CAMARADERIE TROUBLES

Solomon heard a thud from the door.

He woke up and swabbed the saliva that dripped from a corner of his lips. He glanced up at the clock. "Goodness me! 10:00 pm." Selena wasn't back yet. He fitted into the flip flops beside the large Chelsea armchair. He edged towards the door.

"Baby, is that you?" He asked, quite drowsy.

He got no response.

He opened the door.

"Darling!!!" Selena staggered. She hugged her LOML.

"Seline, this isn't fair and you know that. I mean look at the time, it's 10 pm. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Honey, I'm sorry.. I never planned for all these to happen. I got to go check on Amanda; my lil sister. She called a few minutes after I was through at Akorrs. I was making my way home already" "And how about her, she good?" Solo asked with hands akimbo.

"She isn't fine" she raised her eyebrows

"I woulda spent the night at her place but I knew you definitely could'nt take that. You are always muddled any moment I'm away. As a matter of fact, I had a flat phone battery. It would be wrong if I hadn't got you aware of it" she paused and dropped the heavy shopping bags.

"She's got a feud with one of her lecturers lately".

"What feud?"

He led her from the doorway with his hand on her waist.

They hugged deeply again.

"Honey, I missed you so much. I had a bad Friday and that's because you were away. Don't kill me please"

Selena burst into laughter.

"So what if I had slept at Amanda's place?"

"That would have gotten me utterly stumped. I can't imagine what I would have done." He smiled, shaking his head.

They both made way to go drop the grocery stuff in the store. They put the house and every other thing in order.

They walked to the bar and sat on the long tall barstools. Solomon drank the remaining wine he had drunk halfway in the afternoon. He cocked it up.

"Darling, you still haven't gotten over Tequila?" Selena chuckled. She also sipped from a glass of the drink.

"You and I know I can't get over this shii....

Tequila till the end of me. I think you were talking about Amanda. What about her?" He scratched his head.

"Yea, yea... What was I even saying?" She asked, probably lost her line of thought..

"That she's worried or something?" His lashes fluttered.

"Yup, it's a whole long story."

Amanda struggled to rise from her knee. She had prayed for a long time. She was pouring out the agony in her heart before her God. She had to do this quickly before other roommates return from their various lectures. She had just a lecture that day; MTH107, which she decided to forgo. "Of what use?" She said. It's been long she prayed serious prayers like this. Prayers where she would sweat profusely, blast in tongues, and even weep. This was obviously prompted by something. Amanda would never have gone days fasting and praying at the expense of her 'precious' lectures and reading time. She also had to forgo time getting along with friends, catching vibes.

She sat at the edge of the lower bunk and reached out to her Bible, she flipped through the pages.

"Oh Lord, you are my help in times of trouble" drops of tears ran down her cheeks. It gradually became a river of tears.

"God that keepeth Isreal neither sleeps nor slumber" she stood up, continually snapping her fingers with her eyes closed and so much fervency.

The door bulged open suddenly.

She reduced the tension in her prayers, opened her left eye to peep.

It was Folashade. She was in a skimpy red armless gown that barely covered her thighs. She was necking with a guy. The guy stood behind her, grabbing her waist and she romantically grinded on his crouch. They kissed.

Amanda was disgusted.

Folashade tossed her purse to another bunk some distance away.

"Babe, I guess this means it can't be today anymore" the guy grinned.

"I guess so too" she replied, a little bit agitated. Her plan was messed up. It was a time she least expected a roomie around.

"Cos this S.U, or Mary Magdalene just killed my vibe. She makes me feel like a sinner. I'm gonna leave here before I begin to confess my sins. I'm getting consumed by guilt and all of that shit." His face contorted.

"Its okay baby, I'll catch you in front of your hostel in the evening"

"And we gonna have a nice time?" He smiled and spanked her butt.

Amanda boiled with annoyance at the whole 'demonic' scene displayed in front of her. He had her eyes tightly closed and started binding every demon.

