He felt her tensed nerves eased below his grasp. The smile he had on still stayed on his face. She exhaled taking her arm from his gentle hold. She flipped back her hair then looked at him with unresponsive eyes.

"Then what should I do? Jump at you with joy?" she fired before striding away.

"Interesting. I knew we would meet again but this was the least of all scenarios I had thought about" he hopped next to her, keeping his hands into his pockets out of habit.

"Who let you in?"

"You should know something about a dinner" He raised his hand to quote the word dinner. Shock had flickered over her eyes but disappeared with the same speed it came with. She shot his impish face a pointed look.

"You do not seem like someone who is here for a dinner" her eyes smeared with just winged eyeliner scanned him. He wore jeans and a T-shirt with leather sandals. With her eyes, she could tell he worth nothing. His clothes seemed like those you get in Yaba market for nothing more than a thousand naira or less. Adeola, a friend of hers, had called them bend down select. He grinned sheepishly. "You should be in the wrong place"

"Well, I am not and I am ready for this dinner. Where is it?"

"I do not believe you" she took a step forward suddenly apprehensive. "Tell me" she pointed a manicured finger at him. "Who are you? A beggar?" He felt insulted yet he still kept his expression cool, lively and friendly.

"Joshua but call me Josh. That's my name" he held out a hand. His hand had not been taken so he pulled it back with an awkward grin before shoving his hand into his pockets. Idiot! She had not asked him that "You seem displeased to see me again but I am happy to see the damsel again. Oh" he gasped out. "You changed your hair. Last time you had this long braids on" he demonstrated how long the braids were. "You look gorgeous" he eyed her from her hair to her mustard yellow midi dress and her flat sandals.

This was what she dislike about him, his talk. He talks too much. Meeting him again whipped an anger she felt that night into her body. What kind of man does not know when not to talk and when to talk? He just talks on and on until he bores hers. He was quite a charmer. She harked back to that night at Tarkwa Bay. He had charmed ladies and nearly charmed her.

"I did not get you name that day. What is your name?"

"It is best you leave before I call the security to throw you out. You are trespassing someone else's property" she grinded out.

"Egbon" a voice called. They both whipped their heads to the sound. A teenager stood next to the patio doors. She glanced at her grinning brother then the displeased woman. "When did you arrive?" she ambled closer to them.

"About few minutes ago" Josh replied, his grin never leaving his face.

"You are late. Maami's worried" She pointed out slipping a hand over her brother's arm without acknowledging the lady next to him. Lola huffed then turned to leave.

"You see Orekelewa, I told you I was in the right place" he called after her.

Lola frowned, her lips twisted. She let out an angry hiss as she walked out on them.

The dinner which had once been quiet became a place booming with laughter after Josh's arrival. Sarah was charmed, cooing and squealing at any little thing he did. Her grandmother was pleased and also captivated by this stranger she met during New Year's Eve at Tarkwa Bay. Her nephew and nieces were open-mouthed when he did some nonsense he called magic. He pleased her grandfather and father with his knowledge in accounting. He had her brothers' and brother in law's heart due to his knowledge in football. The only one he had not please was her mother.

Rebecca had taken the chance to say the delicious dinner was made by Lola. Joshua had looked over the table surprised she could cook. She lifted her chin then turned away to talk to Sarah. The Erinoso family consisted of five members, counting the six month old baby will make them six. A woman, Ibironke, who was widowed. The head of the family was late. Ibironke introduced everyone starting with her eldest son, Olasupo, then her second son, Joshua, her only daughter and last child, Omolara, who was same age with Sarah and Samson. She introduced the lady next to Olasupo as Sophia. She was his wife and the baby everyone was over was their baby, Nate.

To Lola's dismay, Sophia, Josh's elder brother's wife, was Lola's classmate from junior secondary school and number one enemy. It's been eleven years since they last saw and that was before she left for California. She had taken her face away, ignoring Sophia's malicious look which everyone was oblivious to. The feud was still there. She sensed it and it seems another battle was coming her way.

The Erinosos were not very rich. The lush life of the Kola-Daisis amazed them especially Omolara who was dumbfounded about everything she saw and the way they did. Omolara knew about them. She had read about the affluent family called Kola-Daisi a number of times. One of them, Toke, had been the one who graces the gossip news the most. She also remembered Tenny. The fashion blogger whom she admired so much. She followed her on instagram, read her blog, read her posts and watched her tutorials. She felt so honoured to sit with them and dine with them. Her male crush among them, Makinde Kola-Daisi who married the daughter of an ordinary man. Their wedding she remembered was one in a town. It had been the talk among her and her friends for days.

