For The First Time

K who had just received Ify’s call wondered why she was proposing they become friends. He kept contemplating whether or not to go. But then that weekend, he did go to see Ify. They spoke for long. It was the first time he actually had a good conversation with Ify. They talked so much that K began to doubt if he should not have given Ify a chance at friendship instead of just trying to use her against her friend, something that backfired at him.

“That day Fred was asking me to give him the standing fan I had in my apartment. He also requested for the TV in my room. Omo, I told him I would rather sell it but he still had guts to say I was stingy and as the daughter of a rich family, I should be able to afford letting him have it. He wanted to take it by trick, but Lanre treated his fuck up”. Ify said with a broad smile on her face. They were discussing about her last days in school. It turns out Ify could not talk about her school days without mentioning Lanre. Likewise, Lanre may not be able to put Ify aside if she should talk about her days in the university.

“The guys in that building must be very weak since Lanre always gets to scare them?” K said laughing. Ify shook her head. She told K that there was this guy Lanre was scared of. She would always avoid the guy and never made eye contact with the guy. She told K that there was a rumour that the guy was a cultist. That was probably the reason Lanre would always avoid him.

“I guess she didn’t want to get into trouble. What about you? Were you afraid of this guy as well?” K asked.

“You mean Samson? Why would I be afraid of Samson. Guy, I was terrified of him. If there is a word more than afraid, I would say I was afraider of Samson than any other person. Passing where he is alone was like ripping my heart out for a century”. Ify said.

“Na fear de make you de invent English like this so?” K asked her if it was because of fear she was developing her own word, “afraider”. They both laughed at the absurdity of the word.

Ify sighed. She stood up and stretched. Then she closed her eyes and smiled as she felt the wind gently touch her skin. They were at the balcony, where they have been ever since they finished eating.

“For the first time in a long time I’m feeling free”. Ify said. She asked K if he still wants Lanre back that she could help him.

“That’s kind of you Ify, but I will pass. There are other women out there that are better than Lanre. I could have one out of the thousands out there”. K said. Those words were coming from his mouth, but deep down within himself, he was agitating to get Lanre by all means.