Chronicles Of A Runs Girl - S01 E08

2 years ago

Chronicles Of A Runs Girl - S01 E08

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 8

In quick delivery, interrupted only by pauses for laughter, Mama narrated how one of Clara’s guys had asked her if shegymedand she had answered that she did. She then spent over fifteen grand buying gym kit so she could take him up on his invitation to follow him to Proflex.

That was three days ago. Her body was now feeling the pains of her deceit.

She had begged the other girls to help her massage Rub into her body but in the end the only willing helper was a house girl from one of the flats, and even at that she had to pay N500 for the kind favour.

We laughed at Clara’s expense and she protested with groans. I was aware of the clothe seller girl summing me up. She looked up at me and said “Auntie, I have your size.”

I vaguely recognised her from school. So, just to make me buy her market she was calling me auntie? Ish.

Tempted as I was, what she didn’t know was that the moment I stepped in and saw what she had come to do, I said a little prayer to God begging him not to let me waste my money on things I didn’t need.

Janet was holding a Superman T-shirt against her body. A heap of clothes was by her side.

“Can I try it?” she asked the girl.

She pulled her top off over her body exposing her perfect boobs that always make me stop and look. I found them so peculiarly perfect that, unlike the other girls, I’d been too self-conscious to playfully squeeze them – something she seemed to enjoy.

She stood and admired herself in our tall mirror that had the shape of a rectangle missing from its bottom corner.

“How much for this?” she asked.

“Six thousand.”

“Four.”

“Five-five.”

“Can I pay you next week?”

“No. My market is cash market.”

Janet looked dismayed, and I swear I read her mind at that moment as she looked at the other things she had picked, contemplating what to drop for the Superman T-shirt.

“Let me try it,” Mama said.

The girl took one look at her. “It’s not your size,” she said, then, quite uncalled for, I think, “I don’t have anything your size.”

But mama is Teflon. My babe!

Kike already had a considerable heap of clothes on her laps. “How much for all these and the T-shirt?” she asked the girl. She was referring to the Superman T-shirt.

The girl picked through the things Kike had picked, did a quick mental calculation, and arrived at “Thirty-six thousand.”

Kike got up and went to her bag from which she produced the exact amount in crisp N1000 naira notes. I watched to see Janet’s reaction. It had been a week since they clashed and even though the rest of us had harassed them into making up, the bad blood was still flowing and Janet was threading carefully.

Kike tossed the rest of her purchases onto the bed but kept the Superman T-shirt on her shoulder. B---h!

Janet didn’t say a word.

Following theiryanwa, I had spoken to Kike and advised her to learn to keep her secrets secret. I guess she had listened, for once. She didn’t tell any of us whether or not she had made up with her guy, but lately she had been taking someone’s calls outside. It made me proud of her.

“Ah! Amaka!” That was Mama’s way of starting a conversation. “I forgot to tell you. That girl, the one they call First lady, she came here looking for you o. She said there is party tonight and you should wear white and black. Can I come?”

First Lady had come to my place? How did she even know where I stay? She came all the way to Ikoyi to look for me? Why was she looking for me? Why was it so important to her that I come to her party?

The seller looked up at me. “Auntie, I have black and white things that will fit you,” she said.

I ignored her.

“When did she come?” I asked Mama.

“Like that kind ten. She said you should call her. I have her number.”

My phone vibrated and I forgot I was censoring calls. I answered the phone and Mum’s voice moaned into my ear.

I listened to her for ten minutes, assured her I was fine, and promised to send the money for my brother’s jamb lessons. I made the promise five more times before she finally got off the phone.

“Let me see the black and white things you have,” I told the girl selling clothes.

She started digging into her suitcase.

“I don’t have money to pay you now o,” I said.

“It’s ok. After you come back from First Lady’s party you can pay me.”