Finding Happiness 4

Deifa was sunbathing at the poolside trying to relax by listening to her IPod but wasn’t succeeding. Thoughts of Osaro filled her head, she’d been avoiding his calls since she’d caught him red handed with that tart Mira at the A- Lounge bar. Who would have thought that changing her mind to surprise that lying cheating boyfriend of hers would end up surprising her instead? He’d called her over a million times since but she wasn’t ready to listen to him yet.

The question plaguing her since was what Lisa had asked her after she’d told her the news of what she’d seen with her own two eyes.

Did she still feel so strongly for him? She hadn’t had an answer right at that moment and she still didn’t have one yet. She felt anger, she was really pissed for being foolish but did she hate him? she wasn’t sure yet, needed more time to confirm that.

“ Hey, resting beauty.”  Lisa’s voice rang in front of her.

Opening her eyes, she saw from beneath her sunglasses, her friend standing in front of her seriously dressed up “where are you going looking hot like this?” Deifa asked as she sat up

“ The Nigerian fashion show thing tonight. I have to look my best, I plan on getting me one of these big boys in town”

Deifa rolled her eyes “Don’t waste your time with all that, just tell me the guy you want and he’s yours. You know I have every big boy in my pocket.”

“Yeah right, and how you’re still with a loser baffles me.”

“Please Lisa don’t remind me, I’m trying to clear my head here.”

“The only way to really clear your head is pick his call and tell him it’s over so that you become free.” Lisa said as she took the seat next to Defa’s.

“Can you just not talk about my issues for now? Would you like something to eat or drink?”

Lisa was tempted  to tell her friend that she avoided confronting her problems head on but decided to stop, she was enjoying the view of Tekena and his male friends playing basketball opposite them in the basket ball court.

They were playing shirtless.“ No, I’m fine, thanks. I Just had lunch with Matthew….” Her voice trailed before she spoke up again, “but Deifa, this your step brother Tekena has a great body, the guy is so fine. Have you noticed?”

Deifa stared at her friend like she’d gone crazy. This wasn’t the first time Lisa had made such a comment but her friend had just had lunch with a potential boyfriend to be. “ How can you think about another guy’s body just after having lunch with a guy whom you claim to like so much?”

“ Oh please Didi, if  Tikky asked me out you think I’d be having lunch with anyone else? If possible that same day I might end up in his room” she said laughing.

“Alissa!!” Deifa said shocked at her friend

“What?” Lisa asked her back “ Oh please Deifa, just look at his creamy skin, handsome ruggedly chiseled features, he’s so tall and those abs…. I want to just run my hands over them. With those large hands – look at the way he holds that big ball with just one hand, with those kind of large hands I’m sure he’s well endowed in some places, you know what I mean?”

Deifa could almost not believe what her friend was saying, but this was Lisa, she spoke her mind. “Lisa I’ve heard quite enough, thank you. If you want to know how well endowed he is why don’t you go find out?”

“ I would if you’d just introduce us but you won’t. Gosh he’s so sexy.”

Deifa put her sunglasses back on and tried to go back to her relaxing position on the reclining chair. “Just stop ogling his abs so much before he thinks you’re some kind of freak.”

“ Didi I’m seriously trying but I can’t take my eyes off him. Who’s that chick that is watching them? I see her a lot around him.”

Deifa shrugged as she looked at the girl “Don’t know, don’t care.” She replied although she knew the girl who usually was around Tekena most times. Maybe she was his girlfriend, what was her business?

“ I would have said she’s his girlfriend but there doesn’t seem to be any chemistry between them. From him towards her anyway. You can see she’s completely smitten by him with the way she follows him around, I don’t blame her sha, that guy is fine.” She said adding a lot of emphasis on ‘fine’.

“ Why don’t you follow them to his room then you’ll see that chemistry will appear from nowhere.” Deifa said smiling at her own joke.

“ Are you serious?” Lisa abruptly turned on her “Have you heard them doing it?”

“ Oh please Lisa, get a hold of yourself you sound like a randy dog. I was just joking.”

Just then the ball from the basket ball court was thrown into the pool beside them. Deifa and Lisa shrieked as cool water splashed on both of them. Tekena came running in from the basket ball court and dived into the water going to retrieve the ball. When he got it he came out of the water but instead of walking toward the ball court he went towards the girls.

