Finding Happiness 2

He hated nights such as this which happened occasionally, his mom and sister hated Deifa’s

presence and vice versa, it would have been better for everyone if she moved out but she

couldn’t do that. Her late father had decreed in his will that she stay in the house until she was

twenty five years and then she could control her money and could do as she wished.

He’d had a hectic day as it was a Friday and he’d been at his office for a while, working and

catching up on some things he’d missed. He was running a post graduate program at the

same university Deifa attended which meant his business partner and best friend was left to

handle most of the business, filling him in on new developments as they came up.

He really didn’t like the way his mom treated Deifa, the girl wasn’t the best step daughter a

woman could have wished for but surely there had to be a better way to handle things. He’d

always had a crush on her since the day he’d seen her, she was a beautiful lady but that didn’t

cloud his judgement. His mother had never handled things right with her, in the beginning

she’d tried but after years of rebuffs from Deifa, his mother had given up trying and now, didn’t

even make an effort anymore.

He wasn’t sure what exactly his mom should have done but if one really cared about

someone, one never stopped trying to get through to the person, right? That was his belief and

he knew it wasn’t just because of his feelings for her which were quite intense as he thought

about her almost all the time except for when he was working and even then, a fleeting

thought might crawl in. He was such a schmuck, an overly infatuated schmuck.

His step sister was one of the popular females in the school and he suspected that was

probably why Tonye envied her so much. She seemed to have it all, looks, money and then

fame. The fame had come as a result of winning the university beauty pageant contest in her

first year. After that she, along with her closest friend and second runner up at the pageant,

Lisa had started a nice club for other hot girls in school like herself and named it ‘Hot Pink’.

What they did mostly was organize events, raised funds and created awareness, often to help a

cause in the school or some charity. The previous year, they had raised funds to get the

computer science department up and running again, just one of their many causes. At

other times they organized parties privately for whoever could afford their fees.

He’d heard guys say their parties and shows were awesome, interesting themes and not

forgetting the hot chicks, female members of the club who ushered their events. He was sure

even if the parties were major flops, the pretty females at the event would definitely make up

for it.

With all her club duties she managed to do well in her academics but the only dirt to her

stunning slate was the loser whom she’d been dating for two years now. Tekena had always

wondered why she chose to date a tout out of all guys in the school. Osaro, Deifa’s boyfriend

although from a wealthy family was known as one of the worst personalities on campus.

Everyone knew he was a cultist and had been in trouble with the school so many times people

had lost count, it was only his father’s huge donations to the school and close friendship with the

V.C that kept him from being expelled.

Tekena always wondered what she saw in Osas, he didn’t even treat her well, they fought in

public almost everyday, he knew Osas always got her upset; her frustration was always

written on her face anytime they had a fight which was almost all the time. He’d seen the sad

look on her face when she’d come into the living room that night, she’d definitely had another

fight with the idiot, he was sure.

He usually sneaked glances at her whenever he could, more than once he’d heard her crying lightly

in her rooms late at night when she thought no one was awake. He wished he could help out but that

was the last thing Deifa wanted, she practically hated him, his mom and Tonye. He’d tried his best to

get on better terms with her but the more he’d tried, the worse it had become.

She’d never approved her father marrying his mother and her hatred for them had begun the day

she’d first set eyes on them. He’d tried his best, but what could a guy do when he was

continuously shunned and embarrassed. His mother and sister had not even helped, they’d never

cared that she kept her distance from them, and when her father had passed on, things

had gotten even worse. He’d always silently blamed his mother, as the adult she should

have tried harder to earn Deifa’s trust but instead she didn’t seem to care.

Had it not been for the conditions her father had put in his final will she wouldn’t have hesitated

in moving out after her father’s death since living under the same roof with his family was torture

for her. Her father’s lawyer who controlled her trust fund until she was twenty five gave her a

monthly allowance which Tekena knew was more than enough to take her through the month,

she also made some money from the club and her modelling gigs she did once in awhile. She

was doing well and he was sure she could depend on herself, she’d done so since her dad had

passed away. She wasn’t necessarily troublesome, just a bit stubborn and usually minded her

business, ignoring his mom, Tonye and his presence.

