FINESSE

√ THIRTY TWO √

Maybe Doctor John was an angel, nobody knew, Ike didn't know because everything he predicted came through. After BTS organized a concert for Ike online; the news went viral again and was trending as usual.

Pictures were released and people were shocked and surprised. Ike almost couldn't go out without someone not recognizing her. She stayed at home most of the time or stayed at Juola's.

The sky had turned orange as the sun was setting. There were two shadows by the roadside holding hands as they walked.

"Two months ago I told John something" Ike said quietly as Juola let his other hand rest in his pocket while the other held onto Ike's tightly.

"I told him that I wanted to die without any regrets" Ike added as she stopped and Juola turned to her. Ike's eyes turned teary as she stared at Juola.

"But now, I have a lot of regrets with me. I wished I had met your earlier. I wished we had ran into each other before now, I just wished I had met you sooner" Ike said as tears ran down her cheeks while Juola stared at her while trying to hold down his tears.

"I want to wear the same dresses as Gloria and Chidima. I want to have a girls night out with me and watch Netflix in the midnight. I want to tell them everything I have hidden deep down in my heart, I wished I had told them how awesome they both are" Ike added as more tears ran down her cheeks.

"I want to wear a graduation gown and take pictures with my parents while they smile happily. I want to back my younger brother, clap, dance and sing for him when he's crying but I won't even get to meet him or know what he looks like" Ike said ad Juola blinked back his tears as he held Ike's hands.

"I'm only grateful for one thing. That I met you, I am immensely grateful for that" Juola said as he smiled.

"My mom named me Juola. I was her only child but i was more than all the wealth she had" Juola added answering the question Ike had asked him months ago. Ike stared at him and swallowed her saliva.

"Juola, you have to promise me. That you'll be happy when I'm gone" Ike said as Juola chuckled.

"But I'm the happiest when I'm with you" Juola replied as fresh tears came running down Ike's cheeks as she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to Juola as more tears ran down her cheeks.

The passer bys could only watch as the two figures, one backing the other walked down the street laughing and taking pictures without a care in the world.

While the female been backed looked familiar, nobody actually approached them and only watched or stared.

The sun had gone down and it was already dark by the time Juola arrived at Ike's house. Ike had somehow fallen asleep on his back and Mrs Adeniyi chuckled as she opened the door for him and Juola walked in climbing the stairs as he walked towards Ike's room.

He kicked the door open and dropped Ike on the bed but the latter refused to let go of his neck making Juola to laugh slightly as he removed her sneakers and his and laid beside her on the bed while staring at her.

Juola couldn't describe how he felt at the moment. To say he felt empty wouldn't be understatement. He didn't know what to feel. Sad? Angry? Juola had no idea.

Even though it was for a short time, Juola was grateful that she had barged into his life. She had lightened up his whole world without batting an eyelid. Withdrew him from his shell and made him see the beautiful world out there.

Apart from his mom and Dare, she was the first person to make him smile for real. Something he found hard doing. Maybe she was God's sent and maybe not.

Juola didn't know when he also fell asleep beside her, holding her in his arms as he slept off.

Juola slowly opened his eyes and blinked his eyes trying to adjust to the light intensity in the room. He glanced down at girl sleeping in his arms and smiled as he touched her head and realized that it was cold.

With a frown on his face he made to move her body only to realize that she was cold and with just a single pull, she moved. Juola froze before he slowly brought his finger under her nose.

No breath!

Juola screamed!

"Ikeoluwa, wake up right now" Juola yelled as he scooped her into his arms.

"You can't leave yet!" Juola yelled as tears rolled down his cheeks as the door opened with Mr and Mrs Adeniyi rushing inside the room.

"What's going on?" Mr Adeniyi asked but he relieved no answer as Juola kept asking Ike to wake up.

Mrs Adeniyi staggered as her husband quickly caught out. Juola continued yelling for Ike to wake up and say something but she was gone. Forever.

It didn't take a long time before the news went round, Ikeoluwa Adeniyi was dead. The girl who had shaken the entire world with her story was gone.

Gloria and Chidima and rushed to the Adeniyi's house but it was only a copd body they found. Chidima cried as she knelt fown beside the dead Ike.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye" Chidima cried as she stared unblinkinly at the dead body.

"So I'm really not going to see you again?" Chidima asked no one in particular as she hugged herself while crying hard as Gloria bent down beside her and hugged her.

Gloria stared at the unmoving body and closed her eyes. After a while she opened her eyes and whispered a sentence into the air as a tear slid down her cheeks.

"Rest in Peace Ikeoluwa"