The Unpacking

"And I have to ask, have we met before?" I continue, my eyes narrowing slightly as I study her face. "You seem so familiar, but I just can't place where or when we might have met."

I tilt my head to the side, intrigued by this sudden sense of déjà vu.

She just feels so familiar.

She chuckles, but before she can speak, our room door creaks open and a guy walks in.

He's dressed in black athletic wear, showcasing his strong, muscular build.

His dark skin boasts a shiny, sun-kissed glow, and he exudes a great scent - classy and elegant. With a confident air that's unmistakably a true African man, he embodies a true gentleman.

He's holding two packets of Hungry Man noodles tucked under his arms, which subtly flexes his muscles, accentuating his toned physique.

"Rico never show?" [Has Rico not shown up?] Kelly asks him, and he smiles at her.

"Very soon," the guy responds in a thick, deep voice that makes my eyes widen briefly in amazement.

Then, a girl steps into view with a smooth, even brown complexion and piercing eyes.

Her neutral expression reveals little about her thoughts, and she looks to be the same age as Kelly, perhaps even sharing a similar height.

She's holding a black traveling bag by its handle and is standing in front of the man, looking petite in comparison.

I wonder if she's the same girl who arrived with Kelly earlier, given the same piercing brown eyes that held a fleeting glimmer of recognition when our gazes met.

"Please, just drop it on the floor; I'll arrange it later," Kelly says to them.

"Look at this one, since when did we become your maids?" The girl playfully complains, her voice a normal, mature contrast to Kelly's high-pitched tone.

"At least I pay you, it's not your father's money; drop it and go," Kelly responds, and I can't help but glance at her in surprise.

She sounds like a spoiled rich girl who is used to getting what she wants, not just because of her beauty but also because she is willing to pay. Woah.

The guy doesn't bat an eye at Kelly's request and simply drops the bag on the floor. The girl follows his lead, and they both head out without a word.

I'm left wondering what Kelly's relationship is with these two.

She mentioned her driver bringing her bags, so I assume the guy is her driver. The lady however, is a mystery - possibly a relative or friend.

And Kelly was kinda rude to them, I think.

Just as I'm pondering this, Kelly breaks the silence.

"So," she says, and I shift my gaze to her, awaiting her next words.

"You said I looked familiar, didn't you?" She asks.

I nod, and she leans forward slightly in her bed. "Do you believe in past life stuff?"

I raise an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden turn in conversation. "Past life?"

Kelly nods, her expression thoughtful.

"Hmm, well, not really, why do you ask?"

Kelly shrugs, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You said I looked familiar, so maybe you saw me before in some past life."

I squint my eyes in realization, thinking she might be onto something. I don't get out much or meet new people often, so how would I have met her? It must be some kind of past life stuff then.

But then she bursts into laughter, her tiny voice making her giggles sound almost childish.

I tilt my head, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "What's funny?"

Kelly waves her hand, trying to compose herself, and her laughter gradually dies down.

"Did you actually believe me?" she asks, still chuckling.

I blink in confusion, then slowly nod, and kelly chuckles once more, leaving me even more perplexed.

I don't really buy into past life stuff, but our strange connection might be enough to make me consider it.

So, why is she laughing? Is she teasing me, or is there something more to it?

Kelly's laughter dies down, and she grins mischievously. "I'm a TikToker, Mandy," she says, "so you might have seen my videos on TikTok or even Facebook."

Kelly folds her arms, a self-satisfied smile spreading across her face. "I'm pretty popular online," she says, nodding at herself as if confirming her own success.

"Ooh," I nod, my lips forming a perfect 'o' in understanding.

Her words resonate with me, and I think, "That could be it."

Then she rises from her bed with a smile, "Would you mind helping me with my belongings?"

I'm taken aback, frowning in surprise, and exclaim, "Huh?!"

She pouts, "I'm exhausted, please help me arrange my clothes and belongings."

Her expression tugs at me, but I resist the urge to agree. It doesn't make sense - I'm the one who cleaned the toilet and swept the room. Why should I arrange her personal belongings?

"I'm sorry, Kelly, but no," I say bluntly.

"Come on, Mandy," she persists, but I shake my head in disagreement.

Then, she picks up her pink purse from her bed, opens it, and pulls out some thousand-naira notes, and stretches it to me. "How much do you need? I'll pay."

My frown deepens as I respond, "You can't buy my help, Kelly. Those are your personal belongings, so why should I arrange them?"

