NAIJA TEENS

Chapter Four

  "I didn't know James had a beautiful sister like this,he has sure hidden you well,but now I've seen you"

  I blinked,unsure of what to say. I didn't know what to think. He was just making my thoughts fuzzy. For someone with accurate comebacks as me,I was at loss of words.
"What's your name?" Godfrey asked as we made a turn for Bunmi's street.
"Chika. I thought you knew my name?"
"I've forgotten it already" He shrugged "But I'll not forget it again"
"Your problem" I muttered.
"Wow. I love your character. Bossy. Do you know?" He asked probably trying to get me angry.
"I have no answer for you" I replied as if I was bored. I know how guys could be. From loving my bossy character,he'll ask for my digits and ask me out the next day.
"Okay,are you an undergraduate or a Jambite?"He asked.
"See, am already in the street I was going to, there's no need to follow me, I know the way. And thanks for the accompaniment"
"You're welcome." He replied and smiled, "See you around" before he turned and left.
"So you've been seeing someone behind my back?" A voice whispered in my ear.
I smiled and turned to face my best friend. "No"
"Was that not Godfrey I saw just now?"
"Yes and how do you know him?" I questioned.
"Who doesn't know Godfrey?" She looked at me as if I had grown two horns. "Everyone knows him including Chris. Godfrey is a big name in this area".
She said as we walked into her compound.
"I've not heard of him or seen him, today's is my first day of seeing him" I said and shrugged. "It's not as if he's one important person.
She cleared her throat. "He's not oo. Tell me you didn't fall when you saw him?" She questioned,hands on her hips.
" I didn't, I just admired his looks. He's handsome so what?" I said carelessly.
"Ah Chika, you like pretending. You act as if you can't fall for any guy"  Bunmi said giving me an obviously irritated look.
I laughed it off "So what are we doing today?".
"Nothing much, Joy asked us to come over to her house" She replied.
Immediately we entered their house, three children from no where ran out and jumped on me. I held them while trying to steady myself.
"Esther,Ayo, Funmi how are you"
The three children were Bunmi's siblings, troublesome ones at that. Esther was Bunmi's immediate younger sister. 13. Ayo the only boy was 11 years old and Funmi was 8 years old.
"Aunty Chika good afternoon" Esther greeted
"Aunty Chika, what about Chris?"Ayo asked. " He told me that he would give me his iPad to play games"
"You cannot greet abi?" Bunmi reprimanded him, dragging his ear. "It's iPad you are meant to be asking about instead of greeting her."
Ayo frowned and hissed "Aunty Chika good afternoon"
I smiled and gave him my Samsung Galaxy S10. He screamed in happiness and ran out of the sitting room with Funmi and Esther behind him. I loved those kids like crazy. They weren't privileged to have good things like me and my siblings. The first day I met Bunmi,she was crying at the back of the school building. We were in SSS2 back then. When I asked her what the problem was, she said her stomach ached because she hadn't eaten at all. I felt for her. She was so lean and so unkept and so beautiful. I knew her from the classes we took together but we didn't get to talk to each other. I shared my food and snacks with her and this continued till we became so close that everyone thought we were gay. My parents loved Bunmi because of her humble character and they took it upon themselves to help her when ever she needed it.
"Am not going to Joy's house. She's not my friend and I don't want to fight with her. She thinks because she's beautiful she can ride us like horses. Let's stay in your house and go to mine later in the evening".
Bunmi nodded and led me to her room. Another thing about her was that she was a clean and tidy person. Her house was sparkling clean even though it wasn't a mansion or beautiful house like ours. Her family was a happy one. Just like ours. They loved each other and defended themselves even if they weren't financially stable.
We sat down on her bed and took out a bag of popcorn I brought when I last visited.
"So any gist for me?" I asked taking a handful of popcorn.
"No" she replied quickly. I gave her a knowing look and she laughed nervously. "Nothing at all. Am still waiting for admission and I found a job."
My eyes widened in delight. "Really?. Which work is it?" I asked.
She munched her popcorn before replying. "Computer operator in a supermarket at Ajao estate. I was scared that they would not give me the Job at first. The owner of the supermarket came and asked me to type some things. You know your girl na,"
I hit her playfully and laughed. "I trust you my computer wizard"
