IN 60 Days

Chapter 6-Trust me

"Where were you? I was so worried... I tried calling you repeatedly last night but you wouldn't just pick up." Vanessa said starring at me like she couldn't believe I was fine and alright.

I rolled my eyes.

I was at the cafeteria sipping my soft drink in absolute peace until my two friends who totally abandoned me came along.

"Like you care." I mumbled grudgingly.

"We do care and I know we overreacted but we are sorry." Cherry replied.

I looked away.

"I regret my actions yesterday.... We should have been more supportive no matter what... We are so sorry." Vanessa added.

I smiled dropping my soft drink on the table.

"You know I can never be angry with you guys for so long." I replied.

They both grinned as I pull them In for a hug.

Vanessa's remorseful expression was replaced by her serious like business frown and I knew she was back to being Team JAH manager.

"I have arranged for an interview. I know you hate interviews... Nobody love them but regardless I had to accept the offer of two remarkable TV station, Top news channel and Everything Celebrity... The interview is very important so you could clear the air concerning the rumour circulating and convince them that you and Tyler are just friends.... Tyler would also have to be present." she informed.

I frowned.

Everything Celebrity TV was one I could handle but Top news channel was something else.

Britney George it's host was a cunning woman in her late thirties, she was known for her tactful and implicating questions... One wrong move and I was screwed.

"Why Top News?" I asked.

"I had countless of offers I had to decline but Top News channel is it, it goes international... It's good for publicity too for Team JAH." she simply replied.

I sighed.

"Have you told Tyler about this?" I asked.

"Yep and he is totally cool with it." Cherry chirped in.

"Wow seems like I have already been decided for." I remarked giving Vanessa a meaningful look.

"Am so sorry Li." Vanessa immediately apologized.

"Well... There is good news..." Vanessa said almost immediately.

I rolled my eyes.

"I think I have heard enough news for today." I replied placing emphasis on the news.

"But this is good." Cherry commented.

"Okay shoot..." I reluctantly replied.

"Instead of your votes dropping like we anticipated your fan base has Trippled, your votes skyrocketed, more people all over the world are now aware of Team JAH.... The pictures went viral nationally and now the contest is like a national topic but...."

"And there is the catch." I whispered already knowing the news was too good to be true.

"The same thing is happening with TYLIE." she replied.

"Are we still ahead of them?" I asked.

"At this morning when I checked yes but with only 25 votes... But with the way things are going if more people don't click on the voting icon we might just get even or worst he might be ahead of us." Vanessa informed.

I nodded.

My phone rang, it was Tyler.

"Hey Tyler,"

They both starred at me eagerly desperate to hear whatever he had to say.

"What?" I whispered at them.

"You now talk to him on phone?" Cherry asked.

"He is my friend." I replied instead shrugging.

"Yes but it would take us time to get used to all this." Vanessa said.

"You have the number of the hottest bad boy in school and currently America's heartthrob.... That's huge, I see traffic on my site if I should post this." Cherry said with that wicked calculative smile of hers.

I glared at her and continued my call.

**************************************

I was in my history class which was one of my elective courses wondering why it was taking so long for the class to be over. 30 minutes suddenly feels like forever.

Mr Hilary our teacher in his late forties was a lonely man with well no life.

Sometimes I do pity him but this was not one of those times. I frowned an expression I usually maintained to convince teachers am concentrating while am not.

"....This artifact was called the crux of Egypt and was named after...."

My phone beeped.

"What are you doing now? "

B.N

I smiled. Tyler was one of the very few people who gets me, who always talks with me and not to me. He listens something my father has suddenly forgotten how to do.

Although he manages to insult Jay with each chance he gets, I have given up, it was a habit I now know he wouldn't stop.

I looked at Mr Hilary who was still engrossed In his own world.

A world where the students in his class were eager to hear what he has to say.

"History class."

I rapidly texted back.

"The man with brown eyes who needs a haircut and is always complaining about how miserable his life is? "

B. N

I chuckled quietly.

"Yep that's definitely the one... Mr Hilary the man need to get a wife."

I typed back.

"Or a life."

B. N

"Or both."

I typed back grinning.

"Come out I want to show you something."

B. N

I frowned.

"How? am In class, I can't just leave besides I don't skip any of my classes."

I replied.

"You can. Just tell him you have an emergency."

B. N

"And you think that would work he is lonely not stupid."

I replied back.

"Tell him your penguin has an accident."

B. N

I glared at my phone, seriously penguin!

"I don't even have a penguin and why the f**k would he even buy that story ??‍♀️."

I typed back confused.

"Just do it, besides look at the window ?."

B. N

I looked beside me almost immediately and he was there, he waved at me.

I shook my head.

