Mom opened the door the moment I stepped beside her. "Welcome Sarah, and please come on in." Mom greeted and beckoned the visitors in.

"Thank you Lydia," the woman said as she stepped into the house and she also beckoned for her daughter to come in.

"Good afternoon ma'am." I greeted, flashing her my best of smiles.

She smiled back and said, "good afternoon my dear." Then turning to mom she said, "she looks just like you."

Mom smiled, "thank you."

"And this is my daughter," Mrs Sarah started to say and mom and I turned to the girl standing besides her. The girl happened to be studying our living room and didn't pay much attention to what was being said, but the moment her mother started introducing her, she turned to face us and at that moment, it felt I was given a cold bath.

"Wait a moment," the girl said, "you?" She was sneering at me.

The smile had vanished from my lips and the excitement I had, was gone too and I asked, "what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that."

"You should be asking me that? This is my house!"

"What is going on here?" Mom and Mrs Sarah asked. I glanced from one mom to the other and they were puzzled and again I studied Mrs Sarah. So, this was Edith's mother and I was only spotting the resemblance then. She was just an adult version of Edith, just like you'd say about myself and mom.

"Mom, this is-" I was about to tell Mom that this was the girl who I fought and got a suspension for, but Edith caught me off.

"Mom," Edith started, "this is my friend from school, Lela. We are in the same class."

"Really?" Edith's mother smiled. "What a coincidence, but you never mentioned her before Edith."

"Really? Probably because she's new." Then, turning to me, Edith said, "wow Lela, this is such a huge surprise. I never thought that you're the girl my mom has always been talking about," and to mom, Edith said,"neither did I know that you, aunty was Lela's mom. What a small world, right?"

"Yes dear. It is certainly a small world." Mom smiled. This was quite strange, the Edith I knew could never act nice. I expected that she would be the first to tell our moms that we had both fought and that I got a suspension and Edith, well, Edith got the scarf she had on. "Well, why are we just standing here, please, we prepared lunch."

"Oh Lydia, you shouldn't have bothered yourself."

Mom laughed, "I already did, so let's go eat." Mom lead the way to the dinning room and we all took our places as Eka-ette served us all a plate of Jollof rice and Chicken. We also had salad as well.

"So, Lela...you must know about Edith's fight and why she's wearing this scarf?" I almost choked on my food when Mrs Sarah asked. I picked up my glass of water and gulped down the whole content.

"What fight?" Mom asked with concern.

"I had this fight once," Edith started saying, "and the girl I was fighting, pulled my hair out."

"Oh my God. What a wicked child." Mom said.

"I know, right? I would have taken the case up, but the school pleaded." Edith's mother told Mom and I refilled my glass of water and gulped down the whole content again. If only they knew that the 'wicked child' was actually me.

"And now I have to wear this scarf always, even to school." Edith said meekly, like some innocent child. She was a typical example of 'a wolf in sheep's clothing.' When our eyes met she was flashing a wicked grin at me and I shook my head in disgust and glared at her.

"Poor child," mom said with sympathy and she also turned in my direction and said, "you shouldn't be friends with people of that nature Lela. Always be careful." And I faked a smile as a form of agreement to what mom said. "One time," mom was saying.

'Oh no, I hope it wasn't what I was thinking. She's going to tell them I got into a fight and got a suspension.'

I jerked abruptly to my feet, "I have to go check something in my room mom, I'll be back."

"Oh, okay. But you do know that it isn't quite polite."

"I know mom, but it is really important."

"Just let her go Lydia." Mrs Sarah told Mom and then she flashed a smile in my direction.

"Alright, go ahead Lela." Mom said and I smiled to show my appreciation. Now, mom wouldn't tell them how I had gotten into a fight. I was about leaving when I heard Edith speak.

"Ehm, aunty, I'm done eating and I was wondering if it's okay by you for Lela to show me her room while she's checking up on whatever she wanted to?" She was smiling sweetly at mom and there was no way mom was going to say no. Not because Edith was smiling like a saint, but because she was our guest.

"Sure dear. Go ahead." Mom smiled at Edith and then at me.

"So, this is where you live, huh?" Edith asked as we walked up the stairs.

"Not a very intelligent question, Edith because I thought that was obvious already."

"I don't think your mom would be happy to hear that you called her special guest a fool."

"Those words came out of your own mouth Edith." I turned to look at her in the eyes as I spoke and I saw how much she despised me, despite the way smile on her lips.

"You think you are so smart Lela, but who is she going to believe?"

"Actually, neither of us." I turned around and completed the journey up the stairs, ahead of her.

"You should be thanking me you know." Edith said when she had caught up with me at the top of the stairs.

"And why?" I asked and pushed the door to my room open. I didn't even realize when we got there.

"Oh you know. Like for how I didn't tell my mom that you were the one that pulled out my hair!" She was almost at the top of her voice.

"And I got suspended! Don't you think we're even?" I countered.

"We aren't even." She simply said and then, she started strolling around my room, studying every bit of it. "You do have a beautiful house."

At least she says something nice for once and I decided it would be nice to say thanks. "Than-"

"But ours is so much better." She cut me off and when our eyes met, she smiled wryly at me and I made a face at her. "I also like the paintings," she continued, pointing at the paintings I had done and hung on my wall. However, I wasn't quick to thank her this time, because I was sure she'd come with why she didn't like it as well and I wasn't wrong at all. "But it seems like the work of an amateur. Where did you get them?"

"I'm the amateur." She looked at me like I had said something strange and unbelievable.

"Really? You, did this?" There was every doubt in her voice.

"I'm not joking Edith. I actually painted them." I felt proud saying it. She would see that I had something special.

"Hmmm. At least you are not so useless." She said and I gasped. "A fly would probably get into your mouth if you leave it open like that. Anyways, I'm going downstairs... I'm down here." And like some royalty, she carried herself out of my room.

"Such an obnoxious pest." I said to myself.

****

"Thanks for having us over Lydia." Edith's mother told Mom as we walked them to their car.

"And thank you for coming. It was an honor having you."

"Next time, it would be my turn to host you at our place."

"Sure." Mom said.

"Goodbye then."

"Good bye." Mrs Sarah said.

"Bye Lela." Edith said like some nice person before getting into the car and they drove out of the compound.

"Edith's such a nice girl." Mom remarked before going into the house.

'If only you really knew her mom.'

****

"What? You're not serious." Huoma said. It was a Sunday and we were having our get together up in my room.

"Edith was here?" Judith asked. They both couldn't believe what I was saying.

"Why would I joke about such a matter."

"It's so surprising. You guys didn't fight?" Huoma asked.

"We just bantered words a bit." I answered.

"Wow." Judith exclaimed.

"Lemme guess, she told how her house was so much better, right?" This was Huoma.

"Yup. How did you know?" I asked.

"Girl, we knew her before you did." Judith answered.

"So, did you really make these paintings?" Huoma was in awe.

"Yup." I smiled, feeling so proud of myself.

"They are really beautiful o." Judith complimented.

"Thank you." I bowed.

Hi. So, here's another chapter like I promised. I hope you liked it.
Please vote and comment if you did...it means a lot.
Your own sweetheart,
Anna💓😘