₦airaland Forum

Semid4lyfe, what can I say ? There might be a little of me in every one of them - even the guys. For example, I said Max wore A Liverpool jersey with "Gerrard" on the back, to the party. I'm a Liverpool/Gerrard fan. I'm not telling you anything else I have in common with the others, but they're a lot! But that was then. I'm human now .

. .

Thanks Orinkinla, it feels good to know you'll be "watching". And these characters - you never know, they might actually be real people!! Not every fiction is just imaginative - some could be autobiographic !

CHAPTER TWO

  Tiara totally missed the drama between her brother and Kessy, she was busy facing some of her own. It was a big party, many of her friends were there; the music was loud, the food and music was good – and she was having fun. She had the most handsome guy in the room to herself, and was lapping up all the attention.
  It had started almost as soon as she’d walked into the room. She’d gravitated to one of her friends, Ope, who’d been popular in school for her vivacity and comic character – added to the fact that she was quite fat, the fattest girl in school then. She’d also been the best dancer, and very good at sports, so the weight didn’t seem to limit her much. She also knew how to dress to suit her frame and size, and that evening she looked lovely in her off-shoulder top and baggy jeans. As she and Tiara talked animatedly, a group of guys came around to say hello. Tiara didn’t know any of them but they seemed to be friends of Ope, who introduced her to them. One of them in particular seemed to be paying a lot of extra attention to her, and this made her take notice of him.
  He was quite tall; easily towering over his friends – she was sure he would be taller even than her brother. He would probably be around Max’s age, too, she guessed. He had well-built shoulders, a nice handsome face, and spoke with a faint accent, like he’d lived outside the country for a while.
   His name was Raymond, and he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. “I must say, you have a very lovely friend, Ope,” he said, lingering around them even though his friends had left to get drinks.
  Ope turned to grin at the suddenly shy-looking Tiara. “Yep, I know. Do you know she won the Miss Fineface crown when we were in school – that’s the equivalent of our “Miss Nigeria” – so you see, her name is very apt.” They all laughed at the idea.
  Tiara shivered when just then, he took her hand, gazing down into her face. “Tiara is a beautiful name, really suits you. I’m sure you really deserved the crown.”
  “What about me, huh?” Ope mock-scowled. “I was voted “Miss Hotlegs”, too!”
  That got them all laughing again, and Tiara wondered why he wasn’t letting go of her hand. She was getting more and more aware of him, becoming a little flustered when she realised this hunk of a guy actually found her beautiful and attractive.
  “You, Miss Hotlegs?” he teased the playful Ope. “Are you sure you didn’t rig the votes?” And got a hard nudge from her for his effort.
  “Okay, this is where I steal away your pretty friend,” he announced, tugging on Tiara’s hand, saying softly to her, “Dance with me.”
  “Go on, not stopping you,” Ope waved them off, and soon Tiara found herself on the dance floor for the first time that evening. She was a good dancer and they were playing a favourite song of hers, so she tried to relax and enjoy herself, even though her partner never stopped staring at her like he would gladly eat her. He was a hotstepper too, knew all the latest moves. It just didn’t seem fair; he was everything she liked and she was “tripping”. She really was glad she hadn’t missed this party – she’d have lost the chance of meeting Raymond. They danced for a long time, till he noticed she might be tired, and suggested they get drinks to cool down.
   They stood in one corner of the large room and talked, just tried to get to know each other.  She found out he really was Max’s age, that he’d schooled mostly in the U.S. but was now attending a Nigerian university. They got talking on so many random issues, and she began to notice more things about him that she liked; he acted and spoke so matured, and he listened with interest to every thing she said – no matter how girlish or stupid. Nothing about the party seemed to matter apart from her and Raymond. And even when the “celebrant” showed up and they cut the cake and sang for him, she was busy enjoying her time with her new catch. Later there was more digging it out on the dance floor, and Tiara was having a blast with the gorgeous Raymond, secretly enjoying the envious looks coming from many of the other girls as they noticed how he hung around her all evening. So when one other guy came over to ask her to dance, she felt reluctant, and glanced at Raymond with hesitation.
  “Come on, Ray, just one dance,” the guy said. “You’ve been hogging her the whole night!”
  “Oh, okay, Ash – but one dance only,” Raymond said warningly. Tiara was surprised they knew each other, then remembered that he had to be one of the guys that had come up to talk to her and Ope at the beginning. She finally went to dance with him, and they managed to talk a little. She found out his full name was Ashiedu, but she wasn’t really interested in much else he had to say as they danced. She was just in a hurry to be back with Raymond. And as if reading her mind, he showed up soon enough, coming to cut in between them.
  Ash withdrew with a good natured smile. “Thanks, Tiara. For the dance.” And then he was gone.
  “That’s the last time I’ll let you out of my sight,” he vowed, drawing Tiara into his arms as they danced to the booming beat of the latest Weird MC song. Tiara looked covertly around for her brother, and caught him dancing on the other end of the room, and he seemed to be flirting seriously with his pretty dance partner. She was glad he looked like he was having fun – that meant he’d be too busy to be watching her every move.
  So she relaxed in Raymond’s strong, possessive arms, dancing up close against him for a moment and then pulling back. It wasn’t a slow song, after all. They needn’t make it too obvious that they were so deeply into each other, she decided.
  After a while someone came to tap him on the shoulder, and it seemed he was going to have to break his promise not to leave her side. It was one of the guys who organised the whole bash, coming to tell Raymond that the car he’d parked was blocking a neighbour’s gate and the neighbour needed to leave.
  “I’ll be right back, Tiara,” he promised, and left the room. Fanning herself, suddenly realising how hot it was in there, she looked around for Itoro and peeled her from her own dancing partner.
  “Let’s go out on the balcony for some fresh air,” she said, and Itoro agreed. Actually, Tiara was just dying to tell her friends about her new admirer. All that was left to do was find Kessy, and all three girls herded themselves out for their latest “pow-wow.”

