Chapter 3

Njideka looked at herself in the mirror again, Favour had borrowed her one of her clothes. She was putting on what was referred to as 'crazy jeans' and a crop top. Favour had decided to go for shorts, a skimpy singlet, which was covered by a blue jacket. They had put on light makeup and were set to go out.

Favour knew her mum wasn't going to let her go to a party at night, so as soon as her mum and younger siblings went to sleep, she sneaked out with Njideka trailing after her. The gate was usually locked by eleven in the night and was opened as early as five, due to her neighbor who had to go to a far place for business.

Janet was already waiting for them outside in an Uber. They both squealed in delight as they all met. Njideka felt her body shiver in anticipation, she had never been to a party like this. She had heard of Lagos party, with the loud party, boys, drinks and smooching, all the parties in the village only had the local music and drums playing around, it ended with the men gathering to drink palm wine, but Favour had told her not to expect palm wine in the party they were going to.

They approached the house, which they could already hear the loud music booming from two stone throws away. There didn't try knocking, it would be effortless since no one would hear them from ths music booming, and the door was open again.

Njideka mouth dropped open as soon as her eyes met with the activities going inside. Girls were already half naked, they danced like they didn't give a care in the world, shaking and twisting their buttocks in different styles against the groins of the men they danced against.

"Ok girls," Janet said her voice loud. "Let's go our separate ways and go have fun. We all meet outside by twelve, twelve oo!" She told them and walked away blending with the crowd.

Favour turned to face Njideka. "Will you be OK on your own?" Njideka nodded her head, she could see that Favour wanted to move around, and she didn't want to hold her back. What's the worst that could happen she thought.

Soon, she was all alone, sitting down alone in her couch, a beer in her hand, she sipped it slowly while watching the activities. She sighted Favour at the other side of the room, she was already straddling a boy whose face Njideka couldn't see and her jacket wasn't on her anymore.

"This isn't your kind of party is it?" She heard a smooth voice say beside her, looking up she was met with a guy. She smiled at him and shook her head, he then sat down beside her.

"Hi, I'm Ekene," He offered her his hands for a shake, she stared at his hand for awhile before placing hers in his.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Njideka." She said, finally looking up to get a better view of his face, she held back a gasp with threatened to escape her lips by the beauty she beheld.

Ekene had to be the prettiest guy she had ever laid her eyes on, because that's the word she would use to describe him, pretty. His brown eyes shown in the disco lit room, his nose a perfect pointed one and his pink lips spread in a smile, flashing the dimples he had in his right cheek.

"Nice name," He told her as they shook hands.

"Please don't flatter me, you're just being nice." She told him with a brush of her hand.

"No, really it's nice. It's also nice that you hold it proudly, I have met Nkechi's who turned to Elena." They both laughed at that. Soon Njideka found herself in a deep conversation with Ekene. He was the last born and only son of a family of three, he was currently studying medicine in the university of Lagos. His best friend was the one holding the party.

Njideka felt free talking to him, and why others made out and some lost their virginity in rooms upstairs, she found herself with him, doing nothing else but talking. She didn't know how long she sat there with him, but was really sad when Favour and Janet, who had tears in her eyes had come to drag her away, saying it was time to go home, she was unhappy that she didn't get to bade Ekene a proper goodbye.

"What happened?" She asked Favour in the car, who was holding on to Janet as she cried on her shoulder.

"He tried to rape her," She said quietly.

"What?" They had all remained in silence throughout their journey. They dropped Janet first before going to thejr house.

Later that night, Favour had explained that the only reason Janet was invited to the party was because Jude, the new guy she was dating had heard from Freddy that Janet was amazing in bed. When Janet had refused to sleep with him, he had proved difficult and bad turned violet. He was about to have his way with her, if not for the intervention of a guy who was passing by. 

The activities of that night wasn't brought up when next the girls met and Janet had chosen to forget all about it and move on.

~~~~~~~~

"And welcome to The University of Lagos, Unilag," Janet said as they drove into the school. Njideka looked out, her mouth wide open.

"Is this a school or a city?" She asked, eyes wide open in amazement.

"Don't be silly, of course it's a school." Janet laughed. After they came down from the Unilag shutter, they entered a taxi which would take them to the hostel Janet stayed in. Njideka used the opportunity to get view of some places, Unilag was such a beautiful place, and the way the students walked around, reminded her of the freedom she was going to get, she smiled to herself. Finally, this was the moment, she thought.