‘What does he want now?’ Deifa wondered not able to help her eyes which travelled down the length of his lean muscular body, the water glistening on his body.

Deifa agreed with Lisa, he was quite good looking. Her eyes were shielded behind dark glasses so he couldn’t know she was analysing his body.

“ Hello Ladies.” He greeted when he reached them “sorry about the splash, Hope you didn’t get too wet?”

Deifa kept mute, ignoring him, why was he even talking to her?

“ Oh no problem, we’re fine thanks.” Lisa replied smiling as brightly as the sun. He smiled back at her. “ I’m Lisa,” she said extending her hand.

“ I know” he replied taking her hand in a handshake “I’m Tekena, but my friends call me Tikki”

“ You know I’m Lisa?” Lisa asked unbelievably

“ Yeah, you’re quite popular in school besides you’re a friend of Deifa’s so of course I know you.”

“wow, I didn’t.. I didn’t know you knew me. Nice meeting you, maybe we can talk some other time, your friends seem to need your company.”

“oh no, they just need the ball but I’ll be going. So… see you sometime?” he asked still smiling that boyish charming smile that irked Deifa.

“Sure” she replied Lisa’s own smile hitting 200 watts.

He turned and left with his friends playfully calling him names like ‘woman wrapper’ and ‘Ashewo’.

Immediately he was out of earshot Lisa turned on her friend “OMG, I just became friends with your hot Step brother after all these years, can you believe it? Did you see those slash cheek dimples? And how those narrow sexy sultry eyes crinkled even narrower as he smiled at me? Gosh your step bro is a god, I swear my legs melted, it’s like I just died.

Such pink full lips on a guy, wow, I’ve never seen him this close up before…I think I’m in love. Watch out Didi, I’m going to be at your house everyday from now on, hell I’m sleeping over tonight, that boy is going to be mine!!” Lisa declared.

Deifa watched the drama amusedly, as she asked, “and Matthew?”

“ There were no sparks there so it’s best for the both of us if we end it.”

Deifa knew how easily Lisa got crazy about guys and how easily she lost interest in them too. She wasn’t going to say anything, she knew this feeling with Tekena wouldn’t last.

“And Didi?” her friend called.

Deifa rolled her eyes from behind her glasses “ Yes Lisa,”

“ I think I saw the outline of his you know what underneath those wet shorts, it looked every bit as impressive as I’d thought it would be.”

“Oh for goodness sakes!!” Deifa exclaimed acting like she hadn’t noticed it too.

*******

“ So Angela, it’s getting quite late. I want to go lock the gate, do you want me to drop you off at home or do you plan on staying over?” Tekena asked his friend Angie who had her head buried in textbooks; he had been putting her through a tough math course. She was really bad with maths but really tried her best to understand it.

“ I don’t feel like going home today, this quiz is in two days time, would really appreciate it if we could go through these questions some more till I get it into this thick skull of mine”

“Okay then, I’ll go lock the gate now, when I’m back we’ll go through it some more. Would you like me to get you anything on my way back?”

She smiled “ Tikki, your mom just forced me to finish my plate of food, I don’t have space for anything else.”

“ Not even a drink? A coke, juice, even Water?”

She rolled her eyes “If you want to get me something, get me alcohol for the both of us so maybe we could get nasty tonight.”

Tekena burst into laughter at her reply as he shook his head. “You’re crazy, Angela”

She smiled back “I know, now go so that I can get on with these questions.”

“ Yes, your highness.” He replied as he shut the door behind him. Angela was a crazy girl, not like your normal everyday girl and that was probably why he liked her so much.

It was sort of his duty to confirm from the security guard that the gate had been locked for the night. He could have called but the walk in the cool night air would do him good. He had been holed up for a while with Angie and some fresh air would be good.

He was sure everyone was home including Deifa who usually came back really late. He’d noticed since she’d been having problems with her boyfriend she’d been coming in earlier than usual so Osas was probably the one who kept her out late.

Thinking about Deifa, he recalled his encounter with her and her friend that afternoon. He and his male friends had purposely thrown the ball into the pool to splash water on them but they’d been so involved in whatever they’d been saying to notice.

