Chioma's POV.

I grabbed my phone from my bed, checking the time with a grunt. Now dressed in a simple purple patterned Ankara gown, I put on a pair of black American Eagles slippers. I had no time to waste cause I didn't want to be late with my meeting with Amara...it even feels weird thinking about that cause it's been so long since I last saw her. Well, not that long, but still.

"And yet you say I should ignore everything that happened back there. Don't think I didn't see you staring" Amanda continued to blab. Deep down, I felt embarrassed cause she'd seen me, she'd also claimed to have caught me gawking at Femi through my peep hole. My cheeks have never felt this hot before, but then, thank God for melanin.

"So, what now happened? I'm going to see Amara, if you want to come with, then come. But I'm leaving, bye" I replied, waving at her with a small smile on my face. She tilted her head to the side and laughed.

"So Chioma Aniobi blushes...she does have a heart" she laughed once more and I groaned, getting fed up of her nonsense. So what if I stared? What are my eyes there for? And besides, it's not like I said anything out of place.

"Amanda, you just want to hear me say that I like Femi or he's a nice guy, or that he's good-looking, right?" I said and she nodded her head with a childish smile on her face.

"And even if you don't say it, I already know. I also noticed his looks, I'm not blind and I work for him, I get to see him almost everyday. Too bad I didn't meet him sooner sha, I would've tried my luck" she said and it was my turn to laugh at her.

"Ha! Boo-hoo! Leave me alone though, are you coming with or not?" I replied and she rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh.

"Stupid girl, if I don't come with, you'll get lost. Who knows if you even know anywhere in this city besides your house?" She shrugged and reached for her slippers which she put on with ease. I stared at her, with folded arms and a murderous glare, batting my lashes at her and wishing I had lasers shooting out of my eyes.

"Imagine the stylish insult. If you want to insult me, then start with idiot let me know you have started. Now, if I start, you'll say I'm rude and...what's the word?... vivacious!" I scoffed and she hissed while I waited for her to get her things ready.

"Seriously, that's it? That's what you're going with? You want the whole world to see you in that? That garment of death? That fashion abomination? That ghostly outfit from the nineteen hundreds? That__"

"Okay, I get it! The outfit is awful, I'll go change. Sheesh! See all the bastardization!" Amanda yelled out in frustration, cutting me off in the process. Her outfit wasn't all that bad, I was just being a little extra. She'd worn a brown turtle neck and a light blue three-quarter short.

"How about now?" She asked the minute she changed into a black body hug gown. It hugged her body perfectly, bringing out that hour glass shape that I envied with every fiber of my being.

"Are you mad? How can you look nicer than the person you're escorting? Is that how it's done?" I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "When will you learn?" I muttered.

"You're the escort and I'm the escortee, you need to look awful-er than the person you're escorting. My friend! Go and change with immediate effect, wear something less attractive. In fact, you're old outfit was gorgeous, go and wear that one" I added and she laughed so hard that I wondered if a circus - which I was unaware of - was going on behind me.

"Chioma, you no go kill person, I swear!" She laughed and I quirked an eyebrow at her.
[Chioma, you won't kill someone, I swear!]

"Let's just go like that, I'm already running late. Next time, don't overdress more than the person you're escorting. It's called courtesy" I explained as we walked out of my room, out of the living room and finally; out of the house.

"I've heard, shut up already biko!" She replied and I shrugged in response.

"Just saying" I muttered.

* * *
Femi's POV.

The only sound heard from my office, was the sound of pages being flipped. The last thing I wanted was more paperwork and the only thing I needed right now; was to get the heck out of this office and head home. A meeting with the board of directors was to be held at exactly three o'clock and I was happy that they suggested we grab lunch first.

Papiee's Place was the venue decided and it was a good thing for me, since I've been really hungry and plus, the food there is really great. Kunmi and Damola were both busy at their various work places and that only meant that I'd be free for today and probably be by myself even after work. They're the closest friends I have, although I have other friends, and with them busy; there's literally no use going out.

It's at moments like this that I really begin to miss my sister. Usually, I'd get home and she'd find something to keep us both busy. It'd been long since I last visited her grave, I've thought about it for a while now but still haven't gotten the courage to go there. I fear it might just open fresh wounds, wounds I'd tried so hard to heal. It's rather best I don't go there.

