PAINTED BLACK.

Chapter Three.

"Dami, I really hope you'd be returning to school soon. You've been away for three whole days now! How're you feeling?" Christy asked.
"Never mind, Christy. My medication ends tonight. And as I feel so much better, mom said I can return tomorrow." Dami assured her best friend. They both were in her room, with Christy trying to do her homework.
"Thank God!" Christy grinned. "Anyway,  I'm not speaking to Remi!" She snapped. Dami looked up in surprise.
"Why not?"
"Cos he's a yellow sissy coward, that's why!!" And she went on to narrate the whole story.
"Yikes!" Dami exclaimed when she was done.
"Yea...yikes! He made me lie, made me steal, put me in danger, deserted me! And...worst of all, I had to sit patiently while Mr. Peter told me that horrible story about his stupid pet rabbit! Do you know what those minutes were like??"
Dami could not help it. She laughed out loud.
"I'm so sorry, Christy, but I just can't believe Mr. Peter's silly story. But, honestly, Remi... how could he have done that? He broke the 5th best friend code. 'Never be guilty of desertion'." She said, dramatically.
As they talked on, they heard Remi greet Dami's mom downstairs. They exchanged looks.
"I'm not saying a word to him!" Christy spat. He was soon at the door. He pushed it open.
"Hi Dami. Hi Christy." He greeted.
Christy did not look up, and Dami said;
"If it isn't you, the deserter! How can you even show your face in here after what you did? You broke a code! Number 5 on the list, Never be guilty of desertion.  You shouldn't be here. You ought to go hide your head in shame!"
"I said I was sorry many, many times. I just couldn't stand the risk of being caught. My mom would have killed me. Christy, I'm sorry." He pleaded. Christy ignored him and Dami went on.
"Being sorry is not enough to make her forget what you've done. What if she had gotten into trouble? We're best friends! We're supposed to be there for each other!"
Remi turned to Christy again."I'm sorry, okay?" She glared at him. "I'm really really sorry, but I was scared...of being caught. I didn't mean to leave you there!" Dami broke in.
"Er, sorry, but may I correct you. You should say you didn't mean to desert her there, not leave her. "Leave" makes what you did seem...milder."
Remi almost rolled his eyes. "I'm really sorry. I didn't plan to leave...desert you like that. But I was scared."
Christy did roll her eyes. "Okay, fiinnee, I forgive you." She laughed.
"Thank you!"
"Cool." Dami said, and got up. "I'm heading downstairs for a snack. My work is done here."
"I want a snack too." Christy said, getting up too. Remi jumped on the bed instead and asked them to bring him something.
"Magic word!" Dami reminded him.
"Please." He called after them.

         
They had been best friends since Primary school. Christy and Damilola bonded first when they were made seat partners in Primary 2, and then Remi got in the group after he punched a mean bully for threatening Dami with dead lizards in Primary 3...they became C-D-R. The trio were all now 12 years old in senior secondary school one and there could not have been prettier friends anywhere else.