Against All Odds

Chapter Five: Sisters

Over the past week Obi and Chioma had become reasonably close. Chioma had even come to her house to visit her on one of the days. Obi feared that the site of how they lived might scare the rich girl off, but  was stunned when things took a different turn. Chioma got acquainted with every member of her family and even troublesome Chukwudi had been so well behaved and kept throwing sheepish smiles at Chioma which repulsed Obi.

When she met Mma she became so attached that Obi had to pull her out of the old woman's hut so that  Chioma wouldn't have snuff up in her nostrils. When Tobe and the other children began to climb trees Chioma also joined them, making Obi's heart thump furiously with fear that she'd fall off the tree.

This girl was nothing like the other rich girls she had usually met in  church, who practically avoided others who were not in their class like plagues. Chioma seemed like she enjoyed being around their house.

"My parents had only Obiefune and myself, we've never really had so many people to talk to. My cousins moved to America when we were young and most of our relatives are there. You don't know how lucky you are" chioma began

Her words made obi turn around to stare at the half naked children who were yelling out their lungs playing in the compound. The women with their large rounded buttocks locked in a wrapper pointing towards her as they bent to pick vegetables . She saw her cousin Chukwudi chasing lizards, chopping off their tails after he caught them and hanging the tails on his hip, tied together to signify his conquest.

Her mother had not been around if not, the smell of smoked fish would have infiltrated the air because of the fish business she was into. She barely saw her father because of his railway work but when he did show up there'd be tales about so many happenings in the society.

Her compound was never quiet and often she wished that there was a safe haven she could escape to. She smiled at Chioma, the insinuation of her being lucky  only appeared sarcastic. She loved her family, but lucky would be some peace and quiet sometimes.

"My house is always as quiet as the grave yard, dad and mom are doctors and barely have time. But when they do we enjoy their company but it is nothing like this. Our parents had shipped Obiefune and I to boarding schools to save us from boredom but I felt like an alien there with all their rules and bully of seniors.

When father told us that they were being posted here, we were so pleased. My brother enjoyed his own boarding school and I didn't but there was no way I could be left alone in the house then because I was thirteen, so the two of us went back to boarding school.

After I turned 15, I decided I could handle the loneliness, it was preferable to living in that school one more day. So when father discovered the high school here he was pleased. I am very happy I decided to school here. " Chioma finished on that note and moved closer to Obi so that they
now sat at a close proximity on the cane chair. Obi had noticed that the girl was very lonely which was why she adapted to the very noisy surrounding which Obi loathed sometimes.

Obi watched as Chioma's expression changed from sad to curious as her eyes bored into Obi's.

"Do you want to be my new sister?

we could be sisters since I have no other sibling beside my brother who's not around most of the time. Also my parents will definitely like you. Say something now!"

Shock was clearly written on Obi's face as she tried to process Chi's request. She had begun to call her Chi for short and it was a lot easier to say.

People only became sisters by blood. The the two half naked girls playing with Tobe rubbing dirt on the skirts they wore, gave her headache mostly but were also very wonderful when childish mischievousness was at bay and were the only sisters she had.