Unto say : Surprises

I'm staying over at cam's place for mid terms." I say to my mum over the phone.

"But your dad wanted you to come back so we can choose a country for our Easter vacation.

"I'm not going anywhere with him". I reply coldly

"Besides, I'm already at her house. Midterms is actually starting today. Obviously you didn't know".

"Oh. It...it is?"

"Yes. Bye mother."

I hang up and lean back in the car seat. Drinking in the chocolate scent of the car.

This isn't the first, second or third time I'm going to Cam's. Many of my stuff is there. So many, I already have my own room .

"This mission thing is more dangerous than I initially thought." I half whisper.

"I know. I'm debating whether or not to tell my mum."

"Don't."

Then, I see her nosy driver is staring at is through the rearview mirror and take the cue to shut up.

We stop at a mall to get some pastries before we get to Cam's place.

She lives in a glitzy, almost mansion in one of the estates in the poshest parts of Lagos. Like me.

"As the gate to her house slipping open I notice her wringing her hands. Her brother. She didn't want to believe he's in a coma.

I take one of her tense hands.

We drive into the compound. Which is colourful due to all the well manicured plants.

Her mother is standing outside in front of her house, making a call.

We alight from the car. And once she spots us, the gets off the call and walks over.

Her skin is tanned from her years in Nigeria, but still nonetheless smooth beautiful.

Her hair is chestnut brown and is in beautiful waves down to her waist.

Her eyes are ocean blue, and she is petite with pert features.which earns her stares of disbelief whenever she says she's 41 with five kids, And Most of which cam inherited.

The woman is stunning. No doubt. And has a motherly aura surrounding her.

"Mia bambola!" She exclaims and hugs cam tightly.

"Come here!"

She pulls me into the hug as well.

After like forever, she lets go.

Her strong mango scent is now on my collar.

"How are you both? I'd have come to get you myself but I had to drop chidi off at basketball and fab at her violin class."

Her voice is very.... satisfying to listen to. Her accent is American laced with the Nigerian accent. It amazes me how whenever she wants to yell at someone, she slips into Italian so easily. And also instead of realising you're being scolded, you'll just be watching like an olodo.

"Kiki. I'm happy you're joining us."

I nod

She knows about my family. How chaotic my dad is, and always welcomes me anytime I come over.

"Let's get inside ok? I cooked."

We all walk inside the huge house.

"So how has school been? Your tests nko?"

I nod. I got a 6 over 10 on math. Which is a huge achievement for me cos I know absolutely nothing in math. People are always like, I thought Yoruba people know maths. Like, I hate the stereotype.

"Go to your rooms and freshen up ok? Then you come down for lunch."

The house is quite silent. Probably cos her eight year old chatterbox twin siblings aren't around.

We walk into her room. Its neatly arranged and in a particular pattern. Cam's a very particular person. Her room is mostly pink and mint green

From the bedside lamp to the door.

Wool is arranged in colour code on her shelf. Beneath them are her inspirational books and novels which occupy three rows.

Then her ceramic figurines, her vases, craftwork gifts I'd given her over the years and framed pictures.

On the walls are four inspirational posters.

And in the middle of all of them is a huge poster of Manu Rios, the actor from elite,shirtless.

She's obsessed with him

Then her reading table at the corner with another small bookshelf, her big mirror I helped her design and the heavy apple scent. Her queen size bed is in inviting pink and blue sheets with her furry white pillow, her empty hoy water bottle and bigger pillows.

I sigh and sit down on the bed.

"When will you ask her about Jaja?"

She sighs.

"I don't want to bring it up just yet. What if Mrs Okafor was lying?"

"I dunno again."

My phone buzzes in my hand.

One WhatsApp message.

From mum

'Your father is angry'.

"I don't care." I reply and turn both the phone and my data off.

"Anyways, let's just bathe and we'll ask her later.

Turns out, it wasn't a lie. But the good news is that he'd woken up a week before and seemed to be recovering quickly. We visit him later that evening. I was just more than happy he was ok.

I push all the worries behind me, and focus on Living my normal life. At least until we return.

"I heard there's a party this evening." Cam says as she swirls in her swivel chair.

"U up?"

"Duhh. Lemme get drunk and fuck someone."

I turn to her slowly and she laughs.

"Ok that came out wrong."

"Wait till I tell fey and the others that the almighty Cameo has admitted for once that she has interest in banging someone."

"You would not dare."

"Try me." I say and pick up my phone.

She lunges at me, trying to snatch the phone.

I dodge and run away giggling. Then I bump into something rock hard.

Or at least, someone.

"Ow!" I exclaim and look up.

I totally forgot Jaja's hunky twin was coming back from school today to see Jaja.

Jaja and Ckay are twins but not identical. They're both of the same height and skin tone, which is a little darker than everyone in their family.

But while Jaja is cute and bubbly, Ckay is more reserved. And very much hotter. With more defined abs and an exceptional jawline.

And he's shirtless.

Wonderful.

"Oh. So it's you that's screaming like a banshee."

"Yes. Well, I was just playing with cam ..."

Don't look at the abs.

Don't look.

"And you're running around like a five year old on steroids?"

I pout, feigning anger.

He laughs.

"My mum says you and cam should come downstairs."

"To do what?"

"To help set up everything na. The balloons and stuff. Mum's bringing Jaja from the hospital today."

"Oh. Ok. And are your abs going?.

..I mean..are you going?"

"Nah. I'm going to pick up some ice cream. What flavor should I get you?"

"Chocolate chest....I mean abs...sorry..chip."

He chuckles

"Ok na. I'll be going now. Bye. And err...are your ears always that red?"

I unconsciously touch them.