"I got to go," he said after a peck

"Bye bunnniee"

"In Jesus mighty name I pray" Amanda threw her fists into the air.

"Amen, Amen and Amen" Folashade jovially chorused.

Amanda shook her head in disapproval.

In her mind, she had this 'hypocrite' perception of her friend.

"Wait; don't tell me you're still praying concerning this same matter. You mean despite the fact that I brought big girls and slay Mamas to come put you through it yesterday, you still haven't 'bent'?" Folashade was perplexed.

She drew nearer to Amanda and sat by the edge of the bed, pulling off her heels. She put her hand across Amanda's shoulders.

"Baby girl, give this a thought. Come to think of it, Professor Anikulapo is interested in you. He wants to spoil you plenty. Is it money? He's got it. Is it marks? Influence? Whatever! This man is presenting to you an offer... A bonanza!

Just take a look at the phone you use" She snatched it from Amanda's hand and held it like a piece of trash.

"Who the hell uses this? Babe this is outdated. If you give it a good thought, you would also join the geng of big girls on campus. I mean babes using X, iPhone 12, or even S20!" Amanda was thoughtful. She was short of words.

"Girl, see your skin. You've got acnes and zits all over. you should be glowing, or don't you cherish Bimbo's skin? Omo to dun (Sweet girl). She's the spec of every guy in her department. Her skin glows like the morning Star in midday. Babe, you too can dress to oppress, but not until you get rid of those faded threads you call clothing. Stuck up with various designer wears like me... I mean, don't you wanna flip some... Caaaassh?" She said enticingly, flipping bales of hundred-dollar notes, fanning herself with them. she stuck out her tongue.

Amanda was enticed.

"How did you get all of that? Please, can I have some of that, I need to pay bills and meet some pressing needs."

"Stop squeezing your palms begging me for money. You still don't get it, babe. How long will I keep giving you money?

I can stop giving you fish and teach you how to catch fish. As a matter of fact, Jaden gave me all of that! He said he had a nice night with me."

"All of that money for just a night? How did he get that? Besides, he's not even your boyfriend. I suppose Bosun is."

Amanda asked, bewildered.

"He told me he is into FOREX and some online Cryptocurrency business but, I figured out that was a blatant lie. He's into 'Yahoo'. She whispered into Amanda's ear. Amanda's heart pounded with shock.

"And why are you still with him? You deffs knew he's a fraudster and definitely, he's a ritualist, cuz he's gotta enhance that business with something... fetish"

"That's what I'm saying. You assume too much and are filled with too much doubt...

Okay okay, true talk.. Jaden is a fraudster. But he's never involved in any fetish or charm shit. He just dupes his white clients. Have you ever heard of a Bitcoin scam? That one is a pure scamming methodology. It fetches so many young guys of today cool money. You really need to see Jaden's new apartment in GRA. The whole building glitters with unfermented luxury on every part of it. I wouldn't be baffled if i was told he rented it for millions. It's worth it. Did you see the 'NEW WHIP ALERT' I posted on my WhatsApp status last week?

"No, never did" she replied.

"That was Jaden's. He just bought a new exotic AMG GT Benz. That car is 'tear rubber', very expensive. That's aside from his sleek Range Rover and Beemer... All at the age of twenty-three!!" She pulled off a pendant necklace from her neck. "You know how much this cost? 50k dollars! Babe, there's so much you wouldn't wanna forfeit in this new lifestyle I am inviting you into." Folashade pulled off her gown and changed to a light pajama top.

"Babe, let me connect you to top influential guys that will get you whatever you want. My pardon, I don't even need to, just tell Prof a yes." Amanda sheepishly continued to listen to the pep talk. She shifted her Bible aside, ready to hear more.

"Take a look at yourself; you don't even have a laptop. How do you watch Netflix, Roku and all sorts? You are beautiful and even fair-complexioned for that matter. But do you know there's something called 'Rebranding'? Shade asked.

