Chapter 72 PARTY CHAOS
Godiva POV
“You jinxed it,” Dina thundered. “After all, it’s just ten minutes past our meet-up time. I’m sure they are running late,” she continued, checking the time on her wristwatch.
“Oh no, I didn’t,” I responded, laughing hard.
We continued laughing and interacting for almost forty minutes while we awaited Jerald and Ben’s arrival, but with each passing minute, my excitement slowly began to mix with worry.
“Di, are you sure we’re making the right choice?” I asked, becoming even more anxious.
“Yes, girl. It’s too late to go back now. Let’s give them five more minutes,” Dina replied, though from her expression, it was obvious she was equally getting tensed.
“And speak of the devil,” I said, pointing at Jerald and Ben as they stepped out of a black luxurious Lamborghini Urus SE.
“Why are you late?” Dina thundered at Ben, giving him attitude.
“My apologies, Zhino, for coming this late. We sincerely apologize,” Jerald said, approaching me with his arms stretched for a hug.
“I apologize sincerely for our lateness. We spent a long time convincing Dad to let us use his car,” Ben explained, holding Dina’s hands.
“Just so you know, we have only an hour and a few minutes to stay at the party,” I warned as we walked toward the car parked a few steps away.
“Easy, girl,” Jerald teased, opening the door for me, while Ben did the same for Dina.
“Before I entrust my life into your hands, can I see your driver’s license?” I teased Ben as I fastened my seatbelt.
“Don’t worry, your lives are safe in my hands,” he replied, starting the engine whose sound alone was mighty.
“This car is a damn machine,” I said, smiling uncontrollably.
“You really have eyes for good things then,” Jerald said, wrapping his arm around my neck.
“Oh yes, I know a thing or two about cars,” I boasted.
“Babe, when did you learn to drive so well?” Dina asked Ben, making a video of him with her phone.
“I took my driving test last year and graduated as the best in my set,” Ben boasted.
“How about a video of all of us?” Jerald asked.
“Yes, yeah,” we chorused in agreement.
The ride felt too short because of how loud and excited we all were. Between Ben’s unnecessary speeding, Dina’s dramatic screaming, Jerald’s constant teasing, and my laughter that refused to die down, it felt like we were children sneaking into paradise.
“Wow,” Dina and I exclaimed simultaneously as we stepped out of the car at Garnette’s residence.
His house was a full-blown mansion with beautiful sculptures, a fountain at the entrance, expensive artifacts decorating every visible corner, and a large pool sitting proudly on the rooftop.
“Dina, I only see this kind of pools in movies,” I whispered in her ear.
“Exactly my point,” Dina chipped in, grinning.
“Hey girls, let’s sit over there,” Jerald said, pointing to a corner in the hallway.
We had barely settled when Garnette walked up to us with glasses of drinks arranged on a tray.
“What’s in the glass?” I asked curiously, pointing at the content in the wine glasses.
“It’s wine mixed with a little whisky,” Garnette replied, handing us the tray.
“No thank you,” I said, passing mine to Jerald.
“Thank you,” Jerald gestured politely to Garnette with a slight bow.
“You both drink?” I asked in surprise, watching the brothers sip from the glasses.
“A little,” they chorused, smiling.
“I’m sorry, babe, we couldn’t reach you guys. We wanted to call and explain that we’d be late,” Ben said with his arm wrapped around Dina’s shoulders.
“We suspected you must have left the house,” Jerald added, stroking my hair gently.
“You’re forgiven!” Dina screamed, raising Ben’s wine cup in the air.
“Zhino, how about I get you a phone that doesn’t always go off, one befitting your status?” Jerald asked out of the blue.
“Yes, how about we get you both better phones so we can communicate with you whenever?” Ben added.
Dina and I looked at them in shock.
For some seconds, neither of us spoke. We just stared at them with our mouths slightly open.
“You both are joking, yeah?” Dina asked, laughing hysterically.
“Nope, we’re not,” Ben replied with full seriousness.
“How do you both intend to get that kind of money?” I asked in disbelief.
“Come on, Zhin, we have allowances,” Jerald responded, trying hard not to laugh.
“I thought after you both went against your parents they’d cut off every form of funding like how it happens in movies,” Dina said, still stunned.
“Girl, come on. That only happens in movies. In real life they still have to give us allowances so we don’t steal or do something shameful, plus we have savings,” Jerald said, laughing uncontrollably.
“Personally, I know Mama will be against the idea,” I said.
“Well, let us try asking them first,” Dina replied.
“If they don’t respond after a while, we’ll force the phones into your hands,” Jerald teased.
“Why don’t you unwind?” Ben said to Dina and me, already vibrating on his seat to the booming music.
“You’re already high?” Dina asked, looking disgusted.
“Oh no, I am not,” Ben replied, still dancing awkwardly.
“How about a sip?” Jerald asked, handing me his wine glass.
“Isn’t this supposed to be illegal?” I asked curiously, looking around at every drunk person.
“It is not for Ben, but it may be for me,” Jerald replied, moving closer.
“What is it?” I asked, shifting my head backward as he leaned in with obvious intentions.
“Get over here,” Jerald said in his usual authoritative manner, pulling me to himself by the waist. “I want a first kiss with my lady here.”
For a moment, the noise around us faded.
His eyes held mine.
My heartbeat rose.
Staring at him for a while, we both slowly shut our eyes as our heads drew closer like magnets pulled by an invisible force.
“Wait up!” I suddenly exclaimed, freaking out. “I have actually never kissed a guy in my right senses before,” I confessed, looking downcast.
“It then means you’ve kissed a guy in your wrong senses,” Jerald retorted, waiting.
“No, no. I have erm… never kissed a guy before,” I said, stuttering.
I noticed the look Dina gave me.
For one brief second, I thought of just coming clean about my kiss with Hakeem, but that was going to paint me as a terrible person.
“You serious? You’ve never kissed a guy before?” Jerald exclaimed.
Then he grinned wickedly.
“Alright then, if I find out you have, I’ll call you fake virgin,” Jerald teased, laughing.