A TIME TO HEAL

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"I DON'T like him," Akin said the following morning.

He'd slept over at my place because we'd gotten home late from Kelvin's party. We didn't leave when he had asked to. I was in the kitchen making eggs for breakfast when he walked in.

"Who?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Your best friend."

"Why? He was nice to you last night, you on the other hand was the complete opposite."

"He was pretending to be nice."

"I didn't notice that. I'm sure you'll come to like him, he's a good person."

"I don't doubt that. I just don't like the way he looks at you, it's creepy. Why is he your best friend again?"

I pointed at the apples in the bowl and he grabbed one. "He's was my only friend for a long time, we've been through thick and thin. I'm sure you have your differences but if you put those aside, you'll get to like him."

"If it'll make you happy."

"It will."

"There's just something about him I don't trust."

"Please, Akin," I said as I served him scrambled eggs and chunks of yam.

He dragged a stool out and ate his meal. "Okay, I'll behave. Thanks for the food."

"You're a guest, it's the least I could do. I need to dress up, I'm seeing Kelvin later."

"Why?" he asked.

"None of your concern," I replied and he grunted.

It really was none of his concerns. I didn't need his opinion on my friendship. I left him to his meal and went to the bedroom. I got dressed in a pair of jeans and tank top then added a long sleeve kimono to cover my arms. When I went to the living room, I saw a new box on the center table that didn't belong there. I got closer and opened the box to find several clothes with a box of expensive makeup. Akin walked into the living room.

"Tell me you didn't buy me clothes?" I asked.

"I didn't, my assistant did."

"I don't need you buying me things." He smiled, and I said, "I'm serious."

"I know you are, but it's not a big deal. Just take them without complaining, they're just clothes."

"They are too expensive. Have you seen the price tags on this stuff?"

"Nope, but I know you deserve the best."

"We are not even dating."

"We don't have to be dating for me to get you things. You came around when I needed a friend and I appreciate that."

I bit my nails and looked at the box. "You don't have to gift me things on a daily basis. How did it get here anyway? You've been in the house. "

"My driver brought it."

"No more, please."

"No more."

He crossed his heart but something told me he was only playing along. I sighed.

"I should get going. My driver should be waiting."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later then. Take care."

"Kisses?" he asked.

I stood on tiptoe and kissed him on his forehead. His face broke into a big grin and he ruffled my hair, I slapped his hand away.

"One last time," he said as he dropped a tiny box into my hand.

"No more after this."

"Agreed."

I shut the door after Akin and opened the box. I saw a pair of small studded earrings, it caught the light as I was about to close the lid and I gasped. No way he bought me diamonds, what in the world did I need diamond earrings for? I went to the bedroom and dropped the box into my bedside drawer.

I was about wearing my sandals when I got a text from Kelvin. He wanted us to meet at a car dealership shop. Who was getting a car? Him? If he did, then our daily car rides would come to an end. I wasn't ready for that to happen yet. I drove towards the direction he sent me and when I got to the shop, I saw him waiting outside. I gave him a long hug, that was my way of non-verbally apologizing for Akin's behavior.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm getting a car," Kelvin replied.

My intuition was right. I smiled because it was expected of me. "How exciting."

"My sisters are done with Uni. so I can finally spoil myself with a car."

Kelvin once told me he was putting his sisters through school. His parents were retired and they had no steady income apart from the stipend they got paid monthly from their pension. And he'd said that went towards their health and feeding.

"What if they want to get a Masters?" I asked.

"Hopefully, they'll get a job first before thinking of that. I need your help."

I placed my hand on my chest and sniffed fake tears. "You honor me."

"Shut up."

We walked towards the entrance and I tried to explain what happened the previous night. "About last night, Akin was only-"

"I don't want to hear about him. Whatever you guys have going on is between you two, and I don't need an explanation."

He could've let me finish. I hated the fact that we were getting used to sweeping everything under the rug. There was no thorough communication and I was getting scared it would cause a rift between us.

"That's what I'm saying, we have nothing going on." I rushed out the words so he wouldn't cut me off like he did before.

"You don't have to lie for my sake, you just have to be more discrete in future. You guys were practicality humping each other last night. Anyone could have seen you."

That was his concern, our decency. Was he even mad? Did he even care? Couldn't he be jealous a little. A sign to show me I wasn't the only one hoping for us to happen.

"We weren't humping each other," I corrected.

We walked around cars but I wasn't looking at them. I was too crushed to take interest in anything.

"Akin actually-" I tried again.

Kelvin turned to me. "If I hear his name one more time or an explanation of what happened and didn't last night, I'm going to lose it."

I felt like one of his sisters at that point. "Let's get a car then," I said in defeat.

I forced myself to be cheerful as Kelvin did everything. I didn't try to voice my opinion, and I simply nodded whenever he looked at me for my input. I walked beside him as he checked out cars.