"She said that she was impressed and asked me to start working on Monday."
"And you did not tell me" I pouted.
She nudged me " I wanted to tell you today. " Don't be angry na" she side hugged me and pecked my cheeks.
" Who did you tell again apart from your parents?" I asked.
"Ehmm..." She trailed off. I glowered at her.
"So you told someone else that wasn't me?"
She grimaced and scratched her neck. " Noo, I told James"
I gasped in shock. " When did you and Diego become that close to the extent of telling him that you got a job?". I inquired.
" Me and Diego are enemies,I know. I saw him outside the supermarket with Godfrey,Tukor and Bolu. He was with your Daddy's car. The Corolla. I wanted to pass without greeting because they never talk to me. But Godfrey called me. That was how they knew" she finished.
" It's not even "he but they"?" I said quietly.
" What's your own na?"
   I chuckled " I was joking. But did  James really take my dad's car out?" I asked.
She nodded only because her mouth was stuffed  with popcorn.
"He's going to be so dead if he provokes me." Bunmi laughed.
"So what's your own gist for me?" She asked when we were done with the popcorn and lying on our backs.
"Hmm," I heaved. "I went to mummy Buchi's shop with James oo."
Bunmi sat up and stared down at me in Surprise. "What made you go there?"
"It was James that begged me to follow him. He now left me with the boys and went to talk to Lanre,do you know him?"
"No I don't think so"
"You know mummy Buchi's sons na. Flirts. I tried to ignore them. Not until one stupid idiot Ola. I was not talking to him oo...."
We talked about it and Bunmi insulted Ola for it not after teasing me about Godfrey.
By seven in the evening, Bunmi's parents returned from house fellowship and gave her the permission to go to my house.
  "Do you know that Godfrey was our senior in school?". Bunmi said as we walked.
"No" I replied. "It's a lie jhoor" I laughed thinking it was one of those stupid Jokes she made. She didn't laugh and I knew that she was serious. "Godfrey was our senior?. Where? When?,how,?"
"Top high flyers school,2017,I don't know how. He was in James' set" I still had that confused look on. Godfrey? "How will you know him when you never associated with anybody. Everyone wanted to be your friend but you had this kind of mindset that getting too attached to someone will later leave you broken."
"That's true because you got so attached to Gbenga and he left you for the Joy you are asking us to visit. For chrissake don't try to please anyone or let anyone tell you what to do. Apart from me tho" I added sarcastically.
"Gbenga was a mistake, and I've learnt that lesson never to fall for any stupid boy that comes my way. Gbenga is in the past. Let's focus on the present and future."
"And James" I added.
"There is nothing between me and your stupid brother. Like James is the most annoying personality I've been unfortunate to meet."
I laughed so hard that Bunmi smacked the back of my head.
"Ow!, Bunmi, painful"
She sniggered and pinched my cheeks. All the way to my house,me and Bunmi did a lot of crazy things that made people wonder if we were alright.
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" Play!" Bunmi screamed at me. We were playing Whot on the center table in the sitting room. Mum and Dad were sleeping in their room,Chris was in his room reading the Psalms,and Sochi was watching her favorite show on Jim jam.
   "Semi last card," I piped.
Bunmi dropped the square card spoiling my plans to check up. I went to market and she played her semi last card. I dropped my card and put my hands on head.
   She smiled devilishly. "I need,I.. need.."
"Talk na!" I shouted at her to play when she began to waste time.
  "I need triangle"
I went to market and Bunmi dropped her card.
"I win,I win!"she jumped and shook her butt.
"Hey you're making noise" Sochi turned and glared at us.
"Sorry" Bunmi apologised and sat down.
The door opened revealing James in all of his glory. Bunmi who was laughing at Sochi turned and stared at him. Her smiled faded and she became tense. I also noticed how James was staring at her.
  What was going on?.
Sochi stood up and ran to hug James' legs. The guy was obviously tall. "James come let's watch Zou. Today's her birthday."
He diverted his attention to Sochi and smiled. "Just give me a few minutes. I'll be with you. "
Bunmi shifted uncomfortably and I gave her a look that said.  What is it with the both of you?.
She shook her head as James turned to face us.
"Bunmi we need to talk." With these words he walked out of the sitting room.
"Bunmi, what is it?."
She looked at me and shrugged. "I don't know. I'll tell you later" with these words she walked off in the direction James went.
James and Bunmi?. Hmm..

