Cookie Drama exchange

Brian Milowsky, Handsome, Smart (secret nerd), creative (probably), an overall sweetheart (When he wants to be) and most importantly, the bane of my existence. Do I like him? NO. Do I hate him? NO(apparently there's a line *sigh*) Do I not like him? YES. I do not like him from the bottom of my heart. Why you ask do I feel strongly towards a human you ask? Simple, I DO NOT KNOW, I don't know why yet. He probably wiped away my memory or somehow messed with my memory (He could totally do something like that, THE PSYCHO), I don't know but he totally did something but I follow my guts and my guts tells me to not like him.

"You look like someone stole your lunch, Chizzy" Angie my best friend said humuorusly, taking her sit across me.

Ignore her Chizzy, she's trying to get on your nerves. Breathe in, breathe out

Just like Angie to make annoying jokes

"He might as well have, you'll never know" I replied, looking at her meaningfully, trying to make her see the seriousness of my situation.

Instead of sympathising with my situation, she rolls her eyes. ROLLS HER EYES! Can you believe that? My supposedly best friend. If my friend can't get my situation, who else will?

"Umm yeah… Not this again, he's human just like us"

"I never said he isn't, I'm saying he's evil. An evil genuis to be precise"

"No he isn't and you're delusional" She said it like that's the most obvious thing in the world

Ooooh Ignore her Chizzy, it's not worth it. You don't want to make a scene. Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts. I think Chiorlu spat in my drink this morning. HOW IS THAT HAPPY THOUGHTS?? THAT LITTLE SNAKE! She deserves to die!!!

"Key party… I have a few ideas you could use…. And from the way you're looking at me you have absolutely no idea what I'm saying right?"

My Gosh she looks furious! How can she be furious? She's talking about a key party, that's so weird. Isn't it?

Or is it?

Is there something I know that others don't?

Are people conspiring against me?

"Uhhh…. Something about a key party?"

"Key? What?" She looks just as perplexed as I felt. At least no one's conspiring against me

"It's what I heard" I shrugged nonchalantly

She sighed heavily, looking up to the sky as if trying to get help from some sort of divine entity.

"No I said cookie party" 

"Cookie party?" I said in confusion

" Oh my God yes" she said exasperated

"Ohhhhh" I said my eyes raised

"Yes, it's your turn to host this year's cookie party" 

Oh. I hate cookie parties. It is an insult to anyone. Me especially. You go to a party, exchange cookies. Most are rubbish and some are store bought because some people don't have the decency to bake and worst part is they even have the guts to pretend they made their 'oh so delicious' cookie from scratch. The foolishness. I'd rather stay home watching crappy sitcoms

"Chizzy, you usually stay home watching crappy sitcoms" Angie is saying, eyeing me in disbelief

CHIORLU!!!

"Oh, you don't think I'm aware?"

"Look Angie, not that I'm opposed to the idea of swapping diabetes,  I think I'm coming down with something. Could be contagious… It's best if you pick someone else" I said with the most remorseful expression I can conjure up.

Works every time

"You aren't getting away from this" She said fuming

"This time" she added with a sigh

"Let me guess, Chiorlu?"

She didn't reply but I could tell from her evil 'I am proud of myself look'

"I know you…" 

"Chizzzzzzy!" Fortunately, she didn't get to finish her lecture, unfortunately, the annoyance himself approached the table with proud Swagger

"What do you want Brian?" I mumbled, keeping my head bent to my food, not wanting to meet his eyes

"I heard you're hosting this year's cookie exchange" He proclaimed with a mischievous glint in his eyes

"What's the excuse this time?" He look around the surrounding table as if wielding them to join in on his taunts "AIDS!?" He roared with laughter and his minions joined him even Angie, the traitor. Why couldn't he be like a normal nerd and be friendless or at least a loser. I have to say, he is everything a nerd would want to be, genius level intellect, popular, athletic, Handsome and rich. An allrounder, where does he find the time?

"Nice one!" I called out, rolling my eyes

"Where did you get that, kindergarten?"

"Cute" He smiled not at all affected by my weak insult

"I'm just saying, we already no what to expect from the Grinch" He said the last word aloud

I've had enough of this

Standing up to meet the idiot's cocky smile

"I am doing the cookie Swap this year and it will be the best you've ever attended" I declared to anyone who would hear and walked out without looking back.

Everyone gasps in shock, it's totally uncharacteristic of me to publicly stake my claim. At least that's what should happen. To my dismay and relief, my brain forced my body to get up and walk out without uttering a single word

Not today

"If not today, when?" Angie said, the disappointment erked in her voice

I wanted to grin and tell her I have a plan to smash the fool, give her something to be proud  of, so I tell her in my lowest determined voice

"What's the cookie party plan?" 

I watched as her smile slowly grew as she began rattling on and on about the plans. If anyone knows how to plan a party, it's Angie. With a long line of generation upon generation of event planners(so she says) she has the planning genes in her blood and I have the best person to fulfill my dream, make Brian look the fool he is. 

"You're planning something wicked aren't you?" Oh sweet sweet Angie, I feel almost bad she has to be part of the plan. Almost

"Count. Me. In" She said in a sweet manner that shouldn't work but works perfectly in a very evil genius manner and waltzed off to her next class

Of course I could count on her. She has been my best friend since I came to America 11 years ago with my very Nigerian family.

