Seven.

I still had homework to do, so when I headed up, I kept the bowl on the bed. When I checked, Nick and Uche were still watching their movie, I couldn't even see their faces the way they laid on the bed.At least I could focus on my home work.

Time passed, it was evening now. I know because it became less sunny outside. I heard someone open the front door to the house and I quickly checked, Nick was still over at Uche's. Who was it? Nick had mentioned that his mum usually came home late on Thursdays.

I picked up my phone and dialed my aunt, her contact was the nearest in my call log after my mum's. The footsteps got louder, the person was coming up the stairs. I should lock the door to my room.

Hopping down from the bed, I hurried to the door but I heard a loud buzz, like a phone ringing on vibrate. It wasn't mine.

At my door now, I saw my aunt climb on the last flight of the stairs. I paused and laughed at my self for a second, for been scared right now.

"Baby, why are you calling?" My aunt asked approaching me and I only giggled more."What?" She asked, smiling and wanting to know the joke.

"I just thought...." I laughed again."Nick said you don't come home till 10 on Thursdays, so I thought someone broke in and that was why I was calling..." I slapped my forehead.

She laughed out loud, more than I did.

"Well, Nick was right, I usually don't come home this early but I had to, there was grocery shopping to do."

"Oh."

"Where's Nick, in his room?"

"....." I wanted to reply but she didn't let me before talking again.

"Get him, so you too can get the groceries out of the car." She said walking tiredly to her room.

I was just gonna go get him from Uche's, at least I got a chance to talk to Uche, that's if my tongue doesn't get tied again, it happened on our way home today.

I got the bowl that was in my room, ready to head downstairs and over to Uche's, when I heard my aunt coming back.

"What did you guys cook for lunch, anything left? I'm starving." She yawned reaching the stairs before me.

"There's nothing to eat downstairs." I said following her down the stairs, I thought she should know. "I just ate some cereal."

She stopped halfway through the steps and turned to look at me. She looked like she didn't believe what I was saying.

I shrugged when she turned back and continued on her way to the kitchen. I was about to open the front door when she stopped me.

"You were serious?" She asked when she saw that nothing was cooked in that kitchen.

I nodded.

"Where's Nick?" She repeated a question but this time, she had a different tone in her voice.

"At Uche's."

"Oh my God, you were serious about not eating?"

"I ate." I thought I had already mentioned to her. " Cereal."

She took out her phone, I think she was dialing a number. It rang for a while before the person picked.

"Nick?" I heard her."I need you to come home now." At this point I didn't know if she was mad or not, I haven't seen her angry before so I couldn't depict.

"Mum, you're early today?"Nick came in.

"Why didn't you cook anything for lunch? You left Julie hungry?" She asked.

Nick kept mute for a while, he scratched the back of his head, before looking at me.

"I didn't know, she was hungry or anything, I mean, she didn't let me know."

"I'm fine, I ate." I thought I should say.

"What do you mean she didn't let you know? I told you what to do if you got back from school, didn't I?" She said and now I was sure she was objurgating him even if she didn't sound like it.

"I wasn't really hungry and I thought she could help herself..."

"Help herself?! She's our visitor Nick, I told you to make sure she's okay."

"I'm sorry." Nick said.

"No you're not, you are not sorry, you don't even feel like you did something wrong, you are just apologizing to end this." My aunt said standing akimbo.

If you ask me, he didn't seem sorry, not like I wanted him to be, but he was bad at faking an apology.

"I am, she could have just made something for herself."

"But it's your house, you are supposed to help her, how would she know what to help herself with?"

Nick wasn't saying anything now, I guess he had figured out that been quiet was the only way to really get out of this one.

"Go help her get the things out of the car." My aunt said lastly before filling a pot with some water and putting it on the stove.

Nick just walked past me and went outside. He looked mad, I don't know, I couldn't tell. I went outside too, to help. Uche was there.

"What did she say?" Uche asked and Nick sighed loudly.

"I just have to get the stuff from the car." Nick said, opening the door to the backseat and then the book.

"Sorry." I said when I got closer to Nick.

"For?" He looked at me, carrying two of the bags from the car.

"It's my fault your mum...."

"She's not that mad, once she's done cooking, she will be cool." He said walking back inside.

"Here." Uche helped me get one of the nylon bags.

"Thanks." I smiled even though I still felt I was the reason my aunt scolded Nick.

"You really didn't eat anything?" Nick was back quick.

"I did."

"You ate? So what's she mad about? You can cook something for yourself, why does she want me to do it?" He took out three of the bags this time.

Nick didn't know that I can't cook, and I wasn't ready to let him know that I ate dry cereal for that reason, not in front of Uche, so I just kept quiet and watched him head inside again.

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Heyy, it's your author geni. Please note that everything written here is nothing but fiction.

Please vote as you read, and comment also. I am very open to constructive criticism.❤️✨