Here goes nothing I thought to myself.

I raised up my hand.

"Yes Miss Alexander how can I help you?" he asked.

I cringed at my surname, I have introduced myself to him many times in the past when I thought he just forgets my name and I have even offered that he calls me by my middle name even though no one calls me that but he just wouldn't budge.

"Well my penguin just had an accident and I would have to go home else it might just...."

"Speak no more, rush over dear, don't come back if you must, Just make sure that fellow doesn't suffer." he replied.

On a normal day I would frown at his choice of words but I didn't, I just started at him not believing I heard him well.

It was so easy.

"Please get going." he replied.

I nodded and quickly left the classroom.

"Finally." Tyler murmured taking my hand.

I looked at our Etwined hands with mixed feelings, it felt so right.

"How do you know he is obsessed with penguins?" I asked.

He winked at me.

"I have my way princess."

I looked at the bike at the parking space then back at him In confusion.

"Where is your car?" I asked.

"Didn't bring it, brought my baby." he replied his eyes shining with pride.

"Am just going to have to follow you in my car." I replied.

He chuckled.

"You can't keep up this baby is really fast besides I wouldn't want you to know the route." he replied.

"But I would be riding alongside with you, I wouldn't...."

"Can't risk it, it's my secret haven." he replied.

I frowned.

"You want to take me to another abandoned warehouse? Thanks but no thanks." I sarcastically replied about going inside.

He held my hand.

"Its no abandoned warehouse this time trust me." he replied.

"Am still not getting on that death trap." I said starring at his motorcycle apprehensively.

"My baby is no death trap." he defended.

"Am still not getting on that thing." I replied still not budging.

"Are you always like this?" he asked.

"How?" I asked confused.

"Boring." he replied.

"Am not boring!" I argued.

"You are."

"No am not boring, am just being reasonable. Something I am very sure you won't understand, but I don't want the last thing I do on earth to be riding a bike with you to God knows where. Am fun plenty of fun but not on a bike."

"Prove it," he simply replied.

I shook my head.

"You Are not using that card on me again.. Am not falling for that trap again." I replied.

"You think?" he asked grinning like he knew something I didn't.

"I know." I replied confidently.

Five minutes after I was riding on one of the fastest monsters on earth with my eyes tightly closed, shouting and holding Tyler like my life depended on it.

He chuckled.

Slowly my scream reduced, my grip on Tyler loosened, the wind was blowing into my face I bet scattering my hair wildly into different directions but I didn't care... I felt so alive.

"Wow!" I shouted.

"I would take that as a sign that you are no longer scared to death?" Tyler asked.

I grinned.

"Something like that."

He laughed.

"Best ride ever!" I screamed.

He laughed even more.

I smiled.

"We should do this often." he suggested.

I starred at his back, the whole moment was surreal, I laughing with Tyler, screaming with my hair scattered wildly, at his back holding him, it was a moment I found shockingly I wanted to have even after two months.

"Do you think we could have often?" I asked.

"I think we can have everything we want." he simply replied.

I looked at him confused but kept quiet.

I took notice of our surroundings few seconds later, we were literally in the middle of nowhere. There were huge trees and birds all over the place. I couldn't even remember the route we took cause I was too busy holding unto Tyler and shouting at the top of my voice to notice.

"Do you finally think am too much of a problem and you want to kill me and Burry my body here?" I sacredly joked.

"Wouldn't lie that I haven't thought of that but nah you dating pretty boy is enough punishment." he replied.

I looked at him wondering what he was up to as he offed his bike and then alighted.

"Stop starring Princess and come down already we have arrived." he replied.

"Is this it?" I asked alighting from the bike and following him through a tract road covered with leaves and dirt.

"Here you go again judging a book by its cover Alexander." he replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You are well judgemental, always judging by the surface." he replied.

I frowned.

"No I don't."

"No offence princess." he replied.

"Wow." I mumbled I bet my mouth wide open.

The sight before me rendering me speechless for a couple of seconds.

There were acres and acres of red lush roses.

I carefully walked towards them just marvelling at the sight.

Then I grinned immediately I saw the roaring blue sea, it was beautiful.

I turned back to look at him, he was grinning too.

"Worth the motor bike scare right?" he jokingly asked.

I starred at him in disbelief.

"This," I stated throwing my hands out for emphasis.

"..is worth everything!" I screamed.

I quickly removed my boot shoes enjoying the feel of the sand against my bare feet as I raced to the enchanting blue raging ocean.

Scooping the water I splashed it on my face. I turned, Tyler was watching me amused.

"Come over here just don't stand there and stare at me." I shouted.

"Thought you couldn't stand the sight of me." he yelled back.

