From thick to thin

#16

Jimmy's pov
"Good morning ma, my name is Jimmy, I'm Ella's boy friend... best friend sorry I mean senior.... "  I thought of what to say as i approached Ella's compound.

I was so surprised when I got a call from school that Ella was missing, what happend to her? and why did she send me that depressing text. I hope she hadn't done anything stupid.

Finally i was at her gate. It was a very tall gate, painted all black with spiky tops, in case robbers got any funny ideas.

I took deep breaths trying to keep myself calm before i pressed the bell.

I began having doubting thoughts. Maybe it was too early in the morning to visit someone..maybe I should have called first. But it was too late  because i was already hearing footsteps of someone approaching, her father? I panicked...my legs began to shake, there was no going back now.

The door opened revealing the man of the house; not her father, instead the much younger version, her brother.

He put his head through the little space he created through the door. I gave a sigh of relief.

"Good morning sir, my daddy is not at home."

"No, I'm here to see Ella."

"Ok sir" he turned back to close the door but quickly remembering something. He turned again.

"Please, what is your name?"

I dipped my hands in my pockets trying to act cool.

"Tell her it's her friend, Jimmy."
More like her boyfriend, i thought to myself,  but i wasn't going to say that.

Few minutes later, Ella appeared at the door wearing a big tee-shirt  on Palazzo, she had packed her hair into a bun. she looked well, which was far from what I had expected to see. Infact if anything, she looked stunning.

"Guy! you want to put me in trouble." she stared at me, crossed.

Although she acted mad, I could tell she was happy to see me.

"Who's here to see you, I'm here to see my in-laws." I teased.

"Amarachi!!" Her mom yelled from the chair. It then dawned on me that her mom could see us.

"Oya come inside " she opened the door wide enough for me to pass through.

I entered not knowing what to expect or plans, except for the speech i had already prepared in my head.

"Good morning ma." i postrated, the yoruba way.

"Good morning my son"

My son.. that's  good, my charm was working.

"So it's you that wants to kidnap my daughter"

"Ah no ma." I quickly replied blushing until I looked up to see her face then I noticed she wasn't smiling.

Oh..

"You should have asked for permission before taking her out, what if something happened"

"Yes ma, I came to apologise ma" i bent my head, doing my best to look remorseful.

"Anyways" she continued, standing up from the chair.

"At least you came to check up on her, that shows you are from a good home."

She headed for what I suppose would be her room but  quickly adding that she had errands she needed Ella to run for her later in the day.

Finally that was over. I sat down on the chair. The cold shivers going down my chest were gone now.

"Babe how far you(wat's up with you)
Where do you go yesterday?"

Her lively face seemed to change all of a sudden, she instantly became a ghost of herself.

"Ella, is everything okay?" I asked concerned.

" Yes.." she replied timidly

"So what was the stuff you sent me about"

"Nothing..." She replied again, looking more disturbed.

Maybe I'm reading too many meanings into this. Either ways I couldn't find out more, it was already getting late.

"Come and escort me home" teasingly I tried grabbing her by the waist but what followed wasn't anything I expected. she screamed so loudly, her dad, her mom and "the man of the house" came rushing down so fast. I just stared in awe.