03

You look so happy, what is it?" Aria asked Layla who kept smiling.

“Is it so obvious? asked Layla.

"Of course, you won't stop smiling," Aria said.

"Well, someone complimented my hair," Layla said, and if it wasn't for the blanket of hair she was wearing, she would have touched her hair but she patted it through the blanket anyway. hair.

"Woah...really? I also complimented your hair yesterday but it didn't make you look so happy," Aria said, giving Layla a suspicious look.

"Oh..yeah but he's someone I never imagined..." Layla said.

"A guy?" Aria asked in a whisper and Layla nodded smiling.

"Oh" smiled Aria.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She asked.

"Soon" Layla said confidently as Dylan had already asked her to be his girlfriend.

"Woah..I'm so glad he made you so happy. It's been so long since you looked so happy" Aria said and Layla nodded.

"I don't appreciate small talk during working hours, you two should get to work and stop spilling your foul saliva on people's coffee!" cried Philia.

Layla and Philia went home after finishing the day.

“Why do you keep smiling like that! I hope you don't intend to kill me overnight! Philia said to Layla.

"No, I wouldn't do that. I'm just happy," smiled Layla.

" You're happy ? Even after… what happened? How can you be happy Layla? asked Philia, surprised.

"Oh my God! I hope this isn't starting to affect your sanity," Philia added, starting to panic.

"Stop it Phil, I'm perfectly fine. I shouldn't be happy after what happened, I should be crying all the time, I should refuse to eat...I know but I decided to be happy, at least less for now" Layla said and Phil gave her a look of pity.

"Don't give me that look Phil, you make me feel pathetic and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it again" Layla said and Phil nodded.

"Why don't you yell at me?" Are you trying to treat me nice because of… this… Wait, is that the reason you gave me more money this morning? asked Layla.

Philia nodded and Layla moaned.

"How can you start treating me nice all of a sudden because of that?" If that hadn't happened… I'd still be the niece you hate, wouldn't I? asked Layla.

"Of course" Philia shrugged.

“You are so amazing! And cruel! cried Layla.

They had arrived home by then, they walked in and Layla stomped towards her bedroom.

"Come back here Layla!" Who will cook dinner? Phil yelled at her but she turned a deaf ear and then slammed her bedroom door.

Philia flinched at the sound.

"Don't you dare mess up my door or you'll ask your poor aunt from Nigeria to fix it!" cried Philia.

She dropped her bag and sat down on the couch, picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

When she realized Layla wasn't going to cook dinner, she reached for her phone in her bag and then ordered pizza.

Layla shifts from one part of the bed to another, unable to sleep.

His stomach growled with hunger.

She only drank coffee in the afternoon.

Geez… she should have put her pride aside and cooked dinner when Philia told her.

There's no point in going to the kitchen now.

Philia rarely prepares meals and she may have locked the kitchen door just to punish her.

Well… maybe she didn't, since she's more subtle with her now.

Layla got up from the bed and slipped her feet into her slippers, she adjusted her pajamas then left her room, towards the kitchen.

~

Her heart sank when she found it locked.

Damn!

She was on the verge of tears as she made her way to the living room, this hunger is not one that can be endured, it almost tears her stomach.

She was planning on going to beg Philia for the kitchen key when she saw a box of pizza covered with a glass of water on the table.

There's probably nothing left in the pizza box, Philia would never have left him.

The glass of water would help though.

'At least she won't collapse before she gets to Phil's room' she thought as she swallowed the water.

She dropped the cup and sighed loudly.

The water hasn't done much to quench her hunger, she knows her stomach will start going wild again soon.

She stared at the pizza box and opened it with one finger.

"Yeah, go ahead and disappoint me, I know there's nothing left in you... What!" She exclaimed seeing half of the pizza nicely and invitingly in the box.

"What!" She exclaimed again.

Did Phil leave any for her?

It seems Phil was serious enough to start being nice to her.

But... what if the leftover pizza wasn't for her?

Well… anyway, she has to feed her stomach, she's ready for any punishment that might come later.

It's too hard to resist, not in his hungry state.

She sat down and started eating as fast as she could.

Phil could leave his room at any time.

She ate with a smile and satisfaction.

She had almost finished the pizza when she saw a post-it note on the table.

Huh..How could she not have noticed it sooner.

She picked it up and read what was written on it.

Food merchant.

I know you'll be almost done with the pizza before you notice this rating. Just so you know, your allowance for tomorrow will be deducted.

What is the...

" My God ! Layla dropped the last slice of pizza she was about to devour.

