#JUST_BEST_FRIENDS

Author: Sam Freddy

CHAPTER 26: PROOF.

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At exactly twelve-thirty PM, Danladi walked into Yomi's salon for a fresh haircut. He was delighted to see Yomi finishing up with a female customer upon his arrival.

As typical guys, the first thing that Yomi and Danladi did was shake hands while hailing each other aloud, and then Yomi asked him to sit on the swivel chair and wore a black barber gown for him when he was seated.

“Hey, bro, I heard about what happened to you and your friend last night, man.” Danladi said, eyes fixated on the wall mirror. “I'm sorry about that.”

“Thanks, man.” Yomi said, sterilizing his clipper. “Who told you, though?”

“Have you forgotten I'm dating your friend's friend?”

“Anastasia?” Yomi mentioned, his eyebrows pulling together. “I should've known. News travels fast, I guess.”

“Damn right, bruv.” Danladi said. “I wasn't happy at all when I heard the news, so I decided I'd come here to offer you some support or something, at least to keep you from committing suicide.”

One of Yomi's new female workers chuckled, albeit not deliberately.

Yomi looked at her sternly. “Well done, Grace. Is that what I'm paying you for?”

“Sorry, sir.”

“Sorry for yourself.”

Danladi smiled. “Poor Yomi. Guy, leave the innocent girl alone jor,” he teased. “After all, she's not the one that robbed you. Let her vibe along.”

“Danladi, if you don't keep quiet, I'll personally ruin your hairline today. I guarantee that.”

Danladi's smile turned to a smirk. “Do it. I dare you.”

“Screw you, bro.”

Danladi simply laughed at that, as Yomi started barbing his hair.

“So, have you gotten a new phone?”

“Yep.” Yomi said. “Not new, though. I just took my old Android phone and inserted my old SIM card into it the moment I got back home today.”

“Oh, that's cool.” Danladi said. “But I'd have retrieved my main SIM card if I were you.”

“I never said I wouldn't.” Yomi said. “As we speak, Idara is retrieving hers and mine at a well-known complex in Oshodi. I gave her all the details and stuff she'll need, so I should be getting mine this evening, at least.”

“I see.”

“You know, I never knew that you and Anastasia were already dating.” Yomi said dully. “When did this thing start?”

“‘Thing’, you say?” Danladi quoted. “For your information, what we share is not just any common ‘thing’! I love her sincerely.”

“That's what they all say.”

“I'm serious, guy.” Danladi opposed. “Anastasia is not just anybody to me. I mean, agreed, I was once a reckless playboy, but things have changed. I'm now a changed man. I don't live like that anymore.”

“Man, I don't know about you, but this is just super hard to take in, especially when it's coming from a heartbreaker like you.”

Danladi chuckled. “I see it's gonna take more than mere words to convince you, but you know what? I'mma prove you wrong.”

“How?”

“I'm finna put a ring on that girl's finger soon. Mark my words.”

“Ha, ha, ha.” Yomi said sarcastically. “Slow down, boy. Don't let lust get the better of you.”

“This is not lust, fool.” Danladi argued. “The fact that you haven't experienced love before doesn't mean that everyone else hasn't. Stop clowning.”

Yomi scoffed. “Trust me, when it comes to love, you know nothing about it, boy.”

“I agree. Rest.”

There was silence between both men for a while, but Yomi soon broke it with, “Look, bro, I need your help on something crucial.”

“Really? What's that?”

Yomi took a deep breath, his eyes on Danladi's full hair. “It's about me and Idara.”

“Okay?”

“Well, I'm sure Anastasia must've mentioned to you that Idara and I slept in a hotel last night, right?”

“Yes, she did. What's up with that?”

Yomi looked left and right before whispering, “Something crazy happened between us, man.”

Danladi's eyes widened. “Omo!” He had his eyes on Yomi's face through the towering mirror. “What exactly happened?”

“I hate to say it, but we kissed.”

“Damn.” Danladi cringed at that. “Tell me that's not true, Yomi.”

“Honestly, I wish I could, Dan.” Yomi confessed. “But I can't. It's totally true.”

“Damn!” Danladi reiterated, disappointed. “Who kissed who first, though?”

“I did.” Yomi said quietly. “I kissed her first.”

“Omo.” Danladi was clearly disgusted at Yomi's disloyalty to his woman. “What the hell were you thinking, bro?”

“Same thing I keep asking myself since yesterday.” Yomi said, feeling bad. “I knew it was so wrong, but I swear I felt something strange before and while I kissed her.”

Danladi scoffed. “Something strange?”

“See, I don't know, man, but I felt something unusual for her.” Yomi elaborated. “Something I've never felt for any girl before, not even Candice.”

“Lust.” Danladi said. “That was what you felt for her. Just pure lust, bro.”

“Well, maybe you're right, but Idara didn't take it that way with the way she reacted.” Yomi said. “Instead of getting pissed at me, she just kissed me back with affection. And when I stopped her, she got mad at me and said so many shocking things.”

“Huh-huh?” Danladi said. “Things like?”

“Things like how she's madly in love with me, how she has always tried to show me her intentions and so on.” Yomi explained, recalling the memory. “I thought she was only goofing about everything at first, but I know Idara well enough to know when she's joking and being serious. What happened between us was clearly special to her, I could tell.”

“So, what are you insinuating?”

“Nothing, really.” Yomi admitted. “That's why I asked for your help. I need your advice badly. What should I do about her?”

Danladi sighed, thinking. “This is some real complicated ish,” he commented. “But I actually have some questions for you, Yomi.”

“Okay, ask.”

“First of all, do you love Idara?”

Yomi hesitated a little bit before saying, “Yes.”

“As a friend or...?”

“As a friend.” Yomi replied sharply, denying his true feelings. “Nothing more.”

“Good.” Danladi said. “Secondly, do you love your girlfriend, Yomi?”

“Yes, very much.” Yomi answered very carefully. “With all of my heart.”

“Do you trust her?”

“Yes, with my very own life.”

“Very good.” Danladi stated. “Now, put yourself in Candice's shoes. How would you feel if you're giving your hundred percent loyalty to a girl who's cheating on you with her best friend?”

Yomi suddenly couldn't talk. He felt so, so, so guilty.

“Now, you see how awkward and wrong it is, right?” Danladi said, piercing Yomi's conscience with deep words. “I don't know what led to that kiss between you two, bro, and, to be honest, I really don't care. But I wouldn't let it happen again if I were you. Henceforth, if I were you, I'd atone for my mistake by showing my woman the love and respect she deserves, Yomi. Take this from someone who's been there before.”

“You're right.” Yomi agreed. “Candice would never cheat on me, I know her very well. She's the sweetest woman I've ever known, that's the more reason why I feel so bad about this entire thing.”

“Like I said, give her the love and respect she deserves, Yomi.” Danladi advised bluntly. “And be very careful with the way you mingle with that Idara chick. A word is enough for the wise.”

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As soon as she was done with her SIM card retrieval, Idara exited the shopping complex and went to a nearby garage to board a taxi.

Immediately she got in the back seat of a yellow taxi, Idara spotted Candice coming out of a blue Honda car.

Shocked, she watched as a middle-aged man stepped out of the car too, speaking with Candice, who was all smiles and bubbly in the man's presence.

In truth, Idara didn't even know when she brought out her new smartphone from her new purse and started taking pictures of Candice and the man, kissing in public.

‘At least, with these photos, there's no way Candice can deny anything again.’ Idara thought, still snapping more pictures. ‘Let's see how Yomi takes this up.’

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