Breeze

by Sarah Asuquo

  Breeze laughed uncomfortably.

  “So that’s funny, yeah? You’re laughing at me with your new boyfriend now. You’re a joke!”

  “Joke? No, Bella. I’m just popular now. Must be hard for you to accept. Are you jealous?”

  “Jealous!” Bella shouted, “Breeze! How could you even say that to me? Have I ever been jealous of you? I’ve always been your biggest fan.” Her voice began to tremble. “I thought you were mine too.” With tears in her eyes, Bella ran out of the restaurant.

  At that moment, Breeze felt like her younger self being reprimanded by her mother. She remembered how crestfallen she was when she was called jealous. “Bella, wait!” Breeze began to follow her, but Jayden held her hand. “I am your biggest fan, Bell.”

  “Our food is here, Breeze. It will get cold… B.” Breeze took a deep breath to compose herself and sat down at the table.

  “Wagwan for that girl? She left without her pattie and coco bread!” said the waitress.

  Oga D was walking towards Uncle D’s to deliver his jollof rice and suya when Bella ran into him, knocking the food onto the ground.

  “Look at what you’ve done! You children don’t look at where you are going! It’s very, very bad. You just–” Oga D soon realised who he was shouting at. “Bella? Is that you? What is wrong, my dear? You don’t have to cry, it’s just jollof. Uncle D is big enough anyway. He should be reducing his carbs! Don’t worry about it.”

  “It’s not that, Oga D.” Bella struggled to speak. “I– she– she called me jealous!” she said as she burst into tears.

  “Oh dear! Come, come to my restaurant. I can’t stand to see you cry like this. Come and eat. You can have this meal on top of the house.”

  “You mean on the house?” Bella snivelled.

  “Ah, ah. That’s what I said, now.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  As they entered Oga D’s, Billy, the owner of the local chippy, noticed Bella’s grief. “Cheer up, darlin’, it might never ’appen. Listen, you’re in the right gaff to turn that frown upside down! Don’t get me wrong, bangers and mash will always have my heart, but this jello rice – I could eat it all day! It’s a bit spicy though, cor blimey! But add a good old Supermalt, fresh out the fridge and you’re good to go!”

  “You mean jollof rice,” Bella explained.

  “Yeah love, that’s what I said.”

  “Don’t mind Billy,” said Oga D, carrying a tray with enough food to feed Bella’s entire family.

  “Is this all for me? I can’t finish it.”

  “Don’t worry, you can finish it. You need to eat very well to stay strong with all that gymnastics you do.”

  “Athletics. I do athletics.”

  “Ah, ah. This girl. That’s what I said. Come on, just eat what you can, and I’ll give you a container for the rest. Tell Oga D what happened.”

  Bella alternated between eating her fried rice and her explanation of events. Oga D seemed to understand and did his best to advise her.

  “I’m sorry, Bella. This is a very, very hard one. Hmm. Listen, friendships are not easy and sometimes we have our arguments. Look at me and Desmond. That man can drive me mad! Oh God! But he is my best friend. We have been through so much together. He is the godfather of my two boys and I’m the same to his daughter. We just get each other, and we always support each other. You know, every time after we quarrel, we always reconcile and break bread together. You know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because we know that the friendship that we have is rare and is hard to find. When you find a friend that really understands you and who you can be yourself with. A friend you can trust. Oh! My dear, hold onto that person and work through your problems. That is too valuable to let go. Do you understand me?”

  “Yeah. I guess so.”

  “Listen, there is a parable, from my village back home, which says when a lion roars, the village is filled with fear. They fear the violent and dangerous predator. However, his lioness and his cubs do not tremble.”

  Bella looked at him with confusion. “Oh so, the lion… it roars, and people are scared, but… I don’t get it.”

  “My dear, the villagers are scared because they don’t know the lion’s heart, they just see a wild animal. However, the lion’s family know who he really is, they see a loving protector. You know who Breeze truly is. Don’t look at her as a villager would and see her roar, look at her as your best friend, and see her heart. Trust that her good heart will bring her back to you.”

  Bella nodded in agreement and smiled. “I get ya. Thank you, Oga D,” she replied as she hugged him.