Deifa had been tormenting all the boys with her perfect body clad in just a bikini top and bottom, barely covered in a short transparent gown. The guys playing hadn’t been able to concentrate enough to play, so they’d decided to grab her attention instead and see what would happen.

Tikki had gained from the prank, he’d finally met Deifa’s right hand girl and closest friend, Lisa. She seemed really okay and didn’t show any sign of resentment toward him unlike her friend. He hoped they could become good friends, that might probably open a door towards being friends with  his step sis.

“Tekena.”

He turned to see his mom coming out from the kitchen, what was she doing in there? She never cooked, that was done by the cook they had in the house.

“Yup mom?” he answered

“Where are you off to? Has your friend left?”

“Nope, she’s upstairs. I just want to confirm that the gate has been locked. What were you doing in the kitchen?”

His mom frowned “What do you mean? Can I not go into my own kitchen again?”

“No, it’s not that, just that you don’t cook or clean so what are you doing there?”

“I was giving the cook and maids orders for tomorrow.” she replied before asking, “Angela is your girlfriend, isn’t she? I was asking Tonye but she said she wasn’t sure, that you’ve always denied her being your girlfriend.”

“No mom, she’s not my girlfriend, if she were, I would let you know.” Tekena told his mom wondering what this was about.

She raised an eyebrow “she’s not your girlfriend and she sleeps over almost all the time.”

“She’s a friend that I help to study, and when we are studying she prefers sleeping over, that doesn’t mean anything… We are not that way.”

“What way?” she asked with a knowing look and Tekena doubted she believed him.

“In a girlfriend boyfriend way. Mom I’m serious, if she were my girlfriend you would know.”

His mom nodded but he saw the mocking way she looked at him, she didn’t believe a word he’d just said, he wasn’t even sure she’d been listening. “Anyway, I still trust that you are smart enough to use protection when..”

“Mom!” he shrieked cutting her off feeling really embarrassed “Mom pleaaaase, nothing like that is going on in my room, okay?”

“hmm, a pretty girl sleeps in your room all night and you’re telling me nothing goes on”

“Mom, I can’t do anything to a girl against her wish and we are not like that, seriously.”

“Tekena, that girl will do anything you wish her to do, she’s sleeping over in your room, she’s asking for trouble. Don’t be so naïve to think she came to study with you.”

Now that he thought about it he didn’t need to answer these his mom’s questions, It wasn’t her business whatever went on in his bedroom anyway and she had chosen not to accept what he was telling her. He decided to leave before she further embarrassed him with her crazy insinuations.

“Whatever mom, fact is angie and I are just good friends, so please remove all rotten thoughts from your head. I’m going to lock the gate.”

“Okay o, just friends indeed, one day breeze go blow and fowl yansh go open” she said to his retreating back.

Whatever, he thought to himself wondering what kind of mother he had, everybody had normal mothers while his own mom was quite strange. He got out the front door and was about jogging down to the gate when he heard raised voices arguing.

One of which was definitely Deifa’s. It was coming from the garden behind the house, deciding to see who she was talking with he snuck to the back.

“Look Deifa, I asked you to come see me and you told me you weren’t coming, Mira happened to be at the place so we got talking, that was all that happened. Why are you getting so worked up over nothing?”

Tekena heard Osas’s voice.

“Talking involved her on your lap abi? Or was I seeing double? Osaro, I’ve heard enough of your lies, please leave my house.” She turned to go toward the house but he grabbed her arm.

“Leave me alone, Osaro I’m done talking with you.”

“well I’m not done with you yet. You will listen to what I have to say.”

“No I will not! It’s over between us, there’s nothing left to say, now leave my arm.”

“I’m not leaving your arm till I want to and it’s not over till I say it is, do you get that?”

“Am I your prisoner or slave or what? Wake up Osaro, you don’t own me! Now leave my arm!” she tried to jerk her arm but he was holding so tight she hurt herself in the process “ Ow, you’re hurting me, leave my arm, you lying, cheating bastard.”

Osaro laughed “Leave you or what? What can you do?”

“I’ll scream for help, you’re in my house remember?”

“I’ll muffle your screams with my kisses” he replied.

“I’d rather kiss a snake than let you kiss me.”

