AREA '61 (8)

Episode 8

"Last week, there was a rumour of the death of another fresher. She had been crushed by a speeding vehicle along the road leading to Hilltop. It was later confirmed to be a misinformation, or an attempt at social media fame by some ambitious news outlet.

The varsity sighed, but not for long. That same day, at the other side of the den, the shadows cleared before Eni-Njoku hostel and revealed the hidden corpse of another victim. Only yesterday, she was confirmed to be a student of Med lab, a fresher...

The authorities are mad. The SUG is circulating a press release. Death and rumours of death seem to plague us. The air is tense with suspense as the varsity ponders who the next victim is..."

Nonye's hands floated over her keyboard as her flow dried up. She sighed and curled on her bed as she recalled how she had lost her cool over Cathy last week. She recalled her running, her knocking and her deep relief at seeing Cathy. She regretted the hug because for the past week, Cathy hadn't gotten over it and kept teasing her with it. She smiled at how much fun she had had during the week too. Cathy had organized a karaoke night and cooked a restaurant just to appreciate her for "running up a hill top." Nonye had gotten so drunk on Cathy's wine of delight that she had actually sung and danced with the little thing.

"Nonye, you're smiling. Have you finally made up with Mr Paris?" Chisom teased leaning close from her bed. Nonye rose, glared at her and shot a pillow in her face.

Chisom laughed. "One day, you're going to have to upgrade from throwing pillows to throwing money."

"Or knives," Nonye said and they laughed darkly. Then they laughed at how dramatic they both were.

A knock on the door. Nonye groaned but felt giddy when Cathy burst in (she never walked in) and filled the room with her infectious happiness.

"Nony!" Cathy squealed as she gripped Nonye's back in a hug. Nonye turned to her with an irritated expression and muttered, "Giving you my room number was a mistake."

"I missed you too!" Cathy beamed and Nonye finally let the smile stretch her face.

"Awwwn. I wish I had someone cute to dote on me too. God, when? When will I have my own fresher!" Chisom faked a sob and Cathy laughed while Nonye rolled her eyes.

"Poor Chisom. It's okay. I'll be your fresher," Cathy volunteered and gave an angelic smile.

"Really?" Chisom cried and opened her arms to Cathy who circled the room to give her an embrace.

"Cathy! Who did you come to see exactly? Get away from her, you evil psychologist!"

"Jealousy!" Chisom teased and laughed as Cathy dodged another pillow tossed at her.

"Speaking of fresher," Cathy said and circled the room again. She put her hand in her Korean tote bag and pulled out a pretty invitation card. "You are invited to my matriculation this Saturday."

"Awwwn. God! Am I a spoon?"

"Ewu jambito. You know you didn't have to make a card," Nonye said and grinned at Cathy's beautiful writing. "Will there be cake?"

"Anything matric. Cake, rice, drinks, you name it."

"What about a canopy?"

Cathy's face squinched, "That's so old school. Anyway, my mummy's coming and she really wants to meet you."

Nonye startled. Those words made her feel so purposeful, so wanted. "I'll be there," she said and examined (admired actually, but she wouldn't have me write that) the card. She was so engrossed she hardly heard when Cathy took her phone and read the piece she was working on.

"Ooh. Is this a snippet for a UNN horror story? It's lovely," Cathy chirped.

"You think so?"

"Yeah. It looks like it was written by the hand of Arthur Conan Doyle."

Nonye giggled at how she pronounced the name. Then she snatched her phone and said, "You've given me the invitation. Now, go read for your exams."

"Oh, please. This is beauty week. I'm going to have my hair done at that fancy shop in S.U.B. Care to come with me?" Cathy begged.

"If you leave soon, I'll check up on you in an hour," Nonye promised.

"Score! I'm out. See ya!" Cathy burst out of the room and Nonye heard her run down the stairs. Then she and Chisom laughed.

"Did someone open a TV and pull that child out?" Chisom asked.

"I wonder at times."

"She's sweet, and she has the most beautiful smile I've seen. It makes me think of cupcakes." Chisom held her cheeks and smiled. Then she asked, "What did you do to make her so fond of you?"

"I directed her to GS building," Nonye said with a shrug.

Excitement filled the three days that kept Saturday away. Finally, the day arrived and Nonye's brooding on a presentable outfit were rewarded by Chisom and Tammy's approval.

"Don't forget to get us cake, o!" Tammy commanded.

"And rice!" Chisom added.

"I'll bring everything down to the serviette," Nonye said and left for FASA hall. She felt pretty in her black suit trousers, white vintage shirt and black headgear. Her black shoes clicked as she rushed to put an end to Cathy's marathon messaging.

"Hiii. We just sang the UNN anthem and it felt so gooood. Where are you?"

Nonye crossed the street and passed by a couple of girls. One of them looked back and smiled at her. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

"Trish..." Nonye smiled and nearly added "with the delicious accent."

"You look gorgeous."

"Thank you." A pause. "You too."

"I know." Another pause. "Who are you here for?"

"My friend."

A surprised look. "Really? In mass com?"

"ELS."

A long unfriendly pause.

"Okay. I have to go now..."

"Sure. See you around. Oh, congratulations," Nonye smiled at the other girls, freshers who beamed through their makeup. Then she locked eyes with Trish before leaving. "Hypocrite," she thought with a smile.