  “Oh, no problem, my dear. I believe that you two will be friends again very soon.”

  “Really? We’ll see. I’ve got to go now. If I don’t get home before eight, Mum will cuss.”

  “Ok. Get home safe, Bella,” said Oga D, handing her a bag full of takeaway. “Greetings to your mum and dad.” He sat down with an expression of contentment.

  “Oi mate,” said Billy.

  “Oh! What do you want now, Billy?”

  “That story about the lions…”

  “Yes…”

  “Is that a real… what d’ya call it again… parable? Is that true, then?”

  Oga D’s eyes shifted from his left to his right. “It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not, as long as she learned the lesson, that’s what’s important, no?”

  Billy’s laughter was so loud that it woke the baby, who had just fell asleep in her mother’s arms, sitting on the table behind him.

  “Shh!” Oga D snickered.

  “You’re a legend, mate.”

  – 9 –

  03.03.2017

  Once upon a time, in what felt like a far, far away land, Breeze believed in fairy tales. Every time she read or watched one, she would imagine herself as the princess, waiting for her prince to arrive and whisk her off her feet. However, as she grew older, six to be precise, she became sceptical of the whole idea. Now Santa Claus she could believe in; she had visited his grotto and everything. But she had never seen a prince on a flying carpet and when she tried to fly her bedroom rug, it didn’t end well for her. The concept of a long-haired princess in a tall tower also baffled her.

  “It just doesn’t make sense. Why would anyone build a tower so high? And why couldn’t she just go down the stairs? Where were the fire exits?” Clearly a health and safety hazard.

  But her final confirmation that fairy tales were make-believe was her first crush, Fai Wu. Fai had recently moved to England from China and joined Breeze’s primary school in Year 2. Miss Flower asked Breeze to be his buddy and make him feel welcome, another responsibility that Breeze took very seriously. They played together, had lunch together and after a few days, Breeze even felt comfortable enough to introduce him to some of her insect friends. At the end of his first school week, Fai thanked Breeze for being a good friend. He told her that she was pretty and kissed her on the cheek, before running away, leaving a bashful Breeze standing in the playground. Many thoughts raced through her mind: “That’s strange, why did he run away? … I’ve never been kissed by a boy before… friends don’t kiss each other… does that mean he’s my… boyfriend?”

  At the dinner table that evening, when her mother asked how her day was, Breeze thought it would be the perfect moment to share her news. It wasn’t.

  “I’ve got a boyfriend! He kissed me on the cheek!”

  Breeze’s father almost chocked on his drink as he spouted, “What!”

  Her mother gently held his arm and whispered, “Calm down, honey.”

  “Sorry, um, what do you mean by that, Breezy?” he asked as his left eye began to twitch involuntarily.

  Breeze’s eyes started to well up and her lip quivered, “Am I in trouble? Have I been naughty?”

  “No, no. Of course not, darling,” her mother replied.

  “So why is Daddy’s eye doing that?”

  “It’s just my hay fever, don’t worry about that. Tell
Daddy what happened.”

  Once Breeze explained who Fai was and what had happened, her father calmed down. Her mother explained that Fai wasn’t her boyfriend but was just a boy who was her friend. A concept that Breeze didn’t quite understand.

  The following Monday, as Breeze walked into school with her father, who was holding her hand a little tighter than usual, she saw Fai standing by the water fountain. She hugged her dad and rushed towards Fai, unaware that he was taking to Josie, a girl in their class, who has hidden behind the corner of the wall.

  When Breeze got closer to Fai, she could overhear him. “You’re really pretty,” he said before kissing Josie on the cheek, but this time, he didn’t run away. He held her hand and they walked to class together. Breeze couldn’t articulate what she felt at the time, but she knew it didn’t feel good. She knew that she didn’t want to feel like that ever again. Without realising, from that day on, a shield guarded her heart. A shield that Jayden was now beginning to break…

  ***

  Jayden walked to Lockley estate to take Breeze to Chanel’s birthday party. He whispered words of encouragement to himself for the entire time.