Osaro laughed again “Deifa, when will you learn? You can’t do anything I don’t want you to? I own you girl, you belong to me, I’ve just allowed you some space to call some shots these past years and it seems it’s gotten into your head and now you think  you’re some sort of boss but I own you, girl.”

What a psycho, Tekena thought to himself. Was he high on some kind of drug or something, what planet was this guy living on?

“You’re sick Osaro; you should get your head checked. Look I’m done talking now leave me the hell alone!” she jerked her arm again and this time she got away from Osas and tried walking away but he went after her and got her.  Pushing her to the wall he held her there.

“Leave me alone, Osas.” She told him

“ Or what? Look it’s not over till I say it is! Do you understand?”

“No I don’t.” she pushed him off and tried to walk away but this time her grabbed her and slapped her across the face.

“Osas!” she shrieked touching her palm to her cheek.“How dare you?”

“You don’t walk away when I’m talking to you, you get that! Next time you disrespect me I’ll beat crap out of you!”

Tekena had seen enough, this psychopath couldn’t just come into Deifa’s house and treat her like this. He decided to step in.

“Hey, It’s time for you to leave!” he said.

Osaro turned to look at him “Stay out of our business!”

Tekena didn’t want to cause anymore trouble but he was determined to get Osaro out of the compound right then. Assessing him from top to bottom, he was sure he could definitely take him up on a fight and beat him if he asked for it.

“You’re assaulting her in her own house; I suggest you get out right now before I throw you out!”

“ Oh yeah? Let me see what you’ve got.” Osas said as he rushed him trying to take him by surprise but Tekena was ready for him.

He let Osas rush at him but feinted to the right just in time to turn and hold him in a sleeper hold, one arm around his neck. Osas was powerless, he twisted and turned but his strength was no match for Tekena’s. In that grip Tekena dragged him to the gates, opened them and threw him out. He fell on his back as all his strength had been sapped from him.

Without another word, Tekena locked the gate and made his way back to the house. He was waylaid at the door by Deifa.

“Look Mr macho man, I didn’t ask for your help and I suggest you stay out of my business next time.”

“You’re welcome.” He replied her sarcastically.

“Well you’re not,” she replied him “Next time walk away and let me handle my business. If you are looking for someone to beat up, go to the garage, there are many touts who want to flex their muscles like you.”

Tekena might have feelings for her but he won’t take this trash talk from her. He’d helped her get away from her psycho boyfriend and the thanks he got were insults.

“Next time little miss ice princess, I’ll let your psycho-pathetic boyfriend slap you around all he wants, no problem. I can see how you two fit; you’re both cold heartless people, only a cold masochist could be with someone like your boyfriend. I wish you two all the best.”

He said before walking away. If the two of them had kids they would be the Hitlers of the next generation, the thought making him chuckle as he walked off leaving her to stare at his back. Knowing his insults had sunk deep into her, he was glad. She needed to learn who her allies were and who she should avoid.

He hoped she knew better now than to make up with that animal whom she called a boyfriend. Beauty and the beast, he thought to himself. What did she really find attractive in a guy most people avoided? This was a guy who was a renowned cultist and obviously didn’t care an ounce about her.

For crying out loud the guy had been slapping her around, how much more daft could a girl be?

“Hey! Look, you don’t know me, Dr. Phil so You can keep your prognosis to yourself okay? And please avoid budging into my affairs in future, I mean it!” She warned him wagging her finger at him.

He shrugged “Gladly!”

“ Good!” and with that she whiffed past him, walking to the front door with hurried steps.

He shamelessly ogled her from the back. Her long shapely legs exposed under the short jean shorts she was wearing. Beautiful hot legs, for a second he imagined them wrapped around him and cursed himself for it.

Bad idea! The brief thought had instantly gotten him hard, the girl would be the death of him, he cursed silently.

He trailed her into the house where she took the stairs that led to her wing of the house while he went to his room.

In his room, Angela had the Television on and was watching a music channel.

“Welcome back, runaway tutor! What took you so long?” Angela asked adjusting her position on the couch.

“Deifa and her man problems.” He replied

“What? What happened?” She sat up now as she asked.

He shrugged, “nothing serious that needs worrying about. Why’s the TV on? Thought we were working on maths earlier?”

