“Broken”

. 1.

6:47.

“I hope there’s no class today

. It’s Wednesday”

It was the third day of a weekday , and the second

day at her boyfriend’s house. Melissa had hoped to spend the entire day with her sweet boo, tJason.

“No class today,” The course rep had posted. Melissa sighs, as she continues to check twitter trends. She would be this way till 8a.m then go fix breakfast.

“Jason must be working in the living room. I hope he takes a break today” she muted.

9:30

Melissa was eating her favorite, Spaghetti, as she watches Jason walk from the Wardrobe to the. bathroom to the living room. “Are you looking something? Should I help you find it?” Melissa had asked severally but each time she did, she was met with “Nope. I got this”

Few minutes later, Jason joins her in bed. “Uhh, no class?” He asked,

“Baby, No. it was canceled, thankfully” Melissa responds with a wide smile.

“So what would you be doing today”

Melissa stared, picking her words slowly she replied “Spending it with you… or don’t… do you want me to leave?”

“Nah. It’s your choice”

10:47

There was a knock on the door.

“Good Morning. Is Jason ready?”

It was Tope. Jason’s long time friend and a chronic womanizer..

“Ready fo.. “

“Guy how far? Why you never ready? Look time now? When we wan reach Benin today con do wetin we wan do, na night we go do am”

Tope was with a big frown and was clearly not having it with Jason’s nonchalant attitude. It had become a habit for Jason to always delay when it comes to important things.

“Bro calm down. Calm down. 12 never reach and i don baff” Jason says with a smile on his face.

“Wetin deh funny, since Sunday weh we talk this thing, u never pack. Tell your babe make she help you pack now” Tope snapped as he walks to the living room to keep himself occupied.

Confused, unable to comprehend what was going on. “You are traveling to Benin?”

She asked while leaning carefully on the Table.

“Ya” Jason responded absentmindedly.

“And i had to hear it from someone else”

“It makes no difference”

“Wow” Melissa thought, tears were forming heavily already. She had planned her day with him already. Why was he acting this way? He knew he was traveling so why did he ask her to come. She knew she was going to lose this fight like the other days but she wasn’t going to back down.

“ I am your girlfriend. We have been in this same house for days. You had this trip planned out since Sunday. It didn’t cost you anything to tell me.”

“I didn’t say you should take permission from me but at least inform me. You could have told me when you asked me about class” She quickly added.

“I am going to Benin, whether i tell you or not. It is irrelevant.” He pauses then added “Besides i would have told you. I haven’t left yet.”

“Wow. Really?? I don’t get. Really?”

“You are impatient and that’s the problem. I haven’t left, there’s still time to inform you”

Melissa was clearly taken back at Jason’s response. She thought to walk away, she didn’t want this drama this morning. The tears were forming up faster than she expected”

“But You..” Melissa was cut off by the loud voice of Tope.

“Guy how far now, come out”

“I deh come” Jason says as he picks up his bag and starts to leave.

He turns back with a frown, Melissa had started to cry. He wasn’t going to let her police him around. He is a man and he can go and come without telling or asking anyone. He was used to it, even his mom couldn’t change him. He has never understood the idea of telling a woman before going anywhere.

“Melissa… “

“Melissa” He called again.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up.

“Uhm..” Jason started to say something.

“There’s money in the wardrobe, buy anything you want. Maybe go out with your friends”

He starts to leave, stops and turns around. “Can you please cook soup and stew and put it in the fridge? My Atm card is in the top drawer in case the cash is not enough”

“Wow” Melissa was staring at Jason’s back.

“Tum Tum Tum”, Jason was walking down the stairs. Slowly slowly, the sound faded as she lays

her head on her pillow.

“Money isn’t everything, Jason”

. 2.

“Omo. This sun na die abeg” Vera said as she landed heavily on the white chair in mama Zinno’s store.

“Abeg make una tell the woman make she bring cold drink. Omo this lecturer wan kill us” Vera added.

“Vera. You calm down now. Na only you go the class” Gbe-emi said.

Vera and Gbe-emi were Melissa’s friends. They had met on the screening ground and became friends after fighting for their spot on the queue.

It was vera who had started the fight between her and Melissa. Vera had stated she had come before Melissa and she was going to beat up Melissa if she tried rubbish.

Gbe-emi had intervened, and tried to settle the fight that day.

Unfortunately for the girls, none of them were able to screen that day so they had to gather again the next day.

The next day had come, and yet another fight had ensued between Vera and Gbe-emi the previous day mediator. This time around, Melissa had become. the mediator.

“Life is a pot of beans” Melissa whispered as she came back to the present day.

“You sef. What’s the problem. You just carry face since morning” Gbe-emi asked Melissa who had been sulking all day.

