Ngozi; The Hero Within

3

      "What's your name?" She asks as I rest  comfortably on the chair "Zi." I say and she frowns "I'm not asking for the name you go by on the streets child." She says and I shrug "Its not my street name." I reply.
   
        "I doubt any African mother will name their child Zi." She says and I shrug, "I'm not telling you anything more, I don't even know you." I say staring at her.
     
      Honestly she didn't look like a kidnapper or ritualist, but then its not shown on the face was it?
She was dark skinned, more like chocolate, real dark chocolate though, slim but not as slim as Aunty Ifeka, she was taller though and had a smiling face, her eyes twinkled like she found joy in everything, a rare occurrence round here.
She was definitely older than my aunt, looked motherly, like someone you could trust, but on the streets you learnt not to trust anyone.
   
        "My name is Abimbola Adekoke Folarin, I'm forty five years old, I'm a business woman, not bragging but I'm a successful business woman. Your turn." She says and I stare at the silver ring on her hand and she notices. "I'm a widow without children, but lots of god children, nieces and nephew. I've been truthful, you should return the favor don't you think?" She asks and I give a loud sigh.
   
      "Ngozi Annabelle Phillips, also known as Zi. Sixteen,Orphan, lives with Aunt." I say and she nods, "You left out the career criminal part." She says and I sigh, "Are you going to keep insulting me the entire time we're here?" I ask and she shakes her head, "Just wondering why you steal when you stay with your Aunt." She says and I shrug, "I have my reasons." I say and she nods "Of course you do." She says as she sips her drink.
   
       "You're in school aren't you?" She asks and I nod "Kind of." I say and she frowns "What's that supposed to mean?" She asks "It means that I may or may not be returning to school when it opens for the new term." I say and she frowns. "Are you academically smart?" She asks and I stare at her with indignation "Do I look like an academic dunce?" I ask and she shakes her head "That's your answer then." I say.
     
      "What class are you in?" She asks "Entering my final year, can we go and get your purse now?" I ask not wanting to let her questioning me as I've divulged too much about myself to her.
   
       "Sure." She says after calling one of the servers to pack up my food so I can take it with me. "C'mon let's go." She says handing me the bag and paying for the meal and I follow her out.
     
     "How did you know that I was the one that I was the one with your purse?" I ask and she laughs. "Oh that. I felt my purse leave my hand the moment you left my side, I wasn't sure it was you till I saw you turn back to check of I was following before disappearing into the crowd. I grabbed you the moment you passed my way." She says and I make a mental note to stop checking my back after every pull.
       
        After some minutes of walking we arrived by a silver jeep which she unlocked. "Get in." She said and I hesitate before saying a short prayer and making the sign of the cross then I finally entered and locked the door.
       
     "See you haven't disappeared!" She says starting the car and I frown before I start directing her. I direct her going from smooth and wide roads, to smaller and rough windy ones then back on wide and smooth roads to bumpy roads again and then back to the narrow ones again.
       
       "You'll park here." I say pointing to a car wash and she turns to stare at me "Just do it, your car parts will be safe here than anywhere, especially where we're going." I say and she drives into the carwash and parks there.
        
   "Ahmed oooo!! Aahhmeeeedd!!" I yell and a young man rushes out. "Ah naa you sef." He says and I nod "Ehn naa me." I reply "Okay naa, so wetin carry you come this dis side?" He asks and I hiss "You dey blind?  That jeep need washing, naa only outside part shaa, mo say you no know kon open am ooo and naa Aliyu customer so im talk say if anything commot  for am even if naa ordinary nut im go descend on you, shey you get?" I ask and he nods.
   
       "Let's go." I say to Mrs Folarin and she nods and I start leading her, "I'm guessing Aliyu is your gang leader." She says as we walk "We're not in a gang, nor are we armed robbers, we're children trying to survive. I work on my own but sometimes I work with Aliyu, he houses some of the children and helps us save." I say and she nods.
     
      "So I'm guessing its Aliyu we're going to see abii?" She asks and I nod as we take another turn and start going downhill before stopping at a large old house.
   
     "You can't enter." I say before knocking sharply on the door, "Who's there?" someone calls out "Naa me Zi!" I shout and the door opens a bit and I step in.
    
    "Aliyu dey?" I ask the boy who opened the door and he nods "Im dey im  room." He says and I move into the room.
     
        "Who she be?" Aliyu asks the moment I step into his room and I hiss "Abeg give me my bag first." I say and he throws a bag at me and I get the purse quickly before throwing it back to him.
      
     "Wetin dey sup? You don find buyer?" He asks and I shake my head "Naa she be the owner, I ho gist you later but naa me fuck up shaa." I say as I rush back outside.
         
      "That was fast." She says as I hand her back her purse and I shrug "I'm fast. You have fifteen thousand, two ATM cards, a driver's license, a picture and one five hundred naira note in there. Nothing was taken out." I say as she looks through it and she raises a brow "I looked through it the moment I took it." I explain "I didn't see you do so." She says and I simply smile "Like I said, I'm fast."