8: The pant thief

Annie sings at the top of her voice while Amanda prays like she wants to pull the heavens down, when all I want to do is get a minutes sleep before my alarm rings.

“Buzzzzzz!” Too late, my phone blares and I sit up, throwing my pillow to the floor.

My nose flares as I huff. Clenching my hands into fists, I prepare to give those girls a piece of my mind. But after a while, I calm myself down. As much as I mean no harm, one of them might see it the wrong way — like I'm overreacting. In the end, things will only get worse for me. 

Clumping over to my phone on the table, I dismiss the alarm. As I'm about to go to my wardrobe, my phone rings, causing my heart to lurch upwards. 

For the past week, Mr Victor won't stop calling. Every morning and night, he calls and also sends a text — none of which are appropriate. I wish to tell Eric, but he'll only get mad at me for lying in the first place. Besides, what can he do except get angry? Mr Victor is our lecturer — a prestigious one at that.  Any slight mistake and we're both doomed.

My legs feel like noodles as I walk, my heart pounding in my chest. 

When I get to my phone, I peer down, my neck rigid. Immediately I see it's my sister, I break into a loud sigh. “Thank God.”

“Idiot,” I say when I answer the phone.

“Fool.”

“This one you're calling by this time, is everything okay?” I ask as I walk over to my wardrobe.

“Since you couldn't call, I decided to call now.”

“Sorry, jare. I've just been busy.”

“Sorry o. Otedola's grandchild. Too busy for the peasants like us now.”

I laugh with my mouth open, putting my phone in the crook of my neck as I take out a hanger with my dress on it. “You're crazy. It's not like that joor.”

“It's now like how?”

“You know—”

“It's okay. I've had it with your excuses.”

“You're mad.” I change the phone to my other ear and hang the cloth back.

“Thank you, ma.”

Chuckling, I take out another hanger.

“Who are those ones shouting in the background?” she asks.

I close my wardrobe and lean on the door. “Wo, it's my flatmates o. There's the prayer warrior and the heavenly singer. Those two don't just know how to sing or pray in their minds.”

“Nawa o. So they do this every morning?”

“The one opposite me is always shouting every morning while the one that sings no get schedule. It's as the spirit leads.”

My plight becomes comical to Joy as she bursts out laughing hard. 

“The Lord is your muscle,” she says.

“Amen o.” I open my wardrobe, resuming my search for what to wear.

“Ehen, how's senior Eric? I'm sure that one has forgotten us.”

“Forgotten ke? Someone that always asks of you guys.”

“Liar.”

“I'm serious." Keeping my choice of clothes on the bed, I take out my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"And he can't even call us?"

"He asked for your WhatsApp number yesterday."

"Ehh? Maybe he's the one that sent me a message yesterday."

"See."

"Whatever. Have you guys gotten together?"

"Gotten together how?"

"My friend, don't act like you don't understand."

"Oh." I laugh a little. "He's still dating Mariam na."

"Mtcheew. Wo, just forget that boy."

"I told you—"

"That one is nonsense. Even sef, how will he look your way when you're always all over him?”

My face twists. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're always there for the guy, that's why he takes you for granted."

"I'm always there for him because he's always there for me."

"That's not what I mean. I meant your life literary revolves around him. You eat him. Sleep him. Drink him. Don't get me wrong. I like Senior Eric o but if he's ever angry at you eh, omo, your brain have finish that day. You'll just spend the whole day trying to make it up to him—" Joy is cut off by mom calling her out of her room to get ready for school. "I've got to go now. Before mom comes and drags me out. Ciao."

"Bye."

I stare down at my phone, my lips pushed forward with my forehead slightly crinkled. 

"I'm not always all over Eric," I mumble.

On my way to my bathroom, a knock on the main door stops me.

My eyebrows furrow. It's too early to be having visitors, so I open my door and stand there, waiting for the knock to come again.

"Aman... Annabel! De... What's that girl's name again sef?"

Rolling my eyes, I go over and unlock the door, allowing Diamond — the last flatmate to join us — in. 

