HER LAST WISH
(Moremi)✨
Chapter 19.
Zeemah Writes . . .
Layla smiled as she got introduced to Dan’s friends one after the other. They shook her hand one after the other and most of their handshakes had lingered with knowingly gaze. She knew what that means but pretended not to have an idea that the guys find her attra-ctive. It kind of surprised her though, so many guys wanting her. No guy has ever wanted her . . . so she thought.
Four of the six guys at the table obviously found her attra-ctive, they had shown it clearly except one, named Elvis who wouldn’t stop staring at Anne even while he was shaking her and also one named Jacq who Dan had whispered to her was Fel’s boyfriend.
She has never even think of herself attra-ctive, she doesn’t even care about her looks but suddenly she cares. When four guys cant help but stare at you, you’ll suddenly care about your looks.
“And finally, this is Jennie. Jennie. . this is Layla, my new special friend” Dan said and Jennie gave him a skeptical look before turning to me, she has been silent all the while even when someone said something funny and everyone laughed, she kept a straight face, eating, and even now that she was facing Layla, her cheeks were stuff with chicken. She just stared at Layla, obviously prepared to finish chewing before saying hi to her.
Her look wasn’t of contempt but of great study, like .. she was a judge and Layla was the contestant.
Layla smile “Hi Jennie”
“Hi Layla” Jennie replied after she finished chewing. She turned back to her meal almost immediately.
“She’s Dan’s ex” Rylan whispered to Layla.
“Oh” Layla nodded, turning to look at Jennie again , she had stopped eating, now drinking a white wine.
“She’s beautiful” Layla muttered to Rylan who nodded.
Jennie is indeed beautiful, an eye cathching type of beauty, she had straight blonde hair that carved her smooth oval face, piercing bright blue eyes that held so many things that Layla wished she knew. She had a light make up on, the color of her li-p gloss matching with her dress. She seems cool but Layla thought there was an edginess to it.
Layla turn to look at Dan whom she caught staring at Jennie and then she knew he was still into her, she wondered why they had broken up. Perhaps Jennie had broken up with him, because Dan is still looking so much in love.
“So . . Dan said you’re African” One of Dan’s friends named Felix interrupted Layla’s thought.
“Half African, Nigerian to be precise” Layla said and continued eating.
The food was great, she wished she could eat as much as Jennie did but almost everyone at the table were staring at her and it made her eat her food slowly, eating un-der their watchful gazes made her nervous.
“Wow, you sure have an African body” Christ, another of Dan’s friend said, looking admiringly at her.
Yeah . . Layla knew she had an attra-ctive thick body, deadly curves that could make a man pa-ss out but she doesn’t pay attention to it, Phil had told her to never wear skinny trousers but always wear baggy trousers whenever one of her fu-ck ers were coming around.
She has never liked skinny trousers though, it makes her feel uncomfortable.
“Yeah, African girls have the body mehn” Jasper said and laughed when Fel glared at him.
“Is it true Africans teeth are like axe?” Collins suddenly asked and everyone burst into laughter.
“Who told you that?” Layla asked, still laughing.
“Dan, when I asked for your contact”
Layla laughed again. “Was that why your hand shook earlier . . while you were shaking me?”
Collins nodded, looking embarra-ssed.
“OMG” Everyone laughed again, even Jennie who had seem not to find anything funny.
“Col, I only said their teeth were like axe not their hands” Dan said, while laughing.
” Collins level of cowardice cant be compared to any” Felix laughed.
“And … are Africans teeth truly like axe?” Jacq asked when the laughter subsided.
“Wanna confirm it” Layla winked wickedly.
“Hell no” Jacq said and they shared another round of laughter.
Layla was eating as she wanted now, she didn’t feel a bit nervous un-der their watchful gazes anymore.
“And speaking of your contact . . I would love to have it” Christopher smiled at Layla and for once she felt glad she doesn’t own a phone.
“Unfortunately, I don’t own a phone” She said.
“What!” Jasper couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming.
“Are you serious?” Christ asked.
“Yeah” Layla smile.
“Dan, is she serious?” Collins asked.
“Of course she is, and why are you all acting like it’s a terrible thing not to own a phone” Dan said.
“No, just expressing our surprise” Jasper said.
“Yunno we’re used to thinking someone our age should own a phone, and hearing Layla prove otherwise took us by surprise” Christ said.
“Well she doesn’t, at least not yet” Dan said.
“We’re sorry if that made you feel any sort of way Layla” Jasper apologized and the rest joined in.
“No, it’s fine” Layla chuckle. “I didn’t even take it as an offense”
“Is it some African moral role?” Jennie asked, speaking up for the first time at the table since she said hi to Layla, everyone turned to her.
