Wolf Iron

Chapter 17 / The Gift of Family

Chioma walked home as fast as she could, but never ran because she hated sweat. 

It frizzes my do-up as well, she thought as she ran up the stairs of the communal building. 

Her family's flat was on the 5th level and so Chioma took her time with every single step, not wanting to exert too much energy before her big night.

A familiar football came bouncing down from the 4th level platform and bounded past Chioma, missing her head by just an inch. Her older brother DJ, a tall, strapping young man, came after it, with his footy cleats in one hand and a water in the other.

"Damn fam, I missed your big-arse head." He said smiling, swinging his cleats back and forth.

"You buj!" She pushed him. "Watch it, you wasteman!"

"If I can't hit that weave from a meter, I'll never break another school record in footy."

Chioma stuck her middle finger out and stomped up past him. 

"Hey Chi, real talk fam. You look right clapped today." Clap-clap. "Ugly, ugly, fam. Disgrace, that is."

Chioma kept stomping on up and hearing DJ's laugh, it reminded her how much she hated him. It was no fun being the middle child, she thought, for sure.

Opening the door to her family's small three bedroom flat, she was greeted by another familiar sound. 

"And dat's di end of today's talk. I wan' to thank all my followers out on Reeve for sticking wit yo' girl, Community Organiser Ifama Obasi and- Oh look everyone! It's my daughter, Chioma. Isn't she beautiful? Hey, Chioma, come go talk to yo' mudda's fans-" 

"On God, you are so embarrassing! Just get away from me with that phone!" She shielded her face and ran quickly to her room. Her mother turned her face back to her phone and chuckled diffusively. 

"She is a teenager y'know, my Reeve fam. She hates her mudda has vlog show on Reeve-"

Chioma slammed the door forcifully. 

God, I hate my family, Chioma thought and ground her teeth.

"She's been doing it all day again", came a voice from behind a book.

"Mikayla, you have to get out. I have things to do and get ready for." Chioma threw her bag down on the bed and walked to her dresser, pulling the first drawer out.

The book dropped and the spectacled face of a small girl of nine poked out, pouting her lips just like her sister.

 "But she's going to make me speak to all her followers on Reeve. I don't want to. Why do you think I'm here?" 

She sat cross-legged on one the twin beds, her hair an unruly and rebellious mess, with dark black curls falling down in front of round glasses and inquisitive eyes. 

"I don't care why you're here, Mikayla." Chioma furiously undid her earrings and examined her figure in a body length mirror, propped in the corner of the room. "But you have to jet. You can go read that lurky fantasy stuff in DJ's room." 

"Where are you going?" Mikayla asked and pushed her glasses up. 

"Oh my God, didn't I just say bump off, you neek! Get out!" 

Mikayla got up dejectedly and and prepared herself for her mother. She opened the door and left with her book. 

"My baby, Mikayla! Come go say to my people on Reeve-" 

Chioma bolted and slammed the door again and this time, pushed an old armchair in front of it.

She rummaged through all the clothes on the chair and looked for just the right mix of okay-smelling and buff.  A frilly blue skirt caught her eyes and then she whole-heartedly decided against it, throwing it to the floor. She then undressed and examined her breasts, wondering if they were quite big enough for her age. Turning to the side, she decided they weren't and reached for an old push-up bra. She pushed them up and liked the bust that it created with the shadows. 

Chioma then began to fish for the perfect top, one that would show the bra off just a tad, but wouldn't make her look like a complete slag. She settled on a low-cut white blouse that was equally short on the bottom, exposing just the right amount of midriff. This one was actually Nia's, she thought as she held the hanger up to her neck, inspecting herself in the mirror. Just what was her problem then? It's not my fault Luke Lovell isn't chatting her up.

Then it occurred to her that perhaps it was Nia that fancied Roger and she hadn't told her. That or, Nia was just hating because she didn't have a boyfriend. Oh my God, a boyfriend? Chia felt giddy at just the thought. 

She dashed to the shower with her braids all done up in a plastic bag, ready to shave absolutely everywhere. A skirt would show off her nice seemly legs, she thought while running the razor down her calves. I reckon my boyfriend would fancy nice, shaven legs. She smiled so much it hurt her face. My boyfriend, Roger. 

DJ was the sporty one. Mikayla was the smart, bookish one. So who could I be? She plucked her eyebrows and winced. I could be the one with the boyfriend, innit?

Maybe Nia was jealous that I would be spending all my time with him from now on, and not her. I mean, we've been goons for our whole lives almost. Just be happy for me. Just, like, get a life, bruv and carry on. 

The time was moving fast. Chioma glanced at her phone and it was nearly 8 p.m. She rubbed cocoa butter on all over her arms and took a final look at her fragrant self in the mirror. She practiced smiling while she was speaking, then smiling with her teeth showing. She frowned and thought better of it. She covered her mouth and smiled. That's better. 

She grabbed her phone and pushed the armchair to her closet and then jumped on top of it to find her most secretive shoebox of belongings. Mostly, it was letters to boys she had never sent, talking about how buff they were and the like. But this time, she reached under the pile (ever-growing) and pulled out a rubber. Something that she had found years ago in the laundry room of the building complex and never told anyone. She put the chair back in place and made to exit the flat as quickly as possible. 

"Alright, Mum, I'm going to go meet Nia at the library! I'll be back before long!"

"Where are you going?" she heard a deep, male voice say.

She turned and saw her father, sitting at the couch, still in his postman uniform, reading the paper. 

"You, for di mata of your punishment, are not going to go for anywhere." 

Chioma thought quick.

"No, dad! You don't understand, me and Nia have to study for this exam tomorrow. It's really important! Please, please, please! I said I would help her with her studies!"

Nigel Obasi stared at his daughter and was reminded of the way he was with his father back in Nigeria. Always lying, always in trouble. And his father always caught him in the act, beat him for it, and made him know that he knew he was lying. He closed his eyes and tried to remember when was the last time he had seen his father but could not remember. 

"Okay. You go' come back to dis house in 2 hours. Okay?" 

Chioma smiled and blew a kiss his way, shut the door and skipped down the stairs, a song of love in her head.