A novel of salvage high chapter 1
Keisha POV
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I woke up in the middle of the night, and carried my pillow to my grandmother’s room to meet her sleeping soundly, I have been having bad feelings concerning my grandmother’s health lately and sleeping next to her is the only way to assure me that my grandmother is fine.
I slept next to her and cuddled her gently, while she smiled enjoying my warmth.
I went to the kitchen when it’s drawn -grandma already left the bed, definitely she went to the farm. Even after my mother and my uncle persuaded her to stop farming, she didn’t listen to them.
I entered the kitchen and met my cousin dancing to the rhyme of the music he was playing, he is just on his boxer as he dance joyfully preparing breakfast.
“Yo, that’s gonna be, it is what it’s gonna be.” I shouted following the lyrics of the music and he turned the music off. “Why?” I shouted, and shot him a glare.
“How many times will I warn to stop interrupting my music with your crocodile voice?” He teased, and I hit him playfully, I admit, I can’t sing to save my life.
“What are we having for breakfast?”
“Fish sauce.”
“Your love for fishes is why I lack enough fat.”
“Then learn to cook. We are having it with Omelette.”
“Again?” I shouted, and he laughed.
“Keeks, you aren’t suggesting we elope, what changed?” He asked, and I looked at him, wondering why we need to elope.
“Reason?”
“Why did you slept with Gigi?”
“Nothing really, I just had a bad feeling, so cuddling her made me feel better.”
“Nah, you would have come to me instead .” He said and I chuckled.
We have been sharing same room until two years ago when his parents insist we use separate rooms, grandma always complained about it but we always out power her, so she gave up until his parents interfered and since then, I have always been going to his room whenever I’m having difficulties sleeping.
“I heard from my mum, I was on the phone with her earlier. She said, she said they are taking Gigi to a nursing home.” He said and I grabbed him by collar.
“What? What did you say ? “
“What you heard.” He said reluctantly, giving in to whatever I want to do.
“And you didn’t tell me earlier.” I said releasing him.
“She told me a while ago, and came to your room, but I found you in Gigi’s room. So I assumed you already knew, you have been sleeping in her room lately and I was going to confront you.”
“Kaye, what are you waiting for ?” I asked, and he turned off the stove, and we both ran to our rooms to pack our belongings - ready to elope.
I remembered three years ago, when grandma suddenly fall sick and my uncle wanted to take her to a nursing home. Kaye and I planned to elope, unsure of where we are heading to. I refuse to return to either of my parents, and he doesn’t want to return home to his parents and twin brother either, at times I wonder why he doesn’t get along with his identical twin brother.
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As I finished packing, I left the room and went out to see Mum in the living room with my uncle.(Kaye’s father.) ever since I lived with grandma, this is the third time I’m seeing her. And I haven’t seen her in the past a six years, so she is literally a stranger to me. A tear slid down my face as I realize my nightmare is coming to reality.
•
I am Keisha Hudson, 18 years old native of New York, my parents divorced when I was a toddler, so ever since I have been in custody of my grandmother. I have only seen my mother thrice - when I was four, when I was twelve and now. I doubt if I even have a father because I never heard of him. After their annulment, I was told that my father relocate to Africa and started a new life there while my mother married into a billionaire family and have been busy with her new family. She came when I was four to tell grandma about her marriage, but she never introduced her husband, and she came when I was twelve because I got involved in an accident with Kaye on his bike; while he was learning, and it was very critical - I even spent more than a month in the hospital. So seeing her now made me get the worst message, she is coming to take me with her because grandma is in the nursing home and I wasn’t quick to elope with Kaye.
*
“Your grandmother is already at the nursing home.” Uncle said, releasing a bombshell.
“What?” Kaye and I shouted, although we are already aware.
“How do you managed to convince her? Gigi will never go to a nursing home vulnerably, you probably dragged her there.” Kaye said and I agreed with him, grandma will never go to a nursing home vulnerably, they have tried to convince her once, but failed.
“Yes, we deceived her, but later made her realize why she should be there, and she understood its for you guys good.” Uncle said
“I don’t believe you, dad.” I blurted, he was the only father figure I had for 11 years since Kaye moved in here, he paid us regular visits thrice a year, despite being in a far away city - unlike my mother.
“Gigi is on the video.” Mum said and gave us her phone, Kaye and I rushed to collect it and we spoke to grandma who advised us to go with our parents and visit her when we adapt to our new environment.