"Nony! Thank goodness you're not late. I was nervous about the picture session. How do I look though?"

"Can an angel look any more angelic?" Nonye wanted to scream in a fit of ecstacy caused by the sight of Cathy's gorgeous rouge dinner gown and beautiful braids and makeup. Her heels were adorned with silver heels only fit for a goddess, or a rich mummy's girl. Nonye kept her cool and said, "Cathy, you sent me fifty pictures of yourself before you left your lodge. You look the same."

Cathy sighed, rolled her eyes and smiled. "I think you're gorgeous too. Come on! I'm so picking this stand. Here come my friends. We'll take pics together after them."

And they did. Cathy told the cameraman to take dozens of pictures of them. Then she held Nonye and made silly poses. Nonye laughed when Cathy put her matric cap on her head and said, "Everyone! Nonye is matriculating too. Can I hear meee? Can I hear ewu jambito?"

Then it happened.

"Momma!" Cathy screamed in a voice Nonye never knew she had. Then she ran (still wearing her heels) into the arms of a beautiful lady. They were mother and daughter from a glance. They were both beautiful and their smiles had the special ability to cure depression.

"This is her. This is Nony!" Cathy bounced like a child as she introduced them.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Lotanna. I'm so..."

"Nony darling!" Mrs Lotanna said and pulled Nonye into a very soft hug. Nonye stood stiffly and looked confused at the gesture which was still so alien to her. She smiled a little and hugged her back, imagining that was the hug she had always prayed for her and her mother to share.

"Thank you so much for taking care of my little doll. Hope she hasn't been much trouble."

"Mummy, I'm almost 17."

"She's a bundle of joy," Nonye blurted as her cheeks hurt from smiling too widely. She couldn't stop herself; Mrs Lotanna's aura and sweet perfume were overpowering.

Cathy sneezed. Her mother said, "Cathy, your friend is so pretty. Let's take pictures together. Cath, have you paid the cameraman?"

"The bills are on you for today, Momma," Cathy said and she and her mother shared a gaze before giggling.

"A bundle of joy? Remind me who you are again," Cathy teased when her mother pulled them together for a picture.

"It's a figure of speech," Nonye said through clenched teeth and Cathy giggled.

Cathy invited all her friends over to her mother's parked GLK where they had a merry feast. Then Mrs Lotanna drove Cathy and Nonye to the lodge where round two happened. Nonye held her breath most of the time. She smiled whenever Mrs Lotanna smiled at her and rolled her eyes whenever Cathy teased her. In her mind, she was thinking, "Too kind. Too nice. Something's not right. Could it be that they're ritualists and Cathy approached me on purpose? Am I going to be used for a money ritual? Why is she giving me more parfait? Holy God, forgive my sins! I want to cover war stories before I die!"

"These heels are so uncomfortable," Cathy said and took them off after finishing her chicken. Then she walked gingerly to her mp and turned it on. It burst with groovy music and Cathy danced while her mother hyped her and took videos for the others at home to see. Nonye laughed at the drama but soon joined the play when Cathy pulled her from the bed and to the centre of the room. "Go, girls!" Mrs Lotanna cheered and Nonye submitted herself to the rhythm.

"Nice moves," Cathy said.

"I'll still kill you after this," Nonye muttered and they laughed. They soon got tired and Mrs Lotanna made a video call to her family at home.

"Daddy!"

"My campus doll."

"Cathy! Cathy! Cathy!" a little voice kept squeaking as Cathy tried to talk to her father.

"Daddy, lemme see. Woah. Cathy is so pretty."

"Thanks, Dave! Daddy, give Sofia the phone. My cutie baby!"

Nonye was curious at the whole drama. It was like a movie of some sort. A confusing but pretty kind of family movie. They chatted so merrily. They laughed a lot too. Cathy even said, "Mummy, you're not serious," and Mrs Lotanna didn't check her laughter with a slap or a scold. Throughout the call, Mrs Lotanna kept stroking Cathy's back and giving her braids kisses.

"So this is what a family looks like," Nonye sighed and took another sweet spoon of her cake parfait. She didn't have time to ponder on her pain because the two dolls swooped down on her immediately the call ended. They engaged Nonye in small talks, big talks and everything in between. It was a sweet moment for her. It came to an end with the setting of the sun. Nonye said she had to leave and Mrs Lotanna volunteered to drive her back but she refused.

"We can't leave the celebrant alone." To Cathy, she said, "Don't forget your exams are around the corner."

"Killjoy," Cathy said and walked up to her. Then she hugged her and said, "Thanks for making my matric the funnest day ever."

"Little doll, I didn't do anything," Nonye said and swallowed a lump in her throat. It was bitter and hard, nothing like the parfait she had just eaten.

"See you later, runner," Cathy teased and let Nonye out the door. Nonye gripped her bag of goodies, compliments of Mrs Lotanna, and turned to the steps. Midway, she stopped, looked at Cathy and smiled. She struggled to say something without letting out her tears. Cathy stopped her with, "I know."

Nonye swallowed and smiled briefly. Then she left.

To be continued.

Cute is all I can say. Cute! What do you think? I'd really love to read in the comments.