When the sun goes down
And when it comes back up
We got our aces out.
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"I want braidsss..." Nene drawled out, one hand running through her neatly packed, unbraided hair while the other scrolled through pictures of neat and captivating African braid styles on Pinterest.
Chimdi hissed, eyes on phone. "Then go make one!"
"You don't get." The darker girl groaned, sitting upright. "I don't want to sit. I just want to leave my head at a fancy saloon then come back to a perfectly made hair. Is that too much to ask for?"
Lara looked up from her Accounting textbook, she's been trying to figure out the assignment since they left their hostel. She stared at the darker girl for a good five seconds before hissing. "Are you for real?"
"But I'm serious," Nene continued, dangling her cell phone. "And bored too. When will we get the text nah, I'm tired already."
"Can you stop talking already, we are all waiting!" Chimdi snapped. Frustrated that TJ hadn't replied her message since morning.
They'd both chatted till almost daybreak last night, talking about everything silly and random.
She'd concluded that he was definitely a certified clown and had tried to stifle her giggles at every comment he made last night.
After an exchange of good morning message, with Chimdi asking how his night was, he'd left her on read.
Part of her thought it was payback for leaving him on read last two nights, but she thought otherwise. No one heard from the guys after Jiki sent a quick text about sorting out things.
Eager with anticipation, they'd skipped breakfast, with hopes of wishing Elo a happy birthday.
"What's your problem!" Nene shot back, sending an annoyed glare Chimdi's way.
Chimdi rolled her eyes, "I don't have a problem Nens, just stop whining, you're not the only one tired of waiting."
"And you're not the only one here Dee!"
"Meaning?"
"That you don't necessarily need to comment on everything!"
"I'd have kept to myself if only you stopped-"
"Okay ladies!" Lara liaised, shutting close her books. "A little bit of civility please! I'm trying to figure out an assignment from hell here and all you two do is bicker!!" Her little speech was graced with a long heart dropping hiss from the girls.
And she let it go, as long as they remained silent.
The silence ensured for what seemed like a long 30 seconds, followed by a frustrated groan from Chimdi and a glare from an interrupted Lara.
"What now?"
Nene's cell phone dinged, and the brewing argument about to ensure was cut short as they lit up with hope.
"Who was that?" Chimdi asked, sitting upright and relieving her stiff back of cramps.
"Jiki."
They gathered round to view the content of the message.
"Swim class!" Lara screamed, stuffing her books into her backpack.
And they hurriedly made their way to where the boys were. They had few minutes to spare before the usual Friday assembly.
They stepped into the deserted hallway of the school's swim class. The blue walls reflected on the clear pool, making the pool a shade darker.
"Happy birthday!" Lara screamed as she was the first to spot the boys, but her excitement died down, which caused the rest to backtrack when they saw the mood the boys were in.
"What's happening?" Chimdi asked, when they finally walked up to them.
Their moods were nothing close to ecstatic, with the trio breathing fast and holding guarded looks.
The girls stared at them, birthday boy glaring not-so-subtly at TJ and Jiki.
"Can someone answer me! What's happening?" Chimdi asked again, slightly annoyed.
"You think calling them will let you two off easily?" Elo said, totally ignoring Chimdi's question, and the girls, who were getting irked in growing seconds.
"El, what's wrong?" Lara almost pleaded, growing anxious, but got no response. Only heated glares and laboured breaths. "Okay, can someone speak the fuck up! Elo, what's your problem?"
"Lara stay out of this!" Elo snapped, before facing them. "Why the hell am I asking you to stay out. I'm sure you guys were aware too. Is this a plan to embarrass me or what?"
He was met with silence.
The trio stared back, face mirrors of total confusion.
"What is he talking about?" Chimdi asked, referring to no one in particular.
Jiki cleared his throat, a lazy hand rubbing his stiff neck. "The post on my status."
"Which one?"
"The second video."
Chimdi unlocked her phone, going straight to her WhatsApp and to the said status update.
She stared at the video in utter confusion, before passing a confused look Jiki's way.
The girls, who had no idea on what was going on, also joined her. And there, they loaded a video which happened to be one of Elo, Jiki and TJ at the basket ball court, throwing and passing the inflated brown ball.
"What's wrong with the video?" Chimdi innocently asked, causing the boys to groan.
She stared at them, getting more confused by growing seconds.
"What?" She asked, still confused.
