After a while though, she snapped out of the faze. She later told you that she felt like she was drowing in herself. She soggily moved to get a glass from the cupboard and tipped toes to reach it. She was about to fill the glass with water from the tap but you held her hand.

"No...give... give me some milk!" You said in between coughs.

"Sorry."

She moved to the fridge and filled the glass with milk. The glass shook in her hands. Yea, she held it with both hands. You thought it would slip and shatter but she successfully passed it to you. She tapped your back. "Take it easy."

The cough burnt your chest but you couldn't stop. Finally, after tears filled your eyes, the cough quelled down. You passed the smoking cigarette to Manda and waved to indicate you were done.

She took some more drags before quenching it under the flowing tap.

She stretched, because you were taller, and removed the shower cap from your hair. You had forgotten it was there. She touched your matted hair. "It still needs to soak in more." She looked at her wristwatch, "School just closed, John should be back soon." Your heart skipped.

"Throw that stuff in the dustbin, why are you still holding it?" The dead cigarette was still in between her fingers.

"I want to flush it down the toilet. No evidence."

There were probably cigarette bottoms in the bin. It would be creepy, really creepy if Dad should spot such addition. Anita, there were eight bottom. Now, there are nine.

"Why are you staring at the bin?"

You ignored her and drank some milk.

"We can see a movie while we wait. What do you have?"

"Cable?" Your eyes were red from crying and throat soar from the hot smoke and coughing. She walked past you out of the kitchen.

†

The movie started with a man walking. The man had a black hat over his head and the belt that girded his waist scabbarded a pistol. His boots had spiky Rollerblades attached behind the heels. The doors and window to the wooden buildings flanking him were closed. And finally, the breeze scudded dried leaf and news papers in the air.

"Since you..."

"You said the feeling was awesome?" You interjected.

"Yea, but it is not something that will make me put my hands in the air kind of awesome."

"If the effect is what I feel then..."

"How many times do I have to tell you that you didn't take it right?"

The man on T.V now stood before another man and people had surrounded them. A woman in the crowd covered her baby's eyes. The man craned enough to make it impossible for one to see his full countenance over his black hat. His right hand hovered inches from his scabbarded gun.

"Before I was rudely interrupted-which is new- I wanted to suggest something."

"What is new?"

"You are more of a listener, never one to interrupt."

"Hmmm." You never noticed that.

"Anyway, how about we try the main stuff."

"What main stuff?" You followed up immediately, suspected what she meant. "I am not doing drugs."

Paaww... One person fired but while craned to Manda, you didn't know who. Your eyes brushed back to the T.V. The other man had two guns but the hatted-man had one and they were all drawn, aimed, and recently fired. Whisp of smoke escaped. The man with two guns dropped one hand first before he fell to his knees. The camera now moved to the hatted man walking away, holding his side. Apparently, he was shot too.

"I mean marijuana, not..."

"Yea, that is exactly what i am saying: I am not doing drug!"

"But you just smoked a cigarette."

"That is not-"

"Think again!" she interjected. "What happened to trying new things?"

"It is not on the list."

She picked the paper on the glass table, "You wrote only smoke and didn't specify which."

"Well, I just tried one and it is not so much fun for my throat."

"Young Thug."

"Eh?"

"Nothing." She smiled and you knew she made a reference you didn't get.

"Anita, you can't make me smoke a cigarette for the first time and won't let me make you smoke Marijuana. It will also be my first time."

"I didn't make you smoke anything. You opted in."

"Okay." she said with finality and fiddled with her phone. You focused on the movie. The man just entered a bar and heads turned to him. What is hate? Why did that heavily mustached man look at the man askance? Why did he whisper and tell his buddie that he didn't like the man? Did he even brush those brown teeth? Manda's conversation stole part of your concentration because of what she was saying.

"Can you get me weed? Yes, weed! Nothing has gotten into me. I am serious. Okay. Thank you." She hung up and said, "These weed smokers are always ready to offer weed to a non-smoker."

"Chimamanda, I am not smoking weed!" you could not even say it with out your heart spiking.

She only nodded and focused on the T.V. The bar scene was now the cliche uproar of men fighting randomly, breaking bottles, punching tooth off and smashing heads and noses. A gunshot went off and everybody paused, fist hung, eyes darted back and forth like periscope; seaching for who shot the gun. The camera now rested on The hatted Man seated at the edge of the bar, his legs crossed on the table.

"Don't you have a better movie?" Manda asked.

"We could switch channels..." You suggested.

"Please switch to African Magic. I want to see Osofia or Mercy johnson." she added, "Rest in peace Sam Loco."

You weren't enjoying the movie but you liked The Man's general countenance. And out of all the names Manda had called, you knew none. On African Magic, they showed the city from above, as cars bustled about in the busy day. The camera zoomed in until it reached the top of a red roof, and through the window, it entered inside. Halfway into the movie, and low key anticipating the person bringing the weed, Manda slept and in no time it contacted you. Your lids shuttered.

All you could remember was that the ground was shaking. The rest of the dream was a blur. You opened your eyes. Manda's phone continued vibrating. She was not there but her dent was still printed on the couch. You heard the fridge close and looked towards the kitchen. She appeared with a glass of milk.

"Those fried plantains are the shit." she gave an affirming nod, "whoever spiced them would have a special place in heaven." she noticed her phone ringing and rushed to pick it. Milk swirled in the glass and spilled on the tiles.

"Hello," She remained standing. "Alright, I am in Anita's house. Yes, Anita! Is there anything wrong with being in my cousin's house? Yes, she is my cousin."

Moments later, Mike, the deputy sanitary prefect cautiously walked in. He refused to venture further and they made whatever transaction at the door and he stepped out.

"I got the weed," Manda said and ran towards you.

The movie just ended and the casting was rolling up. On the clock ticking above the flat screen, you saw it was 2:47 P.M. In addition to your spiked pulsing, your palm stared to perspirate.

"Get that thing out of here?"

"It is not for you," She reached over and pulled the shower cap, touched your hair, and wore the cap back. Her eyes met yours. "But I wish you will opt-in."

"No!"