THE BOYS AROUND US.

chapter 4 Rex?

EVENING.

KEFFYS HOUSE.

Keffy stood at her kitchen counter and stared at the ingredients she had bought. There were carrots, a medium sized cabbage, mayonnaise, etc. She began chopping, boiling and dicing the food stuff according to their method of preparation.

" What we would need are snacks to keep us light and jovial. Okay so I'll just make something yummy and think of how what to get or order for the party." Keffy said aloud to herself and continued her preparation. After she had made the coleslaw she put some of it on the plate of rice and chicken stew, she had made earlier and warmed when she got home.

Keffy was about going to her room when she heard the doorbell. Wiping her hands on her red check apron with yellow pockets...only God knew who the designer was...she slipped out of it, hanged it on a nail on the kitchen wall before stepping out of the kitchen out into the parlor.

"Who's it?" Keffy called out warily.

No reply.

She tiptoed gently to the door and pulled it open. Keffy eyes reduced to slits as she took in the brown skinned guy at the door looking a bit tipsy.

" Why are you at my house?"

" Yeah, good evening to you too, Keffy. Thank you." He said walking past her into the large sitting room. The walls were done in white with yellow drapes and leather brown chairs sitting on the shiny black tiles, of the parlour floor. There was a small refrigerator at the left side of the main door where Keffy still stood in shock and disbelief. Rex walked up to the polished, fully stocked, brown bookshelf that sat far behind the sofas. On the bookshelf was a framed picture of Keffy and her parents which only captured up to their bellies; her mum on a light blue shirt, her dad on a black tee-shirt while she wore a grey blouse. Beside the picture were some of the awards Keffy had won and a couple of other things along with the books that were stacked carefully in the shelf.

" Rex why are you in my house?" Keffy hissed.

" I missed you so I came to visit." Rex said stating the absolute truth.

" Please hand me my jacket. I'm freezing over because it's quite obvious hell has done the same.why are you in my house?"

" So you don't believe that I could miss you."

" Get to the point Rex." Keffy said folding her hands over her chest.

" We can spend this beautiful night debating my presence and the reason behind it or we can simply enjoy this time we have alone." Rex stated simply, his voice slightly high-pitched.

" Oh, bite me."

" I enjoy your presence. If you need me to say it first." Keffy walked up to him and placed the back of her hand on his neck. Checking his temperature.

" Rex are you sick?"

" No! Awwn she's concerned about me." Rex said his voice still high-pitched and touched the tip of her nose.

" Drunk?" Keffy said ignoring the rest of his statement as she swatted his hand away from her nose.

"No, Keffy I don't drink."

" Are you concussed? Oh, my God did you hit your head?" Keffy asked as hers eyes roamed over his face frantically.

" Keffy stop it, there's nothing wrong with me." Rex said angrily swatting her hand away as she fumbled over his features checking if he was hurt.

" Okay then are you deaf?" Keffy continued.

" What?" Rex asked, giving Keffy a confused look.

" Well it's obvious you can't hear yourself."

" Yes I can hear myself."

" Whatever. Are you hungry? I cooked." Keffy asked changing the subject.

" Not hungry. Just salivating." Rex added, licking his lips like a s****l predator...it was kind of sexy, keffy nodded mentally deciding not to lie to herself.

" What? Why?" She asked giving him a confused stare as his words returned back to her mind.

" At the thought of eating a little more than just your food." He continued. Giving Keffy a puppy-eyed look.

" Not happening. Dummy." Keffy sniggered and led the way back to the kitchen with Rex trailing behind her. They both sat at the small three-man sized table she had gotten installed but rarely ever used due to lack of necessity.

" It's just rice oo, in case you were expecting something exotic." Keffy said, handing him a plate.

" No it's okay. I didn't come here to eat. Just an added benefit." Rex drawled and began eating.

" So why did you come?"

" Like I said..."

" Yes, Rex I know but I mean the actual reason." Keffy paused then smiled to reduce the harshness of the statement.

" You have a very nice smile."

" Thank you. I don't think you came all the way here to tell me that did you?"

" You know? You have captivating eyes." Rex said staring intently at Keffy.

" Okay, okay Rex...did someone die?" Keffy asked trying to change the subject as she struggled to stop her cheeks from heating up."

Rex laughed." So Keffy someone has to die before I can tell you how I feel ba?" He chuckled softly.

" Okay this has to stop. Get up, we are going to bed." Keffy said walking around the table to make Rex stand up.

" Together?" He asked eagerly, his eyes glittering mischievously.

" No, Rex you are drunk."

" But it was just one bottle " he complained.

" Well good for you, because you're going to have a headache big enough to fill a bottle in the morning." Keffy pulled Rex up. " Walk." She ordered as Rex leaned on her and they began slowly walking to the guest room.

"Keffy can I say something?"

" If that pleases you."

" I love you." Rex blurted out innocently.

