I said I would make an update on Friday. I didn't keep to it. I'm truly sorry. However, I wish to make my days for updating to be Tuesday and Friday. I hope that's okay. ☺️

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Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.

                              – Shakespeare.

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"I find it hard to believe the sales I've had since the last seven months," I tell Sandra with a bellow of mirth.

"I know, right?" she chuckles and raises her hand in the air for a high-five which I gladly give to her. "Nigeria now knows your company. It's just that not everyone. We need everyone to know".

I smile at her and resume chopping the fresh tomatoes before me. We are in her kitchen and not just an average one but the advanced kind. Her kitchen layout is beyond my imagination. I can remember when I first walked in, my jaw dropped. It spells out luxury. White is the colour that dominates the whole room, from the walls to its equipment and items. Another fascinating colour in the room is blue. The barstools, the counter and the cupboards are blue. She has a big gas cooker, microwave and dishwasher. I would call it a kitchen for the lazy– no offense intended. Everything in it made cooking easy. It is spacious and I believe that's what I love most about it. I'm not too surprised though. Sandra has always been from a wealthy family. I'm sure her parents will want her first apartment to be the best ever. What I don't understand is why she chose to live alone.

But to think of it, who won't want to live alone in an apartment that best describes luxury. I dare not compare it with the cube I'm still, unfortunately, living in. Cooking at the cube is a nightmare. I use a stove. That makes it worst. The place gets stuffy and it's just simply annoying for a room to be both your bedroom and kitchen. However, I will have to stop complaining though. I rather leave there than have no roof over my head. Mostly, rain refuses to stop during this season. I hear people complain about their house leaking or being flooded. Luckily, I don't have such a complaint on my side.

My last conversation with Aaron rings in my head. "Time for your utme preparation!" he had said.

"You have my words. I will attend the tutorial," I replied.

"Good! We have a deal then. You may leave".

I turn to Sandra who is seasoning the chicken that's on the fire. "I made a deal with Aaron that this new month, August, I will reduce the time I spend on work and base my attention on my preparation for jamb," I say with mixed feelings and my face scrunch as though I had tasted fresh bitter leaf.

"You are resuming next week, right?" she asks.

"Yes. I'll write my jamb next year. I want to be fully prepared before that day," I bob my head as though insisting my brain to agree with my words. Do I want to mingle with people younger than me, in a room where I'm forced to learn? No! But...

I need to.

"Wow! You are going to Study Great Tutorial, abi na? Aaron said something about that," Sandra exclaims and closes the pot of the boiling chicken.

"Yeah," I reply and recall all Aaron has been doing for me. He is like a Saviour and destroyer at the same time. So far, my business is going well and that's because of his investment and business wisdom. However, his attitude stinks. He acts as if he is a god which I find truly offensive. Just because I'm dependent on him doesn't mean he can treat me any way he wishes. I roll my eyes and inquire from Sandra, "How is the tutorial like?"

"Hmm..." she smirks. "Both the rich and poor kids go there. There is always drama 24/7. Omo! Fine boys dey oo. I don't know about your set but in mine, girls were just fighting for boys".

"I thought it's a jamb tutorial. Shouldn't they focus on their books?"

"Babe, no be everybody that comes school, come learn. Some get other plans," she says in a splutter of laughter.

"So you are telling me there will be drama?" I groan and the knife in my hand brushes my finger, unscathed. I quickly put my attention on the tomatoes. I chop the last ones and then toss the knife into a bowl. "Dramas?"

"Yes na," she chuckles. "There is always gist there".

I groan, "I don't want that tutorial".

"My dear, you must want it oo. Aaron don pay fee for there"

I bite my lip and glare. "Aaron likes I-too-know," I hiss and roll my eyes.

"But seriously... What's going on with you and Aaron? I know Aaron very well. He doesn't just pay anyone's bills or invest anyhow. But with you, that's different"

"You don't know?"

"Ah!" Her eyes go round. "Are you guys dating? He loves you? Jesus!"

"Ode! Abeg rest jhare. Not only love! Mtchew"

"Ah" she yells. "You are his hidden child?"

"You are mad! Very mad. Can Aaron born my age? How old is he?"

"Twenty-nine"

"How old am I?"

"Twenty"

"Do the maths mumu"

"Okay! Are you his secret girlfriend?" she whistles and winks at me.

"Sandra, have you seen how that guy treats me? Do I resemble girlfriend for your eyes or servant? Explain"

"Good point! He isn't loving with you," she says and strokes her jaw.

"Duh!" my voice thunders. "Thanks Captain Obvious. I didn't know that".

She raise a brow at me and scoffs. "Captain Obvious?"

"Yes," I respond and allow my eyeballs to freely rolll in their sockets.

She glares at me. "So what's going on between you and Aaron? What's your relationship with him?"

I slapped my hand on my face and dragged it to my chin. "He is my boss oo! Just my boss. We aren't even friends set. Don't you know?"

"Know what?" She awaits my reply with a curling lip and an irascible eye.

"I donated blood to Ekene when he had an accident that January. Do you remember it?"

"Eh...Yeah, I do. Is that all?" she exclaims. "Na wa oo! Na thunder go fire Aaron for me. Idiot!"

