𝔼𝕂𝕀𝕃𝔸

17

"Are you okay?" Chikaima asked once she placed the bag of ice on Chidiogo's head.

Chidiogo nodded, giving her a small smile.

"Of course she's okay." Mmachi's voice came from across the room causing Chidiogo to turn to glance at her figure sprawled on her bed. "She just hit her head. It's not like she's dying or something."

Chidiogo lifted the bag off her head for a moment when it began to hurt grateful that Mmachi kept Chikaima distracted else she would have forced her to keep the bag pressed to her head.

She readjusted after that, picking up Chikaima's voice at the edge of her bed.

"You know you really have become cold after your stay in juvie."

The statement was directed to Mmachi but it unnerved Chidiogo. She turned to see Mmachi's expression but she couldn't make out much since Mmachi faced the ceiling.

"Shut up. I never asked for your opinion."

"Kaima's actually correct." Amelia's voice was low but still carried across the room.

Mmachi remained unmoving, staring at the ceiling.

"I know you went through a lot but... I don't know what to say. You didn't tell me anything about your stay there. You never even told me what happened that Christmas night that led to your detainment," Amelia said, sitting up on her bed which had books and question papers scattered all over it.

Chikaima glanced at Amelia's bed with her mouth parted as if she wanted to say something but she looked away instead and turned to Mmachi.

"Lia is right. You never really told us what happened."

"Ask Chidiogo. She was there," Mmachi said, her eyes still on the ceiling.

Her statement caused Chidiogo to tense as she felt Chikaima and Amelia's eyes on her. She remained quiet, staring at the cupboard at the other end of the room.

"You're gonna tell us what happened or you'll keep staring like a clown?"

Amelia's voice cut through the silence that had built up in the room causing Chidiogo to turn her stare to her.

"What Lia meant to say was that we're waiting for you to tell us what happened—that is, if you want to," Chikaima said shooting Amelia a glare.

Chidiogo felt a lump forming in her throat as she stared between Chikaima and Amelia. She forced herself to swallow before speaking.

"Well... Yeah, I can... I mean, I'll tell you what happened."

"Get on with it already," she heard Amelia mutter under her breath.

She took one glance at Mmachi who still faced up but appeared to be sleeping before she proceeded.

"It was Christmas–"

"We already know that."

She ignored Amelia. "We were in Katherine's room and... I was on the bed. I should have been paying attention but... I was engrossed in this game I was playing."

She stared at the floor avoiding Kaima's piercing stare. "Mmachi and Katherine were arguing about something but I didn't really know what it was about. I looked up when the fight had escalated and just then, Katherine turned to leave in anger.

"Everything happened so quickly and at first I thought Mmachi had shoved her and that's why she bashed her head against the wall but later I realized that oil had been spilt on the tiles and she slipped on it; Mmachi didn't even touch her.