CHAPTER THREE

Most girls have alarm clocks, I don't ,rephrase that I can't. I can't stand the sequenced beeping of an alarm clock especially when I just wake up. I remember when I was 8 my dad got me an alarm clock, the first morning I woke up to it I had a headache for the rest of the week. Thankfully what came with my bad encounter with alarm clocks is my ability to wake up at exactly what time I set my mind to; it sounds surreal but that's my life.

I hopped out of the shower, moisturized my body with oils and lotion, wore an off white jogger and a dirty brown shade cropped oversized crew neck sweater, and sprayed my cologne on myself.

I sat on my bed and I could hear my mum raising her voice from downstairs. She'd been on the phone even before I woke up, one of the reasons why I'm unsure if my back to school shopping would hold today and another was our litter bicker last night.

I reached for my phone as I heard my ringtone play, I answered the call seeing Kimani as the caller.

"Hello" I said

"Hey girl, how you doing? Moved in yet?" She asked as I layed flat on my stomach

"Yeah, almost done with the renovations" I said

"Are you starting school on Monday with the others?" She asked

"Yeah I am. I was supposed to go shopping with my mum to prep me for Monday today, but she's been on a call since and we had a little misunderstanding yesterday night so I'm not sure where it's gonna go" I sighed

"Oh well, just wanted to say hi, seemed like you forgot about us" She said

"Oh no, I haven't forgotten" I said

"Yet, you haven't forgotten yet, It's a matter of time until you meet new people and form your own clique and hanging out with Kimani, Willow and Alya would be history" She said and I could help but agree.

" I would obviously meet new people and yes, I'll eventually forget about you guys but, not for now.... yet, let's live the moment" I said

"That's sweet but I have to go Tyrone just messed up the floor" She said referring to her 6 month old brother "Bye"

"Bye, and say hello to Ty for me" I said

"Sure will" She said and we ended the call.

My mum was still on her call, and I began hearing muffled voices. I rushed up to my window and saw the Fernsby brothers and another boy arguing about something. I couldn't really get what they were saying, and they weren't there for that long seeing they only came to get something they left.

I slid down my window and sighed it had been such a boring day. I dashed down the stairs and walked up to my busy mum who was no longer on a call, but was surrounded with different papers on the table.

"Hey Neo!" My mum smiled

"Are we still going back to school shopping?" I asked and she sighed walking up to me

"I'm sorry baby, I've just been a lot busy with renovations, maybe tomorrow but I promise you that you'll get all your needed school supplies. Any hard feelings?" She poutes rubbing my folded arms.

"No" I sighed "Can I go to Daphne's?"

"Sure, but don't be home too late" She said and I left.

I walked out of the door and through the cars and dipped my phone into my pocket. I turned left and saw Teeqo, Jarvis and the other boy walk out of somewhere and I ducked behind a car. I didn't want them to see me and I was too scared to meet them. I watched them argue over something then hit Jarvis on the head before walking back home. "This is stalking Neolani" I said to my self getting up.

I walked to Daphne's house and knocked on her vinyl door.

"Lani" She said

"Hey" I stepped in "Sorry if I caught you by surprise"

"Oh don't worry, in fact you're just in time, I just finished cleaning up my room" She beamed and took me up to her room "Welcome to Daph's territory" She spread her hands up and collapsed on her bed.

"Wow, your room has really changed" I said

"It's been 5 years since you were in here, changes happen," she said.

"Talked to Teeqo last night" She said and my eyes widened

"D..Did you t..tell him abb..."I stammered

"No" She laughed "Not yet, look Lani, you've gotta talk to him eventually, I mean we all go to the same school, they'll see you eventually so save the stress and talk to him" She threw her phone at me "Now, when there isn't a huddle of tons of nosey teenagers watching your fainted body"

I looked at her Iphone 11 Pro on her white sheet. I took it into my arms and searched for Teeqo's contact, I tapped on it and hesitated to tap the call button.

"I can't" I threw her phone back to her and laid my head in my arms

"Jeez you look like a drug addict without her crack" She looked at me and took her phone

"I'm sorry but I'm not in the right mindset to talk to him" I said in a raspy voice

"It's okay girl, it's not the end of the world" She chuckled and went through her phone and there was a moment of silence

"Wanna make some Vitumbua?" She asked and I smiled from behind my phone

"You learnt how to make them?" I said proud of my cousin and she nodded feeling proud of herself

"What can I say, I'm all round" she laughed and walked out and I just rolled my eyes and followed her down to the kitchen.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"Mum I'm home!" I yelled and closed the door behind me "I brought home Vitumbua"

"Mum?" I called out to her as I heard muffled voices

"Mum?" I placed my ear on her room door

"Well what do you want me to do, my kid's starting a new school, I have a family to take care of... I need more time please... Please...I can't.." I heard her voice say from inside her room, she was on a call.

"Mum?" I walked in

"I'll have to call you back" She ended the call

"Hey baby, what's up how was Daphne?" She walked up to me

"Daphne's great, mum what was all that talk on the phone" I asked as I looked in her glossed eyes

"Oh it's nothing, don't get yourself worked up"

"Are you sure" I noticed how soft her voice was she sounded like she'd been crying and she looked like it "You're not lying to me right"

"What.. baby no" She said "Don't get yourself worked up on all that"

"Well, in that case, I brought home Vitumbua" I held up the brown bag

"Great! I was just thinking of them, let's go down to the kitchen and dip them in some sugar dip" She smiled and we walked down to the kitchen.

Although my mum said everything was alright, it seemed like it wasn't. That smile was fake, and I really want to know what's bothering her.