HIM

CHAPTER 23

He walked me to the gate before he bade me goodnight.
Why couldn't everyday be like this evening?
OK, nothing happened.

I heard some motion in the kitchen, I followed my steps and met Mum on her way out.
"Seems like you're just from school now, and where is your Grandma? " she asked me.
"I should be asking you that instead, I came home, found no one ,couldn't find the key, so I left for a walk, " I detailed.
Mum was already wide-eyed, "What do you mean you found no one? I left her here in the morning! "
"Well, I can't even tell what to say next. I mean, where could she have gone? " I spoke.
"God! What if she went back to the village? Your grandma is obsessed about that place, " Mama said pacing back and forth in the house.
"Hey, calm down. Am sure she's safe wherever she is, " I reassured.
Honestly, I didn't know how true that was. But I didn't want to see my mother pressuring up that much either.

"Easy for you to say," Mum retorted.
Well, am not saying anything.
I went to Jamie's room, it was unlocked. On getting in, I just saw everything intact. I mean, she couldn't leave without her clothes at least. Strangest thing, I saw a Tecno mobile lying on the bed.
Granny has a phone!
Maybe it was for calls only, I have never seen her carry it even to the sitting room.

I decided to walk into mine, change first then go tell Mum what I thought. I just had to hope it was all true she'd be back, otherwise I would miss the sleepover. I know what you're thinking, it's not that I didn't care;  I just felt she was safe. That's all.
We all have that feeling, don't we?

Just as I was walking in to the living room to my worried Mum, the main door opened.
"Grandma!" I was the first to say.
"Hey Mum! Where were you? You had us almost dying here!" Mum exclaimed.
"Am glad I found you still breathing, you can now be completely alive, am fine, " she said.
Instincts never lie

I just laughed going to her side and looping her arms around mine.
"Wow Granny! So tell me, who took you out on a date? " I teased.
My mother just looked at us, shaking her head.
"Don't look at me like that, " she said to Mum, "I was at Mrs. Ted's house."
"Mrs. Ted's! " we both exclaimed at the same time.
"I expected that reaction. You hardly know your neighbors, do you?" she said just as I freed her to let her sit.
We just locked eyes with Mum, not saying anything.
Honestly, I've never given a thought to knowing my neighbors.
It was only once when Jamie was playing outside that he saw a boy riding a bicycle past our gate, so he went to see him.
Unfortunately, the boy fell down and  hurt himself. Jamie had called Dad to help; the boy had said no one was home so he stayed with us. Later his parents had come around asking when they found him, they introduced themselves as Mr and Mrs Jones.
We never talked again!

No one said anything till dinner time, that's when I told the news of the sleepover to them.
"It's OK, just tell May to visit soon, it's been quite some time, " Mum said.
Grandma just looked at me then asked, "You allowing her to leave the house just like that at this time? "
It was only 8! Besides our neighborhood is the safest place I know.
"Come on Mum! May is her friend for years now. Plus, it's just a few blocks away, and this is a safe neighborhood. "
Thanks Mum.

||...||

I left the house minutes later, with my phone inside my sweater pocket. Then I had a vibration; it was a message from Gabby
I hope you still love me😉
I just laughed before typing back;
I'd even forgotten I had fallen in love with you.

I got completely engrossed in the chat that I couldn't hear the bicycle ahead.
I just heard the screeching of brakes right before me.
He missed me by a few inches, thank goodness.

"Hey Miss, sorry I almost ran you over. But I'd rather you keep the phone away till your destination," he said.
"Am sorry," that's all I could say.

I doubt if I could recall that face in the morning, it wasn't so clear under the crescent moonlight, and the street lights seemed to not be working.
"Goodnight, " he said, turning his bicycle and going away.

I made it to May's house safely this time. I didn't even knock, just walked in and found them all seated. Well, seems am the only one who's tardy.
"Did you all get here immediately from school? " I asked after saying hello.
"Unlike you, we didn't wait for dinner, "Frances said.
"Who told you I've eaten? "
"Linn only walks with hands inside her pocket when she's full, " May answered.
No way! I haven't even noticed that myself.
They all just laughed at me as I slowly pulled them out.
"OK, you win," I said taking a seat.
"So, what's the plan for the night? " Daisy asked.
"As long as it's not a Netflix and chill, I'll be good, " I said.
"Linn! Who doesn't love that! " Miranda exclaimed.
"Everyone loves it I know, but we can't simply be here for that. I mean, we can be active first at least, that's why we're five, " I explained.
"That's my girl, " May clapped.
I don't know how it started, but we found ourselves in a series of fact-finding. We were talking about music mostly, when I confessed am mostly an Allan Walker fan,everyone was on hip-hop.

"Truth or dare, let's play that, " Miranda suggested.
She was the first to go on a truth.
I thought a dare would be nice till Daisy asked me to do a twerk on the wall. I should have known.
They all just looked at me, everyone stifling a laughter.
They laughed so loud at my first attempt.
I didn't know how to twerk!
"I ain't doing a dare again, " I said.
It went round and I couldn't help it when Miranda had Frances go curl herself under the TV stand.
OK, compared to all of us, she was the fattest.
With all the struggles to go under making sure at the same time nothing falls off the stand, we were all enjoying that scene. When she finally squeezed and fit, we all went into an uproar of wild laughter. Our eyes were in tears.
That sure was fun.
Miranda chose a truth, it was my turn on her.
"Why do you love Frozen that much? "
Honestly, I didn't have any other thing in mind. She just loved everything about that animation so much, especially Anna and the Ice queen. And even tonight, her pyjamas were of the same.
She just looked at us as if there was debating on her head, then her expression changed.

"OK, I had a sister, older than me. We were best friends, no one knew us apart. That's how we grew, then one day things turned. She found out she was adopted, she didn't take it lightly.
She locked herself in her room two consecutive days, not wanting to see or talk to anyone. One day I managed to get into her room, I stole the spare key while Mum and Dad were away.
She was there on the bed hugging the pillow," at this point her eyes were watery.

I wanted to tell her to stop,but another part wanted to let her finish. The latter won.

"I tried talking to her but what she told me was the biggest blow to our sisterhood and friendship, 'I am not your sister! ' she had fired at me. I ran out of her room crying so hard, it was the harshest and most painful thing I ever had from her. She had grown cold, she didn't care anymore about us. My parents found about it later and told me to let her be; she needed to be alone to figure out things.

The following day, I was from school. My parents never came back till 7,so I walked to my room. But I saw hers wide open. On walking in, I saw a note on the bed, 'Goodbye. Thanks for everything. '
She never came back, my parents never traced her. That's why after some time it was decided I changed environment, that's how I came here," she finally said.

We all sighed, hugging her so she'd feel better. No one said anything afterward.
That was too heavy for the night, wasn't it?

I got it: she felt like her sister was now the Snow queen and her,Anna. I hoped one day the queen would come back to take away the ice she threw at Anna's heart, just like it happens in the Disney animation itself.

Maybe she hoped so too.