Elo rubbed his hands together before scrubbing them on his face roughly. "Guy delete that video. No vex me!" He growled at Jiki, who totally not bothered, rolled his eyes at him.
"What's wrong with the video?" Nene asked, moving forward. "It's a normal video El, what's the big deal?"
"You know what, you guys should just go. This is between me and these two idiots-"
"Dude watch your words!" Jiki snapped, already tired of the sickening drama.
"And If I don't?"
"Okay guys stop..." TJ intervened, stepping between them. "All these drama was because of me, I thought it was a great idea-"
Elo snorted. "Great idea my black ass. Man drop the goody two shoes role!" They stared at him in horror, an encounter with rude and snarky Elo was a rare sight.
"Excuse you-"
"Dude I told y'all that in confidence, you know how I feel about basket ball," He let out a humorless laugh. "Stop acting like you care, y'all don't. You didn't only embarrass me, you ruined my birthday! You guys are just- badlucks, none of you care, all you do is claim-"
"Wait a minute," Interrupted Nene, she stared at Elo in disbelief. "So this is about JSS1 El?"
"It isn't about JSS1 anything Nene!" He snapped. "I don't even care anymore. I just don't want to play again, and--and that stupid caption. Was it really necessary?" He tried to justify. But they knew better, they shared knowing looks, seeing through his fronting.
Chimdi shook her head in utter disbelief. "Calm down El, what's the problem, the video or the caption?"
"Everything!" The darker boy snapped.
Chimdi rolled her eyes, totally annoyed. "You're even confused El. We know it's about JSS1-" He snorted. "But it's been five years Elo, don't you think things have changed? I mean, Coach didn't give you a chance then but now, everyone will clearly see that you can play more than most of their captains." She praised, trying to lighten the mood, which only earned her a snort.
"Honestly El, there is nothing wrong with everyone finding out about you playing basket ball. At least, this will prove their only-tall-boys-play-basketball philosophy wrong."
"What part of I DON'T CARE ABOUT BASKET BALL don't you understand!" Elo snapped, frustratingly ruffling his dreads.
Lara groaned, the whole scene was getting annoyingly frustrating. "But you love basket ball El-"
"Lara Shut up!"
"For the last time Elo, watch your words!"
"Or what?" Elo barked, shoving Jiki against the wall. The rest gasped, tension oozed the room like an uranium radiation. "You'll beat me to pulp?" His hands gripped Jiki's collar, causing the taller boy to shove him off.
"El, calm down!" Jiki shook him, trying to loosen Elo's death grip, seething in anger and boiling with rage. "Stop transferring aggression and stop decieving yourself!"
But Elo paid a deaf ear to their pleas, pure rage bubbled deep within. His heartbeat, so loud took an off tune rthyme, matching his rage.
With an ounce of rage and tiredness, Chimdi shoved them apart. They had few minutes to assembly and instead of warming up for a joyful celebration, they were there testing manpower and entering a brawling contest.
"Can you people stop this nonsense!" Her tiny voice echoed across the room. With both boys still eyeing each other with guarded looks and unsteathy breaths. "This wasn't what I expected," She sighed, running her hands through her hair.
"This was supposed to be a special day, not brawl day! El, I don't see anything wrong with letting everyone watch you play. You are good at it and you love the game." She patted his shoulder before letting out a tired sigh. "But if you don't like it, well fine, we'll delete the video-"
"Bullshit!" Nene not withstanding, cut in.
"Okay let's not start this now." Chimdi pleaded, already tired of the drama.
"Noo, we'll have to talk about this. Are we all going to overlook the fact that El is just being a total coward?" Nene continued, clearly aware of the trouble she was about to create.
Lara groaned, palming her face for the umpteenth time. "Nene stop. Please." She pleaded, dropping her backpack to stand between she and Elo.
"Why? let her talk," An angry Elo urged. "Typical of her to say such words. She doesn't have, not even a teeny bit of human feeling!"
"Interesting! Go ahead and tell me El, tell me how feelings are involved with you being a coward!!" The darker girl barked, taking threatening steps close to the unflinching boy.
"You guys c'mon, we can't do this now. Please." TJ's plea came out weak and tired. He blamed himself for coming up with the devil's idea which had totally ruined his friend's birthday.
But the duo paid a deaf ear to his plea. Both locked in a stare down.
