Meet Roni

Chapter 2 - New Neighbour

Three months later ...

Class today, Monday, had been very stressful for Sapphy. Her classes were scheduled for 8 am, 10 am, and 2 pm. At Her 300th level in management, her lecturers still decided to play the rat-chase game with them today as if they were still in their 100 level. Spectators around the school compound watched ludicrously as they moved from one lecture hall to the other, only for the first two classes to be canceled.

Later, they were called back that the 10 a.m. class was rescheduled to take place by noon. She was in the taxi, heading home already, and had to turn back to school. They waited again for about forty-five minutes only for the old man to come in unapologetically sell his handouts and call attendance. It was only when he called out your name and saw your face, would he tick your name and let you leave the class. If not because of his neat crafty trick, no one would willingly attend his classes. Because of him, the 2 p.m. class was rescheduled for tomorrow morning by 7 a.m.

She and her course mate, and friend, Priscilla. Left class together and headed home around four p.m. They lived at the same lodging Apartment at Alakahia. It was opposite the famous Psalm 91 lodge but theirs was kind of a new one-story building with 48 rooms. It had a quadrangle that divided the apartment into two wings- the left wing and the right wing. She had moved into the building from her former hostel immediately after the end of her 100 level and met Prisca already staying there.

Prisca stayed downstairs at the right wing at room 8 while she stayed upstairs at the left wing at room 30. There were about 3 vacant rooms. One downstairs and two upstairs, the rooms on her wing were already occupied - majorly because it was closest to the stairs. The last room and room opposite hers on the right wing had been empty since the semester began.

Immediately after she'd gotten back from her spirit-draining class, she got into her room and flung herself onto her bed. Yes, call her lazy and dirty she didn't care! She'll take her bath later in the evening, for now, she had to regain her energy as little things stressed her out. She quickly stood and closed... Locked the door to avoid any disturbance or invitations then she ran back jumped on her bed and dosed off. It was barely up to thirty minutes she had closed her eyes before she heard someone pounding on her door.

"Sapphy!!"

'One' Sapphire counted dreamily.

"Sapphy!!"

'Two'

"Sapphire!!!"

'Three'

"Sapphire room 30!!!"

"What is wrong with you? If you don't hear anything you cannot just keep quiet and go away!" Sapphire screamed. Normally, she would have ignored Deborah and let her continue her screaming theatrics but there was something about the way she called out her name today that made her skin crawl. Why she always left her room 10 downstairs to come upstairs to disturb her, was always a wonder.

"My friend shut up your mouth, you like to sleep too much. Stand up from that bed and open the door"

" I'm not opening anything. Tell me what you want and get out."

"As per what? I will so pound your door that our landlord will chase us out."

Sapphire decided to ignore her and swallow herself underneath her blanket. Not up to a minute another pair of hands joined Deborah to pound her door and scream her name while Deborah had the liberty to go to her window to continue screaming her name.

The door suddenly flung open almost pulling the newcomer down to the ground but that was the least of the surprise as a blue-flowered bed sheet flew around them wildly. Deborah and Mercy escaped the flogging a few times then they attacked the bedsheet and its owner, pushing Sapphire back into her bedroom. They both overpowered her, covered her face with her sheets, and placed an extra pillow over her face while tickling her heels and sides.

Sapphire tried to kick her feet wildly while screaming some muffled help into the sheets. She pulled her leg towards herself and then pushed it out forcefully to shake off Deborah, making her slip a bit. Debbie let out a 'you think you have strength' in heavy breaths and pounced back on her, raising Sapphy's flailing legs in the air and sporadically s******g her bum. Their dramatic fight continued for a while until Sapphire kept screaming 'I give up, I give up’ In fits of laughter.

They both released Sapphire but not before Mercy used the pillows to give her face a quick hard push to the bed. Then they collapsed, laughing and exchanging words while they regained their breaths.

"But, why do you guys not have respect and keep disturbing me? You've made the whole compound to know my name now and it's not funny."

" You're not even ashamed... you're now known as... Sleepy Sapphy, we were doing it for shame to catch you ...so that you'll reduce the way you sleep... ahh my chest!" Deborah huffed and puffed between words as she still struggled to catch her breath.

" Are you minding the coconut head? Shame cannot shame this your girl. This one is the type that'll sleep at her kidnappers' location."

"Wait, Mercy! Which day would you ever take my side? Are you my friend at all? " Sapphire tried sitting up to confront Mercy but the two touts pushed her back to the bed.

" What do you want to do?"

"It's like you've not had enough, you're looking for another round"

they both yelled into her ears.

"Alright, it's okay. You've seen my face. What do you want?" she questioned after freeing herself.

"Ah, ah, must we want something?" Debbie answered sweetly and snuggled closer to Sapphy making her shudder and cringe " ...We came to see you ni"

" As you've seen me, please go naaw." She tried pushing Debbie off. 'Tried' being the keyword.

"Abeg, wetin you cook first? I wan chop." Deborah rolled down from the bed to head to the kitchen but Sapphire quickly took hold of her skirt and vigorously shook her, resulting in Debbie screaming, laughing, and swaying backward and forward.

"If you like, cut your throat with shouts. Where do you think you're going, did you keep something in my kitchen?

"Waaaaiiittt naaaaw, allow me I've not had anything since morning"

"Come... " Mercy broke in and tried freeing Debbie from Sapphy's clutches in a slapping frenzy. "... leave... this ...girl ...let... us ...eat." When Deborah ran to the kitchen she continued "Our new neighbor will reason you as a stingy girl."

"See, as you guys are tagging my room as the noisiest room, why don't you go to your room and misbehave like that."

"Because you'll never come out, you prefer your bed to us."

"So, oh? It's because your kitchen is dirty that's why you didn't want me to go in." Debbie accused her while putting a spoon of rice into her mouth. She stood at the kitchen doorway with the pot of rice in her left hand. Mercy got up to join her and down the remaining of the rice.

Sapphire decided to say nothing and just watch them. That was a meal she had prepared last night to sustain her to the end of today. She imagined they were rats eating poisoned rice and choking on it. She made a quick prayer, asking God for forgiveness on such a dark thought. However, another thought settled in her mind that affected the look on her face. Mercy noticed the drastic change on her friend's face and asked

"What's doing you?"

Sapphire kept staring at them with discontentment for a while before releasing her words softly but menacing.

"So, oh? It's because of Man. You guys left your room to disturb me."

Both Debbie and Mercy hissed viciously at her.

"I thought you wanted to say something important sef." Mercy sneered

"She wants us to fear her, you go old!" Debbie added. After she seconds, a thought crossed her mind " How did you know the neighbor is a man?" Debbie reasoned a little later

" Because you wouldn't come to disturb me if it was our gender."Sapphire blurted out

" Ehh!! You've caught us ni, miss Enola Holmes! Let's go and welcome him after now." Mercy concluded scrapping the last spoon of rice then she dropped the pot on the ground. A look from Sapphy made her kick the pot into the kitchen.

"Okay, let's go and greet him. Are you guys done now, drink your water let's move." Sapphy tried searching for her room key Both girls obeyed her and moved swiftly. Immediately they were out the door Sapphire closed the door and hastening locked it behind them. They both laid out profanities on her later whispering to themselves that at least they'd eaten before they left. Then they laughed aloud and left but not before announcing her doors to be open by 9 pm.

Glossary

Abeg - Please

Wetin - What

Abeg, Wetin you cook? - What did you cook?

Naaw/ Ni- an exclamation

I wan chop - I want to eat.

what's doing you? - what's wrong with you?