It felt like she was like a queen who had ordered her subjects to turn to her and they did so without hesitation . . just that Jennie wasn’t a queen and she hadn’t ordered anyone to turn to her, her words commanded attention.
“Sorry?” Layla asked, not quite getting the question.
“I mean is it some African moral role that made you not to own a phone at your age?” Jennie ask, the expression on her face, unreadable.
Everyone turned to Layla again, waiting for an answer.
“No” Layla smile.
“And I don’t appreciate that people tag everything I do to African ethnicity, just because i’m half African. I make decisions that I feel would work for me regardless of my nationality, being an African or American has never influenced my decision and would never” Layla sipped her wine and everyone looked impressed by her answer.
Fel wink at her and she smile.
“Have you ever been to Africa?” Elvis, One of Dan’s friends and Anne admirer ask, he’s obviously into Anne and Layla knew Dan might never consent to it, though she feel Elvis genuinely like Anne and doesn’t just want to get in her pa-nts, the affection in his eyes when he looked at Anne explained everything. Layla doubt if Dan had noticed though.
This would be the first time he’ll be speaking up too since he had said ‘Hi, my name is Elvis.. nice to meet you’
“No”
“Are you planning to?” He ask.
“Hopefully” Layla said. “I have relatives there and I see myself going there soon”
“That would be one hell of an adventure” Dan smile.
“I bet ” Layla smiled back at him.
“Who’s the African? Your mum or dad?” Jennie asked and this time, not everyone turned to her.
“My Dad. Michael Ajagun Williams” Layla said proudly.
“Wow, you must have an African name too” Elvis said.
“Yes she does, a beautiful name with a beautiful history behind it” Fel smiled.
“My African name is Moremi” Layla smiled proudly.
Everyone at the table except her special friends tried pronouncing it but it went haywire and in minutes, laughter resonated the table, they all failed at it, each of them with a funny pronunciation that almost cracked ribs. It was fun. Even Jennie who had seem aloof joined also.
“At this point, I think you should teach us how to pronounce it, I don’t want to die of laughter please” Jasper said.
“Okay, it goes like this . . ‘More – ray – me” She said slowly and they repeated after her.
After few attempts, they all got it, smiling like they just pa-ssed a test.
“Wow” Christ sigh.
“What a beautiful African name you’ve got” Collins said.
“Yeah, I love it” Felix smile.
“Thank you” Layla smiled. Rylan’s mum had loved her African name too. She hadn’t spent much time with Rylan’s parents like she had with Dan and Fel’s but she had enjoyed their company, they were nice to her also. Layla has never felt so special in ages.
“Okay, now the history” Elvis said.
Layla smiled, sitting upright . . She started.
~
“Wow” Jasper sigh after Layla was done narrating the history.
“Aren’t African cultures just beautiful” Elvis said, with great admiration.
“Sure they are” Collins nodded in affirmation.
“And . . i’m sure there will be more great histories, wow” Christ sigh.
“Africa is the embodiment of great and beautiful histories” Layla said, she was done eating, now gulping water.
“I would love to see the statue of Moremi” Dan said.
“Same here” Rylan said.
“It’s on the internet, you just browse it and it’ll come up” Layla said.
“I know but it wont feel the same as seeing it real”
“You are right” Fel nodded.
“Enough of the Africa talk, Dan how is your new school?” Jennie ask.
“Great so far” Dan smile.
“So which one do you think is the best?” Collins asked.
“Huh?” Dan ask.
“Between Prestige and Ocean High” Col said.
“Gosh, I can’t believe you can ask that” Dan said.
“Answer the question” Jasper said.
“Even you” Dan sigh.
“Answer it, let’s know if you’ve betrayed your old school for the new one” Rylan tease.
Dan laugh. “Okay, Ocean High has been fantastic so far but Prestige will always remain my best”
“I knew you wouldn’t ditch Prestige for Ocean High” Fel wink and Dan wink back at her.
“Why did you leave Prestige then? You are yet to tell us the reason” Christ said and Dan shrug and then they knew he doesn’t want to answer the question.
“Let’s dance” Fel said when a beautiful song filled the room.
They all stood up and filed to the dancing floor.
+
“That was great” Christ smiled after they were done dancing.
Jasper nodded and sipped his juice, sitting.
“That was fun” Layla grinned happily . . she feels so happy to be here and not sitting in the corner of her room, bored.
“Told ya it’ll be fun” Dan wink at her.
He was still holding her hand, he had danced with her last. She danced with Christ first then, Collins, Jasper, Felix and lastly Dan, they had all made her laugh ha-rd on the dancefloor that she felt so exhausted now.
She sli-pped her hand from Dan’s and sat beside Jasper.
“Do you want a drink?” Dan ask.
“Yes please” Layla smile, she could really do with a chilled drink right now.
“I want one also please” Jennie said, sitting beside Layla.
