Avin

"What?...Avin? Really?!" I exclaim, staring down at my brothers, who are kneeling on the white and black tiled floor, petting our little fur ball.

They both agreed on naming our pup Avin, which I think is a terrible choice!

"Let's pick something else, Avin isn't the best name for it."

"It's a nice name, I like it," Peter says, stroking its black hairy thin tail.

"No, Let's think of something else, Avin doesn't fit him."

"What do you know about dogs, A-man-da?" Nonso asks, looking up at me with a raised brow.

"I admit I don't know anything about dogs, but I don't think Avin suits him."

"It does!" Nonso exclaims, his brow furrowed in annoyance.

"I don't think it does. Let's think of something else. I could browse the internet."

"We don't need Google!" Peter exclaims, focused on the pup and stroking its head.

I sigh, shaking my head, and raise my hands to my waist.

"Avin sounds off; it gives a black vibe, and he's brown!"

"He does have a black stripe," Peter says, holding up the tiny pup for me to see.

It indeed has a black stripe on its back, and aww...it looks really innocent and cute - those button-like teddy bear eyes, its small black nose, and its floppy ears with black tips that drop on its face, making it look adorable.

I reach out to hold its tiny paw, but Peter drops it down immediately, making me frown.

"Why did you do that?"

"I don't want you to be all weird and awkward with Avin, like those girls in my class. They're so extra!"

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean by 'extra'?"

"When they get to see Avin, they'll be all like, 'Kiss me, Avin! Mua mua mu mu! You're such a good boy! Give Mommy a kiss!' Gag me with a spoon! That's so extra!"

"I'm like, dude, stop! You're embarrassing yourself!" he says, shaking his head in disgust.

I laugh at his antics. "Well I'm not going to be doing any of those."

"That's what they always say!"

"I'm not 'they,' I'm me. Just let me hold him."

"Nope."

"But-"

"Avin it is!" Nonso suddenly exclaims, his arm raised and his eyes shining with excitement as he looks at both Peter and me.

But his smile slowly fades as he realizes he said that at the wrong time.

"You didn't have to shout, Nonso, and no, we're not going with Avin," I say, calmly.

"Of course we are!" Nonso insists, his brows furrowed in determination.

"It's just that Avin doesn't sound cute for a pup like this."

"Avin is a cool name!" Nonso insists, his brow still furrowed.

"I don't know, it just doesn't fit his personality."

"His personality? You've just met him!" Peter says, chuckling.

"I know, but he looks so sweet and innocent. Avin sounds too harsh for him."

"It's a unisex name, and it means 'bird-like' or 'fair one'," Nonso says, smiling. "It suits him perfectly!"

I sigh, realizing my brothers are too attached to the name Avin. "Fine, but can we at least try to find a nickname for him?"

Peter grins. "Like what?"

"I don't know...something cute and furry-sounding."

"Avin it is, then!" Nonso exclaims, smiling triumphantly.

I roll my eyes, but can't help smiling at the pup's adorable face. "I guess Avin it is, for now."

"But can I at least hold him?"

"Ugh, fine. As long as you don't do any of that cringeworthy stuff, you can go ahead with it," peter says, his knees scraping against the tile as he shifts to the left.

"Yay!" I exclaim, quickly kneeling down on the cold, smooth tile floor, which feels relaxing under my knees.

"Be careful with him," Nonso warns from my right.

I nod, my heart racing with excitement.

Our eyes remain fixed on the pup - Avin - and he's surprisingly still, as if he's too shy to move.

We're kneeling in a circle around him, and I wonder if he's scared.

My smile slowly fades as I ask, "Why isn't he moving?"

"It's because of you, Amanda. He's scared of you," Peter says, making me clench my fists in annoyance.

I shoot him a glare, but he just grins, his eyes crinkling at the sides. "It's you he doesn't like."

He chuckles, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Did I touch a nerve?"

I simply huff, shaking my head. "Fool," I mutter under my breath.

I relax my fists and shift my gaze back to the tiny pup.

He can barely raise his head, his black teddy bear eyes fixed on my knee.

He's facing me straight on, his head held steady.

I stretch out my hands, beckoning him to come closer.

"Come here, boy, come here..."

"His name is Avin, A-V-I-N. Call him that," Peter interrupts.

I roll my eyes, my smile absent, and continue calling out to the pup. "Come here."

"Avin, come here, boy," Nonso joins in, signaling with his hands. But the little puppy refuses to budge, his head turned in Nonso's direction.

"Is he scared or confused?" I ask, my gaze flicking to Peter, who shrugs in response. "I don't know, but I think so."

"Let's stand up and see what he does," I suggest, already raising myself up with my palm against the cold floor.

"Let's see how he reacts when we move around."

I glance at my brothers, who are still fixated on Avin.

"Hmm...let's try that," Nonso says, standing up and adjusting his stance.

"Okay then," Peter adds, also rising to his feet.

I take a step back and pause, my eyes fixed on Avin to see his reaction. But he remains still, facing me, looking like a dark brown hairy ball with a black stripe and a thin, hairy tail - incredibly cute.

