Christine Onyinye Nwafor

A few days later

"I swear the next time I see that boy I'll chase him away with my slippers. Foolish entity," Chineye rants making me burst into another bout of laughter.

Wiping at my eyes, I finally reply her. "Just admit it, Chichi, the boy is growing on you and maybe you even like him too."

"Ehn!" She shrieks loudly. "Me? No way. That one that looks like crayfish. Please don't curse me abeg."

With a smile still pasted on my face, I shake my head even though I know that she can't see me. For the nth time, Chineye has allowed our neighbors son, Tosin, to get to her. The two have been like cat and dog ever since he and his family moved into our apartment complex and I was beginning to think that my sister is developing feelings for the poor boy. But knowing Chichi, she would never say so, or even admit it to herself. Instead, she masks it with her dislike and irritation towards him.

But knowing what I know, feelings won't just simply disappear by acting against it so I'm just giving it time. She'll soon realize this too.

"Whatever you say, sis. Keep deceiving yourself." I tell her with a chuckle. "Anyway, how's dad and mom? I hope mom is taking her drugs?"

For some months now, my mother had been having some problems with her blood pressure and it's ever fluctuating nature. Who knew that teaching little children could take such a toll on a person's mental and health?

"Dad is fine, he keeps complaining about getting old. And mom has been stable for a while so let's just hope it stays that way. She's driving me crazy though." Chineye complains and I could hear her smack her lips at that.

With a small laugh, I ask, "What did she do now?"

"Nothing specific. It's just a whole bunch of things. I think she misses you badly though cause you know me, I won't keep do everything she says like you do."

"I trust you." I say with a smile. Chichi was always more outspoken, and according to my parents, rebellious, than I am. But I love her no nonsense nature and it gave me some kind of peace knowing that my sister can take care of herself even when I'm not around to do that for her. "When is your school resuming?" I inquire since she's currently on her break before her third term of SS2 begins.

"In about a week. I'm kind of looking forward to school. At least I won't be in this house anymore."

"Is school any better though?" I muse.

"At least I'll be with my friends." Is her response. "Speaking of school, how is yours going?"

"It's going fine. It's really nice here but damn, it's really intense as well. The workload here is two times more than it was in Chapel Ground." I tell her as I adjust in my bed where I was seated.

"I'm sure you'll do well regardless, you that you carry book in your head." She jokes making me chortle.

If only I had the same confidence that she has in me, in myself.

"How is that your pretty friend?" Chichi asks and almost as if summoned, the door to my room opens up and in walks Chinedum.

I grin up at her as she comes in and plops herself down on my bed. "She's fine. She actually just walked in, do you want to say hi?"

"Oh my God, no." Chichi panics a bit making me laugh at the fact that my talkative sister was suddenly too shy to talk to Nedum of all people.

"Just talk to her joor." I pushed before holding the phone out to Nedum who gave me a questioning look. "It's my sister."

A smile came to her face before she took the phone from my hand and put it to her ear. Although Chichi seemed nervous, as soon as the two began conversing, they spoke as if they were long time friends and this made me smile.

Chinedum was now becoming a significant person in my life and I really liked that my sister thought she was as good a person as I did.

As they converse, I go to arrange some stuff around my room like my desk and all cause the sight of the slightly disorganized table wasn't sitting right with me. Kemi's bed was made and empty since it's still afternoon and she's probably out with friends. Seeing as I had only one class today which I was really happy about, I had enough to relax.

Soon after, Nedum and Chichi finish talking and the former hands the phone back to me. After assuring her that I'll call our parents and telling her to take care of herself, I hang up.

"Your sister is so chill, and super mature for her age." Chinedum observes and I nod in agreement. She lets out a long sigh. "I envy you guys relationship. My sister and I can't even stay in the same place for a day, talkless of picking up the phone and calling each other."

"Why?" I ask her. I've always been close to Chichi although I'm older than her with almost five years and I had this perception that siblings should be close.

Plus, I was really intrigued as to why since Chinedum rarely talked about her family. I could tell that they were a sore spot for her from the look she got on anytime they were mentioned even in passing.

She took a deep breath and I could tell that she was about to start speaking so I settled into the metal chair next to my reading table, giving her my utmost attention.

I watched her as she bit her lip slightly before speaking up, her voice low. "When my parents got divorced, our family fell apart. I can't look at my dad the same because the fool cheated on my mother. The divorce was honestly something I felt like they had coming though cause after he committed adultery, they started fighting. Literally all the time. It was draining. Well, at least he's free to do whatever he wants now." She bites out, her face made into a harsh scowl as she recalled whatever. "Anyway, it affected Debbie the most, and she seemed to think that our family was more trouble than it's worth so she packed up her shit and moved to the States. I haven't seen her since God knows when and she doesn't even bother calling and I've given up on her picking up when I do."

Although Nedum says this in a deceptively nonchalant manner, I can immediately tell that her sister's behavior towards her really cut deep and it's not hard to imagine why.

