Friends

Joanna's POV

“W ELL ... ” I drifted off as I tried to prolong the moment.

“Spit it out girl,” Tenda blurted, sounding impatient in which I rolled my eyes.

“Do you remember that guy you pointed out for me at the party?” “Yeah, the one with dreadlocks who looked like a model, right?”

“Yeah, that one,” I con’rmed with a nod, a bit disappointed that she recalled how he looked.

“So ... ” she stretched out.

“So ... ”

“Don’t make me squeeze it out of you, young lady, because, trust me, I will,” she growled with a scary look on her face that scared me, hence I knew she would.

“Okay, psycho, calm down.” I laughed. “I talked to him, and then we danced.”

“Details, Jo, I need the details,” my friend groaned.

“It wasn't just any dance,” I admitted hesitantly, knowing Tenda’s reaction. “I grinded on his groin.”

“Holy Shit!” She clapped both hands oPer her mouth in complete surprise.

“Plus, when he sat down, I straddled him backward and then twerked for him.”

“Damn!” She studied me for a moment and realized my story wasn’t done. “Wait ... there's more.”

I nodded. “Yup. He kissed me around and gripped my ass hard, squeezing the soft cheeks, which turned me on.”

“Say what?”

“We kissed,” I mumbled and started the mental countdown ... three ... two ... one ...

“Shut up!” Tenda squealed in a earth-shattering scream that would probably make go deaf. “Who are you? What you done to my friend?”

“I am here,” I snickered.

“Well, tell me. How was it?”

“It was good. Like really good.” I grinned, remembering the fireworks, goosebumps, and shivers that ran down my spine. “Wow, that good, huh?”

“Yup, but I don't think I could recognize him in broad daylight.”

“What?” she exclaimed, looking confused.

“It was dark.” I shrugged. “The dim lights didn't allow me to see his face clearly.”

“Don’t worry, babes. If he's for you, you two would meet again soon.” Tenda pulled me in for a hug. “I guess we should call it a night. My mind is officially blown.”

“Mine too,” I replied and shook my head. “So you and Tony.”

“Shut up!” She blushed before pushing me down on the mattress as I laughed.

*******

Sunday went by in a blur, and Monday appeared too soon. I didn't know if I should be thankful or sad about it because the weekend was an eventful one.

I had to steel myself for the pain I was surely going to feel when I set eyes on my crush and female bestfriend being all lovey-dovey with each other in my presence.

Well, I better get on with it, I thought, walking out of my room, and headed straight for the kitchen.

My dad gulped down a whole glass of juice in a hurry before kissing Mom, patting Elvis on the back, and winking at me.

Mom and Elvis were still eating at the table, oblivious to my existence.

“Good morning,” I greeted. “Morning,” they both responded.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” Elvis quizzed, with a frown, as he peered at me.

“How do you mean?” I asked in confusion.

“You look like you just got dragged out of the pit of doom.”

“Yeah, hun, you look sad,” Mom said, concern etched on her face.

I simply shook my head with a sigh, grabbed two slices of bread which I smeared with butter, a cup of tea that was placed for me by mom, and sat down.

“Elvis, you're dropping her to school today,” Mom informed him, giving me a pointed look that clearly said “you are heartbroken.”

“She doesn't look so good.”

Ugh, I groaned internally. Mothers and their know-it-all instincts.

“Why?” Elvis wailed to which mom ignored him and kissed our foreheads with a “be good kids” and left for work.

I mentioned my mom was a lab technologist? She has an eight to five job at the specialist hospital not that far from our home.

“Thank God mom suggested it because I was about to tell you the same thing,” I beamed, happy that I didn't have to trek to school.

“Just be thankful I love you,” my brother scoffed, attempting to hide a smile.

“Yeah yeah,” I spoke and picked up the plates before I dumped them in the sink to be washed later.

I made sure all the switches were off in the house, locked the doors, and got into the passenger seat of Elvis car before we drove off.

“You know you can tell me anything right?” he urged out of the blue. I sighed and peeked at him where I noticed the worried look in his eyes.

“Tenda and Tony are now a thing,” I whispered, my head down. “So? What's the problem there?” He shrugged.

“I have or should I say, I had a crush on Tony because now I have to kill that feeling as I can't do anything about it,” I grumbled.

Elvis abruptly stopped the car and turned to me. In a panic, I glanced around and discovered that we were already in the schools parking lot. I released a sigh in relief hence I thought he had stopped in the middle of the road.