Melissa said nothing while watching Neli walk towards them. She had not seen her for days. “Where have you been, Aunty”

Melissa asked Neli , “Up and about”

Neli responded.

Vera snorted, “as usual.”

Vera didn’t particularly like Neli and she always wondered why Gbe-emi and Melissa were comfortable around her.

Neli turned to Melissa, “what about Jason”

“ I don’t know and I don’t care” Melissa snapped.

“Yea right. All of us know you care”

It was the voice of Esiso, the last of the crew. Esiso was the reserved one, speaking when she needed to. That was the first thing she had said for the hours they had been gathered.

“Do you know Jason traveled to Benin while i was at his place. He picked up his bag and left me” Melissa began to explain the event that had happened on Wednesday.

“So he gave you money for what?” Esiso asked, sounding very irritated.

“To shut up” Vera said, with her eyes fixed on her phone screen. She was used to these kinds of dirty complaints from Melissa. She didn’t understand why Melissa that won “most beautiful fresher” in 100 level would settle in a toxic relationship with Jason, a chronic cheat. But it was not her business anymore. She would not interfere in people’s relationships.

Last session, Melissa had come to the hostel with swollen eyes she got as souvenirs from the beating Jason had launched on her and vera had called Jason to rain insults on him. She was returning from class the next day when she saw Melissa entering Jason’s car. Later that evening, Melissa had uploaded a picture of Jason with the caption, “Nothing can stop this love”

Vera, had carefully picked up the broken pieces of the L sign and moved on. She wouldn’t stop being Melissa’s friend but definitely wouldn’t concern herself with Melissa’s wrong choice of Boyfriend, in fact, she would always partake heavily in spending whatever money, Jason gave Melissa.

“I hope he didn’t sha beat you? When you questioned him” Gbe-emi’s question brought Vera back to reality.

Melissa shock her head. “Better” Gbe-emi replied.

“So because he didn’t beat her, it’s good?”

“Jesus”. Neli said with disgust. “Emotional abuse, physical abuse. Is there a difference?”

Neli was not a relationship person. She was the type to have sex with whom ever and at any time she wanted. She was all about the bag and she never hesitated to admit it. “This is why I don’t do love. How can you stay in somewhere toxic and be comfortable”

Gbe-emi nodded her head. “Abi o. Melissa are you not tired? Why don’t you leave the relationship? Abi dem tie you put”

Vera was laughing at something on her phone. “You want her to leave all that money” Vera had said in a tone that suggested she was mocking Melissa.

“It’s better than being lonely” Melissa fired back. It was clearly a direct shot at Vera who was currently single.

“Abi o. it’s better to cry in a benz, than cry inside keke” Vera added. It was sarcasm, but it was Melissa’s bitter reality.

Melissa would rather be a baby girl for life. She was a big babe thanks to Jason’s money. She could not give up all that.

“Omo”

Esiso had said. She had nothing else to say. She had never dated anyone. She was a virgin. She never left her room either. It was class to the hostel everyday.

.3.

“I have missed you”

“I have missed you too”

Olley and Neli were cuddled up in bed.

Neli was not a relationship person, but her case was a unique one. Olley had her “mumu button” and she had his.

Olley had graduated from the same school and they had been together for months without an official tag to describe what they had. They were “going with the flow”

Neli was showing pictures of her friends to Olley, telling him about each of them. “This one is Esiso”

“Oh. Martin’s babe” Olley said while zooming in on Esiso’s picture.

Neli shook her head, “Esiso no get man o”

Olley looked at Neli and looked at the picture. “They didn’t exactly date. But they were having sex”

It was a long laugh for Neli. She laughed so hard, she started to tear up. “Uncle, Esiso is a virgin. She doesn’t even go anywhere except class”

She paused. “Why do men lie about sleeping with girls? Na wa o”

Olley thought about ending the conversation so he kept quiet.

“Wait. Are you serious?” Neli couldn’t shake off what olley had said.

Olley paused. He contemplated whether or not to give Neli the gist.

“Esiso told you she is a virgin?” Olley asked with a smirk on his face.

Without waiting for a response, he added ,“Martins is my closest friend and we lived together in the same house. Everything that happened in the house, we all knew. Aunty, Esiso and Martins were steadily fucking. Ehn”

Neli was confused. She knew Martins, he was also a graduate. Esiso had said Martins was her sister’s friend. Besides, Neli was still thinking, Esiso was always in the hostel and only leaves the hostel to either the Market or her Parents’ home.

She was determined to back her friend up.

She confronted olley with her thoughts. It would be impossible to counter that point.

“Aunty. Calm down ehn” Olley said. He sipped his drink, his favorite drink “Pepsi”

“She leaves her hostel in the morning to her parents house, yea? on her way she branches our place, collects one for the road then travels. She comes back to town in the evening and comes directly to our place and spends the night then leave for hostel as early as 6a.m”

Neli was quiet. She was thinking too fast. “OMG” she was looking at Olley so hard.

