Her Last Wish – Episode 12

HER LAST WISH 
(Moremi)

Chapter 12.

Zeemah Writes

___

Dan and Layla walked into the classroom together and that earned them questioning gazes from the students.

Layla got to her seat first, Dan was still replying to greetings from different corners.
His eyes met with Dylan’s who looked away almost immediately.
Daniel would have actually liked to say hi to him.

He finally got to his seat which was beside Layla’s.
“Hey” He said to her as he sat down.
She was still not looking her normal self.
He wondered why..
Had she felt so uncomfortable in their car?
She hadn’t even talk throughout the journey to school.

“Did you dislike getting into our car that much?” He finally asked and Layla glanced at him.
She shook her head..”No, i enjoyed being in your car. It was so refreshing and cool. I felt so comfortable and it made me remember the days my brother and i ride in my parents car”
“Oh..” Dan paused, looking so sorry.
“I’m so sorry” He said.
He hadn’t known her being in their car had brought back memories.
“No..Don’t say that,it’s fine. Totally” Layla smiled but he could see the pain beneath her smile.

He gently held her hand in his in a comforting manner.
She smiled genuinely this time.
“It’s been so long i got into a beautiful car as that and how did you get to know my home address,was it just a guess?” She asked.
“Be sincere” She quickly added and Dan smiled.

He would really loved to tell her the truth but her aunt, Philia had told him not to.
He was so surprised when she approached him yesterday after Layla had walked away after seeing them off.

Philia had told him she doesn’t like how Layla treks to school,she gives her transport fare but Layla would rather trek and sooner or later,it might start telling on her health because her school is so far from the house.
Dan had replied her that he offered her a ride in the car but she declined,he would love to help her too,to stop her from trekking to school everyday. It must be so exhausting.
Philia had said Layla is always like that, she wouldn’t accept help from people even if it’s gonna make her living easier. She then pleaded with Dan to know a way to get her to be riding with him and of course Dan promised to. He has the ability to make Layla’s life less exhausting and he wouldn’t hesitate to help.
Philia gave him their home address and made him promise not to tell Layla a thing.

“It wasn’t a guess, i just happened to know your house” Dan shrugged and Layla gave him a look.
“Yunno your house isn’t so far from the coffee shop” He added and she sighed.
“That doesn’t mean it’s so easy to know the address without anyone helping,are you probably a..wizard?” Layla teased with a raised brow and Dan laughed.
“C’mon”

“Well, thanks for being so kind enough to want me to start riding with you guys” Layla smiled.
“Will you be fine to continue to?” Dan asked.
“Of course,i wouldn’t miss being in that beautiful car for anything” She said and Dan smiled.
He’s a bit glad she accepted to continue riding with them,that means she’s getting comfortable with him.

“Oh look, the teacher is here” Layla said.

🦋🦋🦋

“Bye Dan,Anne. Thanks for the ride” Layla said, alighting from the car parked in front of her house.
“Bye Layla” They waved.

She stood and waved at them as the car moved away.

She turned to walk into the gate when she collided into Philia.

“Gosh! you scared me” Layla sighed heavily.
“You scared yourself” Philia said, adjusting her dress.
She looks like she was ready to leave for shop.
“How long have you been standing here?”
“Since forever. Don’t take long before coming to the cafe or i won’t hesitate to give you a good punishment” Philia said as she walked away.

Layla stood staring at her back, wondering why Philia hadn’t asked her about riding in Dan’s car because obviously she had seen her alight.
She shrugged as she walked inside…Philia is just being Philia.

🌼

“Gosh! Fel, you’re going to tear my backpack” Dan groaned as Fel tug at his backpack for the books Layla had said she was gonna give them.
She had been waiting in their living room even before they arrived.

“Where’s Rylan?” Dan asked.
“He has an appointment in the hospital,so he told me to bring his own copy to his house” Felia said, unzipping Dan’s backpack.
“You didn’t even confirm if she actually gave the books to me before ransacking my bag” Dan said, shaking his head.
“Layla doesn’t look like someone who would go back on her wor..Yeah! I found it” Felia said excitedly.
“Good for you” Dan rolled his eyes.

“And yeah, i forgot to ask for Layla’s contact on Saturday. You should have it right?”
“Yeah,i should but Layla doesn’t have a phone yet”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah”
“Is it some moral role or…”
“If it’s for some moral role,we wouldn’t own phones either” Dan said.
“Yeah, right”
“But! She’s gonna get a phone soon” Dan said.
“She told you that?” Felia asked.
“Nah, i just know that” Dan said.

