DUSK by Esther Machethe (top books of all time txt) 📕

“Are you serious now, you just let it slip!? You know you are not supposed to mention other agents’ names unless necessary but today it just ‘slips out’. What if she realizes that they are not mere stories but actual happenings, what then?” dad’s angry voice echoed in my head. I have never heard him this angry before.

“Sorry sir, it will not happen again.” Ashton said in a firm tone and I heard dad sigh.

“Look, I know it’s hard keeping your real life from them because you want to keep their trust but this is a matter of international security so I’m afraid these ‘stories’ of yours have to come to an end. I’m sure they will understand.” Dad said in a lower tone but Ashton only replied with a yes sir before they started walking back.

“What’s wrong?” Ashton’s voice rang through my head making me focus on him.

“What?” that was the only thing that I could think of; I know you must be thinking how dumb I am but just put yourself in my position, I bet you would have done much worse than me.

“Why are your eyebrows furrowed and you’re looking at me like I’m the puzzle that can solve world hunger.” He tried to sound cheery but I could tell, he was feeling the exact opposite.

“Nothing, I was actually trying to learn how to talk to Dusk in my head, it gets creepy when you nod your head to no one in particular.” I tried to think of a better excuse but that was the best I could come up with. I mentally hi-fived myself when a genuine smile broke off from him. He came towards me and sat next to me before whispering into my ear.

“What do you want to know?” I looked at him, trying to hide my confusion but he just laughed at me.

“I know you’re a smart but curious girl who has everything encompassed into one chip, I know you were listening in but I swear I won’t tell” he tried to coax me.

“I wasn’t listening, I don’t know what you are talking about.” I feigned innocence but I know he didn’t buy it.

“It’s okay, you’ll tell me when you’re ready and I will tell you when the time is right.” He smiled at me as he walked away to where the girls were. A second later he popped his head into the dining room.

“Em says your episode is half way through and she didn’t record it so if you want to watch then you better hurry up.” He relayed the message which really got to me because if I missed it then I would have had wasted a whole Saturday morning. I quickly jumped to my feet and rushed to see my all-time favourite series. However, fate had other plans for me, as soon as I had sat comfortably ready to watch the TV was switched off, only to annoy me.

“It’s your eighteenth birthday today so you don’t get to spend time lazing around like any other Saturday. It’s time for the best friends’ birthday bonding time.” Em announced, sounding so proud of her announcement. I groaned and buried my face in my hands; this was not going to be a good idea and I knew because I have always been the casualty.

“That’s a great idea Em, what did you have in mind; shopping, or maybe some spa…”Sapph trailed off after I shot her a glare. They all knew I didn’t like shopping or spa treatments.

“Actually, I was thinking of dividing time between us so that each best friend gets time alone with Chloe.” Em suggested sounding unsure of her decision but the smile that broke off from my face was unmistakeable.

“I think that’s the best idea we’ve ever heard from you Em.” I teased her.

“At least I’m thinking, when was the last time you used your grey matter?” she countered back making Ash and Sapph share an amused smile. Naturally, comments like that had automatic comebacks but today I just decided to let it slide.

“Okay, so what did you have in mind?” I tried to change the topic which was successful since her eyes lit up at my question.

“I was thinking that since Ash has to go to work at three and we won’t see him until later, maybe he should have the first few hours with you so that he won’t miss out. You can do whatever you guys want until two and she shouldn’t be later than two thirty.” Em gave out the orders. It was clear to see that she was the mother hen of this group.

I turned to Ash who was wearing a stupid grin on his face and when he realized that he had caught my attention, he mouthed ‘arcade’ which made me smile. After the briefing, I walked to my room, showered and changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a blue flowery top which I matched with my wedged biker boots before stuffing my phone, earphones and a twenty dollar bill into my pockets. I went down the stairs and found Ash waiting for me by the door. He looked excited but not more than I was since it was a rare occurrence to spend time alone with Ash unless I was asking for an honest answer.

