6:00pm. Queen Elizabeth II Hall
“So that was how I sha had an asthma attack after we finished kissing.”
We laughed like people high on drugs as G finished her story. Temi rolled on the floor while laughing, Dami had her head thrown back with tears rolling down her eyes and I was furiously hitting the pillow as though I needed the extra release while laughing. G watched us, smiling with satisfaction on her face like the good storyteller she is, waiting for our various responses.
“That was epic.” Temi managed to stutter out amidst laughter.
“What na happened?” I said giggling.
“He was sha searching for my inhaler, panicking. I was just laughing ‘cause it was so funny.”
Dami wiped her tears, still chuckling. “I can imagine o.”
“But for real, was it that good?’ I asked. We all burst out laughing again. There was a knock on the door.
“Come in!”
A girl in white trousers and a blue denim top came in, lugging a heavy bag with her.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” We replied.
“I sell jeans, tops, underwear, skirts. I sell jewelry too.” She began to open the bag and Temi, being the fashionista, moved closer and sifted through the clothes. G was singing along to the loud music playing in the hall. It was fresher’s gyration night. Oya wo, wo n ba e wi nibi. Wo! After about five minutes, Temi finally told the girl she had no money and she left.
“Everybody is selling something in this hall.” G said jokingly.
“You guys, let’s start getting dressed o. The film show starts by six thirty.”
8:45pm, Queen Elizabeth II Hall
We held our breaths as we waited and hoped the girl wouldn’t say his name.
“I can’t remember.” She said and we all heaved a sigh of relief. The movie had ended.
“Why would they show a horror movie though? A rom-com would have been better na.”
G eyed me. “You think everybody is like you abi? Me I enjoyed it o.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t that bad.”
The whole hall was in an uproar as the DJ began to perform his magic. There were no boys in the hall so most girls were in bum shorts and some wore just big t-shirts. Within minutes, my friends and I were already grooving to the music, shouting lyrics.
“Ore, pass your phone. Let’s take a video.” I passed it and she was just unlocking it when Ima showed up.
“Ima!!!”
Ima was one of our classmates. She looked quite pretty.
“Haha fine girl. Did you enjoy the movie?” She was perched on Temi’s legs.
“Ah no o. I was outside. I just got back in.”
“Baby girl you bad o, girl, the way you whine, I dey mad over you girl“. Ima suddenly shouted, wriggling in Temi’s laps. Her enthusiasm was contagious and she had all of us singing. As we were singing, the DJ changed the song and Ima pulled Temi up to dance.
“Oyaaa!”
Temi refused to dance but Ima was not letting that stop her. She bent and began to twerk. G wasted no time in taking videos while we shouted “Shake it!” and “wehdone ma!”. When she was tired, she stopped to take deep breaths.
I was beginning to feel uncomfortable due to sleepiness. We had spent the past thirty minutes singing and shouting.
“G, I’m going to bed.”
“Haba, it’s just 9:30.”
“I’m tired jare. You know we have a seven o’clock class tomorrow.”
“That’s true sha. Alright then.”
I took my phone from G. Hugging everyone, I said my goodbyes.
“Goodnight Ima.”
“Baby girl, goodnight.”
*****
The Next Morning – 8am, Queen Elizabeth II Hall
“Ore! Wake up!”
I mumbled and turned. Temi could be a pest.
“Wo, the class is not holding na. Didn’t you see the message?”
“Ima is dead.”
I blinked. “Which Ima?”
Temi had tears in her eyes. “Ima jor.”
I sat up. “ But we saw her yesterday. I still have her videos. Are you sure?”
Temi shook her head, struggling to blink back the tears. “She was rushed to the hospital yesterday evening like fifteen minutes after we left.”
“What happened?” I was still in shock.
“I’m not even sure. They said she fell. Some said she was drugged. We don’t know what exactly happened.” Temi sat down beside me solemnly. We were both quiet.
“Fifteen minutes after?”
“Yes.”
My phone beeped. It was our class rep. The eleven o’clock class will hold.
About the Author
Oyeleye Ooreofeoluwa is an avid reader, a music lover and a Lawyer in the making. Born in the 90’s , she hopes to leave footprints in the sands of time.
University of Ibadan| Law, 200 Level
Wordpress – theblackwordsmith.wordpress.com
Email – articulture99@gmail
Instagram – Oreleye
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