"Rebranding?" Amanda raised her eyebrow. "Yes, rebranding. I know you do hear all these religious people talk kinds of stuff like getting 'Born-again'. It's the same case here, but just a slight difference, in the opposite way!"

Amanda snickered "Shade you don't have to beat around the bush before you explain that to me. Abeg(Please), don't blaspheme oh. What involves being born again with this matter!?" Amanda grimaced "Okay okay, let me be more precise. Where I was driving at is that you need to posh up yourself to make your beauty more attractive. You need cologne with scents that can drown a man in the ocean of lust for you. There are expensive makeup boxes that can transform you into a beautiful goddess like Aphrodite. Your hair isn't even kempt. When last have you been to the saloon?"

"Can't even remember" Amanda barely responded.

"Imagine, don't you wanna use Brazilian wigs of #100k? Not those cheap 'Expression' small girls use.

Bimbo and Halima entered the room. "Mama Counselor" Bimbo laughed at them.

"You guys are still on it again, usual custom. This hell-bent girl would never give in; you better leave her alone to serve her Jesus." Halima derided.

"Please, don't come and spoil the show. She's responding." She fluttered her lashes at them.

"But how do you guys deal with unwanted pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted diseases, and other downlines?" Amanda objected.

The whole room was filled with laughter.

"Like seriously??"Halima laughed hard till spits dripped from her mouth.

"Please, how on earth is this dullard in HND II?" Bimbo smirked, undressing. She blushed a bit to cushion the effect of what she said to Amanda.

"Hey! That hurts bimbo. She's not a pro like you guys. She's not even an amateur. This one is still a virgin." Folashade said.

"Halima and Bimbo laughed hard..

"What TF. She said virgin?.. virgin Mary" They mocked.

"This girl is so odd-fashioned. She has an outdated mentality. Oh.. you are keeping yourself for your husband? Who does that again? I'm sure your future husband would be somewhere, flirting around with some girls and you are keeping yourself for him. All of that is olden days' perceptions. They are primitive. It was in the days of our forefathers' virginity is priced. Right now, nobody absolutely cares about it. "And I can tell you that you are missing big!" Bimbo added

"Please don't let my girl get discouraged" Folashade pulled Amanda towards herself.

"Let me answer the question you asked earlier. You see about unwanted preggs and the rest, there are so many ways to avoid them. You just need to be smart. If your man is adamant about using a condom or stealth, you can make use of contraceptives, spermicides, or opt for IUD. IUD means Intra-Uterine device. You'll go for a surgical operation that will prevent you from conceiving for a time. And if in case you discover you are in any way pregnant, there's room for an abortion. Just pay the doctor to get rid of it.

"Halima how many abortions have you committed?" Folashade asked.

Halima reflected for some seconds. She raised her head and did some calculations with her index finger. "About... Twenty-two"

"Jesuuuus!!" Amanda screamed.

"Are you guys not even surprised at all? Twenty-two freaking abortions!! She has murdered twenty-two unborn babies indirectly". Amanda said, dazzled.

"Will you keep your mouth shut!" Halima yelled at her.

"There is nothing new under the sun. I have aborted about fourteen." shade said.

Bimbo, how many have you?" Shade asked.

"I've lost count" she replied.

Amanda was flabbergasted. The way her friends were dropping figures, boasting of atrocities they committed baffled her. It was all her fault. She failed to preach to them for the many years she had known them. She didn't share her faith with them till they fell prey to the same deception they are now evangelizing to her.

'Tink tink tink' Bimbo's phone rang.

"Yes darling, my one and only"

The room capsized in silence. Everyone paid rapt attention, there must be something to hear.

"What!! You sent me three hundred thousand Naira? You must be kidding me!!"

Folashade and Halima moved silently towards the conversation. They were excited. "And a free ticket to the Bahamas for the holidays?... Wow!!" Amanda kept thinking... "This life is not balanced" This was a real test of her faith.00