Life Of A Naija Girl

9

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REVISED & EDITED:
20th of September, 2019.
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N O A H

Ogeh and Dara are ALWAYS right! Sometimes it's annoying because I also want to get something right in my life but they're always ahead of me.

It's almost as if they know me better than I know myself. But I really can't blame them. Even though we are the same age, they seem to have their lives figured out already, they know what they want and what they're doing.

I, on the other hand, finds myself struggling. With school, everything is okay.

With family though, things are a bit off. My parents have been having disagreements and fights very often and they think it doesn't affect me. They think I don't even know what's causing these arguments.

After I was born, my mom had some issues with getting pregnant again. As of such, she surgically got her womb removed. It was a depressing phase in her life, not being able to bear another child. My dad has always been supportive, showing his undying love and affection towards her. He's been with her through thick and thin.

That's why I've taken everything seriously with hardwork and determination. I don't want to let them down, I want them to be proud of me and have little to worry about.

But these days, I don't think my plans are working out anymore.

My parents are slowly beginning to drift apart from each other. There are regular fights but not to the extent of physical touch. Dad would never do that to Mum, neither would she.

I love both my parents so much and I hope they can work out what ever is going on between them, at least for my sake.

I'm really lucky to have Ogeh and Dara cause when I can't bear to handle the situation, I run to them and they're always there as my refuge. When I'm with them, I'm in a different world. My worries are gone.

Our friendship is so unique, even though people often see it as something else. They believe I'm a flirt or "woman wrapper" because I'm best friends with girls and not boys.

Society really has a huge misconception of girls and boys being friends, I wonder why.

This issue got so serious that when Dara and I were in Year 9 and Ogeh was in Year 10 we were invited to the Principal's office to explain the "relationship" amongst us.

Some nosy students also known as "snitches" had gone to report us to the management that we were dating. All three of us. Mtchew.

The Principal asked for an explanation and we gave him our side of the story; we were just friends, best friends!

Unfortunately, it wasn't convincing enough, because he said he had never seen boys and girls this close and have nothing to do with each other.

Our parents were invited and luckily for us, they understood our situation. Our parents knew we've been friends since primary school. Although it was hard for the principal to believe, our parents were very convincing and reassuring that he had no choice than to accept us as just friends!

It was a really funny day, cause he literally attacked me saying: "Only you will be playing with two girls. You are doing two at once, nonsense!"

That made Dara literally burst out into laughter because it was so stupid to her and made no sense. He told her to go on her knees and even told her that she's messing with her future and could get pregnant. Guy, what?

I really hope a time comes in Nigeria where it won't be seen as a taboo to be friends with the opposite sex, I really do.

But I'm not going to not admit to have never liked one of my friends. Yes, I liked Darasimi at one point in my life. A time were having a crush on someone was so underrated.

I was like eleven or twelve when I liked her and told her. I wasn't shy or nervous, she was my friend and it felt easy for me. It was how I found out she liked me too, or in her words, "I like you just a little bit sha."

That piped down after while when she told me she didn't want anything more than our friendship, and I completely agreed with it. As usual.

In this day and age, especially in our society, relationships at young ages don't really last that long.

Probably like 10% survive all the way to marriage, then another 10% meet again when they're older and reunite, then maybe 10% again are always on and off, you get? But the 70%, just waste their time, piling and bottling up fantasies in their head, like getting married, having children, attending the same schools all their lives and all that.

Whatever it was, I wasn't ready to take that risk and neither was Darasimi. Being her best friend was something that we would have to death.

It hurt to have her so close and still not have her. But what can I do? Nothing. I just want her to be happy.

Now when I look at her, I see how much she has grown over the years. She's even more beautiful than before. A risk taker and determiner, soft but outspoken, funny and understanding, responsible and bold. It's even hard to resist not liking her, she's amazing.

The situation with Sarah was as a result of me finding myself liking Dara again. Okay, the feelings still lingered but grew even more when we hung out often during Christmas break.

I didn't want her in my head anymore. I decided to convey those feelings towards someone else and Sarah was my option.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Sarah but not as much as I like Dara to be honest. I thought if I make myself preoccupied with liking someone else than I'd probably get over Dara.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Just like Darasimi, Sarah wants to be friends and I'm fine with that. I just need to keep my feelings bottled up for as long as I can.

Dara doesn't need to know, at least for now.