My blushing only shows by my ears. And he saw.

Shit.

"N..no."

I watch him head up to his room.

To say I had a little crush on him would be a serious understatement.

But no was in hell am I ever going to tell cam. Like, ever. I'd rather die.

"Kiki! You witch!"

I laugh as cam approaches me.

"I didn't call them ok?"

"Better."

"But I thought you said sex was a superficial excuse for stress relief and is only necessary for procreation?"

"That's when I was 13 ok? What do you always use that against me?" She protests.

I giggle, irking her.

"Your mum wants us to help with the decor remember?"

"Oh. For Jaja.".

We bound down the stairs when we hear a scream.

"Gimme!!!!" Faby is screaming as she pulls on a towel with her twin brother.

""Hey! Give it to me!" I yell as soon as I get to them.

Chidi pushes faby before he turns to me and hands me the towel.

"Why are you dragging a towel like it's gold?" Cam asks.

"Faby said that she wants to have my friend's towel. He lent it to me ages ago and I wanted to take it upstairs from the pantry but faby started dragging it with me."

"Faby why?"

" My friend says she'll pay me if I get it"

I sit down on the ground.

" Faby. Sit down and explain."

She does. Rather reluctantly.

"My friend is having a party on Friday and she says I can't come if I don't get the towel because I broke one of her really expensive water bottles and she really likes chidis friend cos he's cool and he's in grade four..."

"Slow down."

"Who is this your 'friend'?" I ask, holding back laughter.

My phone starts ringing just then.

Unknown number.

I pick it up nervously.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Can you tell cam to open the door? I'm here."

"Who are you?"

"Only the handsomest being you'll ever know."

I hang up.

My phone starts ringing almost instantly.

"What?!" I scream into it.

"Ah ah na. Aje bota open door for me. Your security is holding me."

Oh. Him

I walk over to the door.

Sure enough, akpan is standing beside Wilmer and another unfamiliar boy.

Cam comes up beside me.

"Oh. Hi Wilmer. Mr akpan, these are my friends."

Akpan gives them a suspicious glare before walking off.

"When did you invite him?" I ask angrily.

"At school. I gave him my address. Come in."

I roll my eyes

"Your house is beautiful." Wilmer compliments.

"Thanks."

"Who is this angel?" Wilmer gushes before walking over to Cam's sister who is still sulking.

Faby marches off immediately she sees him.

"Faby! Non puoi salutare?"

Faby turns and glares at her

"I can. But I don't want to."

I know cam has just asked her if she can't greet.

The disrespect.

"Oh my Gosh! You speak Spanish?!". Wilmer asks, amazed.

"Italian genius." I correct.

Faby dashes off before cam can throw a anything at her.

"Sorry about that." Cam quickly apologizes.

"Let's go meet my mum first." Cam says, leading us upstairs

"Umm...ok. is she like, strict or something?" A nervous Wilmer asks.

Before cam can reply, her mum emerges from her room

Her hair up in a neat bun, and she looks like she's about to go out.

"Hey mum. These are my friends. They came over for a bio project. If you don't mind.

Her mum breaks into a smile.

"Wonderful then. I'm going out dears. So help yourselves to some snacks in the kitchen. And please keep an eye on faby and chidi for me ok?"

With that, she rushes off.

"Should we stay in your room or the library?" I ask

"Library sounds better.

So we head there.

After making ourselves comfy on the rug, Wilmer opens his bag and brings out a laptop.

"Who's this guy anyways?" I ask.

The guy is in a pair of glasses and a black hoodie.

He waves.

"This is timi. My friend. He's helping us don't worry. He has mad hacking skills and is a computer genius."

"He doesn't talk?"

"I talk. I'm not dumb" timi says suddenly.

"Oh. Good to know."

"Ok let's get down to business." Wilmer says, rising and placing the laptop on a desk.

"This is Sonia..she was kidnapped on Thursday afternoon after she gets out of a car with a mysterious package. We were able to get this video of when she was being kidnapped."

"In the video, which looks like it is being recorded from upstairs of a building.

"We can only see her Being dragged and stuffed into a black car with no plate number."

"Number plate." I unconsciously correct.

He gives me a tired look.

"Sorry. Queen Charlotte. Number plate. Anyways, this is all we could get. There's been no call for ransom so far."

"So Sherlock, where are we starting?" I ask.

"We discovered that the package she's with is from one of our associates." He shows the next slide of a thin man with no hair and a scar beneath his left eye.

"Who apparently went missing two years ago."

"So he just resurfaced out of nowhere?"

Wilmer nods.

"Timi here was able to discover his home address. And we suspect he didn't go missing. He ran away. Possibly from Banjo and his people.

"And I went through Sonia's insta page, and I saw a picture she posted on her engagement party with this same man. So we guess they're related.

"So probably he ran away from banjo With something important and then gave it to an unsuspecting Sonia to hold for him since she knows nothing about it." I say slowly assimilating the info.

"Yes! Now our brains are working!"

"Now we have a motive. Finding her now is another thing."

"Aren't adults on this case? Why are we stressing ourselves?"

"This is where we come in."

"We need to find how we could get close to Banjo."

The doors open and Ckay sticks his head in.

"There was no chocolate chip...who are you?" He asks

"My friends. We're working on something. Now scram.".

"More than glad to. And kiki there's no chocolate chip so I got you coffee. Do you like coffee?"

I nod, blushing.

"Ok na. Bye."

He actually cares about my

taste buds!

"I thought you guys would have started the decorating?"

Our eyes widen.

"And dad is home."

We all hurry out of the library and run smack into cam's dad.

"Wilmer?" Is the first word that escapes his lips.

"Mr Angelo?"