“Okay, i’ll be right back” Dan walked away.
.
He returned with the drinks and handed it to them, Layla downed it in a gulp, smiling as she savored the sweetness.
Jacq and Fel were still on the dancefloor and Rylan is nowhere to be found.
Dan was about sitting too when he noticed Anne wasn’t with them.
“fu-ck !” He growled, seeing Elvis is nowhere to be found too.
They all turned to him, wondering what was wrong.
Of course he knew Elvis is into his sister and he had warned him to steer clear of Anne and Elvis had promised to.
“He’d be so damned if I find him with my sister” Dan yelled, storming off and they all knew he was talking about Elvis.
“Wow” Jasper whistle loudly.
“Elvis is so into it today” Christ shakes his head.
“You guys should stop Dan” Layla said, scared of the look she just saw on Dan’s face before he stormed off, she has never seen him in such rage.
Felix laughed “Stop him? I can see you don’t know Dan well enough”
“Dan cant be stopped when it has to do with Anne, so just relax and go get more drink for yourself” Collins wink.
“I bet Elvis is gonna appear here with a broken li-p” Jasper laughed and Layla’s throat went dry.
+
Dan finally found Elvis and Anne talking in front of the guests restroom. Elvis saw him approaching and before he could explain himself, Dan had punched him twice on the jaw, very close to his mouth, pushing him to the wall. Elvis groa-ned in pain.
“Dan!” Anne exclaimed, she wasn’t surprised though. Dan has always been that way, she only exclaimed because Elvis hadn’t tried anything silly with her, he was only thanking her because she had shown him to the restroom.
Though she suspected he liked her, but he hadn’t even told her anything concerning that, maybe he was holding back because of Dan.
“What the fu-ck were you doing with her? Didn’t I warn you to steer clear of her? you were about leading her into the restroom right?” Dan ask in rage, still holding Elvis against the wall, ti-ghtening his grip around Elvis ne-ck and when it seems Elvis would die from the choking, Dan finally released him.
Elvis coughed loud, holding his ne-ck and breathing fast.
“Get the hell out of this house, this will be last time I would invite you here. I made you come because you promised not to try anything funny with her!” Dan yelled.
“I didn’t try anything with her, I swear. Yeah, I like her so much but I promised you I wont approach her and I don’t ever go back on my word and you know that, you know I don’t go back on my word, that was the reason you trusted me enough to invite me here” Elvis said, straightening his disheveled hair, he wiped blood off his lower li-p and Anne felt her heart ache.
He likes her . . .
“Then what were you doing here with her?” Dan ask, his voice softening .
“She showed me to the restroom and I was thanking her, that was all”
“If I hadn’t approached, you would have said something to her! And why didn’t you ask me to show you to the restroom instead of her?” Dan ask, his voice loosing the softness.
“You were busy fetching drinks for Jen and Layla and I was so pressed…”
“You should have asked Fel or Rylan to!” Dan cut in.
“Fel was dancing with Jacq and I didn’t see Rylan around, Anne offered to show me to the restroom when she saw how pressed I was”
“Oh” Dan sigh, biti-ng his lower li-p.
“You didn’t even allow me explain before hitting me” Elvis said, nursing his broken li-p with his hand and avoiding Anne’s gaze.
“Well . . i’m sorry” Dan shrug.
“I un-derstand you’re trying to prevent Anne from getting hurt but I will never hurt her, I . . like her way more than that” Elvis said, looking Anne in the eyes and for the first time ever, she felt her heart flutter.
‘what was that?’ she thought.
“Any more word on ‘I like her’ and i’m gonna kick your a-ss out of this house” Dan said and Elvis acted like he was zi-pping his mouth with an invisible zi-p. It made Anne smile.
“You’re done using the restroom right?” Dan ask.
“Yeah”
“Then leave” Dan said.
Elvis left after glancing at Anne for the last time.
“Dan, that wasn’t necessary. I already told you I’m not going to date anyone till im sixteen and definitely not any of your friend” Anne said but de-eper down, she knows she likes Elvis.
“Whatever, just go to your room” Dan said, walking away.
He almost bumped into Jennie.
“I need to tell you something” She said, holding his gaze and he felt his heart race.
“Okay, go ahead” He said after some seconds.
Layla suddenly appeared, she noticed the tensed silence between Dan and Jennie and she knew this isn’t the best time to have appeared.
She would have turned back but she was so pressed. Fel had told her the direction of the restroom.
“Layla” Dan smiled.
“Hi, going to the restroom” She smiled back at him and quickly walked past them.
A smile was still spread across Dan’s face when he turned back to Jennie.
“You wanted to say something” He prompted.
“Don’t bother” She said and walked off before Dan could blink.
“Jennie” He called after her.
ZEEMAH
?????
Tbc