==Olivia==
The call came for the umpteenth time and I knew I had to go check it out. As soon as I saw the name on the phone, I braced up, ready for what was to come.
I exited the library and got into the hallway.
“Happy birthday!” The screech could tear my ear drums apart. I flinched, taking the phone away from my ear to prevent any damage.
A smile graced my lips as the croaky birthday song entered my ear.
“Thank you, Leah.”
“Guess who the latest adult is?”
“Excuse me? I'm 21,” I said.
“That’s the point. Right now, you can join me in hitting the bar and drinking all you want.”
“Not happening. You know it.”
“Oh, let's see,” she said and I chuckled. “Anyways, what’s the plan? Where we gon' hit?”
“Bed.”
“Huh?”
I rolled my eyes, knowing what she was going on in her mind. “We gonna hit the bed. As in get to sleep.”
“Geez. Why do you have to be a party pooper? Of course, we aren't doing that. Listen, this is your twenty-first birthday.”
“I know, mommy.”
“So, we gonna make a memory. 5:30. Hit me up.”
“I guess you’ve forgotten, Officer. My shit starts by 5.”
She muttered a cuss word. “Then, we go as soon as you’re done. It makes it much better.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bye, Leah.” I cut the call.
Signing, I walked back into the library to finish up my reading.
###
Glancing at my wrist watch, I realised it was 9pm. Finally, my shit was over. I got one more order ready for a customer, then went into the dressing room and untied my apron. I got my things ready and left the café. When I stepped outside, I couldn’t believe what or rather who I saw. Leah, leaning on her pickup truck. This girl wouldn't cease to amaze me
“How long have you been here?”
She glanced at her watch. “A little over an hour, thank you,” she said and then squeezed her face. “Yikes, you look…pathetic.”
I followed her gaze and appraised myself. Sure, a faded t shirt and blue jeans wasn’t quite a statement, but that didn’t give her the right to call me out on it.
“Hey, watch it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Hop in.”
I got into the passenger side of the car. I was expecting her to start off the car, but when she didn’t, I looked at her. She was staring at me. I knew that look.
“No, Leah. I’m not going to watch Bama for you.”
Bama was her Chihuahua. Leah used to ask me to come take a look or parent him whenever she was away for her very many seminars. I always declined the offer, as not only did I not have much free time, but also, I wasn’t a pet person per se.
She rolled her eyes. “I know you enough not to trust you with my puppy, but that’s beside the point.”
“Okay, what’s the deal? “
Her smile grew wider till she gave a titter. “Awwwn. I still can’t believe you’ve reached the age of accountability. “
I sighed. “For God's sake, Leah. I’m 21, which literally means I got to that age of accountability some three years back.”
She chuckled and I felt like slapping the smile off her face.
“Yeah, right.”
“You know, I don’t take it well when you rub my size on my face.”
She laughed harder and I immediately regretted my words. I sat silent, frustrated as she continued guffawing.
“I’m so—” More laugh. “I'm sorry. Come on, we all know how cute petites like you are.”
When I didn’t say anything, she sobered up. “Okay, I’m sorry. For real.”
I shrugged.
“That's my baby girl. Anywho, I got something for you.”
I glanced at her as she stretched her hand to the back seat. She brought out a ribboned box and gave it to me.
Immediately, my anger disappeared. As much as Leah could be annoying, she was the perfect definition of a friend. She always had my back and I couldn’t have done anything without her.
I took the box. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome. But I bet you’d be more enamored when you find out what stuff is inside.”
“Come on, are you tryna tempt me into opening it?”
“Oh, no no. But I can’t wait to…you know what, forget it,” she said. “To the bar!”
I sighed. Here we go again.
“A'int gonna run away from this one,” she said, as she started the car engine.