Getting into his room, he slammed his door shut and dropped on the bed before realizing he’d

left his plates downstairs for Tonye or one of the maids to clear, something he never did.

Anyway since they’d annoyed him, she could do that for him, his bag was also downstairs but

he’d collect that later.

He didn’t have a suite like Deifa did; he just had a large room with a walk in closet and bathroom

but he’d tried to make much use of the space. Carving out a little corner for his mini office that

had a bookshelf, desk and swivel chair. It was okay for him for now even if he could always

move out to a much larger place since his company was doing quite well but he didn’t want to

live all in alone in some apartment. Before his mother had married Deifa’s dad, the extremely

wealthy late Chief Silva, he’d had to share a room with Tonye where they’d both shared a bunk

bed. Thank goodness, those days were long gone now.

He was so grateful for the change, he lived in a great house now, a large room, a comfortable bed,

drove a nice car he’d bought himself, had been able to complete his first degree in the UK

sponsored by his step dad, the only thing he wished he had was his step sister’s friendship. He’d

been trying for about seven years now and was almost convinced it would never happen.

His cell phone which was in his pocket began to ring. He brought it out, he didn’t know the

number on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hi Tikky, how you doing?” The voice on the other end said.

Angela!

“Hey Angel, I’m good. Whose number is this?” He wondered.

“It’s mine, I just acquired it.” she replied in her usual chirpy voice.

“Hmmm, and how did you acquire it? I hope it was not Chief Shokoya that gave it to you oh!” He

joked, there was no one by that name.

She laughed “Actually he offered me one, but being the good girl I am I couldn’t accept. I didn’t

want to offend a certain someone who is my very good friend.”

“That’s very good of you, I knew I brought you up well enough.” He said the both of them

chuckling at each other’s silliness.

“Oh my goodness T.K, be serious for once in your life. My Sister, Tonia just returned from

the states and got me a phone, and so I have two now, that’s why I got the line.”

“Alright, how’s she by the way?”

“Doing very well. She asked of you too.”

“Really? She still remembers me?” he was quite surprised as he’d met her just once a

few months back.

“How wouldn’t she? You’re my tutor, good friend, plus you are so good looking that any girl

who just takes a glance at you remembers you for life.”

He burst into laughter, this was one of the reasons he liked hanging around her, she knew

how to get him laughing with her unexpected wit. “Oh my, I’m blushing here”

“what colour, Purple?” she asked

“Green actually.”

“ Hmmm, would have really loved to see you in green, I’m sure you’d look good in it, you’d

look good in anything- especially nothing.” her voice dropped low, seductive.

“huh?” He swallowed

“You’d look good in nothing most especially.” She repeated slowly as if she wanted him

to process every word in his head.

“Angel…” he started unsure of what to say, “I..I’m not sure you should say those kind of

things to me.”

“Oh please,” she brushed it aside, back to her chirpy self “Stop being prissy, I know you

don’t like me enough to go out with me, doesn’t mean I can’t tell you what I feel like, we are

still friends after all,abi?”

He sighed, she said whatever she felt like and never hid her opinion on anything. “Yeah, we

are still friends but…”

“But nothing. I have to go now, see you tomorrow, sleep tight. Mmmuuuaaah,” she kissed

him and hung up.

He stared at the phone in his hand, unsure of what to think next. She got him this way,

speechless. He should have been used to it by now but he wasn’t and wasn’t sure he ever

would be. She was one of a kind, he was sure he’d have fallen for her easily if his heart hadn’t

been occupied by another. If only he could shed away what he felt, he’d dated in the past but

he’d never felt for them what he did for his step sister. Sometimes, he wondered if he was a

perv to feel this way toward a relative but that would have to be answered some other day

because at the moment, he needed to get to sleep as he had to get up early to work on

something for a client.

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