📳” Nunu, if you both want Gigi to live long, be happy with your family, and visit me whenever you have results to make me proud.” Was her last words before she ended the call.
“Gigi.” Kaye and I cried.
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We parked all our belongings and grandma things were parked too.
“Dave, we should dispose these, we already got new things for her.” Mum said and I looked at her, I divert my gaze to grandma belongings, reminiscing how she cherish each clothe and everything she has, most especially the gown Kaye and I bought for her.
“No, you can’t dispose them, we should take them to her.” I protest.
“We already got new things for her, she doesn’t need them anymore.” Mum said.
“But she cherished everything she has, how will you dispose what someone cherishes so much?” I ranted in tears, unsure of why I’m being so emotional.
Kaye held my hand and I could tell that he is also surprised by my sudden outburst.
“We will take them to her, whenever we pay her a visit.” Kaye said.
“But she doesn’t need them anymore.” Mum said.
“Vera, it’s fine. We will leave them here.” Uncle said, and mum scoffed. Obviously she doesn’t understand what it feels like to cherish something, since she could abandon her daughter for 18 years, how valuable could one belongings be.
*
We both dragged our luggage downstairs when the ride uncle ordered arrived, Kaye put his luggage at the back of the truck and I dragged mine to my mum car.
“Really?” Kaye and I said at a time, and I could tell we were thinking the same thing, we’ve grown too fond of each other and mostly think alike in most cases. He is probably thinking if this is really farewell.
“Kaye.” I cried, and went to embrace him.
“I’m sorry Kei, I wasn’t fast to safe you.” He said, regretting that we couldn’t elope on time.
“Kaye, what do we do ?” I cried.
We’ve been inseparable for 11 years, since he moved in with grandma, his family came to spend summer years ago and he refused to travel back with them. We have been each others’s buddy since then.
••
••
The ride to the city was long, mum drove in silence and I maintained my distance by seating at the backseat. I don’t know what came over me, but something in me prefer to seat there and mum looked at me without protesting.
We arrived at the mansion, no doubt her husband is indeed a billionaire because the gigantic house speaks luxury. But I tried to hide my amazement so mum won’t be flattered. A maid came to assist me with my luggages and I trailed behind mum, heading inside.
*
“Honey, my daughter. Keisha, Keisha, your stepdad.” Mum introduced me to her hubby.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
“Come here, sweetheart.” He said and welcomed me in his embrace. No doubts, he is a cheerful man.
I looked at the teenage girl that didn’t stop glaring at me, she was probably the sister Gigi told me I had.
“Queen, say hello to your big sister.” My stepdad said.
“Pardon? Half big sister.” The annoying teenager said and excused herself.
“Don’t mind her, I’m sure you will gradually get along.” My stepdad and i chuckled because I doubt.
A teenage boy about my age passed by, with headphones plugged to his ears playing a video game on his tablet.
“Stef, come and say hello to your stepsister.” Mum said, but he just keeps walking.
“He probably didn’t hear, he is too engaged on his game.” My stepdad said, and mum nodded sarcastically.
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The maid came to show me to my room, the room might be big with a queen size bed, but it didn’t feel like home.
“How will I survive in this house?” I lament.
*
Transferring to a new school was hell enough, but does it has to be the popular SALVAGE HIGH that I always heard of, the school is infamous as the school for the billionaires and the rate of bullying were high. I disgust the school so much because of all the rumors I heard about them online and most especially the famous student, Alexander Grey, the only son of an aged billionaire who had his first child in his later years. Alexander is very famous online and everyone crush, expect me - I don’t really fancy handsome guys who have nothing upstairs to show.
*
I emerged in the hallway and met the students in a circle, I didn’t hesitate to push them aside to pave way for myself when I got to the front and saw them bullying a student. Bullies are what I hate most, I got expelled in middle class because I beat up a bully almost to his limit and I refused to apologize because I did nothing wrong. Kaye and I are famous in our former school for dealing with bullies until my uncle work our transfer to different schools, me in a girls high school and him, to a boys high school so we can be apart because his last attempt to transfer us to different regular schools failed.
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“Hey, doing what I detest most. This is my first day at school, and this welcoming isn’t nice.” I said and everyone gasped, the bully glared at me and he turns out to be Alexander Grey, the infamous son of the billionaire.
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“Wow I can’t believe I’m about to interfere with him on my first day.” I thought.