SCOLDED AT IN FRONT OF MY FRIENDS

★★★★★

Gabriel and I didn't turn our backs to see who it was. Obviously, we knew the voice. Turns out the person was sitting on one​ of those chairs that can swirl. Such dramatic​ people in my life. No wonder I'm like this.

"You thought you could get away with it, Captain Bravestone and his companion?" She did not just call us that. Jeez, Jumanji: The Next Level must have gotten into her head. I elbowed Gabriel, giving him a sign to play along. Thankfully, he understood. Turns out he too has watched Jumanji.

"We just did our job. Jumanji must be saved for us to return home," I said turning to face the voice, "We've travelled far and wide to do so today."

"Hmm... You stalled the Brothers Quababec from forming an alliance with my people. I would have taken over Jumanji!" Jeez...if we could act like this, I'm sure we'd all be famous by now.

"You're killing the people of Jumanji!" It was Gabriel this time. I never knew he was a good actor. Oh, screw that, I knew. I just didn't know he was this good. And he was asking me why I joined music instead of theatre arts. "You stole the heart of Jumanji for your evil games and now it's over!" Wow.

"Not if I stop you first. Attack!!" I didn't even know what was going on anymore, but I saw Marcy, Jade and Selena coming out from the shadows with balloon knives and Daniel, dressed in a black, with red paint marks on his face, holding a balloon knife too.

"Captain, we're surrounded. What should we do?" I asked.

"We fight," Gabriel ordered. He said it so fiercely that anyone would act immediately. So I did. I ran to my little cousins and swept them off their feet. I dropped them on the bean bag beside the couch, while they were trying to poke me with their balloon knives. Jesus Christ, so much drama.

"We're here to help Captain," I was surprised when I saw Richard and​ Lizzy dressed up as well. They were on our side. Gabriel was attacking Daniel, who was guarding Lida, obviously.

Richard came to my side with plaster on his nose and I couldn't hold it anymore. I burst out, laughing. I couldn't help it. What the hell is wrong with my family and friends? I need new ones. No, no, these ones are just perfect.

They all joined in the laughter and soon we were all on the carpet, clutching our stomach and laughing our lives out. God, I miss this. Emeka and I used to do this a lot back home. Role playing was the best way to bond.

"I never...hahaha...knew you guys could act...like that," I was saying, still in awe.

Soon the laughter died down and we turned to look at each other's faces and soon we exploded again with laughter. And here I thought I was gonna get scolded.

"Alright... enough," Lida said, still recovering from the episode we just had. "Why are you late Munachi?" I guess I spoke so soon. Way to ruin the fun, Aunty Chioma.

"Pwincess Mona," Selena ran to hug me. "We stayed up for you so we could watch this movie..." She was saying, oblivious to the new atmosphere here. I'm about to die. Hei, Selena could be my shield!

"Selena, come on, let's go to bed now. I think it's past your bedtime. I'll read you bed time stories okay?"

"Yay," she said as I was about to carry her bridal style.

"Marcy, take Selena upstairs." Lida ordered.

"Bedtime stories, bedtime stories!" She protested, but my little cousin knew how to make deals with her 'kind'. Children understood themselves best.

As they left, Richard and Lizzy took it as their queue to leave as well, but Richard mouthed something that looked like, 'I'm sorry I didn't get there earlier'. I thought they were on our side! Leaving us here to face the darkness alone is totally unfair.

"Munachi?" Lida called out again. I guess this was bound to happen. I have to tell her the truth.

"I went out for a walk, but the-"

"She bumped into me. She wanted us to reconcile for our misunderstanding, earlier, so it kind of took our time. After that I made her dinner at one of my dad's cover houses," Gabriel interrupted. Well, it wasn't really a lie.

"Does that mean you can come back this late? Eight is your curfew, and you know that young man. When you're in my house, it's my rules."

"Calm down Lida. They're adults. I'm sure they can take care of themselves," Daniel piped in.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen​ again," I apologized to end it. Hopefully.

"You're an adult. You should be responsible now," she said, before turning to leave, "I don't want anything to happen to you, so don't make me regret taking you in," she said finally as she started towards her room with her husband, leaving me embarrassed with Gabriel.

