"I am looking forward to the upcoming cycling event, I want to participate this time around," said Nkechi, sitting on top of wonderland twin peak staring at the stadium.
"I am sure you'd make it in the qualifying rounds, you have been practising all month. Now, free your mind, we came here to hike and let go of our worries," Aisha responded as though Nkechi was talking to her.
"Everyone, gather round for a group picture. This is my first time hiking," a random person said out so loud, laughing.
People rushed in from every direction to join in on the picture. After the picture, everyone went back to their various little groups and continued to talk and have fun.
By noon, a lot of people had already started leaving, but Aisha insisted on staying a little longer and Nkechi had no choice but to stay with her.
"Baby girl, look. People cycling past the stadium," said Aisha.
"By the way, why don't you have people you train with, or maybe have a coach or something?" asked Aisha.
"I've always loved training on my own. But it wouldn't be bad to have a partner."
"Would you be my partner?" Nkechi asked while smiling.
"Don't be silly. I know nothing about cycling and I bruise easily, I know I'd get lots of injuries if I learn," replied Aisha.
"Let's be on our way the last batch is leaving, I don't want to come down this mountain top alone," said Nkechi.
"Oh baby girl, we'll be fine," replied Aisha as she lay on the rock.
Nkechi couldn't stand Aisha's nonchalance, she walked towards her, held her hand and pulled her up for them to leave, and they both laughed.
Slowly, they climbed down and made their way home. Nkechi and Aisha stayed in the same house along the Wuse axis, a not-so-busy environment.
Besides hiking, their daily routines are usually the same, day in, and day out.
They worked together in the same establishment and work wasn't usually busy. After work, they go hang out, return home and watch movies all night and continue the whole process again the next day.
Apart from Nkechi who usually goes out to cycle, to train every morning before work to prepare for her competition that's coming up, Aisha enjoyed the comfort of her bed.
While she trained with regular bicycles, she had been saving up to get a proper bicycle for the competition.
The competition had stages they have to go through to the qualification stage and she had only a limited time to prepare properly for it.
Though she had been both excited and tensed about it because it was her first time going to the competition, she had always loved cycling, had always been passionate about it and it was the first time, and she wanted to do it and she was not sure on how to go about it, the right training procedures, the processes and she still thought about her friend's suggestion about finding a training partner or a coach. And getting a coach would cost so much and she didn't have so much money to hire anyone.
Being part of the cycling team would mean so much to her and she had to prove herself and try to do better because all her life, she had been doing what others have wanted her to do, never what she wanted.
She had always trained so hard for it even if she didn't have the right training procedures or the types of equipment but she just had to because she had to compete and she had to qualify for the final rounds for the main event.
"Look, Aisha, from the competition's website, the first round will be starting in three days."
"Why have you been singing about it that it'd be in a month? Or after you registered, you didn't get the necessary pieces of information?" asked Aisha.
"..."
"Mmm-hmm... You're quiet. Probably it skipped your mind that every competition has various stages before getting to the final round."
"What do I do? I am not prepared for this, I am not ready yet. I can feel my heart racing fast, I feel like I'm going to faint," said Nkechi.
"Relax baby girl, you'd be fine. Look on the bright side, you have been practising all these while, be it in the next 3 days or the end of the month, you'd do fine."
Nkechi was very uneasy, pacing from one end of the room to the other and exhaling through her mouth to try to calm herself.
Aisha stood up and held her tight, reassuring her she'd be fine.
"Okay, okay. I have to get the bicycle ready. I have to... Uhm... I have to.."
"All you have to do is to be calm, baby girl. I am here for you."
All she had been preparing for suddenly is in a few days, she felt she hadn't prepared enough. She got dressed in her exercise wear and hurried out. Aisha ran after her and dragged her back into the house.
"I don't like the way you are getting so worked up about this. Rest both body and mind, don't stress it," said Aisha, angrily.
"We will not be going to work tomorrow, I will go with you anywhere and I'll help you prepare," she let out a smile.
Nkechi finally got to relax and both of them let out a loud laugh. Aisha began to make fun of her and mimic her attitude in the past few minutes, she wanted to make her laugh and forget her worries.
Aisha's efforts worked and Nkechi became very relaxed, realising that all the tension and overwhelming feeling were because she did not read through the details of the competition.
There are five stages before the final race and the one scheduled in a month is the third race. She took great care in reading it this time around, word for word.
Reassured by her friend's statements that she'd stand by her and help her and that she had also been working hard, it doesn't matter what day it was scheduled for, she'd be there and put in her best.
Aisha brought out a jotter and a pen to start planning the course for the next day and how to get her prepped.
"Before you get a racing bicycle, we'd see how fast you can cycle with your regular bicycle around this neighbourhood, and you know it's a big neighbourhood," the thought excited Aisha as she said it out.
She's helping her friend achieve her goal, she should be excited for her.
"What are we having for dinner?" asked Nkechi.
"Now she's hungry. What happened to the worried little girl freaking about because of mere competition?"
Aisha got hit on the head with a pillow and they both laughed. She went to the kitchen, to make food for her and Nkechi to eat.
They were done eating and decided to go out for a walk around the neighbourhood.