“Anyway,i really enjoyed our meeting with her, would you schedule another? I miss her already. She’s one of the few people i find myself vibing with without having to try so hard” Felia said and Dan smiled.
“I can relate to that. And about scheduling another meeting,i would be inviting her over for my parents Thanksgiving party on Sunday,we would all be meeting here if she honors my invite” Dan said.
“And what if she doesn’t?” Felia asked.
“Well..we can always go to the coffee shop if we want to meet her” Dan said.
“Right. I should get going” Felia said, stretching as she got up from the couch.
“Why so soon?” Dan asked.

“I can’t wait to immerse myself into these books” She said.
“And who said you can’t do that here?”
“You know i cherish reading in the comfort of my room than anywhere,not even paradise. I’ll be back to spend time with you if i get to complete it soon enough”
“Okay, see you” Dan said.
“Bye, and go freshen up. You smell like..ughhh” Felia groaned as she walked out of the door and Dan laughed.

He stood up to walk to his room when Anne appeared in the living room, looking freshened up.
“Fel left already?” She asked looking around.
“Yeah, she left to read in the comfort of her room” Dan said.
“Oh,she wouldn’t trade that for anything” Anne smiled, adjusting her glasses.

“I’ll go freshen up” Dan said.
“Alright, what you gonna have for lunch,I’m about performing some wonders in the kitchen” Anne winked.
“Ah, you’re making me salivate already. Just cook anything good. I’ll come join you soon” Dan said, running to his room..

“Pasta is it then” Anne said, turning towards the kitchen.

🌌

“I rode in my friends car today and it’s gonna continue that way” Layla said to Phil as they had their dinner.
“Oh cool” Philia said and resumed her meal.
“Really?” Layla who had expected Phil’s lash back asked in surprise.
“What?” Philia asked.
“You are going to allow me do that without saying anything?” She asked.
“I said something. ‘oh cool’ ” Philia said.
“That’s so unusual of you…you yell at every decision i make before finally giving in” Layla said.
“People change, don’t they?” Philia smiled.

“Gosh, please stop smiling. You look scary” Layla swallowed.
“What!” Philia yelled, stabbing the peas on her plate with her fork.
‘there we go again’ Layla muttered under her breath.
“I mean,you don’t smile at me often,i can’t even remember the last time you did. Seeing you smile now seems…creepy,I’m really trying my best not to run off, screaming. I’m sorry if that hurt though” Layla smiled, secretly glad to be getting on Philia’s nerves.

“You sure have a bad mouth for someone in your condition!” Philia said.
“Oh please,when would you stop mentioning my condition at every conversation. Are you bent on making me continuously sad?”
“You need to be reminded of it because you seem to have forgotten…”
“Seeing me happy almost all the time doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about my condition” Layla cut in.. “it’s buried in my mind,i think about it every second. You sure don’t expect me to be in tears all the time,do you?”

Philia stared at her, before continuing her meal.

“So many people are facing one difficulty or the other,it isn’t obvious on their faces does not mean they are not worried about it” Layla said.
“Enough, continue your dinner” Phil said.
“Or miss your allowance to school tomorrow” Phil quickly added.

Layla continued her dinner in silence and sadness.

🦋🦋🦋

“You’re looking so bright this morning” Phil said to Layla who stood in front of her,fully dressed for school,smiling brightly and beautifully.
She’s determined not to allow anything bring her down or make her feel sad,she should be responsible for her own happiness.
“Yeah” Layla acknowledged.
“Could it be because you now have someone to pick you up?” Philia asked, handing Philia’s allowance to her.
“Partly” Layla smiled as she counted the dollar notes.

“Or could it be because the person picking you up is Daniel?” Philia asked and Layla stopped halfway through counting the money.
Only her eyes moved and they were filled with questions..
Philia bit the inside of her lip, knowing she just blabbered..gosh.

“How did you know Daniel is the one picking me up?” Layla asked.
“Of course i saw him when you alighted from his car” Philia said, having quickly regained her momentum.
“How? Because i wasn’t even sitting beside Daniel,he was at the far end of the car,i was sitting right beside Anne and there’s no way you would mistake Anne for Daniel” Layla said.
“I just happened to see him! He’s a tall guy yunno” Phil said.
“He is but..”
“Just let it go,i happened to see him! That’s surely not a crime” Philia raised her voice.
“Of course it isn’t,but how did you even get to know his name?” Layla asked.
She also couldn’t place a finger on why she was being curious.

