SOCIAL MEDIA

The smile on Julie's face grew wider, she remembered the first time she met Maria, her former best friend who is now an enemy. On that faithful day, it was her first day as a part time student in one of the tertiary institutions. Maybe it had been planned all along, because she met Daniel and Maria the same day.

She could picture it all as if it was yesterday, how Maria had walked up to her where she sat all alone by herself, and told her she was cold and nervous.

"Can I sit with you?" Maria asked with her glasses on her nose.

"Sure." Julie removed her bag pack which she had placed next to her. "You can have your sit."

"Thank you." She said with smiles and sat next to her. "I am so nervous."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I just find myself this nervous today." She rubbed her palms together. "I am a bit cold too."

"Do you need something hot to warm you up?" Julie asked as she brought out a water bottle. "Maybe water?" She asked again.

"That should do." Maria whispered and collected the bottle from her. "Thank you so much."

"Hurry up and drink it now, the lecturer will be here soon."

Maria opened the bottle and emptied half of it, she wiped her mouth with her palms. "I feel a lot better." She whispered as she returned the bottle to the owner.

"That's good to hear." Julie replied bluntly because, at the moment she was thinking of what to do with the savings in her account, wether to get herself an apartment or still keep it for a raise for herself In the future.

"But you look worried." Maria whispered almost in Julie's ears.

Julie turned her head gently to face her. Then, Maria appeared so nice and pure with her glasses on, until Julie paid for her eye surgery and Maria had a different look without her eye glasses.

Eve's soft laugh brought Julie back to her senses, but she soon went into another deep thought. Do I trust this lady or not? She seems pretty nice. She thought in her mind.

"So, since when have you been sewing?"

"Ever since I was twelve." She sighed heavily. "So, what type of dress do you want?"

"I need a nice prom gown, I am attending the prom this night and please, I have to look my best."

"Do you have the fabric?"

Eve pulled out a fabric from the plastic bag she was carrying. "Here you go, just give me the best of the best."

*************

Eve stood in front of the mirror with her eyes and mouth wide open. She gently placed her hands on her waist and stared at herself through the mirror.

"Will you say something and stop staring at the mirror?" Julie asked with her arms folded and a tape rule round her neck.

"If I wasn't here all through with you, I could have denied the fact that you actually made this dress." She flipped the flay attached to her waist. "This is wonderful and so original!"

"Well." Julie clapped her hands and started picking the pieces of fabric littered around. "I am glad you do like it."

"This will do more than enough magic I want it to perform." She turned over to the fashion designer. "What's your instagram handle?"

Julie stopped picking. "I don't like social media."

"But you have to like it if you want more customers coming your way." Eve picked up Julie's phone on the sewing machine. "You have a very nice cell phone, I can put you through if you are interested."

"Eve." She called as if they have been very familiar with each other. "I don't like the media, and I don't want to get involved."

"If I post the picture of this dress on my page, and I tag your handle, you are going to have at least twenty potential customers who are ready to pay whatever you are willing to charge."

Julie's ears ticked at the sound of money. She gently sits on her sewing chair paying utmost attention. "Are you sure of what you are saying?"

"Of course I am!" Eve cleared her throat, you see, I am a social media influencer, I am doing this for you free of charge because I know you shouldn't be in this type of place." She said looking at the store scornfully.

"How do I go about it?" She asked again with her voice, very low.

"You know what? I change my mind, I am not influencing for you until you do something about this place."

"Why?!" Julie nagged. "Just do the influence or whatever it is you call it and let me make money."

"It's called influencing ma'am." Eve folded her arms. "Do you know you can become a millionaire if you make use of the social media well?"

"The social media will pay me?"

"Well, yes." Eve nodded. "Practically." She moved close to her and placed an arm on her shoulder. "I will put you through only if you do something about this place."

"That will cost a lot of money." Julie whispered and resumed the picking she was doing earlier. "For now, I am broke."

"You are going to get your money back in five days, I promise you."

"You are just sugar coating, girl."

"I am not my dear, if you don't get twenty potential customers, I will pay you times twenty of whatever I am paying you for this dress."

Julie looked up in a rush again at the mention of money. "You have that much to waste?"

"Call it whatever you want, are you interested or not?"

Julie sighed heavily. "Money is involved, so I am surely interested."

"Do you have any nice pictures?" Maria asked again.

"I don't take pictures." She replied with a frown.

At some point, Maria started wondering if Julie had ever been a proper lady before. What sort of lady doesn't take pictures or like the social media?