If there was a subject, she just refracted it, switched lanes.

"Do you know what happens when I come closer to people?" You asked.

She shrugged, striding out of the kitchen. "I know your excuse, but trust me, it is not your fault."

"They always hit me. I don't even have to do anything for them to hit me. So, it is better I isolate myself."

She sighed "For record," She stopped and you bumped into her. "It is your character, don't blame it on the bullies. It is also their character too. That is why you are bullied in the first place. Your character." She held the banister as if she felt something she had always missed. You wished you even felt a bit of what she felt. “The thing...”

"Manda... Stop!" She hushed and paused in her tracks. "Stop talking about that bullshit, stop talking about nonsense. Come and wash this shit off my hai. let us get down to the other things on the list. And I don't still feel anything." You brushed passed her.

She washed and dried your hair. After a few minutes, she applied sheer butter thoroughly, and combed out the length.

"Your hair is long ohh." She remarked. You knew and saw it in the mirror. She stood behind, combing.

"Style it like your own." You said.

"No, I want to style it the way you style it, only neater.” She proceeded to pack your hair up. It spread like a mushroom. She used gel to smoothen the base with lesser hair. She picked the eye pencil you had already sharpened, blunted it a bit, and embellished the curve of your brows.

"Nothing too much, you don't want to appear too thirsty. Boys take advantage of that before their heads even process other things."

She brushed light foundation and smeared red lip stick on your lip. She moved back and observed. From her expression, she wasn't satisfied. Same with pink, blue, and nude. When she smeared black on your lips, It stood out, changed your whole countenance.

"I look rude?"

"You look strong. Black is strong and beautiful."

"Now, do this." She romanced both lips in a way that would spread it and you copied. She used the tip of her thumb to  wipe the edged that were out of line. She stepped back and observed, nodding.. "Black is perfect." she looked at her wristwatch, "John should be back any moment."

While waiting for John on your bed, she crossed her legs and spoke lengthily about catching her father and mother doing it in her room. How they jolted like high school kids. She spoke of her relationship with Chinonso, went into details of how he always expected her to "meet him" whenever and have sex whenever he wanted to.

While half-listening to her, you pondered how the meeting with John would go. You only just got interested since the last hour she had been talking.

"You have done it before?" You asked.

Her eyes were less red than it was an hour ago, but she probably was still under the influence. "Done what?" She looked at you crazy. "Had sex?"

Yes. You nodded.

She remained silent and fell flat on the bed, arms spread wide.

"It is fine if you—”

"It is not as if I can not tell you. You know...” She paused, “My whole life, I have had to act. If I have to be myself, my real self, I would be like you: the girl by the corner, alone. The only difference is that I would not wear those unsexy cloths, and I would be reading a book by the corner, not staring." She sat up and reached for your hands "I want to be your friend..." we are cousin, you thought but didn't cut her short. "... I know we are cousins but... I want to be your friend."

"Manda, we are cousin." after your dad and George and aunty Lizzy; Dad's sister, she was next person you were free with. Although she was the last on the chain. You had grown up together; strapped together in back seats as babies, wore matching attires to church as adolescence. In the pictures, Manda was the little girl in a pink swimsuit that stretched a blue ball to you who cried. In baby photos, she was the child who stretched to place those tender pink lips on your face that was void of emotions. It just never worked out. You were always quiet. And whenever she sparked a conversation, your replies always watered it down. It was really your character.

“I know we are cousins. But we are not friends.”

That was true. “Now, you are the one being weird.”

She smiled and her white teeth became visible. Her hands reached out and embraced you. It took few seconds but you embraced her too. When you broke out, you asked again,

"So...have you had, you know?" you raised a brow.

"Oh! We are still on that matter. Okay... Yes, but not in the you know, in the..." She trailed off in a way that was meant to fill the gap.

"The where?" You asked, and your mind immediately crawled in that direction. "Really?" You felt sick, but you didn't let it print on your expression.

She simply nodded. You didn't want to further the conversation but she did.

"So, basically, I am still a virgin."

You nodded. You weren't sure words could still tumble out of your mouth. You tried, not to reply or anything like that, you just tested your voice. "Yeah...okay." You laid back and closed your eyes. You needed space to think, but she won't let you.

"So, what about you? Have you had sex?"

You did not say anything and Manda let it lie. She adjusted and laid beside you. The silence dragged out until she raised her wrist into view.

"John is running late."

"What if he comes back really late. He does sometimes."

“A girl knows her boy.” she chuckled. She was absolutely right. You knew his shirts. Counted how many times he repeated them.

"And my dad will return soon?" You sighed defeatedly.

A stretch of silence.  From your room, you wouldn't know if John had returned but Manda had asked a security at the gate for a favor and no call of such had come. Manda broke the silence. "You can tell your Dad that you want to sleep at my house. My parents won't be around. I perceive it will be difficult for you to go out if night covers."

