EP 114 - ALMOST CHRISTMAS.

"Ring!"

"I'll get it!" Ada shouted as he ran down the stairs to get the door. Standing there was Nolan , the milk man as he was making his early morning rounds and every where around him was covered in a sheet of snow.

"Good morning Nolan."

"Morning Ada! How you doing?!" The milk man greeted Ada as he handed over the milk that his mother had earlier ordered.

"I'm Great. How about you?" Ada asked accepting the crate and anchoring in her hands , careful for it not to spill .

"I'm Fine . Life's the same as usual." She grinned. "But there's something about you today. You look extra cheery than usual?"

"Well, why won't I be since it's almost Christmas?" Ada smiled and waved him Good bye. Shutting the door behind him , she heaved a sigh. she was in such a good mood today and maybe it was because Christmas was only seven days away. She loved Christmas, because of the joy , festivities, the presents...Mostly the presents. It was a time of year that brought every one together.

Obi smiled on seeing his sister and on sighting his homework , lying by the window where he'd kept them yesterday as he hurried to sit down for dinner. Obi shoved them into his backpack and couldn't help looking outside at the beautiful snow drizzling down as people went about cheery in their work and kids running about in the snow. He was out the door in seconds and jumped on his bicycle. Cycling leisurely down the road, he greeted some of his neighbours and waved to the others. The neighbourhood was in a lively mood as some people were already putting on wreaths, bells and kids building snowmen and running around.

Today was going to be great , Obi nodded to himself as he dropped his bike and headed into the school premises.

He just Knew it.

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The bell rang for closing as the students tripped out of the school in groups , each chatting about all the events that had taken place that day.

Su ling Promptly grabbed Sky's hand as both rushed down the hall with incredible speed as they were in a rush.

"Why are you two in such a rush?" Obi quirked his eyebrows at the two ladies.

"Sorry We're really busy and we don't have time to talk right now but we'll see you guys later. Bye." She rattled off before they both bounded out of the school to a destination unknown.

Meanwhile John and Eva were still engaged in a heated discussion in which neither of them were willing to back down their arguments .

"I can't be helped that I just have a general dislike for anything and everything related to Christmas." John shrugged as they continued walking through the halls. Obi was wearing the school's sport jacket and holding a football underneath his arm while John's Armani leather tote bag was slung over his left shoulder with Eva was with her satchel.

"Nobody hates Christmas." She retorted. "Its fun as every one in your family comes to visit.'

"How is that great? It just means overcrowded spaces." He rolled his eyes as she came to stop in front of her locker and his rested his back against the others.

"It also means more presents." She added.

"Still" He shook his head and said in a conspiratorial whisper. "I don't still trust the pie so called Santa Claus."

" You leave some milk and cookies , he comes through the chimney and he leaves a present. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong Eva? , that's bribery , breaking and entering and other countless felonies. No one knows what else he does while every one is asleep." He did air quotes to stress his points as she tried her best to control her laughter.

Obi sighed inwardly as he had already learned numerous times not to try and get involved in their bickering.

Most times he learnt the hard way.

Soon they were interrupted by Khloe, John's latest girlfriend. She was exactly the same age as John which was a year older than Eva and the most popular girl in school leader of the cheerleaders. . Like all of his other paramours, she was bedazzled by his wealth and threw herself at John's feet..

And if Eva knew her best friend, which she did of course ...

They wouldn't last a week.

"Hey babe." She purred like the fake fake she was before whispering something in his ear. John lips curved into a grin and then Khloe cast Eva a snarky grin when John put an arm around her.

Eva rolled her eyes. It was contingent, dopey, possibly moronic, bitchy bimbos like her that gave real girls around the globe a bad name. But she didn't blame Khloe. Maybe that's was her way of trying to prove that she was not inferior in every possible way which she entirely was.

"Sorry guys but I think I'm about a different type of game." He folly ran a hand through his hair as his eyes rested on Eva. "I may not make it this afternoon. Is that okay with you two?"

"Its fine." She smiled imagining herself jumping on Khloe and ripping out her hair extensions. "Isn't it Obi?"

"Sure." He answered and soon the clinging duo got into John's car and drove off. Left by themselves , Eva and Obi started conversing as they kept on moving towards the hallway that led outside the school premises . He only paused in his motion when he noticed that the girl behind him had now come to a complete stop. She had taken of her glasses , her limbs were trembling.

"Hey , Are you Okay?" Obi queried putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking her lightly , growing more concerned than ever

Her grip on her specs loosened as the glasses crashed to the floor , the lens shattered on immediate contact with the cemented floor. Instantaneously Eva came back to her senses and rubbed her forehead.

"It's okay Obi. I'm fine."

"What was that, just now?" He questioned , intent on knowing what had happened to her.

"Just a usual migraine after a long tiring day at school." She gushed before looking up at him. "You won't tell the others will you?"

"But..."

"No buts. Just don't tell them." Eva said strongly as she leapt towards her car and was about to get in when she shot him one last glance. "I'm trusting you Obi. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." He waved back as he got atop his bicycle and cycled home but still he could not push off this disturbing feeling that Eva was hiding something.

But what was it?

Well , Christmas was a time of helping others , Obi decided as he reached home and hung his bike near the front porch.

So that was exactly what he was going to do.