Efe

"I think we've found your father."
He said.

"How?" It was really strange and I still didn't get it.

"You just showed me the picture of your dad and that lady and you remember I just told you about the last who came with acid to Eliza's house. Although it was night, I swear they are almost the same." I started to see light in his theory but there was one flaw.

"You are on to something but there are so many fair or light skinned people in this town. It could have been any lady you saw." I contemplated.

"I know there are different ladies with the same skin colour but something is reassuring me that she is a ticket to finding your dad. It's very strong, I can almost feel it."

Not understanding what he said, I give in and we started thinking of how we could approach the woman.
Then, I got an idea.

"What if we approach Eliza and ask her about the lady in question?" I asked.

He looked at me incredulously and I wondered what I did to deserve that.

"Okay, look at this, picture that you're Eliza and I am you: Hey Eliza, please can you give us the number of the lady that tried to pour acid on your face because you were sleeping with her husband? Thank you! Merry Christmas!-How does that sound to you?"

That managed to shut me up. What was I going to do?

"Let's go to her house first." He said.

"You're talking as if you didn't get chased out with a plastic chair. Who knows what is going to happen if you go there again."

"Then we need a plan. A big plan." He said.

Being that it was late at night, the movement of people had reduced, the mosquitoes were more fervent and viscous. The fact that I had not had a bath in a few days, my skin was itchy and sweaty. And my clothes were already having that smell that comes when it's been worn for so long. I was so sleepy and tired.

I really wanted to believe that we could find my dad and Joshua. 
______________________________________

"Do you have your dad's number in your head?" Nnamdi asked me.

"I do. Since I was a kid. Why do you ask?"

The answer I got was me standing in front of Eliza's house, under the cold, wet, early morning dew, contemplating on how to knock and enter her house and execute our plan.

I went over the plan in my head one more time.

Step one: Enter her house.

Step two: Make her get comfortable with you and make sure she doesn't suspect anything you want to do. Come with the idea of friendship.

Step three: Get her phone, either distract her or lure her away, with it. If she has a password, make sure you learn it and use it.

Step four: Go to her WhatsApp, put in your dad's number and what ever name shows up, read all their texts. Find out anything you can about him.

Step five: Screenshot anything that could be of help and quickly send it to your phone.

Step six: Delete any evidence of you rummaging through her phone.

Step seven: Get out of the house and let's find your dad!

Written and Composed by Nnamdi himself.

I was feeling slightly dizzy from all the steps. I took a sharp breath, said a silent prayer and then took a bold step and knocked the door.

The door made a hinging sound and as I was already making up words to say to Eliza, I almost fainted out of shock as to who opened the door.

There he was, bare chested and tied only a towel on his waste with all his injuries and bruises were less visible and he looked a lot better than when we last saw.

"JOSHUA?!"

"What in God's name are you doing here?!" I asked him.

"Took you long enough to find out I left." He said with a blank expression on his face.

"Dude, I looked for you everywhere! Do you know how bad I felt thinking that I had lost you?" I asked feeling pained.

He scoffed and looked behind me, by then Nnamdi had come out of hiding, he must have wondered what took me so long at the door.

"How will you look for me well when that human being is with you? I get that you don't love me but you don't have to rub it in my face." He concluded with a blank expression.

"Joshua, you got me very scared and worried. I'm sorry I can't return your feelings and I'm sorry that I didn't care enough to treat your sounds okay. I'm sorry for hurting you. Please." I begged.

"Why are you begging the fool? Leave him abeg, who sent him to come here in the first place?" Nnamdi said making Joshua to frown.

I looked at Nnamdi and gestured for him to leave. He was shocked at first but I begged him with my eyes. He then stared hard at Joshua and went outside.

"If you do anything to her, I'll kill you!" He shouted at the gate. Leaving I and Joshua still at the door stand.

"Aren't you supposed to go with him?" He asked bitterly.

"Look, can we go inside?" I asked.

He looked into the house and then looked at me for a minute and then gave an affirmative nod, giving me a go ahead to come in.

