Edited and slightly rewritten

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Timi,

I didn't even sit down before my sister started her questions. She smiled and sat down beside me. I purposely remained silent, pretending to be interested in the movie showing on the television.

I felt her eyes on me and I sighed facing her "What?"

"Anna huh, good choice."

I feigned annoyance but couldn't help smiling as Anna's beautiful face came to my mind. "Daniella stop it." I stared at her for a while and we ended laughing.

We spent hours talking about school stuffs and how things had been going. We talked till my mom got back from work. She came back with grandma. They were so happy to see Dani.

As soon as we finished dinner, grandma retired to her room as she complained of light headache, while my mom, I and Dani remained in the living room.

"Timilehin, get your things ready, you're leaving tomorrow, hope you know?" My mom asked.

I groaned "Where are I going to?" I joked but the serious look my mom gave me wiped the smile off my face "Sorry, I'll pack my things this night before I sleep."

She nodded.

"Where are you guys going to again?" Dani asked.

"We're going to be staying with my dad." I replied. She looked surprised and she frowned.

"Mom, you didn't tell me."

"I... I forgot." My mom muttered.

"Ah ah mummy where will I stay then?" Dani said loudly.

"Why will you be shouting at me, am I deaf?, when did all this one start." My mom replied angrily.

Dani massaged her temple "Sorry, I just thought I'll stay here with you guys, I don't want to go home."

"You can still stay with me and your grandma."

I was taken aback. "I don't understand, you said you're coming with me na."

"Timilehin."

"Ma?" I whispered.

Don't say you won't go with me,please.

"I thought about it, I'm still a married woman , you know I can't stay with another man yet until I have resolve this issue with my husband."

I sat upright and then rested my elbows on my knees "I don't understand."

Dani shook her head.

"What I mean to say is that you will be staying with your dad, and I won't be coming along."

"Then I'm not going." I stated.

"You're joking!." My mom shouted.

"Mom, let Timi stay here na, what's there?" Dani added.

"What's there is I don't have money, the job I'm doing is not enough to even feed us, I'm already tired. I'm tired." She started crying. " Do you think I don't want my son with me? Do you think I don't want us to be together? I just have no choice."

I rushed to her and hugged her. I never thought of how things must have been since we left our house. I never thought about how she much she had been working just to provide for us.

She came home late each night and I never asked her how she she was struggling to provide.

It dawned on me that I didn't care for her.

"I'm sorry, I'll go." I rubbed her back as she sobbed. "I'll go tomorrow, and I'll come to visit every day if I can."

"Thank you." My mom said. She wiped her tears off and then stood up "I'm going to sleep, don't stay up late."

We nodded and she left.

I turned to face Dani "why don't you want to go home?"

"You and mom are my family so I have to be wherever you guys are, besides I don't think I want to see Dad."

I laughed and nodded in understanding.

"How far your jamb?"

"I didn't write." I replied.

"Why?"

"With everything that happened recently, I wasn't ready."

"Aww and here I was thinking you'll join me soon."

"I will, don't worry."

"So out of curiosity, how does your dad look?" Dani asked and I eyed her.

"Talk joh."

I thought of my dad for a while. He looked nice. "I really don't know, he looks nice though." I voiced out my thought.

"If anyone deserves happiness, its you. You've been through a lot so I really hope you'll be happy with your new dad, i really hope so."

I nodded.

Dani got up and stretched "I'm so tired, good night."

"Good night." I whispered.

An hour later, after texting Anna good night, I packed my things in two boxes and then slept off.

Dreaming of the day that laid ahead.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

"Timi I think your dad is here." Dani whispered as she shook me vigorously. I stirred in my sleep before my eyes fully opened.

"Dani what Is it?"

"Your dad."

I yawned. "What's time?"

She shrugged "Dunno, I think after ten or so."

"Why did he come early, are we traveling to another state?" I asked a bit annoyed.

"See you, he came to see mom, if you see the way the way they are smiling at each other." Dani smiled and I chuckled lightly. I was fully awake.

I took my bath and headed straight to the kitchen because I was really hungry. As usual my grandma was cooking.

"Good morning ma."

"Morning dear."

"What's cooking?" I asked rubbing my palms together.

She smiled "Plaintain and garden egg sauce." She said slowly and my stomach growled.

It had been a while since I had that meal and i couldn't wait.

I walked to the living room where my parents were and I greeted.

"Good morning dear." My dad replied. He was looking really good in the black T-shirt and blue jeans he wore. He looked at me and I smiled.

"When are we leaving?" I asked trying to start a conversation.

"Anytime you want."

"Okay, after breakfast then, because I can't miss that particular meal my mom is preparing."

He grinned and my mom laughed "foodie."

After a wonderful breakfast, I carried my bags from the room with the help of Dani and I saw my mom crying again. I hugged her.

