The Clichés of Trinity Academy

¶Twenty One

Dedicated to Mojo479. You guys should please go show her love and support.

***

I told my mom once I got home about the school dinner and she immediately suggested that she and I go shopping for a dress. I quickly changed out of my uniform and ran out of the house to meet her at the car.
"This one you're eager to get this dress, I hope you're not going with any boy o," my mom said, as she pulled out of the driveway.
I laughed, "At all, I'm not going with anyone I just want to look fine," I said.
"Hmmm," was her response.
The drive to the mall was a quiet one with the exception of my mom humming gospel tunes.
I quickly got caught up in my thoughts and all I could think about was my father.
"Mommy, did daddy ever contact you after he left? To ask about I and Isaac?" I asked suddenly.
My mom's humming seized.
I turned away from the window to look at her. Her hand had gripped the steering tightly and I immediately felt bad. She probably still hadn't healed from the wounds my dad had left on her emotionally.
"Sorry I asked ma, I was just curious," I said.
My mom shook her head and I could see that her eyes had tears in them.
"It's okay, I just don't want to talk about your father,".
I nodded and turned away from her.

At the mall, we went straight to my mom's friend's boutique, Aunty Dinma had been one of the closest people to my mother for as long as I can remember and she was also very good at tailoring.

We pushed open the glass door of her air conditioned store and immediately the store attendant, Mercy rushed to welcome us.
"Good evening ma, Mrs. Chidinma isn't around at the moment," she said.
"Irene how are you, it's been long o," she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me in for a hug.
My mom smiled at Mercy, because she had been a babysitter of sorts to I and Isaac whenever my mom would come visiting the boutique.
"Irene wants to pick out a dress for her dinner on Friday, I'll sit in the office and wait for you people to finish, help her pick something decent o, I don't want to be seeing her breast in anything she's wearing inugo? "
I resisted the urge to facepalm myself. Why is my mother like this abeg?
Mercy laughed and assured my mom that she'll make sure I am covered appropriately.
After my mom left, Mercy pulled me towards the part of the store for my age range.
"How have you been Irene, I heard you got a scholarship, congrats. How is the school?" she asked.
"Where will I even start? That place has been an experience," I said with a sigh.
"Do you people have ankara dresses?" I asked.
"Obviously, is that even a question, what kind of dress are you looking for though? Is there a boy?" she asked, almost whispering the last part and giving me a wink.
I blushed immediately and she took that as an answer.
"There's no boy I swear,".
"Make I hear, as you set like this, you don't expect me to believe that," Mercy teased as she pulled out some dresses from the racks.
I started laughing at that. "Which dirty set? Abeg, there's no serious boy in that school," I said.
But there's Damien, I added in my head.
"Boy or no boy, you still have to slay at the event, come and try these on," .

***

The next day at school was slightly chaotic, since today was the last day of exams for most of the people in my set, the ss1 wing of the school was very rowdy.
People from my class were in other classes and people from other classes were in my class. Damien included.
He, Bolade, Marcus, Grace and I sat down at the back of the classroom gisting about some people in our set and what some of them had worn in the js3 dinner. "It was a mess I'm telling you," Grace said, her face showing pure disgust. "How will someone wear a red dress and pair it with orange shoes?"
"Or what about that Tolu boy that wanted to show off. Mumu boy wore his so called Nike face cap on top of suit," laughed Bolade. Marcus and Damien laughed along because they remembered whoever the Tolu guy was.
"Amira won best dressed, because even though I hate to admit it she had a better sense of fashion that alot of us did in js1," Grace said.
"So this dinner is a big thing?" I asked.
"A very big thing, guys don't joke with it even though it's a boring event," Marcus replied, wrapping his arm around Grace, who immediately starting blushing.
"This year though I have a date, so at least it don't be boring," he said.

"Guy abeg, no dey do this love play in front of me," Bolade groaned, standing up to leave the table.
Damien and I laughed as we watched him walk away to probably go look for some random girl's trouble.
Marcus and Grace were whispering to each other and I suddenly felt awkward.
"Do you want to go to the garden with me?" asked Damien.
I nodded and stood up and let him take my hand and lead me.
At the garden we sat on one of the benches and said nothing for a while.
"So um, have you gotten your dress yet?" asked Damien, playing with my fingers that were now on his lap.
He honestly looked so cute and to be honest, it felt really good knowing I was the reason he was fidgeting. Call me psycho but it honestly was nice knowing a cute boy liked you.

"Yeah I have, last night, took a while though because nothing was good enough for my mom's standards," I said.
He laughed at that. "I swear, my mom practically designs everything my older sisters wear to events, she tried it with I and my brother, but my dad saved us from her,".
"You have sister?! How did I not know that?" I asked, incredulous.
He shrugged and let go of my hand. " It never came up in conversations,".

I was internally screaming at him to come back and pick up my hand but I kept my cool outwardly.

"You don't even seem like someone who has sisters," I replied.

"They're older than me by far, so they aren't always home, so yeah, maybe that's why," he said.

"Oh,".

"Yes,".

Why did everything feel so awkward?

Damien sighed as if he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Guy I don't like this awkward thing," Damien said with a laugh.
"Will you be my date to the dinner? Because I like you, if that hasn't been clear and I want us to try this and see where it leads," Damien said.
I couldn't help but smile at him. "So I'm no longer annoying to you am I?" I asked smirking at him.
"You were never annoying," he said smiling.
I made a face at him.
"Okay yes you were, but you've grown on me, so will you be my date or not? Let me know if I'll be licking emotional wounds at home on Friday evening,".
"You won't be licking wounds mumu, and yes, yes I'll be your date, just so that you won't cry sha," I joked.
"Cry keh? As manly as I am, never," he said, puffing out his chest. I slapped his chest. "You don't have sense," I said, laughing.
"You that agreed to be the date of someone who doesn't have sense, what will they know say about you?" he said with the most Damien expression ever.

"Shut up,".

***

just a lil something to get the ball rolling and hopefully provide entertainment while we're all at home.
I had plans for my break but now I'm not even allowed to go out. *sigh*

Remember to pray and help out people who can't afford to stay home during this stay at home period.
Wash your hands lovess, sanitise, stay hydrated and practice self care now that you're home.

God will see us through this.

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xoxo,

Olly.