“Yeah, you took a while, I got bored and so TV!” She said with a sheepish grin.

“Okay then, kindly turn it off, we don’t need distractions.” He told her not in the mood to return her smile, he was still quite pissed from how his step sister had acted after he had helped her.

“But this is wizkid’s new video, I’ve not watched it before, it looks so-“

“Turn it off!” He snapped at her

She looked up at him surprised, he also paused surprised at himself.

“Whoa!” She exclaimed “Chilax okay?” She pressed a button on the remote control and the screen went blank.

“sorry” He said gruffly, Deifa had definitely gotten to him. He moved to the study area of the large room where they’d been sitting earlier.

She followed behind him. “Hey! Tikky, Are you sure you’re fine?”

“Yeah,” he turned to her, “ nothing a little derivation can’t solve. Where did we stop?” He searched their notes silently praying she wouldn’t pursue it.

She didn’t. “Chapter five,” was all she said as she sat down on the seat.

“Ok.” He took the seat beside hers. “ So what don’t you understand about this equation?”

“Right now I’m more interested in knowing what’s gotten you in such a grouchy mood.” She started again stubbornly.

“For the love of God, Angie! Could you please drop it, I don’t want to talk about anything.  We are meant to be studying, not discussing things that won’t benefit anyone” He told her “Please drop it okay?”

She held his gaze “You don’t know that!”

“Know what?” he asked

“That talking about it won’t be beneficial. You never talk when it comes to your sister, you-“

“Step sister” he corrected “and who said anything about her?”.

She continued “ You just get so close mouthed. Like…like.. you are ashamed of your feelings or something.” She began pacing the room “I’m your friend Tikky, I see your feelings for her like it’s written on your forehead, it’s not difficult to see. I care about you Tikky, and it would do no harm talking, maybe I could even help you with ….I don’t know… ideas?”

“Ideas?” He asked raising a brow.

“I’m a girl Tekena, in case you haven’t noticed” she rolled her eyes “I could help with some insight on how to get her to like you.”

“Hmm” He crossed his arms around his chest “Don’t you think it’s even wrong for me to feel that way toward my step sis, our parents were married?” There! It was out! One of the questions bugging him all along.

Angie shrugged “As far as you’re not related by blood, I don’t think it matters.”

“You sure?” He asked

“ Hey for me, it’s not a problem, I don’t care about what anyone else thinks.” Angela replied “The problem is that she clearly hates your guts.”

Tikky grunted “It looks that bad, doesn’t it?”

Angela nodded “and you get all puppy eyed and soft when she’s around, Like you’re in awe of her or something, what I wouldn’t give to be in her shoes.”

“You see, that’s  another problem” He pointed at her “How do you expect me to talk about a girl I like to you when I know how you feel about me, it’s not fair”

“I’m not complaining Tikky.”

“You might not be but I know what’s right and what isn’t. Let’s get back to our books” he turned back to the desk.

“Tikky, “ she called him back but he didn’t turn.

“Books Angie, playtime is up.”

She sighed “Such a pigheaded thick skulled stubborn guy!” She muttered not too quietly, for him to hear.

He turned back to her “What did you call me?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She  responded quickly, biting her lip and keeping herself from smiling.

Playfully she got up from the seat and moved away from him, giving them distance.

He got up and slowly advanced on her “I heard you say something.”

She continued retreating backwards as she feigned confusion. “You did? Why you must be mistaken!”

Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t help a small tug of a smile at the corner of his lips at her play acting skills.

“I’m quite sure I heard you call me a pigheaded, thick-skulled and stubborn person?” with the last word he closed the gap between them and lifted her petite frame easily over his shoulder. She shrieked.

“Put me down, Tikky!”

“Not until you apologise!”

“Apologise!” She scoffed “that’s for wimps.”

“Angela apologise this very second or I’ll take you across my knee and give you the spanking of your life” He warned.

“Oh no, Please no spanking! I promise to be good, I do” she said, her voice like a little kid’s.

Tekena couldn’t help the laughter that took over him “you’re something else, Angela.”

Sitting on the bed, he brought her down to sit beside him. She was smiling, obviously glad to be the reason for his mirth.

“And I can be much more if you let me.”  She whispered, looking shyly at her hands. “I can make you happy all the time.”

