Chapter 9

Beep beep beep' my annoying alarm wakes me up from the best part of my dream. And my useless dream couldn't cut to the chase.

"Ahhhh-hhaaaaaa"  I yawned waking up from my beauty sleep.

It's a freaking Sunday morning again. I don't like Sundays at all, always boring so boring, and it's hot sun that is ready to make me look like an aboki or a fulani who lives on the outskirts of Sokoto.

The sun on Sundays can cause anybody depression and I mean it, talking from experience here. Maybe because it has sun at the beginning of it's name *shrug*.

And I'm forced to listen to sermons preached, and trust me I hate these sermons.

To me almost all the people at church are just so pretentious. Pretending to come to church to listen to the pastor, but what they have in mind is to showcase how rich they are, wear the latest designer bags, shoes and clothes.

I believe most people just come to show off, it's more like a competition.

Some even come looking for soulmates looking all seductive and all. As for me I am forced to go to church *shrug*.

I rush to the bathroom, because if I start lamenting about why I hate Sundays my parents will scold me for making them late to the one place they love to go.

The one thing I'm anticipating is seeing Raphael. The only person I manage to listen to get advice from.

I get out of the bathroom with a white towel draped around my body. I massage my well scented cocoa butter cream into my skin- my cream and my African black soap is the secret behind my flawless glowing brown skin *a round of applause*.

I arrange my hair and dress up in a fitted white turtleneck and a yellow and blue designed pleated ankara skirt with suspenders and a white sneakers to go with not forgetting to spray my perfume all over my body.

I pick my mini bag and stuff my phone not forgetting my bible and my Sunday School manual, remember what I told you guys about our teens Sunday School teacher she's quite the busy body.

I put on a little powder, arrange my eyebrows with a brush and brush the edges at the front of my hair in a neat style.

I'm not usually the makeup type. My mum has trained I and my sisters about not getting used to makeup. She says that we should be confident in who we are, we do not need makeup to be beautiful and we should embrace our natural beauty.

I like the fact that I'm not used to it tho, thanks to my mother. She says self confidence, self worth and self love matters a lot as a lady. She also said if you don't first love yourself, see what you are worth and be confident in yourself, others won't like you or see your worth, you will be bullied. And it's actually very true.

It's ok with all these, cuz my mum says a lot and she will continue for the rest of her life to say a lot.

I rush downstairs to eat breakfast.

***

Skip skip skip

I ate corn flakes this morning and I feel so light. Is that even food *hiss*.

We are just arriving at church. I think they just said the opening prayer and are about to sing praise and worship. We are early in church today, which I'm obviously not happy about. I'm nearly scolding Nate and Zoe for not making us late.

I can't blame them, who wants to get scolded by my parents anyway.

We sang praise and worship, as the chorister never seized to go off key or breaking bottles (making blunders) here and there while done people were dancing hilariously. It was quite funny, at least something to lift my spirit.

I don't know if they do auditions before someone gets in the choir and if not I think they should start and also remove their terrible singers. That will make a great improvement in the choir.

It was time for Sunday School and I strolled slowly to the teens section while dreading not seeing the Sunday School teacher.

I got to the teens section.

"Reeva why are you coming late?" The Sunday School teacher said boring me and I cringed hearing her call my name.

"Nothing ma" I replied curtly

"I hope you are with your Bible and Sunday School manual?" she asked

'who would want you to disgrace them' I said in my mind

"Yes ma I did" I said while taking a seat to sit down without being told to sit down by the teacher and I caught her scowling at me.

She started teaching about forgiveness and about how it's a good virtue as a Christian. Blah blah blah blah, then it was over, I left immediately because I don't want anyone preaching to me about my rude behavior and how it's not good for an evangelist's daughter to portray such, urrgh.

I sat down at the back of the church to listen to the sermon our pastor will preach today. It better not be boring because I will just doze off.

Thank God Raphael has come, finally. I almost thought he ditched church today.

"Why you earlier than me today?" He asked me smiling while taking the empty seat by my side.

" You came late today and Nate and Zoe decided to do their things quickly today, we even met praise and worship and that Sunday School teacher was boring the hell out of me" I grumbled face palming myself.

"Oh then try to make them late next time" he laughed

"Oh no I can't I've, been trying to avoid my parents and their wahala (problem)" I said laughing also

We talked for a while, I was able to capture the pastor saying something about morning devotion.

"How many of you observe your quiet time in the morning and do morning devotions?" The pastor asked and some people raised their hands.

"Wow the percentage of people who don't do this are many, It is a shame. As the man of the family you are to gather your family together in the morning before anyone goes out to work, school or anywhere. Most people don't even have time to open their bibles again, especially the teens and the youths, so the morning devotions will be of great help to them. The Church has its on devotional, you can see it in Church bookshop it's just 600 naira very affordable" the pastor advised. God I know my father will adhere to this, he's an evangelist after all.

"Oooo this is not fair o. My daddy will go and buy that devotional thing" I grumbled to Raphael, I know my father too well and I know he'll do this. God whyyyy

"Look at you, you sound like a cry baby" he said mocking my voice and laughing at me and I playfully nudged him in the arm with my elbow.

"Good thing my parents don't come to this church" he said smirking.

His parents go to another church, this is one of the reason he is a big flirt in church, although his parents aren't that strict they are a bit old and don't have the energy for Raphael.

"I just pray they announce this in their church too" I said sticking my tongue out at him.

