"You really are one frustrating individual!" I said, trying my best not to yell. "You could have just parked the car over there. Why did you have to come all the way here?"

  It didn't even make an iota of sense that one minute everyone would think I had been kidnapped, and the next, I'm pulling up at the department in some flashy car. And the car was indeed flashy. And that's not all. Stepping out of the car, everyone would see me dressed in a man's short and shirt. Ahah, who the hell kidnaps a lady and doesn't prepare clothes for her to wear?

  "I didn't want you walking the rest of the distance. Is that too much to ask?" Ademide explained calmly.

  "Well, it is," I said between gritted teeth.

  I unhooked the seatbelt and looked out of the car to check the number of people that were around. The first set of people I came across were Stella, Ejiro, and Martha. The three of them stood at the front of the Art Theatre, arms folded, an angry look on their faces. Yeah, I was done for!

  "Those are your friends, right?" Ademide asked, adjusting his glasses on his nose, his eyes focused on the three witches from the west, obviously trying to see if he'd recognize them with something.

   "Yes, and they are going to kill me!" I facepalm myself.

  "Oh, calm down, I'll be here for you," he cajoled as though his being here would solve all of my issues in life.

   I looked up at him, a coy smile on my face. "What makes you think you're safe from them? Did you forget that you're my kidnapper?"

  I didn't bother waiting for his reply or reaction, I opened the car door, picked up my tote bag, and hopped out of the car. By the time I walked over to the other side, Ademide was already out of his car, giving me that smile of his that always made me go totally senseless. I ignored him and looked at my surroundings. Luckily for me, there were only a few of my classmates around, and the most fortunate aspect of it all was that Chuwen wasn't here. Thank God, it definitely wouldn't be easy dealing with four witches right now.

  I walked towards my friends, Ademide, closely beside me. I saw their glares deepen as they stared at me. Way to go, Mary. Kidnapper and kidnappee showing up together. Would they even believe my claim now.

  Immediately I got to where they were, Martha said. "Okay, good. I don't even have any issues with you." Then she ignored me and turned towards Ademide, who was unfortunately staring at the three of them in confusion. He must definitely be trying to figure out who was who was? "You, why did you kidnap her?"

   "You can't blame me, that was the only option I had, she wouldn't even willingly stand before me," Ademide explained in a voice that would make anyone believe what he was saying, whether he was lying or not. Looking at my friends, I saw that they had this look of reasoning on their faces.

   "But still," Ejiro said. "You could have let us know if you were going to kidnap our friend. We deserve to be in on the joke."

   "Right, we would have even helped you with the whole planning," Stella added.

  Nice one, I really had the best friends in the world, didn't I? I looked at my friends in total disbelief. They were really something.

   "I'm sorry about that, I promise to let you know of any future kidnapping." Ademide apologized, making a little bow.

  "Future kidnapping?" I questioned with bewilderment.

   "There wouldn't be any if you don't avoid me," Ademide hastened to reply. "So I haven't had the honor of meeting you ladies formally. Would you be kind enough to give us an introduction, Mary?"

    I wanted to yell at him and tell him I wasn't kind, but then I decided to compose myself. My friends didn't know me as someone who got angry and yelled, and it was actually the truth. The only time I yell is when I'm with my brother, cousins, and Ademide. They all happen to know how to bring out the worst in me.

   "These are my friends, Stella," I pointed at Stella, and I immediately tried to ignore the grin that spread across Ademide's face. He must de be thinking of those killer lingeries that she gifted me, what a pervert! "Ejiro and Martha. My roommate isn't here. You'd meet her some other time."

   "It's really nice to meet you all." Ademide smiled, shaking their hands one after the other. Then he said to Stella and Ejiro, "I have particularly heard a lot about you both."

    "All good things, I suppose," Ejiro said, giving Ademide a daring look.

   "Yeah, all good," he answered.

  "Sadly, we never actually heard anything about you," Stella said in that snappy voice of hers. Just good, I had the best choices when it came to friends, didn't I?

  I instantly turned to look at Ademide, trying to see if there was any look of anger on his face. Thinking about it, I don't think I ever want to see him angry. Him yelling at me this morning didn't really sit well with me. Fortunately for me, there was no sign of anger on his face, just an amused smile.