She did not know much about Lola but her research told her the lady lived eleven years in California and had been back to Nigeria for two years. She just clocked twenty-four the previous month. Her birthday bash was profligate with the elites there to celebrate with her. She had seen pictures from the birthday and stalked Lola on her instagram page. The lady was a photographer who loved to travel a lot. Her instagram page could tell nearly everything about her. She was at the edge of her seat when she saw Miracle, the guy who had a scandal with the daughter of the former Minister of Power. They were going out one time but it had not ended well.

After dinner, everyone dispersed around the lawn, some taking the park bench that was on the concrete path leading to the pond. The spread was illuminated by the bright light from the bulbs and florescent lights. The inky spread of darkness had no star nor a moon to light it up. The elders were still at the table talking and shaking with laughter. The dull night had turned to be wonderful, everyone felt alive and happiness soaked their bones. Tenny, Kenny, Mofe and Omolara sat on the trimmed green grass talking about the latest music, latest movie, and latest celebrity in town and what teenagers mostly talk about.

Away from Joshua and her brothers, Lola stood with her sisters. They conversed about the men that disturbed them, their boyfriends and husbands. Toke had many things to say about Nathan. Shola had shared her experience from the day before when a man had walked up to her thinking she was single. Tenny flaunted her rich boyfriend whom they were yet to know. Lola had nothing to say except how irritating men were when they talk to her. She complained about one she met at The Palms. He was cool and clean but the Offa intonation in his voice was a big turn off and he was not tall. She had a softness for tall guys. As though on cue, his call came in. Her sisters had tittered while she puckered your brows at the screen. Lola moved to the pond to pick his call.

"Hello" he said. Listening to his voice made her blood hot. She could have chosen not to pick his call but she disliked it when he keeps calling.

"Hi" she replied.

"How are you?"

"Fine"

"I called you in the afternoon but you did not pick"

"I chose not to pick your call"

"What? Why? Lola, have I offended you in any way"

"No! But It's my choice to pick your call or not!"

"Ok, have you eaten?"

"Why are you asking me that? What if I have not eaten? Will you get me food?"

"Lola, have I done something wrong tonight? You seem so hostile"

His name was Remilekun Vendutti, son to Samuel Vendutti, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The man was friends with her father. Lola moved with the rich crowd. She partied where only the rich could be found. Her life revolved around money. The people she meet, the family her family were friends with, the people around her were nothing but money-bags. Anyone could smell money around her and she lived on it and for no reason had she tried to hide she had the money. It showed in her lifestyle, from her appearance, to her parties, her physical needs and expensive shopping.

"Remi, I will make things clear to you tonight. Do not ever call again or disturb me"

"Why?"

"I just do not want you to call me again. Alright? Asshole!" she hissed and ended the call.

"A frown on a damsel's face does not make her appealing" she heard his voice.

"Do you have to disturb?" she growled spinning around to look at him.

There was something about the way her bronzed skin glowed from the flicker of dimmed light that splash over it. There was fire in her eyes, a fire that made them prettier than they appeared. He took a step closer.

"I enjoyed tonight. Cooking is something I least expect you to know how to do"

"You have nothing tangible to say. I want to be alone"

As though he understood, he left her alone. She was glad he did. She wanted it. Lola settled on the clipped grass at the end of the pond. The still water mirrored the dark sky and in it, she saw the outstretched branches of the tree.

It took her back in time, into a dark part of her life. Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) that was what the psychiatrist had diagnosed her with. She remembered her first episode lucidly. It was a day she was out in this same yard with her siblings. She was just twelve and the outdoor games had always thrilled her. A play with Miracle turned out to be a fight. He shoved her and she had rammed him back. She does not know what had happened but she felt the tic and grouchiness.

She was outraged when she knew she won't win a fight with him. She walked away to sit in this same place, near this same pond. Thinking about the entire event, spiked her anger. It got worse. Her cat, Millie, had come over. It caressed her bare legs as if trying to give comfort. She had not known what happened. What she knew was she was sitting in front of a massacre cat with its blood all over her, an iron rod in hand while her siblings watched terrified and shocked.

The memories brought tears into her eyes. It stung at the back of her throat as she tried holding it back. She had said nothing to Lolu. There are some things that can't be told to those closest to us. Those who knew about it knew and those who don't do not and she will make sure they won't know. A voice called her which she answered to without her voice shaking. She had always known how to control it. Their guests turn friends were leaving. They all walked them to their cars. It was obvious they were not as rich as they were but still rich, the kind of rich you call comfortable next to people life the Kola-Daisis. Like what a friend will say olowo ju olowo lo.

"I hope we meet again, Orekelewa" Josh said to Lola, gave her a one sided smile before walking over to the driver's seat.

"I hope we never meet again" Lola muttered under her hot breath.

When they drove away, she marched back inside to her room where she changed into something befitting for a club then left the house with her mother's voice trailing behind her. She heard the calls but chose not to answer.