𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 (𝐀 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧-𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥) ✔

- 15 -

- Henry's POV -

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Since this chapter is a bit on the short side, I decided to update early.

Above is our very own Nigerian heartthrob and if you have time, you could check out Sekawe book titled Hennessy
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Hope was extremely late but I tried not to think deep about it. Either he was very exhausted and decided to rest a bit or he lived far. Jackson had no schedule today, he was seated with me at the side of the house. I usually call this place my relaxation site. It had large green trimmed grasses with white comfy benches littered allover. It also had a swing chair but I hardly use it. There was also a large shade to guide away from rain and sun. We both sat there, waiting for Hope.

"Oh, her friend just posted." Jackson moved his phone to my vision. I read the caption and clicked on the picture.

"That's why she looked familiar," I mumbled to myself. Yesterday, I had barely looked at the picture Hope showed but I did have a glance.

Jackson's eyes lingered on the picture. "What do you mean?"

"The girl Hope showed yesterday," I tried to elaborate. "That's her." I pointed at the picture.

Jackson's eyes widened in realization. "Hope's friend?" I nodded. His eyes lingered on the picture again. "So this is what she looks like."

"What?" Jackson shook his head. I stared at him a bit and decided to ignore him. "When Hope showed the picture yesterday, I thought it was awfully familiar but didn't dwell on it."

"Look," I clicked on a handle on Twitter, using my phone. Once the handle loaded, I began to show Jackson several pictures Cherry posted with this friend in the past.

"They seem close," Jackson said.

"They are," I concluded, though I wasn't hundred percent sure. "Hope seem to know this Christy person meaning, he'd probably know Cherry too."

"Probably," Jackson mumbled, his brows creased hard against each other like he was in great thought.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. I spotted Hope walking behind Osaghae the security guard, as he directed Hope to me.

"Osaghae," I said to the security man. "If the cook comes in today, tell her to prepare me black soup. Okay?"

"Yes sir," Osaghae responded, then retreated to his duty post. I was about getting up, when Jackson held my upper arm.

"Henry, why don't I follow you to set today?" Jackson said to me. I shrugged. It wasn't like I had a problem with that, would be best if he was there.

"Hope," Jackson called. "Can you go upstairs? Same line to the room you were staying in but at the extreme. I left my orange jacket on my reading table."

"Yes sir," Hope responded without hesitation and quickly moved to go get the jacket.

"Do you have an orange jacket?" it was surprising cause Jackson hated that colour and would never wear It even though you tried forcing it on him.

"Of course I do," He responded and stood up. "Let's stretch our legs by taking a walk."

I didn't want to do that but it seemed like a distraction so I got up while we walked slowly to the front of the house. Getting there, I saw someone trying to start his bike.

"That's Hope's friend," I said to Jackson, remembering the guy from the other night. "Saw him taking Hope home once."

"Interesting," Jackson mumbled to himself and moved to the distress guy struggling to start his bike. "Baby?"

The boy lifted his head and was immediately in awe. Not at me, but at Jackson.

"You know him?" I asked, trying to be interested in their whole meet and greet session.

"Hope was putting a word or two for a friend." Jackson answered while the boy climbed down from his bike and eagerly moved to Jackson. "He's the rapper with the cute name."

"Rapper?" I creased my brows, then remembered he did mention it the other night.

"Wait a minute," I reached for my phone and clicked on a saved screenshot I made during one of those viral article about the club incident. "Look."

Jackson peered through my phone. "So he's also Christy and Cherry's friend and knows Hope too?" Jackson eyes moved closely to Baby. "Interesting."

Baby scratch his head, balancing his weight from one foot to the other. "Y-yes I'm Cherry's friend, obviously from the picture." He said, referring to the picture on my phone, while moving his eyes from mine to Jackson's to mine again. "But Cherry meant no harm. She's just someone who doesn't think before she talks and make decisions without weighing the risk. B-but she's good person."

"And Hope?" Jackson asked, his eyes never wavering from Baby even from one second.

Baby on the other hand sprouted a cough like the question had just took him off guard. I didn't really want to know about my bodyguard as I glanced at my watch. He was taking so much time for a stupid jacket.

"Um H-hope?" Baby stuttered. I squinted my eyes at him while Jackson lifted a brow. "He's good!" Baby coughed. "Manly good."

He was a horrible liar, just like Hope and the eatry talk earlier. The only difference with Baby was that I didn't know what he was hiding. Probably hiding the fact that Hope was weak, since he emphasized on the word manly.

"Same way I'm really, really good at rapping." Baby completed, moving to stand directly in front of Jackson. "Why don't you test me now Mr J.K? You'll be mind blown! Don't kill your guy's dream."

His words did receive some chuckles from Jackson. "Mr J.K?" Jackson lifted a brow and Baby scratched the back of his head nervously. "It's Jackson," Jackson saved. "And you're a rapper named Baby."

"I can totally change that if-"

"No it's cute," Jackson's hand stopped Baby from speaking further. "It has its charm. But you see Baby, I don't need a rapper right now."

Baby face fell while Jackson's eyes moved to his bike. Jackson squatted and did some things I knew nothing about to the bike, then went round, mounted it and used the key to start the bike. Atleast he helped Baby to fix his bike.

"Thanks," Baby gave a muffled appreciation which obviously wasn't coming from his heart. Jackson stepped aside and watched Baby climb his bike "I should be going."

Jackson nodded a bit as he watched Baby zoom out of the compound. I turned towards the house once the boy was gone. What the hell was keeping Hope?

"Are you worried about Hope?"

"Aren't you worried about the guy's dream you just crushed?" Jackson let out a small smile but didn't say anything relating to that. "I'll go check up on your bodyguard."

I looked down on my wrist watch one last time and let out a groan. Hope should be lucky I was being nice today.

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What do you guys think Jackson is doing? And poor Baby, his dream got thrown into the gutters.

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Word count : 1195

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-Eddy