Chapter 2 The Islands

# **Boitchh,

I'm gonna miss you so much**

- Riri_Main best friend ❤️.

10 minutes ago.

**God😭I miss you alreadyyy.

-Riri_Main Best friend ❤️.

Just now.**

Uncle David opened the door for me, patting me on the head before going to sit in the front with Dad. I smiled at my phone and sent a quick reply, then took my place at the back next to my little brother and my mother who sat by the door. Loluwalase was so engrossed in the kiddies show he was watching on his iPad,he didn't even notice the extra presence, nor spare me a glance.

"_johnny johnny?

Yes papa

Eating sugar

No papa!_" Little lase sang enthusiastically with the voices in his iPad, swinging his legs and hopping on the seat. I smiled warmly at the bundle of joy, then returned my gaze to my cellphone.

Ever since last week, I had been getting so many text messages from my friends from my old school, all telling me how much they'd miss me. Aarin's texts were my favorite. She told me she missed me every five minutes, which was honestly so sweet.

Four months ago, after the incident at school, Dad brought home goodnews. He had been promoted and sent to a new branch. A much better place with a sponsored accomodation. Everything seemed like it was crashing, then the news about his promotion brought us unexpected joy. We were going to be living in the Island now.

From a mainlander, to an islander. Imagine!

I tore my gaze away from my phone screen as I felt my little brother leaning in on me, wanting to tell me something. I granted him my undivided attention as he stared at me with those adorable big eyeballs of his, and his cute smile.

"Niyemi." In the past, it irked me whenever he mispronounced my name, but I stopped caring. I hummed, fixing the collar of his forest green T-shirt.

"Mommy said- Mommy said I'm going to have plenty new toys."

"Wow.Plenty new toys?" I played along.

"Yes." He kicked his legs again." And new car,and bawl, and new sing." I furrowed my eyebrows. Four years living with him and I still had no idea half the things he said.

"Ball and swing." Mom supplied, seeing my look of confusion. I parted my lips in realization and nodded.

"That's so cool! How many cars do you have now?" He stared off into space for a while, then pulled out five fingers. "Five!"

He giggled." Yes! I have plenty cars. Mommy, where is my cars?" Mom looked up from her phone and informed him it was in the second car following us. Lase pouted, his lips quivering.

"But- but I want to show Niyemi my cars!" He whined, nearly kicking off the iPad. I was quick to catch it before it hit the floor,same time mom sat up to catch it as well. Lase had already started crying, and I sighed.

"It's okay, Lase. I'll see them when we get to our new home, alright?" I placed the tablet on my lap and used my palm to dry his tears, rubbing his back at the same time.

"But-but." Dad sighed from the front seat, speaking for the first time since our drive.

"You'll show her when we get home, buddy. "

"Okay." He said quietly, dropping his head on my arms with droopy eyes. I chuckled, picking him up and setting him on my lap. He rested his head on my chest,and I ran my fingers through his curls, soothing him to sleep.

The ride to Ikoyi lasted thirty minutes,and soon enough we were driving into our new resident. The estate was beautiful, quiet and heavenly like. The houses were big and modern. The cars that drove past were posh and expensive looking. And the people that walked past were fascinating. I stared out the window throughout, till we were pulling into our new humble abode.

Just like the other houses, ours was the same. Big,modern and so unreal.

From inside the car,the house looked so attractive. It was a two storey building, painted off-white, with brown roofing,and balcony. There was a small, beautiful garden at the corner, and a driveway.

Dad told me that his boss was going to give us his old home to live in. I always knew the man lived fancy, but this house was a full on wow. I wondered how his many other houses looked like. They were probably built with glass, and had Versace everywhere inside.

Uncle David was the first to get down from the car,then we all followed. I shifted Lase in my arms and stared ahead.

_so this is our new life now_

"Let's go in." Dad said, breaking the momentum silence. I shifted Lase in my arms again, placing him in a position where his whole body leaned on me and his chin rested on my shoulder. I pocketed my cellphone, then picked up a luggage by the handle and rode it by the tyres with me. I followed closely behind Dad, glancing around the compound until we were finally inside.

The furnitures were already there. All of them were either gray or white. The couches were grey,and so were the pillows. The walls were white,and so were the pillars. The stairs were also painted white and formed an S. The downstairs consisted only of the living room, dining room and kitchen, whilst upstairs were the rooms. There was an AC placed in every corner, and flower pots as well. The rug was in the middle of the living room, gray with little stripes of black. The tiles were as white as snow, so clean that one could see their reflection on them!.

In short, the house was perfect.

Perfect and unreal. Just like our lives were at the moment.

My only prayer was that God continued to keep it this way. May our lives remain this beautiful, peaceful and filled with pleasant surprises.

Fingers crossed.