"Your house?"

"Yes. When last did you enter my room sef...the house as a whole?"

Earlier that year, during Mr Bright's birthday. "No problem, I will. But would Dad let me?”

“Why not? He might find it strange, but he will. You know how they say the beginning is the hardest and later the fruit?"

You nodded.

"It does not apply to weed. The beginning was super cool but now, I just feel like shit." Silence which she broke again, “How come you didn't feel anything?”

“I don't know ohh. Maybe...”

“Maybe you are immune to it.”

And not long after she said that, she slept off. You slid out the bed and moved to the mirror to properly admire yourself. You pouted, smiled, and kept a straight face. You did it again, relishing your present facade. The black lipstick was really cool. After taking loads of pictures, in reality waiting for Manda's phone to ring, you moved back to the bed and joined Manda. The slumber contacted you and you slept.

†

"Baby,” It was dad, "Wake up, dinner is ready." You woke up only to squint your eyes from the bright bulb. Manda was not there.

"Where is Manda?"

“Oh, what is that? Is thst make up? He adjusted and saw you in better lightening.

“Manda used my face for her channel. Where is she?”

"She left. I see your birthday was a good thing. You two are getting along?”

You nodded.

“That's great. Come down for breakfast.”

"Dad, I am not hungry,"

"how would you be hungry after eating all that plantain?" He smiled. His bewhiskered face needed a shave. He scratched it and the raspy sound affected your teeth.

"Stop!"

"Stop what?"

"Scratching your beards."

"Okay..." he removed his hand slowly, to show how strange it was telling him to stop.

“Your face actually looks nice.” He complimented and reached out to touch your cheeks but you revved backwards. You did not mean to.

Considerable weight lifted off the bed as he stood up. "I will be downstairs," then he added, more to himself, "About to watch Arsenal break my heart again." He moved to the door and shut it behind him only to open it again and poke his head, "I will leave rice for you in the pot."

You flashed a smile. He closed it again and you heard his footsteps down the stairs. You stood up and searched for your phone. Darkness already covered outside.

Your phone started ringing; vibrating somewhere. You looked around and saw the backlight blinking on the vanity. It was Manda.

"Hello, where are..."

"John is back! Just now!" You removed the phone from your ear because of how loud her voice was. She appeared more excited. If anything, your rigor had depleted.

You gazed at the clock above the door. 8:00 P.M blinked. "Just now?"

"Wait, I will call you back." she hung up.

Beads of sweat formed on your face. Your phone became slippery in your clammy hand.

You touched things that were not important; tucked your bed in but not thoroughly before diverting to plopping the pillows.

"Stop!" You yelled, not too high to attract attention. "Anita, just stop! It is just a boy. A boy. A mere boy." You closed your eyes and drew compotation with deep breaths. It is just a boy, a mere boy, you iterated inwardly. A mere boy.

You scurried to the chest drawer and fumbled for a special nightwear. It was a short cotton nightgown. Bright green, almost see through. You felt the weight of a hand on your shoulder and your ghost almost jolted off your body. You dropped the gown.

"Calm Down." Dad moved back a little.

"Sorry, I didn't hear the door open."

"I see you want to give the night wear a try. It was the last thing she bought for you." His gaze was on the green gown on the floor.

You smiled. "I am about to sleep."

"I thought you just woke up?"

Oh oh! That had completely skipped your mind. "I am going for a sleepover in Manda's." you cringed a little.

He looked at you, his eyes saying nothing in particular. "Manda already said something like that." Then he reduced his voice. "Should I be worried?"

"For?"

"Your recent acquaintance with Manda. You needed to see the shock I had when I saw her sleeping here."

"Dad, she is my cousin."

"And my niece." He refracted "you have the perfect nightwear for a story."

"Oh dad, not now." Not now!

"Oh, now. My mom told me the story. It is a family something."

Oh, finally his mum told him something. It was always granddad you heard about.

"I thought you guys never got along."

He shrugged and turned around “slip the gown on.” you stripped stack naked and slipped the gown on. You tapped him. He took a step back to admire you.

"Come," he smiled and guided you to the bed. "You don't need to wash the make-up. You are going to sleep with it like its Nollywood. Lie down and tuck yourself in." To facilitate everything, you obeyed and laid down but didn't tuck yourself in.

"At least, use a pillow."

you grabbed the pillow by the side and fitted it under your head.

He didn't say the name of the characters until the end of the story where John literally plucked Anita's heart and diced it into small pieces for soup.

It was funny to him. "That was the same story my mom ever told me when she found out I had a girlfriend."

"But I don't have a boyfriend."

He only smirked.

"How did it go?" You asked.

"With the girlfriend?"

You nodded yes.

"Well, she gave me a beautiful daughter."

Knowing the course the talk was about to embark you said, "Can I go now?"

"Sure."