Chapter 27

Triggered - Jhené Aiko 🎶

“What would you like to have?” He asks me

“Depends on the menu first off” i answer

“I mean what kind of food do you prefer..” he chuckles

Ohh..i realize now and answer 

“Well if fruits can be classified as food then fruits”

“I can take fruits at any time..even asleep” i laugh

His eyes rake through my body. I wonder what that’s for

“If you were fat I’d know for a fact that you lied, “ we both laugh as he teased me

“Good thing you’re now the one with questions “ i tease back

We both laugh

A young lad walks up to us and hands us the menu

I'm not sure what to go for but i want something sweet of course.

I go through and order for a red velvet plus burger .

Drew goes ahead to order for burger and chicken

“Of course..” he teases once more as i nod to the mouthful of cake in my mouth

I chuckle and almost choke then gulp it down with water

The day has been every definition of relaxing and I give a detailed summary of my home I am coming from, how I chose this school, the kind of relationship I share with my mum and how I’m scared of dating any guy in school. I go ahead to inform him on how an alumni hinted me about how rough some of the guys can be, and me being me i dont want trobule in any way.

“What’s your preference in a guy’s features?” He asks

“TDH”

“Telephone dick hoe?” He asks with a smirk

“What the actual fuck!” I laugh out loud

“I mean tall dark and handsome..” i tell him stressing on the handsome with a smile

He winks at me.

He doesnt offer much information about himself and I refuse to ask but one thing I observed from our talk is he has a lot going on and a day would never be enough to tell it.

He reaches down to my hand on the table and caress my fingers with his palm softly.

What is it with Drew being so super sweet today. I think to myself but let it slide just as it came to mind.

“Soo....” i say cooly with a wide grin

“What?” He utters a quiet laugh

“Over to you..tell me about you” i say

“Is there anything you want to know about Andrew ?” He clears his throat

I sort of like how his full name sounds from him.

“Hmmm...everything“ 

“Starting from family..” i murmur not so sure of how he’d respond to that

“I live with my dad and step mom” he starts off and pauses watching my reaction uptight

I look at him speechless and he goes on

“I love them both and I have two siblings, well step siblings as you may call it and I love them so much as well”

He picks up his phone and scroll through then hold it up for me, pointing to a short slender girl he smiles.

I get the cue, his sister and there’s a boy standing next to her...slender as well but with a brighter smile

“Awww...” i say. They both look so cute.

“I’d go whatever length for them. They make me feel alive sometimes and it makes me feel i have a cause to be happy atleast...they’re like my young support system though they cant do much”

“I dont really talk about my family cause that will involve me going deep and I dont see the reason to” he continues

“Well I chose uniben because my dad is a traveller...a sailor to be precise and he claims benin is like the central for his movement, they can always check up on me easier”

I nod in agreement

His phone buzzes on the table and he picks it up

“Sorry i need to answer this...” he tells me

“Oh no problem at all” i say 

He stands up to leave and doesnt return for close to ten minutes or so

My mind wanders through what he just told me, he claims to not tell anyone much about his family but already started off by making me understand he’s not with his mum.

I dont know why but there’s a thoughtful 

He returns and stand in front of our table 

“Do you think we should go to the hut now”

I nod “yes ...yeah since we’re done with lunch”

I get up and we both walk out.

He holds up my hand again but this time, his hand is cold from the water i guess.

We take a stroll down to the hut swaying hands and absorbing the utmost beauty of the environment.

When we get back to the hut, I walk over to the lounge and pick up my canvas.

Yes, there’s the urge to paint now and I’m definitely not gonna resist it.

The sun is getting low and the sky is not as bright as it was earlier. Its already four o’ clock. I take off my shoes and use my bare foot to walk over to pick up my paint brushes and paint.

I notice how a family is at the beach staying few feet away from the water. The dad lifts his little daughter and throws her up then catches her. I can literally hear her screams expressing how joyful she felt at the moment. The mum is sitting on the small cloth they laid on the sand with her son lying close to her and sipping I think juice. I know now that I have a predetermined idea of a picture I want to paint.

I give into it and my mind is still as i brush the surface of the board with colors. I start to draw out the sketch with the brush and pay close attention to what’s going on outside of the hut , i mean the family and the atmosphere outside.

In maybe an hour thirty minutes time, I am done and the result is alive and glorious. 

I drop down the brush and walk some distance backwards to view the work of my hands.

“I dont really know enough of art” i jump startled because I didnt even remember Drew was around my surroundings. 

I got so carried away.

Drew was seated on the couch and I guess he’s been watching me paint.

“I appreciate your talent” he says to me paying close attention to the painting up front.

I had just painted the beach from my perspective.

I hug myself feeling accomplished.

“ come seat” he says as he pats the seat

I walk over to him and sit not really close to him

He leans in and his fingers tug a few strands of my hair coming down to my face and tuck them behind my ear.

He smiles and that sends electric shock through me. My mouth is dry off a sudden.

Is this what attraction is like...I feel like I want him but yet dont want to wake that side of me up.

Another part of me feels like it’s a trap.

I try to open my mouth to say something but I’m left blank. I dont think I can have a normal discussion with him at this point...I better leave.

