FACADE

Chapter Twelve

Laila POV

    I have never feel so lonely in my entire life. I lay on my small bed staring at the old ceiling in my room.

Florence had surprised me by coming to my house today.

   Although she had ask for the address of my house some weeks ago; that is  two weeks after we met. I was surprised she will want to visit me. I know my house is nothing compare to the mansion she grew up in.

   I was so happy today when she came around but the joy didn't last long. After all the pleasantries and others, she finally told me her main purpose of coming. She told me she is leaving. She is moving to the state with her family to further her education and modeling.

    It hurt like hell that I won't see her again. She is the best friend I had always wanted and now she is leaving me.

   I wanted to convince her not to go or probably leave after this term but I know it will be useless. It's her life. I can't stop her from achieving her dreams. I want the best for her since that is all she did for me since we've met.

   We cried in each other arms and talk about the little memories we've shared at school.

   She gave me some of her things like her books, her uniforms (since we have almost the same size although she is taller than me), some other girls material and her phone. The latter surprise me the most. She gave me her iPhone 8. Despite I refused to take it from her because I don't know if my aunt will be so happy about it.

   But she insisted. She save her new number in it and she promise to call me.

   I was grateful for everything she gave me and most especially for her friendship. I will miss her terribly.

   I thought about how the School will feel after the midterm break knowing I won't be seeing her again. It will   look so different and dull if she is not there. It's so sad but she have to go and I just have to move on.

   I turned  to my side and stare at the things she gave me. I had place the bag containing all the items she gave me on my reading chair.

    I still don't know how I will explain it to my aunt. I know I can't lie to her. I don't lie to her because she will probably know I'm lieing and it won't be good.

   The question is if she will accept it. My aunt hate charity. She had accepted the scholarship Mr and Mrs Anthony gave me because she knows them and she knows how much I like the couples.

    But I will love to keep them. At least they will continue to remind me about Florence.

   I wipe the two tears that fell from my eyes. It amazing how you could love someone so much in a short period of time.

   I finally doze off dreaming about Florence and I wake up to the sound of a loud thud at the door. I quickly get up and ran to the living room to open the door for my aunty.

   I knew she is the one because we rarely have visitors. I only know of three of her friends that came visiting. The other person that come into our home is my neighbor children.

   I turned  the knob and open the door already preparing myself for my aunt shouting.

   My aunt and a man came in. I am shocked because I have never seen any man come into our house. She gave me a sign with her eyes and I am surprise she is not angry.

"What take you so long?" She said. She is sincerely not angry. This is new and amazing.

"I'm sorry. I slept off." I replied. My eyes went to the man standing beside her

"Good afternoon." I greet the man standing beside her. He had a small smile on his face.

"Good afternoon." He replied.

"This is Femi." Judith said. I could see she is embarrassed.

   My aunty is embarass! She had never been embarass or ashamed of anything.

   A smile crawled  up my face. I look at the man. He was smiling at her.

   Great!

   My aunt now have a boyfriend since Forever.

" Femi this is my niece Laila."

"Hi Laila. Your aunt told me little about you." He said. My aunt talk about me to him.... Her new boyfriend. It's not like her but I like it. She is showing some side of her that I have not seen since I have know her and living with her. So I smile at the man.

"Nice meeting you sir." I said.

   He smiled. "Me too." He is not that bad. He spoke so well. He is wearing a white button down shirt that is well starched and pressed with a black trousers. He look like a respected individual.

"Aunty Judith I have something to tell you later." I said giving her a warning about the things Florence gave me beforehand. She like it that way unless I will get into trouble with her if she find out herself.

"Is it very important?" She asked.

"Not really." I replied. To me it's kind of important but it's not to her. That kind of thing is not a definition of important to my aunt.

    She nodded and she muttered something to Mr Femi. I left them and return to my room.

Jason POV

     I entered Christain apartment. I met his mother and sister in the living room with a large tray on their thigh picking beans.

"Good afternoon ma." I greet her politely. She is one of the few people that I know that I speak to politely. Maybe because she understands me and she is very nice. Or because she is a very hard working woman that still have time to take care of her children... alone. I don't know but i do respect her.

    She is a single mother. Her jusband left her and the children years ago to marry another woman.

" Good afternoon dear. How are you doing?" She asked.

   I shrugged. "Fine."

   She smiled. I could see her daughter staring at me. The girl had not gotten use to my mood swing. Because I talk rudely to everyone else even my mother but not to her mother. I also know she feel intimidated by me.

"Christian is in his room." She said to me and I nod and continued on my journey to christain room.

    I met him playing soccer game with his PS4 ( the one I gave him last year as his  birthday present). He was playing with his younger brother.

"Hey bro." He said louder than normal still focus on the game.

"Hi."I muttered. I sat on his bed.

    I know he was winning his brother because I can see the angry look on his brother face and the smile on Christian face.

    He won another goal and Christian shouted. His brother glare at him and put the pad on the floor.

"You cheated."

"No I didn't. You lose again Ebube."

   He frowned and he left the room. Christain smile looking at me. I chuckles and I watch as he turn off the TV and put the pads on the table.

"Hi bro. Is your mom still around?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered nonchalantly.

"Have you talk to her?"

"I don't want to." I snap. He look at me. "Sorry."

"It's okay. But Jason you should talk to her. I see how sad she was when she was talking to my mom yesterday. Give her a chance dude."

"She don't deserve one. Can we stop talking about her?" He reluctantly nodded.

"I want to go to the mall. Are you coming?"

    He nodded. Of course he will because he know he can also get things that I will pay for.

    I smiled  and he put on a baggy shirt and we both left the room.