Ch 1

The gatekeeper has a stunned look on his face when he saw me.

“Na...than...”He stuttered still staring at me bewildered.

“Common, it me...am back home” I smiled.

“Woah” The gatekeeper breaths out and then pulled me into a warm hug.

I miss him too, obviously.

“It's been like a year since you left. What are you doing here in America?”

“Let me settle down first before you flood me with questions”

“Oh sorry, my bad” he slammed his palm on his face and then collected my traveling bag from me.

I immediately develop a feeling of nostalgia as I entered the compound.

The flowers were beautiful and well taken care of giving the place a more serene look...

The structure, the design, and the flowers at the front yard were still intact.

I opened the door and entered into the gigantic living room.

It was looking clean and well arranged.

I know for sure my dad isn’t home at the moment, that I Why I arrived in the daytime so I can surprise him.

“When do my dad come home these days?”I asked the gatekeeper.

“Depends but most times, he comes home around 8-9 pm”

“No problem. Where is Cynthia?”I asked him.

Cynthia is an old lady who works as the housekeeper in the house when I was still around.

“She isn’t working here again. She resigned”

“What?, What happened” I inquired.

“Personal reasons” he replied.

“Oh okay. Is there no new housekeeper or a cook at least? am really hungry. The food at the plane was wack, I hate it..no food is and can never be compared to homemade food”

“Exactly!, our new housekeeper is Lisa. I will call her now to make something for you”

“Please do and take my bags to my room,” I said and the gatekeeper, John said and left the living room.

I crossed my legs and picked the remote beside me on the couch and put on the tv.

I removed my phone from my pocket and texted my friends that I have arrived in America

New York

.

Home, sweet home.

********************

I was engrossed in the movie I was watching I did not notice a presence in the living room.

“Sir...,” A voice that sounded unpleasant to my ear called and I turned to see a teenager in a loose gown staring at me.

“Who are you?”My voice sounded cold. I hate her already. her dressing itself irritates me. I hate girls who dress like church girls, leave their hair the way they want it, and girls who don’t make up their face.

The girl standing here in front of me looks really ugly. her presence makes the room suffocating.

“Am Liza.The new housekeeper. I have served your food” She replied, still staring at me.

She is obviously drooling at me. yeah! am a ladies' man but definitely do not want someone like her ogling over me.

“Liza, or whatever your name is. First of all, the rule you must follow as far as am still in this house is ‘never look me in the eye when you are talking to me’is that clear?!”

“Ye...yes sir,” She said immediately bowing down her head.

“Rule 2, when you are talking to me. Stay a far distance from me. I don’t care if you shout. just don’t come close to me...I can perceive your body odor from this place...Gosh!, did you even have your bath this morning”

She was still bowing down but I am sure she is about to cry.

Girls tears don’t move me, not even a little bit.

“And lastly, before you come to me, bath, dress properly, and brush your hair. Understood?”

“Yes,” She answered in a cracked voice.

“Good!. Now leave”

She scurried away immediately.

I smiled and left the living room for the dining room.

*************

Night

“Son,” My dad said excitedly as he pulled me into a tight hug.

He disengages from the hug and stared at me like I was a ghost.

“You didn’t tell me you are coming. I thought Cambridge university already resumed the first semester for freshers”

“Something happened and it was postponed till after three months. I decided to spend time with you and besides, I will be lonely there. Almost all my friends decided to visit home” I explained.

I stay in USA with my dad until a prestigious high school in UK gave me scholarship to study in their school after I won a big competition among schools. The offer wasn’t really enticing for me because my dad is rich but the school been popular made me accept schooling there.

The school also has a boarding school and that why I stayed until I finished high school, coming home just in a while.

I decided to stay with my friends for a few months before returning home and was given admission to study at Cambridge University. Am really brilliant, no doubt about that.

Cambridge was supposed to resume now but some issues came up and they had to extend it to three months.

Coming back home was the first thing that came thing that came to my mind after all my friends are doing same.

I can’t be left alone in UK.

“I miss you so much, and to think it has been a year you came home. you look more muscular and handsome. A trait you took from me” He boasted and I laughed.

My dad is known for showing off his looks. He is the type of person that doesn’t want to grow old. you would mistake my dad for a 20-year-old.

“Dad, I don’t like the new housekeeper you hired. she is too dirty” I voiced out.

“Lisa, No, she is not. she is actually very nice and hardworking too” My dad defended.

“Hmm, this one you are defending her, hope it not...” my dad caught my statement short by dragging my ear.

“Always thinking dirty...., Lisa is like my own daughter. She is 18 years I think”

“Does she stay here?”

“Yes”

“Why?”I frowned.

“She doesn’t have a home. I actually saw her on my way to work on a particular day and she purposely stood in the middle of the road in a bid to end her life. I stopped her and brought her here. Apparently, she is an orphan and doesn’t have a home”

“And she decided to end her life. Tch!”I scoffed not feeling pity for her a bit.

I just don’t know why I don’t like her.

“She have faced a lot Nat, she have been working really hard ever since I hired her”

“Yeah.., yeah.., yeah” I muttered.

“Let eat and fill me in about school”

“Sure” I smiled.

