"He did what?" Patricia eyebrows rose into her bangs.
"You heard me right Patricia, he left." I paced around Patricia's room, worry making it unable for me to sit still.
"He wasn't supposed to spend the night with you, was he?" She asked
"No he wasn't… Maybe I wanted him to and…ugh, I don't know okay? He just ran away. That's what I know."
"Ran away? I doubt that. I mean, why would he? I did the whole makeover so I know you looked superb," She reasoned as she drew some designs on her notepad. "And I bet you are not the clingy type guys hate."
"Oh, I don't know. Just leave me alone girl." I sat on the sofa beside the window, tucking my legs underneath my butt.
"Where's Kathy?" May asked as if just noticing her absence.
The door opened and Katherine came in. "Freshly made and delicious biscuits for all," she announced.
Katherine came in with a plate of hot and delicious biscuits Patricia's mum made for us as was our tradition whenever we had sleepovers at her parent's home every weekend. We all gathered in her room, all discussions on my present issue.
"Speak of the devil," Ann muttered
"Say what?" A confused Katherine asked
"Nothing." Her hastened reply gave her away as Katherine gave her stern look which later broke into a grin and she addressed them all.
"What did I miss?" She asked placing the plate of biscuit on the bed and digging in.
Patricia chuckled helping herself to the freshly baked biscuits. "Other than Nadia biting her nails off over her date gone wrong with Steve, nothing else," She gestured at me.
I glared at her and then the other girls as they bursted into laughter.
"It's not funny y'all. I can't believe you guys are all laughing at my sorrow." I stood up, hands akimbo as I pinned them with fulminating stare.
"We are not," Kathy struggled amidst laughter. "Okay on a serious note, certain issues needs thrashing. Were we informed about the so called date? No. You deliberately kept it a secret from all of us, most of us actually." She threw an accusing stare at Patricia who rose her hands up in defense.
"Not again," Groaning loudly, I plopped on the bed burying my face in the pillow.
The girls have been on my case the past weeks. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for me, they were the least of my worries. But then, I couldn't think past the thought of a particular guy with short spiked hair and the depression that came along with the thought was inevitable. To think asking Steve out to dinner was humiliating, rejection was far worse. He blatantly shut me out. I was sitting there that day, thinking the night was so magical and there was nothing in the entire earth and in heaven even though combined, that could ruin the joy I could feel searing inside of me — like rivers of the ocean joyfully sloshing from side to side in careless abandon. It's funny how one could be so wrong. At the last minute he just killed it. My hopes literally left with him that night.
"Guys please I already have enough tearing me inside without you adding to it okay? I'm sorry if I didn't tell you about my date. As you can see it sure didn't work out."
I cursed Amy inwardly for putting me through this excruciating misery. If only I had listened to that still voice telling me Friday would be a bad idea maybe thinking about Steve and my unrequited love would still be bearable. I wouldn't feel like the biggest idiot ever liveth.
May came over to me and pulled me up to a sitting position and sat beside me. "So lets get this straight. You haven't seen him after he left your place that night?"
"No, I haven't. If I had spoken to him somehow, I wouldn't be like this. He hasn't come to work after he left Sunrise that Friday. So I gathered from Stacy. I have tried a million times to reach him on phone and I haven't been able to reach him. I even tried to trace him at home but he just sort of vanished."
"Maybe there's a valid reason for his absence." May stroked my hair tenderly.
"I thought so too. It's been two weeks and no sign of him." My features changed as a thought hit me just then. "What if something's happened to him?" I shrieked, horrified at the possibility.
"What if he's actually lying in a pool dried blood, his eyes open in death?" Ann added matching my horrified state. The sinking feeling in my stomach was sickening.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down Nadia," Katherine admonished. "You are thinking too much about this. Nothing's happening to anybody. Steve is fine," she said. Turning to Ann, "You are not helping." Ann mouthed an apology.
"Maybe," Patricia reasoned hugging me from behind on the bed. "Something came up that needed his urgent attention."
"And he switched off his phone?"
"It could be he's in a place with bad network reception."
"For two weeks straight?"
"It could be that bad," she answered rocking me from side to side.
"It could also mean he is running away from something," Ann said matter-of-factly. "Guys let's be real here. His absence could mean many things." Kathy and May grunted in response. Patricia shook her head in exasperation and laid back on the bed.
"I'm just bringing to light possibilities we're trying to avoid. Maybe he suddenly realised you are not worth his shot and preferred the friend zone more."
"Exactly. Steve's my friend. He wouldn't do that to me."
"Were friends. You both went out on a romantic date. That says different." At my silence she continued. "What you need right now is imbibe good vibes and no better way to do that than what I have in mind."
