The Troubles of Friendship

Chisom

I watched her discreetly, you would almost think I was reading. I had a textbook placed on the desk in front of me, Foundations of Mathematical Analysis for the course: Real Analysis. It was compulsory for all students of the Faculty of Physical Science.

Stupid book.

As a second-year student studying Mathematics, it was important to have a good grade in this course but after reading the same line repeatedly with the same level of understanding I started with, I decided to resume my stalking.

My object of interest was seated among two other girls with the tip of her long braids coming down to rest on her thighs. She seemed bored and I took note of the way she bit her lips to stifle the yawn that was struggling to escape.

That makes two of us.

Uncertain what she told her friends, I stared with slight disinterest as they stood up abruptly, scrambled for their books and took off with the speed of lightning.

A smile played on her lips, a mischievous smile; she seemed happy to have gotten rid of them. For some reason, it made me smile. Maybe because I would have done something as devilish as that to rid myself of unwanted company.

"Good riddance." Her mouth moved.

I had spent so much time on this bench in front of our departmental library that was no longer in use, watching people so it didn't take long for me to master the art of reading lips; a skill I was proud of.

Picking up my bag, I packed my books into it and plugged in my earpiece. I meandered my way to where she was seated, my steps in short strides like a model on the runway.

A few guys glanced at me as my full hips swayed gently but I paid them no attention. The only male I wanted to feast his eyes on me with that much admiration was my handsome, longtime crush. The thought of him was enough to make me swoon and I wished for the umpteenth time that he felt the same way I did about him.

On getting to where she was seated, I loosened my hold on my bag, letting it drop to her table. I counted the cornrows on her head on reflex, a way of calming myself. I was never one to first approach strangers but something about her drew me in.

"Hey," I said.

My hands were occupied with the earpiece I was squeezing in my palms, a feeble attempt at cheering myself up for coming this far. I deserved an accolade for this.

"Hi," she replied with her head raising from the Samsung Galaxy tab in her hands.

"How are you?" I asked, trying to think up a better way to start a conversation.

"Fine." Her eyes held confusion, her small lips were turned down in a disapproving frown.

I could imagine the wheels moving in her head, wondering what this petite, average height, light-skinned girl was doing in front of her with a black earpiece that had been squeezed so thoroughly that I was afraid it wouldn't work after now.

"OK. I like you!" I blurted out; nervousness made me speak before thinking.

Her big eyes widened a bit, she sucked in her lower lip but said nothing. Instead, she picked a pen from the middle of a notebook that was on the table and hurriedly scribbled on a sheet she tore from it.

She handed the sheet of paper to me, her lips now turned into a pitiful smile. I spared a look at the note, bending over to let the laughter take control of my body.

I sounded like a frog but one look at the note in my hands got me cackling again.

"I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I meant I like you in a be-my-friend kind of way." I struggled to explain amidst laughter.

Girls, I loved having girls as friends but not in any way sexual like my note had implied. I was as straight as a rod with love for the opposite sex, specifically my crush.

"So, will you be my friend?" I asked now that the confusion had cleared.

She nodded.

"You have to say it out." I persisted, wanting to be certain she understood my request.

This was my first time of going out of my way to make friends. I was pretty with a cute birthmark on my cheek; I had been told that severally, I believed it too. So, I never had troubles with people walking up to me, mostly guys. I had hips that were unusually large for my teenage self and full, pouty lips that had been termed kissable.

"Yes." The smile on my lips stretched at her reply and I gave myself a mental high five.

"Okay. What's your name?" I seemed to be the only one doing all the talking and I hoped that would change soon.

Our little chit chat already has me feeling tired, I was more of a listener than a talker.

"Jessie. You?" Unlike the look of boredom she carried on her face when she was speaking to her companions from earlier, her face carried genuine interest.

"Chisom," I offered.

"Your other name?" My eyebrows raised in confusion and she quickly corrected herself, "your English name?"

"Alexandra but I prefer Chisom. Some of my friends call me Sommy, every other short form of my name possible except Alexandra. Thank you." I added thank you so she wouldn't make the mistake of calling me, Alex; it brought back bad memories.

I was big on going by my cultural name which translated to God accompanies me. I had come to love the name even more after the terrible incident in my first year.

"OK," Jessie replied. I stretched out my hands to her and she placed hers in mine.

"Deal," I said and she smiled; a sincere smile. Then we sealed our new friendship with a firm handshake.

When she stood up, I was reminded of the little differences in our height. She was an inch or two taller than me, bustier with bigger boobs and ass. Jessie was not as light-skinned as I was but she came close. With a little makeup and change in hairstyles, we could easily pass for sisters.

"Come," I told her. I didn't wait for her response before I pulled her arms, dragging her with me to my class for a grand introduction. Everyone that mattered to me has to meet my new friend.

The class was empty except for our class representative, Ikechukwu, a dark handsome guy who never failed to visit the school's gym on Saturdays and a few other girls who were crowded together discussing a project. He had full eyebrows that would have been better fitted on a girl, me in particular because mine was too scanty.

"Ik!" I called out to the class rep, dragging Jessie along with me like she would lose her way if I didn't. "Ik!"

"Yes?" He replied.

I beckoned for him to come closer to us. When he failed to move from the comfortable position that consisted mainly of him resting his leg on the tables, I started to sing one of his favourite love songs.

"Chisom, you are crazy." His voice mirrored the smile that was on his lips.

"Shh." I hushed him immediately, I didn't want him to scare Jessie, just yet. She would learn the calm madness that I was soon.

"This is my new friend," I began, pushing Jessie in front of me, "her name is Jessie," I finished off the introductions and she blushed. I knew she wasn't always this shy.

Ik turned around to face her with his smile for the ladies as he always called the type of smile that graced his face now. I groaned mentally, he was already making her smile, a full-on smile that showed her gap tooth.

"What did I miss?" I interrupted. Amid having an internal conversation with myself I had missed out on their chat.

"Nothing. Byeeeee," Jessie said to Ik and dragged me out of the class.

With my middle and index finger, I pretended that I was holding a gun and with my thumb as the trigger, I fired a shot at Ik. He clutched his chest in mock horror and pretended to fall off, causing Jessie and I to erupt in laughter.

"What department are you in?" I broke the comfortable silence.

We were making our way out of the four-storey building that housed my department and a few others.

"Mathematics," she replied.

"What year?"

Our department was amongst the smallest ones in our school, and as such, we could identify all members of the department, regardless of their year of study.

"Second year."

"Umm. My class?" My eyebrows rose at her reply and I spared a glance at her, eyeing her from head to toe. "I have never seen you." It sounded more like an accusation.

My left hand reached out for her right hand, hoping she didn't mind and as she interlaced her fingers with mine, I knew we were already off to a great friendship.