*******

After dinner with my dad, I retired to my room.

I am going to explore New York tomorrow, and I pray I see some of my old friends too.

Laying down on the bed I decided to video call my friends who also happen to be my roommates in high school.

They also gain admission into Cambridge and are currently in their home town too.

Tyler and Nick accepted the video call and I sat up on the bed.

“How are you doing mother fuckers” That was Tyler,always been blurt with cuss words.

“My dad was so surprised to see me. the excitement on his face was priceless” I told them.

“Same here with my parents. Nick, why is your face so near to the camera” Tyler asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to see my full body” Nick smirked.

Tyler gasped” Jeez!, Nick don’t tell me you are naked”

“You got that right. just finished a hot section with the girl next door when you guys called”

“You just arrived today for goodness sake.can’t you at least take a break?, Must you have sex every day”

Nick is the playboy amongst us. Tho all of us are, but Nick is still the leader. he is capable of breaking 20 girls' hearts in a month.

He is also the one with the sugar-coated mouth.

I haven’t seen a girl he has confessed to that won’t accept him.

“She came to me asking for it. you don’t expect me to say no to free sex” Nick shrugged.

“There is also a girl in my street who was eyeing me when I arrived today, am going to talk to her tomorrow. she looks like a girl who is willing to give her body out,” Tyler said.

“You guys are...Jeez! as for me, I don’t want to have anything to do with the girls here. I just want to enjoy three months without girls and sex and go back to been a playboy when I resume college” I said.

Nick laughed” easy for you to say, I heard New York babes are hot. just explore tomorrow and trust me when I tell you you will be banging one of them tomorrow”

“Exactly,” Tyler said.

“I won’t “I denied

“and put on a shirt please. it awkward seeing your ugly chest” I stated.

“Girls are dying to rub it” Nick smirked cockily.

“Their loss,” I said and Nick made to get up.

“No!” Tyler and I screamed at the same time.

“What?”Nick laughed.

“I can’t believe you are about to stand up naked. Am ending this video call now.”I said.

“Talk to you guys later....”Tyler said.

The video call was disconnected and I decided to scroll through social media before going to bed.

Something tells me my three-month stay here is going to be a long and fun one.

*****

Next morning

“You sure you don’t want to go with me to the office?”

“Yes dad, I would go with you next week. give me this week to explore New York”

“No problem then. you can use one of the cars in the compound. the keys are in the drawer in my room” my dad said.

“Okay”

He is the manager of a firm company while my mum, Well, She is dead.

She died when I was in middle school. how she died, I don’t want to talk about it.

Lisa walked towards us. She is dressed in a pink top and white skirt. Her hair is packed in a ponytail.

I guess she made some changes to what I said yesterday.

A small smile played on my lips as I stared at her.

“Breakfast is served sir” She announced bowing down her head.

Again, I smiled. She did abide by my rules.

My dad nods and walks toward the dining with me trailing behind him.

We got to the dining and took our seats.” Join us, Lisa” my dad told her.

“What!, why will she join us? she should have her breakfast in the kitchen” I frowned. my dad is impossible.

“Nathan!” my dad cautioned.

“Dad, it not proper. if she is having breakfast with us, then am leaving”

“I will eat in the kitchen, sir,” Lisa said and scurried away immediately.

“Better” I muffled.

“Nat, that was harsh”

“It not! if you are been too nice to her, she is just going to misbehave and start disrespecting you”

“Lisa isn’t like that” my dad defended.

“You defending her is making my imagination go far”

“I told you. Lisa is like my daughter. I can never have anything to do with her”

“I hear you. let just have breakfast without talking about her”

“Anything you say”

I have dressed already. Am wearing a blue top and grey trousers. my hair has been combed and looking neat.

I have a natural blonde hair. I have thought about dyeing it to black or brown But Tyler and nick told me it is perfect that way so I just decided to leave it.

After breakfast, my dad left off in his car leaving me and just Lisa in the house.

I peeped into the kitchen. Lisa is done eating and just seated staring at nothing.

I left the house and met John at the gate post eating chips.

“You are going out?”He asked me.

“Yes. just want to check out the city”

“Are you taking a car?”He asked me

“There is no need for that. come and lock the door. I will be back probably in the evening or so”

“Okay.....I was thinking we could like chat or something but that will be after you come back”

John is like an uncle I never had. he is nice and fun to be with.

“When am back, we will talk”

He nods and opened the gate for me making me go outside.

The street was full as workers and students are in a rush to go to school and their workplace.

A teenage girl came out of a duplex beside my house carrying her backpack.

“Mom. am off to school...”She said and a woman obviously her mom judging by the striking resemblance came out of the house too.

“Come back home after school, I don’t want you going to surf” her mom warned.

“Mom, you know I love surfing besides I have to prepare for the upcoming surfing competition”

“When you come back from school, we are going to talk about this, just don’t go surfing today please”

“Fine!, have heard you,” She said and that was when I noticed she have just one arm.

The other one was gone.’ how is she able to surf with one arm?’ I wondered.

“Okay bye. go now so you won’t be late,” Her mum said and she nods.

I watched her interestedly as she walked past me.