  "I'm sure that issue would be rectified very soon," he assured them, then looked at me. "Your class ends by 3 pm, right?" I nodded, then he smiled. "See you later then, I have to get to work."

  He placed a quick kiss on my lips, and then he was gone, like really! Who goes to work when it's almost 2 pm? And I thought he didn't have a job since he was always around me. I watched him get into his car and maneuver his way out of my department, then slowly, I faced my friends again, and the look on their faces was enough to make me want to enter the ground.

  "Oya!" The three of them said, snapping their fingers.

  "Oya, what?" I asked innocently.

  "The gist!" Martha snapped her fingers.

  "Full gist!" Stella added.

   "At least you both have settled your issues, so we're allowed to talk now, or are we not?" Ejiro asked, always the cautious one.

  "Right, you even kissed, even after all the ignoring," Martha added.

  "It's called Stockholm syndrome," I explained.

  "Stockholm syndrome? Within how many hours?" Stella said, sarcasm lacing her tone.

  I stood rooted to where I was, wanting very much for the ground to open up and swallow me, but then I saw my saving grace in form of our HOD, whose class we were having right now. "I'll gist you guys later, HOD is already here."

  I ran into the art theatre, smiling giddily. Being able to avoid them, even if it's just for an hour, is absolutely an amazing thing. At least I would have composed myself before the class ends in the next one hour.

  That was how I spent my time in the class that day, trying to compose myself, and eventually, nothing the HOD said made way into my head.

  By the time the class was done, I spent the first few minutes explaining to my classmates what actually happened, and thanking them for what they did, while my friends stood by, watching me with keen eyes, definitely making sure that I wouldn't run away. Once I was done with all the talking, I walked over to them slowly.

  The three of them held my hands and pulled me out of the art theatre, is this the point where I asked for some kidnapper to come get me.

   "Okay, you guys need to calm down. I'll tell you everything you need to know, why don't we pick a place. Which of our houses are we going to?" I asked.

   "My place," Ejiro said. "I don't have a roommate, so there won't be any disturbance."

  "Yeah," Stella said. "But you'll have to be quick, I have a date with Femi."

  We all rolled our eyes and told her she could go for her date. Seriously, Stella and her boyfriend knew how to drive a single person to commit suicide.

   "Okay, good. Now you can all let go of my hands. It looks more like I stole something from you," I said.

   "You did," Martha said instantly. "You stole the knowledge of your boyfriend from us."

  "Mary." I heard a voice call my name. I looked towards the direction where the voice was coming from to see Jibola talking to a lady. He pointed towards me, and the next thing I knew, the lady was walking over to me along with three other ladies who were bearing boxes.

   "What's going on? Did you steal someone's husband?" Martha asked.

   "Not that I'm aware of," I said.

   "Good day, Miss. Mary and friends," the lady said once she was standing before us. "I'm Clara, and I'll be your personal stylist for today, Miss. Mary."

   "Personal stylist?" The four of us asked in surprise.

   "Yes, to prepare you for your upcoming date this night with Mr Adeshina," Miss. Clara answered that plastic smile still on her face.

   "Date?" I questioned further. I didn't recall Ademide asking me out on a date.

   "Here." Miss. Clara motioned for one of the ladies to step forward and collect the box from her hand. She handed me the box. "I guess this should explain things."

   I collected the box and placed it on the vacant table beside me. I opened it up to see a beautiful white satin dress, with a card on it. I picked up the card to see Ademide's handwriting glaring back at me. Warmth spread through me as I read his message, a smile forming on my lips.

   Go on a date with me, Mary. Give me a chance to prove my worth to you once again.
          Your favorite black Adonis.

   "Mad! Mad!" Martha exclaimed. "See how his handwriting is fine, Mary, your luck is not from here at all."

    "At all, at all," Miss. Clara said, and immediately she said it she composed herself and went back to her stoic face. For a minute, I thought I must have misheard her. "So, Miss. Mary."

  "Uhm, so y'all are here to dress me up for this date?" I asked, glancing at the three other ladies.

   "Yes, Miss. Mary," Miss. Clara answered. "If you're done with your classes, we can head off now."

Uhm, what an amazing way to be asked out on a date.

  Let's get ready for their date. Where do you think they'll go to?

See ya later, guys.

MARY ADEN.