"You have fifteen minutes till I remember I hate you." I replied.

"In that case I would just have to use it wisely." he replied.

"Smart cookie."

He chuckled and then removing his sneakers he joined me.

"The water is so cold." he complained.

I laughed then playfully splashed him water.

"You asked for it Lilah, prepare to be watered!" he threatened.

I laughed then made a run for it while he chased me around our laughter echoing repeatedly.

Breathless I ran out of the water sitting down on the floor, he joined me breathing heavily too.

We both were soaking wet, my hair was damp and his too. We were grinning at each other.

"That was crazy." I mumbled when I finally got my breath back.

"You are crazy." he corrected looking at me.

"This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen... Thank you." I mumbled looking around.

"Even though you missed classes." he asked c*****g his eyebrow.

"Especially for making me miss classes.... This is amazing." I replied.

"I know... Am amazing." he cockily replied.

I smiled.

"For now... Maybe you are." I agreed.

"You are so agreeable it's scary." he said.

We chuckled.

"How did you even stumble on this?" I asked curiously.

"Didn't stumble on it... It was my mom's favorite spot... It was more like our own little secret, our own world. I always come here when I was pretty upset and I would howl and scream at the raging sea, it always made me feel good so I bought the place then added the flowers because it was her favorite." he simply replied.

"You said was, what happened? Don't tell me she turned into another business guru and vanished too?" I asked annoyed.

He chuckled drily.

"You really don't know me at all." he commented.

"I don't get you."

"She is dead. Died of cardiac arrest years ago.... 7 years ago to be precise, she was so busy worrying for a man that never loved her... She left me." he simply replied.

"Worrying for your dad because of Alexander?" I asked feeling a stab of guilt.

"Yes and sometimes when he did come back he was either smelling of other women perfume and reeking of alcohol or just moody and full of insults for mom." he replied.

"Am sorry." I mumbled unsure of what to say.

"Stop saying sorry, sorry doesn't fix my damaged life, my non existent family and wouldn't bring my dead mom to me so stop saying sorry. It's just a word that fixes nothing.... My family was doing alright until Alexander had to come up then I lost everything because of you and your dad!" he snapped angrily.

I flinched scared at his reaction.

He looked at me noticing my scared reaction, I could see regret in his eyes.

"Am sorry."

"I want to go." I replied with a shaky voice standing up.

"Lilah am..."

"Now.." I added my voice coming out sure surprising even me.

He nodded.

I looked back at the roaring beauty knowing it might just be the last time I saw it. I followed him drinking every detail I could, as we followed the track road that was to lead us back to the bike.

I couldn't help but stare at my back repeatedly.

Immediately we got to the bike I mounted the bike then I brought out my handkerchief blindfolding my eyes.

"You don't have to Li..."

"I don't have to but I need to..." I replied.

"Am sorry Li."

"It's just a word Tyler it fixes nothing." I said throwing his words back at him.

He started the bike roaring to life and the sounds of crickets and birds were all I could hear as we journeyed back in absolute calmness.

Immediately I heard the sound of a busy road I removed the blind fold.

"Pull over," I instructed.

"School is over, I have to drop you home." he said with a note of finality.

"Quit pretending like you care and just f*****g pull over." I snapped.

"Am not leaving you here, you don't even know this place." he commented still driving.

"Tyler stop this bike or am going to f*****g jump down and I mean it." I threatened.

"Jesus..." he muttered pulling over.

I hastily came down from the bike.

He alighted too.

"Why Are you doing this?" he asked.

"Am doing nothing." I replied bringing out my phone to call Jay.

"Hello am sorry to disturb you but can you please come pick me up at... " I looked at the sign post.

"....4 Graham road?" I asked.

"I would tell you all about it when you are here... Okay thanks I would be waiting." I replied then hanged up before he could continue his interrogation.

"Am sorry Li." Tyler apologized again.

"Nope am sorry I came into your space... I didn't even know what I was thinking... Cherry was right you know there are some boundaries we should never cross in life, I crossed one and to think I was beginning to see us as friends, I thought whatever was going on between us was no longer a game, but here we are and as always am so wrong... I am always wrong. Thanks for babysitting Tyler, well this baby is all grown up now and don't need a babysitter." I replied.

"Can see your mind is made up... Bye Li and for what it's worth it was great having you in my space." he replied and with that he mounted his bike and speed away.

I starred at his retreating figure as the first tear rolled down my cheek, and then another, then another and that's how I was until Jay found me.

"Babe what's wrong?" he asked immediately I entered the car.

"Am tired can you please take me home?" I requested.

He nodded.

"Of course." he replied.

Later on I fed him a story that even a 2 year old wouldn't believe, he didn't believe me and I knew I cared less.