“I’m having a hard time trying to decide between the amusement park and the arcade. What do you think?” he asked as I got into the passenger side of the car. I thought it over before answering;

“Amusement parks are more of a couple sort of thing or a group thing so I would prefer the arcade.” I reasoned out with him.

“You’re the birthday girl so you get anything you want.” He reminded me as we headed over to the arcade. I loved the arcade because it was our secret hideout and no one else knew where it was but they knew it existed. It was housed in a run-down building that not even Em could give a second look but inside it had all the classical arcade games of all time.

We stood outside my house at three fifteen; yeah we were seriously late and the girls were fuming at us inside. I could feel it all the way outside.

“I could say I’m sorry we’re late but we both know it’s not true” Ash tried to light the mood and it worked since we both laughed at that.

“So I hope we’ll do this again soon, maybe this week when am not at work.” He asked, and I nodded enthusiastically because who could say no to arcade games, surely not me. His phone rang and he walked towards his car, got in and waved before he drove off. I was about to walk inside when I saw Sapph glare at me from my window. What did I do this time?

“Damn girl, he asked you out and you said yes!! How dare you!!??” Em roared at my face while Sapph continued to glare daggers at me.

“Hell, who said he asked me out on a date? We went to the arcade. That’s definitely not a place for a date, at least not for me.” I countered though I knew it was a lie, I would totally go for an arcade date but they didn’t know that. Sapph seemed to relax after I said that but Em didn’t look like she believed me. She is my best friend after all so she’s bound to know when I’m lying. An idea just popped into my head and I grinned internally.

“I can’t believe you guys thought that about me and yet we’re best friends. I need to be alone.” I feigned anger and sadness as I walked past them and headed to my room. I hoped it worked because even if I wasn’t mad anymore, I had lost any psych to do anything else and I just wanted to sit and read my book. I banged my door shut hoping that they got the point and I was glad when no one knocked at my door for a whole five minutes then Em’s voice ruined my victory,

“I’m sorry we thought that you were going on a date with Ash, it’s just that you guys are always so close and you talk to him more than us so when he said you guys should do it again this week we thought it was a date. Plus, I know you have an obsession with green-eyed men so….” She trailed off. I know she was sorry and I understood her because even I would have thought the same if I saw them together but I really didn’t want to go shopping with anyone.

“He said that he likes Sapph so how can he ask me out after that and how could I say yes to a date when I know that she likes him too. I’m not a bitch to my friends Em.” I countered in a sad and hurt voice.

“I know Chloe but Sapph had been very insecure since you two left and she kept saying that he likes you more than her but he’s afraid you’ll reject him. I was so confused then when I saw you out there smiling and laughing, I started thinking that maybe Sapph was right.” She said in a low voice. I have to admit though, Ash was not himself, he was a bit arrogant and he held my hand a lot and his smile was so warm and his eyes were darker than usual but I won’t tell anyone that.

He reminded me of the pair of green eyes I always see hiding from the bushes but that’s can’t be because they’re not real. I took a deep breath and looked at Em who looked sad.

“Trust me, Em, he likes Sapph and I can’t stand in their way and I won’t be a distraction. Is it okay if we just stay here, I don’t want to go anywhere.” I said in a small voice making her join me on my bed,

“How about we go to the spa then have a movie marathon with ice cream. We had already paid for the spa and I can’t let the money go to waste.” She begged which was a good bargain so I just nodded and allowed her to drag me from the bed and out of my room where Sapph was waiting for us. This was going to be a very long day.

Well, it’s official; birthdays are the most tiresome days ever, no pun intended. After a whole afternoon in the spa with the girls being pampered and it wasn’t as nice as people thought since I hate it when people pull my hair but the massage was nice. Then we came back home at around five in the evening for movie marathon and I wanted to watch Mission Impossible because who doesn’t think Tom Cruise is hot but the girls wanted to watch romantic movies which they won 2: 1 and we ended up watching a movie called Me before you and