(049 - A Best Friend's Role)

Almost Unfixable is One Year Old! 😭❤️✨🔥. I said it in the last update, this is the first time I'm writing a book this long. It's a whole new experience, and it's very exciting, on G. I'm so happy because this book has come a long way and it still has a long way to go 🥺❤️.

Thank you guys so much for your love, and for always supporting. I really appreciate y'all, really 😭🥺🔥✨.

Family Members to the World!

And also, sharing a birthday with my book is my babes for life. Happy Birthday, My Darling Rihanna_Adedeji. I will forever bless the day I met you. Love you🥺❤️✨.

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𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀
(Simisola André Jordan)

I could feel my heart pounding heavily against my chest, pumping in so much blood but I wasn't sure it was pumping back into my body.

My forehead and the rest of my body were completely drenched in sweat even though I wasn't feeling hot in any way. I mean, it was still the early hours of the morning and I was in nothing but a tank top and three-quarter shorts. It was very chilly, but I was sweating like a Christmas goat.

But I guess sweating was inevitable when you have been running laps around a big estate for hours without taking as much as a five minutes break.

"Slow down!"

Even with my headphones on, and music blaring at a high volume, I could still hear Gloria yelling at the top of her voice, her footsteps closing in behind me as she tried to keep up with my pace.

"Can we take a fucking breather! I can't keep up with you!" She screamed again, panting like the life was being sucked out of her at every step she was taking.

As if to corroborate what she said, my lungs began to protest since they have been void of clean oxygen, begging me to take the breather Gloria was begging for. Even my muscles were beginning to hurt, too tired from running miles without stopping.

I needed to stop running but I couldn't stop running. If I did, my mind of its own volition would start thinking about her... again.

And I was trying, God knows I was trying not to think about her.

And yet, here you are. My subconscious mocked me and I hissed.

I moved to increase the volume of my music, wanting to shut out the voice in my head when my headphones were suddenly yanked from my head, followed by my pouch armband where my phone was being ripped off my biceps.

That made me stop running abruptly, turning around to meet Gloria holding both of them in her left hand while hunched over like she was trying to catch her breath. I didn't even know she had caught up with me. Didn't even think she would be able to.

"Gloria-" I started, wanting to ask for my things back so that I'd continue. But she held out her free hand to stop me from talking further.

"I... need... a minute," She wheezed out breathlessly, her words coming out in pants that made her sound like she'd pass out any second.

My lips twitched slightly in a smile at how funny she sounded.

"Can I have my things back?" I asked her, stretching my hand out to collect it. "We still have about three more laps to go around Eastwell before we go to your side, Westview, and continue -"

"Continue what!" She snapped at me, shutting me up instantly. "You and who is going to continue jogging, ehn Simi? Tell me na!" She kept yelling at me even though she still sounded very breathless, but at least her words were more coordinated than before.

I exhaled, placing both hands on my waist, and looked on, knowing for sure that she wasn't done talking.

And I wasn't wrong.

"We have been jogging since 4:30 am non-stop," She went on. "This is almost 7:30 am, almost three hours. You haven't taken one single break! Is it until you hyperventilate and drop dead that you'll realize you need to rest? Simi, take a pause." She shoved me hard against my chest.

Due to the tiredness of my entire body, my limbs suddenly felt like noddles and couldn't hold my frame anymore. With that one shove, I toppled over and fell with a thud to the floor. Gloria came to my eye level, towering over my laying frame.

"You see!"

"You don't have to yell," I told her, sounding a little breathless myself. It wasn't until I landed on the floor that I realized how much oxygen my lungs needed. My chest was legit rising and falling so fast, my breathing coming out in vicious pants.

Deep breaths, Simi. Deep breaths.

I took my own advice, inhaling deep breaths of fresh air into my clogged lungs, clearing up my airways then exhaling unclean air. I repeated the process till my lungs were completely free and I could finally breathe properly.

Maybe I was pushing myself too hard. I really needed that breather.

"Now that felt nice, didn't it?" Gloria asked as she plopped down on the floor beside, folding her legs beneath her. I exhaled, casting her a look to find her still smirking at me. My lips twitched again in a small smile.

"Yeah, it did," I admitted, exhaling as I shut my eyes.

And with my mind calm and finally at rest, as soon as I closed my eyes, the first image that appeared in my head was her.

Was Hilary.

Exactly what I was trying to avoid was happening.

"Fück," I muttered more to myself than out loud, throwing my sweaty palm over my face.