Kelly drops her arm, returns the money to her purse, and her expression turns neutral.

"You're being selfish," she says, her voice tinged with hurt and frustration. "I thought you were a good person. Can't you help a friend in need?"

I'm taken aback by her words, my lips parting in surprise. How can she expect me to arrange her clothes for her? That's not normal.

I take a deep breath to calm my mind. "Kelly, you can think what you want about me, but I just don't think it's normal."

"It is!" She exclaims, and I stare at her in bewilderment.

She points at my bed and says, "I liked how you arranged your things, and I want you to arrange mine."

"I don't get it, Kelly," I say, shaking my head. "Why do you need me to arrange your clothes? You're perfectly capable of doing it yourself."

Kelly's expression turns stubborn, her eyes narrowing slightly as her lips form a very tight line, "I just want you to do it, okay? It's not a big deal."

"Actually, it kind of is. I don't see why I should be doing your chores for you."

Kelly's eyes flash with anger, but then her face softens, and she looks at me with a pleading expression. "Please, Mandy? I'll owe you one. Just this once."

I part my lips to refuse, but then shake my head in defeat.

I keep my eyes locked on hers, still feeling that this isn't supposed to be. But then I breathe a sigh and shake my head again, resigned to the situation.

"Fine," I mutter, reluctantly agreeing to her request.

Before I know it, Kelly wraps me in a tight hug, swaying me from side to side.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mandy!" she exclaims.

But my mind isn't focused on her gratitude; I'm distracted by the unexpected physical contact.

I can feel her breasts pressed against mine, and I'm surprised by how soft they are, which confirms my suspicion that she isn't wearing a bra under her thin top.

This is a new experience for me. I've never felt anyone's chest like hers before, not even my mom or my two sisters', who wear innerwear, which she doesn't.

And then there's her scent - elegant and sweet, like oranges that have been distilled into a perfume, capturing their essence in a fragrant bouquet.

She pulls away from the hug and takes a step back, her eyes locked on mine with a warm smile.

"I want to take a shower now," she declares, and then flings her purse onto her bed, the movement carefree and effortless.

But doesn't she care about her phone?

She tossed her purse aside as if it didn't contain anything important, and now its contents are spilling out.

Then, she points to the door, "Gozie and Nella will bring all my stuff, so wait a bit."

I nod hesitantly, "Uhm, okay."

She waves goodbye and walks towards the bathroom, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she's empty-handed and unprepared to freshen up.

It's as if she doesn't know that there are no towels, toiletries, or any essentials waiting for her in there. Doesn't she realize she's walking into a barren bathroom, devoid of even the basic necessities?

"Kelly," I call out, and she pauses, turning around. "Yeah?"

"You do realize there aren't any toiletries in there, right?" I ask, and her lips form a perfect 'o' of surprise.

"Really?" she asks, and I nod.

"Well, can I use yours then? Mine hasn't arrived yet."

My eyes widen in surprise at her statement, and I exclaim, "Huh?!"

"Pretty please, Mandy, it's no big deal, is it?" She asks, but I know it is a big deal - first, I'm arranging her clothes, and now I'm expected to lend her my new sponge and soap.

Just as I'm about to respond, the room door swings open, and the guy from earlier, accompanied by the other girl, steps in, each carrying two large bags.

They silently deposit the bags beside the cartons and bag they had brought earlier, then turn to leave without a word.

But before I can refuse Kelly once more, she Interrupts me, saying, "Oh, don't worry, Mandy, I have my toiletries in that pink luggage."

Then she majestically glides over to the spot where they've placed the bags, and then squats beside the bag.

She unzips it and pulls out a pink square plastic box, which she stands up with and carries towards the bathroom.

As soon as she reaches the doorway, she turns to me with a bright smile. "Please be quick," she says, before rushing into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind her.

Soon, I hear her exclaiming "Wow!" from within.

Well, I did wash the bathroom, so...I sigh and shake my head in defeat.

I can't believe I agreed to do this.

Despite feeling a bit drained, as if my legs are weighed down by invisible rocks, I force myself to stand up from my bed and begin unpacking her bags.

I start pouring out her clothes onto the bed, preparing them for hanging.

But the thought lingers, refusing to be dismissed - this feels too personal, too intimate.

We've just met, and yet, I'm already playing the role of her personal assistant, or worse, her maid.

The realization makes me pause, my arms hovering in mid-air as I hold her clothes. Isn't this exactly what a maid would do?

