Ifikie Wazazi

‘Teach me how to dance… Teach me… Teach me how to dance,’ Kevo was hypnotized. He had always believed himself to be an Odi but watching the petite damsels twerk to hip hop made him regret that if only for an instant. Well, I can call it that now but to them it was just dancing for Miley hadn’t discovered that technique yet. He stared longer at the girl in the middle, his all-time crush. She had a jeans short and a checked shirt around her waist, around her fire waist. Her top was red, hot enough to burn the confidence he had been building up to approach her. It wasn’t going to be easy and he knew it. Her brother was the host and the only adult in the building. He ranked high among the peddlers and was said to be dangerous. With such credentials, you’d think the guy was a six-foot tall giant with abs capable of being used as building blocks but no! He was short. Shorter than most people his age. Shorter than most people in the vicinity but there was something about his presence; Something intimidating. He was a people’s person as well as a girls’ man and so when he suggested a dancing competition between the Odis and the Yoyos, the decision was unanimous.

Kevo’s thoughts were interrupted by a slap he received on his back. Kyalo might only have meant to say hi but Kevo felt it. Really felt it. Yup, Kyalo had been in the countryside for a while and he did spend sometime in the farm tilling. The spasms of pain on Kevo’s back could attest to that. His ear to ear smile did little, if anything, to alleviate the pain. He noticed this when Kevo declined his high-5.

‘Fine!’ Kyalo frowned. ‘Here’s this term’s shipment. No mishaps, Ok?’ His eyebrows were raised. Kevo could only but nod. He felt low. He knew that he would have to work from the bottom up when he joined this world but what he didn’t know was how crappy that would make him feel. Or the sacrifices he would have to make. He opened the brown bag and found the Two white packets inside. One was his and the other was his sister’s. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was it! This was the final test. After this he’d be in.

‘Abu Abraham!!!’ Kyalo shouted looking at the host who had come in from outside accompanied by some other boys carrying plastic bags. He took him by the waist and lifted him up in a playful manner. Abu didn’t mind. He laughed enigmatically. He had been accused of having Santa Claus’ laugh and with what Kevo witnessed, he couldn’t say a thing in his defense. Kevo wished he was the one who had done that. He wished that he was the one who was that close to Abu; Not just because he thought that would be equally good for the business as well as his ranking, but also because it would be much easier to talk to him about his sister.

‘Scram!’ Kyalo was eying Kevo.

‘Huh?’ Kevo was now frowning. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand; He didn’t want to understand. How could Kyalo send him away when the booze had just arrived? Wasn’t he too a minor? To the best of Kevo’s knowledge only Abu was an adult in the room.

‘What? You want to go out with our merchandise past midnight, don’t you? Tell me, Kevo, what have you got planned?’ Kyalo’s eyes were almost out of their sockets. Their usual brownness had turned to scarlet red now. Kevo didn’t feel like arguing. He knew that he wouldn’t win and even if he did that wouldn’t necessarily be good for him.

‘I’ll be going now. Thanks for the invite, Kyalo!’ He stared into his eyes for a second before heading for the door. He had been so happy to be invited to Abu’s birthday party if only for the exchange.

‘I hope you guys are over 21!’ He heard Abu shouting before a thunderous laugh from the revelers. He walked slowly. He was heavy hearted. He had even told his mum that it was going to be a sleep over. He thought back to the phrases he had set aside to woo Abu to let him date his sister Vee. Stuff like reliable caring strategic and a bunch of other vocabulary. Chances of him saying no were high but so were the chances of him getting invited to that particular party. He thought of his sister and his eyes suddenly became wet. She was now in class six. She was a nerd; like most other members of his family. Kevo had been asked to use his sister to supply drugs to the school she goes to.

‘She will only deliver it,’ they had told him. It was his very final test of loyalty before they accepted him into the all-powerful drug syndicate that Abu ran. He had tried to speak to Sofie a few times but he just couldn’t find the words. What could he have possibly said to his baby sister? That she had to deliver a ‘package’ to her school for him? Could he bribe her with something? He wished that this wouldn’t affect her in any way. He especially wished that she wouldn’t become a victim of the merchandise like he had. He was going to have to find a way to communicate with her for only 2 days were left before the resumption of school.

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