"You know, it's completely fine to think about her if you want to," Gloria began to talk, an indication that she heard me, and she knew exactly what was on my mind. "You can't just force her out of mind, that's how important she is to you."

"I can try if I keep my mind busy," I answered, throwing my hand off my face so I could look at my best friend.

I wanted to get her to believe that I didn't have to think about her. More like I wanted to desperately believe it too. I desperately wanted to believe that a day could go by without me thinking about Hilary.

Wishful thinking, Simi. You lie! My subconscious said to be, but I pushed that voice away again.

"I know I can at least go an entire day without thinking about her," I went on, ignoring Gloria's small scoff of disbelief. "I just have to try. I just need to keep my mind busy, and I will be okay-"

"Keep your mind busy with what exactly?" She cut me off, her neatly carved brows quirked in question. "Jogging around the whole Whiteridge estate till your lungs burst? Even if you are not going to do that, then what? Swim all day? Simi, you cannot avoid her, or thoughts of her even if you tried." She stated matter of factly.

I sat up immediately.

"But she's avoiding me!"

My voice came out louder than I intended. If it shocked Gloria, she didn't act like it at all. She just looked on, her lips in a small, pitiful pout. I sighed, running my hands through my hair, feeling the sweat beneath my scalp.

"Hilary avoiding me, Gloria, and it's messing me up bad," I repeated, my voice more controlled this time. "And as much as I don't want it to affect me, or try to act like it's not affecting me, it is... big time," I told her. She chuckled lightly

"You are my best friend, Simi," Gloria pointed out. "Of course, I know it's affecting you," She said.

I shook my head.

"But you don't understand how bad," I told her and she bobbed her head to the side, brows furrowed. It was my turn to chuckle this time, shaking my head again.

Gloria might be able to tell that being apart from Hilary was affecting me, but she cannot tell how bad, even if she's my best friend. She cannot tell how completely insane I have gotten in just a week because Hilary won't talk to me... or look at me.

And I have simped. Oh God, I have simped in the most pathetic and cringiest way ever.

"Give me my phone, let me show you something," I said, stretching my hand out to her. She picked it up from the floor and handed it over to me. I pressed some buttons and opened my WhatsApp chat with Hilary, scrolling down to my last message,

Or rather, last messages.

"Look at this," I gave her back the phone to look at. "Just look at how putty I am in her dm. If this is not insanity, I don't know what is," I dumped the phone in her hand. When she looked at the screen, the messages, I watched her eyes widen and her lips stretch in a big smile.

She looked at me, looked back at the phone, and looked at me again

(Simi is so cute 🥺😭❤️)

"Oh my God," She muttered, slight laughter in her voice as she looked back at the phone. Then a fit of chuckles escaped her lips as she kept staring at the messages, kept reading them.

I had the sixth sense that she was mocking me.

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend," She whispered more to herself than to me, but her eyes were back to being trained on mine, twinkling with tease. That was a confirmation that she was in fact mocking me.

I hissed, snatching my phone from her, causing her to burst into laughter.

"Cut it out. It's not funny," I grumbled, but her laughter only increased. She threw her hand over her lips to stifle it, shaking her head as if to apologize.

"I'm sorry," She said between laughter, which made it a lot harder to take her seriously. I rolled my eyes, starting to regret showing her the messages.

"I'm serious, Gloria. Knock it off,"

I looked her right in the eyes, letting her know that I was being serious. She got the message, her laughs transcending into fake throat-clearing just to get herself together.

"I'm sorry," She sounded more serious this time, her eyes and her voice exuding genuine apology. But I looked away from her, folding my hands across my chest.

If she could react that way to my message to Hilary, laughing her ass off, I can't begin to imagine how Hilary might have reacted seeing it, that's if she has gotten her phone back already. Though I doubt that because my messages only ticked once.

But just thinking about it, her reaction if she gets to see it made me feel insanely self-conscious.

"Simi, I swear I wasn't mocking you," Gloria stated, moving closer to me when she felt my silence, my withdrawal. "I just thought-"

"You thought what?" I cut her off, querying her.

She didn't speak immediately, making me look at her. She was smiling, but not in a teasing way. It was gentle instead, her eyes watching me intently like she was seeing me in a whole different light. It made me curious. Made me want to know what was going on in her head.

"I've just never seen you this way before," She finally spoke, her voice quiet, her words simple yet very explicit. "This..." She hesitated like she was trying to pick her next words carefully. "This torn up because of a girl, or any girl for that matter." She added.

I hoisted my legs up so that my knee was on the same level as my chest, and my brows quirked up in question.