“You guys were so loud at my cafe on Saturday,so i happened to grab everyone’s name, Layla the questionnaire!” Phil snorted and Layla folded in her lips.
“I would leave now” She said,not bothering to count the rest of the money.
Phil was glad she didn’t because she had actually added to it and Layla being the questionnaire she is would question her on why the money was more and she being the ‘answernnaire’ is not ready to answer her questions. She already decided to increase Layla’s allowance and it’s gonna continue that way.

“Bye” Layla said.
“Bye” Philia said.
•
Layla stood by her gate, waiting.
She finally decided to count the dollar notes and when she was done,she discovered it was more than the amount Philia do give her.
Philia might have miscounted the money before handing it to her.

She was about heading back inside when she heard a car horn.
She smiled, seeing it was Daniel’s car.
Well…she’s gonna sort the money issue when she’s back from school,she can’t afford to make them run late because of her.

“Hey guys” Layla smiled, approaching the car.
Daniel and Anne smiled at each other, noticing how bright Layla’s mood is.

🦋🦋

“What’s going on!?” Chloe lamented as Daniel and Layla walked into the class together again today and they were even smiling!

“Isn’t it so obvious that they come to school together now and i even saw them leaving together yesterday in Daniel’s car” Miranda said.
“What! Ho..w?” Chloe asked, hoping what she just heard is false.
“Well..the point of all this is Layla now ride with Daniel and Anne. They’ve gotten closer,Lucky her” Christy said and Sabrina shrugged.

“Noooo!” Chloe suddenly screamed, mounting to her feet.
She was so sure Daniel has been enchanted with Africa Voo Doo.
“I’m so going to show her hell!” Chloe said,ready to march to Layla’s seat,who was oblivious of what was happening to Chloe at the moment, though everyone had turned to her worriedly when she screamed but they all faced their businesses, seeing it was nothing serious. She was just being her crazy self.

“Chloe,i won’t advise you to approach her. Your hair..” Christy paused and swallowed.
“Is at stake” Sabrina completed the statement and Miranda and Christy nodded.

Chloe’s strength that seemed to have overcomed her dropped and she quietly sat down, glaring hard at Layla from her seat.
She was more pained Layla wasn’t even looking in her direction and even Daniel too!

“Riding in the same car doesn’t necessarily means something is going on between them” Christy said.
“Yeah! Yunno Layla is so poor,she treks to school all the time and Daniel probably felt pity for her and decided to help her” Miranda said.
“That shows how much of a good guy he is” Sabrina added.

“You guys are right” Chloe said, starting to get the angry look off her face.
“I didn’t even think in that direction..wow. So, Daniel is making her ride with him to help her poor a$$” Chloe laughed and her friends laughed with her even though they didn’t find it funny.

“I’m so lucky to have such a good guy as my boyfriend,he’s so nice” Chloe beamed and her friends stared at one another in astonishment before turning to her.
“Your boyfriend?” They asked, almost at the same time.
“Yeah” Chloe nodded, looking so sure.
“He’s going to officially be my boyfriend soon,you all know i always get what i want right?” Chloe smiled and they nodded.

They weren’t sure Chloe was going to get what she wanted this time because Daniel had not even shown the tiniest bit of attraction for her like other guy does but of course they were not ready to tell Chloe that.
None of them is ready to stop being Chloe’s friend.

“What if i tell Dan that I’m a poor thing that trek to school too” Chloe said.
“Chloe,your pink Ferrari is always standing out in the school parking lot” Miranda said.
“Then i would tell him it’s under repair then” Chloe concluded
“Everyone knows your father is rich enough to get another car for you even if your car is under repair” Sab said.
“I don’t think Daniel knows how wealthy my father is,or he would have moved closer to me” Chloe pouted.
“Daniel might not know because he’s a new student but his sister does and she’s gonna tell him. I’m sure you do not want to Daniel to see you as a liar at the fresh start of your relationship” Christy said.

“You’re so sensible” Chloe smiled at Christy and Miranda rolled her eyes.
She always want to remain Chloe’s favorite.

“Daniel doesn’t look like someone who would tolerate liars so i better make a better decision” Chloe said and seemed to be thinking for a while.
Her eyes suddenly lit up and they knew she had come up with something.

“Why don’t i just tell him every single car in my father’s garage got burnt to ashes”

“Chloe!!!” They all screamed.

Zeemah