Chapter 2

"Where is my mirror? Chioma have you seen my mirror?" Njideka shouted, going through her things again.

"Check your wardrobe na!" Chioma shouted from the bathroom, she was getting ready, because she would help Njideka carry her loads to the park.

Njideka sighed, she was sure the mirror won't be in the wardrobe, she remembered taking it out. But she still went over to check, and she was right, it wasn't there. Her wardrobe was nearly empty, as she had packed almost all her belongings, the only thing left behind were the clothes she tagged 'fashionless and shapeless'.

"Njideka, tell your sister to do fast, are they holding her inside that toilet!" Mama shouted.

"Some people are still sleeping oo!" Nnamdi, Njideka younger brother shouted from his room.

"Shut up!" Mama said, soon footsteps were heard approaching and she arrived in Njideka bedroom. "Where is Chioma?" She asked like she had no idea where she was.

"She's still in the bathroom," Njideka told her mother, still searching for her mirror. Just at that moment, Chioma stepped into the room, her wrapper tied around her naked body, water dripping from her hair to her toes, soaking the wrapper as it hugged her body. One glance at the angry look on her mother's face had her running to go wear her clothes.

"In the next five minutes, I want to see both of you outside, if not I will relax and this journey will be postponed till next week." She walked out of the room. Njideka gave a frustrated sigh, the mirror was the only one she had, she couldn't leave without it. She gave Chioma a suspicious glance, Chioma didn't want Njideka to take the mirror because it was the one they both shared, she wouldn't be surprised if Chioma had hidden it.

She walked towards Chioma small wardrobe while she was busy rubbing her cream. She pulled the small wooden door back slowly and looked inside, and there was her mirror, laying down on one of Chioma's wrapper.

She turned around and cleared her throat holding the mirror in hand, Chioma turned and look at her and from the looks on her face, you could tell she was shocked, she still tried to hide it. "Hey! You have found the mirror, where did you find it?" 

"Shut up! I have been looking for this thing since and you hid it in your wardrobe."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She told her innocently and went back to her cream. Njideka wanted to push the issue further but she saw no need for that, she walked to her big traveling bag, zipping it open, she pushed her mirror in. Today was a good day, and she wasn't going to let anything spoil it for her.

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"Njideka remember everything I told you yesterday night, I hope I didn't waste my breathe for two hours on a deaf ear. Be a good girl, I didn't raise you otherwise and don't walk the streets of Lagos at night, stay away from bad friends. Always."

"Mama, the bus will soon leave, let her get in na." Chioma informed her mother, but her mother didn't listen and went on talking to Njideka. Minutes later, they had baded each other goodbye.

Njideka was sitted in the bus, she held tight to the bag on her laps, her traveling bag was between her two legs. She looked round the bus nervously, being surrounded by strangers, beside her was a woman with huge tribal marks at each side of her cheeks. Her head was thrown back as she lay in dream world, her mouth opened as she drooled, the spit rolling down her mouth to her chin. Njideka glanced away in irritation and looked out the window. There wasn't any amazing sights yet, and all she saw were green grasses. She threw her head back and decided to join her partner.

She woke up later, due to the slight push she felt by her shoulder, she opened her eyes tiredly giving a small yawn.

"Chips! Buy your plantain chips!" Njideka looked out, they were no longer in the village, but now in the city. They seemed to be in traffic because the bus wasn't moving. "Aunty, fine aunty, buy chips na, the thing sweet well well!"

Her attention was brought back to the hawker beside her window. "No, thank you." Disappointment crowned on the hawker's face, she glanced round the bus, looking for someone else that would want to buy.

"Gimmie two pieces!" Someone shouted from the back of the bus, a smile came to her face as she left Njideka's side to attend to the person at the back. Njideka sighed, she would have loved to buy, but she knew she needed to keep her money for more important things and her mother had packed Okpa for her journey.

"Where you dey go?" The woman beside her suddenly spoke up, her thick accent was that of a Yoruba woman.

Njideka wondered if it wasn't the same place they were all heading. "Lagos." She told her, praying the woman would just nod her head and leave her alone.

"Which side for Lagos?" She probed.

"I'm coming down at Cele park." She told her.

"Oh, I dey come down for Ojota, I won go see my pikin. She just give birth, baby boy."

"Wow! Congratulations." Njideka told her with a smile.

"Thank you my dear." She went on about talking about her daughter's new baby and then moved to her in-laws, then to stories from her village. Njideka was forced to pay attention to the woman. Half an hour later, the woman had finished her story and had gone back to her sleep, Njideka quickly opened the Okpa her mother had packed for her to eat, they would settle the fight in her tummy.

~~~~~~~~

They got down at Cele park, Njideka came down from the bus, holding tight to her two big bags, she took a turn round, looking round the park. From the drivers to the red eyed conductors, the busy hawkers and noise, the noise was the first thing she noticed, Lagos was loud.

Her Aunty had told her not to expect heaven, and she hadn't, but she wasn't expecting this either. She walked away from the park, her aunt had described a clothing store to her, Njideka was to wait there for her.

The woman had welcomed her with open arms, she said she was a friend of her Aunty, Njideka sat their and busied herself watching with the activities going on. Soon her Aunty arrived, they exchanged greetings and pleasantries, then she led Njideka to her car, and drove home.

During the journey back home Njideka got to see other parts of Lagos, apart from the busy Cele park, she had to say she was impressed. Njideka tried to hide her excitement, she didn't want her Aunty to see her as a naïve village girl. So she put herself in a nonchalant manner. 

They arrived at a three storey building, the gateman ran inside to open the gate as soon as he spotted the car approaching. Her Aunty drove in slowly, when they packed, they got down from the car.

"Wow! Aunty your house is fine oo," she said while admiring the neat surrounding. There were flowers planted around the house, it was painted cream and brown. It reminded Njideka of the big houses she saw on television. "Are you the only one living here?"

"No, we have tenants. Carry your belongings, let's go to the apartment." She helped Njideka with the smaller bag, while Njideka trudged behind with the big traveling bag.

