The mood at school today wasn’t fun for Favour. She was quite dull and awfully quiet, it was unlike the very agile and playful Favour her friends knew. Cat noticed her sad face and mood, he thought it was very unusual of her and walked to her.

“Are you okay dear?” Cat asked her but she didn’t hear him as she was absent minded.

“Favour, are you Alright?” he asked again, this time he tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

“What? Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t. you were lost in your thought. What’s happening? You seem to be down.”

“Really, do I look down? I didn’t notice.”

“How would you, when you had your jaw on your palms 🤲 all this time. It’s really not the you I know, so what’s wrong?”

“Nothing really. I am fine, just tired that’s all.”

“Really now, you.... tired?”

“Not you that I know, you can’t be tired, in fact you can never be tired or are you sick?”

“Not really. I am fine, don’t worry about me.” Cat stood for some seconds staring into Favour’s eyes as he was very sure she wasn’t fine.

“What?! Why are you staring at me?” She asked.

“Well, because I can tell by looking into your eyes that you are not fine. You should tell me what’s happening with you, we are friends you know, we shouldn’t be hiding anything from each other and you never know, I might be of help.”

“Soo tell me, what’s wrong? Why are you in this mood?” Cat asked again with a light smile meant to comfort favour.

“OOH, not this your smile again. Okay ok, you have gotten me, I will tell you what’s wrong with me even though I know you don’t have a solution to it.” She said as they both laughed.

“Well, try me and see.”

“Okay, if you say so Mr. Counsellor or should I call you therapist?” Favour responded as they both laughed.

“Well, I am disturbed by two things, that’s why my mood isn’t great today.”

“Okay, I’m all ears, let me hear them.”

“Well, if you insist.”

“Firstly, I’m very worried about my grand mum, she’s been getting sick a lot these days and still refuses to take her medication or even visit the hospital. She keeps insisting that it’s a minor illness and that she would be fine after a little rest, but it’s never so.”

“Is she afraid of taking Drugs or visiting the hospital?” Cat asked.

“I don’t think she is, I believe she is just concerned about the bills and doesn’t want me to spend the money I have been saving from my part time job for my college 🎓 tuition fees and others. This is getting me worried because she is stubbornly refusing to take medication or visit the hospital.”

“I see, that’s really a good reason to be sad.” Cat said.

“She’s the only one I have now and I don’t want to lose her. After my mum’s death and my dad remarrying, I have been with my grand mother and she’s been the one taking care of me. I really don’t want to lose her, she’s the only one I have now.” Favour said as little drops of tears fell from her eyes.

“Shh… it’s okay, don’t cry.”

“I promise you, I will get her to take her medication and have get a check-up at the hospital 🏥, so don’t get worked up about it again.” Cat promised her as he wiped the drop of tears on her face.

Cat had quite the rich parent and wasn’t lacking when it comes to money as his parents make sure to provide him with a fat allowance every month. His dad runs a large steel factory while his mum is a renowned lawyer. The only thing Cat never had was a normal happy 😊 family. He can’t even recall the last time ⌚ they had a meal together. On Week days his dad was stuck at the factory and his mum at the court room or her office. On weekends his dad is out on business trips or meetings and his mum, stucked in the study room with case files and more, so he never enjoyed the parental care every child deserves, he only enjoyed great privileges because of his parent’s wealth.

“You will do that for me?” Favour asked looking directly into Cat’s eyes while holding onto his shirt. Looking into her eyes, he could see the beautiful sparkling baby blue colour of her eyes 👀. Immediately, he felt his body warm, the quick flow of his warm thick blood across his body and could feel his heart beat twice as fast. He stood there lost, looking into her eyes as he couldn’t tell what this feeling was.

“Cat, are you okay?” She asked him.

“Hmm…. Yeah, I am.”

“Don’t worry yourself, I will make sure she goes to the hospital and take her medication. I will visit your place after training today, so we can take her to the hospital together. Just send me your house address on WhatsApp and I will make sure to be there.”

