NEVER LET THE HAIR DOWN 🌸🌸🌸 Chapter 10

Inspired by a lovely girl named Holy.

On the Saturday after matriculation, the school declared a holiday in line with the oncoming Nigerian elections. I wasn't feeling patriotic so I was really happy when my father told me and Wanida to stay back at school. Don't be surprised I'm passing a chance to meet Wanida. Besides, in my estimation, one week was too small, and if I set eyes on my big sister, I would never want to come back to school.

"Are you done, Marahadum?" Chy asked.

"I'm coming," I said and Chy closed the door after reminding me to lock up after I left. I quickly put on my sandals, put my phone in my purse and got ready to leave. Wait! My hoodie. I had washed it only the day before. I thought and moved to and fro tentatively before grabbing my face cap and leaving the room.

Chy, Eniola and Mma were already ahead of me on the way to Pharmacy building. Chy's birthday was a few days away and she wanted to have a little photoshoot at Pharmacy building. She had said, "My roommate is a make-up artist and I just found out that my other roomie here," she pointed at me, "is a photographer. What do I need a studio for?"

"But why pharmacy building?" Mma asked as we got to Marlima.

"I want to show my children what their future father's department looks like," she joked and we laughed.

"Okay, Hadum. I want you to capture me and the entire length of this building. Is that possible?" Chy asked as she struck a pose at the parking lot.

"It is very impossible," I exclaimed and the others looked at Chy unbelievably. I laughed.

"What do I pay you for?" Chy asked dramatically.

"My friend, shut up! Cheap girl like you that can't afford studio," Eniola shouted and we laughed.

"Okay. Chy, I want you to move back a little and stop at that black car. Then give me your best poses," I said. Chy looked back at the car, squealed delightfully and obeyed. I raised my phone and studied the light. For a brief second, I thought, "So like a pro, Chanok. Go, me!" I chuckled. I did feel like a pro. The camera was in my hands and the light and model were mine to control and capture.

"That's going to turn out good," Mma said when Chy placed her hand on her thigh and looked to her left. I wasn't satisfied though. I said, "Come on, Chy. More poses. Imagine you're doing a cover for one of those billionaire boss romance books you read."

"Where's my CEO then?" she asked.

"You are the CEO," I replied. That fired her up and the next three pictures were awesome.

"Go, birthday girl!" We cheered and she laughed happily.

"Hadum, you're the best!" Chy cried with delight and hugged me when she saw the pictures. I can't really express how I felt when she did, but I wanted to feel it again and again.

"What's your phone brand again?" Mma asked after looking at the pictures.

"Forget phone quality. When an expert is at the lens, the picture testifies," Eniola said and we laughed.

"Can I have just one more? Please? Beside the tree with yellow flowers," Chy begged excitedly and pointed at a pretty tree with big beautiful yellow flowers beside the building. The spot seemed great so I consented.

Chy stood under the shade of the tree and put one of the flowers she had plucked before her nose. Just before I clicked my screen, my eyes caught the reflection of the sun on a newly bloomed flower surrounded by green leaves.

I finished Chy's picture so I could capture the pretty flower. It struck me like a topaz would strike the eyes of a jeweller. It was alone too. "The lone topaz of pharmacy building." It was the perfect theme for a picture I needed to enter the Captures of Beauty contest.

"Okay. Can we go now?" I said and pocketed my phone happy but exhausted from my labour.

"Not before we take some selfies," Eniola said and pulled me into the group for a picture.

"Eniola. You know I don't like pictures. They always turn out ugly, like all my passports and ID cards," I complained.

"We're not hearing that. Now, smile. Come on, Hadum. I promise we won't take long. Okay, everyone. Say roomies!" Eniola said and raised her phone up to capture our faces.

"Roomies!"

It didn't end with that. We spent nearly an hour taking pictures and cracking jokes. I had so much fun that day. I told Wanida about it and she smiled her proudest smile.

The one week break dragged on to two and then three weeks. Thank goodness the K-girls all went back to Lagos. Almost everyone left for the holidays, but I still had a full room (minus the finalist🥲) and a friend to chat with. Yep, Chris 😁

"I never knew the school could be this dry without students. It's like a ghost house," he commented one Tuesday evening.

"Tell me about it. I'm so bored I miss lecture alerts," I typed and he laughed.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" was the next message. I grinned and bit my fingers a little before replying.

"Sure. A walk to the stadium again?" I asked and recalled our first walk together.

"Nah. I've got an even better idea," he replied with a smirking emoji and I got curious. What could be better than a walk to UNN stadium?

