Chapter 4

Njideka found herself staring at a drunk ass Annabelle. She had walked into the room minutes earlier, a drunken smile on her face, her short skirt had ridden up so high, just a little more, her undies would be showing. Her shirt had two buttons opened, showing her black lace bra underneath, which was so tight, her breast was pushed together and up-high. She look like she was beckoning all men to come sleep with her and the state she was in, was no help at all.

"So, you really were with chief last night?" Mirabel asked, not believing her ears.

"Yes na, and one of his friend like this. Oh! It was such-"

"I'm sorry." Janet interrupted. "One of his friend? Like a threesome?"

Annabelle giggled in response not saying a word. "I am so tired, my legs are killing me after all those acrobatic work I did last night. I need sleep." She yawned, laying back on her bed tiredly, leaving the girls to stare at her in amazement.

Njideka's mind went back to what Janet had said about Annabelle

"I know I am a bad girl, but Annabelle is the queen slut."

Njideka understood what that meant now. She went back to tying her shoe lace, she had to go start with the registration and also go pay her school fees at the bank.

"Njideka, are you going out?" Mirabel asked from her position on Janet's bed.

"Yes, I am going to complete the registration process." She told her, picking up while picking up her bag.

"Oh, I thank God I have passed that stage, so stressful!" She yawned and laid back on the bed, watching Janet as she went through the bag Annabelle brought back with her.

Njideka gave one last glance at the activities in the room before walking out, as she got to the ground floor, she spotted a girl walking towards her and waving, she tied a scarf around her head, and was wearing the type of clothes Njideka would have called fashion if not for the intervention of Janet and her cousin Favour.

She looked around her to see if there was anyone else around her that the girl may be calling, but she was the only one on sight. She stopped and waited for the girl to arrive.

"Good afternoon sister," The girl greeted, stopping beside Njideka.

"Good afternoon," Njideka replied. "Sorry, can I help you?"

"Oh my sister, yes you can. You can help me today by giving your life to Christ. Sister, the world is coming to an end, very soon, it will-"

Njideka interrupted, "Sorry, I have given my life to Christ, I accept him as my personal Lord and Savior and promise to serve him for the rest of my life, thank you." She proceeded to walk away, but was stopped by the voice of the young lady.

"Sister wait, you say this, but I see the evil forces around you," She said looking towards the sky, she glanced around like she could actually see spiritual beings around Njideka.

"Excuse me?" Njideka asked confused.

"Yes, I can smell them sister, they want to get you, but they shan't succeed. Oh, I smell them-" She began to get really dramatic by sniffing the air around Njideka, her nose scrunched up in irritation. Njideka glared around in embarrassment wondering what she has gotten herself into. "Lord, they smell like rotten eggs, but I say to you sister, they shall not get you, I said they shall not get you!"

"Amen," Njideka mumbled, but the lady shook her head in disagreement.

"I don't agree with that Amen, that one isn't for Jesus, give me a stronger and louder Amen."

"Amen!" Njideka said, louder now. "Ok, thank you for the prayers, I have to go now."

"Wait!" The lady stopped her again, Njideka was already irritated and was getting frustrated. "My name is Amaka, take this pamphlet." She handed her a paper she had just brought from the big bad across her shoulders. "Come and visit my ministry, let God do something in your life."

Njideka took the pamphlet, glancing through it, she placed it inside her handbag. "Ok, thank you, bye bye." With that she walked away quickly, before the lady would try to stop her again. As she walked away, she thought about the dream she had last night, could this be a sign from God? She wondered.

She brought the pamphlet from her bag

Come and experience God's wonders in your life.

Breaking the enemies yoke...

