Deja Vu

Joanna’s POV

I LAID ON THE love of my life, which was my bed, when I heard voices coming from downstairs.

Please stop, please, please stop, I internally begged and covered my ears the best I could and sleep in but against my wish, the sounds increased.

Why was I still sleeping? Because it was Saturday.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, I silently sang while I did a little happy dance since the noise couldn't let me continue my sleep.

"Mom!" I heard Elvis whine from downstairs.

Trust me, he's really a three-year-old child.

Groaning, I looked at the time on my wall clock and noticed it was just 12:15 pm.

Don't look at me that way, I needed my beauty sleep, which I sadly couldn't always get because of freaking school.

I grunted this time as sleep was now a lost cause and rose from my bed while I promised to come back by kissing it. I knew that was weird. I moaned loudly and muttered profanities under my breath.

With half-closed lids, I began searching for the culprit, who destroyed the

remaining shred of sleep I had left.

"Elvis!" I yelled out as audible as I could. I was a sort of a morning person but to be woken up on a Saturday morning for no reason was unforgivable in my book.

"Elvis!" I thundered when I could hear their voices as I descended the steps.

"Oh no," I heard him screech.

"Is that?" Mom questioned.

"Yeah, Mom, it's me," I replied the instant I spotted her. "Please tell Elvis to prepare his apology speech before I reach him."

"Mom, If you love me please tell me where to hide," Elvis whispered, in a low tone, as he appeared from behind the kitchen door.

"There is no place I would hide you which she won't Rnd you," Mom responded.

"You all know I can hear you right?" I strode over to where they stood. "Eeeeek," Elvis screamed before he took off running.

"Good morning, Mom. Sorry I didn't greet you earlier." I smiled, after which I ran after Elvis.

"Ha!" I shrieked the instant I caught on to him and leaped on him from behind.

"Aaaargh!" he wailed. "Let me go."

"Nah, you're stuck with me for the rest of your life, boffun." I chuckled as I held on tight in other not to fall off his back.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again I promise," he begged.

"Nope, I won't let you go free this time. You always do this and end up begging for forgiveness. Remember that time you poured cold water on me?"

"I would do anything. Just let me go."

"Anything?" I smirked, a plan already forming.

"That's a bad idea right?" He queried, fear prominent in his voice. "Yep." I beamed, jumped off him, and skipped to the kitchen.

"Oh Lord why!" He followed me back to where mom was.

“Uh oh,” I heard mum say as I entered. "You are smiling. What did you do to my baby?"

"Mom," I called. "Are you insinuating that I don't smile?"

"No, not that, darling, this time it's different, it looks mischievous." She shook her head. "Again I ask, what did you do, zo?"

"You know me so well, Momma," I smirked sent her a kiss and sauntered to my room.

I was sprawled upside down on my bed at the same time stuffing my face with food. I was crazyI know.

I munched away my life and thought of what to do with Elvis.

“Should I force him to take me to a party?" I queried the empty room as if I would've even gone to a party if my life depended on it. "How about I seiUe his Apple laptop?"

Nah, that was not good enough. I understood it would affect him a bit though I reasoned it wouldn't beneRt me hence I could do whatever I wanted on my phone.

I craved for something that would affect him and beneRt me at the same time. I wasn't mean, he deserved it.

While I nibbled on my favorite biscuit, an idea struck x food!

I bounced off my bed and did a booty shake. Yeah, I was craUy. "Elvis!" I shouted using all my vocal cords even though his room was right next to mine.

"I could hear you breathe. There was no need to shout," he murmured as he stepped into my room.

"Can't my home be quiet?" Dad implored as he passed by my room door.

"Love you, Dad." I laughed and mused on why I didn't hear mom's voice. She might be sleeping, I guessed because I knew how mom was when

she slept.

I inherited the sleeping gene from her if that was possible. Mine was a bit different as I could hear the slightest movement during slumber. Most times I chose to ignore the ones that I deemed unimportant.

"Hello, I'm still standing here," Elvis scowled as he glared down at me.

"Lighten up, big bro." I beamed. "I've got a job for you."

"Yay, am gonna be her errand boy today. My life's going great." His voice dripped in sarcasm.

"So," I gleamed, "for the anything, you agreed to a while back, you have to A. make me food. B. Buy me food. . Bring me food til I get tired of it."

I bounced on my feet in excitement and quickly added. "Oh wait, I won't because food is my life. So let me say, till I get married and I have my darling husband do it for me, whoever that is."

I winked after letting him in on what I wanted him to do.

"You hate me," he sighed.

"Nah, I love you. To compensate you, I will allow you to share it with me that's if you make extra or buy extra." I shrugged and granted him a kiss on the cheek before I strolled out the door and headed to the kitchen to get an iced coke.

"And, bro," I called. "I kinda need a burger to go with my coke." "Yep, you hate me," he muttered under his breath before walking out. A few hours later, I was lounging on the couch with food by my side and a bottle of coke in the quiet house with my thoughts and endless hours of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

No Elvis or parents just me. I missed this. The peace and quiet. I loved my family, but I really did like my alone time. I mindlessly reached for my phone when it pinged, almost knocking it to the ground.

