I pressed the doorbell of our very modest bungalow and folded my arms, waiting for someone, anyone, to come and open the door. I stole side glances from Chuks, who was leaning against the wall by the door, hoping I don't get caught.
I heard the key turn and heaved a sigh of relief. The door opened. It was my little sister, Kamsi. Well, not so little anymore, but I can't get not used to calling her little sister. She is fifteen and taller than I am, and yeah, its annoying of course.
Its annoying, watching her grow from little monster into tall nosy monster. But I still love her to pieces.
"How did it go?", Kosi quizzed, blocking the doorway.
"Was going great. Until idiot happened" was my reply.
"what idiot?"
"I am the idiot", Chuks said, getting off the wall.
"Chuks?" Kamsi asked with her eyes wide open, like that of a drowning man.
"Yup", he replied, smacking his lips at the "p"
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my..." Kamsi jumped on him, arms around his neck, legs around his waist. Chuks didn't look like 75kg of human weight had just crashed on him.
Mom looked like she was about to explode before she realized who he was. Anger turned into what? Love? Joy? Whichever and she switched into momma bear mode, giving him a full momma bear hug. I kicked off my shoes and lay down on the biggest and watched them chatter. My eldest brother came back. He bumped knuckles, and shoulders, and other really strange body parts guys bumped for unfathomable reasons, with Chuks.
Female chatter gradually became male gossip, which is very unendurable to me. I plugged my ears with my ear phones and slowly, drifted into a deep sleep.

When I woke up, it was dark and quiet. I reached for my phone and checked the time, it was 1:05am. And I was still on the couch. How did I sleep on the couch for 7 hours? And nobody bothered about waking me up. What kind of family do I have?

I come from a rowdy family of six. 3 males, 3 females. Even, right? My parents got married quite young, my mom was twenty and my dad was twenty. My mom is a teacher. My dad is a medical doctor. They got married during his housemanship. They say they got married that young because my dad is the only child. But with the time between their anniversary and my eldest brother's birthday being less than 9 months, we have our suspicions.
My eldest brother is Ugochukwu. He is twenty-two and in his final year of petroleum engineering. My second brother is doing his industrial training four hundred level of pharmacy. My not-so-little sister, Kamsi, is fifteen, in SSS3 and on mid-term break.

D9ty7: Advice to Tchyammy:
1. Your story is still at the infant stage. I was suprised when i checked this thread and saw only 96 views. I tried asking myself why. Then i came to realisation that your updates are not consistent.
I knw u want to include suspence to make pple ask for more, but right now, your update should be regular. The readers can decide to unfollow the story. They have nothing to loose, but assuming you've posted about a dozen updates, they dare not because, they'll want to knw where the story is heading to.
2. Try and read other people's story and drop comment. With this people will knw abt ur story, since the link to ur story iz on ur signature.
Am nt trying to spite ur work but i said a piece of my mind. Am also a writer but still a learner and hopefully, i'll learn from your story.
#teamchucks# lol.

I appreciate your advice. If you check the time of my updates, you'll notice that I don't update before 11pm. Its mostly about time. And I'm trying to make more time. The fact that I only have a big time Java phone doesn't make it easier. But I will try harder.

I entered the car, making sure I banged the door very hard. I crossed my left thigh over my right, tucking my dress tightly under the right thigh. I folded my arms and placed them against the window, resting my chin on my folded arms and looking out. Knowing I can't possibly get further away from the idiot without having to open the door, or in my present mood, kick it out for the hell of it, I let my mind soar.

