Chapter 10 10

10.MELINDA

When mum told me about the dinner party, I was in my room reading Lonely Flower ,while the TV was on mute. The novel is really depressing, I was close to tears already. So the party news was sort of exhilarating. But I was planning to take a long Friday nap.

"Get ready ,by five we should leave", mum said.

" okay... Mum" , I say, mum came in and then dropped a phone carton on my bed right in front of me, I couldn't believe my eyes at first, the latest P-phone. I got up and gave mum a fierce hug.

"Thank you so much mum", I said not knowing what else to say"

Mum patted me on the back and we stayed that way for about two minutes ,until it got awkward. Mum withdrew, " I am going to get a short nap, and also get ready "

"Okay" I say ,my hands are already itching to open up the carton. As soon as mum walks out , I open up the carton ,my heart beating fast. There was a sim card probably put in by mum. I charge the phone with its charger, and decided to take a nap too ,which lasted for two hours. When I wake up, my new P-phone is already fully charged. I switch it on, it has all the trending applications pre installed on it, PICchat, Chatty, Picgram,everything. I went into the toilet and had a quick shower,drying up my body. I realize that most of my classmates could be present. I have to dress good ,like real good ,this is not a first impression but every impression counts.

I open up my wardrobe and the smell of new clothes fills my nose. For a while I ponder on what to wear as I stare at the array of clothes in my wardrobe. Then the furry pink strapless gown catches my eye. I take it out of the hanger and walk to the mirror and place the gown in front of me. It looks pretty ,it is exactly above my knee ,and pale pink is a wonderful color. I lay the gown on my slightly rumpled bed and check my rack for a shoe to wear. On the second row of the ten rows is a light pink strappy high-heeled shoe with slightly thin heels. Just perfect, the good impression is about to be made. I step in front if the mirror ,with a smile on my face , I take out brown powder from my yellow makeup purse and dab powder on my face lightly, I let my braids down, and pack it up high ,so the bun stays at the middle, I hold it in place with my pink ribbon, I look like an Asian in a way ,mainly because of my hair. I style my hair edges with gel into wavy lines and then I apply red lip gloss lightly.

I want to listen to some music, I want to wiggle my pretty body, twist and turn in front of the mirror. I switch on the TV and then tune on to MTV, a pop music video is on.

I twist and turn like the vixen standing on the pink car in the video and sing along, baby you love me ,I'm gonna love you too.... I take off my bra and my medium sized breasts pulp out, then I take my dress and wear it from way down, over my slender legs and yellow dotty undies,over my abdomen, higher up and then finally my breasts, leaving a little tiny cleavage. I zip up the gown at the sides.

"Melinda, are you ready? Why is the music so loud!", mum calls out to me.

I grab the TV remote to reduce the volume of the TV. I look at my reflection in the mirror, once more, I slip my feets into the shoes ,open up my wardrobe and grab my silver sparkly purse.

" Melinda! ``Mum calls out again, her voice sounds closer than before. Mum walks in ,she is clothed in a long silver simple sleeveless dress. On her feet are red heels, she is holding a red sparkly purse to match with it.

"How do I look?" mum asks, she has this quirky smile on her face.

"Turn around" I say and she turns around.

She doesn't look too bad. Mum's figure is still so nice.

"You look like a perfect mom," I say. She looks so beautiful.

"You look more perfect dear ", "we are leaving now"

Mum says, and then we walk downstairs to the car. Mum plays a soft old school R&B.As mum drives, I look out the window, the sun is setting and the roads are quite busy. Mum hums along to the music. I feel really nervous. I sigh and breathe out ,like it will help me let go of my nervousness, but it doesn't.

As we drive into Peace event halls and event venues ,my nervosity reaches its peak.

Mum holds me by the hand and we both walk in.

The hall looks so bright and exquisite, the sparkly bright chandeliers that look like extra large roses ,the tables with exquisite white and milk clothing,the decorations, the extravagantly dressed people walking around, talking and laughing. A girl that looks quite my age sashays past me,in a silvery short flare gown exposing the whole of her back walks past us. There is a band stand, a lady is singing a popular Yoruba song in a soft voice. The music is not too loud but not too low. The music is just soft enough for people to converse and hear each other. At the far end I spy Dave, Daniella and a girl classmate of ours talking. Daniella raises her head,she smiles and waves at me.

"Go and talk to your friends", mum nudges me.

I let go of her hands and then walk towards them ,trying to walk normal but not too normal.

"Hey guys" ,I say and smile as broadly as I can.

"Melinda! You are a killer, you look drop dead gorgeous !" Daniella exclaims.

"Thanks ,you look really nice too ,you look better than I am" I say ,it is true ,she looks so cute ,in the multicolored dress she is wearing, it is short and frilly and her yellow pumps are so cute too, and her long hair reaching her shoulders packed into two pigtails looks cute too.

"Of course, she is the best dressed," Dave says and Daniella flushes.

Dave is such a handsome tall guy, he looks totally hot in the light blue tuxedo and pencil suit trousers he is wearing. I look to my right,the other girl keeps staring at me, I feel so uncomfortable. She has been staring at me from up to down. Did I make a fashion error?

"Let me get some Chapman ,I will be right back, with it for each of you girls" Dave says and disappears. The girl stops staring at me ,thank goodness. I stare at her too ,she looks quite good, she is in this flowery yellow jumpsuit and red heels, and her hair is all gelled up into a ponytail. I search around with my eyes for mum ,and I find her talking to some other grown ups, one of them is laughing hysterically ,I personally think she is over dressed, in the golden sparkly slit dress she is clothed in, and her hairdo is way too high.