"Avin, come on, come on, boy!" Peter and Nonso call out in unison, their voices echoing through the entrance hall.

They start clapping loudly, which might frighten the pup.

I stretch out my arms, my eyes still fixed on Avin, who keeps his head down.

"You guys should stop clapping, he might be scared," I say, my voice echoing through the hall.

They instantly stop clapping, and the entrance hall returns to its previous quiet state, with only the sound of chirping birds filling the air.

I slowly start stepping backward, taking cautious steps to avoid hitting anything.

Then, I turn around and walk forward normally, my eyes fixed on Avin, watching for any sign of movement.

And then, suddenly, he twitches. His tiny tail wags once, twice, and he takes a small step forward.

"Yes!" I exclaim, my voice barely audible. "Come on, Avin. You can do it."

Peter and Nonso hold their breath, watching as Avin takes another step forward, his eyes fixed on me.

I kneel down, holding out my hands, and Avin takes a few more steps, his tail wagging tentatively.

"You're doing it, Avin!" Peter exclaims.

Avin reaches me and sniffs my hands, his tail wagging more confidently now.

I scoop him up, cradling him in my arms, and he nuzzles his head into my chest.

"We did it!" Nonso cheers, grinning at Peter and me.

I smile, feeling a warmth in my heart. "We sure did."

And gosh, his fur is like silk, so soft and gentle against my skin.

I cradle him in my arms, feeling the tiny beats of his heart, and the delicate curves of his tiny bones.

He's so small, so vulnerable, and yet, his small black eyes shine with a deep innocence.

I raise him up to my face, and his warm breath tickles my skin, his eyes locked on mine.

"Please don't start with the cringe stuff, Amanda," Peter's voice echoes through the hall.

I shoot him a glare, my smile instantly gone. "I'm not one of your girlfriends, okay? I just think he's a cute pup."

"Aren't you a good guy, Avin?" I ask, carefully raising him up and down in the air.

Aww, his tiny mouth is open now, and he's smiling!

"He likes me!" I exclaim, my heart melting at the sight.

I hear Nonso chuckling, but Peter's response is a simple huff, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Avin, you're so adorable!" I coo, showering him with kisses. "Yes, you are! You're the cutest pup in the whole world!"

Nonso chuckles, "Amanda, you're going to spoil him rotten."

"I can't help it," I reply, "he's just so precious!"

"Nonso you too?" Peter asks, then scoffs, "You're both ridiculous."

I glance at Peter, "Hey, don't be jealous just because Avin likes me better."

Peter smirks, "I'm not jealous, I just think you're both being silly."

I smile, "That's because you don't have a heart, Peter."

Nonso laughs, "Oh man, Amanda, you got him there."

I grin, "Yeah, I did."

Avin wiggles in my arms, and I look down at him, "You're the little king of this house, Avin. And I'm so glad I get to be your queen."

"And that's the cringeworthy stuff I was talking about; you girls are so cheesy!" Peter complains.

Nonso and I burst out laughing. "Like you don't also want to do those cheesy things too," I tease.

He starts swaying from side to side with his arms crossed, "Well..."

I carefully hand Avin over to Nonso and erupt into chuckling. "I thought you considered it cringeworthy!"

"Well, it's cringe when girls do it!"

I burst out laughing, my voice cracking with each guffaw. "Lol, Peter...really?"

Peter rolls his eyes and takes a step closer, "I want to play with him." His words are filled with a tender longing that only makes me laugh harder.

My body shakes uncontrollably, my back collapsing onto the floor with a soft thud. I ignore the sharp pain in my left side, too consumed by the hilarity.

Suddenly, something wraps around my ankle, its tiny fingers grasping like a toothless baby shark.

The sensation is surprisingly gentle yet painful, accompanied by a cold, wet breeze that seeps into my skin.

My laughter falters as my eyes remain fixed on the white ceiling, the sound of Peter and Nonso's laughter echoing through the entrance hall like a gust of wind.

The grip on my ankle tightens, the pressure building like a needle poking my skin.

I blink rapidly, trying to shake off the strange sensation. What is this?

I slowly raise myself up, the grip on my ankle growing tighter, and my brothers' laughter grows even louder.

As I fully sit up, a smile instantly spreads across my lips, and I stare at Avin, who's busily biting my ankle. "Lol, why?"

I gently shake my leg, trying to dislodge him, but his grip is surprisingly strong.

"Avin, let go of my leg!" I laugh.

Peter and Nonso burst into even louder guffaws, their laughter echoing off the walls.

"This is what I like!" Peter chortles, his eyes streaming with tears.

I playfully roll my eyes, still trying to shake Avin off.

"Hey, get off Avin, get off!" I playfully command, but my words met with even more laughter from my brothers.

Why is he biting my ankle?

I shuffle backward, my butt sliding on the tile with a soft scrape, but Avin keeps advancing, his tiny hands and feet moving determinely towards me.

It's as if he's bent on claiming my ankle as his own!

I continue to scoot backward, my arms trembling and my lips parted in suprise.