“Sis, crushes come and go,” he pronounced. “The fact that he is now dating Tenda is probably for the best because it might not have worked out between the both of you, okay? So, there's no need to feel bad about a crush crushed. It's kind of a normal thing as crushes are meant to be crushed.”

“Tenda’s crush wasn't crushed.” I sniffed as I nonetheless felt a bit hurt even though I was happy for both of them.

“Life happens sometimes. Maybe there's someone better on the way.”

“Okay, what's with the look?” I clamored, disturbed as to why he was smirking with that look in his eyes.

“Nothing,” he answered, but the smirk still present.

“Okay, you're weirding me out,” I spoke hesitantly as I tried to understand the meaning behind his words.

“Forget I said anything.”

“No, no, Elvis, you don't get to prick my curiosity and leave it hanging.”

“A certain someone told me you had fun on Friday night. Scratch that, I saw you come in drunk on —Friday night.” He winked, with a knowing expression on his face.

“Ah,” I gasped.

“Yep, and let me tell you, he was handsome.” he laughed.

“Of course I know that. Why did you think I was asking you about him on Saturday morning.” I pouted, a bit annoyed that he knew something but wouldnqt tell me.

“Aw don't t be upset. In due time, sis, be patient.”

“Aaaah,” I whined. “Okay, thanks for cheering me up.

“You welcome.”

“Love you, bro,” I voiced out, a bit better after our little talk.

“Love you too, kiddo.” he reached out and ruffled my hair.

With smile on my face, I got out of the car and waved at him as he dropped me off before I strolled into the hallway of doom. Yeah, you guessed right, School.

I wandered straight to my locker where I met a very energetic Harmony. “Hey, bestie!” He grinned.

“Hi, dearie,” I greeted and hugged him.

“Guess what! Guess what!” My smile immediately dropped as I knew what he was about to tell me.

“Let me guess. Tenda’s dating Tony.” I sighed.

He stilled when he noticed the sadness in my eyes.

“Babe, whatqs the problem?”

“I,” I stopped short when I noticed Tenda and Tony as they shuffled towards us with Ifeanyi and Blake in tow.

“You know what? Meet me after school at the gate. Let's go and talk somewhere,” I blurted before they reached us.

“Okay, bestie, you know I gat you, right?” he said with a smile.

“I know, boo,” I replied, followed with a sad smile.

“Show me your teeth,” he spoke and tickled me which had me breaking into a laugh. As they came closer, I braced myself for the pain of heartbreak or

jelousy and plopped a fake smile on my face.

“Hey,” Tenda greeted, with a grin, as Tony kissed her forehead. I stood still and waited for the pain. I waited. I waited. Surprisngly, I felt nothing. No pain. No jelousy. Nothing.

“Weird,” I muttered lowly while I stared at Harmony to see if he noticed my confusion.

“Hey, guys.” I waved with an unknowingly bright smile on my face.

“So,” Tony said while he rocked on his feet. “Did you notice anything different?”

“That you are dating Tenda?” I scoffed. “Pttf, I found out Saturday night.”

“I found out yesterday,” !Harmony blurted out.

“What?” Tony questioned, a bit shocked.

“Damn!” Blake laughed.

“Babe!” Tenda chuckled as Tony offered her a look that said “so soon?” “She's my best friend so I had to tell her everything. I swear I didn't let Harmony in on anything.”

“Ifeanyi did,” !Harmony said, with a shrug.

“Dude!” Tony yelled. “Wait, why couldn't y’all give me the honors of saying it myself?”

Tenda and I laughed at his outburst while Ifeanyi and Harmony shrugged and Blake shook his head.

“You guys go ahead. I want to talk to jo,” Tony spoke and shifted to stand beside me.

“Okay,” they all replied and turned to head for classes except Harmony, who to which questioned me through his eyes in which I shrugged.

“Don’t be late. You know how Mrs. Phillips is.” He nodded as he said this before joining the others.

“No need to worry. We won't t be long,” Tony reassured as I wished we wouldnqt hence I wasnqt ready to exchange words with any teacher today.

After they were out of sight, I twisted to Tony with a raised eyebrow. “What's so serious that you didn't want the others to hear?”

“See, jo.” he sighed, “I know you had a crush on me.”

“Wh-”I began but he cut me off.

