F.A.M.E (book 1 & 2)

32

Hazel

I was exhausted from the flight back to England. It wasn't anything longer than four hours, but the whole process of rushing to get to the airport, then stressing to make sure both Chioma and I got to the right gate and on the right plane, had taken so much energy from me. I could barely believe my eyes were still open.

To make matters worse, I was disappointed - hurt - if I was being honest. Before I left Morocco, Adonis told me he'd be at the airport to pick me up when I got back, however, when I finally arrived and took my phone off airplane mode, I realised he'd messaged, stating that he could no longer make it. Instead he sent a car to pick me up.

I didn't want to be difficult, but I was struggling to understand what had changed in the last three hours, to suddenly make him unavailable. This was a small act which I'd been looking forward to for the past two days, since I spoke with him in the middle of the night, on that hotel balcony. In hindsight it wasn't a massive deal, but I was hurt that he didn't show up for something that I begged him to do. He never even told me why he couldn't be here.

"Why are you smiling so hard?" I asked Chioma as the driver stopped in front of the red light. The car was very nice and sleek - luxurious, if I must be honest - but it did nothing to dull the feeling of dejection Adonis had indirectly bestowed upon me.

"Marvin. He's asking to take me on a date when he gets back to London."

"What are you going to say?" For now the only thing stopping me from bursting into tears was the embarrassment I would feel if I did so, in front of Chioma. She was a true darling, but she wasn't in a relationship, she had never been in love, so she didn't understand how it felt, to feel the way I felt, right now. It would get awkward if she had to pat my back and tell me everything would be fine, because she didn't know how relationships worked.

"I don't know yet. He's a little clingy." She told me. This was was not the type of guy she needed to open her legs for. I knew her. She didn't want someone who would badger her until he saw her, and she didn't want someone who would get emotionally invested in her. They were complete opposites, and I couldn't see it going anywhere good if she entertained him.

Knowing all this, I chose to remain silent so she could make her own decisions. I had my own problems to figure out. There was no time to deal with problems that weren't mine.

It was silent for a few moments before Chioma spoke again. "I think Raheem still has a thing for you." Her comment made me snap my neck in her direction. What made her think that? This was absurd, especially since she knew I had a boyfriend.

"No he doesn't." I responded. I didn't even want to entertain that thought.

"Alright." Chioma threw her hands up as if to say she was done, but then she spoke again. "I'll have him if you won't." She smirked.

"I literally have a boyfriend." I wasn't happy with how she was speaking, and it was apparent in my enunciation of every word.

"Well, where is he? Because he was supposed to get us, and now we're in a pretty black car."

"What a bitch." I tutted under my breath. Of all my friends, Chioma was the one I could have arguments with and then make up with, in the same day. But tonight she was annoying me and I wasn't sure if I'd be speaking to her for the next week. How dare she use this against me when I was already upset about it?