Paint Me (GXG) ✒️

31

"What do you mean you are stepping out? I meela ọrụ gị niile (Have you done your chores)?" my sister asked as I picked up my tote bag and was about to leave the house to meet Fareedah.

Ever since I had returned home for my break, it had been one chore to the other. It genuinely felt like they had been waiting for me to return home, and then they wondered why I did not come home during our short break. It had been the same for Inoma also, barely any breathing space and time to meet. But we were texting often and calling, and sometimes when we meet each other on an errand, we use it to catch up and talk for lengthy minutes. She was going strong with Christopher, and that was something that made me happy. Infact, he was almost all she spoke about, and she was almost all he spoke about. They were annoying, but in a way I was willing to accept.

I frowned as I hung my bag on my shoulder, determined to leave. I hadn't left the house for any reason during the break, and I was tired of being constantly stopped from going anywhere. Knowing my parents were going to be out, I took it as an excuse to quickly step out. Fareedah and I had made plans to meet on that particular day, and I didn't want to spoil the plans. "I am stepping out to meet a friend," I replied her.

"But Inoma lives next door," she replied with a frown. "Biko drop that bag, go and do whatever visitation you want to do and come back home when you are ready. Dinner isn't going to make itself."

I had to stop myself from grumbling, because she hated it. But wasn't she tired of having annoying me around? "o gini (what is it?), aren't you tired of seeing my face? Ehn? Biko I am only going to be out for a while, I will be back soon," I said, "besides, I have friends other than Inoma."

To my surprise, she broke into an exaggerated laugh as she said, "You? Other friends? Biko biko, don't kill me with laugh. But thank God for you oh, just make sure you return in one piece and don't get pregnant out of marriage."

"It isn't a man I am going to see," I mumbled, resisting the urge to laugh at her telling me not to get pregnant.

"You think I am stupid isn't it, that I won't know you have a boyfriend now ọ bụghị ya (isn't it)? Even with all those late night calls and smiling when you're texting ehn?"

I didn't reply her as I waved bye.

"Make sure you return in one piece oh," she said again as I walked out of the house.

Inoma was throwing their trash into the compound trash bin when I got out. "Where to?" she asked, not looking at me as she paid attention to what she was doing.

"And what is your concern?" I asked with a mocking smile, looking away from her.

She raised her head slowly, coming to stand right before my face as she studied me for a second, before her lips spread into a knowing smile. "Don't do what I will not do." she laughed as she walked away, waving at me.

I smiled at her, adjusting my bag on my shoulder and walking to the top of our street where I would find keke (tricycle). Fareedah had offered to come pick me up, but I kicked against it. I didn't want her presence drawing attention, because when it came to minding other people's business, my neighbourhood was in fact the consecutive winning champion.

It was the third of November that year, and the time I was going to return to school was drawing nearer and nearer. School was resuming on the thirteenth, and I couldn't wait. It did in fact seem like a silly reason that I was going to see Fareedah that close to school resumption, but she really wanted us to see that day and I couldn't tell her no. We hadn't seen for about three to four weeks, the visit was needed.

It wasn't long before I arrived at Fareedah's place, she had a visitor in her sitting room. The air was so tense, I felt like I wasn't supposed to be there, so I tried to leave. "Oh no please, come in," the visitor said as she got up, walking towards me, directing me to sit beside Fareedah. "It is nice to see someone other than assisting staffs or myself around her," she said with a gentle smile as she sat down; a dark, tall, and buff man adjusted his posture behind her. I assumed him her bodyguard, but what bothered me was her identity.