LIFE AFTER DEATH.

VOYAGE.

" Mommy, "

I shrugged, still trying to wrestle my mother's hands that were wrapped tightly around my neck. But the more I tried, it got even tighter.

" Mommy... I can't breath. " I could barely speak.

" Mommy, " My sister, Nonso chuckled,

" You're killing her oh. "

My mom reluctantly loosened her grip, but her hands were still situated around my poor, tired neck.

" I don't know when next I'll see you again. " My mother said with a pale voice that was filled with weary and endearment.

" Probably after five years. " My sister snarled.

" No, " I adjusted my glasses, " It shouldn't take that long. "

" Yeah but, apart from being on a book or a computer all day, you might actually make friends. " Freida was smiling suspiciously, that meant she was telling a joke, and I didn't get it as usual.

She licked her lower lips, bracing herself for another joke. I knew my sister all too well.

" You will never be able to make friends, even if you read a book about it. You'd still fail. "

Oh no she didn't. Nonso could tell any joke about me and get away, but nothing book related. And failure??? I immediately took off my glasses and stared at her in shock.

" If making friends was a course, you'll get carryover and Seventy-five extra years and still not pass! " Only her launched a loud drum of laughter.

I slowly shook my head and returned my glasses where it belonged. " I'm not even falling for this. "

She continued, " You may want to explore, travel, maybe... who knows, you might get a boyfriend. " She winked at my mom in a bid to stylishly difuse the fact that she had uttered an abominable word, 'boyfriend'. Meanwhile, my mother was too trapped inside her feelings to even hear. I guess Nonso got away with it.

My looks instantly changed. I hated jokes, especially anyone boyfriend related. I squinted hard, my lips were slightly raised, and I was irritated. My mother immediately saw right through me and proceeded to arrange my attire, like it was supposed to please me.

" Did you hear what she just said? " I had to ask my mother.

My mother wasn't giving me the audience I wanted so I asked again with more investment.

" Mommy, Nonso wants me to have a boyfriend and you're not saying anything? "

That was when she dramatically gasped and slightly thumped nonso on the shoulder. " That is nonsense, stop saying that. She is not going there to have a boyfriend. "

" She can't even pull one. " Nonso gave me an intentional eye-roll.

I knew it was an intentional act to get me angry but I still fell for it, " I'm leaving, can you not be annoying? "

Nonso laughed, " All the more reason I should. Besides, I said nothing wrong, did I? "

No she didn't, at the very least to my undertaking, Nonso didn't say anything that was wrong and untrue. The only reason I get upset is that I find her jokes repetitive and irritating.

When my useless father was alive, he was Nonso's best pal, and my fountain of substance. But I guess the phrase 'You can never trust anyone, because no one is above betrayal' didn't imply that your very own family was left out.

I use to randomly remember when both my father and Nonso cajoled me to get a life outside my books and studies, but it proved futile. I don't mean to brag, but I've always been a book worm, ever since I was birthed. I hated the outdoors, I despised crowdy locations too. The only congested place I could stomach was in class, and even there I made no contact with anyone. It was just me and whatever was happening in the black-board area.

After a long while of trying to coerce me to step out of my well-reserved comfort zone, my father gave up. But Nonso pledged to make it her forever job. Even after my father committed the unforgivable crime and left us, the jokes continued, but things changed in all areas.

I had to take my studies even more seriously and shut myself out from the world I was never a part of in the first place. And when what I considered to be God's gift came as a scholarship, my mother sold every valuable she had in order for us to retain it. Those were tougher times I wished never happened.

But thankfully, here I was, a few steps from taking another big step into a bigger step ( laughs out loud inside my head ). Maybe I could tell jokes like Nonso when I'm conversing with my indepth persona.

* * * * * * * * * * *

" I'm not going there to have a boyfriend or to make friends, " I rolled my eyes, " I don't need any of that. "

Nonso looks changed, like she was about to utter something important.

" You do Amaka. I don't even want to begin to tell you how hard__

My mother thumped her again. It was harder than the first.

" Stop! If she says it's not important, then it isn't, okay? "

I could see the sadness and hurt surface on Nonso face. I was happy, that was my revenge for her aimless jokes.

" I'm going to focus on my studies and graduate with immaculate grades. " I recited.

" Robot. " I heard Nonso whisper.

" That's actually a compliment, " I said, smiling.

The warning came for the second time. I had five minutes until my plane's departure. On hearing this, both my mother and sister pulled me in for another hug again. I held them both tightly. In all sincerity, I would miss them so much. They were all I had.