The ringtone from my phone immediately snapped me out of my reverie and I immediately reached for the phone on the desk where I'd kept it. As I'd suspected, it was Mr. Ayoola himself; the owner of this company.

"Good afternoon, sir" I greeted, a smile stretching across my face. I hadn't spoken to him in a while but he's a nice man. A man of many principles, principles most people mistook as judgemental. He was the kind of man that appeared strict on the outside, but was warm and immensely welcoming to those he felt attached to.

"Femi, my boy! How are you? And how's everyone at the office?" He asked, his voice full of life and enthusiasm.

"I'm fine, sir. And we're all doing fine here. How are you and your family doing too? I hope all is well with you. I would've payed you a visit, only that the workload has seem to have increased. But one of these days, I'll try to make time for it" I explained and I could hear him chuckle softly over the phone.

"And this is the reason why I like you so much, Femi. You're so thoughtful, it's nice you thought of visiting. But you don't have to stress yourself, we're all good here and everything has been moving smoothly, all thanks to you" I could sense the smile in his voice as he spoke.

"Thank you, sir. I was only doing my job" I replied, a smile still glued to my face.

"And to think you're the son of a very rich senator, Senator Tobi Omashola's own son for that matter, yet so down to earth. I appreciate the effort, well-done" he said and my smile knew no bounds. I only got compliments like this once in a while. It was indeed nice to hear him say all that, at least all the stress wasn't for no reason.

"Again, thank you, sir" I said.

"Ehem! I basically called about the business meeting we were to be having at Papiee's Place. I think we should rather hold the meeting at the company cause a lot more businessmen I work with will be arriving too. So I decided we'll have someone head there to get the refreshments while we have the meeting here. Your secretary...em, what's her name again?" He said.

"Amanda" I chipped in.

"Yes, Amanda. She'll go get the refreshments while we have the meeting here" he said and I immediately remembered I'd given Amanda a leave.

"Uh, sir, that won't be possible cause she's on leave. She needs to take care of a sick friend" I explained. "It's no bother though, I can go get the refreshments myself" I added and he let out a sigh.

"No worries, I'll have one of the staffs get them, you've tried enough. Just focus on the meeting at hand" he said and I chuckled.

"It's no bother, sir. I'll go get them" I replied.

"Okay then, thank you once again"

"No problem, sir" I replied.

"Bye" he said.

"Bye" and then he hung up.

* * *
Chioma's POV.

The crowd at Papiee's Place wasn't all that large, but what got my attention solely, was the smell of the food. All the aromas bursting through the air and filling the air with it's exotic scent. My tummy immediately drummed a greedy sound, an ancestral call of hunger. I already knew I was hungry, but stepping into this restaurant arose all the hunger that I'd managed to subside.

Amanda, on the other hand, was greedily taking in the scent of all the African and continental dishes prepared by the skilled chefs - whomever they are - that made the foods. Alas, I had to find Amara first before ordering anything. I'd already called to inform her of my arrival, and my eyes ferociously scanned the entire hall filled with hungry and eating strangers. Finally, my eyes landed on a slim girl in deep blue box braids, with her back turned to us. She wore the exact same gown I got for Amara on her fifteenth birthday - a turquoise fishtail with a Lacy finish. It had to be Amara, and that got confirmed the minute she turned around and finally set her eyes on us with a delightful smile on her face.

"Chioma!" She got up and ran towards me, pulling me into a hug. I could've broken into tears there and then, but I considered the fact that I was in public and in the open. I didn't want to seem like a witch from medieval times cause I didn't put on waterproof mascara.

Finally, Amara let go of me and hugged Amanda who smiled as she did.

"Come sit. For a second; I thought you wouldn't show up" she smiled as she led the way to the table she'd reserved for us. It surprised me just how much she was excited to see me. I stared at her with wonder in my eyes, asking myself what I did to deserve such a sister like herself.

"Amanda, you're looking breathtakingly beautiful. And you, Chioma you came looking like a maid from African Magic, this one is not even African Magic Epic oh, African Magic Swahili...that's if it exist. What happened? Are you coming to see your evil twin? I'm not evil oh! Why so sober?" She blabbed and I laughed, not because I understood her joke but cause she was blabbing as usual. She made it easy cause she wasn't making it hard for me to talk to her after all that had happened. Instead, she's acting like it never happened in the first place.

