Flawless

The Friend.

Dedicated to my real and true friends. 😄

THE FRIEND.

"She's awake. "

My eyes fluttered open. This would be the second time I would wake up today. The first time I'd woken up, wires were connected to my body and there was a mask on my face but now, the mask was gone and just a drip was connected to my left arm.

" Mom, " I whispered.

Mom smiled, she looked better than the first time I saw her. " omo mi(my child). You'll be fine. "

I smiled back at her and nodded." what did the doctor say? "

" He said you'll be fine. You're a fighter, you know"

It wasn't Mom that replied. It was a young girl with very short hair, she looked like she has been waiting for centuries to see me.

I frowned. "who's she?" I asked Mom.

"She's Sonia. You both were very good friends before everything happened," Mom explained

Sonia smiled widely at me. "we're still friends. Mommy, won't you go to the meeting? I'll stay with this big head."

Mom laughed. "okay dear. I'm waiting for her dad, he wants to see her too."

My heart warmed. Dad was finally coming to see me. He has not paid me much attention since I got back.

Sonia came to sit by me, she held a book in her hands. "I'm going to read you a story -"

The door opened. The doctor, a man in his early thirties and my dad who was dressed in a gray suit walked in.

"Karleen, how are you feeling? " the doctor asked me as he got nearer.

" I'm fine. I don't hurt anymore. "

He nodded." that's good news. I won't want you to be addicted to the drugs. I'll send Nurse Titi to check your vitals. And please, she should not be stressed. "

The doctor left minutes later after checking my heart beat.

" Karleen, how are you? " Dad asked with disinterest. Sonia got up from beside me so he could come near to me but he just stayed glue to where he was.

" normal, " I snapped and mentally rolled my eyes. If he doesn't care, then I also don't care.

He sighed and faced Mom."I've seen her now, are you satisfied?" he glanced at his watch and continued, not giving Mom the chance to answer. " let's leave now. The press conference is in thirty minutes."

Mom clapped her hands and stood up, tieing her already tight wrapper again. "Ade just listen to yourself, why exactly are you this way. She's our daughter! Don't you care at all? Haa"

Dad shifted his weight to his left leg. "You expect me to waste time here? Stella, the scandal of Karleen being a mur- of whatever is more than enough. If you're not going just tell me."

"Ade, I can't believe you're doing this. Is it..."

Dad interrupted her. "Woman, I'm leaving. Meet me in the car."

Before he left, he took a long look at me. I wanted to look away but he shook his head, forcing me to let my eyes wander in his coal black eyes.

For a fleeting second, I saw what he wanted me to see. A feeling I couldn't decipher at first but as soon as he removed the anger and unconcerned look he masked his face with, I saw it.

Concern, pity and guilt.

"Hey, they're gone. What are you staring at?" Sonia asked, softly tapping me.

I closed my eyes. What was happening? "Sonia, do you uhm know my family well?" I asked.

"Yes. Look if it's about your dad , I'm sure he's just too worried about you" her voice sounded unconvincing.
"Was I close to Dad? " I asked further, I scrunched up my face in pain as I felt the liquid flow through my veins.

Sonia noticed my left hand." you need to position your hand well because of the drip, " she placed my hand on the bed and massaged it softly as she continued." you were very close with your dad. He loved you more than everyone else. "

This made no sense to me." then why is he acting this way? I don't get. "

" you should not stress yourself. It's probably because of the upcoming elections. You know Jumoke was the only child of the Minister of justice. He's worried all these might affect his political career," she explained.

She doesn't understand. She didn't see what I saw, that's why she's talking this way. Something was up with Dad. He wanted everyone to think he doesn't care about me, why?

"Baby girl, Joshua told me he got you a phone. He was feeling all cool about it, " she's giggled. " It was my idea! Don't mind him. "

" Why are you acting like I'm the same Karleen? Why don't you hate me for killing her? " my question quietened her.

She thought for a while. " I know things are not the same. And I cried for days, not sure if I wanted to see you again. Thanks to Joshua, he talked me out of my stupid thoughts."

I nodded, she was being sincere. " but Joshua is just a driver. "

She smiled sadly." no. Not just a driver, he was the big brother we never had. You, Jumoke and I... It's so sad how we took him as our fourth friend. "

That's why he knows everything about me. Okay. I nodded and she smiled.

" we are in this together...trust me,"she winked at me. "let's not talk about sad things jor. Tell me how it feels like to be in this situation," she brought out a big book and a blue inked pen.

I frowned and stared at her. "what's the book for? This isn't a story."

"it's my diary. We all have diaries. You should go and read yours."

"it's of no use. I don't even know where it would be," I turned to face the sunlight and it harshly kissed my face.

The nurse came in some minutes later holding a tray. After greeting Sonia and I, she checked my vital signs and temperature.

"you're surprisingly okay. But you'll have to take another drip after this. Are you still weak? "

I shook my head." No. "

She nodded." okay. Just make sure to rest and place your hands well because of the drip. I'll be back when it's time for your afternoon dose. "

The nurse closed the door behind her and Sonia resumed her talk.

" well I don't know where your diary is because you never allowed us to see it. "

Oh will she just shut up? I was getting tired.

I was almost sleeping when Sonia jumped beside me, I was about to shout at her when she spoke.

" I have an idea to make you happy once you're out of this boring place. Your Dia - "

" ohhh please Sonia, can we talk about something else? " I asked, absolutely tired.

I still had many things to think about. I need to start my own investigation once I'm out of here. Everything was not falling in place, I needed to fix my clues toge-

" listen to her. "

For the love of memories, I obeyed F's voice." okay, what it with the diary? "

The bright look on her face returned." like that's where you always kept detailed information about your adventures an... "

My brain couldn't comprehend anything else. My diary held information about my adventures... My last adventure had brought this upon me.

This meant one thing, my diary held answers to all of my questions.
I needed to find it.

A. N:
Thank you all for reading, voting and commenting. It will always mean a lot to me. I'll like to know what you think about this chapter, your suggestions or corrections. But please be polite about it.
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Like before, my star is still here to brighten this world.
Much love,
LHONESATRRH 😘