Chapter 4

"Call me when you are ready to leave, ok?" Jim Njeru told his boss's daughter as his passengers got out of the car.

"Sawa*, boss," Abby replied with a huge grin.

Jim would get really jazzed whenever Abby spoke to him in Kiswahili. He smiled to himself and drove away as the teenagers walked further into the school grounds. They could already hear music from the hall, which was making Abby giddy, because she loved the tunes and just wanted to get her groove on. Looking around at her four friends, she commented to no one in particular about their attire, "My peeps are so fly!"

Nigel looked like a sexy Secret Service agent in his tux. He wore a white shirt with a narrow black tie. Knowing that his beard grows at the speed of light, he had shaved his face clean the previous night, so that he could have an ever so vague outline of stubble on prom night. That coupled with black aviators would be enough to turn the ladies' heads.

Kuki was wearing a lime green strapless dress that contrasted magnificently with her skin. It cascaded down her body to her feet, giving the illusion that she was approximately two inches taller than her 5'6". She had applied a little pink blush to her cheeks to give them a warm colour, and pinned her hair up so that her neck was exposed. She wore a delicate silver necklace that Wally had bought her a few months earlier.

Like Nigel, Wallabee wore a black silk tie. But that was where their similarities ended. He decided to wear a purple shirt and black low-cut waist coat instead of a jacket. He was glad the prom was not strictly black tie. In fact, Abby had told him it didn't matter what one wore, as long as it looked cool (and kind of formal). The kids in this school, he thought to himself, are my kind of people. He never understood why only the chicks should look different, what with their different dresses, while the guys all looked the same whichever direction one turned. Wally's blond hair was kind of untidy, though it could be seen that he had actually tried to do something with it. He also wore a stud on his right ear lobe. Abby felt that no one else she knew could pull off Wally's look and succeed, for he had completed his outfit with a pair of pure white sneakers, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Lincoln. She thought he was absolutely mad. "Don't make me come and dress you up," she had threatened.

Hoagie and Abby walked together arm in arm. She looked up at him and quietly complimented, "You look absolutely dashing tonight." He wore a black shirt with his tux, contrasting the outfit with a crimson tie. She loved what he had done with his hair. After his shower he had towel-dried his hair then dipped his fingers in a bit of gel before running them through his hair. He pushed his hair backwards, so as to show off his perfect hairline and sideburns. That way his hair did not look too slick, but had quite a bit of volume to it.

He gave her a sweet smile. "Why, thank you," he said just as quietly. "You deserve some of the credit. You did help me shave," he said with a twinkle in his eyes as he bit his lower lip in an attempt to suppress a smile.

Walking in front of the whispering couple, Kuki couldn't help but giggle. "Those two are so falling for each other all over again," she told Wally and Nigel.

"Good. I think Hoagie will be truly happy with Abs, know what I mean? OW, what the crud was that for?" Wally asked as he rubbed his ribs where Kuki had painfully nudged him only a moment before. She gave him a disapproving look before he quickly turned to Nigel. "No offence, man. I just meant…never mind."

Nigel just grunted in reply, the wheels in his head turning furiously as he thought of Eva. Behind him, the whispers and quiet laughter continued.

"Listen, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret," Hoagie told Abby as he looked right and left in mock search for eavesdroppers. As they walked into the school hall, he turned to her again and continued in turbo-tongue, "You're the most beautiful girl south of the Sahara, north of the Limpopo, east of the Great Rift Valley, west of Indian Ocean, straddling the equator…" he paused to catch his breath.

"Straddling? Really, straddling?" Abby asked incredulously.

"I'm just trying to pin-point the location. And I'm trying to 'wow' you with my geographical knowledge," Hoagie said defensively, before stiffly sticking his tongue out at her. "But in all honesty, you're breath-taking in that dress."

Abby could hear the sincerity in his voice, let alone see it in his eyes. He didn't just say that as a compliment. He meant it. She wore a dainty little black dress that showed off her fabulous figure and shapely legs. She accessorized with a pearl necklace and matching bracelet. Her hair had been curled and left to fall to her shoulders.

"Look around, no other girl can hold a candle to you."

"Thank you," she blushed.

When they got into the hall, the five friends mingled and danced with the other students present. After about half an hour, Abby spotted her boyfriend talking to Pauline. She walked over to them cautiously upon realizing that Steve looked upset. "Hey," Abby greeted.

"See?" Pauline asked Steve before turning to Abby and greeting her with a kiss on the cheek, "Hey, lady. I'll just go over there for no apparent reason," she said as she went to hang out with Kuki and the others. Natasha was already entertaining Nigel with one of her many stories.

"What's going on?" Abby asked Steve.

"Oh, so now you care?"

Eyebrows raised, Abby was surprised by his tone. "Is there something wrong?"

"Clearly. I've been waiting for you to notice me for the past half hour."

"You mean you were here? I'm sorry, I didn't see you," she said honestly.

"Of course you wouldn't see me with Mr. Wonderful around," he said pointing angrily at Hoagie.

Abby felt her cheeks flood with heat. She held out her hand to him, but Steve hesitated before taking it in his. She led him away from the drinks stand towards the many vacated tables where they could have a little more privacy. They sat down with their backs to the dancing crowd.