  Several minutes later, Bunmi came out with teary eyes. When I saw her, I stood up immediately and dragged her to my room.
" Do you care to explain what happened in his room?" I queried after locking the door.
She sniffled and nodded. " One of James'slay Mama stopped me by the road when I was going for rehearsals on Saturday. She said I should stay away from James that I've been gaining his attention which is not true. I told her that it was a lie,that me and James are enemies. She laughed with some of her friends. They were laughing at my clothes. One of them said that James was not my type in anyway so I shouldn't even bother. That even the girls he plays are a lot better than me."
I clenched my fist in anger. How dare they?. Insult my bestie?.
"James called me to tell me to stop spreading whatever fake news I was spreading about us dating. I never said such things. And they ganged up against me." Fresh tears brimmed in her eyes. " How would the guys view me now?. They'll think am one desperate girl trying to gain Diego's attention. I don't talk to them. They'll laugh at me when I pass. Can't this life get any better."
She wailed. I put my arms around her and hugged her. I was about to cry too. "Bunmi you're the best girl ever. Don't let anyone or your parent's financial status bring you down".
"Do you know what James said before sending me out of his room?. He said even if I was the last girl in this world, he'd rather date a pig. A pig Chika. I've always respected him but did he have to say that to me?"
This time tears really came out of my eyes. Tears of anger and fury. I stood up.
" And you didn't say anything Bunmi.?"
She shook her head. "I don't like insulting people."
"James is very stupid for that sentence. How dare he?!". I raged. Nothing could contain my anger right now. My best friend going through this turmoil because of one stupid brother of mine. "He's going to pay for this!"
Bunmi stood up and grabbed my hands. "Please don't go anywhere. He'll not even apologize. Chika no!"
  But I had already left. Too late.
I opened James',door if I was D rock, the door would have broken down.
He was sitting on his bed shirtless. And he looked so satisfied with what he had done.
I crossed my arms over my chest. "James how could you?"
"So you cannot knock Abi?" He sneered.
" You know how soft Bunmi is and you told her those hurtful words. So you believed everything that hussy told you?"
James rolled his eyes. " Soft my foot. That girl is a green snake under the green grass. She's just pretending to be gentle."
I picked his Nike Pam laying around and aimed it at him. It hit his Chest. He rose up,anger evident on his face. It didn't touch me one bit.
"Bunmi is a poor girl trying to live her life with peace. She is that girl crying silently for help and masks it with her gentility. She respects you even if you've been nothing but rude to her. She even begged me not to confront you.". I saw something in his eyes like remorse but it was replaced immediately with nonchalance. "Diego if you speak to my best friend in that manner again,again. I promise you'll regret it. Bunmi is a rare gem." I threw the second leg on his head and stormed out of the room before he could yell.
Bunmi was asleep when i got to my room so I just covered her with my duvet and switched on my TV.
 

  Hmm... Bunmi and James huh?
What do you think about them.
Am sure you hate James by now with his arrogance.
  Don't forget to vote and comment. That's what gladdens my heart.
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