Alora

I had a general class and this time it was English students and law students taking the general course. We were all cramped in the same hall and like most expensive universites around the country,we weren't cramped asin a thousand students kind of cramp like in some government owned universities.

We all had our individual seats,the hall very spacious, fully air conditioned.

Ella was sitting two seats away from me and I could see how hard the boy at her side was trying to get on her good books, cracking jokes that Ella only smiled quietly at and it was amusing how Dele was easily one of the finest boys in his class was trying so hard to get her attention. Low key I was proud of my friend, I mean why not?

Some one coughed beside me and I looked at her.

The girl was round, like really fat and her over size yellow gown didn't do much to conceal it. She had brown skin,rather flat nose and then a scarf around her head,she reminded me of Penolope from Bridgeton only fatter this time.

"Hi I'm Fatima, I want to say I'm a big fan of yours and I love everything about you,your color and everything is amazing and I wish I could get your number" I noticed the iPhone 12 she was fiddling with, well it was a normal sight to see very expensive phones with students.

I gave her a once over.

"Have anyone told you, your name goes perfectly with your looks? "

She raised a brow.

"I mean Fatima and then you are fat. Honestly I don't have strength for this. Fuck off" I told her coldly and dismissively

I faced my phone but she was still standing there, didn't she hear me?

"I said you should fuck off!"

Tears formed in her eyes and then she ran off since I have managed to gain attention to myself.

Ella made her way out of her seat ,she stopped right in front of me and after giving me a hard cold look without as much as uttering a word, she stomped off probably to look for the girl.

What did I even do?

All Ella was good at was picking other people over me.

I didn't know when Ella returned to class but when I did see her, I saw her with Fatima seating at the very end of the class and I found myself getting very much angry at the stupid girl.

When classes ended I found myself heading to my car but seemed Ella was already waiting for me there.

Only Ella could make long skirts look very cool with the white packet shirt she tucked in. Her black sandals matching her looks. She had a frown marring her features.

"You know you didn't have to speak to that girl like that? I mean she's 19 just like you, what's the disrespect for? " Ella asked and I rolled my eyes and threw my bag into my car and then faced her.

"What if I didn't want to talk to her at that moment?Do you ever think about me before being judgemental?"

Ella chuckled bitterly. Thankfully it was just myself and her at this side of the parking lot.

"So you want to play the judgemental card right now?" She paused "Nothing justifies your actions! You body shamed her, are you crazy?! "

Ella actually raised her voice at me, her eyes blazing with so much emotions at the same time.

"Oh well go ahead and yell at me" I threw my hands in the air " Go on, miss perfect girl, I didn't even say anything wrong, isn't she fat?"

"And you think she doesn't know? Do you have to throw it to her face? Do you know the effects your words might have on her? Do you know the secret battles she's fighting, do you?"

I didn't respond. Just stared at her blankly and then she took a deep breath.

"You know what? I'm tired of talking to you about learning to speak nicely to people, it's clear you'll never learn"

She took two steps backwards and then turned around, leaving me there alone.

**

In life, just pray you don't fall into the hands of fake friends that will never have your back

I had posted a lot of fake friends quotes from Google and Pinterest but I couldn't tell if she had seen any of them on my WhatsApp status.

Crazy things are happening. It's really cold outside,loyal people are so few

I checked if Ella was online and she was,she was online, I really wished Chi Chi was online, I knew she'd support me.

Ever since I came home I was really worried,what if Ella never spoke to me? She seemed pretty much very mad at me and it was over something so trival.

I was still thinking of another fake friend quote when I saw typing under Ella's name, it stopped for a minute and my hope crashed and then the typing appeared again

Ella❤️
You know you are stupid and childish abi?

Oh wow.

Ella❤️
To say sorry is so difficult but finding quotes to justify your actions is easier 🤦

Me
Did you have to insult me?

Ella❤️
That's all you took from my message?

Me
Oya sorry since it's sorry that's the problem, I don't even know why you are taking it personal

Ella❤️
🤦🤦🤦🤦
I have to take it personal because I can't have my friend behaving badly. Honestly,you really need to change, I'll never stop telling you the truth.

Me
Yes mummy😏

At least she was talking to me again.

***
Francis

I was always happy when my shift ended and I had to go home instead of working at the mechanic shop or the supermarket I worked at thrice in a week.

It really was exhausting working at three places at the same time.

I worked three times a week at June's kitchen, Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 6 hours,there were three sections so you either worked 6am to 12pm or 12-6 or 6-12.

And then I had already learnt to fix cars so most times Oga Bashir gave me some cars I could fix for him and paid me and then the supermarket I worked for also wasn't exactly full time.

I would have worked more honestly, at the early stages of my mum's sickness, I had more than three jobs but then my health had suffered greatly.

"Francis I asked if you wanted to eat popcorn so I'll get some for you" Dera nudged me and I looked at the other side of the road to see the man behind the popcorn machine and the little crowd that was there.