" Whoa!" Keffy dropped Rex so fast that he hit his head against the door, holy s**t! He was drunk. " Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. Please stop talking." Slowly and steadily was how they finally got to the guest bedroom, Keffy turned the door handle, pushed the door open, turned on the light before dumping Rex on the bed and proceeding to the bathroom to turn on the shower. Keffy put fresh towels in the bathroom and forced him to have his bath.

Rex took fifteen minutes in bathroom and came out to meet her fiddling with her phone on the guest bed which he was inhabiting tonight and a bowl of garri sat on the bedside table.

"Hey."

" Hi, drink the garri. It should clear your head. Probably even reduce the hangover you are to experience."

" Thanks."

" Yeah, you're welcome. Good night."

" Sure. Goodnight to you too." Rex replied as Keffy walked out the door. Once outside Keffy leaned against the wall and rubbed a hand over her face. How can someone be so good looking even at night? Gee! And why the hell did she want him so badly?

He's right inside the room. Keffys subconscious snarled

If only it was that simple.

Then make it. Her subconscious scolded impatiently.

Whatever she rolled her eyes at herself and went to her room.

MORNING.

KEFFYS HOUSE.

5:45am. Three days to valentine.

Rex woke up with a strange feel and heavy dizziness when he heard the knock at his door. Well not his door since he was in a strange room he thought as he took note of his surroundings. The bed smelt oddly feminine and he could say the same about the room itself.

" Rex. " A voice sounded at the door. It sounded very familiar. Like the sort of voice you expect the hear only in your dreams. Jesus! Was he fantasizing about keffys voice? Oh, God! Rex pushed himself off the bed and sat at the edge trying to organize his thoughts. He couldn't remember anything so his sluggish movements were infuriating him. And God! His head felt so clouded, Rex blinked several times before his eyes fell on the bowl of garri on the mahogany bedside table. Finally getting up he staggered to the door, fumbling with the handle for a while before pulling it open.

" Oh, hey. Sorry I thought you were up." How did she manage to look so beautiful at...Rex turned back to look at the alarm clock which sat on the table on the other side of the bed. That wasn't there last night he mentally grumbled. At least he remembered that much, or maybe he simply hadn't looked that way... At five forty- five am.

" No. Good morning."

" Sorry to wake you. Let's go jogging." Keffy said playfully, smiling brightly.

" Huh? No. I don't... I don't have my jogging shoes with me." Rex sighed thinking he had escaped.

" Lucky for you I have a pair to spare." Keffy grinned at him like a Cheshire cat as if she read his mind.

" Mmm. Okay gimme one minute."

" Sure. But try to be quick I don't like to jog when it's bright."

" Mmm. Come in if you wish, I'll only be a minute." Rex offered stepping back to let her into the room.

" No...no, thanks." God! What sort of temptations were all these? Keffy wondered as Rex shut the door on her back.

Keffy waited in the parlor for about five minutes till Rex emerged. He wore the same black top he had on when he came last night, only this time he took off the grey jacket he had worn over the shirt yesterday and tied it on his waist over his loose grey sweatpants.

" Where are the shoes?" He asked, looking around.

" Here." Keffy said stretching out her hand to give him the dark brown, thick soled canvas she held. " Sorry the colors don't exactly match."

" No it's okay thanks." He said.

Being a gentleman certainly looked good on him, Keffy thought nibbling on her lower lip before shooting out her tongue to nurse the pain away.

Rex sat on the chair beside keffy and began tying the lace. He fiddled with it for a while and keffy watched him through calm eyes, refusing to offer help. What on Earth did the guy know how to do apart from look freaking good at impossible hours of the day? Where on Earth had that thought come from? Keffy thought as she shook her head in disgust. Get a grip woman!

" You're welcome. Err...how are you feeling. The hangover, I mean?" Keffy asked smiling sheepishly.

" Bad." Rex tilted his head and stared at her.

" Are you sure you can jog?" She inquired, truly concerned.

" Yes! The garri worked wonders. Thanks again by the way."

" You are welcome again." Keffy responded, putting emphasis on the ' again'.

" Okay I'm ready." Rex said when he finally succeeded in tying the lace of the shoe. He pushed off the chair and bounced a little before looking up at Keffy.

" Sure let's go " Keffy stood up and ushered Rex out the door so she could lock it after him.

They began jogging; slowly at first then later accelerated when they got to the junction. Rex and keffy were both very exhausted when they got back.

" I think I'm gonna faint." Rex was panting heavily as Keffy let them both inside.

" Be my guest. I'll go and prepare something for us to eat, abeg." Keffy said, her breathing a lot more laboured than Rex's.

" Ooh. I wanna learn." Rex squeaked, his eyes twinkling like a mischievous toddlers.

" Ok, now that's new. Should I be afraid that you might want to poison me?" Keffy asked, her voice laced with sarcasm and her back to him as they both walked into the kitchen.

" I'm not doing anything. I'm just watching." Rex said blandly as if trying to put a dumb kid through a simple problem. Keffy rolled her eyes at him, when she turned around.