“Let me finish,” he pleaded and I nodded for him to continue. “I tried to like you that way, trust me I really tried. I flirted with you. I texted you regularly, but I couldn't just see you that way.

“Then all of a sudden I started feeling different towards Tenda. I was confused at first but soon enough I started craving her smile, yearning to hear her voice and see her all the time.

When I kissed her at the party on Frriday, I knew I had to ask her out before I lose her to someone else.”

I beamed at him and positioned my hand on his shoulder.

“I am not mad at you, or Jelous, or even heartbroken,” I admitted. “I was shocked when she told me. It hurt me, and I even cried but a wise person told me that crushes are meant to be crushed.

Today when I saw you two together being all Missy I didn't feel any pain. Not even a pang. Nothing. I guess I am over you already.”

“So, I am that easy to forget?” He fake gasped, making me giggle in response.

“My brother advised me that what happened is for the best because it wouldn't have worked out between us. So trust me I am not Jelous,” I smirked.

He sighed and lent me a happy smile. “Thank you. So we good?”

“Yeah, we good.” I smiled back. “You ain't getting rid of me any time soon, but,” I spoke, with a serious smile. “If you dare hurt my best friend or even make her sad. I. Would. Hunt. You. Down. And. Castrate. You. Got it?”

He nodded, his head shakily, fear in his eyes, and spoke, “I promise I won't. Cross my heart.”

“Good,” I affirmed before I left him standing and sauntered to class.

******

The school day flew by with nothing eventful except for Tenda and Tony who made out every every chance they got. This always made me avert my eyes as !Harmony and Ifeanyi groaned at them.

School had just ended for the day so I waved goodbye to all four of them and met up with Harmony, who stood beside his car and waited for me.

“Where to?” he inquired followed by the sound of the ignition after I had hopped in.

“Mr Biggs,” I answered, with a grin.

“You are in a much better mood,” he voiced out as he parked the car. I shrugged in response, got out of the vehicle, and followed him into Mr Biggs where I searched for an empty table. I spotted one close to the spiral staircase that led upstairs.

“What would you like?” he questioned as he stood above me while I got seated.

“A burger with coke, and, no, I am paying for my food,” I blurted before he could offer to pay.

“Alright,” he grumbled and strode to get the food.

Left on my own, I glanced around and noted some new faces. That was expected when living in a fast growing city, where new faces appear each day. I found it kind of refreshing.

“Here!” Harmony gleamed as he placed the tray of sugary and greasy goodness in front of me.

I grinned and quickly dived into my food, shutting out the world. “Now spill.”

I sighed and peered at him as I awaited his reaction due to what I was about to tell him. “I Had. A. Crush. On. Tony.”

“Holy shit!” Harmony exclaimed and choked on the pie he ordered. I slowly patted his back and urged him to take some water before I continued.

“So, I felt kind of heartbroken or some shit like that when Tenda told me. Heck, I even cried, but today when I saw them together I felt no pain or jealousy as I expected, which was weird especially after I felt slightly down this morning,” I blurted all in one breath while I munched on my food.

“Okay, let me get this straight. You had a crush on Tony?” he interrogated, shock plastered on his face.

“As in butt face Tony and instead of feeling heartbroken or jealous you feel nothing at all?”

“Yup,” I confirmed, downing my coke.

“So any other guy you talking to?

“Lol, I talk to you guys all the time.” I rolled my eyes.

“Idiot. You know what I mean, jo.”

“Well, there is this guy I am texting whom I haven't met before but he seems to know me,” I mumbled.

“Wow!” he cried out, shaking his head.

I laughed and continued. “And at the party on Friday there was this guy. He was tall, chocolate and so hot, dang I've never seen someone like him.”

“Wow! You got it bad.”

“Shut up,” I muttered and told him the rest of the story.

“Oh my God,” he inhaled, “Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

I giggled with a roll of my eyes. “I’m still here, but damn I could really do him any day any time. The dude was freaking hot.”

He gagged and sent me the fuck you sign. “I’ve heard enough.”

I cracked up at the expression on his face after which his phone dinged, indicating he had a text. He glanced at it and stood up.

“I gotta go,” Harmony spoke, kissing my cheek before he walked off. “See ya!” I called at his back, getting lost in my thoughts.

It always strayed back to him, the little memory I had of him were glimpses from our childhood.

There was this aching void deep within me as a result of the piece he took with him, that void which tore me apart and yearned to be filled.

I was so lost in my head that I didn't notice someone take the seat opposite me.