"And is that such a bad thing?"

"Of course not," Gloria debunked immediately, shaking her head. "It's... sweet actually. Beautiful in fact, and I'm not capping one bit," She added, her lips stretch on even more in a wider smile.

It was contagious. I wanted to smile back but I couldn't. Not with everything in me already doubting that Hilary will see it that same way.

"I doubt Hilary will think it's sweet or beautiful," I stated matter-of-factly, causing Gloria's smile to turn upside down.

I was putting myself out there. It was something I have never done before, and now that I am doing it, it's for a girl. The Girl. Before, I didn't regret it. I don't think I have ever regretted simping over Hilary the way did, being all up in her space and her business, wanting to hold her and touch her, wanting to do everything for her and with her.

But now, I'm beginning to feel like I was doing too much.

Maybe that's what Hilary even thinks. Maybe that's why she needed her space away from me.

"Why would you think that?" Gloria asked me

"Because it's pathetic," I answered pointedly. Gloria's brows furrowed in confusion, an indication that she didn't get me. I exhaled, running my hand over my face.

"Gloria, I know Hilary is not with her phone," I started to explain and she nodded, a silent go-ahead for me to continue. "She hasn't been with her phone for an entire week, but here I am, still sending messages to her dm, messages she might not see in a while, desperately begging her to look at me in class! It doesn't get any more pathetic than that!"

"Simi, that's not true-"

"But it is the truth," I countered her with every enunciation of my words, cutting her off.

Gloria exhaled but said nothing to counter me back. She didn't avert her gaze from mine though. She kept looking at me like she was trying to understand everything I was feeling, all my emotions. God knows I didn't understand them myself. I have even stopped trying to understand them, stopped to understand the depth of what I feel for Hilary.

But one thing I did understand was that I want her. And I don't think I'll ever stop wanting her.

"I Really Like Her, Gloria"

I spoke after what felt like decades of silence, holding Gloria's gaze just like she was holding mine. And it felt so good admitting this to my best friend, especially with how her lips quirked up and form in a smile immediately after I said it.

But it also made me feel so... bare.

I've never been this open with Gloria about my feelings, even when it had to do with my academics, or my mum still in the hospital.

"I Want Her... all the time, and all the way," I whispered. My best friend sighed softly, remaining mute, a silent indication that she was going to let me keep talking. Keep expressing myself.

"This is the first time I've ever felt this way about someone, about anyone, Gloria" I went on nonetheless. She nodded because she knew it too. "I'm yet to understand these feelings that keep consuming my being every single moment I think about her, all the times I am around her,"

I paused and averted my gaze, feeling an overwhelming sense of vulnerability because I was letting all these out at once. It didn't make me stop though, because was my best friend and I'm supposed to be vulnerable around her.

"All I know is that these feelings are there," I kept my eyes trained on the concrete floor. "They are deep, they are strong, and somehow, I'm not even trying to get rid of them,"

"That's because you don't want to," She interjected, causing me to look at her. She still had that gentle, reassuring smile playing on her lips, putting me at ease.

"Simisola," She called my name, resting her hands on my shoulder. "You don't want to get rid of your feelings for Hilary because you want them, you want to feel them. All of them." She stated matter-of-factly, her words point-blank.

"And it's completely okay, it's perfectly fine that you are allowing yourself to feel these things. I, for one, I'm so happy you are letting yourself have these feelings," She sounded happy, she looked it too.

But...

"But is feeling all this really worth it if I'm not sure she feels the same way?" I asked my best friend.

"It's just your fear talking, Simi," Gloria answered.

"But I have a right to be scared, don't I?"

It was a rhetorical question, but she answered anyway, nodding in agreement. I exhaled, throwing my head back as I looked to the sky.

"I'm putting everything I have, everything I am into something I'm not even sure of," I said. "She didn't have to tell me before I knew she needed her space from me. I still don't know why but I care about her that much to understand and respect her decision. But, look at me now,"

I threw my hands apart, gesturing to my frame.

"I am a complete wreck because she won't as much as glance in my direction," I looked at Gloria and found her still watching me. "I'm in her DMs every single moment I think about her, being completely hopeless and desperate for her attention because I want it. Because I Crave it. That's how addicted I've become to her presence, that's how addicted I've gotten to her."

When I called you a simp, I knew what I was saying.

"She doesn't even know that she's giving me fucking separation anxiety," I laughed, suddenly finding all of it funny. Beautifully funny if there's anything like that. A breath of laughter left Gloria's lips and she kept staring at me ranting about the girl that was driving me crazy in the best way possible.

