#JUST_BEST_FRIENDS

Author: Sam Freddy

CHAPTER 33: COMPLICATIONS.

-
-
-

In her messed up state, Isioma suddenly felt someone's hand on her shoulder, comforting her. She looked up at once, only to see the person she least expected: Michael, Candice's step-brother, who she'd once tongue-lashed in public.

It swiftly dawned on Isioma that karma was, indeed, real. She wondered what he was doing here, sitting beside her, with a camera in his other hand.

Was he here to torment her too, like his sister? Or did he even have a hand in her predicament, as some sort of revenge against her?

Honestly, it was hard to tell, especially with the grim look on his face, and that was why Isioma shoved his hand away almost immediately he touched her.

"Hey, chill." Mike said calmly. "I mean no harm."

Isioma didn't say a word, whilst glaring at him.

"I remember you, lady." Mike said. "And I'm sure you remember me, too. What's wrong? Why're you crying?"

"Are you here to mock me, too?"

Mike frowned. "Sorry, what?"

"Stop pretending. I'm sure that's the only reason why you're here." Isioma sniffed, her eyes reddening. "'Cause there's no way you could possibly be here just like that."

"What're you even talking about?" Mike's frown thickened. "First off, I'm not here to mock you or whatever you just said. Why would you even think like that?" He shook his head, amused. "Second, I don't even school here, ma'am. I'm only here for business, as usual. I'm a photographer, as you can see."

"Good for you, then." Isioma muttered, having known his true intentions.

"Anyway, I was actually passing by when I saw you crying, though." Mike confessed, stroking Isioma's shoulder again. "What's going on?"

Isioma wiped her face with the back of her hands, before saying, "It's your sister, Candice. She's tormenting me."

"How do you mean?"

"Wait, didn't you see her on your way here?" Isioma asked. "'Cause she just left."

"No, I didn't." Mike replied, surprised. "Today is Thursday, and she's supposed to have a class by now. What was she doing here?"

"Like I said, she came here to make my life miserable."

"Stop speaking in parables," said Mike. "Enlighten me. What's up?"

It took no hesitation whatsoever for Isioma to say, "Look, Mike, you might not believe me, but your sister is sleeping with my lecturer, Mr. Rochas."

Mike froze. "Excuse you?"

"I'm dead serious." Isioma stood her ground, looking Mike dead in the eyes. "But she isn't just sleeping with him for nothing, though. She's doing it as some sort of revenge against me."

Mike couldn't believe his ears. "Are you aware of the gravity of this accusation you're making?"

"I am." Isioma nodded, as confident as an eagle. "And now they've conspired against me, Mike. I was failed by this lecturer in question for a test that I aced. I still can't believe it, and I don't know what to do."

In Mike's mind, Candice was the most outspoken and carefree girl on Earth, but she was no harlot. He knew his step-sister too well. He knew how razz she could be, but not to the point of getting laid with a lecturer for revenge.

Could Isioma be serious about this issue, or was she just exaggerating her ordeal out of plain assumptions? What if what happened with Isioma's test result was a mistake, or an ugly coincidence that involved Candice being in Mr. Rochas' office just when Isioma came, which made her assume that Candice was behind her failure?

It could be possible, but then again, Mike couldn't just give Candice the benefit of the doubt. He had to make his own personal findings for clarity, and that involved hearing from the horse's mouth too.

"Mike?"

Michael snapped out of his worries on hearing his name.

Lo and behold, it was Candice herself who'd just spoken, and she was approaching them with poise.

Isioma's stomach churned on seeing her, but she couldn't say or do anything but rise up to her feet with Michael. Not that she didn't want to attack Candice at first sight, or that she was afraid of her or anything, but she just kept her cool due to the respect she had for the lecturers' block. If she actually fights Candice in this building, she could get into big trouble, and she really didn't want that.

Not at all.

"Mike, what're you doing here?" Candice halted before them, grinning innocently.

"Business, as usual." Mike said, noticing the way she ignored Isioma as if she was invisible.

"Oh, that's great." Candice noticed Mike's odd mood. "But, um, what's with the frown, though? You look and sound pissed."

"Well, I guess I should be, especially after knowing what you've done."

"What I've done?" Candice scoffed, arms crossed. "What did I do? What did she tell you?"

"See, save the act, Candice. I know you." Mike spoke boldly. "Why would you do something as dirty as that to this lady, huh?"

Candice shot Isioma a furious look before glaring at Mike. "Impressive. So you just believed the words of a total stranger without seeking my own side of the story, yeah?"

"So, wait, are you agreeing that you actually did what she said? That you slept with her lecturer to spite her?"

"So what if I did?" Candice shrugged. "I'm an adult. My sexual life isn't anyone's concern."

Mike shook his head in utter shock. "My God!"

"You see what I was saying?" Isioma chipped in, angrily. "Your sister is a petty slut, and she has no conscience!"

"Hey, you better keep your stinking mouth shut there." Candice warned, striking Isioma a death glare.

"Or what?" Isioma challenged her, moving forward.

Mike, however, intervened by gripping Isioma's shoulder, prompting her to a halt.

"Relax." He said. "I'll handle this."

Isioma nodded, despite the blazing inferno of anger coursing through her veins.

"I can't believe this." Mike turned to his sister, intrigued by the whole issue. "What is wrong with you, Candice? I know this lecturer in question, 'cause I've worked for a close colleague of his before. He's married with three kids. How could you stoop so low?"

"Nah, I wouldn't call it stooping low, though." Candice joked airily. "This is a well-paid lecturer with a PhD we are talkin' 'bout here. My aim was pretty high."