"I am sorry...I am truly sorry if I made you feel neglected," she said slowly. "Steve, please…look at me," she pleaded.

Turning his head slowly towards her, he responded, "You know what? I love you, but you're making a fool out of me."

Abby felt like she had just been slapped in the face. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" she said as she tried to cool her rising temper.

"Is it, really? What would you say about a guy whose girl has been flirting with another guy…right in front of him?"

"I've not been flir…ting, have I?" she asked herself. Furrowing her brow in deep thought, she tried to see herself through her boyfriend's eyes. She thought of the time she had thrown the pool party, as well as that current evening. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed in realization. "Oh... I'm so sorry Steve. I've just realised what it must have looked like from your point of view."

Steve laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, I'm sorry too." He ran his fingers roughly through his hair before leaning forward in his seat and resting his elbows on his knees. Interlocking his fingers, he supported his chin and looked over at the dance floor before continuing, "Funny thing is, you were clueless about what was going on between you two. It's not that it looked like something from my point of view, there was something. There is something. You're so happy with him here. It just sucks to realize that you were never as happy with me."

"But I was happy with you. I am," Abby said, now feeling frustrated.

"Yes, you were happy, but…I dunno how to explain it," he said, at a loss for words. "When he came, something in you awoke. Something that I didn't even realize was missing until I saw it in your eyes whenever you were around him.

'I knew that we would break up this year, after the exams. I guess I just didn't expect it to happen with such a bang. I mean…to even know who you'll end up with after me. It just…sucks.

'Though, I brought it on myself. By the time I asked you out, I knew we'd break up. I knew it would be around now seeing as we're going off to college in a few months. So it was inevitable. But still, I went ahead with it coz I was so into you, and I figured I might as well get a few months with you than to be left wondering what it could have been like with you, had I not asked you out. Thing is, I've fallen for you...DEEP!"

Steve let out a sigh. He looked so defeated. Abby, being the secret softie that she was, could not stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"A-Abby, please don't cry. I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to make you cry," he stammered. "It's not your fault. You can't help who you love. I love you, you love Hoagie. It's life – things just happen. Don't cry," he begged as he got off his chair and knelt before her, holding her to his chest as she tried to stifle her cries.

"Steve, I am so so sorry." She held on to his lapel like a lifeline.

"Shhh," he soothed, as he gently rocked her back and forth.

When she had stopped crying, Steve raised her chin so he could look at her face. The sorrow he saw made him feel guilty. "Come on, I know we've got one last dance left in us," he said a little more animatedly as the DJ began to play slow tracks. Abby got up, and he led her onto the floor where other couples were slow dancing. Clearly this DJ is high on some cheap shit, she thought as she recognized the song that was just starting. Isn't he supposed to be playing happy-go-lucky music?

Remember all the things we

wanted

Now all our memories, they're

haunted

We were always meant to say

goodbye

Steve held Abby close to him, holding her as though she were a delicate flower. They began to sway in time with the tempo. Usually Abby loved that song, but at that particular moment, it was just too melancholic, for she and Steve were actually living the lyrics.

I want you to know

That it doesn't matter

Where we take this road

But someone's gotta go

When the song ended, Steve let go of Abby and cupped her cheek with his right hand. He inclined his neck down towards her, bringing his lips to within a millimeter of her other cheek where he lingered before planting a soft kiss. "Bye Abby. I pray for only the best for you," he said with an attempt at a smile. Then he turned and walked away. He passed Hoagie swiftly before stopping and going back to him. "Take good care of her," he said, looking Hoagie in the eye.

"Uh...yeah," he promised. That was so awkward, thought Hoagie as he watched Steve O'Connor leave.

Abby just stood where he had left her among the dancing couples, looking flabbergasted. She never thought that she could hurt someone so bad. It broke her heart. Pauline went over to the dance floor to get her best friend. She led Abby to her KND friends who had watched her discreetly the whole time she was having her talk with her now ex boyfriend. Kuki took her left arm as Pauline had her right. "Come on Abs, let's go home."

She let them lead her away, but she paused when she reached Hoagie. All her pride had been washed away when she cried in public, so she had no qualms about being extremely honest with him at that moment. "I'm in love with you. I'm in freakin' love with you," she said, looking slightly surprised at her own revelation. Sandwiched between the two girls, Abby exited the building.

xxx

Kensei could not believe his eyes and good fortune as he read the e-mail for the third time.

Hey Mush,

Hope you're all doing well. I'm great – enjoying the holiday. Bet you wish you were me.

So we'll be going to the Mara next week for three days, then we head down to the beach for 2 wks. Our flight home is booked for the 15th. So we'll have like a week and a half to get ready for college. Hey, why you leaping for joy? I'll be coming home pretty often since WBU is fairly close. (Just ruined your party, didn't I? Haha ; p)

Abby sends her love by the way. It's great that she's coming home too. It will be just like old times, yay!

Alright, say hi to Mom and Dad.

Love you, see you soon.

Kuks.

A smile spread on his face as Kensei thought of Abby. He gave a little laugh before saying, "That girl is MINE!"

xxx

A/N:

*Sawa is Swahili for ok/alright.