They haff kpakpa gotten you, Simisola André Jordan.

"I'm having fucking withdrawal symptoms, Gloria," I went on with my rant "Like I have to talk to her twenty-four seven or I won't feel whole," I told her. "It's overwhelming, It's driving me nuts, I swear," I admitted.

"And it's completely normal," She spoke for the first time since my ranting.

"Is it?" I had to ask because it doesn't feel normal. "Is this how to used to do my Dad? Is this how it always feels with you and Kizito?"

"I can't speak for your Dad," Gloria started. "But I can speak for Kiki and me, and say it's not this..." She paused, bobbing her head from side to side as if to think of a word to use. "Intense," She finally found the word.

Lobatan.

"I mean," She was still talking. "Kiki and I have had our own fair share of intense moments, but I swear to God, both of us combined cannot top everything you just expressed right now,"

"So it's official. I'm actually going mad." I stated conclusively, causing Gloria to burst into laughter.

"Of course, you are not going mad," She answered when her laughter subsided, shoving my arm playfully.

"Look," She started. "You have said it yourself, you've never felt this way about anyone. So now, you are feeling everything at once for one person. It's coming at you in a rush, like you have been hit by a truck. It's overwhelming you and that is completely normal. You are even handling it better than most people,"

"I've sent her messages four times in just seven days, one week," I reminded my best friend. "I don't think I'm handling it that well,"

"I'm sure you have stopped yourself from sending a lot more," She countered me indirectly, and I nodded. "And on the bright side, you are not following her around your class or stalking her every move," She teased.

"Okay, that's some diabolical shit," I quickly debunked, a creeped-out laughter in my voice. "God Forbid abeg," I said and Gloria laughed.

"Exactly," She said when her laughter subsided. "Instead, you care about her so much that you respect her and her decision of space even if when it means you have to stay away from her," She added, gazing at me with a proud smile on her lips.

I found myself smiling back, shyly if I might add.

"I might not be sure of her feelings for you, but one thing I know is that Hilary cares about you, Simi," Gloria went on, her voice holding absolute certainty that she knew exactly what she was talking about. "She cares about you so much and I'm not blind to that fact. Whatever it is that got her to make that decision, I'm certain she will tell you eventually,"

"You really think so?" I asked, and she nodded. She seemed very sure.

"I know so," She assured me, patting my shoulder. "Besides, you have to remember that she has been through so much this past few months. She just got out of a messy relationship, Simi," Gloria reminded me.

I exhaled, nodding. I should never forget that.

"Give her time," Gloria told me and I nodded again. "But for now, just know that you are not doing too much, Simisola. You doing every single thing perfectly, and I'm so rooting for you guys. I'm rooting for you and Hilary."

And my smile widened till my lips were in a full-blown grin. Hearing that from my best friend meant a lot. So much. Plus, I felt lighter, so much better, a clear indication that I should have talked about this sooner with her.

Gloria has always known the right things to say.

"Thank you," I whispered, meaning those two words with everything in me. Her lips stretched in a big smile that mirrored mine, and she nodded.

"Come here,"

She spread her hands open, hoisting herself up on her knees so that she was closer to me. I did the same, meeting her halfway as she threw her hands around me in a hug, pulling me to herself. I chuckled, my hands wrapping around her middle.

"Urghh, I'm so happy," She sighed. "My best friend is finally in love,"

What? I wanted to burst into laughter.

"I'm not in love, Gloria," I told her, eliciting a scoff from her.

"Yeah, right," She answered in sarcasm. I chuckled, burying my face in my neck, and inhaled.

Lemme tease her a bit. I smirked to myself.

"Gloria,"

"Yes?"

"You stink,"

She pushed me off immediately, taking a sniff of her pits that made her face scrunch up in disgust. When I laughed, she glared at me.

"Oh, Fück you!"

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"Gosh, I feel like I've been thrown into a sewer," Gloria growled out as soon as we entered the house. Then she went ahead to take another sniff of her pits and groaned right after. "Sweat! So much sweat! I feel so sticky!"

"Then go take a shower upstairs or something," I dismissed her, waving her away. "You don't even smell that bad and you are making such a big fuss," I told her.

"Are you not the one that said I stink? Now, I can't un-smell it too!" She snapped at me, glaring laser and fire beams from her eyes. God knows, if they were real, I'd have dropped dead by now.

But I only found her expression funny, laughing at how comic her face looked before I walked into the kitchen.