" oh, please it's not like I'd let you cook anyways. Not when I plan to live past this meal."

" Don't tempt me." Rex wagged his finger in her face, a competitive glint in his eye.

" Yeah, yeah." Keffy stepped back to avoid him poking his fingers in her eye. She rubbed a towel over her neck to wipe off the sweat and tossed Rex a bottle of mineral water before opening one herself.

Keffy found a large shirt and wore it over her sports bra. The shirt was quite loose so it fell over one arm, revealing smooth flesh slightly wet from perspiration. Meanwhile the hair extensions she had fixed were pulled up into a ponytail, exposing coiled, wet strands of hair on her nape.

Not noticing Rex' wandering gaze she began warming two cups of moi-moi she had packed off into her freezer at the start of the week, Keffy boiled some eggs and made two cups of coffee for the both of them.

When the food was ready, Keffy served herself and Rex , prayed for a moment and then began eating.

" What color are your eyes?" Rex asked breaking her stream of thoughts.

" Brown... Almost black." She responded still staring at her food.

" The inner circle are blue." He stated in a calm tone. Gee! The guy never ceased to surprise her, how on Earth did he see the color of the inner circle of her eyes when she was looking down at her food?

" How fantastic." Keffy scoffed.

" Mmm. Maybe it's just a trick of the light." Rex taunted.

" No it's not."

" What?" He asked innocently.

" Nothing. Sorry let's just eat." She said without raising her gaze from her food.

They both finished eating then Keffy washed off the dishes before going to take her bath. By six fifty she was ready to go to school.

" Rex are you ready?" Keffy shouted over the door of the guest bedroom.

" Almost." He yelled back.

" Dude, be fast. I'd rather you didn't make me late." Keffy hissed and had Rex chuckling softly.

" Here I am." Rex walked out of his room, wearing the long black jalabier Keffy borrowed him, which she originally stole from her cousin but could never wear without the fear of getting swallowed whole. And folded his own clothes in a bag he ceased from her.

" You look...you-like."

" So much for a compliment, you look me like."

" By the way of compliment or by the way of insult?"

" By the way of you look amazing."

" How is that you-like?"

" Ugh...sorry. look again please."

" Whatever."

Together they went to school before splitting up to head for their different faculties.

MORNING.

UBTH.

Bliss and Keffy came out after their first class and decided to look for Jonah. They found him with one of their other coursemates, Marty.

" Hey Jonah." Keffy called out.

" Hey you." He called back.

" Hey Marty." Bliss said and tossed a wink in Marty's direction.

" Hey Bliss."

" Yeah. Bliss can you guys excuse Jonah and I for a while.

" Sure. Marty let's give them some privacy, biko." Bliss said and led Marty off.

" Jonah...uhm, sorry to disturb you but something bothering me." Keffy said once Marty and Bliss were out of earshot.

" Let me guess you are three months pregnant? and you no longer know how to hide it?"

" No! Dummy. Why would you even think that?"

" You aren't totally okay. In a pregnant woman kind of way." Jonah smirked.

" Dummy." Keffy rolled her eyes and thought of the best way to say what she wanted to say.

" So what is bothering you?" Jonah asked, his fatherly nature acting up.

" Is something wrong with Rex?"

" Awwn. You are worried about Rex, isn't that sweet?"

" I'm not worried..."

" Mmhmm."

" Okay, maybe a little."

" Good so why do you ask?" Jonah stared intently, obviously pleased that she had admitted the truth.

" He got drunk yesterday."

" Oh, God!" Jonah groaned.

" What, what? Is something wrong?"

" ...look it's kinda complicated." Jonah hesitated.

" Tell me!"

" I'm not really supposed to say it but he kind of encountered an accident years ago and it hits fresh every anniversary of the incident." Jonah said in a cryptic manner.

" What kind of accident, Jonah? Jesus, you're creeping me out." Keffy palms were getting sweaty as she imagined the worst.

" It's nothing too creepy, Keffy. His mum was killed in the worst way possible in his presence five years ago. It's only natural that it had an impact on his psychology."

" Oh my God!" Keffy exhaled sharply.

" And please don't tell him I told you that." Jonah said with a pleading look in his eyes.

" But..."

" No buts. Now, how did you know he was drunk?" Jonah cut her off.

" He came to my house last night saying so many silly things. I figured something was wrong." Keffy blurted out nervously.

" He always runs to people he feels safe around or loves."

" Hmm." Keffy gulped.

" He usually comes to me. I feel betrayed, only slightly though, I know he'll come and apologize." Jonah was obviously confident of how important he was to Rex.

" So...uhm which applies to you exactly?"

" Me? He feels safe around me. Everybody does." Jonah added and had Keffy rolling her eyes.

" Oh, okay."

" Which do you think applies to you?"

" Hmm? Ugh! Sorry I'll have to catch you later." Keffy said and ran off.

" God, I hope I didn't do the wrong thing." Jonah said as he massaged his eyes with his thumb and two other fingers