"I think I'm good" I replied

"Okay, I'm going to buy some for myself, wait here"

I nodded  and Dera was quick to cross the busy road. Perhaps living around here made us immune to accident.

Myself and Chidera lived in G-K, probably one of the most populated streets in the state. The one laned road was covered with cars crawling and trying to beat the traffic,the honks of cars and motorcycles were deafning coupled with drivers that wouldn't stop yelling and calling each other names.

It didn't help that the road wasn't in it's best state and it was usually worst when it was an evening like this.

GK was popular for it's roadside food too,at every angle someone was selling something edible, behind me the waft of rice and stew filled my nostrils, peppered meat, grilled fish and chips and the sort.

This street looked like a painting where humans and vehicles were clustered and forced to fit in.

I tapped my foot repeatedly, hoping Dera returned sooner.

"I'm back!" She held out the transparent blue nylon to my face so I could see the popcorn.

I smiled.

"When are you seeing your mum?" She asked me when we walked at least five minutes without saying anything to each other basically because she was stuffing her face with popcorn.

"Tomorrow hopefully" We took a turn to the less busy part of GK. The weather was somewhat cold and I held my bag tighter. The sound of our shoes were barely audible against floor.

"It's not over till we see the light at the end of the tunnel" She whispered with so much faith,her lips lifting up to give a small smile.

"You know I've been thinking though, these days General manager always sends me out to be the host and in like 2 weeks now, I haven't been assigned to the kitchen" I complained.

Dera bursted into a throaty laugh as though she knew something I didn't.

"Why are you laughing?"I asked slowly trying to understand why she'd laugh that loud, she even stopped at a point to hold her knees in laughter.

"Talk na" I persuded.

"Are you really that clueless you human?" She stopped laughing and perhaps my serious face showed her I was indeed clueless and then the loopsided grin appeared on her face.

"So you don't know?"She asked as though for reconfirmation and I rolled my eyes. Of course I don't.

"Francis you are the reason why most girls in that bratty school come to our restaurant, I mean, General manager realized that you were some sort of eye candy for them and well,get ready to be a host till you resign"

Heat creeped up my face and then I rubbed my palm nervously around my neck.

"I mean the mammaoth crowd when you are on duty, the flirty stares and all? " Dera listed with a meme like face that screamed 'how can you be blind'

Okay, this wasn't good. It was just like a reoccurring cycle in my life. I wouldn't even say I was that attractive or something but these girls wouldn't let me. Every single place I work, it was always a different set of people I have to deal with, the only true place I could breath was the mechanic shop. Talking of my mechanic shop I remembered that human being and I smiled at how annoyed she looked.

"There's this girl though" I began to recount to Dera who was now done with the first leather of popcorn, she was untying the second one. We were both passing the front of the barbershop, the sailing breeze carried Play boy by Fire boy playing in the shop to our ears.

"She came two weeks back" I continued "Probably she saw me in the mechanic shop and assumed I was stalking her, when she saw me two days later. Girl straight up asked me if I was stalking her and I really tried to hold in the laughter bubbling in my throat, like guyy, I don't even have time for myself" I chuckled at the memory and how rude she sounded.

"All the girls that attend that University are really rude, proud and stuck up" Dera made a clicking sound with her mouth.

" I don't think so though"

"Of course, they all fawn over you so why would you see any flaw in them? " She threw her hands, eyed me and hastned her steps, I quickly covered the distance, we were already at her house, mine was another 15 minutes walk.

"Okayyy Dera chill" I called after her, she really was fast but I had managed to run fast and then stand in front of her. Her eyes were everywhere except on me. Standing so close to a tall girl, I realized how tall I was, Dera's head was stopping a little above my chest.

"Okay here's why I said that" I started calmly "Honestly using the word "All" is a fallacy and it's called hasty generalization. I mean we haven't even meet the whole girls in Prime Academy, they all can't be bad people and I don't want you missing out on knowing amazing girls there because you think they are all proud" I concluded, the moon was all out now and it was bathing both of us with it's crescent light.

"As if they'll bother being friends with me" She muttered under her breath.

"You are such a big baby" I chuckled and reached out to the corner of her lips to dust off the milk particles from the popcorn while she stood still watching me.

"Are you okay?" I asked when I discovered her facial expressions had morphed into what I couldn't read and it was strange since I was very good at reading her moods.

She closed her eyes for a second and opened them back, her brown eyes glowing in the dark.

"Hmm" She finally responded and walked to her wooden door. I was standing a little distance away. Dera's compound didn't have a gate and they shared the compound with at least 6 other tenants,each house having a mini staircase, the yellow paint already peeling off and a single light bulb dangled in front of Dera's house.

Dera knocked and after a few minutes,bolts gave way and the door swung open.

Her elder sister opened the door and when the older version of Dera saw me,she waved at me, her eyes glowing, her pearly white teeth contrasting with her bronze like skin, their only difference being that the older version had gained weight since the last time I saw her.

Dera waved me goodbye and was gone from my sight.

****