"I knew it would definitely come at a price," she moaned.

"You're such a boring bee" She sniffled at Phil's picture frame that hung on the wall.

She ate the last slice of pizza before beating the box.

She smiled, looking well fed.

She is so full now, but she needs to drink water.

The kitchen is locked so she's going to do this tomorrow.

She is happy to have had at least something to eat.

She turned off the lights and walked to her bedroom, smiling to herself.

Now she will sleep well and probably dream of Dylan.

She just can't get this scene out of her head.

Dylan spoke to her for the first time.

He complimented the hair which she had found ugly.

If she had known that her 'Bob' would be the reason he would talk to her, she would have done so long ago.

Thank goodness Mrs. Moore listened to his pleas or else she'll pass out rather than dance in front of the whole class.

Her father and brother had always teased her about her terrible dance moves.

She also knew she was a terrible dancer.

Her brother once said that she danced like a hawk trying to be steady on barbed wire.

He misses her so much.

She sighed as she jumped on her bed, pulled her blanket over her body and stared at the ceiling, imagining different love scenarios with Dylan.

"Hello Phil" Layla said as she entered the living room.

She was fully dressed for school, she only came to say goodbye to Phil.

She was looking forward to seeing Dylan.

"Hello" Phil drank his coffee, wondering why Layla was smiling to herself.

Oh... does she think she's not going to deduct her allowance like she said she would.

Haha..she's going to have a surprise.

She handed him Layla's allowance and Layla counted it.

She looked at Philia after realizing the money was incomplete.

"Are you really going to deduct the pizza cost from my allowance?" asked Layla.

"Sure, you thought I was joking? You know I don't joke about things like that," Phil said, picking up his cup of coffee to sip once more.

Dollar bills were spread out on the table like playing cards.

"Of course, I…I know you don't joke about things like that, but I…thought you were starting to be nice to me," Layla said.

"Well...I was starting to but I thought you didn't like it, from the way you came into your room last night"

"You don't care about things I like or dislike, you do what you want regardless of my choice, why suddenly care?" asked Layla.

"Don't ask me questions Layla, you got mad after you found out why I was nice to you, you left me and refused to cook dinner, yet you want me to be nice to you? You're a jokester" scolded Philia.

"Do you have to love me for some reason, can't you just love me.. for no reason attached to it, can't you just love me like most aunts like their nieces, must- there be a reason?" Layla asked, hurt.

"I can't love you! because I don't love your father! Get the fuck out before you make me seize your allowance"

Laila sighed.

"Okay, bye" she said, glancing at the wall clock before walking out of the house.

She's not so hurt by Phil's words, she's used to it.

°

She decided to take the bus today, she's not late but she was just looking forward to seeing Dylan.

She'll take the bus to school for the first time in months just because of Dylan.

And also, for the first time in months, she couldn't save money.

The amount with her today would not be enough.

If she hadn't planned to take the bus, there would still be a few dollars to save, but… anything for Dylan.

She is ready to do anything for him.

She entered the classroom and there were no quarrels and murmurs as always.

The students just stared at her...

Wow, who would have thought a day like this would come.

She walked to her seat after putting her bag in the locker.

Her eyes were on Dylan who was chatting with his friends, he hadn't seen her yet but she stared at him anyway.

His heart raced when he suddenly looked up, his eyes meeting hers and he looked away almost immediately as if she wasn't there.

What.

His footsteps slowed immediately.

Hasn't he seen her?

Maybe he hadn't… but, he had looked her directly in the eyes.

God, could he have forgotten yesterday.

He flirts with so many girls he could have forgotten.

She finally arrived in her place, she sat down looking sad.

The minutes passed and she was surprised that Chloe didn't approach her, she wasn't the only surprise, the students too.

For months there hadn't been a day that Chloe hadn't slandered Layla and they were still looking forward to it.

Chloe pretended to be busy with her phone, as she tried to avoid approaching Layla, she got scared after Layla threatened to pull her hair out of her scalp yesterday.

She knows Layla can do it. Africans are fierce!

But she's not letting Layla go easily, she's going to attack her in a way that won't require approaching her.

She hates her so much!

Layla stared at her desk, thinking about Dylan's inattention to her.

Should she say hello to him?

Maybe he hadn't even seen her, maybe his eyes were on something else entirely.

He may not have noticed her coming in because there were no quarrels today.

Maybe...

"Hey" She heard a voice that sent shivers down her spine, she looked up almost immediately to see Dylan wave at her with a smile.

"God" she mumbled almost breathlessly.