“I need to shower” those words roll off my tongue and i swallow spit in my throat.

He nods and takes his hand down.

I get up and turn momentarily 

“Uhmm...I cant sleep in my dress...I forgot to bring something to change into” i mutter not sure what to expect .

Dumb me. 

What’s the point of telling him like he owns a ladies boutique or something.

As I am about to turn away, I notice he’s pulling his own shirt from himself

Is it what I am thinking..my subconscious is already screaming at how much she misses his cologne already.

He hands it over to me

I collect it from him mouthing a thank you with a smile and turn to leave.

*

——————————————————-

*

When I get back to the bedroom, Drew is already on the bed pressing his phone.

I walk up to the other empty side and climb then lay down.

I wonder what he’s always busy with on his phone, and I turn my whole body to his side watching him closely asif to detect he’s action.

“Talk to me” he says then drops his phone and by now facing me

“Anything at all”

“Ummm...” i try to think of what to talk about then he cuts in

“Play T or D?” He asks

“Lets talk first” i wave it off

We both stay silent and lay with our back on the bed and facing the ceiling.

I wrap my arms on my chest.

I wonder what’s going on in his mind right now

“You’re the first girl to ever hear a part of me and not pester me...”he says

I turn to him and sit on the bed

I dont really get what he meant by that but I remain quiet because i am interested.

“Every other person would want to hear my full story just so they can have a story to tell..” he continues and turns his gaze to me

“My mum left my dad when she birthed me because she was still young. I mean they just like a student like us and wasnt hoping to ever spend the rest of her life with him. She threatened to abort me several times but he plead and they both agreed she’d leave me with him and go on with her life.”

I cant help but feel the sadness engulf me right now by hearing this.

“He says they claimed to be both in love but when she conceived me, she said she was already out of love...”he tells me

“You see...i dont really understand what love is about and maybe I’ll never find it myself”

I can literally imagine how he feels each and every time thinking about her and his life afterwards

“You will” i manage to tell him not like I know for a fact he will but I have the faith he will.

“Sometimes I feel alone like I have nobody to talk to or I just fail to find the right words to express myself. Maybe I am the problem.”

“You’re not..!”i 

He looks amused and I go on

“I understand how you feel , believe me. Most times I get in my feelings to and feel like I’m going to drown or the world is choking me...”

“Exactly” he chirps in

“It makes me feel empty. Although I know I am not perfect but all I crave for is love from both my parent. But it seems my mum doesnt know the kind I want. I dont want to be loved for a reason. I just want to be loved without understanding why just the way I love them as well. It makes me scared I’d be too overwhelmed if an outsider showers me with such love I lack from home. Everything sucks” i say trying to hold back the tears about to race up

“Have you been in a relationship before?” He asks

I dont know why he asked but I simply answer

“ I wouldn’t call it a relationship because it was sort of like I ended up in a situation-ship” he nods

We stay still, silent for a moment

“ truth or dare” i say breaking the silence 

“Truth” he answers adjusting to sit a bit closer to me

“When was your last kiss?” I ask

“Maybe last week..” he answers

A tint of sadness whirls up in me but I shouldnt be even after knowing how he is with other girls.

Maybe the other side of me just wished he was neutral from them all

“What about you?” He asks

“What?” 

“Truth or dare?” He asks

“Truth” my voice comes out shaky and low

“What’s your body count?” 

His gaze is fixed on me and it’s hard to turn away now. It’ll be too obvious how he makes my body react to his gaze

“I wouldn’t kn-kn- ow” i stammer lowly

My eyes adjust to the darkness of his eyes but there’s a small streak of light beaming through at the centre.

“When was your last kiss?” He shrugs with a questioning brow

I dont know how to answer that so I remain speechless 

“Renee” he calls lifting my jaw to him with a raised brow

I think he gets the cue now

“You mean youve never been touched not to talk more of kiss a boy...” he says more of a statement than a question and I nod

“Where have you been my whole life?” 

He asks concerned 

“Waiting ....”i answer looking right through him

“If i want to kiss you will you get upset or leave?”

“Just do it” i whisper

I can hear the way my breathing had changed. I feel hot like I need to cool down or I’ll start sweating. I think he moves more closer to me than usual and just then he wraps his fingers around my arm.

My stomach begins to stir and our bodies touch at that moment. I begin to feel nervous but I don’t want to make a fool of myself by doing something stupid.

Before my mind can catch up with anything, his lips crashes on mine.

The electric sparks reappear in me and feels more wild this time.

He pulls away gently 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asks

I whimper at the loss of contact because right now, my hormones have taken over every inch of my self

My mind is racing and I quickly shut my mind off any thought and I crash my lips on his catching him off guard.

He gently lays his hand still on my face 

I dont have a slightest idea of what I am into but for all I care, I dont intend to stop.

My whole body feels like it is at its brim and I have never been like this before. My stomach stirs up once more and his lips run along mine. Our lips move in alignment and before I can make any more move, his lips land on my neck line.

He sucks up my skin and my heart feels like it is about to explode. I try to tighten my lips to resist the sounds about to escape me but my entire soul fails me and I let out a moan.