Chapter 1

Deceitful Friend ..

Amara went to the market to buy some fruit and groceries that has finished in her home. She lives with her mom who is a single mother of two. She has an older brother named James. He's five years older than her and works in the labour house where they mold blocks and other building aids. Well they suffer so much to feed as her mother is just a secondary school teacher and the government keeps owning her salaries.

Amara has graduated from high school since six years now and no money to further, she decided to learn how to sew, living with her mother in the city. Her high school friend who's also in college came to visit her, but she isn't home as she went to shop for some fruit and veggies that has finished in their two bedroom home.

"Amara I have been waiting for you to arrive home since, Where went you?" Ijeoma threw the question at her as she arrives home, highlighting from the bike, she boarded from the shopping mall and down to her home.

"I went to buy some fruits, can't you see!" Amara shove her polythene bag towards Ijeoma's face and she pushes it away.

"Silly, Is that how to tell me welcome?" Ijeoma question with irritation written all over her face as she watch Amara settle the rider and he drove away.

"Am asking you a question Amara?."

"Fine, why are you here?. Ain't you supposed to be in school?" Amara raised a brow as she stares to Ijeoma.

"So can't I come and see my friend, just because am in school," Ijeoma responded with gritted teethes as she swirled her car keys in her hand.

"I came here to invite you to a friend's party. It one of the biggest in town and you might get to meet a lucky catch" Ijeoma said.

"No, Am not interested, Lucky catch or not. Guys isn't in my budget. You remember what happened between me and Tunde that Yoruba guy I dated. It was all because of you" Amara pointed out as she walked passed Ijeoma and inserted the key into the door keyhole to open their entrance door.

"Am sorry, I didn't mean for any of such to happen" Ijeoma has a sorry expression on her face

"It's okay, Let's just forget about the pass and the party as well, Come in," Amara opens the door wide for Ijeoma to step in as she walks into the parlour.

"I didn't come here to sit and relax with you Amara, I had to read and study for my tomorrow exam" Ijeoma murmurs as she step into Amara old pooling parlour.

Amara understand the reason of her complain, as Ijeoma is a rich man daughter, Even though her mother isn't known her father is one of the richest in Lagos city.

"Just make yourself comfortable, let me drop this groceries in the kitchen" Amara responded as she made her way to the small kitchen she shares with her mother and brother.

"How about your brother, I haven't seen him since he graduated from our high school?," Ijeoma asked as she stares around the parlour, refusing to sit.

"He's living with some of his friends and isn't home" Amara responded as she steps out to the parlour, holding two glass cups and a bottle of juice.

"Amara I told you I have to study for tonight, I didn't come here for this!" Ijeoma friend deepened but Amara ignores her and took her sit on the old couch in her mother's parlour.

"You can keep standing, Am tasty and I decided to be nice and get you a cup, not knowing you're already filled to the brim" Amara pouted her lips as she twisted the bottle's neck to open the cover.

"Fine I will just take a sip, but that's aside, promise me you will come to the party with me?" Ijeoma asked as she irritably sat on the couch closer to Amara's and Amara keeps staring at her irritable face as she sits.

"No!. You can go and look for another friend to follow you, probably some of your school friends. My mom wouldn't be happy to know that I am beginning to keep late nights, now she isn't around" Amara said as she stared away from Ijeoma irritable face to the glass cups she was filling and it was almost full.

"Okay fine, I promise I will bring you back home on time" Ijeoma propose

*No!. Look for another friend, Am not interested, Tomorrow I have clothes to sow, especially new designs and I don't want to upset my madam" Amara smirked as she lift her glass cup of juice and took a sip, Ijeoma frowns.

She wouldn't have wasted her time to drive all the way from the heart of the city, down to her local friend home, just to have her escort her as an handbag as Amara is so fair and white and she's just yellow and not as pretty as Amara.

She wants to brag to her colleagues that she has pretty bestie and now Amara plans on disgracing her before her friends in campus that will also be attending the party.

Amara drank almost half the glass cup and she stares to Ijeoma.

"What?!. Why haven't you taken a sip yet from your cup, I have already given you my response and my answer remains No. You know am not a party person. I don't have party clothes and shoes and look at my hair, it just ordinary weaving. How do you expect me to show up in a party full of rich and we'll to do kids?. No!!" Amara shook her head and drank her remaining juice content.

"Okay if it's about the clothes, That isn't a problem, I can lend you some of my new clothes and the your hair, I have beautiful wigs that will fit you, and the shoe, that isn't a problem girlfriend. Please just say yes!."

Amara jaw drops as she stares to Ijeoma, "I don't understand you. Why must I follow you to this party, tell me?." Amara drops down the empty glass cup in her hand and peers at Ijeoma awaiting her response.

Ijeoma sighs and finally took a sip from her glass cup, "When we get there, you will find out," she respond.

Amara was dumbfounded fir some minutes as she continues to stare at Ijeoma. her mother travel to her younger sister home as her younger sister just welcomed a set of triplets and she couldn't take care of them, so she invited her big sister for omugwo, which is looking after the new born babies.

Amara sighed and stares to Ijeoma, "Fine I will give it a thought, but I have to go to work tomorrow. You know that my wicked madam, she will call my mother right away and give her silly excuses of me not being serious and I don't want that."

"It's okay with me, but you have to round up before 3pm so I can come and pick you up once you're thru" Ijeoma said.

"No, 4pm is okay, besides what time is the party again, I cannot keep late night?" Amara asked

"Starting 6pm to 9pm in the.night" Ijeoma respond.

"No I cannot stay up till that time. How about 8pm, You give me money to transport myself home or you bring me back home?" Amara stares to Ijeoma and she.saw her. nod

"Whichever one you want, I can give you the money, I can bring you back, Just let me know when you're tired and feel like returning home," Ijeoma responded.

"Okay, bit why do you want me to follow you. I need to know first?" Amara asked.

"Just to show to my friends that I got a beautiful damsel as my bestie" Ijeoma winks at her and she was dumbfounded.

"Just that?."

"Yes, or did I lie?" Ijeoma asked stating at her, and she shook her head and stood up

"I don't know for you" Amara responded and walks back to the kitchen to drop her cup.