Chapter Twenty Two

ANDREW'S POV

I hadn't seen Pierra in three weeks. Immediately after the family trip I had gone to see my family and she had gone home with hers. My mother and sister had been happy to see me home and I them but I'd found myself missing Pierra a lot. She was constantly invading my thoughts and the pictures she kept sending me plus the ones I already had were not helping my cause. It was why I couldn't wait to get on the bus and head back to school to her. I wanted her back in my arms as soon as possible.

"You've been here less than a month and you're already leaving, not fair."Alice my younger sister complained as she stood at the door of my room for watching me pack.

"Did mom make you say that?"I asked looking up to see her grinning at me.

"Thought I was getting better at lying, seems not."She replied letting herself in and propping herself on my bed.

Alice was beautiful with long dark hair, brown eyes and a tall slim build. Growing up with me as her only company led her to becoming a sort of tomboy but she seemed to love and embrace it. She was wicked smart and like a very small percentage of the population, actually liked studying. I was proud to have her as my baby sister.

"You're always glad when I leave so you can have moms attention all to yourself and don't you deny it."I pointed out and she scowled at me.

"I wasn't going to deny it. When you're here she dots on you and forgets me. If she could she would chew up your food and feed you like a baby bird."Alice whined and I laughed.

"That's not true and you know it. I'm just gone a lot so she overcompensates when I'm around."I reasoned and she rolled her eyes at me.

"I did not come here for you to water down things for me so please shut up."She demanded with a shove.

She wanted me to shove her back so we could get into a small fight, her way of saying goodbye but I had other ideas. I pulled her into my arms for a hug and didn't let go even when she struggled. She eventually settled down and hugged me back.

"I'll miss you too Alice."I whispered in her ear and her hold got a little tighter but only for a minute.

"Let me go before you turn me into a wimp like you. Having a girlfriend has made you soft."She claimed making me flick her off.

I had told my mother and sister about Pierra the first night I got home from Lodwar. They had both been thrilled as in my twenty three years of life I'd never really talked about having a girl in my life.

"No it's hasn't."I denied but it still left me wondering if her statement had some truth to it.

"Yes it has. She's pretty by the way and I can't wait to meet her that's if you don't mess things up and loose her."Alice rambled on and I turned my gaze to her

"Why would you assume that I am going to mess up?"I asked.

"Because you are a boy and boys tend to do stupid things, like loose really beautiful girls with an impeccable fashion sense and the perfect brown eyes."My sister gushed on and I chuckled.

"Stop fan girling over my girlfriend, she's too old for you and why can't she be the one to mess up and loose me."I countered.

Alice got up and headed towards the door but turned back last minute to answer my question.

"First of all how can I not fan girl, your girlfriend is the literal definition of perfection, still baffles me how she fell into your trap. Second you see how in every relationship no matter how much they love each other one person is the one who settled, that person in this case is Pierra. But it just shows that you love her more than she loves you and that to me is the perfect relationship. It shows you will do anything to keep her and she will never do anything to screw up with a guy who treats her right."She concluded before giving me a mock salute and disappearing out of sight.

My sister was eight years younger than me yet she had the wisdom of a marriage counselor with a decade of experience. Her statement got me thinking and even if I didn't agree with her analogy of Pierra settling, I did agree with the fact that my feelings for her were stronger than hers were for me. I wasn't in love yet, I was getting there though but we were headed in the right direction that's why I wasn't freaking out about falling for her too fast. I'd crushed on Pierra so long and she was finally my girlfriend. I would do my best to treat her as great as she deserved so she never got a reason to ever regret giving me a chance. The beginning of our relationship had been rocky but we had solidified our relationship slowly and surely. I believed that we were meant to be and our relationship would last forever. Hopefully.

Thinking about her made me miss her more so I hurried with packing so I could make it to school before darkness set in. After I was done I took shower, changed into dark jeans, a black t-shirt and a green trenchcoat with black boots. Picking up my camera bag and another duffel bag I left my room.

We lived in the rural areas so our house was a two bedroom brick house for my mother and sister plus another small wooden cottage for me. My maternal grandpa had left my mom the land and she had worked day and night to make it what it was. My mom was the main reason I worked so hard to make a name for myself. I wanted to be successful enough to take care of her and make her proud. Alice was included in the taking care of too but my mom was my hero and always would be.

I found her and Alice by the gate with a small sack next to them and I resisted the urge to scream in frustration. My mom was the older version of Alice because even at the age of fifty four, she still looked beautiful and full of life.

"Don't give me that look young man."My mom,Beth, scolded and I realized that my facial expression had sold me out.

"But mom we talked about this and you agreed not to pack me anything."I lamented and Alice grinned, thrilled at my predicament.

"I know but I'm your mother and I couldn't resist, it's less than last time so stop whining."She scolded and I let out an involuntary groan.

"What's in there?"I asked staring at the white sack like it was a bomb.

"Nothing much just potatoes, onions, some bananas, cassava and dried vegetables."She listed out and I knew she didn't name everything.

