Shades of Black

Chapter 15

"This afternoon is just perfect." I chuckled while skating in circles around Liam with my popsicle, who was just walking.
He refused to get a popsicle, how boring. I had eaten over five. "So you don't like cold stuff?"
I entwined our hands, "Maybe, can I taste yours instead."
I pulled my hand away, "You are allergic to strawberries, sweetheart. I can't let you die so so soon." I joked while changing from my skates, was I joking though?

I suggested we play games, like kids games. We started with pooping balloons using some sharp object. Trust me I could hardly name any of the games we played.
From the balloons, I got a tiny panda and Liam got a huge teddy. "I'll get you on this one."
This other game comprised shooting, he couldn't beat me on this. "Where did you learn to shoot?"
I shrugged, "I used to have toy guns when I was little."
Liar. Yes I was, should I have told him the truth.

That I learnt how to use a gun when I was eight.

He started shooting as well, not bad. For his case, I knew he also started using guns at a young age, probably younger than me. Manuel was his father, what would one expect...
From a distance, I spotted a crafts shop. The inside was beautiful, African craft were all there. Sculptures, painting, art pieces, mosaics.
"How's this?" I poked his bicep, "It's beautiful...let's try this."
He picked some cowrie shells and put them in my hair.
A black woman emerged from the back, she smiled at me.
She greeted me in Zulu, I replied, returning the smile.

"Are you South African?" I smiled back. "Oh, no, I'm East African."
She pouted with a strong glare at Liam. "What's with African girls these days and white men?"
I sarcastically smiled at her, I was holding back from replying.
"I don't think you should mind so much about racial couples, leave that backward mindset."

I looked at her dead in the eye, what was wrong with black girls being with white men.
She defended herself, "My apologies, it was a mistake."
I stepped closer and put money on her counter, "Then don't make it again." There's no way I was leaving these shells.
I held Liam's hand and we walked away.

"Do you want to go on a rollercoaster..." Before he could finish, I put a hand on his mouth.
"No, definitely not, sweetheart. The only time I will go up there is if I'm a corpse, you know what, I'm actually feeling tired."
I got the dark-red bracelet I had got him from the other woman and put it on his wrist.
"Do you like it? Hope you don't have issues with the pendant." It was a pendant of Africa.
He smiled, "I won't."
We had nearly spent the whole day here, it was coming to seven.
He drove me back to the cafe where I had left my bike.

As I was getting out, he pulled me back. "Somebody forgot to say bye."
Oops! I instead sat on him with my hands around his neck, "No I didn't, I was just waiting for your reaction." Weirdly, Renegade started to play on the radio.

Our lips met in passion, he grasped my hips as we both moved in sync. He pulled me closer, the friction between us was electric, as I rocked against him. "I want this to last..." I spoke through the kiss.
He sucked on my neck, "Kissing you is my new obsession, caramel. I want you to kiss me like this till I'm sick of it. I don't think I'll be anytime soon though."
I didn't know why I gave into him.

I left the car and headed for my bike.
He lowered the window and saw me get on my bike, I winked at him before leaving.

                             ***
On reaching home, I found the house quite and dark.
How? Mum should have been home by now. I called out to her but she was nowhere.
Suddenly, I saw all the lights on and voices shouted 'surprise' from behind.
What the...Oh my God! It was Micah and our father.
"Paps, Micah..." I blinked to make sure it wasn't a dream. It was real, I ran to both of them and hugged them. My twelve year old sister was almost my height, my father was very tall, as usual.

I saw mum descending from upstairs with a scowl on her face, she went to the kitchen.
Paps asked, "Your mother told me you went to visit a friend."
I nodded hesitantly, "How was South Africa?"  I asked as we headed to the dining table.

"It was just fine, Paps has a restaurant in Durban now."
Micah exclaimed as she grabbed her phone. Mum came from the kitchen, "Welcome back from the trip, Athena."
I nervously smiled at her, she added "One more person is here to see you."
I saw my nanny coming from the kitchen, I was six when I last saw her. "Nana..." I ran to her and hugged.  I used to call her nana because I had failed to say Nanny back then. Her name was Lia Marie, she was Albanian and Mexican as well.

                      ***
Hours after having a whole family conversation, we sat down to have dinner. Amandla also joined, looking at the food made me nauseous.
I hadn't taken my appetite pills in a week. But I had this, I forced myself to eat, at least I didn't want to ruin the whole reunion thing.

"So do you like have a boyfriend now." Nana asked. I almost choked on my food. "No...of course not. Why are asking?"
I looked at Nana with the eye of 'don't start please'
"You used to hate boys back then." Everyone laughed at the statement.
There was still some kind of tension between my parents. What was wrong with these two?

My phone started ringing, goodness why was Liam video calling right now. I excused myself and ran off to my room.
"Hey stud, you already missed me, didn't you?"
"Maybe, but I...called to tell you...I, I'm going to Spain tomorrow. It was quite abrupt, I'll be in Valencia for a meeting."
Why did I feel bad so suddenly?
"Safe journey, what about school?"

An 'o' left his mouth, "About school, well...I don't think I'll be going back there. I've to handle quite  a lot." What the actual hell? Liam Salvatore was leaving for Spain.
"Can you at least come see me before you go?" He nodded with a yes. He suddenly mentioned, "Hope you stopped talking to that imbecile, Michael."
Michael was my friend, a good friend. I mean how couldn't I talk to him. I hesitantly answered, "Oh no...I stopped, I lost his number." I obviously lied, he looked convinced.

If he actually goes, will he ever come back. Ahhh! Whatever....