"And what do you have in mind," i inquired even though I had little or no interest.
"Okay, here's the thing. Edwards's bestfriend, Derek Is having his birthday party. You guys remember them right?"
"As if we can forget about them." Katherine aswered with an upward eye roll.
"The bunch of handsome disasters. Who doesn't know those masters students handsomies? I wonder how you got roped in that mix." Patricia said dreamily.
"Edward is no disaster," she said chuckling at the dreamy look on Patricia's face. "And back to my point, his mouth-watering friend, Derek is having his twenty-sixth birthday party in grand style and I happen to have the means to get us all invites, through Edwards."
"And how is that going to help her reach Steve?" May questioned confused.
"Seriously? Who said anything about Steve? I'm talking in the lines of moving on."
Nadia gasped. "How could you suggest that? What if Steve is actually in trouble?"
"D, when a man goes out of his way to make himself scarce or hidden, he is definitely running from or avoiding something or someone and in this case the latter seems more like it. I say so because he should have at least found a way to contact you if he feels for you half what you feel for him as you both haven't talked or seen in a while. Don't you think so?" She looked around seeking understanding.
Katherine answered first, "I think I get your point. I mean, he should have at least called to say something or send a message across somehow. You know what?" She sprang up suddenly. "Let's do this shit."
Patricia scooted over to the foot of the bed. "I may not agree with you both about Steve's sudden disappearance but I can never say no to chilling out. Free drinks so available," She whooped as she made her way to the bathroom.
Ann already excited about the whole idea explained away. "We could carry out our very own project of finding a man to date or get laid. You've held onto the V-card far too long."
"I'm not going to go to some random party and sleep with some random guy that shows up."
"Babe, the good thing is you are going to be the one to choose the guy you want."
"Still my point. I won't know the guy, would I?"
"Then get to know the guy. Whichever guy you comfortable with and would like knowing, if he's down to knowing you too, you guys could hang more together."
Standing up, I went over to the window and stared down at the busy streets, the evening sun still blazing down. Turning back to the girls, "I don't know if this is a good idea. What if…"
"Look, at this rate you are going to wear yourself down worrying about Steve," She cut in. "He is fine. If his disappearance has anything to do with you, why not give him something to miss when he comes back only to realize you've moved on and not pinning on him."
"What if it has nothing to do with me? More so, what if I still love him?"
She shrugged, "Then you make him grovel big time before you forgive him."
My jaws dropped. "That would be savage of me. Hurting the other guy's feelings like that. That ain't cool."
"Nadia for our sakes just come out with us. Let's finally have our first official friends outing without always missing one person," Katherine coaxed.
"You even owe us this much for what you did. You hid something essential from us so you should at least grant us this much." May smirked satisfied that she got me there and she did get me there.
I sighed defeated. "You guys are so pushy."
"No, we are desperate to have our best friend hang out with us for the first time. Can you believe that?"
Patricia came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body and her head. "Is it settled?"
Four pair of eyes turned to stare at me expectant of a positive reply.
"Fine," they whooped for joy. "But," I continued cutting short their joyous celebration. "You guys have to promise me no scheming games."
"No scheming games." They chorused in agreement.
"Alright. I'm game. But…" I quickly rushed on cutting their excitement yet again.
"What now?" Patricia inquired
"I have nothing to wear."
"That can be easily solved. I think I have something that will be just right for the occasion." She rummaged through her closet. "I bought the dress and I haven't gotten around to wearing it. I bet it would be a perfect fit for you. You curve perfectly in the right places and this is going to show just how blessed you are." She brought out a straples dress with tempting cuts in the right areas.
"No way am I going to be caught wearing that." I insisted.
"You are defineitely not going to be caught wearing it while getting laid, sugar," Katherine said with a smirk.
Groaning, I picked up a throw pillow and threw it at her but she dodged it with ease.
"Find someone else," I protested weakly
"We found you." May said indifferent to my protest. "We just want you happy and not depressed or wallowing in sadness. Also a little man-hunting won't hurt. We will be there with you all the way," A devious smile played on her lips. "Halfway though." They giggled
Sighing, "Fine. If this little project doesn't work out, it's not my fault."
"With a net like that," Ann gestured at the dress Patricia still held. "I doubt you wouldn't catch any mosquitoes in it."
I couldn't wait to get this whole operation done and over with.
"So it's 'Get a Man or Get Laid' night in…' I paused. "When is the date?" I inquired inwardly hoping it was no time soon.
Ann chuckled at my facial expression. "Sweetheart, it's tomorrow night."
"Oh hell!"