"That's the deputy Governor's wife ,she is an important investor in the company" Daniella says into my ear. She has somehow managed to navigate herself next to me. Everyone knows everything, everyone knows each other.

"Teni is here" the other girl who was staring at me says. I turn around and I find her walking towards me with Dammy by her side, her fat mother and sister going the other way to another group of grown ups.

Teni is dressed in a dark purple sleeveless dress ,she is so slim and shapely, she looks model-like ,besides her is Dammy in a peach glittery short dress with layers and peach slim heels. Her dress looks quite expensive, but it looks somewhat childish ,but her makeup is fantastic, all her pimples have all vanished.

"Hi guys," Teni says as she and Dammy get to us.

"Hey" the other girl says. I and Daniella don't say anything. I feel too nervous. What if she humiliates me here too? Just then ,Dave appears again with four cups of Chapman in a tray.

"Oh thanks" Teni says and tries to grab a cup.

"Oh..sorry Teni, I never knew you were here ,it's for Tosin,Melinda and Daniella who were present before you came" Dave says , stopping her hand.

"We will get ours then" Teni says with a smile and Dammy walks away to the far end of the hall,where various dishes and drinks are displayed. We all grab our cups .

The Chapman tastes too sweet, although I like the tropical flavor.

"Where is everyone? I heard there is a children's section or so " Teni says simultaneously ,tapping into her phone.

"They are in the second building," Daniella says and grabs my hand, "Let's go" .

We walk out into the garden and then into another replica building of the hall we had just left. The hall is brighter ,full of teenagers and there is loud music , the DJ on dreads is dancing awkwardly like a possessed mad man.

The music is not that fast ,it's just one of Sia's hits. Suddenly I feel sort of underdressed as a girl in a close fitting neon green dress and red shoes pass by.

"Everybody is here ,including the rich staff and big shareholder kids who aren't in PGCSS,not everybody though, those who can come"

"Wow"

We walk into the crowd and follow Dave upstairs. A group of noisy guys are playing video games on a big flat screen TV. An arcade has been set up at the far end.

We walk through dancing teenagers. I catch a glimpse of a girl in a short long sleeved mauve chiffon dress kissing a guy in crazy jeans and a bright red expensive looking sweatshirt. We find empty seats. We sit and watch the guys as they control fighting avatars on the TV screen.

I bring out my phone and tap on the Chatty App icon. I tap sign up. I fill in my email address and phone number ,as the user name I type in Melinda ,just Melinda then I add a red heart emoji. As soon as I sign in , People you may chat with pops up. The first chatter is Daniella, she looks so nerdy in her profile picture with her glasses and puffy cheeks too. "You look so nerdy", I tell her and show her the picture.

"I can't help it," Daniella says smiling, "Is that a P-phoneXI?"

"Yes,it is",I hope I don't sound too pompous.

"That's cool it must have cost a lot"

"I know..." this is awkward ,I stare back into my phone and add Daniella, and Dave. I see a lot of my classmates but I don't add them. I am not ready for too much socializing for now. You need a profile picture! pops up on my screen. I quit the app and then tap the camera icon. The picture quality is so good. I wouldn't have ever believed my first phone would be a P-phone.

"Let's take a selfie" ,I say to Daniella who is sipping gently from her Chapman.

Daniella tilts her head to the side," I am not the selfie type"

"Please" I say .

"Okay"

I place the phone high above us and we take the selfie, our smiling heads close to each other. We look like besties. Daniella will be my first friend and best friend. I hope she does. I set the picture as my profile picture on Chatty.

I should open up a Picgram account too.

I take up my cup and gulp all my Chapman.

"Wait...is your mum the new general manager?" Daniella asks, her eyes bulging.

"Well..."

"Hey ..Melinda, your mum sent me to fetch you," Dave says as he walks up to us.

"Okay...." I and Daniella follow him through the sparse crowd of dancing teenagers outside.

Daneilla's dad is such a stud. And Daniella's dad is so cool too and funny ,I normally feel extra awkward around grownups but not with him. Daniella's dad works as a desk operator at Peace. Although Dave lives with his busy paralegal mother ,Dave stays at his father's during some weekends. Daniella told me all that. We have been sitting with the adults and mum, stuffing our faces. After Mr Roy the CEO gave the closing speech. The hall gradually became empty and mum and I stand up to leave. Melinda ,her fat mum and sister walk towards us.

"Madam," her mother says as they approach us.

"Good evening" , mum replied with a smile.

"Congrats, on your appointment as general manager, I have been looking for you. It's me, the junior accountant. Teni say good evening"

Teni has this look on her face like she can't believe her ears.

"Good evening ma", mum can I use the toilet?" As she says this, she walks away.

"I think I want to use the toilet too, " I say and walk away after Teni. As she walks into the room with the female toilet sign and closes the door. I walk in too ,I don't really have a reason for following her, why did I follow her? She looks in the mirror for a little while then she brings out her phone and looks up at me.

"Oh... hey" ,she says,"what are you doing here? I thought you guys were leaving ?"

"I...."

"Look ,it doesn't matter if your mum is the general manager or CEO."

"Matter?" I am confused.

"I am the Queen, it doesn't matter if my mum is a junior accountant or anything. Now I know why you sat on my chair"

I want to laugh but then I don't ,"Whatever,you are Queen. I never said you weren't "

"You are so pompous" she says and walks out.