Sing Of A Tree In The Wild

Purgatory

Dennis

Furious 7 is the BOMB.

I really, really need to watch it again. And again. And again. And.....maybe that's too much already.

Back to reality. It's past five and Najite's car has just pulled up in front of my house. A very fulfilling day has come to a satisfying end. I have to return to my regular life with my necessary evils: my annoying sister, my overbearing mother and my...well, I don't know the word that fits my father's description.

"Dennis, we're here! Thanks a whole bunch for making my birthday an amazing one!" It's Najite. She sounds pretty fatigued.

"You're always welcome. It was a roller-coaster ride." I say as I bid Isaac, Ehis and Adunni their respective goodbyes. And I'm out. I haven't even touched the gate to swing it open and Najite just called out again.

"You owe me something, you know."

I turn back to her and smile. "Do you want it digital?" There's no way I'm spending a dime on a Taylor Swift album. I'd rather pay twice the album's cost to attend a Vic O concert. That Calabar artiste is a legend.

Najite sets her arms on the wound-down side window. "I would prefer an actual CD."

"Shipping it from the U.S to Nigeria would take a couple of weeks, so..."

"I've forgiven you, Dennis. I know you can't do it. Stop deceiving yourself." She pauses and flashes a quick smile before waving. I wave back and turn back to my unavoidable reality. It doesn't take me long before I walk through the front door.

"Looks like somebody had a good day," Amarachi says as she walks up to me, her arms folded.

"

Yes. I did. I had a good time with my cronies. We even watched a.."

Everyone now has the knack for cutting me off. Can't I land again in this life?

"Fifty Shades of Grey?" She asks with a glint in her eyes.

"We both know that movie was banned two months ago."

"If it wasn't banned, would you have watched it?"

Of the many things I am, a pervert is not one of them."Yes. Because I'll pay one thousand, five hundred Naira to watch 3D pornography. Nonsense."

"I hear you, my holy brother. What movie then?"

"Furious 7."

Amarachi just got into a fit. I like it when she gets angry. Her visage is just bliss.

"Oh my God! I want to see that movie. I watched the trailer for the first time today and it was awesome...Vin Diesel is so hot!!" Right now, she is jumping around with glee and waving her palms as though she were fanning herself. Apparently, that fit has caught the attention of my mother, who just walked in; her hands akimbo.

I'm in for a serious interrogation.

"Dennis. Nwam Nwoke.Where went you?"

Where went you? Seriously, woman?

Normally, I'd lie to her. Sadly, Amarachi already knows. Things get messy whenever she snitches on me.

"One of my friends celebrated her birthday today. We and three others went to ICM."

Here comes her disdainful look. "A girl. Interesting. I'm sure it's Elfrida, your one and only girlfriend."

Jesus.

"Elfrida isn't my girlfriend."

"Really? You actually want to deny all that I've seen with my eyes for the past two months? The visits? The hugs? Don't forget the day you ran into the bathroom during dinner when your phone was ringing, just to talk to her."