My eyes dart around the room, searching for an escape route or a potential shield, but my brothers are too engrossed in their laughter even as they watch me in my distress.

Avin, sensing victory, increases his pace, his tiny fingers flexing like miniature claws.

I let out a mock shriek. And just as Avin is about to pounce, I swiftly lift my leg out of his reach, using my other foot to push myself backward.

I collide with the wall, my breath catching in my throat, but I manage to keep my ankle safely out of Avin's grasp.

I swiftly jump to my feet, but Avin remains resolute, determined to claim my leg at all costs!

He eagerly skips towards me, his eyes fixed intently on my legs.

Before he can get any closer, I dart to the side, but he persistently pursues me, his relentless chase starting to feel unsettling.

Peter and Nonso's laughter has subdued, their attention fully focused on us with wide smiles.

"You guys should help instead of just watching!" I exclaim, hurrying towards them, hoping to find refuge from Avin's unyielding pursuit.

They run away from me instead, parting ways and their laughter escalating once more, filling the quietness of the hall.

I dash to the living room entrance, push aside the curtain, and quickly hide behind it.

I step on the hem of the curtain and use my fingers to pin both sides to the wall, creating a makeshift barrier to prevent Avin from following me.

The curtain yellow fabric is thin, and I can see Avin's tiny figure trying to push it aside.

His little black eyes scan the area, searching for any sign of me. I press my fingers harder against the wall, ensuring the curtain remains in place.

My heart leaps with joy, and a smile instantly forms across my lips as Avin turns around and starts chasing Nonso and Peter instead. Phew!

I release the curtain and poke my head out, surprised to find Nonso and Peter on the floor, laughing and allowing Avin to climb all over them.

I breathe a sigh of relief and shake my head.

We should have named him Chase rather than Avin. Chase fits his personality perfectly, and it sounds brown, the perfect match for him.

I reluctantly tear my gaze away from them as I turn to face our bright living room.

The room is powered by our white bright lights, one at each of the four corners and one at the center of the ceiling.

Our coffee-brown couch and glass table sit below, with our TV on a shelf playing a Nigerian movie.

My mom sits on the couch opposite the TV, with her phone in hand, stealing glances at the screen.

She suddenly turns her head in my direction, her facial expression neutral. "Oh."

A gentle smile forms on my lips, and I walk over to my mom and slump onto the couch beside hers.

I raise my hand to my forehead and begin massaging it with my eyes closed.

"So, how's the pup?" my mom asks.

Without changing my position, I respond, "He's getting comfortable here. He's going to be a stubborn boy, I can tell." I chuckle.

"Have you guys picked a name?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to go with Avin, but Peter and Nonso love it, so Avin it is."

"Avin isn't a bad name, it's nice. Did you have something else in mind?"

I slowly open my eyes, sit up straight, and rest my hands on the armrest.

"Well, I didn't have any other ideas until now." I finally respond, my gaze on my mom, who's still focused on her phone.

"So, what did you eventually come up with?" she asks.

I squint my eyes in thought, biting my inner cheek.

"After he chased me in the entrance hall, almost biting my leg, I thought of naming him Chase."

"Hmm, that's a nice name, but I don't think Peter or Nonso would agree to it."

I sigh, shaking my head, "exactly."

"By the way, aren't your results out?"

Her words send my heart racing, and my eyes snap open.

I adjust in my seat, feeling a chill run down my spine.

"That's true," I say, my eyes staring blankly into the air, my vision blurring.

"Any news about it?"

I gulp hard, returning my gaze to her, "Uh, I haven't been updated, I'll ask the man."

"Hmm," she nods, "You should do that right away. Let's know what's happening."

"Hmm, okay," I nod, feeling a sudden queasiness in my stomach.

I gulp hard again, then raise myself up with my hands and head to my room, my head downcast as I start thinking to myself.

Now that the exam is over, the next thing is to check my results.

I'm not looking forward to this day, but it's inevitable.

I haven't even spoken to the man in a long time, and I haven't received any updates in a while. I hope his number is still saved on my phone.

Getting to my room, I push open the creaky door and step inside, then close it with a gentle click.

I walk over to my bed and sit down, staring at my phone on the bedside table.

The slant on the screen reminds me of Kendrick, but that's not important right now.

I moisten my lips with my tongue, feeling my heart race faster and the queasiness in my stomach intensify - that uncomfortable feeling when you're both nauseous and need to use the bathroom.

I grab the phone and turn it on. My trembling thumb scrolls up until it lands on WhatsApp.

I click on the app and press the search icon, then start typing "imsu man."

It loads, and luckily, I still have his number saved.

I clench my jaw and gulp hard before clicking on our chat thread.

The messages appear, and the last one was from me, thanking him for helping with my post-UTME form: "Thank you so much, sir."

I take a deep breath, then start typing with my sweaty fingers, "Good evening, sir. Please, I'd like to know if the results are out."

My thumb hovers over the screen, but then I take a deep breath before clicking the send button.

The message sends, and the double white ticks appear, indicating that he's online.

I await his response, my heart racing with each passing moment.