COMING HOME

Chapter 4

~~But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no other law.
Galatians 5:22-23(NKJV)~~

FLASHBACK

''Go downstairs baby." The message was brief from Caleb. Her boxes were all over the room floor and she stood over them. She'd just come back from her sister's house. Her plan of attending her induction dinner from her house fell through considering the fact that both sisters didn't know jack about make-up.

The dress she received earlier this afternoon from the dressmaker laid on the edge of the bed. The amount she spent on the material and making of the dress was almost enough to buy her an iWatch. Most of the stitching thread were painfully visible from the five feet apart. The cutting and sewing were irregular joined making it difficult for her to wear. She'd asked for strapless but the tailor presented her with the biggest short sleeved she'd ever seen in her life.

Caleb took light of her predicament without volunteering any help or proffering solutions so ignoring him rather than picking a fight with him was her resort. At the end of the hot afternoon, was she was going to be wearing a cheap sequins gown from a boutique downstairs. Her prom dress would have been a good choice if not for the tons of pictures she took and uploaded online. She could wear that without being noticed because nobody from her secondary school was attending the dinner.

She picked the shirt she'd worn before and forced it through her head. If she wanted to be the first person to get to the make-up artist, she'd need to get downstairs quickly and come back.

'Are you Miss Tobi?' The courier was dismantling a large box from his bike. The glow of the box was the first thing to catch her attention. It was like those over priced purchases manufacturers used to capture the eyes of everyone that saw it.

'Yes I am.' She walked closer to the man and helped him unbundle the box. The front of the cream box had a big glittery design of the miniature of a dress.

'Please sign here.' He wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand and gave her a pen. She took the pen and signed.

Curiously, she swung the top of the box open. A Sherri Hill Jacqueline Evening Wear stared at her. She reached for the dress and screamed as she brought it out of the box.

The courier turned at once with his hands on his chest. Laughing, she jumped waving her apology at the same time.

Her scream had gathered several students and workers around her.

'Tobi?' The sudden call came from behind making her realize herself. She turned to the direction of the call.

'Yes!'

Chris walked up to her. When he too saw the label she was holding he widened his eyes.

'Wow, that's really expensive.'

She nodded. 'I most definitely was not expecting it.'

'It looks pretty heavy from where I'm standing.'

'It is, oh it is.' her smile was from ear to ear. Chris smiled too.

'I can tell you'll win best dressed tonight huh!'

She laughed. 'Oh Christopher, I don't even care, I just want to be in it when I'm walking into the Hall.'

'Wow, I didn't know you were into things like this.' he smiled.

'Things like what?' She frowned.

'Fashion. I just thought you were simple that's all.'

The whisper to someone at his back made her divert her attention to his back. Her roommates stood there whispering things to themselves.

'I am into fashion!' She squeezed her face.

She didn't particularly like one of them. She remembered her being confrontational about Caleb before. She didn't know where that boldness had come from until she saw the portrait of Caleb on her table ready to be delivered and blurted out senselessly that her sister had dated him in his hundred level days.

She smiled at Chris and started to walk back into the hostel building when he held her arm.

'Do you have a date tonight?' She stilled and looked at him.

His hand held her arm firmly before releasing his hold on her. He smiled and shifted back some inches. 'Sorry. I was caught up.' His cheeks deepened and she saw dimples she'd never noticed before.

She quickly looked away before answering. 'I don't.'

'Then I will like to ask you to be my date Tobi.'

She stepped back to look at him to ensure that what she heard him say was true. She could literally see his heart beating from his chest, it felt like it might pop anytime soon especially if she didn't give him an answer now or reject his offer.

'Well, what do I get for being your date?'

Her smile was his only indication he did not cross the line so he ventured on.

'You get to sit with me and the rest of my gang for the night, anything that concerns you will concern me, I would even play the lady's maid.' Realizing himself he stopped talking to see her reaction. She too must have been waiting for him to finish talking but she didn't look upset. She was even smiling.

'What do you say Tobi? Will you spend the eternity of this night wit-'

'I think you are overfed right now Chris. Calm down.'

'I'm sorry.'

'It's okay. I will go with you to the dinner.'

'Really?' He hadn't been expecting her to say yes. He had to keep telling himself to calm down and control his emotions. He didn't have it in mind to ask her to be his date earlier, as a matter of fact he thought she was still angry with him the previous day, he still didn't have it in mind to ask her when he saw her outside with the outrageously big box. It was her excitement about what was in the box that made him ask her on impulse.

'Yes!' She smiled and went inside.

Christopher smiled watching her go inside and waited until she disappeared before he threw his hands up in the air in celebration. Some passersby saw him and laughed making him self conscious. He laughed and went to his room to get ready for the dinner a little too early.