Twenty-Seven

It was Saturday. The day for Bridget's arrival. I was excited and kinda nervous. Five years was a really long time so I didn't know if she would be happy as I was to see her. She could've changed a lot. Boarding school does that to a lot to people. Especially someone who may have felt she was chased there from home. She might even be more bitter now that she was being sent away the second time. I would feel that way, were I in her shoes. We'll just have to wait and see.

I was awake but was too lazy to get up. I wasn't feeling all that sleepy but I knew if I continued lazing on bed, I would feel sleepy again in no time at all. The door opened and mom popped her head in. Just the push I needed. "Are you awake? Yes, you are". She answered herself when she saw my open eyes looking back at her. "Get up and clean your room. All these dirty clothes and socks lying around..." She motioned to the clothes and socks I had worn yesterday. "...should be in the laundry room along with your dirty sheets and towels. Make space in your wardrobe. Thank God it's big enough. Get your ass up and moving before I come back here. Bridget and her mom would be here before it's lunchtime". She shut the door after pulling out her head.

My eyes automatically shifted to the wall clock. 9:40. I immediately got to work.

**

The doorbell rang and my mouth went dry again. I've been chugging water for the last thirty minutes if that's any information. Dad opened the door while Mom, William and I stood a little distance behind him ready to welcome our Relatives.

Aunt Linda and Bridget were on the front porch. Aunty Linda was wearing her usual beautiful smile. My eyes almost popped out when I saw Bridget. Her once long and voluminous black hair was now in a bob. A bob?! She was wearing a high waist jeans and a crop top on top cool sneakers. Her big curious eyes connected with mine. She was still m beautiful. We were approximately the same height but she got more of the curves thing than I did.

I stared at her thinking of what I could possibly say to her that would make me seem less than the staring idiot she probably already thought I was but only an awkward 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰 was coming to mind. I was just about to mouth it out like that when she shone her teeth at me and enveloped me in a tight hug. My lips in parted surprise. I was too surprised to even hug her back. Of all the reactions I had expected from her, this was not even at the bottom of the list. I had gotten nervous for nothing. I quietly released a sigh of relief.

She withdrew from the hug still beaming. "It's been forever, Alex! You still remember me, don't you?"

Haha, funny how I thought I would be the one asking that question. "That's like asking a monkey if it still eats bananas. Of course I do! How can I forget you?". I lowered my voice like in a confession and added as a joke, "I almost did though".

She burst out laughing just like everyone else. "Still got the tongue, huh?"

The mood became cheerful and everyone exchanged pleasantries with each other. Aunt Bridget went with mom to the kitchen to finish up lunch preparation. She saved me on that one. Dad, Bridget and I unloaded luggages and carton boxes from the car boot and took them up to my room. The girl brought quite a lot of load like a bride moving into her new husband's house. I mentally mourned my room. Our room.

Dad came into the bedroom with a box just as I carefully placed down the one in my hands. "This is the last of it. I'll leave you guys to catch up before you have to come down to eat". He said as he kept the box and left.

I collapsed on the bed. "I thought I was going to pass out from exhaustion".

"Aha!" Bridget exclaimed with a clap of her hands gaining my attention. She had this look on her face like she just remembered something.

"What?"

"There's one more suitcase where I sat in the passenger's seat".

"Wow!" I was more of startled. After all these here? There was hardly any space left to walk about. She had to be kidding. I mean, it wasn't possible. I searched her face with narrowed eyes. She was blushing, looking somewhat embarrassed but I caught it. Even if it was for less than a second, I caught a twitch of her lips. I breathed out, "You liar".

She chuckled and came to sit beside me. "I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. I have a little bit of stuff from moving around. I spent weeks trying to cut them down".

"Are you kidding you have lots, but don't be sorry, it's fine. I can't be any gladder that you're here with me".

She smiled but her eyes had a faraway look.

I wanted to ask her what really happened at home but I refrained from doing so. I didn't want to pry and I had the feeling she didn't want to talk about it. Besides, that could wait. There was something more pressing, something I've been meaning to ask. "What the hell happened to your hair?!"

"Oh that". She came back from her thoughts and touched her bobbed hair. "Just. I wanted something new. I would've dyed it but my dad would cut it all off. You don't like it?"

"It's not bad". I assessed the hair with a frown. In truth it wasn't bad. If someone saw her now for the first time, he would think the hair was cute and lovely. But because I've seen her previous hair and loved it, I did not like this present one. A memory of her laughing and running in the fields while the wind swept her hair wild while the rich black colour glittered and sparkled under the sunlight. "I prefer your long hair is all".

She suddenly brightened up. "So tell me, what's your school like?"

"Normal. Your typical highschool". I answered shrugging.

"Kudos. That was very detailed". She drawled sarcastically. "My former school was far from normal. It was a boring hell. Okay, forget that. Do you have a boyfriend?" She asked waggling her eyebrows.

I blushed and slowly nodded.

"Oh-my-goodness!" She gushed. "You have a boyfriend".

I giggled. "Excuse you? You don't have to sound like you never thought I would ever have one. I'm quite pretty too you know, I make the hottest guys drool".

She laughed. "Oh? Where's that innocent, shy girl that I used to know?"

"She's gone, Bridget, gone".

"Does he have a brother that you think I can you know, date or something?" Her eyes crinkled.

I scrunched up my face. "Thankfully, no".

She sighed in disappointment. "You're protecting him, huh? I'll have to find out myself".

"Come down, girls". Mom yelled from downstairs and we pushed ourselves up.

Bridget without warning, enveloped me in another surprise hug. "I love you, Cuz. Thank you for accepting me".

I hugged her back. "I love you too".

She withdrew and grinned at me. Just when she was going to turn the door knob I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"You really don't have a suitcase left in the car, do you?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I swear it's just one".

It was only a suspicion but it turned out to be right. "You sly fox!" I raised a fist in the air like I was going to hit her. "I'm sending you parking".

.

She laughed. "You can't do it even if you tried".