I hate being scolded at infront of my friends, especially by my parents. Right now, Lida was my guardian so, same thing. Back then, I tried my best to avoid being scolded at when Nene, Princess or Kelechi was at my house, but it was impossible. I'm either scolded for not putting something in order or for leaving plates unwashed. It was really embarrassing.

"Mon-"

"Goodnight Gabriel." I didn't want to be more embarrassed than I was already.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? I'm fine. Don't worry. It's normal," I said shrugging it off. I went to my room with Gabriel on my heels.

"We're gonna see tomorrow's​ sun, after all."

"Ha. We're lucky, ain't we?" I said, with the door almost closing on Gabriel.

"Really lucky," he said as we both closed our doors.

I changed into my night gown and slid into the bed with Selena curled up like a ball, and immediately my head landed on my pillow, I was lost...in a land that starts with D. Dream Land...

*****

The next moment I woke up, Selena wasn't beside me anymore. Wow, a kid woke up before me. I looked out the window and saw the sun was setting. Jeez what time is i- holy?! Six thirty p.m? I slept for eighteen hours? I asked myself​, counting from twelve am I slept till now. Okay, new sleeping record, checked.

I cleaned up as fast as I could and decided to check what was happening in the house. I checked my phone for any missed calls and saw one from Sophie and two from Michael. I called Sophie back and she wished me a Merry Christmas. She asked about what had been going on with Rich and apologized for not being with me, which I wasn't angry for.

I walked downstairs to the living room and found our one and only.

"Good morning."

"I know it's not morning. Don't think you can decieve me, Gabriel."

"I wasn't thinking of decieving you, isn't that what normal people say when they wake up?"

"Not when it's six in the evening," I was tired already. That's what you get when you sleeping too much. "Where's everyone?"

"Probably in their respective rooms. Selena is with your cousins."

"Ooh. You?"

"Having a video call with some friends," he said, as I sat down beside him. "You've never asked of them."

"Hey, I'm not guilty here. I knew you had a sister two days ago, how am I supposed to know you have any other friends apart from me?" He raised an eyebrow, mocking me, "Here I thought you didn't like anyone apart from me. I felt special," I said faking tears.

"Aiden and Kale are childhood friends. They just don't go to AUAS. Childe, Steph and  Jerome stay in New York, so we meet up when I'm not with you." He raised the screen to my face where two guys, one with brown hair and the other had dark, black hair, were waving at me. I waved back. So Americans can wave sef.

"Hi, I'm Munachi."

"Mona, we know," they said in unison.

"Gabriel's​ been updating us," the guy with brown hair said.

"That's Aiden and the guy beside him is Kale," Gabriel introduced. "Guys you're not meeting her like this. Buzz off." He hung up the video call.

"Hei! Why couldn't I meet them?"

"Not the right time." I brought my phone out to chat with Kelechi and Chidinma, but before I knew it, it was almost bed time again. The night was a blur. Nothing much happened except Richard and Lizzy said they'd leave on New Year's. Nobody seemed bothered about that too.

Again, I changed into my pajamas, but this time, I stayed up to read some of my notes before going back to sleep.

****

Something woke me up. I don't know what, but when I looked beside me Selena wasn't there. I checked the time and it was five a.m. I opened my door to check if she was with my cousins or maybe Gabriel. Since Gabriel's room was just opposite, I knocked twice, then opened the door, but no one was there. Not even Gabriel.

Rubbing my eyes, I walked over to my cousins room and no one was there. Then Richard's room, the same thing. I panicked. Someone must've kidnapped them! The noise of a burglar must've woken me up. I rushed into Lida's room and it was the same story. No one.

I went back to my room and took the pepper spray I always carried and a baseball bat from Lida's room. I went downstairs, slowly, trying to avoid the kidnapper from noticing my presence, and it was dark, so I didn't want to stumble over anything.

Immediately I reached the living room, I think, someone tapped me on my shoulders. I was about to hit the bat on whoever the person was and the lights were on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" I heard from the people around. By then the bat had landed on the head of the unlucky person.

"Oww Mona. Do I always have to be the scapegoat?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They said in unison, again.

I love you all.

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Heyy!!! I updated! Reward me with a vote if you're happy I updated early.

Comments are needed as well. I need to know your thoughts about my book please.
Is it too slow? Too fast? Boring? Nah, I doubt. I couldn't stop laughing when I was writing!😂😂

Anyway, not much to say here, except that,

Munaloves y'all ❤