JagaJaga | ✓

04: Of Seasons and Gifts

09:59am, she checked the time on her phone and kept it back in the back pocket of her trouser as she carefully carried the wrapped gift towards her parents room. Their family had this ritual, every holiday they gave each other the best gifts possible and the person who could give the ultimate best to her parents gets to choose the food cooked on New years day. It was not much of a reward, it could not even be called a reward but Eghosa, Efosa and her cherished the ritual and made it a very serious competition amongst themselves. They secretly gave out the gifts o their parents and on boxing day they got to know who would choose.

The door opposite hers opened as she stepped out of her room with the bundles happily held in her arms. After she had gotten in contact with the eatery, she stayed in her room to organise the gifts and not just for her parents alone. She had gotten special things for everyone and as much as she hated Asike, she had to squeeze something out of the things bought for him. It was Christmas ritual to share even to enemies. But as she saw him step out of the room with the side smile that made his dimple bug out, she started to regret the show of love. She would probably keep the present to herself.

"Mind if I join you?" Asike closed the door behind him but not before she got a glimpse of Supo and Omoruyi playing wrestling. Sometimes those old men acted like little kids and she feared for Osemudiamen because she was stuck in the same house as they were until Supo, being the oldest old man remembers to pack out of his fathers house at his age.

"Yes I do," she made sure she sounded mean, she needed to sound mean enough for him to leave her, probably cower out of fear and never prank her or at least never disturb her again but that did not seem to work. Why would it? Asike had always had a knack for disturbance, particularly her disturbance.

"Sweet, I like when you do mind, its easier to make you frustrated," she kept her face straight her aim to not look at his face and give him the pleasure of seeing her facial reaction. He'd think he had succeeded in his plan to frustrate her.

"You don't frustrate me Asike, you annoy me,"

"Whats the difference Menmen,"

"The difference is that if i'm handed a gun to shoot between a demon and you I would throw the gun down and use my bare hands to strangle you," she said the truth, she could kill him with her hands and not care if she was caught and sent to jail. But this Christmas she said would not want to soil her hands. They walked passed the first room on that floor which she had allocated to Osaze and his wife, her parents room was at the left end of the hallway.

"I'd like to feel your hands on me," he gave a moan as he said that, without turning to see his face she already felt extremely disgusted. She remembered Secondary School and how he was able to manipulate their fellow female school mate, whether their juniors, seniors or their set. She never bothered to find out how and why but now she suspected it could be his ability to talk dirty or they were just naturally blind and stupid.

"I'd stab you if I can, but that be murder,"

"But I want to be murdered by you babe," she turned, against her will to face him as they approached the door to her parents room, her face stern and serious,

"Don't you ever call me babe." There was a brief silence as she fumbled with the handle of the door, her hands were too heavy and she could not let go of the gifts.

"Do you need a hand baby?" she knew his plan was to stir the annoyance but she planned to ignore.

"I won't hurt you if you say please, you know," she did not turn to look at him but she could imagine his pleased expression at her plight. She would not ask the devil for help, never. Her hands said otherwise, she needed to put the gifts down before they fell and the fragile gift broke.