"It has everything to do with it. I'm no coward but you my friend, have no human feeling. You don't care about others Nens, it's always about you! How to get rid of other people's problems so you'll be free," His hands flared angrily. "You think about you and yourself alone and that makes you a self centered bitc-" The sound of the palm to cheek collision cut, not only his sentence, but across the room.
"That's enough Nene!" Jiki groaned, dragging her out of a seething Elo's sight while she struggled, trying to free herself from the stronger boy's grip.
The rest, urged Elo to leave too. But the boy wasn't done, he kept hauling angry words her way.
"Elochukwu Martins Jide! You'll have to explain in detail how I've been a selfcentered bitch. Jiki, let go of my arms!!" Nene screamed, struggling with Jiki, he was close to losing to her.
"Nens please stop this. You'll attract people to this place." TJ tried to reason, he shook her shoulders gently, while she struggled, a scratch on Jiki's arm caused a yelp out of his mouth and he immediately released her.
"No you two back off." Nene warned when TJ and Jiki blocked her path. "I'm totally buying this case. He has to explain how being a caring friend makes me a self centered bitch! How having his cowardly back makes me the bad person. We are not leaving here till I've gotten an answer."
"He's just afraid! He thinks JSS1 and SS3 are same. Five years and he doesn't want to man up!" She shoved TJ aside, finally facing Elo. "A miracle doesn't happen if you just cower in fear and wait till you get a personal Messiah El! You make one happen yourself!!"
The bell rang, an obvious warning that assembly was due.
But Nene and Elo paid no attention, while the rest shuffled quickly, gathering their discarded belongings.
"Okay, we have to go now. Assembly is in the next 30 seconds!" Lara alerted, trying to cause a reaction from the duo, who not only ignored her, but continued their brawling game.
Elo tried walking away but was caught in Nene's death grip. "We're not done here El. You have loads of elaborations and explaining to do."
The group sighed in frustration.
And when the second bell rang out, they found themselves leaving the angry duo at the mercy of their growing rage.
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TJ Kodiri twirled the translucent straw inside his coke bottle, while its content fizzed. His attention fixed on the caramel bubbles as if, he found the fizzing action interesting.
His other hand ran through his neatly cut hair, while his thoughts were nothing close to calming.
The rest sat quietly at the lunch table, lazily munching their snacks, mulling over the morning's event.
They basked in the awkward, soul crushing, pregnant silence. No one had the strength to utter a single word.
Five hours and still they waited. No one had heard from Elo since the morning's crazy event. They were surprised to see Nene join them at the table, just a bored wave and a loud slurp from her drink.
Just like that. No usual rant on the school's cold snacks, no small talk with the girls.
Frustrated, TJ had furrowed his eyebrows at Nene to get, even a little information on Elo's way about.
"What?" She'd deadpanned, taking another slurp of her carbonated orange flavoured drink.
"Where is he?" He mouthed, which had earned him a feigned confused look from her.
"Who?"
"Dude stop beating yourself up." Bored, Jiki had thrown in, peeling off his last banana and shoving almost half of the crescent shaped fruit into his mouth.
Few minutes later, he was repeating the same process and was getting the same response from Nene.
"Can't someone eat in peace again." Muttered Chimdi, who'd had enough of what was going. TJ gave her a sad smile, which she totally ignored.
Nene took another bite of her snacks, hands gesturing towards the exit door.
TJ sighed, he knew asking the darker girl further questions was going to be a futile mission.
He fixed his attention back to his snack, as the girl went back to eating her cold donut.
A sudden addition to the awkwardly quiet table caused them to raise their heads. They were met with the unusual sight of three SS3 boys, widely known as the school's basket ball captains.
"Wassup," Dozie, popularly called LeBron waved, all too excited.
The girls gave them an acknowledging nod, while the boys exchanged handshakes with them.
"Guy! good game." Okon, one of the captains, tall, light skinned and overly cheerful commented as he joined Dozie.
They stared on, waiting for the boys to speak up.
But they took their time, while Bolaji, one of the captains, found delight in taking small chips off TJ's snack.
"Where's the birthday boy?" Dozie finally asked, a confused look gracing his face as he looked around the table, noticing Elo's absence.
Lara sat up, while Nene and Chimdi groaned in unison but for different reasons.
Jiki looked around, before staring back at the trio. "Obviously not here. Why? Whatsup?"
The trio stood up, not before Bolaji took one last cube of TJ's snacks.
"Coach is asking for him."
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