Might as well start making breakfast.

It's not like she actually stank that bad. Gloria had one of the best hygiene I knew. With all the skincare products, body wash, and scrubs she uses, coupled with the three times daily shower she did ever so religiously, she could go an entire week without showering and still keep her divine scent.

When I told her that she stank, I was only pulling her legs. Now she was being so melodramatic because of small sweat on her body. Shiuur.

"I swear, I hate you," She mumbled, stumping her feet like her baby as she ascended the stairs. I rolled my eyes and chuckled, bringing out white beans from the fridge that I'll use to make akara. If mum was here, that's what she'd have made too. Akara with Custard for breakfast.

Mum...

My hands automatically paused what they were doing as my mind conjured an image of her in my head just at that single thought of her. Immediately, I felt my mood dampen, my shoulders slumping in absolute dejection as I felt a lump form in my chest.

No, no. Not now. I chided myself, shaking my head to shake away the feeling.

But shaking away the feeling meant I'd have to stop thinking about Mum, and I don't think it's even humanly possible to stop thinking about her. Especially after this torturous past few weeks.

Ever since my last visit, when I was told Mum had a relapse and she had to stay a few more weeks to do tests, I haven't been allowed to see her. And this week, when I needed her more than ever, her motherly advice, her warm hug that seemed to make even the worst feeling vanish into thin air, they still wouldn't let me see her.

I also couldn't talk to her over the phone. Dad won't let me. He keeps saying she needs to rest and I'd be disturbing her if I keep calling.

I eventually stopped.

Dad barely came home. When he did, it was only on the weekends to restock his overnight bag because the hospital was now his second home. Dad wasn't even going to work anymore, perks of being the boss. Gloria was practically living here now because I was the only one at home... well, Max and I.

If it were to be under any other circumstance, I'd have been thrilled that he was spending less time at home. But I can't be thrilled at this. I wanted both of them home. I needed both of them back home.

I've even stopped asking myself if she and dad were hiding things away from me because now, it was certain that they were. Something was going on with Mum, something big. I just hope to God it wasn't what I thought it was.

If only they'd just let me see her... let me just see her, and hug her.

If only they'd just tell me what was wrong with her.

"What's for breakfast?"

Gloria's sing-song voice rang out, piercing my thoughts like a needle and bringing me out of my reverie. I turned around to see her strutting into the kitchen, clad in a baby pink bathrobe and a matching towel wrapped around her head, her legs in fluffy bunny flip-flops.

Typical. My lips twitched in a small smile as I looked back at the beans I'd been washing for the past ten minutes.

"Akara and Custard," I answered, sieving out the water from the beans to remove the shaft, then reusing the water again to wash the beans a second time.

"Are you going to eat?" I asked her, even though I knew she wouldn't pass up an opportunity to eat Akara and Custard.

"If only you make it like the way mum does," She answered smugly, settling down on one of the stools by the counter in the middle of the kitchen. I chuckled lightly, shaking my head.

"She taught me everything I know about cooking, of course, it would be like hers," I answered and she laughed with me. "Can you help me boil water for the custard?" I asked and she got up immediately, moving to where the electric jug was. "Thank you,"

I went back to sieving and rewashing the beans till all the shafts were gone and I could blend it. The kitchen was silent, save for the soft sizzling of the boiling water, and the sound of the fridge and freezer working.

"Hey," Gloria broke the silence with that whisper and I turned to her, finding her watching me. I quirked my brows in question. "Have you been able to see, or talk to her yet?"

She didn't have to be specific before I knew who she was talking about. So, I shook my head, looking away from her scrutinizing gaze.

"Nothing. Still radio silence," I answered with a shrug, still trying to put up a brave front even though I could barely hold it together in my head. "I've stopped going to the hospital altogether. Now, I'm just waiting for a phone call, just a word from them that she's asking of me,"

"And the word will come," Gloria answered, assuring me.

I turned to look at her and saw her eyes holding that same hope that her voice held. If only it was just as easy to hope like that. Not when there is a gut feeling telling me that hoping for the best was futile and I should prepare myself for the worst.

Still, I didn't want to bother her with the turmoil going on in my mind. So I mustered a small smile just to pretend like I was just as hopeful as she was when in the real sense, I was waiting for the worst news to hit me.

I couldn't keep up with the uncomfortable and fake-ass smile for much longer and thankfully, the boiling water began to wheeze, an indication that it was done boiling. This made Gloria look away from me to attend to it.

