Ella ✔️

CHAPTER 2

"Please nah. I promise you, nothing would happen to it," I tried to convince my elder sister to give me her fluffy orange slippers.

She looked up, at me with furrowed brows. "Which kin, no oh. That's how you cut my pink sandals, and it was my favorite. I'm not giving you, nothing you say would make me give you," she said with all assurance.

I feel bad, but it isn't my fault her sandals cut that day, it's only that I was the one that wore it that day. I fell on my knees and started sing begging her, singing 'Please nah'.

She ignored me and picked her phone call instead. I checked the called ID, before she put it close to her ear. It was her fiance. Ope o, my saviour has called.

Immediately she said, "Hello." My madness started.

"Mark please beg her for me. I need to go somewhere and she won't give me her slippers, I promise nothing would happen to it! I'll be super careful with it!" I kept on shouting, and telling him how I'd be careful with it.

She kept on smiling without saying anything.

After few minutes of my begging, she asked. "Which of my slippers sef?"

"The orange one, that had fur," I described it, detailedly.

She chuckled. "Oya take it, nothing should happen to it oh." I jumped up from my knees, smiling. I quickly grabbed the slippers from our shoe rack. "Make sure you tell daddy to pay for the DSTV oh," she reminded me as I was about to step out, knowing our dad would only listen to me, as per last born and dad's favorite. I didn't answer her, but made a mental note instead.

"Teju, why did you use my toothbrush?" Temilade shouted at Tejumola.

"Which kin, mine is the purple. And yours is blue, how did I nah use your own?" Tejumola defended himself.

"That's what you're always saying, I don't know if you have low memory, or you're just retarded," Temilade replied angrily.

I walked away from the twin usual morning bickering, and straight to the parlor. I was going to Esse's place and was already late. "Toyosi where to?" my mom asked as I was about to step out of the house.

Immediately she asked that question, I knew what was coming next. "Mummy, I would be back soon. It's just to Esse's place now. I promise I won't waste time there oh. I'm not..."

"Shh...is Esse sick? Why can't she come here? Ehn? Every Time you'd be going to Esse's place, but she can't come here. Oya go back to your room, if Esse cannot come here, then you can't go," she said, pointing to the passage, signifying for my to start heading back to my room.

I groaned internally. "Ah ahn, let the girl go nah. It's their girls day, she'd be back soon," my dad defended me as he walked out of the parents room.

I didn't wait for my mom to talk or disagree, I quickly walked out, shouting, "Daddy DSTV have finish oh, please pay!" I could hear his chuckle and laughter, as I walked close to the gate and out.

I greeted Iya Faruq, Aunty Ada and Iya Tope. They weren't the only three, I greeted almost everyone I saw on the street, as I made my way to the bus stop. Not just because I wanted to, but because they all knew my dad and if I didn't greet them, I'd be tagged 'rude'.

I didn't have to wait for a bus, there was a bus waiting for me. I entered, and sat on the last seat, close to the window. My favorite seat. Few minutes later, a fair chubby boy entered and sat close to me. "Hi," he greeted.

I looked at him, with no expression. "Hey," I greeted back as I connected my earpiece to my phone and put it on, before he could reply. I wasn't ready for any yeye chyking that hot afternoon.

In no time at all, I got to Esse's estate. I had to walk from the bus stop to her house.

Ding Dong!

I rang their doorbell. The gateman opened the gate for me, I greeted him and walked in. Their house was quiet, and kind of empty. I made my way to Esse's room immediately.

When I walk in Amarachi and Esse where talking on the floor, while Ebun was curled up close to them. "Why are you guys sitting on the floor? And why is Ebun curled up like a millipede?" I asked, laughing.

Their heads snapped to my direction. "Yay Ellie iyaf land," Esse cooed, as she stretched her hands for a hug.

I smiled at her as I kneed into her embrace and hugged her back. "Oya answer me jare," I said smiling.

"It's Ebun oh. She is having cramps, so we had to move to the floor because of her. She said she needs somewhere cold to calm the pain," Amarachi answered.

My mouth formed the letter 'O'. "Ehn what were you people nah talking about?"

"Nothing much oh, I was just asking Esse if she has spoken to Dammy," Amarachi replied, in a sad tone.

I turned to Esse. "Oya, so what's your reply."

She shrugged. "I don't know oh. But I don't just trust that girl yet. I mean, I've forgiven her oh, but forgetting is so hard. Asin, how would your best friend be your enemy? How did she even manage to hate me, with all the good I did to her. I know I know, she was jealous, but still. Why would she do such a thing. I mean, I was jealous of Ella and Ebun, but I didn't display any madness. What she did was really heartless of her, and I don't think I'm ready to talk to her. She hasn't even called anyone yet, and she has read the WhatsApp group chat messages oh, but she hasn't read anyone's private chat message. Wo, see let's drop her matter, it weakens me physically, mentally, and every 'ally' in my life."

Amarachi and I broke into laughter, while Ebun giggled. The way she was gesticulating and making faces was so funny, that none of us could resist laughing.

"So you were jelly of me?" I asked, jokingly.

She looked at me, sadly. She still hasn't gotten over the incident. "If only I had known, I wouldn't have."

I placed my right hand on her shoulder. "Come on don't worry, it's all over now. At least you have Rukky now."

She laughed and fling my hand, looking at me confused. "Ion get," she said in a feigned serious tone, trying to pretend.

Amarachi quickly cut in. "Tah. Stop that thing, you think we all don't know you have the hots for him? You laugh when he says something dry, who does that?"

She chuckled as we both replied, 'Esse'.

"And also, you spent the whole night talking to him during our last sleepover. Don't worry about how I know, it's none of your business," Amarachi said, as we both busted into laughter again.

She knew she had loss, so she didn't bother answering us. She bent her head and blushed instead.

"You people should leave that girl alone nah," Ebun tried to defend her.

Amarachi started clapping. "Why won't you support her? When you have the hots for Ethan nko," Amarachi blasted her.

The both of us left Esse and faced her. "I knew she always had the hots for Ethan nah...remember that time she bought him that sneakers?" Amarachi nodded as she laughed, I continued. "I was jealous ehn. Ebun hasn't even bought twenty naira pencil for me. But she bought twenty thousand naira sneakers for Ethan. Ah! Aye ma le o."

Ebun groaned, making three of use to bust into laughter. "Wicked girls," Ebun finally murmured.

"You guys are sha coming to Ethan's party tomorrow night oh," Esse said. It was meant to be a question, but came out as a statement.

The girls nodded, while I chuckled. "I dunno know oh, but I'll try. I'll try to escape."

They all laughed at me. "Child of the world," Esse commented, making them laugh more.
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GLOSSARY
Ope o - Thank God o
Aye ma le o - This world is wicked o
Chyking- to toast
Yeye- useless
Iyaf - Have