Life After You

CHAPTER ONE TWO PEAS IN A POD "Late again, Kemi!" Kemisola Adetiba froze halfway down the staircase, her school bag hanging from one shoulder. "Mummy, I'm not late," she protested. Mrs. Funmilayo Adetiba folded her arms. "Assembly starts by seven-thirty and it is already seven-fifteen." Kemi flashed her mother an innocent smile. "I still have fifteen minutes." "And your school is not next door." Before Mrs. Adetiba could continue, Damilola walked into the dining room carrying a piece of bread. "Leave her, Mummy. Future Minister of Time Management." Kemi rolled her eyes. "Very funny." "I know." Mr. Adetiba chuckled from behind his newspaper. The Adetiba household was always like this in the mornings. There was laughter, occasional arguments, and reminders about school. As the youngest child, Kemi was expected to be responsible, focused, and serious. At home, she tried her best. At school, however, a completely different version of Kemi existed. The moment she stepped through the school gate, her serious expression disappeared. "Kemisola!" She didn't even need to turn around. Only one person called her full name like that. Derinsola. Kemi spun around and grinned. "There she is." The two girls rushed toward each other. "You won't believe what happened yesterday," Derinsola said immediately. "What?" "My little brother poured Fanta inside my assignment notebook." Kemi burst into laughter. "You're joking." "I wish I was." The bell rang. Neither of them moved. Instead, they continued laughing like they had all the time in the world. That was how they were. Always together. Always talking. Always laughing. Their classmates often joked that if one of them disappeared, the other would stop functioning. During Mathematics, they exchanged funny notes. During break time, they shared snacks. During practical classes, they worked as partners. Whenever teachers needed volunteers, both hands went up at the same time. "Honestly," one of their classmates once said, "you two should just become sisters." "We already are," Derinsola replied proudly. And she meant it. Kemi knew things about Derinsola that nobody else knew. She knew her fears. Her dreams. The fact that she secretly wanted to study Mass Communication. Derinsola also knew everything about Kemi. She knew how much pressure Kemi felt at home. She knew Kemi worried about disappointing her parents. Most importantly, she knew how to make Kemi smile whenever life became overwhelming. One afternoon, after school, the girls sat beneath a tree waiting for their drivers. "Can you believe this is our final year?" Derinsola asked. Kemi nodded. "It feels strange." "In a few months we'll leave secondary school." "And become adults." Derinsola laughed. "I don't think I'll ever become an adult." "You already act like a child." "Excuse me?" The girls burst into laughter. A comfortable silence followed. The kind of silence that only existed between people who understood each other completely. "Kemi?" "Hmm?" "No matter what happens after secondary school, promise we'll stay friends." Kemi turned toward her. "Of course." "I'm serious." "So am I." Derinsola extended her little finger. "Pinky promise." Kemi linked hers with it. "Pinky promise." The girls smiled. Neither of them knew how much that promise would mean in the months ahead. Neither of them knew how quickly life could change. For now, they were simply two best friends sitting beneath a tree, laughing at nothing and talking about everything. And to them, that felt like it would last forever.