“What?” He asked her.

She said nothing. Reality had hit her as she remembered certain key things she had overlooked. Esiso had played her game smoothly and. she was the foolish one.

She had always wondered how Esiso always got back to school before 7a.m. It would take her about an hour plus to get back to school and was definitely impossible to be at the park by 6a.m.

She shook her head. The pretense and lies were unnecessary.

Why? Esiso didn’t have to lie and pretend.

Well. The game just started.

.4.

She walked fast. Watching her environment to make sure no one was tailing her.

“Hello. Where are you?” She said into the phone.

“Walk towards those shops across field” Jason replied from the other end of the phone.

She ended the call quickly and walked towards the shops. It was a popular hangout spot for most couples on campus. No lights, available tables and it was always quiet.

“I have missed you” Jason said while grabbing her ass and planting kisses all over her body.

“I have missed you too.” She assured him, kissing him passionately.

“I want you” he whispered.

“Let’s go somewhere” she said, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Jason pulled her close to him, “Here. Let’s do it here”

“As if i know you will want it here, i am not wearing anything under my gown” she licked her lips and directed his hands under her skirt.

Jason went wild. Melissa wasn’t this adventurous. She was boring, she knew nothing. But this one, this one knew what to do all the time.

She pulled him towards her. She felt him and he was hard enough. She got down, pulled down his zip and warmed him with her mouth. He moaned. She was good.

After she was done, she leaned on the table, bent over and spread her legs and waited for him desperately. “Jaso..”

His hard thrust had cut her off, he was holding onto her waist like he would die if he let go…. “kpa” “kpa” every sound increased as the adrenaline heightened.

It was over. He held onto one of the tables to recover..

“I have to go. Melissa will soon come find me in my room. We have a test tomorrow”

She. kissed him and left.

.5.

“Are you coming from Melissa’s place?” Neli asked. Vera and Gbe-emi had just entered the hostel since morning that they left.

“Yes o. No be small beating jason beat this girl. “ Vera answered.

“She’s getting better sha. she said we should hang out this evening sef” Gbe-emi added as she served rice and stew for herself and vera. They had not eaten anything since the previous night.

“Na wa o”

“Esiso. You didn’t hear that jason beat Melissa. You won’t say anything” Neli faced Esiso.

Esiso looked up from her laptop, she was watching “The Men’s Club”. She sipped her drink slowly, she was aware her friends were watching her and patiently waiting for her response.

She finally spoke. “So what should i do”

Gbe-emi broke into a loud laugh, she knew Esiso was going to say something off context. She continued laughing and it irritated Neli.

“When they were doing his view, her view. Did you people ask my opinion. Did the beating start today. Abeg o”

Esiso continued, “She’s used to it. If she don tire, she go waka comot”

“So we shouldn’t do anything” Gbe-emi asked.

“If you people want to do anything, you are free. But please leave me out of this.” Esiso said with a frown and returned back to drooling over Aminu.

Neli picked up her bag. She was buttoning her shirt when Gbe-emi asked where she was going. “Library” Neli said. She needed to read to catch up for the drop in her results. She had been busy traveling around and enjoying life. Neli was naturally smart, she just needed few B’s and C’s and she was okay.

“Na wa o. This seriousness this semester na die. Make una cut small reach me” Vera said jokingly.

“Abeg wait me. Make i follow you. Them say na who know road, you go follow”

Gbe-emi said while she hurriedly packed her bag to meet up with Neli.

“Una doh o. Make i sleep first. Na who e brain deh function deh fit deh read. I can’t kill myself ehn. We move”

Vera dusted her bed and just as she was about to lie down. The light came on. “Up NEPA o. Even God want make i sleep this sleep. See sweet fan”

Vera was the brightest of them all. She could read a morning of the exam and still write for three people. She had no problems academically or so it seems.

.6.

It was a Saturday evening. Melissa, Vera, Gbe-emi , Esiso and Neli were all in the room. They had been busy all day with reading, laundry, cleaning and assignments. It was time to rest and gather thoughts.“Na wa o. I will never understand why people will just stay and be making out on the field”

It was Gbe-emi who broke the silence. Gbe-emi was always the one who knew who kissed who, who was dating who and who was sleeping with who. She was the eyes and ears of the campus and the antenna of the school. She never hesitated to bring the gist to the table and was always quick to criticize.

This always caused a fight between She and Neli who felt people should be allowed to live their life and nobody was holy. After all, everyone is an adult.

“What is wrong with kissing on the field. There’s breeze there now” Neli said while laughing.

“It’s lack of dignity now. If the guy respects you, he won’t make out with you in the open. At least get a room” Gbe-emi stood her ground.

