When they were leaving, Matthew noticed as how Ella was behaving towards Johnson, like so differently. Ella who was always Moody and quiet was suddenly bursting with so much vibe and emotion, also cheerful and full of smiles. She even commented something about Johnson and Daisy's relationship, something she wouldn't have done in the past.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Matthew asked Ella when they were gone.
Ella turned to eye him, "no, why do you think I'm hiding something from you?"
"I noticed your unusual strange demeanor which I find flattering," he responded.
*******
Lola looked at Johnson as he drove them back home. "Is something on my face?" Johnson had to ask her since she has been staring for far too long.
"I find you so full of life. Is it because you have made up with Ella? You forgive her too easily, I must say,"
He turned to beam a smile at her.
"See, you can't even answer me," Lola protested.
"That should be the least of your worries. Be happy for me. I am happy, please be," he told her.
"Do you parents know about her?" Lola asked him.
"Yes, she was probably there even before you were born," he teased her.
Lola turned two pairs of scornful eyes at him, scoffing at what he had said, "I am disappointed in you, really I am. She could hurt you again,"
"Why is that? Why do you believe that she could possibly hurt me again?" He asked her.
"You had previously crafted out a plan not to fall or go for what your heart craves and wants, you were only to do the right thing. Why make up with her, even though I had actually seem to accept your relationship when I saw you guys kiss. I have to play along because you like her. She doesn't deserve you, clearly. Why did you let all your reasoning go? Why?"
Johnson laughed, certainly amused by her speech, "you are getting matured, I must commend," he said to her.
"And you are rather being too childish," she shot at him.
"How else were you to enjoy your company with Matthew if I weren't with Ella?" He put in.
She waved at him, tutting, "Ahah, don't give me such excuse, Johnson."
"How else did you enjoy your company with Matthew?" He side grinned.
She faked a cough into her hand, "sorry, I didn't hear that. What did you say?"
He laughed hard, "now, you are being too childish."
"Well, I did enjoy being around Matthew but he was rather too naughty and all that. I don't understand why I like him though. He clearly didn't recognize me, though," she shrugged.
"And does that make so sad?"
"Why? Not at all!" She exclaimed.
He chuckled at that, then turned to watch her for a second or two, "let me drop a warning to you, be rather cautious of him, don't go falling for me. I wouldn't recommend him to any close friends of mine not even my own cousin," he said.
"Will you have recommended him if he was a good person?"
"Matthew isn't the Matthew that I once knew him to be, he is changed person, entirely. And he is far older than you."
She showed him four fingers, "just four years, not a lot though," she put in.
"Uh uh, someone had done her home work," he teased, "but that doesn't make any difference, Lola."
"But I like him still," she told him.
"You still have to focus on your schooling. Your dad and mum won't have it if you go failing all because of a boy. They would rather be disappointed in you and you know it. Focus, leave Mathew to his silly lifestyle. He isn't for you," he warned.
"Did I mention anything about dating him?" She asked him, pouting her lips.
"I won't stop you from choosing what you wish to do. But you have been warned, Lola. I can handle myself with Ella but you, Lola will be hurt by Matthew."
She bit her lower lip as she turned away, the rest of the journey was in total silence.
******
After the holiday with her aunty, uncle and favourite cousin, she returned to the islands where she started college. Elizabeth, her roommate was celebrating her birthday and she invited Lola to tag along. The ceremony was taking place outside the school's premises, and it was late at dusk.
"My brother is coming," Elizabeth shouted to Lola's hearing. The whole place was booming loudly with music from massive speakers. Lola hasn't liked Elizabeth's idea of celebration, infact she had deeply opposed it. But that had hurt Elizabeth and Lola had to agree to it.
Elizabeth was twenty, she had only wanted to make her birthday party one of the grandest by inciting other rich folks and accepting the fact of alcholic drinks being drunk around. Lola had been moody through the celebrantion.
"Cheer up, friend. It's just a harmless party," Elizabeth said.
Lola didn't reply her.
"Like I said, my brother, my older brother will be here any moment from now. You might like him, he's single," she grinned as Lola turned to look at her, "believe me, he might not look like one who grew up in the suburbs," Elizabeth tried to cheer her up.
"Is that supposed to cheer me up?"
"I don't know," Elizabeth shrugged, "I don't just like seeing you being moody," Elizabeth said then her eyes beamed up as she saw the rest of her friends trouping in.
"Excuse me, I will be back soon," Elizabeth said, joining to greet her other colleagues from school while leaving Lola alone.
Lola looked around sadly, the whole Ace was rather crowded for her liking. A birthday party shouldn't be this jam-packed, she pursed. She looked down at herself then around her. She had dressed herself in a blink blink, scaly tortoise gown on a black heels hoping the occasion would be classy. The people surrounding her were far older than her, most of the girls wore clothes that mostly exposed their bodies. Then the memory of Meliana's birthday party crept into her head, and she sworn a silent curse.
"What was she doing here?" She reminded herself. She didn't like it here. It felt she was being placed in a place that was not good for her. Were all birthday parties like this? As far as she knew, birthday parties were never this rugged. She sighed, picking up herself. She must leave, she would apologize to Elizabeth. Elizabeth would understand.
The DJ switched the song, and everyone yelled to the song which played next. The entrance door opened and in came Matthew in a silvery jacket and black trousers with white sneakers. Immediately Lola saw him, her heart beat stopped, all movement around her became non existence.
What was he doing here? Johnson didn't say a thing about Matthew coming to the city? She tried to think of what next to do as her head went totally numb. What was she to do!
Leave! a voice within screamed at her.
She saw momentarily shunned by Matthew's maddening handsomeness, his hair had grown longer that he had trimmed it's sides lower though leaving the upper side falling. He was scanning the crowd, searching for someone until his eyes stopped at her direction.
"Oh my God!" She exclaimed, finally receiving herself, she embraced her Fendi bag to herself then turned to race out of the hall.
"Oh God," she breathed as her dress was making it difficult for her to run, her heels wasn't helping her either. Why did she decide to wear heels? She took a turn and came to an empty passge.
Does this lead out of the building? She asked herself, stopping to take in air and to gather thoughts.
"Have you seen my friend?" Lola could hear the familiar voice of Elizabeth.
Lola closed her eyes briefly and wished to go to keep running until she was definitely out of the building. But there was no door even in the corridor, was that were it ended?
Elizabeth turned at once when she recognized Lola's clothes, it blinked even in the darkness. She touched Lola that Lola jerked almost out of her skin. But Elizabeth wasn't with anybody.