How does one transform from a little mousy sweetheart to... I can't even sum him up. He is like a head and a shoulder, taller than I am, and I am not short. I am not tall either, anyways. But he is still tall, tall enough to give that "staring-down-at-you" effect to any girl I know. And he is a hell of a lot, far away from the skinny 13 year old. He filled out those jeans perfectly, and the jeans weren't skinny. His shoulders were wide enough to rest my big head very comfortably. And the arms bulged, just to thge right extent, at the right places.
And the face, did he get a surgery or something? Those dimples, those same old ones, no longer looked out of place. They looked like they couldn't belong in any other face. And his jaw...
The hell, I thought that adult hunks gave signs of hunkiness as kids. This one didn't. He was just this thin boy that wore glasses. I was even taller than he was, most of our junior secondary school. We became equal in height when we were in jss3. Just before he left. Puberty did him a whole lot of good. I remember how often I teased him about how the dimple was a waste on his face because they were almost not there, and his big harry potter glasses, whenever he teased me about how big my head was on most nights he stayed over. But now... What the hell did they do with him?
I can't believe I have a male friend, and he is hot. Or I had a male friend that is now hot... I hissed in my mind. Or so I thought...
"Earth to Aify." I heard at the same time I felt a not-so-gentle tapon my shoulder.
"Awww... What was that for?"
"Where did you go to? Cindy has said bye at least fifteen..."
"We are at Cindy's place?"
"I thought you were looking out the window"
"Well... I was..." Opening the door and climbing out quickly. I shut the door to his voice saying "Why did you hiss?"
I walked up to Cindy and gave her a big hug. I let go of her and turned to leave.
"Aify"
I turned back towards her. She opened the cute clutch bag she carried, removed her phone and money and handed the bag to me.
"Happy birthday"
I was at loss for words. I went straight into her arms and we held each other. I felt the tears come and I let them flow. When we finally let go of each other, my cheeks were streaked with mascara and her cream coloured dress had a black smudge on the shoulder. When I got to the car, I turned and mouthed her "thank you"
I entered the car.
"Lesbian"
I chose to ignore him.
"She had to give you the bag to hide the love notes. Don't worry, we understand.". Turning to face Chisom, "They will come out of the closet real soon. They can't hide it for much longer."
"Idiot", I hissed.
Chisom is still quiet.
"are you okay?" I asked her. She nodded. I looked straight ahead.
I directed him to Chisom's place.
Chisom got off. I did too. I went and gave her a hug. She hugged me a little too tightly. I whispered in her ear, "Are you okay?"
"We will talk later." was her reply.
"Okay. Thank you."
She handed me a small gift bag that I didn't realize she was carrying. Or she fished from her monster hand bag.
"Happy birthday"
"Thank you."

I walked back to the car and stood, holding the door open.
"Are you getting in or what?"
"You know I can walk from here.", I muttered as i folded myself into the car.
"I have to say hi to your mom, at least."
"Not necessary. I can say hi for you."
"No, I'm not that rude."
"At least you know you are rude", I muttered, mostly to myself.
"What?"
"Nothing"

We decided to split the bill, after much debate on who was not going to pay, since he was supposed to be taking me out and I was supposed to be taking "them" out.
Chisom hasn't said a word. Only giving a dishonest smile when it was obvious everyone was looking at her or its likes.
"How are we getting home?" She asked, at long last.
"Should be more of how are we going to make sure he finds his way home", Cindy stated boldly, looking directly at Chuks, unblinking.
"Don't bother about me...", Chuks started, looking back at Cindy, "I'm a big boy now and I can find my way about town." "And some other things", he added as an afterthought.
Cindy blinked and looked away. "Okay, let's get going"
We rose, almost simultaneously.
"I will drop you all off"
"Huh?"
"Ifeoma. I. Said. I. Will. Drop. You. All. Off." He stated, stressing each word.
"No. I heard the first time. You drive?"
"Nope. Three of you will be riding on the handle bars of my bicycle". "You only have to give me directions." he continued, holding the door open for Cindy and Chisom to walk past and leaving itjust as I was about to walk past, so I had to stop the heavy restaurant door, coming in full force, just before it hit me smack on the face. I shook my head, pushed the door open again and walked out.
He was holding the back door of the silver mercedes open for Chisom and Cindy. I caught up with him just as he closed the door. He looked at me like he was sizing me up, from head to toe, and said, "You. Front seat. I'm not your driver"

LogoDWhiz: Chai!!!.. Seats don full sha... Anyway, I go hustle one for myself... Welldone @op.. Nice story by the way..

Nooo, evn front row never full... Thank you...

D9ty7: Please update nau.

That was what I was doing...