"You know where the custard is, right?" I asked her, using that opportunity to change the topic. She looked back at me, brows quirked up like my question offended her in a way.

I found myself chuckling, knowing exactly why she'd be offended.

"I practically live here, Simi. Of course, I know where the custard is," She answered, moving to the cupboard where it was located. I continued chuckling shrugging in response.

"Oya sorry. Please make the custard," I pacified her.

She rolled her eyes back at me but went ahead to do it while I went back to busy myself with blending the beans for the Akara. When I was done, I put all the ingredients into pudding and mixed it. I was lighting fire under the frying pan when I felt a furry presence by my feet. I looked down to see Max curled up there.

"Hey, boy. When did you come in?"

I ran my fingers through his fur, giving him a small rub on the head. He whined, and I smiled at the sounds I was all too familiar with. He wanted treats, so I gave him a bunch before going back to what I was doing.

"Shoot, I'm supposed to call Kiki," Gloria suddenly said, taking my attention away from what I was doing to her for a moment. I watched her run to the living room to get her phone.

"Why? Is something up?" I asked her, looking back to the bean cake mixture.

"I don't know?" She walked back into the kitchen, phone in hand. Her response was more of a question than a statement like she wasn't certain if something was wrong or not. "I tried calling him yesterday night but his number wasn't reachable for some reason," She stated.

"WhatsApp?" I asked, reducing the heat of the gas when I started dropping the mix into the hot oil, moving back when it started sizzling and splashing.

"He wasn't online," Gloria answered. "Which is strange because Kizito is always online," She added. I glanced at her, seeing the worries hitched at the corners of her face as she tapped buttons on her phone.

She's getting bothered again. I thought to myself.

"Call him," I told her, taking her attention from her phone and to me for a second. "He probably has a good explanation for that. Network maybe? Airtel has been a bitch these days." I shrugged with an assuring smile, trying to cheer her up and ease her mind.

But she didn't smile back.

"He uses GLO network," She pointed out and my smile transcended to a grin.

"Even worse," I dropped another mix into the oil, grinning right at her. She gave me a look that said she wasn't joking. It was even that time I chose to laugh.

"Gloria, just call him," I repeated. "Isn't that what you wanted to do? I'm sure it's not that deep. You are getting worried for nothing," I told her, causing her to frown.

"Who says I'm getting worried?" She asked, querying me and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her. This girl thinks she's just my best friend by mouth.

"Call him," I said for the third time, knowing that she'd just keep trying to stall.

She exhaled but started tapping on her phone again, indicating that she was about to call. I turned back to what I was doing, putting the last scoop of akara mix into the hot, then moved to the drawer to take a turning fork.

"Kiki,"

Gloria's voice rang out in the kitchen and I turned to look at her. Her phone pressed to her ear, and I knew she was already on the phone call with her boyfriend. I smiled, knowing it was only a matter of time before she starts smiling and giggling to her phone like the lovesick puppy she was.

But that didn't happen.

She didn't start smiling to her phone as I expected on hearing the receiver's voice. Instead, her face contorted in a slight frown as she brought the phone down from her ear to stare at it like it was an alien. She did that for a second before she took the phone back to her ear.

"I'm sorry, who is this?" She asked, obviously talking to the receiver. I couldn't hear what the person was saying but from Gloria's expression and what just said, I could easily deduce that it wasn't Kizito on the phone.

Then who was it?

"Semeeha," Gloria called out like she had heard my unasked question, identifying the receiver. "Semeeha Malik." She repeated fully as if to verify who she was speaking to, her expression morphing into that of confusion.

I couldn't hear what was going on on the other side, and Gloria's confused expression wasn't helping matters. My best friend even brought the phone down her ear for the second time to stare at the screen in utter confusion, as if trying to understand why it was the Semeeha babe speaking to her and not Kizito.

But she quickly masked that expression, replacing the confusion with an impassive look, followed by a curt nod of her head. It was almost as if it wasn't the first time this was happening. I just shrugged, turning around to start flipping the akara I was frying.

"Yeah, Good Morning," I heard Gloria say behind me, greeting the babe of course. "Can you please put Kizito on the phone? I want to speak to him," She said.

By that time, I was done flipping the akara, so I looked back at my best friend who now had a deep frown creased over her forehead with a slight hint of shock marred across her face.

"He can't come to the phone?" Her voice sounded just incredulous as her expression said she was. I folded my hands and leaned against the cabinet beside the gas cooker, watching on.

