Beyond Boundaries

Chapter Seven

This chapter is dedicated to my elder sister. For being so proud of me even when I have zero idea what I'm doing with my life and also for getting your contacts to check this book out.

Cause after all this time,
I'm still into you

~Paramore

LEILANI

  With every word that leaves his lips, I feel worse. And admittedly, a little jealous.

  "We could talk about this later?" I try for an optimistic tone and crack a smile when I nail it "I'm currently not in the best of moods for this" I feel somewhat awful but I have to be truthful with him.

  He agrees, telling me to take care and I hang up, slumping on the corridor couch, as I felt even worse than I did before his phone call.

  I hear the game room door open and I prep myself for passers-by "Ok, why are you being such an ashawo?" My sister walks in, both hands at her side taking me by surprise.

  "What?" I can't believe she used the prostitute term on me and didn't have the decency to look sorry about it.

  She rolls her eyes unapologetically "You know what I mean. You're pining for more than one guy so.. What do you think that makes you?" She deadpans, staring me down as if challenging me to say otherwise.

  I finally get her drift, shaking my head "It's not like that" My voice wavers with the motion.

  "It's like what then?" I sigh heavily, knowing that she isn't going to give up till I tell her what she wants to hear.

  "Ok, first it's that Uzo guy who sent you flowers the other time" She starts, using her fingers to demonstrate.

  My head immediately snaps towards her "Hey, I told you I don't like him" I counter.

  Uzo was an estate neighbor who thought I was cute after a run-in with me on my morning jog. Somehow, he had found out which house was mine and had sent flowers with a note talking about how he intended to know me more. I had turned him down.

  Nice guy but government workers weren't really my type.

  She goes on like she didn't hear me "Then there's that Feyi guy you're always talking to.."

  "Feyi and I are just friends Dinma" I resort to using her native name.

  She eyes me up and down like she's sizing up one of her employees "You're telling me you feel nothing for him? With all the phone calls and late night texts?" There's a faint shadow of disbelief in her voice, one I know will disappear once I tell her everything.

  One look at her and I know I can't lie to her. Not because I couldn't though. I pride myself on how good of a liar I could be sometimes but because I was already worn out by the swirl of emotions rising in me "Well, I used to. In our third year. He had this massive glow up so you can't blame me" I confess, feeling slightly better already.

  "And now?" She prods "Cause I'm at least a ninety nine percent sure one of you feels something for the other"

  "He actually has someone he likes" I press my body against the wall, wishing I could be one with it "It's Christian I'm hung up on"

  She sighs, surveying our surroundings before holding out her hand for me which I take gratefully.

  We walk till we reach the balcony which is surprisingly empty for the number of people staying here.

  She sinks on a bean bag, taking me with her "And how are you hung up on him?" She continues, her voice taking on the familiar motherly tone she often used on us.