Lola knew that she was never really noticed by Mathew, that striking, good-looking boy from high school. So Johnson, her cousin was giving her a chance to be with him. She was different from that skinny girl from way back when she was in high school.
Her cousin, Johnson said to her, "Oh, and add a little makeup."
Her mouth stretched into a thin smile, She was in a so-called fake relationship with her cousin. Her cousin was once a close friend of Mathew. Their relationship was perfect until the day Johnson left town and things got out of place. Matthew took Johnson's girlfriend and triviality took place.
Everyone knew that Matthew never liked Ella, Johnson's girlfriend and that he was using her, believing that whatever Johnson had, he could have it as well.
Johnson said to Lola, "I believe once he sees me, he won't think that I'm still that boy of yesteryears."
Lola exclaimed, "Of course, you are now twenty-two with a first-class degree in Biochemistry!"
Johnson scoffed at that, "I don't need to be reminded, Matthew does."
Lola laughed, reminding him, "Don't be so hofty now, shall we? Humility is key."
"Of course not. He needs to be reminded. He took something from me, remember? I believe that he would be quite thrilled to see me."
Lola laughed again as she shook her head, "You say things like it's some object? Ella is human, and let me remind you that she chose to be with him. End of story. Or would you rather ask her if she wants you back or not than assume your best friend stole your girl?"
Johnson chuckled and shrugged, having no say in that.
She said, smiling at him, "I will only do what you ask of me because you are my cousin."
Johnson's brows twitched, "Only that?"
She snickered, answering, "Perhaps not."
"I know that you are also loving this. You still have feelings for Matthew, that is why you agreed to this! But let me remind you, you are only playing the part of my girlfriend."
Lola rolled her eyes, shaking her head from side to side, "Yeah, yeah, I don't need to be reminded either."
Lola was Johnson's favorite cousin, although she was the only daughter and child of her parents. She was quite tall, almost 5 ft 2, elegant for an eighteen-year-old girl. She doubted if Matthew would even recognize her. Matthew was her senior from way back in high school but he never for once ever noticed her. She had yet to begin higher institution, although she had been offered admission into a school of her choice.
Johnson threw a surreptitious glance at the wall clock before he spoke up again, "Are you ready?" asked Johnson.
She was wearing a long, pale bluish-green sleeveless gown that had colored petals embroidered on its shoulder straps. Johnson winced and scoffed.
Lola looked down at herself, smiling up at him, "How do I look?"
Johnson exclaimed, "What are you wearing? It's a birthday that we are attending not some award-winning ceremony."
She waved up a hand, "Uh-huh, Please be nice. Be a gentleman with kind words, Johnson. I wasn't expecting that from you."
He put in, "Look, I'm dressed casually. If you are dressed that way, people are gonna think that I'm your son."
Lola rolled her eyes again, "Don't mock me, Johnson. I don't look anything like a mother."
He winked at her, "Dress casually, something exquisite yet simple and good to go."
She exclaimed, frustrated, "God! How am I to dress then? You are my boyfriend, come, pick a suitable dress for me!"
Later, she came out dressed in a tight top that exposed some part of her full cleavage, her Jean trousers were slim-fitted to her size, and she also had on heels.
Johnson scoffed again when he saw her, "No! Not the heels!" bawled Johnson.
Then he added, "Your sense of fashion is truly outdated. Come, change the heels you are wearing."
He pulled out a pair of white canvas shoes, she gleamed in pleasure when she saw it. He said, rushing out to his Chevrolet Camaro, "We got to move."
She screamed, still applying some more powder to her face, "I'm coming!"
He yelled back, "I haven't got all day!"
Then he smiled when he saw her coming out to meet him, "Alluring," said Johnson.
She swirled around, holding her small, Fendi bag close to her.
He said, "If I weren't your cousin, you would have been my girlfriend," he teased her.
"Am I not now?"
He reminded me, "You are my cousin playing my girlfriend," he chuckled, got into the car beside her, and started the car.
Her thoughts strayed away as the car began to move. She didn't believe she could do this but she was doing this. She was going to see Mathew again after so many years. She was scared of herself, where had such boldness come from for her to have agreed to such a thing? The fact that she might lose her tinny bit of courage was alarming. Her thoughts circled Mathew, she shut her eyes briefly, everything was going to be alright.