Insipired (chasing sunset☀)

chapter eighteen👑

                          <FATE>

"Men I saw you on TV. You was freaking killing it!" Jamey told me enthusiastically and I grinned at him.

"Yea, leave the nerd alone. She be feeling like some kinda star now." Jamil winked at me playfully and I smiled at him.

"What was it like to be interviewed?? Was you scared or what? The way you kept grinning, I thought the sides of your mouth was actually gonna tear  all the way up to your chins! Swears, you was ready!"

      I was stunned at the way he was coating his words. Jamey and I really do not talk that much. Well he is just a kid, but with his intonation, damn! Am having a second thought of him being below sixteen.

"Yea me too. That must have really been tough for you to expose your flaws to the world" jamil said to me with softened eyes.

"No.... The world needed to know the real me. I guess it was supposed to happen". I replied defiantly.

"Thank you". He suddenly said and I gazed at him in awe.

"For what?? I should be thanking you Jamil. Not the other way round. You don't know what you did for me." We kept gazing at each other intensively, without blinking. "Thank you....."

"Uhh am still here". Jamey waved a hand at our faces and I looked away, laughing.

     Jamil practically threatened to punch him and he shifted quickly. "Am try'na help you come back to reality!" He raised his hands in defense and went back to his seat quietly.

     Just then, Jamal entered the house and on seeing me, he exclaimed happily. "Look who we have here! The greatest teen novelist!!!" And I blushed, laughing. "What's up Queen?"

"Am good", I answered him.

"We all watched you on TV that day. Jamil wouldn't stop yapping about it so we had no choice," he shrugged and Jamil glared at him and turned to catch me staring at him.

"Don't listen to him, we all knew you were going to be on TV". He defended himself.

"Lest I forget, I figured a way to pay you back. Maybe not all but fifty percent". Jamal changed the topic.

"How do you mean?"

"I could give you a ride to prom. You and Queen."

    I suddenly gazed at him in surprise.

"That'll be great!" I chipped in excitedly, not caring what their deal was all about.

    Jamil glanced at me and then back at his brother. "What? No!! Thanks. We good". He made a disgusted face.

"Why are you refusing?" I asked.

"Trust me Queen,  Jamal knows nothing about driving. And besides who told you am going to prom with Queen?" He asked him again, making that face and pointing towards my direction.

"You guys look great together."

"Me and her?...." He chuckled with a kind of 'you must be kidding' look.

"I am not going to prom with you either!" I eyed him.

"Trust me, am not too. Dude when was the last time I went to prom?"

"oh yes. Sorry. I forgot you don't do prom" Jamal tapped his forehead in remembrance. "okay. What about graduation?"

"Drop it men! Am not letting you drive me" Jamil was persistent on his refusal.

"I'll let you drive me" I folded my arms, ready to get Jamil pissed off.

"What? You must be joking!" He muttered to me.

"Thanks Queen. I won't fail you". Jamal made a mockery face at Jamil and I laughed.

"Suck it up!-" my phone rang inside my pocket and I brought it out. I straightened my posture on seeing the caller.

     Mrs Glen Paige.

"Hello?" My voice choked with saliva and I swallowed.

"Am I speaking to Queen Mabel Nicholas?" Her tone was sounding different today. A little bit mixed with friendship, but still the same beautiful accent.

"Yea. I mean yes ma," I replied over the phone. Should I tell her about my win or maybe she already knows-

"Congratulations on your win. You're really something after all. I just want you to know that i didn't help you in anyway. You made your way up and am glad I listened to you that day. You make me remember the old days of how I use to write endlessly. Keep it up. am glad we're meeting soon. Your flight is next week, I just arranged that-"

"Who're you talking to?" Jamil whispered but I guess she heard it because she paused with a gasp.

"Is that who I think it is?...." Her voice grew soft over the phone. "Jamil??...."

      I removed the phone from my ear and walked over to Jamil. I stretched my hands towards him with my phone on it. "Take it". I simply said and he slowly collected it from my palm. He took gentle steps away from me and then he went into a conversation with her.

"Yes. It's really me aunt Glen-" she cut him off.

     All I could hear was a sentimental ranting. "I tried to, but things got complicated after dad died. I tried so many times to reach you though but mama was against it! She felt broken that you ditched us for your big time parole in New York and then we moved down to Africa-" he swallowed when she cut him off again. Probably trying to explain herself. "I had it with me all this time. I just thought I could help a friend with it. Thanks for helping". The line was silent for a while and I could see his face slightly hardened in disbelief. "Nah. Mama won't like that. As much as I want to, I can't......... Okay, I will....... Jamal's working, but I can't say how big he's earning....... Nah, I stopped writing since....................... Yea, yea, mama said it was a gangster thing and I don't blame her for it..........  That was then. I mean since when did writing refix become a talent?.......... Either way, I'll tell mah mama you called.......... Bye." He ended the call with a lipped up sad smile, and looked at me.

"How was your conversation?" I asked.

    He roughened his hair in depression. "I don't know Queen" his eyes softened while he handed me my phone.

"Jamil you both haven't talked in years. And you finally heard her voice and you're still not happy. What's wrong?"

"It's not just me and her. It's my family and her."

"So why do you look depressed?"

     He sighed before answering, "she wants me to follow you to New York after our graduation" he sank into the sofa behind him.

     I smiled broadly. "Really?"

    He scoffed at my excited expression. "You don't get it. Do you?" He sounded abrupt and my face hardened.

"Stop being rude to me!" I sat down beside him and smacked his arm.

"Sorry" he muttered under his breath, without looking at me.

"So are you going to tell me now?" I whispered.

"As much as I wanna go to New York, my mum won't want that. I even lied to her when I told her I stopped writing music.... She knows how I love writing songs so she didn't buy it....." I hate that look in his eyes. He is hurt and I really want to help but how?

"We'll figure something out". I clutched his hand and he turned to look at me.

"How?" He asked softly.

"I don't know. We're friends right?" A smile curved my lips and he looked down on my folded fist at him and he chuckled boyishly.

"Silly nerd!" He hit it.

Final chapters of inspired coming up soon. Be on the lookout for my next book😍... Don't forget to vote readers💋