"I'm sorry about that." I manage to say and she shakes her head, pausing before sending me a tight smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"Thank you. I vowed to myself that I'll never do the same thing to Tochi and I intend to keep that vow." She says, referring to her little brother.

I give her a soft smile and it's quiet in the room after that but the silence isn't awkward. It's more reflective than anything.

"We have so much to do today." Nedum whines as she stretches in my bed, a yawn escaping her mouth. She looks tired which is unlike her so I give her a questioning look. "I've been having trouble sleeping for some reason."

Nodding in understanding, I focus on her first statement. "What things do we have to do today?"

"Well, the containers that we'll use to package the products are finally ready so we need to go pick those up. Then you mentioned needing some more fruits and stuff for the products so we need to go buy them. I don't know if I told you this earlier, but the school's Trade Fair starts in like two weeks and it's for four days. I'm trying to secure us a space where we can advertise the skincare products and my clothing line as well, so we'll also need to even pick up some new hangers and all that." Chinedum lists.

I try to keep up with all that she's saying cause she's rushing it out. "Okay, so we have to rent a tent and all that for that day, right?" I ask her cause in my other school, we had to do that and the Trade Fair was always a huge event that the students looked forward to.

"Yes, but I think we should just do that next week. What do you think?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

"If the Trade Fair event here is as big a deal as it was in my former school, I say we rent it now cause by next week it'll probably be finished." I tell her with a shrug.

Nedum nods in agreement before pulling out her phone. "Lemme write what we have to do today down so we won't forget."

I move around the room, arranging stuff a bit before seating back on the bed and pulling out my phone. A smile comes to my face when I see a text from Remi who was off campus at the moment, with his father I think. Ever since last week when he helped me out with my assignments, we had become a bit closer.

In that time, I noticed a few things about him, such as he isn't a talkative person for the most part. And he dislikes people who talks too much. He has a deep love for Drake and he gyms entirely too much because although he can't cook to save his life, he eats a lot. This is something I find particularly funny.

Remi✨:
Stopping at NK (Nana's Buka) before coming back, you want some ofada?

Christine:
Yes please. I want grilled fish too!

Remi✨:
Yes ma'am👍🏽

"Who are you texting that has you cheesing so hard?" I hear Nedum ask, making me whip my head up to look at her.

"Nobody." I begin to say but she quickly snatches my phone up from my hand before running away when I try to get it back from her.

She quickly reads through before turning to me with this stupid smirk on her face. My face heats up in embarrassment before grabbing the phone from her hand.

"Awww." She says before laughing. "Someone will think that y'all were having some sort of deep conversation with the way you were smiling."

I swear I just want to slap this girl sometimes. When I mean mug her, she bursts into another bout of laughter before stopping. "Oya sorry, I'm not laughing again."

The smile she has on makes me laugh too. "I swear you're so annoying."

"You love me anyway." She says, sticking her tongue out at me.

"That, I do." I mutter under my breath.

After I quickly get dressed in a black palazzo trouser and white crop top, we leave the room to get started on our errands for the day.

It's almost evening when we return and we are both thoroughly famished after a long day of picking up things from what seems like different ends of the earth in the horrible Lagos traffic, to negotiating with relentless market women and eventually having to go through a long process with the Student Planning Committee.

"I don't know which I want to do more, sleep or eat." Nedum mutters as we pull into the school compound.

I shake my head. "Me I want to eat first, I literally feel as if my stomach is going to soon start eating up my liver and shit." I joke making her chuckle.

"Should I stop at the canteen?" She asks and I pick up my phone to see the message that I received a while ago but I didn't have the chance to reply to.

"No. Just take me to my hostel, please." I tell her and she nods before driving there.

As we get out of the car I open the message log again to respond this time.

Remi✨:
Got it. You in?

Christine:
I am now. You can come over.

Nedum and I go to the boot and carry out all the heavy nylon bags before making our way upstairs. We pass a couple of girls on the way but honestly I'm to tired and hungry to even pay any of them attention.

When we get to the door, I curse myself for not bringing out my key earlier as I drop the bags and fish it out of my small purse.

We both walk in when the door is opened and I go to switch on her light only to find Kemi seated there in the darkness.

"Oh my God, you're such a creep." Nedum says with a frown which makes Kemi chuckle.

"Good evening to you too. Why didn't you guys call me, I could've come down to help you." She says as she hops down from the bed to take some backs from my hand.

"I forgot, thank you though." I tell her with a sigh.

Eventually, Nedum leaves to go eat and Remi arrives. We end up eating the food he brought in the break room as we talk about our day and tell jokes, all the while, I don't miss the curious glances people spare us.

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This chapter was about friendship and all. Remember guys, this book is more about Christine's experience than about her love life although going further, that'll affect a bunch of stuff. Gonna shut up now🤐

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Till next time, stay safe y'all💕