The living room was tiny. Having an old maroon coloured couch. The walls were a very faded yellow. An old plasma television was situated on an old wooden table. Joshua had sat on the couch and since I wasn't comfortable with sitting beside me(or him not being comfortable beside me either) I sat on a white plastic chair, it wasn't as old as the others.

"I want this conversation to be very short. What do you still want from me?"

I gave a deep breath and then started talking. "First of all, I want to apologize for everything that you've been through because of me. I haven't been behaving like a true friend to you. And I know you can go to the end of the earth for our friendship. I'm so sorry."

Please let it work.

"You think I'm just going to accept the apology just like that, I love you Efe, I'm your best friend, it may sound cliche but it's true. Why don't you want me?"

How could I have avoided this conversation, I didn't know how. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but the truth hurts.

"Joshua, you're a handsome, good looking, hardworking, intelligent, smart, brilliant and compassionate guy. We've been friends since our junior years, you've been there for me a lot of times, during my happy and sad moments. I appreciate that and I really love you for it. I just don't love you in that way."

I closed my eyes, waiting for him to scream his head off and pursue me out of the house. But when I waited for a few seconds and didn't hear anything, I opened my eyes to see him crying.

He didn't say a word as the tears fell out from his eyes, down his cheeks and onto the poorly tiled floor. He wasn't even looking at me. With his shoulders slumped and eyes dull, his shaky hands which then folded into fists and his breathing was more visible with the heaving of his chest.

It became worse as he finally looked at me, the tears increased, his breathing was faster, his sniffles and snobs were louder and the veins in his hand more visible. He was having a mental breakdown and I could do nothing about it and it broke me.

I walked up to him, being skeptical because I thought he wouldn't want to get close to me after I just broke his heart, I hugged him. Tightly and to my surprise, he didn't fight it, he only buried his face on my neck and continued crying. I felt so bad and so weak. If only Nnamdi wasn't in the picture, I would have gone for Joshua.

I didn't say a word as he cried silently in my shoulders. After a few minutes, he calmed down and hugged me back as tightly as I was hugging him too.

"Thank you Efe. I don't know how long it will take for me to get over you but before then, I'll always be here if you need me." He said before loosening his grip on me and I did the same.

I wiped his tears away with my thumb and gave him a peck on the forehead. And that seemed to cheer him up.

"I'll always be here for you Joshua, whether you like it or not." He smiled at me and this time, it was a really beautiful smile.

"Joshua, I have been waiting for you since! What is going on there?" What followed that voice was an angry Eliza dressed in nothing but a pink night gown and a pink bonnet.

Her eyes widened upon seeing me, and then she looked on to Joshua, hoping for an explanation maybe.

"What are you doing here, and what are you doing with him? I thought you were with Nnamdi!"

What is with everyone when it comes to I and Nnamdi?

"She's my friend, can't I say hi to her again?" Joshua asked rhetorically.

"Yeah right, a friend that couldn't look out for you and left you all alone at the park. What rubbish!"

How did she know?

"How did you know? Were you watching me?" I was perturbed by the revelation.

"Can you please get out of my house, what do you want exactly? You and your boyfriend can't leave someone alone sef? Abeg de go."

"First of all, Nnamdi is not my boyfriend and second of all, I really need your help. That's the main reason I came."

"I don't care, please leave before you make me do something I regret." She threatened me with a frown on her face.

I couldn't have left without getting what I wanted, so I did the last thing on my mind. For my mom, for my family.

I went on my knees and practically did my best to gather the most tears I could.

"Please Eliza please! I really need your help. If you don't help me I have no where else to go. Please?" I said with a sniffle.

"Please." Joshua begged on my behalf. But she didn't say a word.

"Okay, I'm going to help you but after this, I don't want to see you around this area or house ever again. Deal?" She asked.

"Deal." I said.

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Hello. This is more of a filler chapter. The real deal is coming up soon. So sorry for the sudden hiatus. A lot has happened.

God bless you and have a great time.