Sing Of A Tree In The Wild

The Aftermath

Dedicated to TheMarcoToni

Elfrida

24th of April

Matthew is returning to the U.K tomorrow.

After a fun-filled, eventful, memorable and unforgettable month with my wonderful cousin, the time has come for us to say our goodbyes. It was always going to come. There's no doubt; even after the plane lifts off from the gangway, the tears in my eyes will keep trickling down in torrents.

I wish I could just go with him! Forever, if possible!

Unfortunately, I have a 'life' here in Nigeria which comprises of my wonderful immediate family and my few school acquaintances. A life that seemed to be making meaning until recently...

The past three weeks have been really weird, to say the least. Remember how my April Fools' prank failed woefully? It had a very distasteful aftermath. I just can't bring myself to call or visit Dennis as I normally do. Funny enough, I've been communicating with the rest of the friends he introduced me to: Naj, Dunni, Isaac and Ehis. I didn't even send Dennis a Happy Easter message. He visited twice after that; I kept on saying a few words, coupled with me avoiding closeness and eye contact.

The embarrassment of April 1st has weighed me down greatly.

Maybe it's more than that.

At the rate I'm going, I fear my friendship will Dennis will just collapse. Truth be told, a minuscule part of me doesn't mind losing the friendship. It keeps telling me that I was much better before I met him-more like before he met me. It keeps telling me that the pre-collision Elfrida is better off than this me, the post-collision one.

Deep down, I know I was on the brink of collapse.

I was losing myself.

I was phasing out of existence.

Whenever I say this to that minuscule part of me, it replies by reminding me of how unreceptive, cold, rude and childish Dennis acted that very day.

There is only one logical explanation I can think of for his behaviour on April 1: Dennis felt that, after we got so close within three months as neighbours, schoolmates and friends, he was entitled to know all about my personal life, including the 'relationship' he erroneously believes...believed to be true. If I had a very close friend of mine that was male and I found out he was dating some girl he didn't tell me of, I wouldn't feel so hurt and betrayed.

But Dennis freaked out.

He felt more than just betrayed.

For a scenario that wasn't...isn't even true, I can authoritatively say that Dennis has a secret of his own.

I am going to find out that secret.

That, however, may have to come at the expense of my deep, locked up secrets.

I am finally going to show Dennis the real me.

There's no doubt, his reaction will determine whether or not we'll still be friends in the long run. But before I play the revelation card, something needs to be done...

Dennis

"Things couldn't have gotten so bad, Ehis."

When did I, Dennis Ikechukwu Asiegbu, start giving relationship advice over the phone?

This fateful night, apparently. Ehis' blissful, picture-perfect relationship with the beautiful Hadiza happens to be on the rocks. Challenges were always bound to come, really. Ehis has been drawing up conspiracy theories as to why Hadiza isn't replying his numerous messages or picking his incessant calls.