02• Keith.

"There'd be a church service tomorrow, I want the two of you to be there." My dad said cleaning his hand with a napkin after dinner.

"I don't think I'd make it," Jude pronounced and Dad shot him a look.

"Why? What's more important than serving God?" Dad fired at him.

"Nothing is more important than serving God," Jude replied. "But Dad, you know I've got an interview with Bishop magazines," Jude spoke.

"You do wanna work there?" I asked surprised at his words and he rolled his eyes at me.

"Postpone it." Dad stood up.

"But that's not possible Dad," Jude argued.

"Then will you prefer going to the interview than performing your duty in the church as the first son of a Deacon?" My dad asked rhetorically and Jude couldn't say a word. "Take a look at Keith, he's more responsible and active both in church and the school. I suggest you start taking the footsteps of your brother." With that, he walked away.

"Bro," I called and Jude raised his eyes sharply at me as if I had always been the rival he would never overcome right from birth. "Things don't work this way," I say taking a cup of juice.

"Says the responsible son of Mr. Schuler." He scorned.

"I'm not as daft as you are," I said with a fake smile putting the glass to my lips and I watched my stepbrother's gaze tighten at me.

I sip the juice from the cup before dropping it back on the table. "Even if I was as daft as you are, I'd still be the face of this family," I said rising on my feet and Jude sighed offensively.

"I'm better than you. You know that? At least I don't act ungodly behind closed doors." He returned and I scoffed.

"Having many people crush on me and going to parties is sinful now?" I asked widening my eyes as though I was about to burst into a peal of uncontrollable laughter. "I think you've gotta go back to Sunday school," I mentioned walking out of the dining room, and I would bet he was glaring at me.

I and my stepbrother have never been on good terms since when his mother placed him on the porch of our house, years ago.

Dad had impregnated his mother but lost touch with her when he relocated to London and had even tried finding her but couldn't.

Having no idea that she was carrying my crazy stepbrother, he married my mother and when I was born, five years later the woman appeared with Jude and decided not to ruin dad's marriage so she had to move out of England.

I entered my bedroom and my eyes met with my beautiful mother's picture hanging at the top of the wall where my bed was placed.

Even after my mum's death, Jude's mother didn't come back, and dad has been the one who brought us up since ten.

The ringing of my phone distracted me and I guessed it was one of the girls who collected my number from any of my friends.

"Keith speaking," I called over to the phone as I walked to sit on the bed.

"Hello, Keith. This is Brianna." The lady on the phone was introduced. "We met during one of your football matches," Brianna added and I smiled.

"Oh, really, I had no idea I forgot to ask for such a beautiful girl's phone number." I teased just as I usually do with every lady that falls for my looks.

I could hear Brianna grinning, probably blushing. "It's not too late for us to meet up, is it?" Brianna asked from the phone as I unworn my footwear and socks.

"Huh, I will see if I'm chanced to meet up with your beautiful face." I teased again finally laying on the bed.

"Please get back to me. I'd be expecting. See you in school tomorrow." She bade as if breathlessly speaking.

"School? You attend St. Penelope's college?" I asked surprised that I didn't even know she was a student in our school.

"Of course." She replied and I guessed it was because ladies crushing on me so much that I couldn't even keep track of them and I ended up disappointing them whenever they asked me to date them because most of them were just after my looks, but that doesn't mean I didn't like catching fun with them.

If I were to start dating them all, I was sure my dad's school would be turned into a battleground for the ladies and even guys might end up setting me up out of jealousy. Especially Jude who wouldn't even get a proposal from a lady.

Is he gay? I wondered because he mostly hangs out with guys, and all of his friends never have a girlfriend.

Probably they are practicing some homosexual cult.

At the thought of that, I squint my face in disgust and hope their covers are soon blown.

"Are you there?" Brianna who had said we would meet in school tomorrow hasn't even hung up.

"Yes, sweetheart." I sweet-talk her and her grins were offensive. Well, I was used to it. "Let's meet tomorrow." With this, I hung up.

I breathed out closing my eyes.

.

Monday soon came in a whirlwind, and I was downstairs already having breakfast with Jude who doesn't look like he's interested in going to school for that day.

When I finished breakfast, I walked to the kitchen which led to the living room and I carried my backpack from the couch calling out to Jude. "Bro! Be quick, or else you're trekking." I shouted and walked out of our pretty big English house.

I hopped in the car and put my backpack beside me, before bringing out my phone and scrolling to the internet.

Jude soon arrived, and he sat beside me while our driver drove us off to school.

I was still on the internet when the driver announced our arrival and I tuck it back into my pocket.

Jude alighted from the car getting no ' aww. But when I did, my fans, I meant ladies began awwing excitedly at me, anyone who recently started attending St. Penelope's College will think some celebrity just arrived.

"What's up, pal." I shook hands with Darren and then with my two other friends as I got closer to them in the classroom.

"Brianna contacted you yet?" Billy asked.

"You need to start paying me for getting pretty girls to talk to you." I teased and they laughed.

"I hope when you finish dumping her, you've gotta advise her that there's someone who's the right man for her," Darren said.

"Come on, don't use that word. I don't dump any ladies." I say feigning an innocent look as I walk to my seat after seeing a professor walk to our class.

I had my seat and glanced at the chair beside me but it was empty, and I wondered why the innocent quiet guy who always gets me annoyed with his attitude was not in school yet.