~Alya
The next day I got to school feeling a bit moody. The term had just begun and yet I was already tired of being in school. It was just so tiring getting up really early everyday.
Sometimes I just felt like kicking back at home, which I could easily do, but then the nerd part of me would not stop obsessing about all the stuff I would miss if I stayed at home and all of that.
Plus home was really boring sometimes. Trust me, it sometimes gets really boring when you just get everything you want.
I was unpacking the books from my bag when Alesscia took her seat, which was next to mine.
Chiamaka had changed her sitting position as she took a seat which was just next to her boyfriend's and Alesscia filled in the space.
I was at least grateful that I would not be stuck with Chiamaka for the rest of the term but I wasn't so grateful to have Alesscia sitting next to me the entire session.
I wondered why she would even want to seat next to me. I mean, it wasn't as if she even liked me. I kept unpacking my books. As if it wasn't surprising enough that Alesscia Evans decided to seat next to me, she started talking to me.
"Alya, I need you to do me a small favor..." she paused for a while although not for me to give a reply, she knew me well by now.
"I need Ami Tara to attend my birthday".
I was taken aback but kept on arranging my books. "How can I get Ami to attend your birthday?" I asked faking ignorance.
"You guys are related, right?" She asked and the books almost fell from my hands. I stopped them regaining my composure almost immediately while hoping that she didn't just notice my slip.
"How?"
"I have no clue. But I know for certain that you have a connection to her even if you guys aren't related," she stated.
I turned to face her this time. "And what makes you think that?"
"Well... when I auditioned for the role of Annie in the musical, Voices, Ami Tara was also there, for reasons am not so sure of. When I was waiting for my lousy driver to take me back to the hotel I was lodged in, I saw Ami Tara's limo pull up in the driveway. The door was opened for her and I noticed that there was someone seated at the back. And honey, that person was you,"
She kept quiet for a while and then continued.
"No random person would just be in Ami Tara's car..."
"The thought that I was perhaps one of her workers didn't cross your mind?" I asked interrupting her with another lame excuse my mind managed to bring up. I really needed to stop saying stupid things.
She rolled her eyes so hard, it almost left her sockets. "We both know you're not honey so you can drop the act."
"Okay. So what's your deal?" I asked her.
"As I already said, I need her at my birthday party. I don't know or care what connection you have with her, all I need is for her to attend my party."
"Why?"
"It would be a blast. I mean, Ami Tara at my birthday. Could you just imagine that?" She asked with an exaggerated enthusiasm and I held the urge to roll my eyes.
"That would basically entail more popularity. My fans would literally go crazy when I post a pic of Ami at my birthday. Just imagine how many more followers I could get. I know people would ignore me and be all over Ami the entire night despite the fact that it's my birthday but I am so okay with that," She said in her usual showy high pitched voice.
I sighed. "What if I can't get her to come?"
"You don't always have to be so negative. If you're able to do this I am ready to do whatever you want. I can even follow you."
"You just have about a million followers or somewhere around that number, Ami on the other hand has two hundred million followers. If there's any truth in what you're saying and I am actually her daughter, I would actually have more followers than you and you following me won't make a difference".
She kept mute for a while. "So what are you implying?" She asked when she finally found her voice.
"Nothing! Actually, Ami is in the states right now and so she can't attend your party," I replied feigning remorse.
"How did you know that? I thought you said you guys aren't related."
"Yeah, we are not related. It's been trending on IG since last night, I thought you should have been aware long before me."
She obviously didn't believe me so she whipped out her phone to confirm for herself.
"Oh! Riiiight," she replied after checking if what I said was true.
"The party's tonight. Devan's throwing the party at his house. You're attending right?" She asked as she placed her phone back in her bag.
"Sure," I replied half-heartedly.
"Can I have your IG name?"
"I'm not active on it so I don't see the need."
"Okay. Thanks a bunch and please don't forget to attend."
"Not a problem," I responded with a smile.
****
She told me put my heart, in the bag, and nobody gets hurt
Now I'm running from her love, I'm not fast,
So I'm making it worse...
I walked into the main building as Robbery by Juice wrld blocked out the terribly loud music playing in the background.
I didn't like the look of the party, there was nothing really exceptional. Truth is, I expected way better from Alesscia Evans.
This looked just like every other regular party I had attended, boring! I walked across the room in long strides trying my best to get past drunk teenagers. I made it to the kitchen and finally exited the house.
I stepped into the large lawn which looked really different. It was as if a totally different party was going on here. There was a fewer number of people more like they were selected by Alesscia.
The place looked way classier than anything I had seen before. More like the Alesscia Evans I knew.
I walked further into the lawn still distracted by the Juice wrld songs playing through my earpods.
There was a long line of tables joined end to end all covered in white clothes. The tables were lined with food and stuff but the thing that caught my attention was a set of glass tumblers facing downwards arranged in the last table before the bar.
I picked up one of them. I was really eager to know how on earth any sensible person would drink with that glass. The glass was so small that a sip would be more than enough to finish the whole content of the tumbler.
I dropped it back on the table concluding that it had to be part of the decorations although I did see a few people using the tumblers.
Can't believe I actually thought I was surrounded by normal people.
I soon reached a set of white couches arranged in a semi-circle near a kind of fountain like thingy.
Alesscia was seated there with two guys and one other girl. I took off my earbuds before I reached them. I noticed a softer song was being played at a lower volume here .
"Alya!" She called out in a high pitched voice. "So glad you made it."
"It wasn't a problem," I said feeling kinda flattered. Alesscia Evans happy to see me? That didn't sound proper but sounded nice all the same.
"Aren't you gonna wish me a happy birthday?"
"Your birthday's tomorrow," I replied stifling a yawn.
"In just two hours, it will be tomorrow. And I am sure you are not staying till midnight, you can just wish me now."
"Happy birthday in advance."
"Thank you. You are quite a funny person. Nice dress though."
I just shrugged as a reply to her compliment. "I like yours too," I said even though I found nothing particularly special about the grey deep V neck backless halter metallic mini dress coupled with the heavy looking choker she wore.
"Of course, who wouldn't?" She asked with a smug smile plastered on her face.
"I didn't actually like it though, was just trying to be polite," I said trying hard to hold back a scowl.
Her smile disappeared. After a short silence, she replied, "Okay, thanks."
"Not a problem," I replied with a curt smile. I had been really generous with my smiles recently.
"Why don't you have a seat?" One of the guys there spoke up. I surveyed the couches they sat on and saw that the only available space was next to him.
I kept quiet deliberately to see if Alesscia would repeat the invitation to sit. I was only there to attend her party and nothing would make me sit next to a stranger whose face I didn't like.
"Have a seat," Alesscia finally said. I offered her a smile while muttering sure. I took a seat next to her stylishly causing the girl who was sitting there to scoot.
I sat in silence for a while as the two guys went on blabbing something.
The girl, on the other hand, kept gulping down something I decided to be apple juice cause her liver would have been fried by now if that was actually alcohol.
I stared on at them thinking how much the party sucked. Although I was wrong to think that that night would end up being totally free of drama. The only problem was that I never expected the next events and would have rather preferred sitting on a couch all night in between boring conversations.