1 Prologue

Kelechi

It was a rainy day. I remember it being so cold that I had to wear my head warmer. Plain, boring head warmer. It was a good thing rain fell. At least, no one would notice I was crying. I was hurt.

My relationship with Dave was the best relationship I had had in my seventeen years of existence. Before you think I was a slut, let me say this, I had only dated two guys. I liked him and I thought he liked me too. Obviously, he didn't and that's why he forgot our date and went cheating around with Kemi, the class slut. And he made me do what I've sworn never to do, what I have mocked people for. Crying for a....a guy.

I reached home late in the night. Immediately I opened the door with my spare key, someone turned on the light. Dad was home and I was shocked. He was always coming back late from work. With mom gone, the house always stayed empty. So that explains why I was shocked to find him home by 8pm.

"Good evening dad" I tried breaking the awkward silence with my normal voice but I croaked out the words.

"Kelechi! Do you know what time it is? Don't you know how dangerous the streets are especially at this time of the night and year. Do you know how worried I've been?" my dad said, with anger as he came to stand in front of me.

"I'm sorry. I thought I could wait a little at Mercy's house after finishing our project." I lied fluently.

"Okay. Next time, give me a call. You almost gave me a heart attack. Guess you forgot about Uche's stay here."

"Which Uche?"

"See? Your cousin from UK"

"ohhh " I said, my mouth forming the letter O as realisation struck me. I really had forgotten Uche.

Well, he preferred Ben, shorts for Benjamin. He liked living in the world where he thinks he's better than every Nigerian, just because he's white. Although his father is Nigerian, and his late mother, English. I guess, I really did forget about his coming here.

"He's already here. He's in his room if you want to welcome him since you weren't home to do so." he says before leaving for his room.

Dad had planned to have a get together week for all the Chima cousins. And that includes Ben or Uche... whatever you call him. Uncle Sam(that's Uche's dad), my dad, and uncle Joe are the Chima brothers. And that makes us Chima cousins.

Dad thought that we ( my cousins and I) didn't spend time together. So he organised this Christmas get together week. My other cousins( Meso, ify and Gozie) would be coming but not soon. They loved being late to anything and everything.

So until then, that meant i was basically stuck with my better - than - everyone cousin for the Christmas holiday. That's at least, till my other cousins come.