Chapter Five - Bravery

'Bravery is a quality, Be an epitome of braveness'.

@Victor-Precious

Ira.

AYYYYYYY! Can anybody hear me?

AYYYYYYY! Can anybody hear me?

'As I got to this point they all stood up and joined me', I didn't know they were taking videos of me as I was singing

until I heard their melodious voices sing and I turn around to see their phone cameras on me

AYYYYYYY! Can anybody hear me?

(All)AYYYYYY! Can anybody hear me?

I got hugs from all of them after the song came to an end, I'm so happy my trick worked on them.

Bridge picked me up and dropped me on the table they all gathered around me and we took pictures.

Mr. Handsome asked for the qualifications which I gave him with pride,

Bridge engaged me in a little chat together with his other dude, they call, 'Chanteur'. 'I feel like a Celebrity', I said to myself.

In a jiffy, Mr. Handsome called 'Cole', handed me The fake identity papers, it was done and dusted,

'Thank you all so much, well Can I have your account details, please I'm begging'. I told them with Pitiful eyes and pouty mouth .

'Don't worry cutie, we will ask for your help if we need it' Cole said to me.

'Look who just regarded me as a cutie', I said to them and we all laughed over it .

I bid them Goodbye and promised to come by sometime. I am super excited, at least the qualifications are intact.

When I got home I turned my house to a dance fall, I let my music blast on a very high volume within ten minutes I was in the dance mode ,

I heard a very loud knock on my door,

'Can you turn down your volume?, there are people living next door' A young lady said to me immediately I opened the door .

'Okay, I will'. I told her and shut the door on her before more people will get here.

I decided to go to the grocery store to get some food stuffs. I took the money in my closet,

Got on my bike and welcomed the cool breeze making its way to my body as I ride my bike on the beautiful street of New York.

I nod at the security officer who stood at the doorway in the store. I got a trolley, I didn't remember getting my grocery list,

so I decided to run around the store to see if anything will catch my fancy.

'Hey, you must be Iya's sister, right? A fair girl, looking so beautiful in her green fitted gown, said to me from the other side of the store,

She immediately hurried to my side with her almost filled trolley and repeated the exact question she asked which I didn't answer earlier.

'Uhmmm, of course I'm Iya's sister and you are? I asked her.

Well sweetheart, I am winner, I'm Iya's junior course mate, I just guessed you are his sister because you look like the girl he showed me

some years ago and you look just like him.

Iya was actually three years ahead of me then, am in my finals now.

It's really nice meeting you dearie, maybe we should go out sometime, your brother used to be my friend and

I'll love to have you as my friend because you remind me of him, he was a friend indeed. 'So if am not mistaken your name is Ira',

I guess that's the name Iya told me, he use to say just remove the 'y' and add 'r', he wished you two were twins .

I gave her a cute smile and nod, thoughts of Iya came to mind and I just imagined him saying those words,

I didn't let the tear fall as I immediately wipe it off with my thumb.

'Oh sweetie, I'm sorry to bring back memories' she said to me as she cupped my face in her palms like a kid she wants to impress.

'No, its fine, I must have allowed my mind wander too much, you didn't do anything wrong. In fact I will be your friend just because you were Iya's'.

I saw a bright shade of red form on her cheek as she blushed and pulled me in for a big hug.

'Hey sis, what's taking you so long' Someone spoke from behind me.

I know that voice, that's Walter's voice' I said to myself but shaking off the thought.

'Come on Walter, I'm with a friend, come say hi to Her' winner said to Walter, who I'm still backing .

I froze in my spot, 'hi' he said to my back, since he couldn't see my face cause I refuse to turn around .

Walter came forward to take his sister's trolley, and that was when he used the opportunity to look at me.

'Uhmmm, you!!, Ira, right??' He said as he came forward letting his hand drop from the trolley.

I jerked back in fear, he frightened me with his high tone, the way he said the 'you', was like someone who just got the criminal that stole his PS,

' you two know each other' winner asked as a smile made its way to her face,

'Well, you see win---' I started but was cut short , ' we attended the same high school and I met her today in class,

and she's super weird' Walter spoke interrupting me.

Those words of his broke me, winner noticed that his words hurt Me and she slapped his arm which made him wince.

'what was that for' he asked facing his sister, ' well, that was for not knowing how to talk ' she said shaking her shoulders as she talked

' okay, Ira, let's help you get a few things because obviously you are not with your grocery list and

it's gonna be hard for you to get some items all by yourself.

I don't know why, but I feel really comfortable around her, I decided to call her 'win' and she didn't have a problem with it in fact she loves it,

Walter held unto Win's trolley and I held mine as win helped me get some stuffs in my trolley.

As we did the shopping, win brought topics and we all laughed at her jokes, she's really funny, I must say.

Win insisted on paying for my groceries even though I pleaded with her not to.

Walter took my hand and led me to the ice cream stand, I was a little taken aback even though I love it.

' so what's your favorite flavour' he asked me as he stared at me as if he can read my mind.

'I love strawberry I told him shyly. He ordered for three plates of the ice cream, paid for it and we walked to meet Win who is done paying.

I took my bag from her and thanked her and we all left grocery.

'why don't we all go to the park, take a sit and enjoy this cold ice cream under the cool breeze' win suggested.

We all crashed in a long bench in the park and had our ice cream , Walter is really fun,

he cracked a lot of jokes and we ended up laughing our asses out.

They volunteered to drop me off at home which I didn't argue about , Walter placed my bike in the boot and we drove off to my hideout,

which is my apartment. I call it a hideout because in here, I'm far away from the world and the people in it because I'm all alone.

I found out my head lamp was out as soon as we got to my apartment, Win sincerely apologizes even though I told her countless times not to,

still reminding her I'll get it fixed, she finally relaxed, Thanks to Walter who spoke to her since he was not interested in our argument.

Win and Walter collected my number and I didn't hesitate to take theirs of course especially Walter,

I'm surprised he collected mine and we just hung out.

Since I got here, today has proven to be the best day for me, I said to myself .

*****†*******†********†********†****

When I got up in the morning I noticed I had twelve missed calls from a particular number,

I wonder who would have called me severally and so early, I thought of Walter but I remember vividly saving his number, with his sister's.

I totally forgot about the unknown number and just prepared for the better day ahead of me.*********