"Mummy, I'm not going anywhere na, I'll even come here tomorrow if you want." I said to her and she nodded.

I hugged my grandma and Dani before we finally leaved.

I saw a red Sudan car packed outside the house and I turned to face him"you have a car?"

"Yes I do."

After arranging my stuff in the booth, I got in the passenger's seat and wore my seat belt as the car reversed.

"Is your house really far from here?" I asked.

"No, like forty-five minutes."

I nodded.

As soon as we got on the road, my dad switched on the radio and beginning by Joeboy came blaring out.

"Omo walai , if dem point gun to my head say make I deny you i go tell them say lie lie."

"For where?" My dad said as he heard the lyrics and I laughed hard.

"No be lie, I go fit spend a lot of money on you, spend a couple couple Milli on you, give you love until you say e don do." I sang along and nodded my head to the beat.

I looked through the window as we passed Some familiar places and soon we were in a street I had never been to. There were so many people on the street, mostly teenagers and somehow I felt happy to be here.

My dad horned in front of a three story building and a guy opened the gate. The house floor was interlocked unlike the street which had lot of potholes.

The house had three balconies on each floor and the whole building was painted peach, the main gate too.

My dad packed well and we got down.

"Nice place." I commented still looking round.

"Yeah, but its not as quite as where you were staying before. There are six tenants in the building, two on each floor."

I nodded before grabbing my things from the booth, I trailed behind him as we climbed the stairs to the last floor.

There was a door opposite ours and I could hear voices shouting from the house. I smiled a little.

As soon as I stepped inside the apartment, I was awed. It was really beautiful. The house was painted lilac purple and dark purple. The living room wasn't really big but there were comfortable looking couches and a large flat screen. What else could I ask for?

The dinning area was at the left and at the right was a glass door which showed the large balcony, I could imagine myself chatting there at night.

My dad turned to look at me. "I know it's not much."

I was lost of words so I didn't reply.

He opened a door which looked like a passage. "All the rooms are here."

He took me to my room first and I threw my bags into the wardrobe. The room was painted sky blue and I liked it.

I followed my dad out again as we walked towards another door. He opened it and I took a peek inside. "This is my room and that's the last room." He said pointing to another door.

I nodded.

"The only problem is that we will have to share the bathroom here because they are only two bathrooms in the house and the other one is for guests."

I nodded again "No problem."

As we entered the living room, my dad got a call and when he dropped the phone, he gave me an apologetic look.

"I have to check something so I'd be gone for like an hour."

"Okay."

"What should I buy when I'm coming back so we can eat?"

"I saw someone selling fried yam in the street, you can buy it."

He nodded and after grabbing a few things, he left.

There was no light so I couldn't watch television. I decided to do some exploration around the house.

I opened the fridge close to the dinning table, there were lot of food stuff there. A can of Milo, can of Peak and a loaf of bread was on top of the fridge too.

I entered the kitchen which was painted orange. It wasn't big but it was really neat. I wondered how my dad was able to keep the whole house neat since he lived alone.

Not knowing what to do again, I decided to check out the whole compound. I went downstairs and then walked around the compound. It was neat too. I saw a few tenants and I greeted.

Few minutes later after I was satisfied, I decided to go back inside the house. As I was about to open the gate, the gate opposite opened, i didn't turn to see who it was.

I wanted to enter when the person spoke out.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

I turned to looked at who was asking. It was a girl. She was light skinned and she looked really beautiful. She folded her hands while her eyes traveled from my head to toe and vice versa.

I couldn't help but stare at her long lashes.

"Huh, I'm entering my house." I finally replied.

"That's not your house. That's uncle Peter's house." She replied.

Uncle peter, uncle peter. Was my dad's Name peter? I didn't even know.

"He's my dad."

I replied and entered the house but she followed me. "Wow really? I didn't know he had a son."

I sighed. "I've been with my mom."

"Oh." She sat down like she was in her house, crossing her legs. "What's your name?"

"Timi." I replied.

"My name is Alex."

I nodded. "Okay, Alexandra right?"

"Alex oh, that name is too long jare." Finally she stood up and walked towards the door, but before she left, she turned back.

"Anyways, I'm your neighbour and your new best friend." She winked and then she was gone.

I laughed. "That went well."

I entered the balcony and rested on the railing when my phone chimed. I brought it out.

It was a new message from Anna.

Babe💞
You won't believe what happened this morning.

Me: what happened?

A/n

First of all. I really can't believe this book has hit 10k+ reads. Like how? I'm so happy!!!! I really have to say a big thanks to all my readers. When I started this book, I never dreamt of it reaching even 1k reads then. I was about to delete it but my friend told me to just write. So I kept writing.

I started paying attention to this book from chapter ten and I decided to just do what I can besides it was my first story and see where we are now😱

Thanks once again.

There's a new character "Alex". You guys will be seeing lots of her in chapters to come.

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Love y'all💋💋