Nigerian sun usually feels like it was ordered specially from the center of production. Just a 5 minutes stroll under it and you're already sweating like a Christmas goat. Somebody like me who doesn't sweat much face problems like this, talk more of those that sweat at everything. They practically get soaked.
I've been at the gate of the house for the past 10 minutes, and Musa was nowhere to be found. Normally, the gate would be opened wide and Musa would be sitting under the shade of his little house waiting for us all to get back, but now the gate was looked. I fanned myself with a notebook again and used it as a mini umbrella over my head.
If I had my phone with me, I would probably called Sister Tutu to come unlock it but again, No phone!
"Ahn! Small madam! You don come." Musa said as he ran the remaining distance between us.
I sighed in relief, finally. "Where did you go na? I've been waiting since." I asked, scratching my rough braids.
Musa stood, beaming,"Na your sister send me somewhere. Abeg no vex!" I really don't understand why he was smiling this much.
"Tutu! Sent you somewhere?" Why was my sister this lazy? Sending an adult on an errand for her!
He was fumbling with the bunch of keys, thankfully finding it, he answered me,"Yes! But I no see." He opened the gate, I followed him in. I suddenly had an idea,"Oya, bring the money. I will go and buy it for her."
Musa looked reluctant to drop the money, and I urged him. Finally he dropped a thousand note on my palm,"Na this thing she wan buy." I shook my head, not bothering to read the piece of paper he was pointing at me. "Don't worry ehn. I know what she wants to buy."
Snatching the money for myself, I kept it in my breast pocket, whistling happily. Imagine my shock when I met the living room door opened, not wide but unlocked. I entered the house expecting to see Sister Tutu on the couch but was met with an empty site. I visited the kitchen next and she was still nowhere to be found. I tried my luck at her room and met it locked. Knocking, I slipped my school bag of my shoulders and waited. I got no reply, I tried knocking again. Still no reply.
"Tutu I know you're in there. Before the count of three open this door or I will knock it off its hinges." I called out. Bluff!
Frantic movements in the room followed and seconds later Tutu came out, looking suspicious. I walked in, sniffing the air,"Did you use my perfume?" I asked, squinting at her. As if that would tell me the truth.
"No." She nodded, looking panicked.
"So why does it smell like 'attitude' in here?" I retorted, moving closer to her to sniff her. She smelt like her usual perfume 'Lola' plus a whiff of mine.
"Okay fine!" She exclaimed tiredly, rolling her eyes. "I used your perfume. Now get out." She tried pushing me out of the door.
"No no, no way." I turned, moving further into her room. "Or maybe I should just go. There is nothing I'm doing here." I exclaimed.
"Yeah you should." She put in, her eyes hopeful. To put her out of her misery, I decided to leave her room,"I'm leaving. But whatever nonsense you decided to send Musa to get him out of your way, he didn't get it. And I've seized your money too. Goodbye!" I finalized, winking and closing the door myself.
I opened the door to my own room and saw my 'cuties' resting peacefully on the bed. Had it been that Jenny wasn't pregnant, they would both the playing. I guessed pregnancy made her lazy.
My baby voice automatically came on as I called them to me. On my knees,"Jen jen! Gold gold!" And they both jumped, even pregnant Jenny, hounding themselves on me.
•°•°•°•°•°•
Me:-
Hey! 2:30pm
Me:-
Toni if you're seeing this say hey! 3:00pm
Me:-
Are you angry? 4:37pm
Me:-
Don't be I got my phone seized. 6:59pm
Me:-
You're actually getting me worried now! 8:03pm
Me:-
Toni!!! 9:00pm
Me:-
Omotoni! 9:24pm
Me:-
Anthony! 9:50pm
Me:-
Talk to me. 10:00pm
I knew I had no choice the moment I sent the last message. I've been trying to het hold of Omotoni since I got my phone but she wasn't just reachable. And her last seen was this morning. What made me more worried was that she had been sending daily messages consecutively for the past two weeks but today she stopped. I had tried calling her several times too but her number wasn't going through at all.
I decided to message one of my ex-classmates that I somehow had their number. I also noticed I have been removed from the class group chat by Nevaeh. Good radiance to bad rubbish!
Me:-
Hey! 10:01pm
Sophie:-
Teni? 10:02pm
Me:-
Yeah. Sorry if I disturbed you, if you don't mind. 10:02pm
Sophie:-
No problem. I don't mind, what's the deal? 10:05pm
One of the reasons I liked this girl was because she was a cool person. Straight forward and no cliches or groups.
Me:-
When last did you see Toni? 10:06pm
Sophie:-
I dunno. She came to school last last week Wednesday. Since then... 10:12pm
Me:-
Oh! Okay, thanks! 10:14pm
Sophie:-
You're welcome! 10:15pm
Sophie:-
How has it been? I mean your new school. 10:15pm
Me:-
It's been cool. 10:24pm
Me:-
I'm sorry, if it's rude but I really have to go now. 10:25pm
Sophie:-
No probs. I understand 10:30pm
Me:-
Thank you. Once again. 10:37pm
I switched of my data connection and sighed. Where could Toni be? I considered visiting her at home the next day,but that wouldn't be okay. As her mum had banned me from hanging out with her daughter. And I was really bothered.
I will visit tomorrow!
With that thought in mind, I rolled over, cuddling Goldie and slipped into obliviousness in no time.