I'll be downloading these Julia Garwood books. I tried to read one once but it didn't hold my attention past the first five pages. But knowing she's so popular I might as well try again!

Semid4lyfe- - - -No, she didn't plan it with Chima! But like all childish girls, deliberately carried on with him to make Max jealous - and succeeded. These girls all need to grow up, and I hope to follow them on their maturing journey !

Thanks Orinkinla, for your valuable advice. I was at first not taking the whole story serious, but now I'll stop playing with it and make some sense . As for Max and Kessy -- - - I'll keep your observation in mind .

Lol @ MyneWhite - - - - - I'm trying to be realistic here. Most Nigerian 16 year olds do have boyfriends!! Some may just be innocent puppy love, and some may not! Thanks though .

@ semid4lyfe - - - - Hope you'll take it easy on me a bit now .

LOL @ "beef na im daily food"
U don talk am well, as you should
u sef see the unwarranted aggression
i suspect im get serious spiritual oppression
I just hope say the Moderators go dey attentive
And make sure dem stay punitive and preventive

@semid, shey u don see am?
from nowhere, come look harm
upon dis my innocent and simple person
some elements no want learn their lesson
who dey mad, and who don mara?
we dey flow, dey hope for more jara
only for we to see serious mentalistic assault
wey come get drastic and immediate result
with no head or tail, no sense or reason
come pour useless rain for dis our sweet summer season
Na God deliver me from the demonic attack
Now I fit breathe with no fear say d yeye thing go come back!

Ameeeeeennnnnnnnn!!!!!!

Hmmmmmmmnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make una helep me thank Jehovah for dis fresh air
I talk am say these moderators dey very fair
Dem don dispose of the unwanted pollution
I trust dem to have a quick and fair solution
Meanwhile, I bind and reject every water-based spirit
Wey wan contaminate this heavenly love zone wey be God's gift

Max honestly didn’t know when he shouldered his way fast through the crowded dance floor, across the room to where Kessy was now gripped tight against the boy holding her in his laps. He truly wasn’t sure when he grasped her shoulder and pulled her to her feet, growling, “Kessy, is this idiot disturbing you?”
Kessy looked up at him in amazement. “Max, what are you doing!”
He was glaring down at the annoying boy, who had a very prominent afro, and didn’t look much older than eighteen, even with a light moustache dusting his upper lip. Max was longing to bust that upper lip right then for the boy’s stupid behaviour. Mauling a girl in public like that!
“I saw him clawing you, Kessy,” he snapped, turning his fiery gaze to the open-mouthed Kessy.
“Max, this is my boyfriend, Chima. We were just messing around!”
Her words made Max stop short, and for the first time he noticed the few surprised, amused faces standing around them and watching. “Chima” was frowning defiantly up at Max.
“Hey, chill out, man,” the boy said in a surprisingly deep voice. “You’re not even her brother.”
Max let her go abruptly. “No, I’m not,” was his short reply, before without a word, he walked away with long, angry strides.
Jaiye was waiting for him, handing him back his cup of punch, struggling to keep a straight face. One look from his friend, and he knew enough to keep his mouth shut. But damn, it was funny. But he sensibly raised a neutral topic.
“So, I’m studying at Ife. Where did you get into?”
“Where else?” Max said, already composed but inwardly still fuming. Blast, but he’d messed up. But he’d seriously just wanted to protect her dignity. Any guy fool with his sister like that, and he’d clap the guy. Boyfriend or no boyfriend.
“My parents’ alma mater – Unilag,” he continued. “They even ensured that Tiara selected the school as first and second choice.”
Jaiye nodded. “I can imagine – and it’s closer to home so I guess that’s what they want for you guys.”
“Ife is cool, too,” Max nodded. “Great history.” He was looking around the room now, suddenly making up his mind. “I think we’ve stood on the wall long enough, Jay. It’s about time we enjoyed this bash.” He’d noticed a pretty-faced, petite girl in a white tube top and jeans standing with another equally good looking girl, chatting in a corner. “Come on, let’s ask those beauties to dance.”
“Best idea you’ve brought up all night,” Jaiye said approvingly, grinning hugely, dimples and all.

Lol. You see I'm making an effort with the "nitty-gritty". Slow and steady, and in small measures .