"Argh my baby," I fake cried and gently picked it up from where it rested to examine it for any cracks. When I was sure there were none, I cuddled it and whispered some nonsense to it.

"My love, I'm sorry. I won't hurt you deliberately, you know right?" I unlocked my phone and nearly dropped it again when I saw a text from an unknown number.

The text read: Hey, baby, miss me?

I gazed at the phone when it pinged again with another text from the same unknown number.

Because I missed you.

This time it slipped out of my hand and hit the ground as panic ran through me. “Who the hell," I muttered before I inspected my phone again for any cracks.

The idiot should thank his or her heavens that my baby had no cracks because I would've tracked the idiot down and made sure to strangle him. Or her.

Who the hell could this be? I wondered. ould Elvis be getting revenge to rile me up?

I discarded the thought as immediately as it came.

Harmony? Nope. He was too stupid for that. Plus, he had no motive. Ifeanyi? Nah.

Blake? Ptf. That wasn't even a possibility.

Tony? Tony, I contemplated as I chewed on my popcorn.

It could be him but I had his number.

I snatched up my phone and reread the messages.

Could it actually be him? I pondered as a warm feeling rising within

me. No no no, I shouldn't feel this way, I shouldn't.

That was against my rule after my past relationship.

I rejected those gloomy thoughts and relaxed back on the couch. Tuning the volume to the highest setting, I refocused my attention on the recent episode. While I enjoyed my life on the couch, I felt a cramp pass through my spine.

"—h oh," I uttered. "Please no. Please I'm not ready."

Another stronger one passed through me which made me stand up.

“Yep, it's here.”

"Why, Mother Nature, why!" I screamed angrily and marched to my room to get sanitary pads. I then proceeded to the bathroom where I did my business.

I hated this. I totally did. I loved being a girl even though sometimes I wished I were a boy. But when my period started at night, it would make the next day unbearable.

I didn't become aggressive but the pain made me dull, irritated, frustrated, and sick all at once.

After I was done, I carefully ambled back to my room to put on my off white joggers and a baggy white t-shirt.

I quickly grabbed two cold bottles of water from the fridge which I placed directly under me when I got to the living room and laid on the couch.

I breathed a sigh of relief as it helped. I then covered myself with a blanket and got comfortable in it.

As I was about to doze off, I heard some voices.

"Aww, take a look at my baby," Mom faintly said.

I wanted to make a remark saying I was not a baby but I couldn't let out any intelligible words from my mouth.

"Should we carry her?" Dad whispered.

"Nah, let's leave her to sleep," Mom acknowledged.

Those were the last things I heard before I slipped into a deep slumber.

^^^^^^

Groaning and murmuring like a deranged monster, I trudged as fast as I could, though it seemed like a snail's pace, along the hallway of doom known as the school's hallway.

"Hunie pie!" I cringed inwardly as I heard Tenda speak as she bounced energetically towards me. I loved that bitch but sometimes her cheerful attitude would get to me, especially now.

"Hey," I mumbled weakly and waved at her with the little strength I had left.

"Woah, woah, woah!" she exclaimed as she stood in front of me. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Mother Nature happened," I responded, wincing as cramp passed through me.

"Aww, sorry babes." She yanked me in for an embrace. I hugged her back and patted her on the back as I noticed her sniff. "Let's get you to class."

Tenda held my hand and tugged me in the direction of our classroom. "I'm having cramps, not paralyzed." I scoffed.

"Shhh," she shushed me. "Don't ruin the moment. I'm trying to act as mother hen here."

I said my goodbye to my best friend and deliberately dragged my feet into the worst lesson ever, chemistry. Some might say math was the worst but I would've chosen math over

chemistry a million times over.

The fucking chemistry teacher didn't help matters since she totally hated me. I grumbled something intelligible to her in a form of greeting and kept my head down. I spotted Harmony who tapped the empty seat beside him.

"Bitch, you seem to have no respect," the so-called teacher growled in response as she concluded I hadn't greeted her.

"Calm down, ma, I acknowledged your presence," I uttered, a little pissed off.

"Then how come I didn't hear you?" she quizzed, angry. On a normal day, I would have ignored her and kept quiet, but today was not that day. I was frustrated trying to survive the pain inside.

"I know you hate me, ma. The feeling is mutual," I smirked and flicked her the bird, settling down on the seat Harmony had pulled out.

I got comfortable, the same instant the whole class erupted in laughter as they recovered from the shock of what I had just done.

I sent them a weak wave in mock appreciation before I placed my head on the desk and emitted a groan.

"Hey B, is your monthly visitor here?" Harmony questioned and rested his head on his own desk before he swiveled to face me.

"Yeap," I retorted. "And it chose the wrong timing." I winced again as I felt a shock run down my spine.

"Sorry, bestie," he consoled after which he stationed a palm on my back, commencing to give me a massage.

"Yas." I smiled at him and gave a thumbs up. This was why he was my best friend. He knew me well enough to know the right thing to do at the right time to make me happy.