Gloria was quiet for a moment, but I could see all kinds of emotions flashing through her face. Shock, disbelief, confusion... and a hint of annoyance. The annoyance was small and could have gone unnoticed to anyone else, but I could spot it a mile away.

The dead giveaway was how Gloria kept tapping the side of her thigh with her free hand. She always does that when she's... irritated? I guess that's the word to use.

I continued watching Gloria, watched as she took a deep breath as if calm herself down.

"Alright," Her voice was strangely calm. "Well, please tell him to give me a call when he gets back to the phone... Right, thank you... Yeah, and you too,"

She finally hung up, then brought the phone down to her face level to stare at again, a frown coming back to form on her face. It was obvious something about the phone call bothered her. It was all over her face. And it made me so curious to know what exactly the Semeeha babe said in the course of the phone call.

"Something wrong?" I asked, dishing out the ready-done akara from the oil and into a small sieve. Gloria took her eyes off her phone and looked at me.

Then, she shrugged.

"I hope not," Came her reply, a clear confirmation that something about the call bothered her. It got me a lot more curious, and a little concerned.

"What's up? Is it Kizito?" I asked, moving away from where I was staying to the marble counter where she was. Gloria shook her head, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Not Kizito. It's her," She answered, looking at me. My brows furrowed in confusion because I wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean.

"The Semeeha babe?" I asked and she nodded.

"Simi, this is not the first time she's answering Kiki's phone when I call him," Gloria told me, causing my confused look to turn to a little frown.

"She's always answering his phone," It was more like a statement than a question, repeating what she said out loud so that I could make sense of it. Gloria nodded, dropping her phone on top of the counter before leaning back against it.

"It's been reoccurring for weeks now, almost three weeks to be precise," She continued, turning to look at me. "And as much as I don't want it to bother me, it's bothering me, especially since every time I ask her to tell Kiki to call me back, I don't hear anything from him till I'm the one that calls again.-

We don't go out together as often as we used before, but I get that. We are both busy people. But our communication hasn't made up for it. It's almost as if our communication these days have been non-existent and as much as I don't want to feel like it, it feels like Semeeha is somehow right at the center of it."

Hmmmn. It was now beginning to make sense slowly.

"And have you tried talking to him about it?" I asked her. She scoffed in response, folding her hands across her chest.

"What am I supposed to tell him?" She asked me, and I stayed mute. "I want to give both of them a benefit of the doubt. Maybe she forgot to deliver my message to him or she did and he forgot to call me back," She stated, exhaling right after.

"Anytime this happens and I finally get across to Kizito, I just try to forget about it instead of dwelling on it and making such a big fuss. I mean, she's one of his best friends." She added, throwing hands in frustration that mirrored her voice and tone.

"But now, here you are, making a big fuss," I pointed out.

"Because you didn't hear how she just spoke to me," She countered.

"And how did she speak to you?" I asked, needing more clarity on the whole thing.

"Like I was disturbing, or something. Like she just wanted me to say what I wanted to say and get off the phone," She explained, gesticulating with her hand. "Now that I think about it, that's the same tone she has been talking to me with. But I just thought it was all on my head," She added.

"Maybe it's still all in your head? I don't know," I commented uncertainly, punctuating my statement with a shrug. Gloria shook her head in response.

"No, it's not all in my head," She debunked what I said. when she turned to look at me, "You didn't hear the way she talked to me. It was somehow, Simi. All I wanted was to talk to my boyfriend and she was giving me some sort of attitude," She sounded so unimpressed, rolling her eyes comically.

I wasn't sure what to say again or make of the whole situation so I just kept quiet. With my little encounter with the Semeeha babe, I knew the kind of person she was and how awfully rude she can be.

Gloria was someone that hardly got moved by things like this or give it the time of the day. But from the look of things, whatever Semeeha might have said to her or the tone she used bothered Gloria a whole lot, and I hardly ever see her get worked up by something or someone that doesn't hold a priority in her life.

Maybe because this had a link with Kizito. Just maybe.

Silence settled between us as I let Gloria get lost in her thoughts. She probably had a lot on her mind at this moment. I didn't leave her side, waiting for her to get her mind together.

"I don't know, maybe you are right," She started, finally breaking the silence between us. "Maybe I'm just overthinking things," She added, and I chuckled lightly, shaking my head.

Now that's something I would never get used to. Gloria overthinking things.

Before she and Kizito became official, Gloria claimed thinking too much gave too many wrinkles and she couldn't afford wrinkles on her baby face. Her words, not mine. Now, since they got official, she has been the queen overthinking, even up to the point that she's now more conscious of her outfits.

