12 Settlement

Getting home, Shade was no where to be found. I cared less about where she had gone or, if at all she was feeling better. I fell flat on my bed with my heart heavy as a rock.

"All men are scam. Why lie to me from the beginning, making me think I have seen a diamond and the stupid me craved for it. Oh God! He made me seem like a fool. Now I became a laughing stock." I continued to grumble without a slight of knowledge I was talking aloud.

Multiple times, I will unconsciously make a sharp sibilant sound, an evidence of my anger like the spit and hiss of a cornered cat. I had even forgotten the fact that I have not eaten as my brows furrows indicating my irate.

Shade walked in with all happiness seated on her face as her white teeth continued to reveal itself like traffic light. I buried my anger like nothing happened as I smile back in return acting to be anxious about what changed her mood.

"Ah ah  babe abi you don win lotto ni?[have you won a lotto?] I asked with a big smile revealing from my face

"Si seulement tu sais ce qui s'est passé [ If only you knew what has happened]" She said dancing and acting like a clown.

"Omo talk language wey we hear, this one you don go cram french for head dey use me shine. Weytin happen na? [ Speak what I understand, stop testing the french you went to cram on me, what happened?] I said jokingly, following up on her mood not wanting to dull the moment.

"Es tu sur de vouloir savoir?  [Are you sure you want to know?]" She said poking her finger to my face with her body parts in a posture of a dancing step and her face shaped in a kind of funny expression which bursted me into laughter.

"I no hear again. Let it rot in your belly" I said ironically with a grin

"Oya come and hear" She said having her face round up in a smile. 

"So, after you left for Dele's place. Joshua actually called me but I kept ignoring his call. After some while, I heard a knock on the door and guess who it was? It was Joshua, he came here." She said with all happiness

"Okay?" I said wondering what's so interesting about him coming. But at same time I already knew where her talks was headed.

"He walked in slowly and seated down right next to me without hesitation, he held my hands and said he was sorry for raising such an alarm. He said he only felt talking to people will only harm what we share on a long run. But I made him understand my friend is not people, she is Cynthia and she has my best interest at heart. More so, how are we going to share a room and not talk?" she said as she lifted her shoulders in a little shrug.

"I knew it, you can only be all juicy if love has filled your tank." I thought as she continued talking. 

"Well, he understands and pleaded for his actions. He brought me closer for a hug and peck my cheek afterwards." she said as she finally sat down on her bed and laid down almost immediately.

"So, what do you think" she asked.

"What do I think about what?" I answered with wrinkles ridges on my forehead as it appeared I was confused on what she asked.

"As in, what do you think about how he made up with me?" She asked again.

"If it was right or wrong bah ?" I answered in a question to be completely sure of what she was asking.

"Ehn ehn naw [yes]" She answered and at same time nodded her head.

"It's not the matter of right or wrong, what is most important is that he mended up with you, and that's priceless." I answered

I crawled out from my bed, sat in the chair by the table, plugged my handsfree to listen to some music but it was only a act not to be disturbed or to continue having any conversation for that matter.

Shade did the same by plugging her handsfree and singing "hello" by Adele so aloud. Even though her cracked voice was so bothersome to my hearings, I endured it.

I slowly began to reflect on what had happened today even as I tried not to. The thought kept coming as I continued to hiss like an unhappy snake. I analyzed right from when I vamoosed to Dele's place. I hated how I was feeling but I couldn't even shake off how I felt.

"What was he thinking? Did he think I'd be all over him even when he is broke? What's the essence of a relationship without money? Oooo oh!  I'd be wanting to go to his place then he'd told me you can't come, my friend is around and you know he own the room, he doesn't like visitors. Na me fumble from the start Sha and na me lose Las las [it is I who fucked up from the start and loss eventually]

Shade wouldn't mind my total silence, as she continued shouting "party scatter" sounding like a fainting cat.

"Isn't friends supposed to be there for one another? You'd be all moody and I'd be caring about you. I'd be all moody and the best you could do is listening and singing aloud to music?" I thought as I unplug my handsfree and kept staring at the mirror maybe checking out my beautiful face would better my mood.

"Cynthia, seems your done with your earpiece? Lend me for a while, mine is not loud enough." She said as she stressed forth her hand intending to receiving my earpiece.

"Abeg abeg, lemme. I no get your time. [Just leave me alone]" I roared, stood up and left the room.