THE VERY FIRST MEETING
'Hey big sister, this is my new classmate.Her name is Gweth and she moved to Kisumu from Nairobi.' Said Aya, Apiyo's sister who is her immediate follower. Apiyo was in her mother's little roadside shop when she heard her little sister's voice. 'Hello Gweth,welcome to Kisumu and welcome to our little home away from home.' Said Apiyo as she stretched out her hand to Gweth. 'And you, will you give your new friend something to drink?' Apiyo said looking at her sister Aya who was obviously happy for having a new friend.
That Saturday evening,the shop was filled with so much noise from the laughters and giggling from the three girls.Apiyo had a very likeable personality and this made Gweth feel very welcome to the new city.Apiyo kept on making fun of her little sister who claimed she was used to her annoying nature of always making fun of her. 'By the way, I love your locks.they really give you a very beautiful face you know.' Apiyo said as she stroke Gweth's hair. 'Thank you so much.I decided to have them since I was tired of visiting the salon frequently.' Said Gweth. 'Please,I will give you fifty shillings every Saturday if you convinced this calf to have dreadlocks too..Look at her hair, It looks like a sheep's back.'Said Apiyo as she giggled, knowing very well that she had succeeded at annoying her sister who was now making a click sound with her tongue, an East African practice to openly show how a pissed or annoyed a person is.
Apiyo,having turned fourteen that year,was going to sit for a major examination that, by the Kenyan law,everyone in their final year of primary school was supposed to sit for. The following year,it would be Aya and her new friend Gweth to follow suit. 'Do you study even while helping your mum at the shop?' Asked Gweth. 'Yes,she does. Ever since she scored a fourteen percent in Math and the whole class laughed at her, she has been carrying her math book wherever she goes. That way, my father doesn't have to be embarrassed of showing my aunties and uncles her results after the national marking.' Aya answered so fast with a big grin on her face,a sign that she felt good for telling Gweth of how her big sister and Math were having a complicated relationship.
Darkness was beginning to set in and it was time for Aya to walk Gweth home. 'Let me come with you.I dont think theres much work here and I can see mother is also coming to take over from me.' Said Apiyo as she pointed towards her mother's direction.The two girls walked Gweth to her house which was not far from their mother's shop.'Goodbye Aya and Apiyo.Thanks so much for welcoming me to Kisumu.'Said Gweth. 'Aya,your big sister is so so much fun to be around.'Said Gweth to Aya who was rolling her eyes at the compliment given to her sister.' 'Baby girl,your observation must have come from the gods,I like you.' Said Apiyo breathing in deeply with her eyes closed so as to irritate her sister.Both Aya and Apiyo bid bye to Gweth as they started walking towards their shop,fearing their mother sending someone to look for them as that would mean bad news with a mother who didn't take lightly girls being out late.