“OOH, thanks a lot Cat, you are a life saver. I will make sure to pay you back.”

“No, no need for that Favour, we are friends and we should be able to help each other in these kinds of situation.”

“You are such a darling, Cat.” She complimented him letting out a wide beautiful smile that was so captivating that it sank his heart and he could feel the goose bumps on his body.

“You should always keep your smiles, it’s one of the special gifts you have and you are always beautiful when you smile.”

“Stop flattering me, I know you just want to make me feel better. Anyways thank you for the compliment.”

“Yeah, so what’s the second reason?” Cat asked.

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“Sorry, what?”

“You said you were worried about two things, so what’s the second?”

“No, don’t worry yourself about that. You have done enough for me already, I feel better ready.”

“But I insist you tell me about it.” Cat was insisting when the teacher walked into the class room for his lecture.

“Everyone, take your seat and prepare for lectures.” The teacher said to them.

“We should talk later, after school.” Cat said to Favour and walked back to his desk.

Lectures were quite fun and engaging, the teachers were funny and made lots of jokes. It took quite some while before classes for the day came to an end, because time was slow. As soon as classes were over, the team headed to the school pitch for training. As usual, coach Bedford and his assistant were already present at the pitch waiting for them. He welcomed them with a shake and a tap on the shoulder in a sportsman like manner. They said few words of prayer before the coach did a prep talk.

“Welcome boys, how was todays class?”

“Great coach.” They answered in unison.

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

“It’s time to put in the work on the pitch, it’s another phase of learning. You are learning to be better and almost perfect at what you do.” Coach Bedford started as he walked round the boys, who were seated on the grass.

“Have you ever wondered why The Golden Cats are so good that it seems as though they are unbeatable?”

“Not really coach.” Some of the boys answered, while others just watched on in curiosity.

“What about you guys?” he asked them, pointing to their direction.

“Well, yes we have coach, but nothing really has come to mind. Soo instead of worrying about them, we just decided to work harder to be better than them.” Fedrick answered.

“Wonderful answer Fedrick. Really brilliant answer my boy, but if you can not tell the tactics or reason behind your opponent’s success, how do you intend on beating them?”

“It’s not enough to be talented or hard working, you have to know the formula for the success they have achieved. When this is ticked on our to do list, then we can be better and able to beat them.” Coach Bedford continued.

“I have been using compound phrases like Us and We, do you know why?”

“No Sir.” They answered in unison.

“Because that is the formula for their success!”

“They do not train as individuals, they do not just train as a team, they train as family with one goal in mind, the goddamn trophy!”

“Until we begin to work and train, not just as a team but as family, we won’t be better than them or able to beat them.”

“Nobody or team is unbeatable or invincible, not even the great Arsenal team could stay invincible for longer than a season. I guess Manchester United could see them all along.” Coach Bedford joked as everyone busted into laughter.

“Yes, that’s the truth. Soo that’s why we need to put this formula into good use. Is that understood!”

“Yes Sir!!” They all shouted in response.

“Very good. Now, we will commence today’s training session in few minutes, just do some jogging together while I have a word with Coach Hilton.” He commanded as the boys obeyed.

Coach Hilton is the assistant coach of the team. He was recommended by Coach Bedford and hired by the school’s principal when the former assistant coach got a job to coach another team.

The boys jogged around the pitch as the coach had ordered. Fedrick jogged alongside Cat and Monday.

“What’s up man?” Fedrick asked Cat while they jogged.

“I’m good bro.”

“Well, you don’t look good to me man.”

“I noticed you have been absent minded through out class and during the coach’s prep talk.”

“Ooh that. I was only worried about Favour, that’s all.”

“Favour? Is she okay?” Fedrick asked worriedly as he stopped jogging.