I barely know her, and now I'm arranging her clothes like a dutiful servant.

I breathe a sigh, trying to shake off the discomfort, and continue with the task at hand.

Just this once, I tell myself.

But the nagging voice within me persists, urging me to drop the clothes and retreat to my own space.

I manage to silence it, promising myself it's just a one-time favor.

Before long, the sound of the shower is accompanied by Kelly's humming, and then the room door swings open once more.

The same two individuals enter with additional bags, and I ignore them, focusing on arranging Kelly's clothes on the hangers.

I can sense their surprised gazes on me, but I pretend not to notice.

"Come, babe," the girl calls out, and I turn to face her with a raised brow, feigning to have been oblivious to their stares.

"So you're helping her arrange her clothes?" she asks, and I simply nod. "Well, yeah."

"Not surprising," the guy chimes in, and I raise a brow, intrigued.

"What do you mean?" I ask, but he dismisses it with a "Nothing, nothing" and exits with the girl, who steals one last glance at me before closing the door.

I could swear I saw a pitiful expression on her face, making me wonder what I have gotten myself into?

I shake my head, trying to dispel any discouraging thoughts, and return to Kelly's clothes.

As I continue, I notice that most of her clothes are baby-sized and overly revealing, with barely any innerwear in sight. Doesn't she wear a bra or...

I shake my head once more and continue arranging her clothes on one side of the wardrobe, just like I did mine.

Since her clothes are baby-sized, I have to combine two to three clothings on each hanger to manage space.

But before I can finish, the same two individuals return with even more bags and cartons of noodles, spaghetti, and biscuits.

The process repeats itself until the room is overflowing with her belongings, literally double the amount of mine.

I scowl at the sight, feeling a growing sense of frustration.

I glance at the bathroom door, where the shower is still running and Kelly's humming continues, oblivious to my frustration outside.

Then, I look back at the sea of her belongings on the floor. She's in there having the time of her life, while I'm stuck here arranging her stuff. What the hell have I gotten myself into?.

Despite my growing frustration, I continue arranging her belongings in an orderly fashion, just like I did with mine.

However, due to the limited space, I have to place some of her bags near the wardrobe, which is now fully occupied.

I set up her table and chair next to her bed, mirroring my own, and arrange the cartons of biscuits, drinks, and snacks beside it.

Her makeup collection is impressive, and I carefully organize it on her table, alongside her devices and books.

Her table is actually a sturdy wooden desk with a drawer, which I utilize to store the rest her makeup materials.

Just as I'm nearing completion, the door swings open, and to my annoyance, those two individuals enter with two more bags.

I collapse onto her bed, surrounded by clothes, feeling exasperated. I thought I was almost done, but it seems there's still more to unpack.

"Don't worry, this is the last one," the guy says, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness!

I manage to sit up in the bed, propping myself up with my hands as I gaze at them with exhaustion.

"Tell Kelly we're done, and she knows what to do," the girl says, her words sparking my confusion.

I raise an eyebrow, seeking clarification. "What do you mean?" I ask, but the guy's response only adds to my frustration.

"It doesn't involve you, just do as you're told," he says gruffly, his tone devoid of kindness.

The girl's sudden laughter only heightens my confusion, and I could swear I hear her whisper something to the guy - "She no go last" - a phrase that makes no sense to me. What's going on here?

Before I can even process my thoughts, they're gone, leaving me alone in a state of utter bewilderment.

But then, I hear a strange, muffled sound, like a phone ringing.

I scan the bed, using my hands to tap through the clothes, trying to locate the source of the noise.

And there, beneath a pile of clothes, I find it - Kelly's iPhone, ringing loudly and clearly now.

I frown as I see the caller's name: "My love" with a heart emoji. Could this be Kelly's boyfriend?

The thought makes me smile. So, she has a boyfriend?

Well, he must be really lucky, but I wonder how he manages to put up with her.

I shake my head in amusement, then stand up with the ringing phone and head to the bathroom door.

As I get there, I knock, and the sound silences Kelly's humming.

"Yes?" she responds, her voice echoing.

"You've got a call!"

The shower instantly goes off. "Who is it?" she asks.

I smirk as I respond, "It says here 'My love' with a heart emoji."

"Oh my!" she exclaims, and I can't help but chuckle.

"Can you pick up the call and let him know I'm in the bathroom, and I'll call him later?"

My smile instantly vanishes as I exclaim, "Huh?!"

What on Earth is wrong with Kelly?