"What happened?" I ask, my brows quirk in confusion.

She frowns and picks the knife I dropped earlier. While wiggling it in the air, she bellows "Whenever I ask the idiot, he will say I won't be able to understand".

I burst into a fit of laughter. "He did?"

"Yes! I don't even know why he is hiding it from me"

I shake my head. Aaron is such a strange man.

"I just donated blood oo. It's nothing serious...but in a way, it is serious. I saved Ekene's life. I'm just happy he accepted to go to the Rehab. He needs to get rid of his drinking habit".

"No wonder Aaron is helping you. You saved his brother's life"

"Yeah!"

"And he loves that brother so much eh"

"I notice," I nod.

We set our attention squarely on our meal and when it is prepared. We dish it on the gold plates with gold utensils and go to eat at living room. Her plasma television is, simply put, wide. Picture the large whiteboard we see in our classes and imagine it into a television, now add some length and breadth to it. That's how the television staring at me is. Every images on it are huge. Watching movies on it are so amazing. That's why I never miss the opportunity to visit Sandra. This visit is rarely. It happens when I want to take pictures of my fashion dress designs at her beautiful room or garden. Her house is in one of the best estate in Banana Island, Lagos. She is my personal assistant. She is in charge of my online shop. She runs it so well that I feel guilty for the amount I pay her. She always tell me that her payment is too much. I don't know how that is so. I only sew exclusive designs for her that fits her body stature. Like she always say, "Your designs are more expensive than you think Ify. You are so creative".

"Omo! Babe, you don plan outfits for your lesson?" she says out of the blue and stares at me expectantly. I glance at the television and I see a stylish girl walk into her class. I shake my head at that.

"What do you mean, Sandra?"

"Did you see the girl?" she shouts like an excited child and points at the television. "I love that girl's style. She is so fashionable".

"How does that concern me?" I laugh snarkily and she swiftly slaps my arm.

"As a fashion designer, you must always be on style. You can use it to advertise your company. The rich girls in the tutorial will love and purchase all your goods," she discloses.

"Huh?"

"Imagine walking into the tutorial wearing one of your designs for female teenagers," she exclaims, flinging her arms in the air.

"I don't have time to sew the dress for myself."

"So you want to continue with this your old mama dressing?"

"Is it bad?"

"Yes na!" she sneers and eyes me like I was the definition of disgusting. My anger flared at that. I clench my fists to control myself. "How can you be wearing long sleeves every single day? Don't you feel heat? Most times your dresses don't fit your slim stature"

"Slim ke? You mean thin as broom," I scoff and roll myself. I'm lean and I have scars on my body. She doesn't know that. I won't blame her for judging me but it won't stop me from hiding my scars and dressing to my comfort.

She frowns. "No! You are not a broom. Never call yourself that"

"I am supposed to be fatter than this. I don't know why I haven't increased. Maybe it's my diet," I say bitterly. Of course it is my diet. I don't eat well. Either I don't have time to eat or that I don't have what to eat. Most times, I am broke. I spend my money on my new tailoring shop and materials. Sometimes, I make big sales and have a lot to eat and there are times where there is nothing to eat. The good news is that I don't look as dry as stock fish. Before, I looked like a HIV patient. All my bones were popping out. Now, I look okay. But okay isn't enough for me.

"Why the long sleeves?" she queries.

"Hmm...I don't like cold"

"But you still wear it even if the sun is the hottest. You will na be sweating like Christmas goat"

"Have you ever seen Christmas goat sweat? See this girl eh"

She lets out peals of laughter. "Oya buy clothes if you can't sew"

"Did you give me money? See your mouth like buy" I hiss and fold my arms across my chest. "Why are we friends again?"

"I think you said it's because you love me," she giggles.

"I am starting to doubt if the love is still there"

"Shut up jor," she laughs out and set her gaze on the television.

"I'm just scared of being the oldest and ugliest in class," I say to myself.

"What did you say?" Sandra gasps.

Whoops! I said it aloud.

"Nothing," I reply and wave my hands to emphasis.

"I heard you, Ify" she insists.

"It's nothing. I'm serious"

"What do you mean by oldest?" she draws out, her voice soak with worry. "Ify, you are not old. You are not too old to write utme. Don't you know some people have been unlucky that they wrote jamb more than three times. There are some who never got the chance to write and some who never get to enter the University. Abeg oo! You are just twenty. You are not old".

"I will be twenty-one next month," I add.

"So?" she yells at me. "You are not old".

"Whatever," I wave her off. "Let's focus on the movie".

She scrutinize my face suspiciously and then, shrugs. "Okay!"

I know she might say I'm not old but it doesn't stop me from feeling old. My mates are in the university and here I am, preparing to attend class with all these teenagers. How will I relate with them now? I won't stand any disrespect oo. I won't. I just pray my set doesn't have drama like Sandra's.

A/N:   Thanks for reading ❤️❤️❤️❤️ I really appreciate. What do you think of this chapter? Did you enjoy it?

How do you think Ifunanya's tutorial may be?

How about yours? How was your jamb preparation and tutorial?