Destined for You

Deja

"Dad, I already said I can't make it back anytime soon." I didn't mean to raise my tone, but my parents were being overly persistent right now- more than usual.

"Dejare! I am your father and I do not need a reason to bring you back home" He coughed aggressively at the end of his rant. I could hear my mother telling him to calm down in our native tongue, Yoruba.

Home? The word sounded almost foreign on my tongue. I had stopped referring to that place as home years ago. It just didn't feel right to call it home after what happened.

"E pele sir" I apologized in Yoruba

"Don't tell me sorry, Dejare! Just come home. I didn't send you to school abroad only for you to disrespect me. Or was that a mistake?" My father asked

One thing about my father, Adebayo Bamidele. He never failed to remind me that he made my education and stay in Canada possible.

I ignored the question. "I'll think about it, Dad. I have to go now." This conversation had to end now. It's a Saturday morning and I have places to be.

"Deja don't think about it! Just make sure you come ho-" I pressed the red button and immediately turned my mobile data off

My father's anger-filled rants can wait another day. Right now my favorite pastry shop just opened for the day and there's no way in hell I'm going to fall back on my duty as Dakota's first customer.

A smile appeared on my face as I crossed the street and Dakota's beautiful shop sign appeared in my line of view.

The Pearl had become almost like a second house to me. If I wasn't at work or home, I was here; eating Dakota's amazing meat pies, donuts, and spring rolls.

Dakota and I met during my second week at university. She was also new like me and lost too. When we finally found our right class, thirty minutes later the professor made us partners for the whole of the semester.

We walked to the nearest pastry shop together to brainstorm on the assignment.

Dakota had used half our time to smile lovingly at the shop and used the other half to tell me how, one day she wants to own a pastry shop just like this but better.

To be honest, I had no interest in her pastry shop story then and it's not like I could get rid of the strange talkative girl, I was stuck with her. So, I listened to her story and prayed to whoever is up there that maybe she'd finally let us do our work if I just listen to her plan.

She didn't.

I open the door and the wide smile on my face is suddenly wiped off when something hard collides with my front.

The wet and cold feeling of iced liquid registers in my head as it drips down my shirt. I'm still trying to get over the damage to my amazing blouse when the grating voice belonging to the culprit speaks.

Oh wow, he's tall, really tall but that doesn't matter because I'm beyond pissed. "Watch where you're bloody going!" He exclaims rudely

Me? He bumped into me!

"Are you blind? You bumped into me and also ruined my clothes!" I retort angrily

He looks at my face briefly before his eyes rake the damage but he doesn't utter the apology I was expecting. Instead, he looks me in the eye and then looks down at his trousers, then he proceeds to give me a pointed look.

I'm taken aback but I don't say a word "An apology would simply fix all this. You're the one who bumped into me. So, apologize" he replied

"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm not the one who was on my phone or has my head so far up my ass I can't tell when I'm wrong. Choke on the apology, idiot" I hiss and step to the side before walking off in the direction of the counter where Dakota is supposed to be but is not.

I can feel the piercing gaze of his eyes on the back of my but I don't bother turning around.

A second later, Dakota appears from the kitchen. A huge smile appears on her face when she sees me "There's my number one customer and favourite Nigerian!"

I'm the only Nigerian she knows.

I give her a small smile as she walks around the counter to come and hug me.