  “Come on, G. You got this, man. You been gettin’ girls from day! Lily in Reception, Shanice in Year 6… She was leng, still! But obviously SATs and that; it was the wrong time for distractions. Even Jasmin in Year 7. This is light work, man!” His inducement was disrupted as he stumbled up the stairs.

  “You alright there, hun?” said Tina, a resident of Lockley Estate.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m cool,” he replied, brushing off the non-existent dust on his shirt in embarrassment. “This is the second floor, right?”

  “Yes, hun. Doors one to ten are to your left and eleven to twenty are down that way,” she answered, staring at him.

  “OK, thanks… I’m going to number two so ima head this way, then.”

  “Aww! The Bassey’s gaff. They’re a lovely family, ain’t they?” She noticed the flowers in his hand and her voice transformed into that weird voice people do when they’re talking to babies. “You going on a date?”

  Jayden chuckled nervously, “Um, yeah. Something like that. Anyway, nice to meet you. Have a good evening.”

  “You too, love,” Tina replied as she stood and watched him walk towards Breeze’s door. “Bless his little heart.”

  “Door two. Ok. Drip: on point. Flowers: all good. One last breath check. You’re ready, my G.” Jayden went to lift the door knocker but froze when the pressing question exploded in his mind: ‘How many times do I knock?’ “One knock isn’t enough, three knocks is too keen. Two. Two should be cool, innit?” he thought to himself. When suddenly, he noticed a doorbell. “Why man! Why have a knocker and a doorbell? How’s anyone supposed to know which one to use? Cha!” he complained. He paused and began to think intently. “What if the doorbell don’t work, though? Ah this is long! Just knock the damn door, Jayden! You’re moving mad!”

  Breeze heard Jayden’s voice outside and was keen to open the door before her father did. She swung the door open to see Jayden standing there, speechless as he looked at her.

  “Hi, Jayden… ain’t you gonna speak?”

  “Sorry. Um, hi. You alright? You look… You look nice.”

  “Thank you. You look good too.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thanks… I got you these, innit… flowers and that.”

  “Flowers and that, yeah?” Breeze beamed.

  “Yeah, minor.”

  “They’re beautiful. Thank you, Jayden.”

  Their conversation was interrupted by Breeze’s father, who gave Jayden a firm and elongated handshake as he introduced himself and explained that he was a former boxer (he attended an after-school boxing club in Year 4). “Look after her, young man. I’ll pick her up at midnight,” he instructed, Jayden’s hand still in his grip.

  “Just like Cinderella!” Jayden joked, but Breeze’s father did not appreciate his humour. He did not respond and stared into Jayden’s eyes sternly. “Yes, Mr Bassey… midnight.”

  “Ok. Bye, Mum. Bye, Dad!” Breeze clutched onto Jayden’s arm and lightly pulled him towards the door. “Let’s go,” she whispered.

  Her father watched them from the balcony as they walked down the street. “My baby’s going to her first house party… she’s growing up… I don’t like it.”

  “She’ll be fine, honey,” her mother said as she gently closed the door and ushered him into the living room. “Just think back to when we were their age. As long as Jayden behaves like the sensible teenager you were, Breeze will be fine, right?”

  A moment of deep thought overwhelmed Mr Bassey. Gradually, his eyes widened, and he yelled, “That’s it! She’s not going! Party lock off! Where’s my car keys, babe? Where are my damn keys?”

  Mrs Bassey’s laughter provoked him even further and she knew she had to settle him before he ruined Chanel’s party. “Stop, babe. Breeze is a good girl and you know it. Don’t humiliate her like that in front of all of her friends. She’s got this.”

  “Hmm. Fine. Fine. Can I just sit outside the house in the car and wait for–”

  “No, baby.”

  “But–”

  “No.”

  “Fine. But I’m getting there before midnight. Trust and believe that.”

  Cautiously, Jayden looked behind him and was relieved to see that Breeze’s father was no longer watching him. “Your dad’s serious, innit. He don’t play.”

  “He can be like that sometimes, but he’s cool really.”

  “I don’t blame him, anyway. I would be protective if I had a daughter like you.” They smiled in unison as their eyes met each other, and the tense mood vanished. Whilst they walked to Chanel’s house, Breeze and Jayden joked for the entire journey.

