"The first morning after "
1201 Words
The next morning, Mom had already left for work. She had quickly prepared breakfast and lunch before leaving, placing a plate of bean cakes and a bowl of pap on the dining table.
Mirabel woke up and immediately noticed that her pajamas were stained.
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed.
She hurried into the bathroom and realized that her pad was completely soaked after the night. She quickly changed it, took her bath, and stood in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection.
Mirabel was a fifteen-year-old girl with a naturally pretty appearance and a youthful look. After finishing her bath, she applied her skincare products before getting dressed in black joggers and a pink shirt.
She brushed her hair and styled it into two neat sections, adding cute pink bows. After carefully styling her edges, she slipped on her pink Crocs and applied a little lip gloss.
“Perfect,” she whispered with a small smile.
Mirabel went downstairs and sat at the dining table to eat. However, the quiet house quickly reminded her that she was all alone.
She had no siblings, her dad was away most of the time, and her mom had already gone to work.
With a sigh, Mirabel picked up her iPad and dialed Benita’s number.
“Hey, bestie!” Benita answered from the other end of the call, her voice muffled as she spoke with a mouthful of food.
“Benitaaa! You’re eating again?” Mirabel laughed.
“Please, leave me alone. Is food now a crime?” Benita shot back, swallowing quickly.
Mirabel giggled. “At this point, food is your first love.”
“And you’re just jealous because nobody loves you like food loves me.”
“Abeg, shift!” Mirabel burst out laughing. “What are you up to?”
“Eating, obviously. What else does a responsible citizen do?”
“Responsible citizen? With your mouth stuffed like that?” Mirabel teased.
“Don't worry about me. Focus on yourself. Why did you even call?”
“I didn't call you. You called me!”
“Oh.” Benita paused. “So why did I call you?”
“Benita!” Mirabel screamed with laughter. “You are actually so unserious!”
“Okay, okay, calm down. So, what are you doing?”
“Nothing. I’m just here, bored as always.” Mirabel sighed dramatically. “This house is so quiet I can literally hear my own thoughts.”
“Eww. That sounds dangerous.”
“Very funny.”
“Should I come over and save you from your tragic life?”
“Gurlllll, COME!” Mirabel suddenly sat upright. “I have plenty gist for you!”
Benita immediately became serious. “Wait. Gist? What kind of gist?”
“Just come first.”
“Mirabel, don't play with me. Is it hot gist?”
“Very hot.”
“Is it relationship gist?”
“Maybe.”
“School gist?”
“Maybe.”
“Family gist?”
“Benita, just come!”
“Okay, okay! I'm coming. But if I get there and the gist is boring, I'm going straight back home.”
“You won't. Trust me.”
“Hmm. Better be worth my transport fare.”
Mirabel laughed. “Just hurry up, abeg.”
“I’ll be there in a jiffy. And please, don't finish all the snacks before I arrive.”
“No promises!”
“Mirabel!”
“Bye, bestie!”
“Bye, troublemaker!”
The call ended, and Mirabel couldn't help but grin. Finally, something exciting was about to happen.
A few minutes later, Benita finally arrived at Mirabel’s house, slightly out of breath from the short walk from the gate.
She knocked twice before opening the door.
“Mirabellllll!” she called dramatically. “Your best friend has arrived!”
“Benita, abeg!” Mirabel shouted from upstairs. “Just come inside. Why are you shouting like you paid for the house?”
Benita burst into laughter as she stepped inside.
“See this girl. After inviting me over, she’s still complaining.”
She dropped her bag on the couch and looked around.
“Where are you?”
“Upstairs!”
Benita climbed the stairs two steps at a time.
“Mirabel, if you are not ready for gist, I’m leaving o!”
“Wait for me!”
Mirabel hurried out of her room, and the moment she saw Benita, her face immediately brightened.
“You actually came.”
“Of course I came,” Benita said, pulling her into a hug. “You sounded like somebody that was about to die of boredom on the phone.”
Mirabel laughed, hugging her back tightly.
“I missed you.”
Benita pulled away and stared at her.
“Awww. You missed me?”
“Yes.”
“Say it again.”
“I missed you.”
“Louder.”
“Benita!”
They both burst out laughing.
For a few seconds, everything felt normal again. Mirabel had been feeling unusually lonely lately, and having Benita around made the house feel less quiet.
They walked into her room and sat on the bed.
“So,” Benita said, crossing her legs. “You said you had plenty gist.”
Mirabel sighed.
“I do. But honestly, I don't even know where to start.”
Benita immediately became serious.
“Okay. I'm listening.”
Mirabel looked down at her hands.
“It's just… everything has been feeling different lately. My parents are always busy. School is stressful. And sometimes I feel like nobody really understands me.”
Benita's expression softened.
“Mirabel…”
“I know it sounds stupid,” Mirabel continued quietly. “But sometimes I just want someone to notice when I'm not okay without me having to explain everything.”
Benita reached for her hand.
“That doesn't sound stupid.”
Mirabel looked at her.
“You're my best friend. You don't have to pretend around me, okay?”
Mirabel smiled faintly.
“Okay.”
Benita squeezed her hand.
“Now come here before I start crying too. I didn't come here to ruin my fine face with tears.”
Mirabel laughed through the little sadness in her eyes.
“Idiot.”
“Your i***t,” Benita replied proudly.
And just like that, the heaviness in Mirabel's chest began to ease.
“Benita… I got my period yesterday, but you won’t believe what happened next.”
“Okay, forget the period matter for now. You remember Michael, right?” Mirabel said, trying hard not to smile.
Benita immediately sat up. “Wait—Michael as in Michael from our class? Your Michael?”
“He is not my Michael!” Mirabel laughed.
“Then why are you smiling like that? Girl, talk!”
Mirabel looked around the room before leaning closer.
“Something happened between us yesterday.”
Benita's eyes widened. “Something happened? Mirabel, you better start talking before I lose my patience!”
Mirabel giggled. “Okay, okay… but promise you won't tell anyone.”
Benita placed a hand on her chest. “I swear! Now give me the gist because this one is looking serious.”
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