"Hey babe!" Tolani poked her head through my room's window. She was on linen singlet that stopped short on her hip a buck of clothes in on hand.
"To-la-ni, my love. How you dey now?" (Tolani, my love, How're you doing?) I replied in same energy. She came closer.
"I thought it was rumours o. So this is now your room."
" HM, na so we see am o." (I'm also surprised o) Tolani was my temporary roommate during our 1st semester exams and temporary at the beginning of second semester. She was newest vibe in my life before I met Emmanuel. She had all energy in this world and there was never any boring time with her.
"You know what? There's plenty of gist. Lemme hang my clothes and come and see you. Shebi you're the only one in the room now?"
"Yes I am. "
"Then I'm coming." She left. I was seated at the reading table in the room trying to catching up on all the classes I've missed while I was at home and the ones I have deliberately missed. After chapel this morning, I made up my mind that I was going to be a good girl. I collect lecture slides from my coursemates and started to read. Even though my mind was in a world of it own, I didn't care, I read on anyways.
***
There was a knock on the door and Tolani entered before I could even think.
"Where's your bed?" She asked looking around.
"It's up there. You can sit here." There was another seat at the table where I was. She sat slowly as if taking in the sight of textbooks and notepads on the table. She had this thin Asian eyes that always gave defining looks. I could tell already that she had something to say about my studying.
"Don't tell me you're student when it's not even exam time yet. You sef!" She almost yelled.
"I wasn't in this school for two week I have a lot of catching up to do. I must not compare myself to anyone in this school like this."
"True, understandable." Her dramatic voice went on. "But that doesn't mean you should I'll yourself with books na. Please o, it's just one world."
"Okay ma." I said with a playful bow.
She brought out a flash drive from the pocket of her shorts and drew my laptop close to herself.
"I'm here to hijack movies from you and give you the ones I have okay?"
"Tolani, you no dey rest?" (Tolani, don't you rest?)
"Rest ke, anyone that doesn't find his own way of survival in this school will just die of boredom and spiritual activities because that is all convent Faith has to offer us."
"Gist me sef. How far you and your babe na? I been dey hear rumours o. Rumours wey no sweet at all." (Gist me please, how are things with you and your boyfriend? I've been hearing rumours and they are not good ones.)
"What did you hear?" I teased.
"It's not even only about what I have heard. What about the things that o see myself." She said. "Just tell me what I need to know abeg."
('abeg' meaning 'please')
"I don't know what you want to hear." My eyes caught the thumbnail of a movie on her flash. " Whoa you have belle season eight, I've been looking for how to download it o, send me fast fast!" I shrieked.
"Did you guys fight? You both looked like you were going to be running it until forever what happened? Why is now with Belinda?"
Maybe hearing it from a friend made it worse, I felt like I was going to puke. "I don't want to talk about him Tolani, please."
"But I'm curious and I need answers. Hopefully we can work things out..."
"Please Tolani, it is what it is. I have no explanation. The idiot probably got bored of me..." Years streamed down my face and she hugged me immediately.
"I'm sorry Aholah..."
"Change the topic..." I pleaded.
She hesitated.
"If I was the one. I'll get myself someone's also, to spite him. He has to know what he is missing. What an idiot indeed! He now left you a corporate Christian girl for that cafeteria slot, belinda. Some boys will just never make heaven because they lack common sense..."
"Tell me about Belle season eight" I cut her short.
"No na, shebi I'm sending it to you. If I tell you I'll spoil it."
"Spoil it, just tell me abeg!" It was a disguised command and she got it and went on with the narration.
*** Khadijah's POV***
He had horns, no he didn't. He was the perfect Lucifer kind of beauty man. Broad chest, chiseled jaws, thick brows, pink small lips, he had the beauty of the devil himself. Everytime I imagined him with horns because he was just a spirit man who visits me in my dreams to assault me. For years I had battle with him, in prayers, with the word of God, with fasting. It worked, but for a while. He stopped invading my dreams two years after I gave my life to Jesus. I was so happy that I was finally free and I promised God never to indulge in any form of sexual perversion again. But yesternight...
And even now in my office, there he is hovering over me in only shorts.
"I bind you in the name of Jesus!"
He laughed. My heart shuddered.
"I am God's inheritance, you have no right over my body anymore."
"You sure?" He said, a devilish grin on his face. "I've gotten the rights even before you were born Khadijah, just so you know."
I didn't have the guts to process his words. I just wished as time passed that everything would just disappear and I'll wake up safe from this ugly dream again.
"I didn't come for you this time." He walked away from couch and stood at the window. The windows I had shut were opened and sunlight gushed in through the blinds almost blinding my eyes.
"Aholah is mine. I hear your prayers concerning her. Don't you dare try to tamper with what is mine or else..."
"I have seven more dangerous spirits with me Khadijah and trust me your prayers cannot stop them from eating you up when I order them to."
He pointed his claw at me. "Be warned!"
I shrieked out if sleep.