HER

9. Fights and Friendships

Richard turned into the parking lot of the coffee place that Mark had texted him to meet at.
He got out of the car and walked inside. He walked up to the counter and ordered an iced coffee. He scanned the place while waiting for his order to be completed. He found Mark at the corner. Sighing he grabbed his drink from the counter, paid for it and headed towards Mark.

Mark had neglected to tell him that they weren't meeting alone. He could see Gideon the chairman of everything in the department, Vanessa, and two other people he recognised from some of his classes but didn't care to learn their names.

Richard wasn't keen on speaking with his course mates at the moment. He was tired, he'd driven up here immediately after dropping off Rahmat and Mark was lucky that the place was close to Richard's house other wise Richard wouldn't have even considered it.

He sat down into he booth, facing Vanessa and Gideon beside Mark.
"Hey" he said to them. Vanessa just stared at him. Gideon waved and he didn't notice what the other people did.
"Can I have that?" Richard said gesturing to the pack of cigarettes Mark was sporting. Mark pushed the pack to him and he took one out.
"Light" he mumbled

Mark clicked on the lighter and Richard waved the butt of the cigarette over the fire from the lighter that Mark held out for him. He blew out a puff of smoke as he sighed, finally calming down.

"You guys act like an old married couple sometimes" Vanessa stated

The two guys glanced at each other, "Ew" they said at the same time.

She chuckled, "This is Gideon, Ihotu" she said pointing to the only other girl in the booth. "and Feromi"

"Hey" he said blowing out another cloud of smoke.

"Do you mind?" the girl seethed, "some of us don't want to die of cancer"

Richard chuckled, like he'd never heard that line before. Even his mother said that occasionally. He blew out another puff of smoke.

"Aww... You don't like it?" he teased, "Get out"

"You are so rude!" she scoffed, "Why do we even need his help?" she turned to Vanessa

"Because he has the connections" Mark offered his answer

"What do you need?" Richard asked no one on particular.

"Departmental dinner" Gideon said, " We need an MC. A good one"

"Well, how much do you have?" he asks puffing out another cloud of smoke. The girl was shooting daggers at him. He didn't care.

"About fifty" Feromi said, "Maybe more if more people contribute.

He held the cigarette between his index and middle finger rubbing his temple with his thumb.
"I could talk to Ebiye or Emma or Oluwakaponeski
But you'll have to get more money" he finished

"Have you contributed?" Vanessa asked him

"How much?" he asked putting out his cigarette on the table.
"I may not even be attending said dinner" he said picking up his drink and putting drinking from it

"Two thousand naira" Feromi began

"But for you maybe five" Vanessa said, "Since you're you" she winked at him. He almost rolled his eyes. What was she trying to do?

He pulled out his wallet and counted out five one thousand naira notes. He placed it on the table and tucked his wallet back in his pocket. He rarely ever carried cash around. Vanessa was just lucky he'd decided to use the ATM just a few minutes before he left school to pick Rahmat up.