Kaira wanted to say something to him but kept quiet when she saw me. Ifeanyi on the other hand looked more than pissed, more like he couldn't wait to get away from Kaira before he noticed me.
He initially looked surprised although his anger seemed to resurface as he just stormed out leaving me and Kaira.
Kaira looked lost in dreamland as she just stood staring at his retreating figure. She only regained herself when the bell for assembly was heard.
She quickly picked her school bag, music player, lighter and phone and shoved into her bag. She picked out a packet of mints and shoved a handful into her mouth before slinging her school bag across her shoulders.
She threw me a smile before she walked away. I just stood there in confusion.
****
"Alya Chizitaram please report to the principal's office", I heard a voice say from the public address system as soon as the bell signifying school over was heard.
I was both surprised and panicked when I heard the announcement. The school had an intercom although most of the time, information was passed across through students.
Like if I was wanted at the principal's office, a student would be sent to call me. But it was school over so it made sense that no one could be sent.
But then it really had to be urgent since they couldn't wait till the next day.
Did Aisha actually go ahead with reporting me for assaulting her cousin? That was highly possible. She really dislikes me.
And after the shock she gave me by manufacturing tears at the sight of Auti, I couldn't just believe anything she said.
I didn't even believe it before. She would skip a chance to get me into trouble because I was friends with Auti... That would be the major reason she would get me in trouble. Because she was jealous of my friendship with Auti.
Okay, I knew I did try to mess with her brain a couple of times by getting Auti to choose me over her but that was just a harmless joke.
No bad intentions from my part. But she already disliked me from the beginning and doubted me so I was feeding her curiosity?
Whatever. It wasn't like I cared anyways. She should definitely be happy right now that I have stopped being friends with Auti so if she actually reported me, that would be the greatest mistake she could make in her life.
I stopped in front of the principal's office and took a deep breath. I knocked softly before I heard the principal's voice telling me to come in.
I pushed open the door and greeted her.
"Good evening ma'am", I said in the most respectful tone I could muster.
"Good evening my dear. How was your day?" She asked with a smile.
"It was fine ma", I said still maintaining respect.
"That's great", she said still smiling. "Are you ready?" She asked after a while of silence and I stared at her in confusion.
For what?
"Sorry ma'am but I am not sure I know what I am supposed to be ready for", I said counting my words.
"You don't?" She asked corking an eyebrow. I shook my head.
"Mr. Demi Chidi here said that you would go home with him today. He is your mother's friend and she confirmed that he could act as a guardian", she said and I turned noticing Demi Chidi for the first time.
I nearly choked.
"My mother?" I asked turning back to the principal.
"Yes. She emailed us saying it was okay. And Mr. Chidi has a written permission from her", she said. I only nodded. The school didn't know who my mom was so... What was going on?
"Are you ready to go?" I heard Demi Chidi's voice for the first time. I turned to him.
"Not yet... S-sir", I said finding it hard to call him sir. But it would be weird to call him by his name in front of the principal.
"I will quickly go to the hostel and drop my things then change my clothes and be back", I said he nodded and I thanked him before taking my leave from the principal.
****
I wasn't sure I took up to ten minutes before coming out in a boyfriend sized hoodie, really long socks that went as far up as my thighs and fluffy palms. I also wore shorts that stopped the same place the hoodie did since I was feeling quite naked in the dress.
I spotted the familiar Ferrari parked in the almost empty lot.
I walked towards the car. Before I reached, a man dressed in an utterly ridiculous outfit and gloves (which I assumed was his uniform as a driver) stood by the door opening it for me.
I really felt bad for the man. So this was how he had to embarrass himself to make ends meet.
It took everything in me to muster a smile and thank him when I actually wanted to yell at him. He didn't have to open the door. Did I look mame?
I didn't see the sense in him coming down from the car to open the door for me, door I could easily open by myself, and then get back in again.
Genevieve's face lit up as I entered the car.
"I love your dress chica", she said.
"Gracias. Love yours too", I said putting on a smile. She was surprisingly not wearing a school uniform rather she was wearing a Louis Vuitton dress.
"You didn't have trouble finding the car? I thought it would be really difficult for you to recognize it", she said.
"It would have been if you didn't flood my dm with pictures of your new car"
"Oh. So you saw the pictures. That means you saw my message too. How come you didn't reply?"
Why didn't I just shut my stupid mouth?
"Well... I wasn't in the mood to reply", I answered sincerely.
"Because?..."
"Because? Yeah because... Um... It's just that... Family...."
"Family problems?" She asked and I nodded grateful that she saved me.
"My step sister left the house and my dad gave my mom shit about it. I felt really bad because I just started to like her and then it turned out she was just using us the whole time to get to her real mom", I said with a make believe sad look.
"Awwwn. Don't let it get to you muchacha. At least now the puta's gone. Don't feel bad about it. No one likes step sisters anyway"
I faked a smile. "Thanks"
"De nada chica. What else are friends for?"
