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I had dinner with my family. Dad and I talked about the trip and my mom is concerned I’m travelling too early. If only she knew almost a year in bed can drive anyone crazy, especially, an overly active person like me.
After dinner, I pulled Taimani away from our parents. I know she has stopped talking with Jade. Her driver gave me the details of their silent feud. It’s not pleasant but I can’t control my teenage sister neither can I control or force Jade to speak with Taimani.
I know my sister is wrong but if I say it, she’ll tell me I’m siding with Jade, so I remain quiet and try to appease Mani. Now Jade is gone, and I can’t get any information on her. I tried emailing her and found out the email account was deleted.
“Mani, when did Mariam leave school.”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” she says shrugging.
“Please Mani, I need to know.”
“Why, so you can believe she’s nice when she’s a liar.” I don’t like the fact she’s calling Jade a liar.
“So, I can ask her to apologize to you.” I know Jade will bite my head off, if I ask her to apologize to my sister right now if it would give me the information I need, I’ll say anything to appease Mani.
“I don’t know Nas and I don’t care. She’s a liar.” She snares.
“Okay, can you tell me what she lied about?” She folded her arms in defiance. “Please, Mani.”
“Lydia told me she slept with James and kissed my boyfriend, Tony. I also heard she’s been sleeping with an older man that’s funding her college tuition. She acts nice to me but goes to make out with my boyfriend.”
“You know Lydia lied to you right, Mani? Mariam has never slept with James. I don’t know Tony, but I doubt Mariam made out him, did you ask, Tony?”
“I did ask him, and he said Mariam only helped him with his math that nothing happened.”
“You didn’t believe your boyfriend, but you believed Lydia.”
“I told Lydia she was lying, and she showed me a recording.” She takes out her phone and plays the video for me. “That’s Tony’s jacket, I had it made for him, so I know, it’s him.” I look closely at the video; you can’t see the faces, and it ispossibleTony is kissing a black girl, whose face you can’t see either. I stare at the video until I see the female’s right hand.
“Mani, that girl in the video is not Mariam.” I pause the video. “Look at the right hand, Mariam has a dark pigmentation on her wrist. That girl is not Mariam. Besides the date of this video shows a girl in a braid and Mariam didn’t have braids that day. I took a picture of her that day. It was my birthday.” I take out my phone and show her. “See, that’s not Mariam in the video. Lydia is very manipulative; I can almost bet that’s not Tony wearing the jacket. Lydia probably convinced another boy with the same height and hair color to wear Tony’s jacket for this video. She used you to torture Mariam and destroyed your relationship, is that someone you want to be friends with?”
My sister falls back on her bed, she’s contrite and sad. I can see all the emotions going through her. Wish I could find a way to exert some punishment on this Lydia girl for the hurt she caused Jade and Mani, but I can’t punish her for being a manipulative teenager. Doesn’t help that Jade isn’t here. People like Lydia can’t help themselves, I’m sure she will do something again and God help her I’ll be waiting. she's a mini bitch.
“I was so mean to her; I called her names,” Mani says, as she fights back tears.
“Maybe you can make up and help me find her.”
“I deleted all her information, Nas, I was so angry. I don’t have any way to communicate with her. The only person who spoke to her in school was Kira, she left Rhanaz too. And I doubt anyone has Kira’s information because we all stopped talking to her since she talked to Mariam. I joined Lydia in making school miserable for Mariam and she didn’t fight back she just kept quiet.” I wanted to cuss but I held it in. The look on my sister’s face tells me what she and that Lydia girl did was much worse than what Jade told me.
“I’ll find her, and I think you owe Tony an apology too.”
“Please tell her, I’m sorry when you find her. Tony has said I should never speak to him again.” I nod but I know Jade, wouldn’t care about my sister’s late apology.
I need to find her.
JADE
Iclosethedoorto my temporary room. My cousin’s place is large and spacious and he’s welcoming. I’ve settled right in. Houston is hot like Rhanaz and Lagos so I’m still in my element weather but everything else is so different.
I’d visited in the past with my parents but now, it feels different. I’ve talked to Aunty Lara, and she sounds excited that I’ve settled in. Aunty Lara will arrive in a few weeks to visit my new campus with us.
Before I left Rhanaz, Aunty Lara had said again and again “This is your time to get away from Prince Naseer. Do not take his calls or respond to any of his emails. You need to find someone your age and be regular. Promise me you will not speak with him.”
“I promise” I’d said, though I was hurting. I miss him but I had to listen to my aunt and trust that she had my best interest at heart. As soon as I told them he was now walking and planned to travel before my finals. They immediately started planning my exit before his return.
Now I’m here in Texas, happy to see my cousin but I would rather be with Naseer. I settle into my bed after saying goodnight to Yomi, and I feel lonely. Looking at the time, it’s too late to call Tito or Rhanaz.
I lay awake for a long time before finally falling asleep with Naseer in my thoughts.