"This is the last time I'm leaving for university so I'll suck it up and let you have your moment."I said giving in.

She cheered happily before her face got all sad and she approached me cupping my face in her hands.

"My baby boy is growing up so fast, completing university, getting a girlfriend. Soon you will get a job, move far away and marry soon after forgetting your poor old mother."She lamented dramatically.

Alice rolled her eyes behind mom's back.

"I'll never forget you mom but I do have to leave your nest at some point, it's all part of growing up. And besides you still have Alive to dot on."I encouraged but it was like talking to a rock.

"You think you're trouble, your sister is the worst. She will leave me here to die alone as soon as she gets the chance."My mom continued.

"That's not true mom."Alice encouraged not sounding convincing at all.

It was no secret that Alice had big dreams and intended to live them fully. She would leave my mom to spread her wings, soaring high than I probably ever would and I was proud of her for that. My mom was too she just didn't like the thought of being left all alone.

"I'll probably have already given you grandchildren by the time Alice decides to leave."I consoled my mom and her face softened into a smile.

I was just blabbing things so my mom would stop complaining but when I actually thought about it and imagined my future kids they all had Pierra's striking beauty and curly hair. That spoke volumes about how right our relationship was and it fueled me to do as Alice had advised and do right by her.

"You're absolutely right you have a girlfriend now so grandchildren will follow sooner or later. No more sadness. Have a safe trip to school son and when you get there study hard, take care of yourself and say hello to Pierra for me."My mom said pulling me into a hug.

My mom was tall but I was taller so I still had to bend over to hug her. Alice hugged me too and after another round of goodbyes they sent me on my way. It was always hard leaving home when the break was over but this time I had someone waiting for me back at school so it made the goodbye easier.

I soon got to the tarmac road, a three minute walk from home and caught a mini bus to the nearby town. When I got there I switched vehicles and caught another bus that would drop me right at the gate of the school. It was a two hour drive that I had no issues with prior but felt like a burden now. I was just so excited to have Pierra in my arms again, each minute felt like a long excruciating hour.

Thirty minutes before we got to the school my phone vibrated with a text and I smiled when I saw who it was.

🌺Ivy🌺

When are you getting here 🥺🥺?

She'd arrived at school the previous day and had been disappointed not to find me there. I'd planned to stay home a couple of more days more but on hearing that she was at school, I made the impromptu travel plans immediately.

Me : Soon baby, soon.

She didn't reply after that and I assumed it because she was frustrated by my answer. She wouldn't be for long though because I was going to see her soon.

When I started developing feelings for Pierra a few months into first year I had immediately known she was out of my league and kept my distance. Three and a half years down the line and she was my girlfriend. It was a twist in our story that I had not expected to happen but it had by God's grace and I was not going to let her go.

I alighted the bus forty five minutes later at the school gate. I thought visiting Pierra immediately but her apartment wasn't close and I had all my luggage with me so I went to my place first. I dropped all my bags except for my camera bag which I rarely went anywhere without.

After making sure to unpack everything that my mom had given me so it wouldn't go bad I left my room. I had been right that my mom had packed more than she had told me but I didn't have it in me to be mad at her. She was just being a mom and I loved her for it. I made sure to call my mom and Alice to inform them that I'd arrived safely.

By the time I got to Pierra's apartment it was already past seven and darkness had already set in. I knocked at her door with a smile on my face. She opened it a minute later with a blank look on her face that immediately changed when she saw me. She let out an excited scream before jumping into arms and wrapping her legs around my waist burying her face into my neck.

I walked into the room and used my leg to kick the door closed. In my own way with Pierra still in my arms, I managed to put my bag down so I could hold my girl properly.

"Hi baby, miss me?"I whispered into her hair.

She nodded making me smile.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?"She asked as she lifted her face off my neck to look at me.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."I replied and she smiled.

"Well I like my surprise."She said looking into my eyes.

Unable to resist anymore I leaned in and captured her lips in a slow kiss that expressed just how I had missed her. She tasted like melons which I found addicting. I pinned her against the wall and deepened the kiss taking her in and exploring all that she was willing to leave open to me.

"Fuck, you taste delicious Ivy."I groaned as I kissed her neck.

I wanted to leave a hickey so I could mark her as mine for the everyone to see. She moaned throwing her head back giving me more space to work with.

"I want to taste you."I found myself blurting out.

"Where?"She asked.

"Everywhere."I replied honestly.

"But I'm not ready to have sex yet."She admitted and I looked up so that we were at eye level.

"I never said anything about sex. There's a lot more we can do, some we've already done and the rest is waiting for us to experiment."I replied not wanting to pressure her into something she was not ready for.

I definitely wanted to have sex with her but only when she was ready and willing to give her whole self to me.

"I trust you."She declared looking at me like she was ready to lay down her whole life at my feet.

Those words were the confirmation I needed to dive back in and show her pleasure she had never experienced before. My Ivy was a low key freak and ended up unleashing a side of her than had me wanting and craving for more.

It had taken three and a half years to make her mine and each excruciating minute had been worth the wait. I was never going to let her go.

😜😜