"I always knew you were a lesbian, with all your unjust hatred for boys and all that." I chose to ignore his comment. Or the bitter truth, my throat hadn't managed to unknot itself.
"Is she your girlfriend?" he continued, pulling a chair from the next table and inserting himself between Cindy and I, "She is pretty. I gotta give it to you, your taste isn't bad at all. And with you lacking..."
"Can you just shut up?"
"That isn't a nice first words to a friend you haven't seen in five years and four months. And poor you..." looking at Chisom, "they left you playing third wheel."
I realized I wasn't the only one with her throat in knots.
"ehem..." swallowing hard, "Cindy, Chisom", raising my chin towards each of them as I called their names. "Chuks, my idiot friend."
"That you love so much." He said, picking up a hand each, of Cindy and Chisom, kissing the back of their palms.
Cindy rolled her eyes. Chisom turned scarlet, though she is black.
"So..." turning to face Cindy "are you her girlfriend?"
"Could you please quit being such a behind for five seconds? No, I'm not a lesbian. No, she isn't my girlfriend, in your sense"
"Big Fat Liar", he mouthed.
"What the hell did they do with the little mousy cutie that I was totally in love with?" I asked, throwing my hands up in mock resignation.
"wait, you thought I was cute. And you were totally in love with me. I knew it"
"No, I was never in love with you. I thought you knew I was a lesbian about three minutes ago..."
"So you are a lesbian." Looking at Chisom, "See, I told you so"
"Shut up", Cindy snapped. Cindy has this Ice queen effect about her. When Cindy snaps, people jump. Chuks jumped.
"Sure, ma. Not talking again. Ever." Chuks replied, making a sign of locking a padlock and throwing the key away. We laughed and I stood to go order. Five minutes later, we were eating, chattering away and laughing. We got more than a few hard stares. But its my birthday. And I don't care.
Chisom was quiet.

It can't be.
There is no way in hell it's Chuks.
"I'm speaking with Ifeoma, right?"
"Chuks?"
"No, Chuck. Who else calls you big head?"
I picked up my handkerchief to absorb my palm sweat, reminding myself to breathe and focus on the words, not the voice, "Well... My head is big. What do you think?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm in Awka. Where else would I be?"
"Good. Are you at home?"
"Nope. Why?"
"Where are you?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I was going to come and pick you up..."
"And it didn't occur to you I might have other engagements? You haven't become less of an idiot after five years"
He chuckled. The sound gave me this funny feeling in my stomach, "Engagements huh?"
" Yeah. I'm out with a couple of friends." And then it clicked. "Wait, you are in town?"
"Yeah. Dummy. And I'm the idiot here."
"When did you come back to the country?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm at crunchies. You can come join us if you can manage to find the place before we leave."
"Sure, I'm on my way."

I realized I have been staring at the table so long I can draw the complicated patterns of the cloth in a drunken sleep and get the exact dimensions. I looked up to find Chisom and Cindy giving me "that" look.
"Who is coming to join us?" Chisom asked with a tone that screams "I-should-mad-at-you-but-its-your-birthday". I went straight back to looking at the table.
"I'm sorry", I muttered. I raised my face, looking from Cindy, who has her left eyebrow raised, to Chisom, who had both eyebrows raised...
"I'm sorry", I started again, " It's just that there is this friend of mine, a childhood friend. I haven't seen him for like five years..."
"And...", Cindy pressed on.
"He left the country. And he just called me. And I just asked him to come and join us. And I wasn't thinking. And I know this is supposed to be a girl thing but I just ruined it and everything. And I'm..."
"Shut up", Cindy cut into my babble, "It's YOUR birthday", she continued, picking up my right hand, "...and you are squeezing the handkerchief a little too..."
"I'm sorry to break up this very intimate moment..." I looked up and my mouth went dry.

ice234: Nice.... Go on following

Thank you. Very much.

babyzai: I be follow follow wey dey follow u

Hahaha... Thank you

D9ty7: Following# The story promises to be mind blowing, i can see.
But dnt delay wen it comes to updates.
Nice introduction.

your endorsement means a lot to me... Thank you very much. I would try not to...

screenagerjoe: I like d way u write, fast paced. *following*

Thank you very much...