"Then-" he was about to say and one annoying usher came to hush us *hiss*.

Soon service was over.

"You know we were supposed to go out?" Raphael asked me raising his eyebrows

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot, test and all" I told him

"I forgot too" he said and we both laughed.

"Speaking of your test, how did you do" he asked me

"I haven't seen my results yet cuz teachers are still marking or scripts but they were all good I'm sure" I assured him

"That's my girl" he said rubbing the top of my head like a father proud of his daughter and I smiled

"Ehen how about that your shitty boyfriend?" He asked me cringing

"We are good, he's been good" I told him with a shrug

"I hope so" he said rolling his eyes but I ignored

We talked for a while and then he left as usual to go flirt some naive stupid girls who all fall for him even though they know he's a player, I guess I'm no different from them.

My dad finished with his work in church and we all got into our car to go home.

"Starting from tomorrow we will observe the morning devotions except for Sundays" my dad said informing all of us in the car while driving. I knew this will happen, I guess it's fate.

"Ok sir" I and my siblings chorused

"I even bought the devotional yesterday, I have  forgot to tell you" my mom said talking to my dad. 'Whaaaatttt' I screamed in my head, so my mom had been planning this before now. I don't blame my pastor any longer, guess this is really fate after all.

I can see the look of displeasure on my all sibling's faces.

Soon we got home I grab three apples- remember I ate cornflakes this morning which I don't classify as food- and I went straight to my room. I'm really tired we have been in church since 8 o'clock in the morning.

I take out my phone and post some pics Raphael took of me and go to bed after.

***

This week has been good to me, no school we went on mid-term break throughout the week, apart from the morning devotions and the fact that I haven't seen Michael throughout the week, I have only been texting him which is sad.

It's Saturday today and I'm going out with Raphael. And one thing I am not dreading is morning devotion.

I go downstairs for morning devotion. It's still six in the morning.

Soon my dad was done with his mini preaching. He talked about greed or something I don't know I dozed almost all throughout.

My mom had already made breakfast. So we all settled down to eat.

We are eating akara and pap today but since I find pap disgusting I take akara with bread and tea.

Soon we were done eating and I washed the dishes and put them away. My dad is sitting in the parlour.

"Daddy" I cooed happily. I make my parents angry sometimes and they make me angry sometimes too but I know they love me so well.

"How are you?" My dad asked smiling at me

"I'm very good after that akara mummy made" I said smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Yes that akara was very nice" my dad said closing hos eyes and inhaling.

"Yeah" I said smiling.

"Papito-" I cooed, I usually call him that when I want to ask for something

"-please I need money, you haven't given me money ever since" I begged giving him puppy dog eyes.

"I knew you were up to something" my dad laughed while getting his wallet from the ottoman.

"This is two thousand naira" he said handing me the money he just pulled from his wallet.

"Thank you daddy" I said happily wrapping my hands around him.

"You are welcome, now you can go I want to watch the news" he said changing the channel to NTA- don't get while dad's like to watch this channel *shrug*.

"Ok dad" I said and hopped happily to my room.

I am not going to the gym today because I'm going to Spar with Raphael.

I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and have a shower.

I call Raphael and he tells me he's on his way, so I leave too so I don't keep him waiting.

Soon I got to Spar and I went to the gaming section. I called Raphael again and he told me he is coming. Gosh this idiot is supposed to be here by now.

I played three games with one guy and I won two rounds in a row, the guy was surprised and was begging for another game. I'm good at peS cuz Nate loves to play it and he's a master so I learnt from the best.

Raphael called me and I told him to meet me at the gaming section, I didn't even wait for him to reply and I cut the call.

"Hey how are you doing?" Raphael asked scratching his neck and smiling nervously.

"What do you mean how am I doing?" I asked him and swat him by the arm.

"You told me you were on your way and I've been waiting for like half an hour now" I said pouting and pointing my finger at him proving my anger.

"Don't you know when Nigerians tell a person that they are on their way they are probably still in the bathroom" he said laughing at me. I thought it was Nigerian moms that do that.

"Oh please spare me" I said placing my palm in front him dramatically.

"Ok I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, come let's go get you an ice cream" he said pulling my hands to go with him.

"Now your are talking " I said giving a thumbs up and following him.

We licked our ice cream played some games and went to the food court to eat. Today is so much fun. I'm spending it with one of my best friends in this world- I think he's the best.

I ordered rice and stew with fried chicken, hmmm. While Today ordered fried rice, chicken and salad.

"I'm tired of the morning devotions we do every morning, I always doze off" I grumbled

"Good for you" he said and we laughed.

"I think you are my best friend" I told Raphael

"We are best friends" he confirmed my thoughts smiling.

"Cheers to being best friends" I said raising my glass for a toast.

"Cheers" he said clicking his glass to mine. I think we called done attention cuz people were staring at us, haha. And we just laughed, crazy right? All these people will think we are shameless fools.

Soon we were done eating and I went home.

I went straight to my room to sleep I've had too much fun today.

Can't wait to see Michael I've missed him, not seen him through out this week. I've known Michael for a month and two weeks now I suppose and it's like I've known him for months.

Author note: hope y'all will love this chapter I know it's kind of boring tho 😅🤷🏽‍♀️. Please vote, comment and share :) lots of love

And if I made any mistakes, please point that out in the comment section. Thank you all XOXO 😚❤️💜