Tope

 I spent most of my time in my room either on my phone or reading a book and I refused to come out except to eat and there after, I would go back into my room. It was on one of these days that Tope, decided that he would try and break my shell.

A knock resounded and I dropped the book I was reading to answer the door.

"Come in!"

Tope came in wearing a small smile. I had to admit that Tope was a nice and polite guy, it was his sister, Tiwa that was the best who made up her mind that she hated me but I never liked her either.

"Hey," He greeted as soon as he opened the door.

"Um hi?" 

"I wanted to know if you would like to head out with us?" He asked.

"No thank you," was my prompt answer.

"So you're just going to keep staying indoors?" He asked teasingly.

"Yes sir,"

"Staying inside all day can't be healthy Dalu."

"Going out is way more dangerous," I replied.

Tope sighed and I felt bad. He was making an attempt to make me feel at home but I was brushing it off blatantly, and it was unfair. It's not his fault my mum abandoned me in the first place, so why make him suffer unfairly?

"Where are you even going to?" I asked him.

"We're going to the supermarket to get some back to school items. I was hoping you would tag along."

We? 

"We?" I asked.

"Tiwa is coming along too." Tope said and I rolled my eyes. Ofcourse his twin sister would follow him.

"She's really not that bad," Tope said when he noticed my eye roll.

"Na she sabi abeg." I said in response. "Let me quickly change and join you downstairs yeah?"

"I knew you wouldn't say no," he bragged and I gave him a dead pan look.

"I will simply go back to bed," I said dryly.

"Sorry, let me excuse you." He said and swiftly closed the door behind him. A smile tugged at my lips. Maybe I was going to be fond of him after all.

I changed my dress quickly into a white top and blue jeans my mum bought the other day and matched it with black crocs. I threw my phone and air pods into a small bag and applied lipgloss hastily. My hair was not made, so I combed it and packed it in a neat bun, then put on a white head band too. I didn't want to look out of place in the midst of these rich people. I couldn't give Tiwa a reason to sneer at me.

I sprayed a little perfume and proceeded to rush down the stairs.

Tope and Tiwa were talking in the living room and when he sighted me, he stood up.

"Great let's go," 

Tiwa eyed me and snorted and I rolled my eyes at her. 

We all got into the car and Tope insisted on driving so it was just the three of us. Through out the ride, I just listened to music on the highest volume throughout the ride.

 When we got to the supermarket, I followed Tope around as he made many attempts to get me to talk. He asked my opinion on random items in the supermarket even though I'm certain it was a routine for him and he didn't really need my opinion. Tiwa went into another segment of the store and I was happy I didn't have to deal with her judgy eyes anymore.

Tope told me he was in the science class and I told him the same thing. He said he wanted to study Medicine and Surgery and I said I wanted to study psychology. We continued to have a very casual discussion before his phone beeped and he peeked into it.

"Tiwa says my friends are looking for me," Tope informed me.

"Okay?" I asked because it was a nice information but it looked like he was asking for a favour.

"I want to go and meet them." Tope said.

"You don't need my permission to meet your friends." I deadpanned.

He chuckled at my tone and probably the look I was giving him. "I know, I know, I just want you to tag along and say hi. I don't want you to be alone in this supermarket."

"First of all, I believe I can take care of myself, sir.

And why do you want me to say hi?"

"You're too stubborn little girl." Tope muttered.

"Can we please go?"

I rolled my eyes but I followed him anyways with a smile tugging on my face. He linked our arms together 'so that no one would kidnap me' in his words. We met his friends soon after, they were three tall guys and they exchanged pleasantries in pidgin. They talked for sometime and I was on my phone until Tope called my attention.

"Dalu these are my friends, Kings, Nedu and Justin. You guys, this is my little sister." Tope introduced us.

"You're older by a year, it's not that deep," I reminded him and he brushed me aside.

His friends stared at me awkwardly, except for Kings who welcomed me with a side hug.

"Nice to meet you D." Kings said and I smiled at him, genuinely liking his vibe.

"Nice to meet you too."

I continued to tag along with them and his two awkward friends would look at me from time to time but I looked at them back with a deadpan look so they'd know I caught them looking.

They went their separate ways eventually and Kings took my number before he left.

"Your friends are weird." I stated bluntly.

Tope laughed at my statement as if I made a funny joke but I joined him to laugh too.

"They're not, they were probably wondering why you're so tiny." Tope replied teasingly.

I eyed him warily. "I'm not even that short."

Tope laughed again. "I never said you were."

I simply rolled my eyes at his tactics.

"Are you ready to go now?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I want to buy things for my hair. I just remembered that I'm supposed to make it tomorrow." I told him. I made him follow me to the hair section of the supermarket. He pretended to complain but we both knew he was more than eager to follow me.

When we got there, Tope picked up a white attachment and showed it to me.

"How's this colour?" Tope asked and I visibly face palmed.

"It's white." I said dryly.

"White is a nice colour," Tope defended.

"I don't want to go to a new school, on my first day, with white hair extensions on my head." I said to him.

Tope laughed, confirming my suspicions that he was well aware of what he was doing. He continued to pick random colours like blonde, gold, pink and orange.

"Okay, now you have got to be kidding me,"

I said and a laugh I could not muffle escaped my throat. Tope laughed along with me.

"Would I even be allowed into the school gate?" I asked, we were still laughing.

"I don't know," Tope said inbetween laughter. "Life is all about taking risks,"

He picked up the white attachment and placed it beside the orange one. "Look at the nice colour combo,"

We both laughed more.

"I'll soon slap you," I replied still laughing.

"Try it, we only live once," Tope encouraged.

I later settled on a brown coloured attachment and bought some hair accessories to go with it before we headed home.

•

I made Tope follow me to my hair appointment. After the evening at the supermarket, Tope and I started warming up to each other and it somewhat felt like I had known him a long time before I even met him. 

 Tiwa made sure to stay away from me because in her opinion, it was too early to decide whether I was family or not but that sounded like her problem. She even cancelled her appointment and shifted it to the next day because of me.

The salon was big and beautiful. It had an air conditioner, artificial beautiful lights, and big hair qequipments. All the hair stylists had customised shirts on. It was nothing like the salons back home where there were just benches and little children and adults were working there in hopes of learning how to make hair. 

 I was indecisive as to what hair to make but I later settled on goddess braids with curls because I didn't really care much about what my hair looked like. I just wanted it done in time for school. After about seven hours, my hair was done and I was more than ready to leave that place. I paid quickly and dragged Tope out of the salon.

"I like your hair," Tope said.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Your forehead is big," Tope mumbled.

"Your brain is missing some cells!"

Tope laughed at my frustrations and started to drive us home. The ride was quiet which was unlike him but I did not say anything about it.

I was nervously thinking about how I would face my next big obstacle; A rich elite school.