Naya and Vince

15

Since it was Friday and we closed early, I decided to go home and rest first before going over to Richard's. I collapsed on my bed and thought about the day.

The fact that I would never go back to madam hips' made me glad. I was tired of putting up with drunk idiots. Even if I had grown up with a pathetic guardian, I have never fancied sleeping with everything in trousers or sleeping for money – that was the worst. I didn't want it to be like mother like daughter. I had only friends with benefits and to be honest I was proud of ME.

I knew tutoring Vincent was a whole problem on its own. It was overly possibly that we wouldn't even survive the first session but I hoped we would. I was in dire need of the job. Thinking about the whole tutor thing eventually drove me to thinking about Vincent.

What was his problem with his father? Why was he so against using his home? Even Stephen agreed that it was a bad idea. Maybe it was some family problem, I concluded.

Why was I even thinking about him?

I had my own life to worry about. But then my mind shifted to Stephen. Was he gay? If he was, that would be a big BUMMER. Why do I even care? I scolded myself. I don't know how Chijioke found his way into my mind but I hoped he wasn't a playboy or a heart breaker because that would so ruin the little friendship we had.

I thought about the girls. I finally made friends with decent girls. Not the ones here talked about their latest flings but the ones who would always ask after my welfare –nice but sometimes annoying.

Even the decent boys.

Not the ones who only talk to you because they want the honeypot but the ones who would always make me laugh and forget my sorrows. I smiled.

I groaned.

Why was I thinking about them? And smiling like a crazed woman.

It's not like they really mattered in anyway. Deep down it felt like they did. I knew they did. But then I needed rest and that's what I would get. I forced sleep to come and eventually it took over.

I woke up about an hour later. Dinma was not back from wherever she went to. She was hardly around and I wondered where she always was, not like I cared anyways. I sprang up from the bed and rushed to the bathroom for a quick bath. I glanced at the clock as I dressed up.

4:16

I quickly made noodles before leaving.

*

As I entered Richard's street, I jammed one of my buddies, Demola. He was a friend of Bolaji and we became benefit friends after a certain shit went down. Though now we weren't benefit friends anymore. He was after a girl, Folashade, whom he claimed he was going to get married to when he made money. I was proud of him.

"Babe longest time," he hugged me.

"Senior Demola," I teased. Of course that wasn't how I addressed him. "How far?"

"Just been there. Naya baby guess what?" He said smiling widely

"I no get strength," I complained.

"Werey, I've gotten admission las las o." He danced obviously overjoyed.

"Oh my God," I jumped hugging him again. I was so happy for him. It was his third year at home and of course he was getting depressed and frustrated. He had even resulted to coming over to madam hips' to get drunk when he didn't find his name on the admission list his choice University released. When I saw him that day I was surprised. He wasn't with friends but on his table sat the biggest bottle of dry gin.