“No man, she is fine. I’ve got everything under control.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“Yeah, I am bro, so don’t worry yourself and jog on.”

“Well, if you say so.” Fedrick responded as he continued jogging.

Sooner than later, training commenced. They did some laps on the pitch, shooting practice, worked out and many more. By 6:30pm, they were done with training. They freshened up and left for their home’s, but Cat headed for Favour’s place as he had gotten her address which she sent to him on WhatsApp.

“Fedrick, I won’t be going home from school. I still need to visit Favour’s home before heading back to mine.” Cat informed him.

“Would you like me to accompany you?”

“No not really, don’t bother yourself. Just go home and rest.”

“But you’re sure she’s okay?”

“Yeah she is, so don’t worry yourself and just head home.”

“Well, if you say so. See you in school tomorrow.” Fedrick said as he turned away from Cat.

“Yeah, bye. Be careful on your way home!” Cat shouted.

“Yeah, I will. You too man.”

As he sat in the cab, thoughts of Favour kept running through his mind. He couldn’t stop thinking of her.

“Well, I know we have been friends for a while, but I have never thought of her differently until now. She is really beautiful and her eyes, they are really beautiful. Blue and charmingly cute. I really think I like her.” He thought 💭 to himself.

Few minutes later, he got to Favour’s house, knocked and was welcomed in by Favour. He was stunned at her unbelievable beauty, as he stood still staring at her on her beautiful blue and White dress, matching her beautiful eyes.

“Hi Cat, hope it wasn’t hard finding this place?” She asked.

“No, not really. it was quite easy.”

“Okay. Well, come in and have a seat.” She ushered him in.

“Where is your grand mum?” He asked as he sat on a very soft and comfortable milk coloured silk couch.

“She is in her room.”

“Well, get her dressed let’s take her to the hospital.”

“Aren’t you going to take anything, not even water?”

“I will, just after we get her to the hospital. There is a cab outside waiting for us.”

“Okay, but she wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Leave that to me. I promised you, I would convince her, just show me to her room.” Cat said as she showed him to her grandmother’s room.

Cat was able to convince Favour’s granny to follow him to the hospital with his sweet words and jokes. In some minutes they got to the hospital where granny got checked and prescribed drugs which Cat bought for her at a pharmacy along the road on their way back home. When they got back to Favour’s house, he spent time with her and her granny. They talked and joked all along, until it was late and he begged to take his leave. Favour laid granny in bed before seeing him off.

“Thanks a lot for your help today, Cat.” She thanked him.

“All my pleasure. It was nice being of help to a friend.”

“Well, I promise to pay you back when I get my pay check come the end of the month.”

“No need for that. Consider it a favour or gift from a friend.”

“Yeah, but I really want to do something for you too. You really have been helpful to me.” She insisted.

“Well, since you insist on doing something for me, why not take me out for a dinner once you get you pay check, Just the two of us.”

“Okay then, that a deal.” Favour responded in agreement letting out her hand for a hand shake.

“Deal.” Cat replied accepting her hand shake.

“You should head home first, I can find my way around from here.” Cat said to her.

“No… I will walk with you until you find a taxi, let me do this at least to thank you for your help.”

“Well, sure, if that is what you want.”

“Your dress, it’s really beautiful. I love it.” Cat complimented.

“Thank you… It’s a birthday gift I got from my dad last year.” Favour responded.

“He still tries to remember my birthdays and sends me the little gifts he could afford.”

She walked with him until he got a taxi,

“Well, this is me.” Cat said as he boarded the taxi.

“See you in school tomorrow. And make sure to take good care of yourself and granny.”

“Yeah, I will. Bye and take care.” She responded as the taxi zoomed off.

Through the ride back home, Cat couldn’t help but smile as all he could do was think about favour and the fun time spent with her and her family. It was a feeling he had not experience in a very long while. It was the good sweet feeling of love and family bonding. He thought to himself;

“I might have found myself a family here.”