The devil in human form

After school that day, I spent the rest of the time in my room reading a novel.

And yes, I had a habit of reading novels.

It wasn't too long that I had started reading than I heard a knock on the door of my room.

"Ooo," I grumbled as I quickly slid my feet into my slippers and headed for the door.

Miriam just didn't know when not to disturb somebody.

I opened the door to see someone I wasn't expecting to.

"Ah ah, Kiki?" I asked, with surprise evident on my face.

It wasn't as if Kiki wasn't a regular visitor at my house. It was just that she never knocked before coming into my room.

Also, she had not previously informed me that she'd be visiting.

"Surprise!" She laughed and flung her arms apart.

I simply sighed. This girl ehn.

I quickly let her in and shut the door behind us. She moved to sit on my bed and I joined her.

"Let's get ready for the party," Kiki began as she emptied the bag in her hand on the bed to reveal clothes which I knew were for the both of us.

That was when a look of suspicion settled on her face.

"Don't tell me you forgot."

Now, believe me when I say that if she hadn't showed up, my ass would have never left my room.

"You see, I thought I was to come over to your place and not the other way round," I quickly replied, trying my best to look innocent even though I was aware that she didn't believe me.

"Abeg, wear it," She sneered and threw a dress my way.

I stared at the dress for a few seconds before averting my gaze to her.

"Does she know about it?" I asked.

"No o. I came into your room through the window so there's no way she would," She answered with the amount of sarcasm she could muster.

One thing Kiki liked doing was to answer my questions she deemed stupid with so much sarcasm.

"I hear o," I muttered and immediately went to take a shower.

By the time it was 4:00pm, we had gotten ready for the party.

Kiki was putting on a black mini skirt and an off-the-shoulder sweat top that suited her brown skin perfectly. She had on light makeup that seemed to bring out her features so well. She looked just as beautiful as ever.

I, on the other hand, had on a fairly short body-hugging yet simple green dress. At first, I didn't want to wear any makeup but Kiki insisted to do it for me.

Once she was done, I looked at myself in the mirror. The green dress graced my strikingly beautiful dark skin and the makeup did the job it was meant to. My full dark hair was tied into an elegant bun, with stylish edges decorating the top of my forehead, similar to the way Kiki had done hers.

"Sugar, you are looking take away!" Kiki praised me so well that I found myself breaking into bright smiles.

"Don't let all the guys rush you. Keep some for me," She added with a wink that got me laughing.

Soon, we were already making our way downstairs and into the living room where the ' witch ' sat like she was some Queen.

"You both are ready?" My mother asked as soon as she set her eyes on us.

"Yes ma," Kiki smiled.

"That's good..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes came to settle on me. Slowly, her eyes moved up and down my body.

Trust me, this woman was looking for a fault with my dressing.

"Alright then, have a nice outing and don't stay out so late. I want you girls to be back by 8:30 at most," I heard her say, much to my surprise.

Maybe she was only trying to seem nice to Kiki. That was just how she was in the presence of other people.

"Yes ma," Kiki smiled once again. She quickly held my hand and pulled me out of the house to where her car was waiting for us. Technically speaking, it was one of her father's and there was a driver in it.

"Good afternoon miss," The driver greeted me with a smile the moment me and Kiki got into the back seat.

"Good afternoon, Oga Yusuf," I heartily returned his greeting.

Yusuf was one of Kiki's parents' best drivers. He was an educated man who ended up as a driver due to the hard economy. However, he was a very nice man and I had managed to earn his friendship.

*.*.*.

Loud music were booming from the speakers. People could be seen dancing, some were chatting in groups, and a few were seated - of which I was a part.

Kiki had persuaded me into dancing for quite a number of times now but I was too shy to do so.

From where I sat, I took details of the enormous living room that was enough to house at least 30 people.

Yes, it was a house party. The interior decoration was enough to make anyone assume that it was a five star hotel.

Just as I was busy studying the place, I heard the sound of someone moving to sit next to me. For whatever reason, I pretended like I hadn't noticed.

"See the champion of quietness o. So you dey come party?"

Familiar side giggles accompanied the voice. Her minions were with her. The Jared twins.

Abike?

As I was about to say something, Kiki was already in front of us with a frown on her face.

"Has Chima become this low-class?" There was an evidence of disgust in her tone. "Inviting Abike and her servants to a party is wild."

I watched as Kiki left the trio speechless before tugging at my arm to come with her.

This time, she forced me to dance and told me stop acting like I was invited to the party to pose as a mannequin.

I just had to dance, right?

Then fine, I would.

I started swirling my body from side to side and tapping my shoes on the floor as though I was a timid girl told by an usher to ' move your body ' in church.

Maybe Kiki's idea of me dancing was a bad one, because someone approached me very fast.

Kiki, who had been dancing her heart out and giving back to back waist movements and twerk moves quickly left me to spend ' some alone time ' as she called it, with this stranger after mouthing a "Have fun," to me.

Can you believe this girl?

She knew very well that I wasn't an expert in these kinds of stuff yet she left me alone to suffer.

"Hey beautiful, what's the name?" The guy asked. He was dark skinned and tall. Simply put, he was quite handsome.

At first, I didn't want to say a word until I spotted Kiki across the room mouthing the words "Don't fall my hand o."

This girl was so dead today. Believe me or not.

"Jennifer," I lied.

"Wow, beautiful name for a lady like you."

Boring. I mean, I've heard that line over and over again. Couldn't guys just think of something new to say?

"Mmm," I hummed a reply.

"So..." He proceeded to lick his lips as he scanned me from head to toe.

This guy was starting to get on my nerves.

"So what?" I was already fed up with his annoying attitude.

" Ah ah, we dey quarrel? You chillax na. I wan chop you?"

Wonder shall never end in this world!

As I was about to do the next thing that came into mind, Kiki had appeared from nowhere. Sometimes, I wondered if being short made some people unnoticeably fast. I was slightly taller than Kiki though.

"Perverted idiot! Get out from this place jor! Ashawo," Kiki thundered as if she wasn't the one who had left me in the hands of the ' Ashawo '.

Without any warning, she pulled me away from his sight.

"All these boys are so useless," She fumed.

Kiki needed serious deliverance.

The party progressed further and soon, the celebrant was introduced. She was looking very beautiful and so full of smiles.

The celebrant proceeded to cut the birthday cake and do other necessary things before the partying continued.

This time, the speakers were blasting one of my favourite songs - Red potion by Rema.

I wanted to dance so badly but my timidness had overwhelmed me.

It was at this point that another guy had approached me.

This one was a gentleman and not like the other one I had earlier met. He was funny and that was what managed to grab my attention. I wasn't interested in him or any of that sort but surely, I was interested in his jokes.

I didn't even know when I started shinning my teeth like an idiot.

But then...

Maybe the world didn't like it when I was becoming too happy. My happiness was once again short lived.

As I was laughing with this boy, I felt firm hands roughly grab my dress by the neck and I was violently turned to face the owner of the hands. A hot slap was immediately sent across my cheeks.

"Mummy?" My eyes widened with surprise.

Believe me when I say that Mr. Funny ran away as soon as he heard that word leave my mouth.

Now, I was starting to think that the devil was my mother in human form.

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

As if to worsen my already bad situation, the music stopped and all eyes were now on me.

At that moment, all I wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow me.