I can still recall our first meeting

"You're new" her small hands clutching sweets

"Yep" I replied suspiciously, not at all impressed by this abnormally pale person

"Where are you from?"

"Nigeria"

"Where's that?" 

"Africa"

"You don't look starved"

I look down, as  if inspecting if I truly don't looked starved

"I don't feel starved" I shrugged

She smiled 

"Have a chocolate bar" She stretched out her hand, holding one of the sweets

Living with a family where two other kids shares the same birthday can be annoying. 

Coming home feels like entering a warzone sometimes…

"I thought I told you kids to take out the trash last night?" Mum, short, round and brass. That's the only description that suits her. Presently, she's shouting at my baby brother, Chisolum although he hates being called baby brother.

"It's not my turn" He whined pathetically, although he knows dad hates that

Dad paused and shot him a glare from his short trip to the Fridge and wordlessly returned to his soccer game in the living room after taking a beer(He insists it's football)

"It's almost time for dinner Babe, you know the rules" No beer during dinner

"It's not yet dinner" dad replied distracted

"Who's winning dad?" I inquired, Soccer(football) is a huge part of my weird family

"More importantly, you're late" 

Mmhmm

Grounded for a week" He said nonchalantly without taking his eyes off the screen. Sometimes, I wonder if he even takes us seriously

"Dad, Oh no"  

I sighed sarcastically 

"She's hosting a cookie party this week" Chiorlu said, walking down the stairs

"Next week then" Dad says without missing a heart beat

I roll my eyes

"Ellems turn off  the TV and come have dinner" Mum declared from the Kitchen

As she came across the room and pulled me in bear hug 

"My baby girl" She muttered tearfully

Oh crap

"I wish we were identical and you could host the cookie exchange for me" I said to Chiorlu later that night in the bedroom we share

She laughed

"I heard Angie's planning"

"Yep"

"I wish she planned mine" then she turned over and slept

Her way of telling me to shut up and be grateful.

So this is crazy... 

The day of the cookie exchange, I'm not even allowed into my own venue, 

I have it all covered so she says

Resigned, I lounge in the living room, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns when my siblings rushed into the room frantically. Now as triplets, we're supposed to read each other's minds but unfortunately (or fortunately) opposite's the case

"What do you losers want?"

Smiling, they shepharded me into the garden

SURPRISE!!!

Shouted my classmates

Believe me, I was more than surprised and I internally screamed but not outwardly as have a rep to maintain or that's what I tell myself

"What's this?"

"We've all been planning a surprise cookie party for you" Said Angie

"Why?" I frowned, believing this to be trickery

"This is our Senior year and we all just wanted to say thank you"

"Why?" I wondered

Angie rolled her eyes, not believing how difficult I am

"You're the class closet do gooder and you've helped each and everyone here"

"Yes!" Piped up Piper "Remember when I got raped and I wouldn't come to school because everyone found out, you were the only one who did not treat me like a piece of garbage, though you were a little…Uh…Strict," Everyone chuckled at that, "You talked me and my parents into seeking counseling. Now I'm doing really good… It's all thanks to you".

"You encouraged me to play basketball when my parents didn't support me, now I have a scholarship" Jaime beamed at me, I smiled back

"I specifically remember you telling me that I'm pathetic when I said I was failing Maths" Aiden said "I got so hurt and so depressed that I wanted to commit suicide..." Everyone stared uncomfortably. He cleared his throat "So yeah…uh…all I'm trying to say is that you pushed me, now at least I'm not failing maths" Everyone clapped

"I helped a bunch of losers, so what?"I protested I still think it's a trick

"Don't you get it?" Chiorlu countered as if talking to a stupid child "You've been so busy trying to be aloof that you don't realise how much you've helped us all"

"How did I help you?" I asked suspiciously. You can't blame me for asking. Of us triplets, Chiorlu is the trickiest. She once convinced Chisolum that he had few minutes to live, true story

"I don't give you enough credit" She said after a pause

"You've been a really good sister, better than Chiorlu" Chisolum stated like a fact which of course earned him a punch from Chiorlu. Wincing, he continued "Basically, what I'm trying to say is we'll miss you…Immensely"

"I've been so mean to all you guys" I still couldn't believe it

"Well, you're not the friendliest person but you've been a friend and we just wanted to appreciate you" Angie said proudly

"So we did this cookie exchange we know you secretly like because of all the cookies, we've written recipes so you don't forget us in Nigeria" Brian cut in smugly

"It was his idea" Angie declared quickly, scared for my reaction

I shook my head laughing, I just didn't know what to say

"You have to say something" Brian pressured

"Shut up Brian" I snapped

Everyone roared

"Thank you" I said softly

Brian reached out and pulled me in a deep hug, so did my siblings, parents and friends. 

Do I hate Brian? No, Like him? Heck no

But I do love him, and all my friends too

I smiled to myself, best cookie exchange party ever

I feel something soft and warm and not all together terrible on my lips

"BRIAN!!!" 

"She loves me" I can hear Brian screaming at the top of his lungs as he ran away from me

" I'M GOING TO KILL YOU" I screamed furiously