P for Perfect

Chapter 55- Osas

We'll heal- Winnie

"Hello birthday girl!" Tiwa jumps on my bed, ruining my perfect sleep. I groan and roll away from her.

"Are you crazy?" I drawl.

"I am, haven't you noticed? Now get up, we've got a long day ahead of us. First off breakfast is already served," she pulls my legs until I'm forced to sit up.

"Okay okay. I'll be down in a minute," I tell her. She concedes and leaves me alone to freshen up. Ugh, breakfast by 7 o'clock on a Saturday. I quickly brush my teeth and make my way downstairs.

"Osas, I didn't think Tiwa would be able to wake you up," mummy says once she sees me. Since that outburst at the hotel I've avoided my mum and she's well aware of it. She's been more nicer to me suddenly, trying to take us back to the way we were before, however that was but I'm not having any of it.

The truth is that I'm not interested in making up with her or anyone else. I'm too tired to care about that part of life. All I want is to graduate and get the hell out of this house.

"Good morning," I says coldly. Tiwa pushes a seat for me at the dining table and I sit. A large plate of 2 toast breads and a glass of orange juice have been placed in front of me.

"Where's the cake?" I joke.

"Later. For now fill yourself. How old are you today?" She peers into my eyes.

"Nineteen you dummy."

"I've been nineteen for almost a month now, you don't get to call me a dummy," she reminds me. I roll my eyes and eat my food, as slow as usual.

"What do you girls have planned today?" Mummy asks, sitting next to me.

"It's a surprise actually. All I can say is that we'll be going to a friend's house after breakfast," Tiwa winks at me.

I'm pretty sure that friend's house is Yamíl, for some reason Tiwa has planted it in her head that we're more than friends.

"Well then you should eat fast, the day's shorter than you think."

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"This must be a mistake," I say to Tiwa. We're standing outside of Ara's house and Tiwa would've rang the bell if I hadn't just stopped her.

"Faith texted me. This is the place," she stares at me.

"This is Ara's house."

"Let's just enter, the door's opened." Before I can stop her she pushes the door open and enters, of course I have no choice but to follow. We walk to the front door and Tiwa pushes it open again.

"You're trespassing," I hiss. She ignores me and steps inside.

"ARA! FAITH!" She calls. The house is empty, dark and silent.

"I don't think anyone is here," I shake my head. This feels all wrong.

"Let's check the garden," Tiwa tells me. I follow her tentatively, tiptoing my way. The garden is also empty.

"Let's get the heck out of here."
I'm about to start turning around when a sudden blare sends the alarms in my head going off.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Several voices, including Tiwa's, all scream. I look around me in shock and I'm met with familiar faces from school. Faith, Yamíl, Travis, Jibril, Olivia, Alex, Umar...Ara.

"Gosh you guys," I breathe. I'm smiling so wide but I can't even stop myself.

"I hope your senses grow with your age," Travis prays, walking up to me first. The garden is decorated with balloons and confetti everywhere. It's all so pretty.

"Did you guys really do this for me?" I ask no one in particular.

"You bet. And guess whose idea it was?" Jibril raises his brows at me.

"Ara!" Olivia and Faith scream when I don't say anything. My eyes land on said Ara but she's looking away from me.

"It's beautiful," I say loudly so she can hear me.

"Come on, let's get this party started!" Yamíl turns on the boom box and Burna Boy's Last Last blares across the garden. Suddenly everyone's either dancing, or drinking or exchanging numbers. I'm just standing still, unsure of where exactly to go to but I don't have to decide because Ara appears in front of me.

"Hey you," she says lightly.

"Hey."

"How've you been?"

"I've seen better days," I shrug. She purses her lips.

"Do you really like it?"

"It has your vibes everywhere. Of course I do," I smile. A real smile.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too dear." Ara jumps up and pulls me into the tightest hug I've ever had. Squeezing the air out of my lungs.

"Come on! Let's go eat cake!" She leads me to the table where they've placed the cake and I cut it slowly. I cut a large part for her and feed her personally, deciding to throw away all the bad feelings, all the mistakes we made.

Suddenly Travis and Yamíl appear next to me, staring hungrily at the cake.

"Oh you hungry babies," I laugh, handing Yamíl the knife. From the corner of my eyes I spot Faith playing bottle flip with Tiwa and Jibril and my heart swells at the sight of their pure joy.

We're not fine. None of us are completely free from our scars. But we'll be fine, eventually. Even I, the pessimistic Osariemwen can see that.