Mike was on the verge of losing his cool. "Wait, you think this is funny?"

Candice shrugged again, smiling. "Yeah, it actually is. Can't you see I'm happy?"

Isioma had the urge to lunge at Candice for that statement, but she didn't, despite how hard it was.

"Unbelievable." Mike shook his head, staring at his sister in plain disgust. "What has come over you, Candice? Dad never raised you this way."

Candice frowned. "Okay, now you're just starting to piss me off."

"It's the truth!" Mike blasted her unapologetically. "Is this the kind of life you've been living in campus? Where are your morals, for God's sake?"

"Look, I'm not just gonna stand here and watch you insult me." Candice cautioned Mike sternly. "I'm leaving. Have a nice day."

"Wait." Mike called, before she could storm off. "One more thing."

"Yes?"

"I want you to undo what you've done to Isioma's test result."

"Says who?"

"Says a guy who is willing to serve justice to a wicked person, regardless of her relationship with him."

"Hilarious!" Candice burst into laughter, striking a menacing pose. "You know, when you put it that way, you make it look like you're a tough bad boy with connections and all. But in reality, you're just a snowflake. A simpleton."

Isioma looked at Mike, expecting his reply.

"Okay, nice." Mike smiled, digesting Candice's insult. "We shall see about that. I give you three days to get it solved, or else you'll have yourself to blame."

"Blah, blah, blah." Candice jested, rolling her eyes. "Do your worst, little bro. I'm out."

And with that, Candice breezed into Mr. Rochas' office, laughing triumphantly.

"Mike, are you just gonna let her go?"

"Relax, Isioma." Mike assured her, raising his camera up. "I have a plan."

"What plan?"

"Good question." Mike smirked. "See, I have friends who can fill me in about everything about Mr. Rochas. All it takes is some team effort and my photography skills to pin him and Candice down, if she refuses to comply with us."

"Wait." Isioma's lips quivered. "Are you really willing to expose your sister, all because of me?"

Mike nodded, with deep sincerity. "Yes, I am. I can't just do nothing and let her go scot-free with her crimes. Somebody has to punish her, even if it has to be me."

On hearing that, a new ray of hope glimmered upon Isioma's heart, making her smile.

"God, I'm so happy to hear that." She spoke soft and slow, having the urge to hug Mike. "Thank you for being on my side, Mike. Words are not enough to express my gratitude."

"You're welcome, Isioma, but don't thank me now." Mike said flippantly. "Save it for when the job is done. It'll be more suitable then."

Isioma merely gave a faint nod at that, lacking words to say.

"So, can I have your number?" Mike requested, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "I'd like to stay in touch with you."

"Sure." Isioma answered, and then called her digits for Mike when he was ready.

"All right, perfect." Mike returned his phone, offering her a hopeful smile. "I have to go now. I'll keep in touch."

"Wait, can I buy you a drink before you go?" Isioma offered, nervously. "It's the least I can do to thank you."

"How kind of you, Isioma." Mike remarked, still smiling. "I'd love that, but I'm in a hurry. Maybe another time, yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess." Isioma smiled back shyly. "I wish you luck, and may God bless you for me."

"Amen." Mike winked at her, keeping his camera in his bag. "God bless you, too. Be good."

__________

Meanwhile, somewhere in Lagos, an elderly man sat in the comfort of his house, reading a book.

As he wanted to turn to the next page, his eyes dropped on a photograph on his reading desk. Filled with euphoria, he smiled, as he picked the small picture frame, staring at the photo lovingly.

It was a picture of his lovely daughter, Idara, which was taken on her fifth birthday, just before her mother bailed out on the family.

Till date, the elderly man seriously wondered where his precious wife could possibly be. She'd been absent for over twenty years, and the one time she returned to seek her family, she'd been fed with lies by Yomi's parents, who claimed not to know of her family's whereabouts, just because he'd personally told them not to tell her, if she eventually came back for them, of course.

Presently, the elderly man regretted his past action, because that was something he only did out of anger and trepidation. If he was being honest with himself right now, he really missed Janet, and his late son, too.

They were both part of the reasons why he was full of life, full of hope, and had a great home, until they left. Now, all he had was his daughter and this big, empty house, choking the life and hope out of him with every single minute that passed by.

Sorrowfully, the man dropped the picture frame and took another, which housed a photo of himself, his wife, and his kids, all smiling as one happy family. Hot blood pulsed through his veins, as he realized at that moment that he'd give anything to have his complete family back, no matter the cost.

Frankly, the thoughts of his past events would've lingered for much longer in his mind, had it not been for the sudden turbulent knock on his door, which sent him dashing straight to the spot.

On opening his door, the unhappy man's eyes widened in grave shock at the figures before him - especially at the woman, thinking he'd just seen a ghost.

Standing before him was his first and only love, Janet, who had barely aged since she left. She looked picturesque in that red, flowery dress, still as beautiful as she was in the photograph he'd just seen, and strangely to him, the little boy beside her took the looks of his daughter, Idara.

There was also a man behind them, wearing sunshades and a black hat, who didn't look happy to be here at all.

"Janet?"

"Thompson." Janet exhaled heavily, burdened with guilt.

"How... how come?" Thompson's mouth dropped open. "Is this really you?"

"Yes, it's me, my love." Janet blinked hard, her heartbeat heavy like thunder. "It's me."

How could it be? How could it possibly be? Thompson couldn't believe his eyes at all!

There was, indeed, more to the story than meets the eyes of Idara's father, which he was desperate to unveil over time, by all means!