Exhale

EXHALE - 11

Three weeks went by in a rush and sooner than I could say 'Risky burger', I had wrapped up the practical aspect of my project. Nothing could surpass the feeling of elation that I felt at the thought of having one less deadweight to tow about.

I beat the deadline for completion by a couple of days which meant that I had ample time, numbering up to four days, to prepare for the project defense which was scheduled to hold the following week.

The day was Thursday and my defense was slated for the following Monday.

I was looking forward to the defense but on the other hand, the thought of having to make a presentation in front of well-learned professors while they fired a barrage of questions at me wasn't the most enticing of ideas. I didn't exactly suffer from stage-fright but the professors in my department just weren't popular for being friendly or nice; and that is beside the fact that they had a penchant for showing off their knowledge. In my opinion, the whole lot of them had a superior complex though I wouldn't say that I blame them. I'd be proud too, had I the ability to dictate ten-paged notes off-hand, formulae included.

Ugh!

Soon as I was done with my project defense, I intended to hightail it off to Lagos, suitcases and all. I was so done with this school. At the moment, the campus was almost empty of students as the holidays had commenced. The bulk of students that were left in school were the final year students who still had to wrap up their projects.

I was cooking noodles on my camp gas in our little kitchenette whilst chipping in my bit into the conversation that was going on in the room. The kitchenette was like a tiny balcony, an attachment to the room and every other room in the hall. It was accessed using a small door. There, we washed dirty plates and cooked our food using stove/ camp gas.

Chichi and her epic scandal was the conversation topic. Tima and Layo were in my room, together with Missy who, besides me, was the only other occupant who had yet to go home for the school break. She'd told me that she had no intention of going home until about two days until the end of the break. She explained that it was because she had some necessary 'runs' to make that might not be so easy for her if she was at home, under the not-so-watchful eyes of her folks.

"But the girl try o*. I really don't want to imagine that it was me in Vicky's shoes. I would tear her apart."

Missy chuckled. "What are you saying? Oh, you didn't see Chichi when she came back from SUB that day that's why. That Vicky girl did a lot of damage. Forget that side."

"Ehen?" Tima's voice was full of wonder.

"Yes o. One eye was swollen shut and her cloth was torn in many places. You know how we chics fight na."

Layo laughed "Ha true o. If dem never tear clothe, fight never complete*." I laughed loudly as I stirred the noodles in the little pot.

"Choi, girls ehn. But I don't blame Vicky. She'll never take another girlfriend home again, lailai*!" Tima said.

Missy snorted. "And you think that'll actually stop Vicky's father from carrying babes? Let's face facts here. Chichi was just a scapegoat. You think he wouldn't have been having affairs since? The reason Vicky is reacting like that is just because Chichi was her best friend. Trust me, I know these things very well," I straightened up to look through the glass panes of the door so I could see Missy's facial expression. She slapped her chest twice with her palm for emphasis. "I know these men very well. Especially the older ones like Vicky's dad. The moment their wives start pulling detective stunt on them ehn, they rebel. Shebi we are the ones they end up coming to na. It's just paining me that Chichi did not come to meet me for advice. I would have advised her that the rule of the game is that you don't look at your best friend's dad."