Efe knew she shouldn't have gone for that party.
As she unzipped her duffel bag and proceeded to load it with clothes, she continued to reflect back on what had transpired at the party. If she had persisted in her stubbornness, she wouldn't have been easily convinced by Iyere, her best friend, to attend the party.
"c'mon, you are relocating to Abuja by the end of the week. This would likely be the last time you'll see some of our ex-classmates here in Edo."
Efe sighed."But I don't want to see Daniel, we haven't really been on talking terms since we broke up," she admitted.
"Girl, you're not coming for him, so don't worry," Iyere assured.
How wrong she had been. Efe had not only seen Daniel, but had seen him smooching another girl. Apparently, he was rather swift to move on.
They had engaged in a little Tete a' Tete. She wanted nothing more than to sock him across the jaw, but it wouldn't be wise to create a scene.
Daniel spoke up first. "would you like a drink?"
"No, thank you," Efe retorted, determined to be as indifferent as possible.
"it's been a while since we last spoke," Daniel affirmed.
Efe sneered." I know. And you seem to have made the most of your time," she spat out, glancing at the girl, who was at another gathering.
He followed her gaze. "oh, Kemi?"
"so that's her name?"
Daniel smiled, obviously enjoying this." yes. met her at a concert. she's actually really nice."
Efe felt anger surging through her. " Glad to see you're doing well," she murmured sarcastically.
Daniel put his hand on her shoulder." Efe, you're a very beautiful girl. But you are too concealing. Maybe you've gone through some things, but you don't open yourself emotionally. that's why it didn't work out between us. "
Hell. that was the last straw. she slapped him right across the face. He gazed at her in astonishment.
"you know what?" she shot out, " fuck you," she concluded, storming out of the party, everyone staring at her, Iyere following in amazement.
Now, as she put in some of her lingerie, Iyere was sitting on the raffia mat Efe had gotten used to. It wasn't as if she was new to such unpleasant experiences. Her whole life was an oasis of mishaps and pandemonium. The s second born and only daughter of a messed up family, not to talk of being a middle child, her father, Iyobosa Ighodalo, had always looked at her as a curse. It didn't matter though, he was always drunk and incapable of providing for the family. Her blessed mother, Otibho, had learnt to put off with his excesses. She had a petite store in which she sold provisions. That was their only source of income. If not for Chief Obaze...
Iyere interrupted her thoughts. "Okay, I know you're mad at me, but hey, let's look at the bright side... You're going to freaking Abuja! that your uncle don try for una!!"
Efe nodded. " I'm actually going to be relieved to leave this place. I don tire for all the wahala."
Iyere seemed to carefully choose her next words. " And your elder brother, Efua, have they released him from prison?"
Efe sighed. " Nope. Not anytime soon."
Efua was the first born. He was taken to Abuja by Chief Obaze, their maternal uncle, for tertiary education. Unfortunately, he had joined a gang, and they were caught by the police during a night outing. He, along with his fellow gang members, were put in kuje prison.it had been three years ago.
when Chief Obaze had offered to carry Efe, Iyobosa had refused, claiming that girls were not meant for education. A Family gathering had been held, in which Iyobosa had been warned against withholding her future. He had never been in acquiescence with the decision, but then, he drank away his reserve, and resorted to violence. Consequently, the last born, Osaro, was sent to a relative in Lagos to live with, leaving Efe to cope with her drunk and malicious father, and to endure with her mother.
Iyere stood up, and held Efe's hand. "just promise me that no matter who you meet, we'll always be best friends," she observed for affirmation. Efe grinned.
"Iyere, by the time I get to Abuja, Chief will buy me a phone. Then we can continue to keep contact."
They hugged deeply, after which Iyere left for home.
Andy carefully examined the bunch of bananas on the stand.
"This thing go last? I dey go journey oo.," he said to the vendor.
"Ah, oga, e go last well well," was the reply.
He took some of them, paid the vendor, and took a cab back home.
' home' for Andy was with the Okoye's, a family that adopted him when he was five, after he witnessed the assassination of his parents, during a mass shooting in Onitsha.
He had been spared, but the incident had scared him. when he had been adopted, he had been unable to speak for six months. Eventually, he moved on, but he never did forget the incident.
As he arrived at their house in Onitsha, his half-sister, Valerie, rushed out to meet him. she had been born a year after Andy had been adopted, and they had been inseparable. He was all she had, as their parents were often out on business trips.
"Andy!!" she screamed, as she embraced him. "you're back from the market!"
"Yes, and I bought something for you," he said, as he reached into his bag and brought out a pearl necklace. She wore it, and smiled in pure ecstasy. "thanks a lot... it's great!" She exclaimed, as they got into the house.
That evening, Mr and Mrs Okoye called him for a conversation. He had gotten admission into the University of Abuja, and they had a few words of advice to give him.
"Andy, all you have strived for leads to this. Ensure it counts. The past is in the past, so don't let it hold your future. Abide by the norms and conventions over there, and don't enter into any trouble while you are there. If you need any financial support, don't fail to contact us. I wish you good luck," Mr Okoye enlightened.
As he packed the materials he would need for his stay at Abuja, he wondered how it would be like-and he also wondered how his parents would have felt. He said a short prayer for them, and zipped up his bag. Valerie came to join him. "I'll miss you," she said, almost in tears.
He hugged her. "Don't cry sis. You're twelve now. you're a big girl oo. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Then you can tell me how things went between you and Ekene," he reassured.
She smiled at this, and gave him a peck on his cheek. In all he would come across, he would never forget it.
He went to sleep, oblivious to the life that awaited him.