied, aggressively scooping rice into his mouth so he wouldn’t have to talk.

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