CHAPTER THREE (A FAVOR)

“People don’t use that pickup line anymore” she looked at him “it’s lame and outdated”

He laughed again his eyes studying this young woman in front of him “Can I have your number?”

Zainab looked at him before she shook her head “No, I don’t give my number to strangers”

“Here I was thinking we made progress”

She laughed again before stretching her hands

Tristan looked confused and he also stretched his hands

“Your phone” she chuckled

“Oh” he reached into his pocket and brought out his phone.

After she typed in the number and flashed herself, she returned the phone to him “for a doctor, you seem to lack basic knowledge”

Tristan’s eyes twitched with amusement and his mouth opened and closed like a fish. Vee came out just as quickly and Zainab turned to her friend before turning back to him “bye doctor”.

He could only nod and wave at her “Wow” he muttered as she got into elevator.

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“You and that doctor again? What’s happening?” Vee asked her as they walked out of the elevator

“Nothing, we just exchanged numbers” she shrugged

Vee looked at her like she was an alien “Hello? Who are you and what have you done with my friend?” she teased

“Oh please” Zainab smiled as they got into the car

“I’m serious, what changed?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean jor”

“Uhhh, no I don’t”

“You never give your number out even to our schoolmates unless you absolutely have to, and you just met this doctor twice yet you’ve given him your phone number”

“I just detected a good vibe from him” she shrugged

“Oshey, awon vibe detector” Vee laughed

“Stop na” she playfully pushed her “mum and dad aren’t home and my cousins are working late, want to come over?” no one at Zainab’s liked Vee, not even their gateman. Just Uncle Tete, he was the only one who could tolerate her attitude and bad behavior.

“Nope”

“Why?”

“I have a party to attend tonight”

“Again?”

“Mason invited me”

“The creepy doctor, I thought he was Tunde’s friend”

“He is”

“Then why is he inviting you for a party?”

“It’s a friendly invite jare”

“That’s your business, me I have told you to stop hanging out with these men” Zainab warned as they arrived at her house

“Bye girl, I will call you later”

“That’s your concern” Zainab frowned and walked inside.

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Zainab didn’t need to wait long for Vee’s call to come through, at exactly 2; 25am, it did. She sleepily picked the phone from the stand.

“Took you long enough” she sighed

“Zee, I’m outside your house” she sounded drunk

“What?” that got Zainab to stand up from the bed

“I’m outside your house, my driver won’t pick up his call, Tunde won’t either and I lost my cab money. Bring some cash when you’re coming down”

“Dan Allah Vee, you will never change” Zainab picked up the closest hijab she could find and put it on, grabbed some money before walking out of her room. She knew her cousins were light sleepers so she tiptoed out of the house, to the staff quarters and woke their gateman up, he came with her reluctantly and sleepily to open the gate. Vee was already crouched down on the floor wasted. Zainab rushed to the cab driver.

“I’m so sorry for this” she motioned to Venus “how much is your fare?”

“It’s fine” the man said and opened the light inside the car

That was when Zainab saw him “Doctor Tristan?”

“Zainab?” he looked just as surprised as she was

“What are you doing here?”

“I live around the next junction; I saw her drunk and she said she lives here”

Zainab sighed “thanks doctor, I don’t know anyone who would do something this charitable for a stranger”

“It’s alright” he smiled “at least she’s safe”

“Yeah” she nodded “good night and thanks again” she waved at him

“Good night” he drove off

Zainab took a deep breath before turning to her friend “Stand up”

Vee shook her head “I like it here”

“Vee stand up, Uncle Suleiman is waiting for us so he can lock the gate”

“Long talk, long talk” Vee drawled

Zainab rolled her eyes and dragged Vee up and into the compound thanking the gateman before she dragged her into the house

“Keep your voice down, my cousins are asleep” she warned Vee

“Okay” Vee yelled and then zipped her mouth with an imaginary key “sorry” she whispered before giggling.