A hike up Vet mountain, that's what! He picked me up from my hostel the next day and bought some snacks for a little picnic. Then we walked all the way to the only mountain in the den.

"I'm grateful you didn't put the hoodie on. I like your hair better uncovered," he said.

"Sure you do," I replied and stepped over some stones. I stopped to wipe my sweaty brow and catch my breath. I looked the way we had come and thought I saw Fumnanya. She was quite far so I wasn't sure. I hoped she had travelled too.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked, looking at my moody face.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "By the way, Chris, I entered the contest yesterday."

"Really?" he asked with so much enthusiasm I couldn't help growing pink.

The view at the top of Vet mountain was superb. All around shone green with grasses so lush you could smell them. The height made the clusters of houses within view look like children's toy houses. Then the trees rose and waved their branches towards the heavens. It was beautiful.

"Look at that, Chanok. Isn't it beautiful? Come here, baby. Let's take a picture, so we'll always remember this moment," my mother's voice rang in my ears as a recollection came to my mind.

"Look at how the water hugs the sky at the horizon. Do you know what it's saying, darling? It's saying that no matter how far or wide we may be apart, we'll always meet at the horizon." After those words, mum had hugged me and I had thought that she had just promised to never leave me.

"Chanok. Hataichanok, what's wrong?" Chris' voice broke through my recollection and his concerned eyes brought me back to Vet mountain.

"This place... It's beautiful," I said.

"It is. You told me how you and your mum would take pictures on a mountain in Thailand. This isn't Thailand but I was pretty sure you'd like it," said Chris.

"Yeah. I do. It brings back so many memories..." I said half-heartedly. I wanted to be happy for his sake, but the parting with Wanida, the trouble with the K-girls, the guilt I felt concerning Fumnanya, the pressure of being me and the fact that my mother was a thousand miles away brought tears to my eyes.

"You're sad," Chris said in a low voice.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked a little sarcastically.

"Yeah. When you are, your eyes grow.... Oh. Sorry." He scratched the back of his head and gave a shy look.

"Ahh. It's okay. I'm just a little frustrated, that's all," I chuckled, "It just feels like the universe has always been against me. I'm the unluckiest girl in the world."

"I know a solution. You ever tried screaming at the universe?"

"What?"

"You know. The 'Life in a Year' thing."

"I'm not gonna do that," I laughed.

"Come on. It's refreshing. Here, I'll show you." Then he looked at the world below and screamed, "Mr Osede, your assignment stinks! So do you!"

"Chris! What are you doing? You can get expelled," I cried in surprise.

"Come on, Chanok. Let it out. Free the violence!" he goaded.

"Well... UNN! You're a deceiver!" I said, my hands cupping my mouth. My voice echoed round the mountain and came back to me. I panted and wondered when last I had raised my voice. I must admit, it felt good.

"Louder, Chanok!" Chris said and burst out laughing.

"You're no den! You're a death valley!" I shouted louder than before. Chris echoed me and we both laughed.

"F'ck this school!" I screamed without thinking.

"Shit! Pim, you don't think that's a little too much?" Chris asked and laughed with the merriment of the free. I echoed him.

"I'm just getting started. F'ck the assignments. F'ck the deadlines! F'ck all the people in my class... Except you, Chris and, some other people."

"Chanok..."

"F'ck the fake friends that hurt me when I was little! F'ck all the people who just can't looking at my hair!"

"Hataichanok, I..."

I wasn't finished. I was too flushed with emotions to stop there. "Even Fumnanya! F..."

"Chanok! Stop, please!"

I looked, surprised at Chris. "Why? You were right. This is great!"

"You sound like you really mean those things," he said.

"I do!" I yelled with anger and hate.

Behind us, something fell. I looked.

Fumnanya's big eyes stared back at me.

"Shit," I mumbled. "Fumzy. I.. what are you doing here?" was all I could say.

"Well, I came to..." She picked up a  polythene bag. Then she advanced towards me but stopped, staring sadly at the grass between us. "It doesn't matter." Then she turned to leave.

"Fumnanya, I..."

"Don't explain," she cut me short quickly. Then she smiled a bitter smile and added, "I'm glad I bumped into you. At least I know now that... I'm sorry my company was so loathsome to you. They were great to me. 안녕... I mean, bye." Then she left.

"This is a mess, Chris said. "Where art thou, Pandora? The traces of your misdeed surround me. Show thyself that I may repay your misfortune."

My eyes followed Fumnanya as she hurried down the hill. If I had felt guilty before, I felt worse now.

To be continued 🧣