Back to present... Its my birthday. Cindy and Chisom have been badgering me for the past two months and I'm not exaggerating... Each time we conference, its either girl talk or my birthday. Same case whenever we meet up. Yesterday, we were on phone for like two hours and all we talked about was what I was going to do today... Well, today is here, 7th November. I have been on phone with both of them for about an hour and my mom is getting really pissed off... We decided I'm taking them out, pair of idiots, on a gals-evening-out... By three O'clock, I was dressed up. Yeah, I dressed up, as in wore a blue dress, flat shoes, bold earrings, brown powder, mascara and lip gloss, with my little clutch purse... Its my birthday afterall... I packed my very average natural hair that I refused to make, cece frey style and I was good to go.

So we are sitting in Crunchies, laughing our heads off, grading cuteness of guys in the restaurant, oohing and aahing over this really cute guy with t-shirt so tight his perfect six packs were obvious and thrashing Chisom's latest ex... Then my phone rang. It was an unsaved number. I pressed the accept button.
"hey big head"

Part 1


It's my vacation. Good. It's my birthday. Better. And the three of us are home. Best. Nothing can possibly go wrong with today.

Yeah. There are three of us, Chisom, Cindy and me. And we've known one another since like forever... Okay it isn't really true, but I like history, whether it is actually there or not. I have known Chisom since primary school. She was a class ahead. We weren't friends. We weren't enemies either. She was an only child, and she was very quiet. We didn't say a word to each other till I was in five and she was in six. I was doing a common entrance lesson with primary six pupils. I liked to sit with her because she was quiet. And her seat was just perfectly in front of the board. Our conversations didn't stray too far from "can you shift a little?" and "thank you". We ended up in the same secondary school, somehow. We weren't friends till SSS3, and we weren't really close even after we graduated. And then, I found out we lived on the same street. But at the two ends. She, being the "only-child-mommy-won't-let-out" and me being the "I'd-rather-stay-in-my-room-counting-ceiling-boards-than-just-go-out" type, well... Go figure... Like that was not destiny-pushing-us-together-enough, we ended up applying for the predegree programme of the same university, and naturally, we were roomies. We ended up in the same university... But different faculties(I know, same faculty would be totally too fiction)... Now THAT, is history. And destiny.

Cindy on the other hand bacame a member of our little "clique" during our pre degree programme. She was our next door neighbour. We clicked instantly and together, we made a great combo of "neighbours-you-dun-wanna-have". Yeah, her real name is Cindy, short for Cinderella... Very strange name right? And it's on her birth certificate. We found out she lived in our "area"... Not just that, Cindy and I share the same "who-needs-boys?" theory... So here we are, three girls from the not-so-slummy parts of the slum part of Awka, and as my favourite cliche goes, out to conquer the world...

I won't lie lie the popular lie about this being my first attempt at writing or this being a result of boredom from ASUU strike... This is my at least 100th attempt... Though I have never gotten to finish any... The hell, I have never gotten beyond third chapter... Act three is my record... And that was in primary school... But I made a promise to myself to start and actually finish... I needed some sort of incentive, and I felt if I am under pressure, I would work harder coz some people, people like me, thrive under pressure... So I would appreciate compliments as well as criticism.

This work is work is a complete work of fiction. Any semblance to reality is a total coincidence... And the copyright jargons...




Prologue...


Okay, I'm an introvert-plus-plus, I'm shy, my self esteem is at the dangerous end of negative, my positivity has a minus sign in front, I'm not in the pretty half of the female populace. Nor in the tall half. Nor in the slim half. I'm not from a filthy rich family. I'm not from the slummy slums either. I'm not a genius, geek or nerd. It already quite obvious I'm not the super hot cheerleader type... What am I saying? I'm not even hot at all. I barely pass for lukewarm atimes... More like dry ice that melts on application of pressure and freezes back once pressure is removed(yeah, I listened in my physics class)

But then, I'm a stubborn, super confident, I-can-do-it-myself feminist. I'm 18 and as the cliche goes, I'm out to conquer the world...