...from behind the bushes, he could see the two girls as they stood naked in front of each other in the river, their skin glaring under the view of the sun.
The only sounds which could be heard at the Riverside were that of the chattering birds and the sound of the water as the wind swept over it momentarily. The sun had taken its place in the middle of the skies and had sent down it's scorching rays upon everything which rested upon the earth surface. It might not have been a better condition for anyone except for maybe he who wished to go for a swim. However, people were scarcely seen around this parts of the village during mid-day as men had gone off to work on their farms with their older children and women left. home probably for house keeping purposes. Infact the whole village was mostly quiet during mid-day and it's been like that since time immemorial.
"...Fola, I've told you I'm not going back under this hot sun", uttered one of two girls who despite the glare of the sun had still come to get water for their households. Both girls, Fola and Jamila had been friends since the latter was seven; their friendship so tight that all efforts of Fola's mother to break their association proved futile. "What then, are we going to sit here with our basins full waiting for the sun to complete it's stroll across the sky, Fola had asked. Jamila stood upright with her palm on her left hip. "Not really Fola, there's something we could do while we wait.
Do you remember those times when we'd come bathing here?" "Yeah that's like almost ten years or so ago isn't it", Fola chuckled. "Exactly girl. Why don't we take advantage of this hot day and get to experience those fun times all over again, suggested Jamila beaming. "What! Jamila, can you hear yourself clearly? We were kids during those times and had no shame. You don't expect us to be skinny-dipping about at our current ages when we've grown extra flesh allover, Fola moved her hands across her body from her bust downwards to her hip to explain herself better. What if a man comes this way to get water and bumps into us",Fola had disapproved.
Jamila casted a disappointing look at Fola. "Oh please, have you ever met a man around this river during mid-day, they are all on their farms working by now and the younger ones, well might be in school or perhaps anywhere else but certainly not here at the Riverside, okay? Do you always have to oppose my suggestions or were you born to do that?
In their friendship, Jamila was certainly the bossy one and no matter what it may be, she certainly had always succeeded in influencing her friend's actions and if there was anything Fola wasn't ready to see that very afternoon, then it was the drama Jamila could have started provided she had lost her temper. She wasn't used to hearing no for an answer right from childhood hence the slightest inch of she being denied of anything she wanted could send her boiling. "Oka...y I guess we'd give it a try but not for long okay. I can't risk being seen naked by any other man except for the one destined to pay my bride price, uttered Fola thoughtfully.
*. *. *.
Today like any other day was no exception. Fola had been sweet talked again against her will. Why was that? Jamila's been the only friend who'd take her for who she was and understood her better; all these years, she's been the only friend she could turn to whenever she wanted to talk hence never wanted to be in Jamila's bad books.
They left their clothes very close to the river bank where very much visible no matter how far they might decide to go for they could choose to leave them out of sight provided they were ready to risk them being stolen or something.
"Girl could you believe I almost forgot how fun it was bathing here, giggled Fola so sad we might not get to do this again." As if not listening, Jamila was busily kicking her legs and divining time after time.
She'd been hot for long and the cooling sensation the water provided was just what she needed. "Yes, I so love it in here - I could remain here forever." "Forever, but I thought we agreed on just some few minutes", Fola who had heard her friend while submerged came up to clarify things. Jamila smiled. "You're funny. I don't really mean it, just an expressi...wait!! what's that", Jamila had interrupted herself and stopped swimming at once.
Fola at the moment grew still as she had absolutely no idea what her friend was staring at in her direction with such widely opened eyes. Fola begun to pray that it wouldn't be a crocodile approaching her from behind for if it was so she wouldn't forgive herself agreeing to skinnydip at this age. Droplets of sweat popped up on her forehead despite the fact that the water was cool. She turned her head slowly only to find out there was nothing behind her.
Jamila burst out in laughter suddenly. "What's with that face, there's nothing behind you. I was talking of your breast, I didn't know you had any", she had teased. Fola was offended but at least it was better than hearing a crocodile's jaw snap behind her. "What do you mean by that?" "Oh come on Fola, you know what I mean. We both know you've got a flat chest", laughed Jamila not realizing the fact that her friend was being hurted by her words. "Does it really matter madam melon chests, I like my oranges that way okay", Fola managed to say with a bit of fury in her voice. "Yeah, but it'd be better if you replaced oranges with tomatoes cos those are probably way smaller than oranges.
That remark was certainly not true as Fola's bosom was no smaller than oranges. Yet still, oranges were the perfect description and this Jamila knew very well but only wanted to taunt at Fola. At least mine hasn't made way into the palms of all the males in this vicinity.
The once playful and harmless remarks gradually grew serious as both parties couldn't tolerate what her opponent said about her. Footsteps approached however these two got so engaged in exchanges that they didn't notice it. Eventually, it almost became physical exchanges as tempers rose and both girls couldn't take it anymore.
Behind the vegetation surrounding the river, a boy of say eleven approached. He meant no harm and was just there to have a swim as well like he did any other hot day only for him to find out today's event came with a treat. He immediately hid behind the bushes and begun to contemplate.
Whether to make his presence known or not was the problem. From behind the bushes, he could see the two girls as they stood naked in front of each other in the river, their skin glaring under the view of the sun. They surely were about to fight. "Being a boy, separating a fight between two naked girls would be fun", he had thought.
Just before the first blow could be delivered the boy popped out from behind the bushes where he hid. Both girls especially Fola, pretty much startled found a way to cover themselves. They both dropped below water level leaving only their heads and the upper parts of their shoulders.
"How funny, I've seen it all girls and besides I still can see quiet a good portion of those melons, is that what you guys call them", he teased staring Jamila in the eyes.
Jamila hated being teased but she seemed to be the one who invented it. She clenched her fists at the boys remark. "Can I join you girls. How bad could it get after all it's between just we three no one would know", he whispered not knowing what was awaiting him.
"I can't stand this boy disrespect me", Jamila thought beginning to boil even more from within. For her twenty years of life no guy ever saw her without clothes and if the was any reason to forgive this one, his own stupid mouth wouldn't allow it, she thought deeper. Within a twinkle of an eye, Jamila sprung out of the water, grabbed her empty basin and landed the rim of it right around the boys jaw before he could escape. "Jamila, Fola exclaimed. You'd hurt him".
Wobbling her breasts, "come back, come and have a better view", Jamila called at the boy as he took to his heels through the bushes towards the village. The feud between the two friends had dissolved suddenly. "That hit is enough to make him forget anything he saw and as well shut up", boasted Jamila. Fola laughed pleased with the revenge though feeling sorry for the boy. "That surely serves him right".
