The kitchen was situated downstairs.
The maids around had offered to help us get the drinks but we insisted and only took directions from them on how to go about it.
The walk from Sandra's room to the kitchen was quite a long one but it gave us enough time to be away from the party.
"Tonight has been so much fun though. I won't lie to you," Tobi said after I let out a sigh of thank God I'm out of there.
"Mr. good boy, the prefect, you have joined them," I laughed.
"Let's be honest, nau. It was a good one," He pulled up a half smile.
"I hear you," My lips went into an upsidedown smile that defined my response was reluctant.
However, deep down in me, I was super excited. Since Tobi happened to have showed up at the sleepover and also shown interest in the games, that could be a good sign.
Kiki, my girl. This is your chance.
"You ehn," He pointed his index finger at me as he shook his head in laughter.
I laughed as well. The more reason being for Kiki.
I think our laughter was a bit loud and long and to put an end to it, we had to do that usual ah ah ah at the end of a hearty laugh.
Soon, the air between the two of us had grown awkward.
Tobi and I didn't talk that much so it was understandable. We only talked some times and those times were always fun.
We finally made it to the kitchen. It was as spacious as the ones in Bridgerton movies.
At a side of the kitchen, there was a bar where about ten soda dispensers stood, all of different flavours.
Tobi helped clean up the glass cups and prepared two trays while I got the drinks from the dispensers. I started by pouring ice cubes from the freezer into the cups.
"Tilda," Tobi softly called out as I moved to place another glass of drink on the tray which sat on the slab close to the part he leaned against.
"Yes?" I lifted my eyebrows.
"When I did that, I really meant it," He sounded nervous for some reason I was yet to figure out.
What did you do?
"I'm sorry?" I tilted my head sideways with my eyes still on him. It was clearly written all over me that I was confused.
"I like you, Tilda."
Wait...
Tobi?
Likes?
Me?!
It felt as if someone had sent a slap across my face. A slap I couldn't recover from.
My lips twitched and my eyes searched in corners just to avoid meeting his eyes which I knew were very much on me.
*.*.*.
It was another day of school.
I didn't go to school with Sharon today.
Kiki had come to pick me up with her driver.
"Good morning, my sweetie pie," She smiled at me as we both into the car.
I smiled in return. Deep down in me, I was feeling so much guilt I couldn't explain.
Kiki seemed so happy today.
Tobi had accepted her gifts even though she still failed to propose. He acted all so friendly with her during the sleepover party and for the first time since we all have been classmates, he paid enough attention to her.
To me, it was nothing but to Kiki, it was everything.
"That was just the first step to proposing," Kiki squealed as she went back and forth the pictures she had taken with Tobi during the sleepover on her phone.
"Why didn't you propose?" I proceeded to ask her.
"I didn't want my proposal to be so meh. I'm going to invite him to that couple restaurant and propose then. It would be just perfect," Kiki inhaled with a dreamy look on her face.
How would she feel...
How would Kiki feel when she found out that Tobi liked me?
A side of me wanted to tell her but another side was very much against it.
I mean, Tobi was a great guy but he just wasn't the great guy.
At this point, I am as helpless as I have ever been been.
As we drove closer to school, I could feel my heart racing.
For the first time in my life, I was scared of seeing Tobi.
Now that I come to think of it, for how long has he liked me?
God please.
"Matilda Olusegun!"
"Sir!" I jerked out of my thoughts to meet with the gaze of the teacher in front of me.
It was our Mathematics teacher, Mr. Charles popularly known as "Uncle one shirt." It was self-explanatory as to why we called him that.
"What are you thinking of?!" His voice thundered once again, the veins that popped on his neck made it seem like he would swallow me whole anytime.
"Of the Eba I will eat when I get home!"
That caused a ripple of laughter from the class.
Obviously that wasn't me. It was a feigned high pitched voice that was supposed to pose as girly.
Of course, it was Eddie.
I immediately glanced in his direction and eyed him, mouthing the word ozuo.
"Don't let me send you to the principal's office for this," Uncle one shirt warned Eddie before returning his attention to me.
"Young lady, don't try this ever again or else you'll go along with him to the principal's office," He warned me and with that, continued teaching.
One of the many reasons we hated Uncle one shirt was that he always took every little thing to the principal's office.
He was the one who was always repeating the same clothes and yet couldn't learn how to mind his business.
I thought things had already gotten bad enough but it appeared that they got worse as the day went by.
At the end of his class, our biology teacher began to assign us in the group of twos for a project.
"Samuel Tega and Bola Badmus."
"Dele Kehinde and Craig Johnson."
"Abike Safirat and Ted Jones."
"Kiki Adeola and Chioma Chukwu."
"Matilda Olusegun and Tobi Tayo."
"..."
That was when my heart sank.
Today was the day I confirmed that life and I had become great enemies.