Facade (Romola 1)

11: Drugs

"Doubt everything. Find your own light. "
--Buddha

"Huh?" Olumide watched Romola's brow curve upwards. He also hadn't believed it when Dami told him that Yetunde was suspected of taking drugs.

"Romola, I know it sounds hard to believe but it seems like Yetunde is addicted," Olumide said. The waiter arrived with two glasses of clear water and set it before them.

"No." Romola shook her head. "She takes alcohol. But drugs? Never. Yetunde would never do that."

"Her dad had her tested on Saturday. She was high on some kind of drug-" Olumide scrunched his face, trying to remember the name of the drug. "Ecstasy."

"Yetunde wouldn't take drugs. She's not stupid!" Romola defended her friend. He loved that Romola wasn't taking his words at face value but he hated that he would have to ask her to do what needed to be done to prove his words. He wished there were some other way.

"It's not the first time. Dami found out first."

"Her brother?" Romola's brow rose again in a skeptical look. "What does he know?"

"A lot of people think Dami is carefree and irresponsible but he's actually very observant."

"You would say that. You're his bestfriend." Romola folded her arms across her chest and shot him a stern look.

"Bestfriend or not. He found out and he cares about Yetunde like I do... Like I'm sure you do too." He waited for her reply but she kept her angry look focused on his face. He hated that he seemed like the bad guy when all he wanted to do was help. "We're not entirely sure about the level of her addiction."

"Shouldn't you be asking Yetunde that?"

"You think she'd just own up? Believe me, Dami and her parents have tried. I was there during the last test and, despite what the doctor said, she denied every knowledge of the drug."

"Have you ever thought that maybe -just maybe- someone slipped it in her drink while she was at the club. That happens a lot you know." She blessed him with a condescending look. He knew that he had crossed the line or perhaps Romola was also taking drugs and she was trying to cover up for Yetunde? She didn't seem like that kind of girl.

"And she or you would notice? Get real Romola," he tried to keep the anger out of his voice. He knew how drugs could destroy people. It didn't just wreck their body system and their minds, it destroyed their family too.  He'd experienced the havoc of drugs on a personal level. It wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat. It wasn't a route he wanted for either Yetunde or Romola. He wouldn't even wish it on his enemy.

"I...I don't know. I wasn't always by her side. I was dancing but I know she wouldn't take drugs. She would never," Romola protested.

"And what assurance do you have?" he asked.  He hated that he had to rile up Romola like this but it was necessary for Yetunde's sake.

"She's my best friend and I know her!" Romola stated. 

"You do know she could have taken the drugs while you were dancing right? Maybe you don't know Yetunde as much as you think. She has this wild sense of fun -of experimenting- of trying to do new things.  She could be taking drugs right now as we speak."

"I know my best friend and I trust her like you trust Dami. We live in the same flat. I would've noticed if she was taking drugs!" Romola raised her voice,  her eyes blazing. Romola's countinous insistence of her friend's innocence was solid. So solid that it would have swayed him if he didn't have evidence. 

"The first time Dami caught her by accident. She was about to have lunch at home and she was behaving strangely. He thought it was just Yetunde being Yetunde until he ate some of her food and found himself on another level.  He couldn't believe it so he had his blood tested. It was ecstasy-"

"I don't believe it," Romola cut in. 

Olunide leaned forward and held her gaze with a stern look. "Do you take drugs?"

"What? No!" Her face burned with pure anger and the lines marking her face blurred as she shook her head.  "I would never."

"And why should I believe you?"

"I just told you. I would never. I value my life."

"I should believe you because you said so and you know yourself right?"

She hesitated. "Yes... "

"But you can't believe what I say about Yetunde even though I've known her for much longer than you have."

"You've been out of the country for very long and I've lived with her for six months.  Yetunde is a sweet jovial and caring girl. She has no reason to do drugs."

Olumide leaned back into his seat and smiled at her.  "I had a feeling you wouldn't believe me so I want you to find out yourself."

"And how do you propose I do that, Mr. Makinde?" Why had she called his surname like the tip of her tongue was an iceberg and his name was frost? Was she that mad at him?

"Simple. Watch Yetunde closely."

"We share the same bathroom, how much closer can I get?"

"I'm asking you to go incognito."

Romola's eyes widened in the silence that allowed his words sink in. She sat back in the chair as her eyes dropped to the table.  "You want me to spy on Yetunde?"

"In plain words, yes."