Chapter 58

Leke ran downstairs as he heard voices.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Peter shook his head "Are you sending us away?"

Leke laughed "No. You guys aren't going back to Akure today?"

"Nah"

"Snr Leke" Semiloore called

"Congratulations"

"Thank you"

"Is this your mom?"

"Yeah"

"Good evening ma"

"Good evening. How are you?"

"Am fine ma"

"Where's Snr Semiloore?" Olivia asked

"I don't know"

Nathaniel sighs as he stands up and walks outside the house. His eyes scans the compound as he walks to the backyard.

He finds her sitting down, all curled up. He sighs again as he stands nd stares from a distance before walking up to her.

"Miss him alot?" He asks as he seats beside her. Semiloore hugs him immediately.

"I don't know" she mumbled

FLASHBACK

"Excuse me, there's a man looking for you"

"Me?" Semiloore asked

"Yes. He's wearing your fan base top. Probably a man who just wants to talk to you" the girl replied as Semiloore smiled at her

"Thank you" she replies before walking to the direction the girl pointed to.

Semiloore froze as she sights the person waiting for her. He still looked the same, handsome as always. His hands were behind his back and he actually wore the fanbase top.

"Hi"

Semiloore turned on her heels to walk away.

"Oluwasemiloore, i'm sorry"

The man's voice stopped her. The voice was full of regret and emotion. She turned swiftly to him "For what? Why are you sorry?"

The man trembled at the harshness of her voice.

"For leaving you and your sister. It was a tough choice back then"

"Tough choice? Between your career and your family? Should that even be options?"

"I was at the peak of my career. Everyone wants to be successful and at that time I was close to success how could I just... "

"Either ways your career came first. Nice one Mr Micheal" Semiloore replied shaking her head. What a fool she had been. While she was missing him and wishing he came back home, all he was thinking was how to make his career successful. So the family was a joke to him. Tears rolled down her eyes as she turned to walk away. She couldn't bear to listen any longer.

"I regret choosing my career over my family. Even when I became successful, there was no one to celebrate with me"

Semiloore paused as the man continued.

"Maybe I should have persevered, I should have put my family first, I should have known that Family is everything. Every damn thing"

Semiloore turned to him in tears "But you didn't know then"

"Joyce, she brought you up so well. Look at how big and beautiful you are"

"Yeah. We lived, without you"

"Congratulations. That's a huge feat for such a young girl like you. Keep it up"

"Thank you"

"How's Tamiloore?"

"She's doing great. Much more better than I am"

"That's good to hear"

"I'll like to take my leave"

"Wait!"

"What else?"

"Can I ask for a favour?"

"A favour?"

"Yes"

"Am listening"

"Oluwasemiloore, can.... you.... please.... can..... you call me... dad.... please"

Semiloore was taken aback as emotions flashed through her eyes.

"Pardon? Call you dad?"

"I'm sorry nevermind" he replied as he turned to walk away downcast.

"Dad" the man stopped in his tracks as he heard the soft voice but by the time he turned back, she was gone.

FLASHBACK OFF

Nathaniel wrapped his hands slowly around her "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Empty maybe"

Nathaniel smiles a little "Empty?"

"Yeah"

"You'll be fine"

"You always say that"

"Because I know you'll be fine at the end"

Tamiloore wore a solemn face as they stepped into the basketball court. Her heart clenched at the familiar blue cloth that the students across them wore. She love the uniform, she was proud of it. She knew it was something she couldn't avoid, they would have to complete with Hicol Lag, sooner or later so when she had discovered;there was nothing she could do about it.

"Tamiloore, are you okay?" Jerry asked and Tamiloore turned to him

"When I decided to be the cap, I knew this day would come, sooner or later"

"That's not the problem, the question is if you are okay?"

Tamiloore gives a smile in reply.

Akin stood beside her with his hands akimbo "Now that we even managed to reach this level, we can't beat Hicol Lag, even in your dreams" he snorted

"Guys gather round"

"Its not like you've played at any of the competitions" a guy said frowning as Akin glared at him.

"Its the same. Hicol Lag has one characteristics that has kept them has the champions for a long time. They work in unity"

The basketball players nod their heads in agreement.

"Luckily we also have that so they won't be much of an opponent"

"You can't say that. Their captain is enough to finish us"

"I must admit, you are awesome at basketball but Hicol Lag captain is.... she's great"

Tamiloore doesn't reply as she straightened to her full length. The basketball players of Hicol Lag walked towards them but their expression changed immediately.

"Ca... Cap" one of them says breathlessly before throwing herself on Tamiloore. The others look on with bitter looks on their faces.

Everyone is stunned. The girl slowly releases Tamiloore from her tight grip.

"Cap"

"Lola, how are you? Bukky, Jumoke, Sola, Feranmi, Moyo, you guys how are you?"

"We miss you" one of them replies

Emotions flash through Tamiloore's eyes as her face shows a hardened expression.

"Your parents were there too, asking the school to expel Semiloore, what were you thinking? That I wouldn't leave with her?"

They all buried their heads in shame

"What a pity"

"We are sorry about it. The school..... when you left.... the school...... they regretted it"

"That's more like it"

Akin stood there dazed. This girl? She was Hicol Lag captain? That was impossible. How, just how? She couldn't be that legendary best basketball player. She couldn't be!

One of the basketball players quickly walked towards the referee who was about to blow the whistle.

"Excuse me sir"

"Yes"

"We concede"

"Huh?" The referee asked confused

"We won't play with Oxford College, we concede defeat"

The referee looked surprised as they walked towards where the judges were seated.

The crowd went berserk when the judges announced that the match had been cancelled.

"What did you do?" Tamiloore asked Lara

Lara looked at her with a forced smile "The last thing I want to do is to play against my cap. I can't do it. We concede defeat"

"Without a match?"

"We really can't play against you Tamiloore"

"You guys are being cowards!"

"Yes, we are. Please forgive us for doing those hurtful things to you and Semiloore"

"Send her our apologies too"

Tamiloore glanced at the people she once called her family. Unlike Semiloore, she really didn't have a rough time at Hicol Lag. She had many people to defend her whenever she got into trouble and yet they had all conspired to chase her sister away from the school. Were they thinking she would stay? Tamiloore didn't reply as she turned on her heel and started walking away.

"Cap! Cap! Cap!"

"Cap! We are sorry!"

A tear slid down Tamiloore's face as she exited the court full of agony.