Shrugging through the ocean of students packed into the B1 Hallway, Tseju Anne Mobijilade kept on swishing her head this way and that, attempting to locate Tessy and Ada, the latter her BFF of eleven years, dating all the way back to JSS 1, and the former, her friend by environment. She met Tessy in 100 level, and they had remained inseparable till this day.
She soon spotted Tessy Osariemen, the 6ft 2 giant whose slender straight body sharply contrasted that of her curvier friends. Tess was the light-skinned Edo BFF whose skin thanks to Nivea’s Natural Fairness glowed like she housed the Olympic Torch. Her deep brown chocolate eyes somehow reminded Tseju of Cocoa Puffs, a cereal she loved to hate. Tseju also loved to hate her sharp tongue, but occasionally and that was only when she herself was at the receiving end. Tessy was an undisputed literary genius, a budding Chimamanda if you may, plus the Feminism of course.
Standing beside her of course was Adaora Cynthia Nnadibueke, the dark skinned Igbo goddess who’s piercing grey eyes lit up like the Nigerian skyline on Wash Night whenever she engaged lecturer or student in a survival of the fittest argument on African History or Women and Children’s Rights. Her sharp claw like nails which were always coated some odd color like Lemon or blind-your-eye bright Yellow would run the length of her dark brown shoulder length natural hair and pull it into a tight bun on top her heart shaped head while her sharp tongue flicked back and forth, dishing historical or modern facts supporting her arguments. It was always a sight to watch this particular 5ft 3 curvy melanin goddess whose brown skin glowed like melted Cadbury chocolate whenever the sun touched it bury the opposition in the dirt. It always was. They were gonna rule the world someday this two. That was the ultimate goal and the world, well, it wouldn’t know what hit it.
As if timing Tseju’s arrival, Ada announced “Ladies, I don get alert.” Just as Tseju reached them. She was doing the small silly dance, Tseju noted. “Time to hit the stores.”
A smile sneaked its way across Tseju’s face as she wondered which of the “menfriends” was responsible for this new level up. She loved her friend but Ada was a serious shopaholic. Fashion was her high, shopping was the drug.
Tseju to Ada, “What are you getting this time?” Tseju to Tess, “Abeg oh, nor be last week here so naim she take buy five,” her five fingers raised emphasizing on the ‘five’, “brand new Cheve Martin shoes? This girl, you wantu open shop”
“Abeg abeg, is it your money? Plix oh! Lemme alone.” Ada retorted, her eyes attempting to do cartwheels in their sockets. Attempting, but failing. The girl couldn’t roll her eyes to save her life. ”Shebi when you wantu comman attend wedding party is nor my cupboard you wee come and collect shoe from? I say you wee beg.”
“Ah ah, why so serious, peson cannor follow you and play again? Ah ah.” Tess said, a mischievous smile adorning her fair face.
“Eyyyss. You better be on my side oh. Is like you wantu follow her and beg.” Ada said, attempting to look menacing, which was cute considering that she had to look up to the giant while threatening her.
At that threat, Tess threw up both hands signaling defeat. “Mama,” To Tseju, “This wan, na only you waka come.”
“Oya oya e yaff do, no ves. If you like, buy the full shop, I dey wih you.” Tseju said. “Oh oh, we forgot to collect that Mr Iwawu’s material from Mariam.”
“Ehn, she left it in hostel, Ajoke and Pels followed her to goan get it. We go photocopy their own tomorrow.”
“Eheeennnnnn!!!!!!!!!”Tess exclaimed dramatically, her dark brown eyes appeared to be dancing inside their white house, anyone who knew Tess knew this meant hot gossip. “Speaking of Ajoke and Pels, remember say we go Basement yesterday?”
“Yea, you guys went to pick Junior from there. What happened?” Tseju asked as she rummaged inside her carton brown Kate Spade tote bag for her silver Samsung 6 Edge. Today, she’d matched her bag with her carton brown faux fur Loubouton booties, leaving her pale green maxi dress to complement her Lemon framed Maco Sunny geek glasses.
“My sister, as we dey waka dey go, naim one black GLK con slow down pack for our front. Guess who get car.”
“Talk na, we follow you waka? How we wan take know?” Tseju asked, now rummaging inside the same bag for the keys of her white 2017 Mercedes Benz E300. The car was an “I’ll make it up to you.” gift from her elder brother Dafe for missing her 22nd birthday. This was the 10th birthday he’d missed since he went to the “abroad”, and every year since the 5th year, his ‘I’ll make it up to you’ gifts kept on getting bigger and bigger. Her 21st birthday gift had been a two day all-expense paid trip to Dubai for her and her two BFFs. To Tseju, her mom and her other siblings, life was really treating him well, but this writer knows differently.
“Na Afe oh. Afe don buy GLK.”
”Wait oh wait. Which Afe? Bidemi abi Adebanji?” Tseju asked, quite interested in knowing which of their classmates now had a car.
“Son of Bidemi.”
“Issalie!!!”
“Issatruth!!”
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy!!!!!!!!!!!! So im Gee done pay be that.”
“Yesso. See the clean car. I almost passed out.”
“Wait, is he single?”
Tseju rolled her eyes. Ada and man. Correction, Ada and rich men. “Aunty siddan in your house e, no leh them use you take do plus.” She said, just as her phone started to buzz. Flipping over the phone that has been screen down on her plam, Tseju smiled a little at the caller ID. Aunty Jumi absolutely loathed the name now, but back in the days, whenever the children were to play ‘mummy and daddy’, aunty Jumi always chose to be Mama Sisirat.
“You guys, I’m coming, lemme take this call, it’s aunty Jumi.” Tseju said, as she motioned to her friends to shush.
“I have 3 sons and 1 husband. No one to have girl time with” Aunt Jumi began, the minute Tseju picked up the phone.
Tseju of course knew better, and saw the trap before her aunt was done setting it. “Eh eh mama Sisirat, I am your only niece and we all know you adore your husband and kids and that your family treats you better than chocolate. Abeg e nor dey complain.” Tseju replied, rolling her eyes in mock irritation.
It was the end of the session and for the next two months – if ASUU or some other student body didn’t strike - she was as free as a bird, her aunt knew that and this call was her not so covert way of inviting her to come spend the holidays with her family. Not that aunty Jumi had to ask, Tseju loved her aunt and absolutely adored her nephews; Kehinde, Jonah and Ade aptly nicknamed the thriple threat cos they were the most adorable chipmunks ever but dem dey disturb for Africa. Aunty Jimi’s husband Uncle Mide, was amazing. The way he treated aunty Jumi, #CoupleGoals.
“Fine… I’ll come. I’ve been owing Dee a visit since 100level anyway.”
And with that simple statement, this beautiful love story is set in motion.
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Tseju's Bayo
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