Girls Who Dreamt of Castles

Chapter Twenty-six

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."
           - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Adira had laid on the floor for hours, she still was.

She rested her head on two pillows, her long legs straddled on the bed and a stool. A book was placed on her face. It made rustling sounds whenever she blinked.

The electricity had not yet been turned on, so it had everyone in the house feeling hot and melancholy.

Ndidi and Brenda were on their phones as they laid comfortably on the bed. Anna was absent.

Ndidi stared down at Adira and sighed. "Are you going to lie there forever?" she asked and as usual, her voice sounded chipper.

Adira smiled and batted her lashes. It made the rustling sound again.

"It's so boring," Ndidi commented, pandiculating.

Then, she grimaced a little as if one of her muscles had gotten a cramp. She stroked her jaw and neck slowly. "Oh, my neck is paining me. God, or hurts so much," she whined.

Adira took her book from her face and gave her friend a worried look. "What happened?" she paused. Knowing her friend's capability, she smiled. "What did you do again?"

"I think it's because I gave a guy a blowjob yesterday," she answered with all amount of unfeigned seriousness.

Adira raised her eyebrow and went back to her previous position. She inhaled the scent of the book and smiled. It was like drugs to her.

"Well, the job that comes after the blow is not for decoration," Brenda chuckled.

"I Swear. It requires a lot of work."

Then, everyone laughed, except for Adira.

The whole room fell quiet again and then just with the rumbling of a truck over the rough road, the electricity came on.

The fan began to rotate lazily.

"Nepa!" they all shouted with glee.

Adira raised her head with a groan, though the feeling of everything being alive made her feel very much awake. She stumbled up, closed the windows and the curtains and fell on the bed with her friends. She sat up silently touching Brenda on the shoulder, then she kissed her absently.

"Where is your aux cord?" Brenda asked with a smile and she typed on her phone.

"You can use the Bluetooth in the DVD, it's easier," she paused, her hand still on her shoulder. "I don't know where I left the cord."

"Alright, get me the remote."

"Get it yourself," Adira said.

"Okay," Brenda said without malice as she scrambled up on the bed which creaked as she got down. It was when she had left that Adira realized where her hand had been.

Brenda connected the phone with the DVD and got back on the bed.

"Are you ready for some old school music?" Brenda asked. She was smiling like it was of the utmost importance to show her friends her playlist. "It's only old school I have right now," she added like an afterthought.

"I'm aware," Adira nodded (she pronounced the ware as way). She was sitting on the bed, still reading.   

As Brenda played the songs on the DVD, she watched her friends with wide eyes. They both nodded apathetically to all the songs they heard.

After a while: "So, you're not enjoying the songs?" she asked, nettled.

"We are. Isn't it obvious?" Ndidi said cheerfully and Brenda didn't know if it were a true comment or just pure mockery.

"Let me remove my thing," she said peevishly.

Since no one is listening to it, she thought.

"Since no one is listening to it," she said out loud.

"But we are listening. Are we not human beings?" Adira said imperturbably.

"No, you're not."

Ndidi gasped. "We're not humans. Adira, did you hear that? We're - we're aliens."

Adira hissed at her. She wasn't in the mood.

"You girls are hearing the songs not listening, there's a big difference."

"But we've heard it before. Why should we listen to it again and again? It's boring," Adira cried with force.

"No, that's not how it goes. You have to listen to it again and again. Learn it, then relearn it. Music can never be boring."

Adira saw the seriousness in her eyes.

"I feel insulted when I show you guys my songs and you don't even listen to them. Do you know how annoying it is? Are you aware of that?" asked Brenda, exasperated.

"I am aware," Adira said, her eyes the mirror of her friend's feelings.

"But we have listened to it before," Ndidi protested.

"That's why it's called old school," Adira said, happy to reinforce her friend's speech. Then she threw her book at Ndidi.

Ndidi was too late to duck. The book landed on her face, smacking it then resting on the floor innocently.  "I'm sorry," she said shortly after, laughing.

"Bring my book for me," Adira commanded.

"Get it yourself." Ndidi mimicked.

"Abasi mi!" Adira exclaimed. "In my own house?"

"You think I came here to work? Stop being interesting."

"Shut up," she got up, matching Ndidi in the process. She received a slap in return.

Adira turned so she could face her. She chuckled and slapped her on the back. Ndidi slapped back. This went on and on as Brenda watched with an extremely bored expression. She turned her head and watched the TV.

Suddenly, Jet Plane by Sonia Spence came on.

Adira stopped her play, her dreamy eyes filled with so many emotions. Ndidi, on the other hand, continued to slap her, obviously, she wasn't gratified with the attention she just had.

"This is my father's favourite song, Brenda," she slapped Ndidi's hand off. "This is my father's favourite song!" she shouted.

"How and where did you get it?" she asked, hugging Brenda tightly.

"Long story," Brenda said smugly, giving into the embrace.

"Please, send it to me," she pleaded.

"You'd have to pay me."

"Anything, name your price."

"Write me an apology letter for all the times you have insulted my music taste."

"Granted."

Brenda turned to Ndidi. "You too Ndidi."

Ndidi stared at her, nonplussed. "Did I ask you for any song?"

"Don't mind her, she's jealous." Adira hissed. "I'll do what you asked, eh. It's us against the world."

"Take your love someplace else," Ndidi scold playfully. "You guys are disgusting."

"Eh, we'll take it to New York one day. But for now, this is where our love lies," Adira hugged Brenda and then she kissed her on the cheek.

They all laughed. Then the electricity went off.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

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