𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄

** FORTY-NINE **

"To Love OneSelf Is the Beginning of A Lifelong Romance." -
Oscar Wilde

****

             CHINECHEREM WAS PLAYING a game of chess with Jedekaih and they sat opposite each other, focused on the game.

She stared down at the board in between them. From studying the game, she already knew Jedekaih's next move, and it caused a tiny chuckle to escape her lips.

At least, Jedekaih was a fair competition and a better challenge than Zayn. Zayn could barely play the game but he always insisted on playing it since it was something she loved doing.

Jedekaih raised his head and gave her a questioning gaze.

"Why do you do that? Do you think that I will lose?"

She only smiled in response.

"C'mon, play. You are wasting too much time."

"I know you've already predicted my next move. But I want to be unpredictable," Jedekaih answered her and she burst into laughter.

"You know at this stage, being unpredictable is close to impossible."

"Whatever," Jedekaih waved her off with a playful sneer and she smiled at him.

Then his phone began to ring beside him.

"It's your mom," Chinecherem pointed out, looking at the screen of the phone.

She watched a grin spread on Jedekaih's face as he picked up the phone.

"Let me answer her call. I'll be back."

"Okay," she answered, nodding.

Then she watched him walk away as he brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello, momma."

The rest of his words trailed off as he walked farther away.

Chinecherem let out a sigh.

Funny how she hasn't spoken to her mother since the start of the vacation. The only time she talked with her was on New Year's when she met Chizaram having a video call with her.

The conversation was very brief because Chizaram took back her phone and asked her to leave, and their mother didn't complain nor did she call her back.

Her father called a couple of times, but it was the same as ever. Brief and straight to the point.

Deep down, she envied the relationship that others have with their parents, especially their mother.

Zayn's grandmother calls every twelve hours to check up on him. She even speaks with her and Jedekaih whenever she calls.

The same goes with Jedekaih.

She admired the time that the triplets would have video calls with their parents and their siblings. They were adorable to watch and it made her wish she had what they had.

But she doesn't.

The same goes with Jewel and Yasmine.

Despite Yasmine often complaining about her mother being too overprotective and sometimes not answering her call because she doesn't want to speak with her to avoid questions, it didn't stop the woman from calling her.

"Can I join you?" someone asked, waking her from her cloud of thought.

Slowly, she moved her eyes up and saw Jaime. Her face morphed into a surprised one since she wasn't expecting to see him.