She succeeded in taking her to her room before she dumped her on the bed “your hangover will punish you for me in the morning” she removed Vee’s shoes and then lay her well ignoring her mutterings before sleeping next to her. It wasn’t the first time Vee was doing this, but she was so used to it, she couldn’t complain anymore. And for the hangover, so it was. After her morning prayers, she took her bath and went downstairs to quickly iron a spare uniform for Vee; she was halfway into ironing when her one of her cousins, Kike walked in.

“Aunty Kiki, you’re up?” she said.

“Zee? Why are you ironing again? I thought you already ironed yesterday before going to bed”

“I did” Zainab said before answering hesitantly “this is for my friend, Venus”

“Zee” Kike gave her a look.

Nobody in Zainab’s family, especially her maternal family who knew Venus liked her, they always said she had a bad behavior and was a bad influence on Zainab but knowing how close they’re. Their words could only go so far.

“You can’t tell mummy about this” Zainab pleaded

“When did she get in?” Kike asked her

“2 am” she answered nervously

“Zainab”

“She will be out before you notice it”

“This is the last time this should happen” Kike sighed and brought out some money “mummy said I should give you for your allowance”

“Thank you” she hugged Kike “it won’t happen again”

“I hear” kike put the money in her hands “collect”

“Thank you”

“I will see you when I get back from work”

After ironing the uniform, she went back upstairs and woke Vee up. The latter’s hangover was more powerful than ever.

“Vee” she tapped her “madam wake up”

“No please” Vee pushed Zainab’s hands from her legs

Zainab tapped her again and got the same reaction; she smiled and walked to her restroom. And the rest was history.

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“I’ve heard of wickedness but you’re a plain demon” Venus swore at a smiling Zainab

“Demons are the ones who wake people up around 2 am to pay their cab fare”

“I was drunk”

“I was sleepy”

“How much did you pay the cab?”

“I didn’t”

“You didn’t?”

“I didn’t” she shrugged “he wasn’t a cab driver”

“What do you mean he wasn’t a cab driver?”

“He wasn’t a cab driver”

“So who was he?”

“Doctor Tristan”

Vee looked at her “who’s that?”

“The doctor at the hospital?” she scribbled on her note “do you at least remember that one or your hangover caused amnesia”

“He was the cab driver?”

“I said he isn’t a cab driver, just consider it a lift” Zainab paused “you went with Dr Mason so why didn’t he drop you back?”

“That man-whore? He left with one ashawo as soon as we arrived”

“I have officially lost hope in your revival”

Before Vee could say something else, their chemistry teacher walked into the class and he seemed out for Vee today.

“Miss Agbara?” he called out to Vee who had her head on her locker trying to catch up on her sleep.

She ignored him and the whole class went silent, watching was going to happen.

“Miss Agbara?” he tried again walking slowing towards her desk “Venus Agbara” he tapped her locker.

She sighed and raised her head, she looked like hell and the teacher was taken aback by her appearance “do you need to see a doctor?”

She rolled her eyes “do I look like I need to see one?”

The class broke into murmurs while the teacher ignored her words “since you can form coherent sentences, would you tell the class what a PH solution is?”

Zainab quickly wrote down the answer and raised it up for Vee to read. Since Zainab was in front of the teacher, it was easier for her to show Vee who saw the paper but decided she’d rather frustrate the teacher “I don’t know”

“We discussed this in the last class two days ago” he gave her a look

“Oh” she pouted “I don’t remember”

Zainab sighed dejectedly and turned back to her book.

“You know you’re one of my worse students”

“Mr Alabi, I don’t mean to be rude or anything but if you should focus on me today” she gave him a smile “you will just waste your time”

It wasn’t the first time Venus Agbara spoke to a teacher that way and it probably wasn’t going to be the last time.

Mr Alabi shook his head, apart from the fact that they had a policy that no teacher was allowed to beat or punish a student no matter what; he couldn’t even report her to the principal because she had parents who were rich and never found fault in her. He ignored her and turned to Zainab “Zainab? What’s a PH solution?”