~~~~~~~

"Welcome, my name is Miracle, but I go by Mirabel, Miracle is boring!" One of the girls came over to welcome her, she was of average height, was really curvy and held a friendly smile. As soon as Janet brought her into the room, Njideka has been getting warm reception by the girls in the hostel.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Njideka." She told her with a smile and went back to her loads which Janet was already helping her to unpack. All the clothe Njideka had in her bag were new since Janet and Favour had insisted she wasn't going to enter Unilag with any of her old clothe. They had taken her for a thorough wardrobe change.

"Where is Annabelle?" Janet asked the girl who had just come over to greet Njideka.

"I don't know for that one oo!" Mirabel said settling down on the bed beside Njideka. "She said something like she won't be back tonight, you know that girl na."

Janet shook her head like she knew what 'Annabelle' was up to. Soon they had finish helping Njideka unpack, and she had settled in like she had been there for days.

"Njideka," Janet called her when they were finally alone. "You see that girl that came to hug you when we walked into the room." 

Njideka nodded her head, she remembered the girl and she had thought of her as really nice, she wondered why Janet was bringing her up.

"Don't trust her with your stuff, in fact, just stay away from her, that girl is a born and bred Abba thief." Njideka eyes widened and she looked from Janet to the girl in question who was already sleeping. "The first time I came here, she stole my favourite singlet and when I caught her with it, she argued that it was hers. I only got my singlet back when I revealed the place I had secretly written my initials."

"What did she do after she was caught?"

"That one? She said she must have mistook my singlet for hers since she had one exactly like mine. The mumu, I look like JJC to her, she has not seen anything." Njideka chuckled, she didn't know the meaning of JJC, but she decided to play along.

"Are you hungry? Let's go and grab something to eat, I'm starving!" Janet grumbled rubbing her tummy, Njideka nodded her head and agreed to follow her. "Mira will you come with us?"

"Sure, let me just change." Mirabel said and soon the trio was out. They went out to the nearest fast food restaurant, since it was already late and they didn't want to go too far.

After they had grabbed their food, they walked over to a table to settle down and eat.

"So, I think Annabelle is going out with chief." Mirabel started, deciding to bring up the leading topic.

"Chief ke? It's a lie, that man is old enough to be her father!" Janet exclaimed in shock.

"Who is Annabelle?" Njideka decided to ask.

"You don't know her yet, but she stays in the same room with us." Janet told her.

"Anyways, yes she is going out with him, the other day he took her shopping and bought her a bag worth over fifty thousand. Janet if you see Annabelle now, she has passed our level oo."Janet scoffed at this and hissed.

"Pass ni, pass ko," she went back to her food. There has always been an unspoken rivalry between Annabelle and Janet. They both were both friends but were secretly envious of the other. Annabelle was envious because most of the guys she wanted were interested in Janet and on Janet part Annabelle got the guys she needed. 

"Looked who just walked in," Mirabel whispered excitedly. The three of them turned their head to the two boys that just strolled in, they were bumping into the other laughing as they went about talking.

"Who are they?" Njideka asked out of curiosity.

"Ikechukwu and Timothy," Janet told her. "They are third year students in the engineering department. Timothy is Mirabel's heartbeat." Janet teased poking Mirabel.

"Not anymore, I have been crushing on that bafoon for a whole year and he never seemed to notice me. I mean, the only reason I even eat here is to get his attention because I know this is his favourite joint. I bet if he saw my corpse tomorrow, he wouldn't know me from adams."

They all kept quiet watching the boys as they walked past them, to get to some seats few feet away. Njideka had to admit that the boys were very handsome. There was something about city boys and village boys. The way they carried the themselves, the way they spoke, and the maturity they possessed that Njideka would swear Afam would never possess.

"Why don't you walk over there and tell him you like him," She suggested with a shrug. Mirabel and Janet turned to look at her like she was crazy. "What did I say?"