The bell rang signaling the end of class, which had me grumbling as I learned I had to get up and walk.

"Bestie, let's go." Harmony said while jerking me up and hooked his hand with mine before he guided me safely to the cafeteria.

I sighted our group of friends as they gestured to us. Harmony and I walked over, after which I slumped in the seat between Ifeanyi and Tony, and released a tired sigh.

"Hey, partner," Ifeanyi gleamed, winking when he saw the permanent scowl on my face. "What happened?"

"Mother nature and you happened," I replied, with a frown.

"What has mother nature got to do with me!" he whined and gave a pout as he noted I was lending him a harsh glare.

"Extreme dance rehearsals on 0riday. Does that ring a bell?" I questioned, my left eyebrow raised for emphasis.

"Awww, I'm so so sorry, baby. I'm really sorry," he apologized. "I didn't know it would lead to this. I'm sorry. Forgive me please. I'm too young to die."

"Dude," I sighed. "In case you haven't noticed, I can barely sit straight not to talk of killing you, which I wouldn't even do, that's eCcepty, you steal my food."

Speaking of food. Harmony dropped a tray of junk food in front of me with a plate of ice cream, making me give him an appreciative smile.

I turned back my attention to Ifeanyi and noticed he was arguing with Blake. I rolled my eyes at his low attention span before I whimpered in agony as the pain in my lower abdomen intensified.

"How's it going, babe," Tenda beamed at me in greeting.

"I'm surviving so far," I groaned out in reply.

"Psst," someone whispered in my ear. I swirled to my left and caught sight of Tony staring at me with worry in his eyes.

"What!" I growled, tired of the misery I was going through. The first thing I was going to do when I got home was to ask mom to get me some painkillers because I didn't think I could stand the anguish any longer.

"Why the tired face?" he polled.

"Time of the month," I reacted in a grimace.

"Awww, does it hurt?"

"Ha," I scoffed. "It's delightful. Very delightful. I'm in cloud nine at the moment."

"Let me massage it for you," he said, with a soft smile. I felt his palm on my back seconds later as he began to massage exactly where

it hurt.

His fingers sent sparks through my whole bones.

"Thank God!" Ifeanyi exclaimed dramatically. "At least I won't hear her hiss every minute."

"Idiot." I frowned. "Thank your stars I'm in pains. If not, trust me, I would go back on my promise and kill you."

"I might be an idiot, but you can't deny the love you have for me."

“I do not," I countered.

"You do."

"I do not."

"Trust me, dear, you do." He grinned.

"I do not."

"You do not."

"I do," I acknowledged absentmindedly and growled when I discovered he got me.

"See, you admit it," he grinned. "I love you too, dear."

"Hey, guys," Blake called the attention of everyone at our table, which did wonders as everyone stopped their various conversations. Even Tenda stopped drooling at Tony. Yeah, she was actually drooling.

"Whatsup," Tony conversed.

"Yeah, dude, what's the matter?" Harmony queried.

"What could be so important to make me stop arguing with this shitbag here?" Ifeanyi said and shoved Harmony.

"Boys," I dubbed as Tenda rolled her eyes at their childish behavior.

"Let's hear what Blake has to say."

"There's this new guy in town," Blake started.

"Do we know him?" Tony implored.

"I don't think so," he replied and shook his head. "But news going around says he's hot."

"Oooh meat," Tenda let out with a wiggle of her eyes at me as I winked back.

"I also heard he lived here a few years back before moving away with his parents," Blake continued. "He's about our age and registered in our rival school."

"Hmmm," Ifeanyi murmured with a serious expression, which was weird because he hardly gets serious.

"What's his name?" Harmony contested.

"Francis James , but he prefers to be called Frank," Blake answered with a nod.

"Hey, that's my cousin's name. He's my cousin," Ifeanyi said, earning him shocked looks from everyone.

"Wait, why didn't you say so sooner?" Tony interrogated, amazed.

"I wasn't sure till I heard his name," he blurted out with a shrug and continued to munch on his half-eaten burger until Harmony gave him a slap upside the head.

I just sat there gaping at him as I contemplated how he could be so dumb. "I never knew you were this dumb."

"Y'all are dumb too, especially you Blake," he spoke as Blake offered him a look that screamed How?

"Yes, Blake, you are dumb for not realizing we have the same surname."

"Bravo, Ifeanyi." I clapped. "For the second time today, you succeeded in rendering me speechless."

Tenda looked at us all in shock with her mouth opened and eyes wide. "How on earth do you guys get this kind of information?"

Tony shrugged, and Ifeanyi gave me a shy smile that had me awww-ing inside. Was awww-ing even a word? Harmony just laughed.

Francis James. Francis James, I repeated to myself. Why did that name give me goosebumps and sound so familiar at the same time?

"Ifeanyi, you said this guy is your cousin," I mumbled and conveyed a questioning look to which he nodded.

"Blake, you also said he'd lived here before with his family?" I quizzed.

"Yeah," he replied before he granted me a curious look. "Any problem?"

"No, the name just sounds familiar that's all." I shook my head, acting nonchalant, but inside I was going haywire.