~~~~~~~~

Njideka had fully settled in, her aunt and her husband were really nice, and her cousins were not as rude and snobby as she imagined them to be.

She had been shown how to use the appliances around the house, the only item she couldn't operate was the gas, she had chosen to stick to the kerosene whenever she was asked to cook. Since she came to the city, she had never stepped out, she decided to folllw her cousin out today for a stroll.

"That girl is Bisi, we don't buy things from her shop." Her cousin Favour told her as they walked along the quiet street. She was referring to the young girl who seemed to be their agemate, but looked a little older. The girl was already looking at them as they walked by, she turned around and said something in her local language to her friend, it was obvious they were referring to them. Favour noticed this and hissed loudly, rolling her eyes and dragging Njideka with her. "Jealousies!" She said out loud, not caring if they heard her.

Njideka held back a chuckle. "What happened between the two of you?" She inquired.

"That one, just because I kissed a guy she liked in a party we attended two month ago, she has been squeezing face like Gorilla whenever she sees me, like I even care."

"You kissed him?"

"No oo, he kissed me." She laughed, "Come, let me introduce you to Janet, she is the girl you will be bunking with in Unilag." She led her into a one storey building. They walked up the stairs, and got to the second floor, they were two doors there, Favour knocked on the door that read 

I am serving the God of chosen 

Njideka rolled her eyes mentally, she was born and bred in the Catholic Church, and in her village, almost everyone were Catholics, so she had never really encountered other churches. She had to admit, she was amazed by the strange names she had seen. Soon footsteps were heard and the door was opened to reveal a young lady.

She was lean and tall, her skin was what Njideka would call fanta. She was wearing a skimpy singlet, and you could tell she wasn't wearing a bra or anything underneath, with the way her nipples poked through the tiny clothing. The singlet stopped just above her belly button, giving a show of her flat tummy. She wore what Njideka has learned was called "bum shorts" revealing her full laps. Her hair was braided in long attachments which flowed down to her waist, she had a nose ring and held a smile on her lips. 

"Favour!" She screamed and Favour squealed in delight, together they rushed together and embraced in a tight hug. Njideka stood awkwardly, watching the two, a nervous smile on her face. Favour pulled back and gave Janet a once over.

"See as you are shining, it means Freddy is taking care of you," Favour said.

"Which Freddy? That one that I have dumped." She hissed. "I have someone new." She then finally noticed Njideka. "Hi, you must be Njideka." Njideka nodded her head with a smile. "I'm Janet, nice to meet you."

"You too." Njideka said with a smile and suddenly Janet smacked Favour on the head.

"Mumu, you carry your cousin who is suppose to be my roommate and come, and you cannot introduce us abi?" Favour shot her a look and pushed her aside, she beckoned on Njideka to follow her.

While they were all settled in and Janet had offered them some snacks, Favour decided to continue with the previous discussion. "So gist me na, you said you dumped Freddy?"

Janet laughed. "Yes na, and why won't I dump him? Money, e no get. Oya for bed, he no Sabi perform well. After one round, if I want to do again, he will say he is tired. Na only fine face the guy carry, nothing else."

Favour burst out in laughter, Njideka tried to hide her shock that Janet wasn't a virgin. She was still a virgin, although Afam her boyfriend had tried to take her virginity, and sometimes she would almost succumb to his advances, but she never went all the way, always pushing him back whenever her mother's face crossed her mind.

"In fact," Janet continued. "I have met someone else." She said giving Favour a mischievous look, Njideka leaned forward in interest, virgin or not, she found Janet an interesting character.

"Who?" Favour asked.

"Remember that guy I told you about na, that one that I showed you his picture on WhatsApp."

"Yes! Yes, I remember. God, that guy is a model," Favour said and gave a low moan. "Lord, he is the kinda guy I would eat right up, he is so yummy!"

"I know right, I told you I had eye for good things. Anyways, he is taking me out tomorrow to a party that his friend is hosting, do you want to come?"

"I want to come, but..." She glanced at Njideka. "I have to stay with my cousin."

"I can come with you!" Njideka spoke up quickly, she didn't want Janet or Favour to feel that she was holding them back, or she was not cool. "I mean, you can go without me, I will be fine."

Janet and Favour shared a look. "No, you will come with us," Janet said. "If we are going to be roommates, this would be a good time for us to get along. But Favour, dress her well oo, this one you allowed her to dress like Mary."

Njideka looked down at her dressing in slight embarrassment, It was a long black gown and a turtle neck sweater, back in the village this was fashion. She looked at Favour and Janet as they moved on to another gist, this wasn't village, this was Lagos and she had to learn to blend in.