Tipping her chin up slightly with his hand, he looked into her eyes and  saw all the things he knew he could never be to her. She was such a lively and wonderful girl, he didn’t want to break her heart or spoil the great friendship they shared. Taking this further would most likely result in an unhappy ending, he was almost sure of it. It wouldn’t be fair to her.

“Angela….” he started but she cut him off.

“Don’t give me the speech Tikky, heard it a million and one other times before. Just….” She turned to face him, grasping his hands she asked “Why don’t you give it a shot, give us a shot? There’s no harm in at least trying, is there? You’ve not really tried to… to like me, you’ve just concluded that it won’t ever work out.”

“I’m afraid, Angela!” He told her honestly.

“of what?”

“You deserve someone who will fall helplessly in love with you, I don’t think I can fulfil  what you really want. Would that be fair to you?”

“Tikky, you’re all I want, all I need, I tell you. Smart, so considerate and loving even when you aren’t conscious of it. You always consider others first before yourself….the list is endless tikky. You need to atleast give us a chance or don’t you find me even a little bit attractive?”

He did, he couldn’t lie about that. She had a great figure although on the petite side, wasn’t bad looking at all, she was hot and he’d definitely lusted after her a few times which was normal as a guy but that didn’t mean he had to pursue her. Tekena wanted a meaningful relationship, he wasn’t the fling type.

“I do but then-“

“No buts, Tikky. Lets start from there, we’ll take it easy I promise.”

“But what if it turns into a disaster and then we loose our friendship, which is what will most likely happen.” He told her. “I value what we have and I really don’t want it to get destroyed.”

“Okay, can we make a promise to never ever stop being friends whatever happens?” She asked.

He smiled “You sure that will work?”

She shrugged “It’s a promise, we have to keep it, like it or yes!”

“Hmmmm” He ran it all through his mind quickly. He really liked her as a friend and even though he seriously doubted he could feel more for her, maybe it was worth trying? “So how does the agreement go?”

“Okay,” She raised her right palm, smiling now, she said, “I, Angela solemnly swear to take Tekena as my trial…em…boyfriend?” her eyes were questioning, he nodded urging her on “and promise to still remain friends even if things turn ugly. So help me God.”

He laughed “Are you sure you haven’t done this before? I don’t think I could have come up with a better one myself.”

“Very funny, Tikky, its your turn now…. Say it like you mean it.”

” Okay, ” He repeated her words exchanging his name with hers hoping he was making a good decision.

“Okay, now we shall seal it with a kiss.” She added with a sheepish grin.

“Hey! Is this an attempt to steal a kiss from me, Angie?” He asked

“What if it is, is it working?” She asked.

He smiled “maybe…depends, what kind of kiss, a chaste one or a wet one?”

“Ewwwww Tikky, do you have to gross out the moment?” She frowned, but still smiling.

“What? I was just asking to know which one to do, is that a bad thing?”

She laughed “Just let it flow, you don’t have to preplan it.”

“Okay,” he said and without giving her a warning, he pulled her to him, planning on a chaste one but when his lips met her soft inviting one slightly parted from her gasp of surprise, he couldn’t deny his tongue a taste of hers. She welcomed him in gladly and Tikky immediately felt that rush of excitement and lust that usually followed. He wasn’t  a monk after all, his body obviously didn’t share any of the reservations his heart did. He could want her even though he didn’t have deep feelings for her.

She’d leaned into him now,  and he couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. It had been a while, but he didn’t want to go far and so he restricted his hands to her arms even though his head told him to explore her body a little.

It was hard to resist, especially as her breasts pressed on to him and he suspected she wouldn’t resist his touch but this was still too soon for him.

With a sigh, he broke off the kiss.

She opened her eyes, slightly aroused. “Sorry Tikky I got carried away.” She said creating some distance between them.

“No need to apologise, I almost did also but common sense prevailed.” He smiled at her putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him. “If I’d known kissing you could be like that, I would have kissed you a long time ago.”

She smiled back “You know all the right things to say to a girl, Tekena. You’re a good guy, a girl would be crazy not to fight for you. So we’re doings this? Giving it a try at least?”

He nodded, this time with much more conviction “Yes we are GG, Yes we are!”