The date read that the event was this night, Njideka decided that she would go, at least, just to get closer to God at least.

~~~~~~~

After completing half of her registration process, she was told to come back the next day to complete it, but she decided to go next week. Tomorrow was her matriculation day, and she was really looking forward to it, next tomorrow was Sunday and they won't be attending to students, so it was best she waited till next week Monday.

Njideka decided to stop by and grab some food, she was really tired and didn't want to leave the hostel once she arrived again. She walked towards an indomie joint, she had only tastes indomie once, and that was when she was at her aunt's house. They don't cook that type of food in her home in the village, and she had fallen in love with it when Favour, her cousin had prepared it for them.

"Good afternoon ma," She greeted the woman who was busy cutting onions.

"Eh Good afternoon, what do you want?" Before Njideka could utter a word, she had turned around and shouted. "Funke! Funke! Come and answer customer!" She shouted in a thick Yoruba accent. "Go sit down for there," she pointed to a bench few feet away. "She will come and answer you, you want to eat it here or you want to carry it and go?"

"I go carry am go," Njideka said, speaking in the local language, pidgin. The woman nodded and went back to what she was doing, the place was really busy and students were all around, some were busy ordering their food, while others were making indomie and bread sandwich. They did that by spreading the bread into two, then putting the indomie in the middle, and closing it back right, turning it into indomie sandwich.

Soon, a girl who seemed to be in her early teens approached Njideka. "Wetin you wan buy?" She asked. The young girl bared a deep resemblance to her mother, except she was fanta and her mother was coke, comparing to complexion.

"Indomie and egg," Njideka said.

"How many indomie you want?" She asked again.

"Just three and two egg, don't add to much pepper."

"You want make I put vegetable? Carrot and tomato?"

Njideka shook her head negative, then the girl turned around, but stopped. "You they eat am for here?" Njideka shook her head again, negatively. The girl finally left to go prepare the meal.

Njideka suddenly felt self conscious of herself, everybody around her were in groups, laughing and discussing with their friends. She glanced down at her hands, playing with her fingers and trying to forget about the world.

"Well, if it isn't a small world?" She looked up quickly, quite startles by the voice that just spoke beside her. She stared in shock at the person standing next to her. "Please don't tell me you have forgotten me so quickly, my face isn't one girls usually forget." Ekene said feigning a hurt look.

Njideka laughed, the look was so comical for her. "No, I remember you," She said. He smiled and looked at the empty space beside her.

"Do you mind if I sit beside you, I am actually waiting for a friend," He said.

Although Njideka felt slightly embarrassed to be caught in this joint by him, and her head was filling with deep thoughts, she wondered if her face was oily, or if her breathe smelt bad, she thank God she had shaved her armpit earlier. Looking up at him with a smile, she nodded her head, despite all her insecurities.

"Thanks!" He said and took a sit beside her. "I have to admit I never thought I would see you again."

"Why do you say that?" She asked, also hoped her voice doesn't soind hoarse. Ekene spoke so perfect English, his voice was music to her ears, she wondered how her voice would sound like to his.

"Well, I remember you said you were attending here, but well, this is a big school. My cousin attends here, same year with me and I have only run into him two times."

Njideka stared with surprise, eyes wide. "Well, I don't know how big the school is, the only place I know here is my hostel and now, this eatery joint."

"Really?" She nodded. "Well, one day, when you are free I would take you around in my car, show you my favorite joint, their Jollof rice is amazing," He said, a smile on his face as his mouth wondered, his head in thought of the Jollof rice.

"That would be nice, thanks," She said gratefully.

"No problem." He told her.

"Wait, your car? You have a car?" He nodded his head. "How old are you? Aren't you too young to have a car?" Njideka wondered if he was messing with her or was actually serious, even her own father didn't own a car, the only person with car in her village was the king, every other person rode a motorbike, tricycle or a bicycle.

"Well, I am past eighteen, and I am legal, so I am allowed to own one," He chuckled at the look on her face. "No, I am not a yahoo boy."

Njideka gave his shoulder a playful push. "I didn't say you were one."

"Well, not yet." He shrugged. They sat down there for a few minutes talking till Ekene had gotten a text in his phone. "Oh, that's my friend, I have to go."

"Oh!" Njideka sulked. "Ok, I guess I will see you later then."

"Can I have your digits?" He asked politely.

"Sorry, my digits?"

"Your phone number," He rephrased, not laughing at the fact that she didn't understand him the first time. 

"Oh, here, zero nine zero, eight two five six, three two one three," She told him as he invited it into his phone.

"Ok, I will give you a call, take care." With that he walked away, Njideka watched him with a big smile on her face. She replayed the whole conversation in her head, smiling at every memory and praying that she did say something embarrassing. She used her palm and covered her mouth, smelling her breathe. She gave a sign of relief, when she saw it wasn't so bad.

"Aunty, here is your food." Funke, the indomie girl said as she handed a polythene bag, which contained a takeaway plate with the indomie to Njideka.

"Thank you, how much will that be?"

"Three hundred and fifty naira," She told Njideka. Njideka went through her bag, handing the money over to the girl. She stood up to go home, a smile on her face as she looked forward to the call promised by Ekene.

~~~~~~~

Njideka stared in horror as Janet and Mirabel cleared her plate, the minute she had gotten to the hostel, they hadn't even let her change before they were opening her plate of indomie. Njideka managed to get only six forks of indomie in her mouth, the rest was downed by Janet and Mirabel.

"You people are wicked oo," Njideka said, grabbing the bottle water beside her, as she watched Mirabel finish the remnants in the plate.

