Beautiful Ruins

XXXI 》Polished Thrones, Hidden Thorns.

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TOVI

My day was already made before it even started. I had awoken with the sun on my face and a smile on my lips—because I had a good sleep without any nightmare but majorly because of the person that made it possible.

Up until then, I didn't think I'd find someone's voice so sedative and I didn't want to be selfish, but I really wouldn't mind him reading to me every night.

The smile playing on my lips involuntarily widened at the thought of how nice that would be and I was still in the moment when I noticed my phone lighting up from beside me. I picked it up and saw a message from my set's group chat, displayed on the notification bar and that's when I realized that I hadn't turned off my mobile data last night.

Groaning mentally, I unlocked my phone and was instantly taken to Whatsapp cause it was the last app I was on before I slept off. I rolled my eyes at the two thousand plus messages the group chat had generated, overlooked it before going to the next chat below.

It was Jamal's; a ‘sleep well’ sent after he got off the phone with me. And like my fingers had a mind of their own, they immediately typed in: ‘Morning. I did, hope you did too?’

The message ticked twice, indicating that he was online but before a reply could come in my room door opened, revealing a partially sleepy-eyed Sekani at it's threshold.

She was clad in her pj's with few braids peeking out from the bonnet atop her head. A hand was weakly planted on her waist while the other gently rubbed at her eye. She released a yawn before saying, “Thank God you're awake. Can you come make breakfast? I'm so hungry, I almost ate in the dream.”

I watched the girl before me, amused and awed. Not only was she slightly swaying side to side, her words were dragged over each other and her eyes were focused not on me but somewhere above my head. It was glaring in her body language that she needed more sleep but here she was at fifteen minutes after seven, requesting for food instead.

Sekani had always been a foodie, but to that extent? Just wow.

Realizing that no reply came from me, she blinked, dull brown eyes sliding down to meet mine as she did. Another yawn. “I'm very sure I'm not speaking Swahili, Tovi so biko, start coming downstairs before I faint from hunger. I'm already seeing stars sef.”

Shaking my head at her display, I chuckled and trailed behind her as she went down the stairs, with an arm round her shoulders to keep her from tumbling down due to grogginess.

She made herself comfortable on a chair before the kitchen island while I stood on the other side, my hands propped up on the marble surface. “So,” I started, “what is her royal highness craving this fine morning?”

Her gloomy morning face suddenly broke into this wide, radiant smile that made her appear years younger than she was. “I want sardinebread and—”

“Mtcheww,” I hissed and started walking out on her when loud, bubbly laughter echoed throughout the space, halting me in my tracks.

“Ah ahn, relax naa, somebody cannot play with you again?” She wiggled thick brows at me, a grin alike to that of a Cheshire cat displayed on her face.

Once I retraced my steps, I gave her the side-eye. “No oh, you would've been serious. Na garri and salt you go just drink this morning. Yeye girl.”

A small smile found my lips when she almost toppled over from laughter caused by my remark. “Let's do noodles and eggs, biko.” I said, bending down to take the items I needed for the meal from the island's built in cabinet.