Adenike Ekon ✔

18.Grandpa's book

Nobody told her that shopping for a birthday could be exhausting.

Unfortunately, Joseph didn't get to tag along. Rokibat tried the best she could, but he declined.

Adenike was devastated. But she quickly masked up her worry, Joseph could do whatever he wanted.

Akaulisa on the other hand had been worried about his cousin, Jeremy, the birthday boy. He was anxious about the present he would pick up.

His mother wrote a list of things she wanted the group to buy.

Adenike wasn't involved during the preparation for Taiwo and Kehinde's birthdays, she had no idea how to shop for birthdays.

"My feet are killing me," Anwulika complained. She rested her hand on her head.

"We can stop and buy some snacks and drinks," Rokibat pointed to a kiosk, where a woman had benches to serve the customers.

Adenike sighed in contentment. At last, they were going to rest.

"That's a good idea," Akaulisa said. He was still nervous, Adenike observed.

While the girls went to buy some drinks and snacks, Adenike was left with Akaulisa.

"What got you all worked up?" she asked. He rubbed the back of his head.

"My mom is scary when things are not done accor-"

"You're anxious because you don't think you will be able to buy the things she desired." Adenike was right. That was what got him worried.

It was the first time she was going to the market without being forced. She had always thought going to the market was lame. She had everything she wanted at home, whatever she needed would be provided by her parents.

"Ade! Coke or Sprite," Rokibat shouted from where she stood all the way to the shop.

"Coke," Adenike replied.

"Thanks for understanding," Akaulisa said. Adenike shrugged her shoulders.

She did nothing, she was never thanked for comforting someone before, all the friendship stuff was so foreign.

Maybe it was the fact that Precious and she had never done something apart from sitting on her bed and discussing books, and everything and nothing at the same time.

Adenike may deny it, but she owed Precious an apology.

Balancing between reality and fiction was harder than she thought it would be. With fiction, everything was possible but in reality, you had to be responsible for your actions.

"We are back," Rokibat broke her train of thought. She handed Anwulika the nylon full of snacks.

"What did you get me?" Akaulisa asked.

"Fanta," Rokibat replied. He frowned his face.

"You asked Ade what she wanted but you get me whatever you saw," he pouted. "That's not fair."

Rokibat motioned to Ade, "Let's go and leave this baby."

The three girls worked ahead, while Akaulisa followed behind.

He was sulking all the way.

- - -

"You know friends could be objects too," she put her fingers on the glass of her window. Today, she wasn't able to go out and observe the stars like she used to.

Her mother had wanted her to bed rest.

"It doesn't matter what your friends are." She added. She gazed dreamily at the sky.