"I missed you, so so much" I said.

"I didn't die Sha, but I missed you too. You got leaner, or is it just me seeing this? Lemme guess, you fed on only two things: cereals and noodles. Am I right or wrong?" She said and Amanda immediately laughed out loud.

"Mostly" Amanda said, still laughing.

"I knew it nau!" Amara laughed and I slowly joined in. "Anyway, how has life been on the mainland?" She asked and I leaned on my chair and let out a sigh, a long sigh.

"It's been...complicated. I now have a job, that's one thing. And...I'm still alive, that's another thing" I replied and they both laughed.

"And Femi?" She asked and I immediately groaned.

Of course she'd ask of him!

"He's fine, we're both cool now and that's basically it. What about you? How has school been?" I said, hoping to change the topic.

"School gini? Don't try to change the topic. We're talking about you now" she said, leaning on her chair with a smile. "School should park one side for a moment or two" she said and I stared at her in awe.

Is this the same Amara that cares so much about school?

"Love life gist is what I'm looking for. Who's love life is making sense between you two? I'm guessing it's Amanda's cause your love life is probably happening with your teddy bears, sadly you left them at home" she said and Amanda missed no dying opportunity to laugh out loud. Typical Amara. She never seizes to amaze me with the output she vomits from her mouth.

"Amara! Your mouth will forever remain your death trap" I said and she shrugged.

"So be it. I like speaking the truth even if it kills me, unless the truth will kill me directly, then a lie is worth the shot. And thank God the goddess of lies looked upon me with mercy, unlike Chioma whose lies can shatter bundle the entire Earth" Amara said and once again, the horse with respiratory tract problem whom I can a friend, laughed out loud.

"I'm hungrier now, just listening to you. You're lucky I don't feed on raw flesh" I said, playfully glaring at her.

"Biko, cook me if you want to eat me. I already know I'm a hot piece of akara, so make sure you add some garnish too" she said and I shook my head in disbelief, laughing.

"But seriously though, I'm hungry as__"

"Is that who I think it is?!" She shrieked. "The husband you stole from me, oh my God! There's hope! God has given me another chance oh!" Amara gushed, staring at someone behind me.

I laughed, thinking it was probably one of her schoolmates. But then, I wondered what she meant by 'the husband you stole from me'.

"So you too have fallen for one boy like that, right?" I said, smirking and wiggling my brows at her. She gave me a look that read: STOP WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

I smiled and she face-palmed herself. "Such a mumu! I meant Femi, ode oshi!" She said and Amanda high-fived her and laughed so hard this time.

I turned around and met him ordering his food, turning back to glare at Amara and Amanda I realized I was actually smiling when I saw him, and I immediately stopped. Luckily, they hadn't noticed the previous smile.

"He's even going sef! Not on my watch, not when I'm seeing him after so long and definitely after God has brought him to me" Amara said and immediately got up to chase the so-called love of her life.

"Amara, when will you be smart in this life? When?!" I asked, laughing alongside Amanda who happened to be tearing up from laughing too hard.

"Never!" Amara hollered back and...

_____________________________

Hi guys!
I'm feeling much more better now, thanks to all those who kept wishing me a 'get well soon'. Chop kiss 😘

Anyway, for those who aren't Igbo or probably aren't Nigerians and aren't familiar with the following words:
*Biko means Please
*Gini means What
*Mumu means Silly person or dummy.
* Ode oshi means Silly person or dummy, also means duns or stupid.

That's that for that. Okay, I'll try to update as soon as possible. Let me read your thoughts on this chapter, pleaseeeeee🤭
Amara is finally back to the book once more, it's like she became crazier...me no know ohh😂

Maybe I should just dash Femi to Amara naaaaw, let's pity her. She's literally chasing the love of her life😂😂😂 before people will teleport thunder to my side with rapid effect, I'm joking oh!!

Please remember to vote if you liked the chapter, and leave a comment if you can as well. Love you guys❤️❤️❤️❤️

Also, thanks to all you lovely souls out there, with your help I was able to win in the category for Best Upcoming Writer. Thank you guys so so much. This chapter is dedicated to you all. Every single one of you❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Till my next update,
Bye...