  “And then she would rub so much cocoa butter on my face, telling me that it would last the whole day!” exclaimed Jayden, bending over as he let out a surge of laughter.

  Breeze giggled at Jayden’s overstated amusement. “My mum used to do the exact same thing! I used to be so shiny for the whole of primary school!” she replied.

  “Trust me!”

  Twenty minutes passed rapidly, and before they realised, they had arrived at Chanel’s door. Jayden could sense Breeze’s nerves. “Don’t worry, Breeze. I’ve got you.”

  “I don’t know about this, J. I’ve never been to a house party before and I hardly know anyone and–”

  “Chill, B. If you want to leave, at any time, we’ll leave. Just say the word. I’ve got you,” he repeated.

  “Ok. Thank you, J.”

  “It’s all good. Just try to relax and enjoy the vibe. Should be lit.”

  Jayden rang the bell and began to dance like MC Hammer to lighten the mood whilst they waited for Chanel to answer. Breeze’s laughter was so loud that Chanel could hear it over the sounds of Yung Coin blasting through her house as she approached the door.

  Breeze tried to regain her composure. “Oh, hi Chanel!”

  “Happy birthday!” said Jayden

  “Yeah, happy birthday, Chanel. This is from me and Jayden,” said Breeze, handing Chanel a card, which they had both signed, with a twenty-pound note in it.

  They scuttled into the house with grins on their faces.

  “Rah,” said Armani, Chanel’s best friend. “One card from the two of them… that’s a proper couple move, boy!”

  “Look at them, coming to my party together like to say he’s not mine.”

  “Clearly he’s not,” replied Armani.

  Chanel gave her a scowl of reprimand. “Listen, when you can, distract Breeze… I need to get him alone.”

  “Cool. Go get your man, girl!”

  “Here, Breeze. I got you some fruit punch,” said Jayden.

  “Thanks, J.” After one sip, Breeze winced and spat the drink out like a hosepipe, showering the floor. “Guys, there’s alcohol in this drink!” Breeze declared as her peers stared at her for stating the obvious. “Obvious
ly there’s alcohol in it!” Breeze chortled, “I knew that. What else would we drink at a party? Capri-Sun! Ribena! Squash! Are we twelve? No, we’re fifteen… Minor, right?” Once again, Breeze recognised that she was overcompensating. “Let me get something to clean this mess up. I’ll be back in a sec!” She rushed to the toilet and poured her drink into the sink. “Ew! Alcohol’s nasty! How can people drink this for fun?” She gathered the toilet roll and began to wipe off the punch on her trainers.

  “Yo, you need to sort out your girl. She’s moving mad,” said Ade.

  “Leave her alone, man. She’s new to all of this and she’s a bit nervous,” Jayden disputed. “And she’s not my girl… yet,” he said with a playful smile.

  “Yet! Is that you, yeah!” Ade shouted. “What about Chanel, though?”

  “Ay, man. Why you shouting? Listen, Chanel’s cool but the vibe ain’t right. We don’t have nothing in common. Like, the conversations are dead. Breeze now, she’s proper. She’s a proper nice girl, but we’re still getting to know each other.”

  “I hear that. Early tings.”

  “Yeah, exactly. It’s still early. Anyway, how you been, bro? Man like Ade Ade!”

  “I’ve been here, G. Had a chilled one today, still. Did you watch Done Out ‘Ere? Oh my days! That show is too much jokes, I swear!”

  “Nah, I don’t watch them things. It’s so dumb. I just caught up with Tower Block Tales. Now that show bangs! It’s so deep, fam.”

  “Yeah, TBT’s sick, still. Nice one to watch with the ladies and that; they be getting all emotional and then they be wanting a hug and that. Get me!”

  “This guy. You’re not serious. But ladies, yeah? Is that you? Who you chattin’ to?”

  “Man don’t even wanna talk too much, but there’s this one gal, innit. She’s nice but she’s so confusing. Like, she be acting like she’s onto man but then she starts moving all mad. Airing my calls, acting like I’m annoying her and all that. It’s long, fam.”

  “Acting. I don’t think she’s acting you know, bro. You be annoying me.”