Gloria is never conscious of her outfit.

I can't even say I don't understand her, because I do. One thousand and one percent. See how much of a wreck I was earlier today because of a girl.

"I'm not supposed to overthink things because there is nothing to overthink," Gloria's voice jerked me out of my thoughts, reminding me that she was still speaking. I'm sure she didn't even know I trailed off.

Collecting myself fully, I listened to her. She needed me to listen to her. I was supposed to listen to her.

"Like you said, it's probably not that deep," She continued, shrugging and I nodded in agreement. "She's one of his best friends just like Hilary and Dawn. Besides, I trust Kizito with my life. It's possible everything is just one big misunderstanding," She paused, and I kept quiet, having an inclining that she wasn't yet done.

And I was right.

"But why do I have this gut feeling telling me something is up?"

She whispered the question, more to herself than to me, hints of worry in her voice. This made me turn to look at her, watching her stare fixated hard on the tiled floor beneath her feet like she wanted to drill holes into them with her gaze.

It pricked me to see her so bothered like this

"If it's bothering you this much, then I really think you should talk to Kizito about it," I stated, causing her to look at me.

It was honestly the best advice I could come up with at this point. There was basically nothing I could do. Only Kizito could clear whatever doubt was springing up in her mind.

But Gloria shook her head, shifting her weight from leg to leg like she was restless.

"It's not necessary," She answered and I furrowed my brows. "I may be overthinking things," She added.

"Even if you are," I started. "I still think you have to talk to him about it. He's your boyfriend, he should know the things that are bothering you," I told her.

Gloria watched me for a moment, as if internally contemplating what I said. Then she just smiled. She didn't agree or disagree with what I said, she only smiled.

"Look at you being a relationship expert all of a sudden," She nudged my side with her elbow, teasing me and I threw my head back, laughing.

"I'm serious though," I said when my laughter subsided, looking at Gloria to find her watching me. "You should talk to your boyfriend about what is bothering you.-

You don't have to tell him about Semeeha. You can just let him know about the strain in your communication. If you don't let him know and you keep bottling it up, there is no way he'll know. That's how communication works right?" I asked, bobbing my head to the side.

She nodded slowly, agreeing with me.

"I guess you are right," She stated, glancing down to the floor before looking back at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "That's how communication works. I should talk to him," She accepted and my lips stretched in a smile.

"That's it," It was my turn to nudge her and she chuckled.

"Not the both of us giving each other the lovers ted talk today," She commented, flashing me a smirk. My shoulders quaked in another round of laughter.

"It's giving Bestie Goals," I chipped teasingly in between laughter and she joined me, our hearty laughs echoing in the kitchen and even through the whole house.

Thankfully, she now sounded and felt more at ease and that was a good thing. She made me feel better when I talked about what was bothering me and I was more than happy to return the favor. That's why we are best friends. We'd always look out for each other.

More like Gloria will look out for you because you're a complete disaster when it comes to love.

My subconscious mocked me and I smiled.

Touché.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up," Gloria told me when our laughter subsided, the corners of her lips tugged up in that contagious, radiant smile of hers. I couldn't stop myself from grinning back as I shrugged.

"You'll do the same for me, Hadiza," I nudged her again, teasing her by calling her middle name. She giggled, obviously feeling a lot more at ease now.

"Come on," She whispered, leaning off the counter, "Our breakfast is getting cold," She nodded at the bowl of Akara and Custard that we had forgotten in the course of our discussion.

I nodded, and we carried our food out of the kitchen, Max following right behind us.

(Who wants to eat Akara and Custard 🌚? It's kuku Saturday morning true true😌✨)

𝐀/𝐍

Gigi and Simi be giving us best friend goals🥺✨. It's so cute how they have each other's back. They are probably the only bestie dynamic that is still standing strong at the moment. The rest... It is well o💀.

This is not where this chapter was supposed to end, but I had to cut it off because it was getting too long, hence, the double update. Don't worry, the second update will come before the end of today😌✨.

Gigi has started having an inclining that something is up with the way Semeeha keeps picking up Kizito's phone when she calls. She wants to believe she's overthinking💀. That might not end well.

Should we tell her?👀 I can't be the one to tell her sha, someone should volunteer biko🚶🏽‍♀️.

What does Semeeha have up her sleeves though? Babe is just getting sketchier 👀. Someone should tell Kizito to please shine his eyes. He's acting like someone they haff cook efo for🤣.

Any way... You know the drill. I'll see you guys soon 😘.