Janet laughed. "Sorry, I was too lazy to get up and go get any food, but you see this one here," She pointed at Mirabel. "She would eat whatever, whenever you see her better hide your food." Njideka laughed as Mirabel sent them an annoyed look.

"So, you remember that guy I met at the party," She told Janet.

"Which guy? What party?" Mirabel asked curiously. She went closer to the girls, so it was just the trio on the bed.

"The one me, you and Favour attended?" Janet asked and Njideka nodded. "I didn't even see him sef, is he fine? What's his name?"

"He said his name was Ekene and I just met him on my way back and yes, he is very handsome," Njideka said giggling like a little girl.

"This one has fallen in love oo, see our Njideka is blushing," Mirabel teased poking her cheeks, while Janet chuckled.

"I don't know any Ekene, except Michael Onah, who also goes by Ekene. But I doubt it's Michael, he barely talks to girls and I have tried many times to land my hand on that fine ass, but he never even gives me any chance." Jane said with an annoyed look. "Anyways, what department is he in?"

"Engineering, he said he was in his third year." She told them. "Also, he has a car. Can you believe that, a car!"

Janet and Mirabel stared at each other, the person Njideka described fit someone they knew too well. 

"Wait oo," Mirabel said. "Janet, I think she is talking about Michael."

Janet nodded her head, tapping Njideka's lap to gain her attention although she already has it. "This guy eh, his eyes are they brown?" Njideka nodded. "His voice sounds foreign and he speaks perfect English, he looks like the most beautiful boy to have ever walked the surface of Nigeria?"

Njideka nodded excitedly. "Yeah, that's him. He took my number and said he would give me a call," She giggled excited again.

"O. M. G!" Janet exclaimed while Mirabel gave a little squeal. "My friend, you have gotten big fish."

"Big fish?" Njideka asked confused.

"Yes," Mirabel said. "The person you are talking about is Michael Onah, he also goes by his Igbo name, Ekene."

Njideka sat up. "Tell me more."

"Well," Janet continued. "He is also the top in his department, and he has won Unilag most handsome two years in a row, that's why he is so popular. Also, his father is a senator, so he packs money." Janet shaked her head in amazement. "So he finally falls for someone."

Njideka head was still processing everything Janet had just said, this was a big elevation from Afam. Regaining herself, she shook her head. "He hasn't fallen for me, we are just friends."

"Aunty that is how it used to start, Ekene or Michael anyone has always been forever single, if he has dated anyone, the public doesn't know. But for him to have approached you, he has interest in you," Mirabel said. "But just play it cool for now, be yourself, if Michael was interested in you, he probably saw something he hasn't seen in other girls that caught his eyes."

"Don't forget us oo, when he is giving you something remember Me and Mirabel here," Janet said, dragging her left ear.

Just as they were discussing Annabelle walked into the room.

"Girls, girls! Who wants to come with me!" She said as she hurried towards were the trio were sitted. 

"Come with you were?" Janet asked.

"Chief is holding a party and he has invited some of his friends, I told him I would invite mine also."

"No, thank you. Do I look like I am going to sleep with someone old enough to be my father?" Mirabel said.

"Same here and also I am staying away from boys for now," Janet said. Making Mirabel and Annabelle to stare at her in shock, but Njideka knew the reason behind it was because of her near rape incident about a week ago.

"When have you ever stayed away from boys?" Annabelle asked in astonishment.

"Now, I have chosen to give myself a little care and pay attention to my books, just because I party around doesn't mean I don't want to graduate," Janet said lying down on the bed, while Mirabel nodded in support.

"Please na," Annabelle begged. "I already promised chief and you don't have to sleep with them I promise, just touch and flirt with them. I will pay you guys, fifty thousand each." 

"What?" Mirabel spat out, while Janet sat up in surprise.

"You will pay us fifty thousand each just to come with you?" Janet asked and Annabelle nodded.

"Wait, I just remembered, Chief is bringing three of his friends, I need one more person," Annabelle said. Mirabel looked at Njideka. 

"Njideka could fill in," She suggested.

"No, thank you." Njideka said shaking her head.

"Please na," Annabelle begged. "I will pay you too and you won't have to sleep with them I promise."

Njideka was about to stand her ground and say no, but then she remembered that she would need the money to take care of herself. Janet and Mirabel would be there and since she won't have to sleep with them, she saw no harm with it. "Fine, but only for this night."

"Yay!" Annabelle said in excitement, and the four of them started talking about the party. The pamphlet that Njideka was given by the church girl earlier in the day, long forgotten.