LILIES OR THORNS 1.

THE TWO BFF'S.

Fatimah let out a deep sigh as Ene shouted at Zephaniah. “I hate this colour! What kind of nonsense is this? What don’t you get?” This was exactly what she was trying to avoid.

She and Ene had been best friends since class 5. Ene was outspoken, strong willed, carefree, friendly, short-tempered and playful while she was quiet, shy and intelligent but for the bullies that affected her mind and her grade in turn. She was the prey for bullies in school. They always collected her lunch box, beat her and pushed her into the mud until Ene gave them a piece of her overflowing mind and dealt with each one personally with her fists of course.

They stuck together like glue and made sure they attended the same schools till they got to their tertiary institution.

Ene’s loud voice was already booming like a Dj’s speaker at Zephaniah who was the Executive planner at Zeph events. Her bff was getting married and as usual she was angry. 

“Ene calm down abeg, let’s trash it out with simple words” said Fatimah. 

“What kind of simple words? I don’t have time o” Ene said while tapping her right foot on the ground.

“Leave it to me let me handle it, it’s simply a matter of kind words”.

“Just handle it, shikena” Ene said and stormed out of the room.

She sat with Zeph who said he picked peach because it signifies immortality and she requested for something that would depict an undying love. He was 100% sure that peach would blend in with the teal she requested for. After a lot of consideration, Fatimah told him to hold on so she could speak with her friend.

She was sure it wasn’t the colour that was annoying her. Her friend’s husband-to-be was the issue. He called her just before they arrived at Zeph’s and she had been sulking ever since. 

 5 years ago, when Fatimah and Ene were in school, they had to borrow a course from psychology and Easy happened.

He was popularly known as Easy, his real name was Ezekiel. He was about 6”1 and he was a head turner. All the ladies flocked around him and he was tall, fair-skinned, pink lips and of course handsome. He was so smooth you couldn’t see any flaw in him. They nick-named him Mr smooth because He had the right words, the right looks and the right questions. He was just right. After their first class, they kept making jest of him but admiring him too. 

Ene travelled out of the country for her brother’s wedding and out of boredom, Fatimah decided to go to a fast food joint that was under a tree for a snack. It was her favourite relaxation spot and she went there every weekend to relax and read a book. That was when she met Easy.

“Hello fair one. Do you mind if I seat beside you?” He asked. She showed him a seat with her hand. Fortunately or unfortunately, she was reading her psychology handout and he noticed it. 

Read: Lilies or thorns 2
 

“I’m sorry but do you borrow this course? I know my classmates and I’ve never met you.”

“Yes I borrow the course but I’m not in a mood to talk” said Fatimah who wanted to be silent.

“No problem. Just make sure you understand chapter 5 before the next class.”

Her heart skipped a beat. She was tired of trying to understand it so she skipped it. She let him help her and she was grateful. Thereafter, they got talking and when she noticed he was trying to get too close in just a week, she put him off. The guy was a calculated player and she wasn’t ready for any heartbreak.

When Ene returned to school, she was trying to tell her about it but she noticed Ene always brought up something to cover up that particular topic. Two weeks later Fatimah went home; when she got back, Ene told her she was involved with a guy and Boom! It was Easy.

At first they quarrelled but out of wisdom, Fatimah decided to let the issue slide instead of losing her friend. They had been dating for 5 years. He proposed to her on New Year’s Day and she said yes. They decided to fix the wedding for July.

Whenever she looked at her friend and boo together she always felt sad within. She remembered the day she warned her friend about the relationship.

“Ene don’t you think you should slow down with Easy? Things are happening way to fast...”

“Fatimah the holy single girl has come again” said Ene out of sarcasm. 

“It’s not that and you know it.”

“So what is it?” Ene asked angrily. “Look Fatimah” she said as she calmed down “People have told me you are not happy about this relationship but I chose not to believe them because you’re my friend. Leave all these issues, it would sort itself. Just support me on this one.” She pleaded.

At first she gave her friend a considerable distance but she later decided to play along and encourage her since Ene decided to define her purpose.

Moreover, why force a horse to the river when you know it wouldn’t drink from it?



P.S: The story continues on Sunday. Please share on social media by clicking on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ in blue font below.