Her skimpy dress and heels in her hands show that she's coming back from a party. As usual. It's been a week since she joined us and this is the third time she's returning the next day after attending a party.

"Thanks," she hurries out and speeds past me to her room.

Shaking my head, I shut the door and return to my room.

Once I've taken my bath, I go to the balcony to get my underwear from the drying rack, only to discover that one of them is missing. My eyebrows dip as I search the floor and the other rack, which is Amanda's. Yet, I don't find it.

The first idea that pops into my head is to ask the girls, but I push it aside because it makes me cringe and is also a call for trouble.

"Who could have taken my pant now?" I murmur with a deep frown on my face.

***

Throughout the day, I become self-conscious when around Eric, only upon realizing that I really am always all over him. Not a minute goes by without me asking or telling him something. Wherever he went to, I wanted to either know or follow him. I was even sick of myself.

We weren't having any class until 3, giving us an hour to fill up our stomachs and relax. So we go to the canteen we always visit after classes, Dare joins us alone a while later. I'm tempted to ask him where Devil's horns is, but the gentle act I've been keeping all afternoon tells me to stay quiet.

After both guys shake hands, Dare sits.

"Madam." He waves at me.

"Hi." I send him a small smile that confuses him.

"Did something happen?" He looks from me to Eric.

Eric shrugs. "She was her usual self this morning, then all of a sudden, she became as quiet as a graveyard."

"Ah-ah." Dare faces me. "Debby, did something happen?"

I shake my head just as Eric answers, "I've asked her the same thing but she keeps saying nothing. Don't worry; when the spark comes, she'll be back to normal."

"Please, be o," Dare says to me. "I don't like you this way."

I'm tempted to snap back to my usual self, but that will only make me look stupid. So, I flash a tight-lipped smile, silently promising to go back to normal the next day. I can't stand this.

"So, how far?" Eric asks. "Did your dad send it?" 

Dare leans back in his seat. "Wo guy. I'm on my own. I told you my dad won't fall for it."

Eric sips on his drink, looking dismayed by this and my mouth itches to ask what they're talking about. 

"I just have to double my hustle," Dare says, then suddenly leans forward. "Ehen, Debby, I sell all kinds of T-shirts, in case you want to buy or you have a friend that wants to. And they're really affordable."

"Sure." 

"You know," Eric says as he backs off from his drink. "Since Dora sows and you sell, why don't you guys work together? She'll make the clothes while you sell them."

"That's a great idea!" My eyes pop as I say and then continue with a ramble, "Oh my goodness. Dare, what do you think? Don't worry; I don't sow any how clothes. I can make ready-made ones too and we'll share the cut 50-50 if you want..." It's when I notice the looks on their faces that I realize my fault and clasp my hands over my mouth.

The two burst into laughter.

"Shebi I told you she'll be back once she gets the spark," Eric says.

"Debby, is this how you are?" Dare asks in between laughs.

My cheeks bunch up as I purse my lips and smile, then bend forward to clamp my straw with my lips.

"Anyway, I like the idea," Dare says. "Since you're game, so am I. Do you have anything?"

I sit up. "No, but I can make something before the month ends. Is that okay?"

"Sure. When you're ready, we'll decide the cut and everything else."

"You guys had better involve me in that cut o," Eric says. "'Cause I'm the one that brought the idea."

"Don't worry." Dare pats his arm. "100 naira is enough to settle you. Abi, what do you think, Debby?"

I give him a big thumbs up.

"You sef you're now agreeing with him?" Eric asks me.

"You're greedy," I tell him. "How much were you now expecting?"

"Ah! See this girl o. Twenty," he gestures at me. "Twenty," — then at Dare before pointing to himself — "Sixty percent."

"As what?" Dare and I ask and laugh at each other.

"As the idea guy, of course. See these two o."

...

Words/phrases and their meaning:

* Nawa o: wow

* Omo, your brain have finish that day: you're never yourself throughout that day 

* No get: doesn't have