Fikayo walked on the side of the street, reminiscing about the Babcock admission interview she had gone for earlier in the day. The evening was breezy and peaceful, the perfect time for a walk. There stood a wooden kiosk at the end of the street and the urge to buy a cigarette pack overwhelmed her. She missed smoking, the sweet feeling of highness and happiness it gave her, how her worries would fly out the window of her mind one after the other as she took puffs. She was now standing in front of the kiosk, greeting the mallam who owned the shop.

“Wetin I want?”

People from the northern part of Nigeria were generally known to misuse personal pronouns, you and I, saying ‘I’ in place of ‘you’ and vice versa.

“Erm,” she looked around to distract herself from yielding to the voice telling her not to succumb to her flesh.

She told herself it was for this night alone. After re-acquainting with her old lover tonight, she’d quit finally.

Ask for chewing gum

No, she replied the voice she knew to be the Holy Spirit. One night of sinful pleasure was all she asked for.

You are free

“Yarinya, wetin I wan buy?”

“Give me chewing gum, mint chewing gum.”

For the rest of the week, whenever she had the urge to smoke, she popped gum into her mouth instead. Sometimes, she cried, wondering why she was still battling to gain total freedom from the addiction but after praying, she would feel peace wash over her and the calming reassurance that she was truly free even if her flesh sometimes desired it.

***
“You still don’t want to share?”

Fikayo put a cracker in her mouth and chewed before giving him a confused look.

“You want crackers?” She held out one for him and he shook his head, arching an eyebrow.

“Really? No, I mean, what we talked about the other time.”

Kaima walked in with her plate, said hi to Fikayo and dropped it in the sink which earned a deep frown from him.

He rinsed the plate he just washed and set it aside.

“Hey, miss, I’m not washing your plate for you o.”

“You know tomorrow is Monday. I need to rest. I’ve not really slept well this past week.”

His resolve weakened at the tired look on her face.

“But it would only take you two minutes to wash your plate. Then you can sleep the whole day.”

He was definitely going to help her but enjoyed teasing her.

“I love you,” she ruffled his hair and moved to Fikayo’s side, gave her a hug and then left.

“You can’t say no, can you?”

He smiled lazily, pouring more dish washing soap on the sponge.

“I can, a bit difficult for me to but I sure can. Plus it’s just one plate.”

“Hmm, you’re nice o. If it was me I won’t wash it. My sister cannot ask me to wash her plate. For why now? Lai lai.”

He laughed. Her words were not what cracked him up, her facial expressions did; the slight downward bend of her lips, the twist of her nose. She could be hilarious sometimes.

Fikayo’s phone rang out simultaneously with Kosi’s entrance. Kosi attempted to drop her plate in the sink but he gently moved her away till she was against the side of the island.

“Why did you touch me with your soapy hands?” she shrieked. “Ah ahn!”

Considering the manner in which she dropped the plate on the island, it was a miracle it survived. She raced out of the kitchen and he heard Fikayo tell whoever was on the receiving end that she’d call back. She was looking at him, confused. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug and picked her plate up.

“Ehn ehn, Ike, don’t tell me you’re going to wash Kosi’s plate?” Fikayo asked, a look of incredulity plastered on her face.

He shrugged nonchalantly and resumed his task.

“Look,” Fikayo began, now standing beside him, her hands resting on the counter.

“Why are you so soft? Her mouth is too sharp. You need to squeeze it and put her in her place. You’re her elder brother for God’s sake. You’re not mates. What’s wrong with her?”

He smiled softly, shaking his head.

“Don’t mind her. That’s how she is.”

“If that’s how she is then she needs to change o. Why are you so nice? Anyway, I have to call Tani back.”

“Tani called you? What are you girls up to?”

“A hangout”

“That I was not invited to?” he feigned sadness. She laughed and slapped him playfully on his shoulder, the simple action causing his heart to thud.

***
Tani raised her phone and positioned it so Fikayo and Tari would be captured in the selfie. Fikayo protruded her lips in a pout while the other girls smiled.

They changed poses as Tani took selfie after selfie. Fikayo saw Abdul appear in their selfie and the girls turned to him with immediate effect.

Tari smacked the back of his head.

“Wetin dey worry this boy? Why you con chuk your coconut head inside our selfie?” she said in feign anger.

Fikayo and Tani doubled over in laughter.

“Sorry, Abdul,” Fikayo waved at him.

“Tari, you’re too razz. Ah ahn now. You don’t even regard the fact that we are in Church, ehn? You just finished hearing sermon o.” Abdul lamented, rubbing the spot she had hit. “You’re too aggressive. Small play I’m playing with you people. It’s okay o.”

Tani was busy swiping on her phone before she raised her phone again.

“Oya everybody, let’s take a selfie,” she announced.

Other teens around joined in the selfie. Abdul later took over from Tani when she began complaining about her hand aching her. They were all still in the bubble of picture taking when Ike showed up by her side. He held her wrist and pulled her along.

“Hello mister, where are you taking me to?”

“I’m kidnapping you, miss,” he smiled.

“Shh,” he let out, a finger against his lips.

“Ikechukwu, I’m being serious here.”

He chuckled and mimicked her.

“Just negodu how sweetly my name rolled off your tongue.”

Fikayo sneered. “I’m a hundred percent sure that is the only Igbo you can speak.”

“Ehn, don’t try me o. Ogini? I can speak Igbo o.”

She let out a sneer, accompanied by the upward bend of her nose.

“Who doesn’t know ‘ogini’? Oga go and sit down.”

He let out a short laugh, holding her hand more tightly as they neared a black SUV.

“I speak Yoruba quite well. I only speak little Igbo. Very tiny bit,” he put his index finger and thumb close to each other, a small gap in between to further make his point.

He let go of her hand when they reached the car and she instantly missed its warmth.

“Aunty B,” he called out, gently rapping his fist on the wound up window.

“My baby,” she cheerfully said, opening the car door and turning in her seat to them. She embraced him, patting his head.

“Cut this your hair, ehn!”

She pulled a few of his hair strands. He whined, earning a laugh from Fikayo. She let go of him and embraced Fikayo next, asking how she was.

“How was your week, sweetheart?” she directed at her.

“Fine, thank you, ma.”

“Good to hear. Lolu told me you make braids really well. He also said you’ve made Mama’s hair severally. That’s enough proof that you’re really good. I’d love for you to braid my hair this weekend - Saturday, if you’re free.”

Her face lit up.

“Yes ma, yes ma, I’m free.”

“What time? I’m going to be home all day.”

“I can come anytime, ma.”

“Alright, sweetheart. Let’s put our minds on 12 pm.”

She turned her beaming face to meet Ike’s charming smile, mouthing ‘thank you’.

...
Business is booming for Fikayo.
Many light moments in this chapter. I hope you were entertained.

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