5.S L E E P O V E R M O D E

The doorbell rang. “Mariah! The pizza’s here,” Nikki shouted from downstairs.
Nikki Lim is my friend. She’d helped me pass my Chemistry test kwa teaching me how to solve the frikin’ formulas our adviser gave us and that was a relief. I went downstairs. “Here the money,” I handed it to him. “Thank you!” Nikki waved before I locked the door. Why’d we order pizza? It was my idea to have pizza with Nikki while Aeyla and Norah went to town to celebrate some event down in Houston Street. This is a sleepover. I want to do something fun before I go to Aunt Lourdes’ house and it is happening right now.
“The pizza guy is so hot,” Nikki giggled and she interrupted my thoughts.
I grabbed 2 cans of koki from the fridge while she talks about the “hot” called pizza guy. “Do wewe agree?” she added smiling.
“Um…I don’t think he’s that hot. I mean he’s fine looking. A bit shorter wewe know,” I shook my head. Nikki leaned on the meza, jedwali and tapped her fingers.
“You think? Do wewe think—oh! You’re the one who’s crushing on the Riley guy.
He’s short too for your type,” she teased. I don’t want to talk about him.
Not tonight.
“He’s not short. wewe haven’t seen him yet,” I snapped, about to giggle. Oh come on! Why do I need to giggle? “And, I don’t want to talk about him,” I added. Nikki sat down in the couch. “Wait, is he cute?”
She giggled waiting for a positive answer. I didn’t answer her first. I went to microwave popcorn.
While waiting for an answer, she went upstairs to change into kitanda clothes.
I sighed. Why does everyone have to talk about Riley? Can they just pause that subject? I shook my head. After the first few dakika the room smelled like buttered popcorn. I handed a tray and placed everything needed.
Chocolates, pizza, cokes, popcorn and two glasses of maziwa were on the tray.
Nikki jumped down the stairs. “Ooh. Let me help you,” she alisema getting the bowl of popcorn and the chocolates. “Thanks,” I replied. “This is so good,” she picked one. “Wait, save it for upstairs,” I laughed. Grapes, I thought. I forgot the grapes.
I quickly grabbed the grapes from the matunda basket and we both went upstairs.


“Which movie do wewe want?” I searched through the shelves. I haven’t changed to my kitanda clothes yet. I’m still on my jeans. Nikki was chewing on popcorn. “Anything, what do wewe have there?” she added. I tiptoed so I can read the other titles from above. “Bring it On, Dear John, Valentines Day, umm….She’s the Man?” I asked. “She’s the Man? Yes! She’s the Man, I haven’t watched it yet. Play it,” She alisema as if she one a Golden Award. “Kristie told me that this was her favorite.” The DVD player opened, I placed the DVD inside.
“That’s cool,” I said, sitting on the kitanda beside her.
The movie began.
During the movie, we laughed together until our lungs burst out. This was fun.
I liked the movie, really. I upendo romantic comedy movies. They make my day.
Time passed kwa it was already 11:45 pm. Aeyla and Norah haven’t arrived yet.
They will soon, I think. “Goodnight Mariah,” Nikki alisema beside me.
“Goodnight too,” I smiled. The light switched off as I turned it.


The moment I woke up this morning, I felt a little nervous. The idea of spending the summer with my Aunt and her kids made me decide not to go. But, I have to.
I agreed already. There was no turning back.
I looked at the time. It was past 8 am. I need to get up.
After a kuoga and I changed my clothes, there was a knock on the door. It was Norah. “Breakfast is ready,” she smiled at me. She has the sweetest smile.
I laughed. “Thanks, Norah. I’ll be down in a minute,” I said.
She smiled and shut the door.
I brushed my hair, grabbed my stuff and went for the door.
Downstairs I saw Aeyla, Sean and Norah eating eggs. They were talking.
“Good morning everyone,” I sat on my usual chair. “So, you’re off to the Cruz’s now?” Sean asked still chewing. And I heard him mumbled “Excuse me.”
“Yeah I’m a little nervous, though,” I scooped eggs and two hotdogs.
Norah stood up and went to the fridge. She got a pitcher of apple juice.
“Everyone gets nervous, honey,” Norah alisema pouring juisi in our glasses. “Just be yourself,” Aeyla added placing her plate in the sink. “Ready?” Sean asked Aeyla.
“Yeah, wait. I’m just going to grab my bag,” Aeyla went upstairs.
I chewed and drank juice. “Where wewe guys going?” I asked curious. “Art class,” Sean said. I looked at him, puzzled. “She wants to try something new, wewe know girls these days,” he explained. “Ooh,” Me and Norah chorused as if we get it.
Sean replied, “Yep.”
Suddenly Aeyla appeared from upstairs. “Gotta go, good luck Mariah, and upendo you” she hugged me. “We’ll come to visit, sometime, ‘kay?” she added.
“Okay, have a salama ride,” I alisema as she went for the door. Then I looked at Norah and hugged her.

This is it, I thought. My scooter went to a stop on the gate of the subdivision.
I read, McKinley Hills.
“Cruz residence,” I said. The security guard gave me a visitor pass.
“Turn on the inayofuata street, then wewe will turn right, then left, when wewe see a house with blueberry trees on both side, you’re there.” the security guard pointed. I nodded and answered thank you.
This is such a quiet place. Quiet, but beautiful. I never seen so beautiful.
Most of the houses here are mansions. I turned my head left to right, admiring the place. There are parks and oh! Look a pavilion, how nice. Like the ones wewe see in A cinderella Story were Chad and Hilary danced, I giggled recalling that scene. Call me crazy but, I never seen a place like this, promise.
On the corner of the street, an old lady stood there, cutting grass. She suddenly waved at me, like we knew each other. I smiled and honk.
I made a left. I saw the twin trees the security guard was saying. I opened my mouth. “Oh. My. God,” I pronounced each word. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I went down. I think we got the wrong house last weekend the one we had a graduation after party? Nope. “This is the one,” I answered my own question.
The house’s structure has a big gate not taller than the trees, zaidi like on the level of its trunk, two big red brick walls on both sides covered in vines.
Then on the middle, inside the gate, a kisima, chemchemi stood there.
Suddenly the gate opened kwa itself. I revved my scooter and went inside.
I didn’t expect this kind of structure. This is going to be an unforgettable summer, I think.