K A I R A

１５

When I got home, I headed straight to my room, ignoring the stares Kosi gave me from the living room. On a normal day, I would have greeted her, made a joke or two, or outright annoyed the hell out of her. I just needed a quick shower, good food, quality music, and some alone time.

My sheets no longer looked messy, my textbooks and notes were nearly stacked in my shelf, and my folded clothes sat at the edge of my mattress. I recalled how in a hurry I was to school, leaving my room in a mess. Kosi must have helped out. Smiling a bit, I kicked my shoes off, removed and threw my pop socks into my laundry basket, dropped my bag on my study table, and crashed on my bed.

I studied the patterns of plane shapes on the ceiling with an absent mind, stopping only to remove my tie and place it on my folded clothes. I didn't even notice when Kosi opened my door and sat on my wooden chair.

"Hey, mumu girl." She said, and I whipped my head to look at her. "Don't turn with such force again, or you'll break your neck."

I sat up. "What are you, a ghost?"

"If walking into your room while your mind is so damn damn far away makes me a ghost, then yes, my dear." My sister smiled though, like my dad, her face held creases of worry. "Although I might know the answer to this question, how was school today?"

I shook my head. If I had faked happiness when walking into the house, Kosi would have noticed. My elder sister knew me more than I ever wanted her to. After all, she called herself my second mother sometimes. Truly, she kind of was. With my parents being away these days, she's been the adult figure present in my life, helping me out in ways I couldn't account for.

"Not too good."

"What happened?" Kosi came over to sit with me. "This one you didn't even spare me a glance when you walked in, eh, this nwaanyi(girl)?

"I'm sorry."

"No problem. I'll forgive you if you can just tell me what the matter is with you."

I opened my mouth to talk, then paused, giving it some thought.

I overreacted.

"What?"

"I just realized it's nothing serious." I lowered my gaze.

"Kairayochukwu."

"Don't call me like that." I whined, remembering the times our mother would call my name to scold me for making stupid mistakes.

"I'll call you anyhow I like. Now, tell me why you aren't smiling."

"I'm not too happy with my friends," I confessed.

"Again?" Kosi asked and I nodded. "What happened now?"

"Amara...well... First of all, you gave her your sports wear without even telling me that she asked for it."

My sister stared at me, jaw hung low. "Is that the only reason you're this angry?"

"One of them, actually. Things happened today." My mind flashed back to when my conversation with Caleb and Nathan, how he reacted; to Amara leaving me with Nathan; to Daniel and Amara leaving school without me. I bit my lower lip and sighed.

"Things like what?"

"The whole truth?"

"The whole truth." My sister nodded.

We did this whenever I was to let out my issues to her without filtering them. Kosi always listened whenever I vented, never complaining when I did. She would listen and even give pieces of advice in her own way, interrupting at intervals to make funny remarks. I loved my sister for this—being able to trust her with my problems.