Chapter 5: secret’s between friends
1157 Words
Ada had barely closed her laptop when her phone began ringing again.
She groaned and rolled onto her back.
The caller ID made her smile.
Lizzy.
Ada answered immediately.
“Finally,” Lizzy said dramatically. “Madam computer scientist remembers she has friends.”
Ada laughed.
“Please leave me alone. This semester is trying to kill me.”
“Liar,” Lizzy replied. “You always say that.”
Lizzy had been Ada’s best friend since their first year in the university. While Ada studied computer science, Lizzy was in the Mass Communication department, and unlike Ada, she loved excitement.
Where Ada preferred quiet nights and coding, Lizzy preferred loud music, gossip, and social events.
Yet somehow they balanced each other perfectly.
“So,” Lizzy continued, “what are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing.”
“Wrong answer.”
Ada sat up on her bed.
“What now?”
“There’s a party.”
Ada laughed immediately.
“Of course there is.”
“You’re coming.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
Ada sighed.
“Lizzy…”
“I’m serious,” Lizzy said. “You’ve been hiding in that lodge all week.”
Ada leaned back against the wall.
“School is stressful.”
“I know,” Lizzy replied softly. “That’s exactly why you need a break.”
There was a pause.
Then Lizzy’s voice turned playful again.
“Also… I want to hear about the mysterious boys in your lodge.”
Ada frowned.
“What boys?”
“The ones you mentioned last week.”
“Oh,” Ada said quickly. “Them.”
“Yes them.”
Ada hesitated.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
Lizzy gasped dramatically.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Ada laughed quietly.
“Okay fine,” she admitted. “There are two of them.”
“I knew it!”
“One of them is really nice,” Ada continued. “His name is Tunde.”
“And the other one?”
Ada hesitated for a second.
“Kemi.”
Lizzy immediately caught the tone.
“Oho.”
“What?”
“That hesitation,” Lizzy said. “That’s the interesting one.”
Ada rolled her eyes.
“Please relax.”
“So what’s he like?”
Ada thought for a moment.
“He’s… annoying.”
Lizzy laughed loudly.
“That means you like him.”
“I did not say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Ada shook her head.
“He just talks too much.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“And you enjoy it.”
Ada didn’t answer.
Lizzy’s voice softened.
“See? I know you.”
Ada smiled despite herself.
“Anyway,” Lizzy continued, “you’re coming to the party tonight and telling me everything.”
Ada sighed.
“You’re not giving up, are you?”
“No.”
“Fine,” Ada said finally. “I’ll come.”
An hour later Ada was ready.
She stepped out of her room wearing jeans and a simple black top.
The hallway outside was noisy as usual.
The 400-level girls were gathered near the balcony, laughing loudly about something.
Chioma noticed Ada first.
“Ada! Where are you going?”
“A party,” Ada replied.
The girls stared at her in surprise.
“Wait,” Sade said. “You go to parties?”
“Sometimes.”
“Liar,” Chioma laughed.
Ada shook her head.
Before she could reply, someone spoke behind them.
“Well, well.”
Ada turned.
Kemi was leaning against the wall, watching her with an amused expression.
“You clean up nicely,” he said.
Ada rolled her eyes.
“Don’t start.”
“I’m serious.”
Tunde appeared beside him a moment later.
“You’re going out?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Ada said.
“With friends.”
Tunde nodded slowly.
“Okay. Just be careful.”
Ada smiled.
“I will.”
Kemi crossed his arms.
“What party?”
Ada gave him a suspicious look.
“Why?”
“Maybe I’ll come.”
“You weren’t invited.”
“That’s harsh.”
Chioma laughed loudly.
“Leave her alone.”
Ada shook her head and headed toward the stairs.
But as she walked away, she could feel Kemi watching her.
The party was already loud when Ada arrived.
Music blasted through the house, and colored lights flashed across the crowded room.
Lizzy spotted her immediately and rushed over.
“There you are!”
She hugged Ada tightly.
“You look good!”
“Relax,” Ada laughed.
Lizzy grabbed her hand.
“Come.”
Within minutes, Ada was pulled into a circle of dancing students.
At first she felt awkward.
But Lizzy was impossible to resist.
Soon Ada was laughing and moving with the music.
Hours later they stepped outside for fresh air.
Lizzy leaned against the wall beside her.
“So,” she said casually.
Ada narrowed her eyes.
“So what?”
“Tell me about Kemi.”
Ada groaned.
“You’re starting again.”
Lizzy grinned.
“I want details.”
Ada looked down the quiet street for a moment.
“He’s… different.”
“How?”
“He makes me laugh.”
Lizzy smiled knowingly.
“That’s important.”
Ada sighed.
“But his best friend likes me.”
Lizzy’s eyes widened.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s messy.”
“I know.”
Before Lizzy could say anything else, a familiar voice spoke behind them.
“Talking about me?”
Ada froze.
Slowly, she turned around.
Kemi stood a few feet away with a playful smile.
Lizzy’s eyes widened immediately.
“Oh,” she whispered to Ada. “That one?”
Ada sighed.
“Yes.”
Lizzy leaned closer and whispered,
“Okay… I understand now.”
Ada elbowed her.
Kemi walked closer.
“You disappeared from the lodge,” he said.
“I didn’t disappear,” Ada replied.
“You did.”
Lizzy watched the two of them with growing amusement.
Then she leaned toward Ada.
“I’m going back inside,” she whispered. “You two look busy.”
Before Ada could protest, Lizzy had already disappeared into the crowd.
Now Ada and Kemi stood alone under the soft glow of the streetlights.
“You dance?” Kemi asked.
“Sometimes.”
“You looked happy.”
Ada shrugged.
“Maybe I was.”
He smiled slightly.
They started walking slowly down the street.
“Your friend seems nice,” Kemi said.
“She is.”
“And she clearly knows everything about you.”
Ada laughed.
“That’s Lizzy.”
They continued walking and talking for a long time.
And though neither of them said it out loud, something was slowly growing between them—something warm, easy, and dangerous.
Something that would soon change everything
- Writer
