Gone Bad (Nigerian Novel) -Editing

Chapter 14: Are We Cool Now?

I wake up to the sound of shouting and huddle deeper into my blanket in hopes that I'd be able to stay in bed five minutes longer.

But it's Sunday and my mother is determined to make me go to the building where I doubted I belong.

And I didn't even have a crimson track record or anything.

To my surprise, the evil villain in my epic sleep saga is not my birth giver but the one person who kept me sane in this family.

"Funmi!" I yell leap from my bed to tackle her with a hug.

Of course, I forget to set my duvet aside and end up a mess of limbs and cotton on the cold floor.

"Your sister is around o!" Mummy says from downstairs and I'm forced to return from my 30-second fainting on the ground.

I groan and crawl to her foot on all fours instead.

"I missed you so much, take me with you next time," I say to her, my arms securely wrapped around her leg.

"Happy Sunday to you too sister," Funmi says as she peers down at me pointedly.

I take it as my sign to release her from my grip and stand once again like a normal human.

I can see her better and notice how much clearer her skin had gotten.

Not to mention she had blue highlights in her straight tresses that mum had no doubt complained about.

A sparkle to her left ear indicated she had gotten that piercing she said she would.

And her clothes screamed e girl with skin-tight black shorts, grey turtleneck with a black crop top over it, and an alarming amount of silver jewelry.

I blink again because surely I hadn't seen right. But when I opened my eyes I saw fishnet stockings, platform boots, and a smug smile.

"Surprise surprise," she says and I laugh.

"How did you enter this house, wait no how did you get to the terminal without her shipping you back?" I ask marveling at the girl.

A lot had changed in the year I hadn't seen her.

"You talk like I'm not 22," she says and I shake my head at her.

"I salute you, as for me your mother will have my head," I say to her crossing my arms over my chest.

She strolls in and runs her fingers over the things on my dresser -figurines, perfumes, picture frames.

After a moment she spoke again. "Forget she flipped. Almost slapped me in Murtala Mohammed Airport even but backed down when she realized I was beyond her control."

I nod as I swing open the double fours of my wardrobe and rummage the messy pile for something to wear.

"Are you happy with your newfound independence?" I asked turning back to her with a baby pink midi dress.

She gives me a 'meh' hand gesture and I look back at the dress.

I did not have many options or much time, it would have to do this Sunday.

"It's fun to live a little recklessly," she says with a small smile.

I nod in understanding. "Tell me about it. I've begun to take matters into my own hands."

Her eyes sparkle with curiosity and immediately I fill her in on all the details.

By the time we're done I'm fixing the last of my tendrils under a pink scarf and she's howling with laughter.