"Where's Demi... your dad?" I asked as the car slowly pulled away from the parking lot.
"He couldn't wait so he left. I'll thank him on your behalf"
"Did he actually speak to my mom?"
"No. He made that stuff up"
"Oh", I mouthed relieved.
"We are going to Radison blue, that okay with you?"
"Nah. Not really. It's a hotel and it doesn't seem or sound appropriate that we are hanging out at a hotel. Let's go to a restaurant instead. Somewhere like... Olive garden or your house", I suggested.
"Okay. Ade, take us to Olive garden", she said to the driver.
"I am sorry ma'am but I don't know the way", he said.
"So? Find it! Try a GPS or something. Or just ask for directions or you could do well to get down from her and give me the keys. You can take a cab home for all I care", she was almost yelling.
"Sorry ma'am. I will try and find the way", he said bringing out a smart phone with cracked screen. One of those useless phones that didn't cost up to forty thousand naira.
He struggled to put it on. The power button had fallen off and when it eventually came on, half the screen was black. I glanced at Genevieve who was now engrossed on her Instagram page.
Couldn't she just make this easier for the man by offering him her phone?
I sighed picking up my Samsung and after opening Google maps, handed it over to the man. I doubted he would understand anything there but whatever.
When he managed to arrive at a place I was slightly familiar with, I started giving directions. While Genevieve only glanced up from her iPhone once to stare at me.
She was probably wondering why I was giving the driver directions.
Or she's wondering why you are being so nice.
My subconscious suggested. I rolled my eyes. Puh-lease, I am always nice.
We finally got to the restaurant and took our seats. I picked up the menu staring at it while Genevieve ordered soda water.
I ended up ordering salad although I hated the salad served there since they added garlic. Genevieve ordered the same thing.
We didn't exactly come here to eat though. I ate my salad as she kept staring at her phone while sipping her soda water.
"We could have picked a better restaurant you know?" She said out of the blue.
"Like Vine would have been really nice. You get an e-menu and you don't have to see the faces of these terrible waiters."
I stared at her in confusion. "Then how exactly do you get your food?"
"The chefs serve them through outlets or sometimes cute children do or you just pick it yourself if you hate seeing people's faces"
"I am guessing you go with the last option?" I more of stated.
"Yeah." I kept quiet.
"Why did you want to see me?" I asked when I was done with my salad. I was still hungry so I ordered roasted catfish. It's not like I was some kind of model that needed to keep in shape.
"You're gonna eat all that chica?" She asked staring at the catfish in disgust.
"Hell no. What do you think I am? I'll just eat as much as I can"
"You mean should right?"
"Huh?"
"You'll eat as much as you should to stay alive not as much as you can. Plus you'll get both fat and sick if you eat a lot. Besides it's soon going to be night and you shouldn't eat a lot at night"
"Oh thanks. I didn't know", I said with an eye roll.
"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked again.
"Well, you have been in Venos Academy for the whole period while I was there and I had no clue. I am sure you probably heard of my arrival and..."
"No I didn't. You're not that famous bebita" I said bluntly with a smile.
She laughed. "Yeah. I am not that famous. Not as famous as your mom anyway. So probably you should be more popular than me although I really wonder why that isn't the case.
"But that apart, you are trying to tell me that you had no clue I was coming to Venos which I would totally understand if I hadn't texted you about it at least three times.
"Messages which I am just finding out that you actually saw but decided to ignore. So in reality, you were avoiding me. I just wanted to know why exactly you would do that.
"You were the closest and only friend I had. I thought of you as a sister. So why exactly would you try this hard to avoid me?" She asked looking like she really felt bad.
"So sorry. My bad", I said not knowing what to say. "Actually, the thing is that I didn't want anyone to find out that Ami Tara is my mom. If they found out we were friends even before you came to the school, of course they would ask questions since you are the Genevieve Chidi.
"And you didn't know that I have been keeping my mother's identity a secret so you would have innocently blurted everything out, which I didn't want. I should have just texted you back after avoiding you on the first day explaining things. So sorry I didn't."
"It's okay. So we can like hang out now even in school?"
"So far you don't mention Ami Tara... I think it wouldn't be a problem since you have already made friends from the school."
"Um... I haven't exactly made friends. I mean, I try to talk to some of my classmates but it's just really hard to interact with people", she said.
"So you mean you don't have any friends in your class, not even a single one?"
She nodded in reply. I covered my face with my palm. I really hoped no one saw me getting into her Ferrari.
If she didn't have a single friend from her class, it would be really weird that she was friends with an antisocial senior.
That would only make people wonder how long we had been friends.
"Don't worry about anything. If people ask me if I knew you before I came to the school, I'll just say yes and make up some excuse", Genevieve said. That wasn't helpful because she was really terrible at making excuses.
She was even worse than me so just imagine how bad she would then be.
"It's better we don't hang out in school. I can arrange for my driver to come and get me anytime you want to hang out. That okay?"
"Sure", she said taking the last spoon of her salad.