"Are you serious? Walk over there to him? No, thank you. If he doesn't like me or snubs me, then I would just get the urge to maim and kill myself. Then headlines tomorrow would be, Mirabel Okeke, last daughter of chief Donatus committed suicide over a boy, how stupid do you think she is?" She said the last part in such a comical voice, it sent Janet and Njideka bursting in fits.

The noise brought the attention of some people in the room, Timothy looked over and smiled, amused by the girls. His eyes jambed a nervous looking Mirabel, she sent him a small smile and almost choked on her spit when he smiled back and turned back to continue his conversation with his friends.

"OMG! Guys, Timothy just smiled at me!" She said excitedly.

"He did?" Janet asked after putting herself in order.

"Yes, he did. I think he likes me, maybe he is in love with me, he has to be in love with me, I wouldn't blame him though, who wouldn't love me, I mean look at me, I am an angel..." Janet sent Njideka a look and rolled her eyes as they watched Mirabel ramble on.

Later that night, Njideka decided to go to sleep early, she had a busy day tomorrow and had to finish her registration process. Mirabel and Janet were both in their second levels, and luckily they didn't have any lecture the next day, they decided it was too early to sleep and went out to a suya joint.

Anita, the girl Janet had warned Njideka to stay away from came over to chat for sometime. Immediately she left, Njideka had done a thorough checkup of her things, making sure nothing had gone missing. Later, she fell into a deep sleep on her bed, waking up half an hour later to Janet and Mirabel's arrival, then going back to sleep.

She rubbed her clammy hands over her tight dressed as she walked alone in the empty street. He was following her and she knew it, she turned back to check, just to be sure and there he was, a hooded figure, just ten feet behind her.

She quickened her pace, how had she gotten herself into this, who was he? She knew nothing about him, just that he was dangerous and she couldn't let him catch her.

She heard quickened pace behind her and looked back to see that, the hooded figure was slowly jugging up to meet her, panicking she began her race of her own, kicking her heels away, and she sprinted through the empty street. The person behind her, seeing this, started a full blown pursue after her, and Njideka who had won championship back in the village wasn't one to fail.

She ran like her life depended on it, for some reason, she felt like her life actually depended on it. Her heart slammed against its cage, her blood pumping faster than it's usual pace. "Why are you chasing me?" She shouted at the man as she ran.

"Because you're mine!"

"I am not yours, I belong to no one!" She said as she ran, up ahead she spotted a small river and a boat. If she could get in, she could paddle away from shore and from the mad person after her. As soon as she arrived, she pushed the boat into the water, till she got waist deep, then she got into the boat, without looking behind, she started to paddle away like a crazy person. She didn't care if she was doing it right, as long as it took her away from the person behind.

She heard water splashing soon afterwards, and looked back to see that the man had entered into the water, and was still trying to get to her. "Stay away from me!" She screamed.

The person suddenly froze, staring at her, he turned around and went back. Njideka watched him for some time wondering his next move, but he didn't do anything, just walked back to shore and stood there. She sighed in relief, turning around to continue her paddling only to meet the same person in the boat with her.

"I said you're mine!" He shouted and jumped into her, Njideka let out a shrilling scream.

Njideka sat up quickly, her body was drenched with sweat, and her heart was beating at an unusual pace. She glanced around her surrounding, and it took her a moment to realise where she was. Just then, she heard a small voice say

"Did you have a bad dream?" She almost screamed in shock and turned to see that it was just Mirabel.

Sighing in relief, "Yes." She told her.

"Same here, and call me crazy, my instincts tell me something is going to happen soon." Njideka stared at her wondering what she meant. "Anyways, goodnight." She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Njideka couldn't sleep for awhile, her mind pondered over the dream she just had. Does it mean Mama Chidiebiere is still attacking me from village, just how strong are her witch powers, she wondered. She decided to say a little prayer before going back to sleep.

"Lord, I know I may not be the best, or even close to it. I know I am stubborn and get myself involved in certain things that I shouldn't. But I call on you today to guide and protect me throughout my stay here, and any evil fashioned against me shan't prosper. I thank you for everything and for my life. Guide and protect me from the wicked ones, Amen." And with that, she pulled her sheets over her and went back to sleep.