Neli and Melissa looked at each other and smiled. It was ironical coming from Gbe-emi.

Last semester, after exams were over. The school was almost empty as many people had gone home. Neli, Esiso and Vera had traveled home so it was just Gbe-emi and Melissa in school.

Melissa had spotted Gbe-emi with a guy, TJ, and decided to follow them for the fun of it.

She saw them walk into the field so she sat on one of the broken SUG chairs.

Gbe-emi was wearing a tight red gown and wearing a scarf across her neck. She T.J stood for hours laughing and gisting.

Melissa was tired, she wanted to leave but was determined to see the end of this meeting.

Few minutes later, she noticed Gbe-emi and TJ weren’t standing anymore. She looked closely, it was dark but she could trace their figures.

“Jesus” Melissa muted.

Gbe-emi and TJ were sitting on the field and making out!!!!. It lasted for over 10 minutes.

What!! The hypocrisy. After some time. Melissa noticed T.J and Gbe-emi were up again. Gbe-emi left first, looking round to make sure no one saw her. She walked towards the bookshop stylishly.

On the other-hand, T.J had walked out of the field to join his friends standing outside madam oha shop. One of his friends had pointed to his zip, gesturing him to zip up. They started laughing and whispering Gbe-emi name. “OMG” Melissa muted.

Few minutes later, she saw Gbe-emi with an overnight bag. She stylishly walked past T.J and his friends who hinted them that he was leaving.

It was obvious. Gbe-emi was spending the night at T.J .

Melissa had quickly called Neli to give her the premium gist. The gist was going to be between them alone.

“You of all people shouldn’t be saying this” Neli fired at Gbe-emi, she was quite tired of Gbe-emi’s judgmental attitude.

“What do you mean by that statement” Gbe-emi asked.

Melissa had signaled Neli to kill it. Vera saw the exchange of signals and said “why are you people exchanging signs. If you have something in your mind, say it”

“You people should calm down. It has not reach all this one” Esiso said, trying to calm the tensed environment.

“No leave Neli, she thinks everyone is like her without dignity” Gbe-emi fired.

Neli had enough. She sat up and before Melissa could stop her, she narrated every single detail of what Melissa had told her.

“Oya talk now. Madam dignity. Talk now” Neli mocked Gbe-emi.

Gbe-emi faced Melissa, “instead of you to figure out how to come out of a toxic relationship you are in, you are gossiping about other people. At least I’m not doing multiple abortions for a man that beats me and doesn’t respect me because of money”

The air was too tensed. Blood was boiling, anger was in the air. Everyone needed to breathe but no one was doing so. It was going to end badly, except a miracle happens.

Vera stepped in to calm Gbe-emi. “That was very unnecessary. You don’t have to insult her with her decisions even if they are bad. We are all friends, Gbe-emi apologies please. That was unnecessary”

Gbe-emi stood up, she was done pretending. “Omo let us even scatter everywhere. This thing is what you people call friendship. Liars and pretenders is what everyone here is”

Gbe-emi faced Vera, “and you, you are acting like you care about melissa abi. Ok. When will you tell her that you have been sleeping with Jason and spending his money”

“Jesus” Esiso shouted.

“What?!” Melissa added.

“Vera!!!!” Neli responded.

Melissa charged at Vera, “How could you”

“How could you” Melissa kept asking with tears in her eyes.

“Vera. You such a wicked friend. You acted like you hated Jason for what he was doing to Melissa but you were doing all that behind her back. God have mercy on you”

Vera laughed. “God have mercy on you too. Are you any different from me? We are the same thing now.”

Vera looked at Neli, “should i tell her or you will tell her”

“Aunty Esiso. You have been sleeping with Martins. You are not a virgin. We know it.

Olley told Neli about how to always come to the house. You can stop pretending”

Esiso was shocked. Olley and Neli? She never saw that happening. She couldn’t deny it. There wasn’t any use denying it so she kept mute.

Neli looked at Esiso. “All this time , you made me feel like i was a big sinner because i was having sex. I felt I wasn’t good enough because I wasn’t a virgin. But all along, you have been having sex?”

Neli continued, “i am not perfect, i have never been but you all made me feel i was so flawed but yet again, you all are as flawed as i am”

“Why? Esiso why? Why were you lying and pretending to be a saint you were not” Neli was shaken up. She couldn’t understand why Esiso would tell such lies, many times she had wanted to confront her but didn’t. Melissa started to speak.

“We are all broken. This is out reality. I am in a toxic relationship because I’m scared of being lonely. Neli, you sleep around because you don’t want to be committed because of one heartbreak that happened to you, Gbe-emi you secretly do things you criticize. Esiso, you are living a double life because of public validation and you vera, you sleep with people’s boyfriends because you hate seeing people happy”

Melissa left. It was the end of this friendship that never should have happened.