Chapter Two – My Brother's Keeper

We were well into the semester which meant that Interim Assessments would begin soon. This also meant that we would meet for group study every night.

It was Lara, Boateng, Mara, Kwame, Carl and me. Since Lara, Boateng and I already knew each other, we decided to study together. I befriended Mara and she joined us. She brought Carl with her. Kwame was our neighbor and so he decided to join too.

By this time, it was somewhat obvious to all of us that Kwame and Lara were together. I mean, she dropped her pen and of all the angles she could have bent to pick it, she chose right in front of Kwame. Just yesterday, there weren’t enough chairs for discussion and so she managed to find herself on Kwame’s lap.

Today, they had found some excuse to leave the room to talk.

“Am I the only one who thinks those two are acting weird?” Carl asked.

Everyone shared knowing looks.

“I thought he was dating Nana Yaa” Mara also said with a shrug.

“He is” Boateng said quietly.

“Aren’t you guys also friends with Nana Yaa? Does she know about it?” Carl continued to probe.

“She’s more an acquaintance and we all need to mind our business” Boateng said finally.

“I agree” I said. I was definitely going to tell Lara about this conversation and she would ask me what I said. I needed to let her know that I had her back. Boateng’s statement had been so conclusive that mine was altogether irrelevant.

I’ll be honest, I was embarrassed. I don’t like to judge my friends. If I did, I would be most unhappy. Boateng is always in some tumultuous relationship, Lara breaks all the rules and delights in dating the wrong guy, Mara too has her own demons. That’s why the day I walked in on Lara and Kwame in a compromising situation, I chose not to say anything. I pretended I didn’t even see it. I think she thanked me for it. In hindsight, I should have told her more often when she was wrong. She often was.

If everyone was talking about it, it was only a matter of time before it got out and she would look bad. Acting blind was easy but if I continued, my friend would get hurt. If I loved her, I ought to call her out.

I found some excuse for us to go get bread and egg together after group study.

“Lara, I want to ask you something. Please be honest with me okay. I didn’t want to say anything but now everyone is talking. Are you and Kwame … together? You know what I mean?”

“Why do you ask?” I could hear the nervousness in her voice though she tried to play it off.

“Because I’ve seen things and I just want to look out for you”.

“Yeah, we are. It’s just casual.”

“Casual as in? Lara, he has a girlfriend. You know this right?”

“Yes, I know. I’m not trying to date him. Please don’t look at me like that. We are casual. I’m not trying to date him or anything and he’s not going to breakup with his girl. He wanted things and I think she’s not giving them to him. He and I were hanging out and one thing led to another and …”

“And?”

She hesitated.

“We ended up sleeping together. I don’t want to talk about it”.

“Ei!” I exclaimed, “I thought you guys were just messing around. I didn’t even know you had gone that far. Do you like him?”.

“Nah. What were you saying about people talking?”.

“The group study members noticed that something was up. Lara, I’m sure you already know that you need to stop. Like, there are so many guys interested in you, so why are you going for someone in a relationship? I don’t get it”.

“Because I don’t want to be in a relationship, okay. Plus, the two of us are not even a thing. I’ve already told you. I don’t want to talk about it. Please, drop it.”

“Just make sure you’re protecting yourself; both emotionally and physically.”

***

That next night, I got a text from Boateng to meet him downstairs because he wanted to show me something. It took me a while to find him but when I did, he was sitting in a sleek Benz car. I would tell you the model and those extra details that good writers add to a story but I know nothing about cars and I don’t think I ever will. One day, a friend said he saw a mustang something and all I could picture was nothing. I couldn’t even picture a shape.

I’m rambling again, sorry.

I got into the front seat and it was nice. He looked so handsome behind the wheel. Then again, he always looked handsome.

“I went to pick my car today. My father bought it for me. I think I’m really enjoying his guilty father phase” Boateng said.

“Does your mother know about the car?”

“Yeah. I told her when I was coming back to school. She sounded kind of annoyed but I don’t care. It’s not my fault that my father is lavishing us with gifts to make up for the fact that he cheated on her.”

“So, I’m guessing you’re not mad at him about it”.

“It’s not my marriage. Do you like the car? I know you don’t care about cars but what do you think?”

I looked at his face but I couldn't tell if he actually didn't care or he was pretending.

“Oh, this is nice. Now that you are recently single, you should get a lot of girls with this”.

He laughed and his dimple showed. That thing was deeper than an Accra pothole.

“When I pick them up, I should look for a nice playlist. One hand on the wheel and the other on her thigh. You barb?”

I laughed. I pictured being that girl for a second and threw it out of my mind as quickly as it entered. Some thoughts are grenades. Don't examine them. Throw them away like your life depends on it because believe me sis, it does.

We headed back after a short drive around campus. I took pictures of him as he drove and videos of the two of us singing along to some of those annoyingly catchy afrobeat songs. I love our friendship so much. It's just easy.

We decided to pass by his room to chill for a bit before I headed back to my place. When we got to his door, we met Farida there. She completely ignored me as she walked to hug him. He gently pulled her away before she could wrap her arms around him.

"How're you? Can we talk?" she asked. It was funny how somber she was now compared to the wild videos we had seen of her.

"No. I'm busy."

This was so uncomfortable for me and I hinted at leaving them. Farida looked more than pleased at the idea but Boateng assured me that there was no need since he was done talking to her.

He opened his door and walked in. I flashed a shy smile to Farida and followed him in.

It's times like this that being the best friend is fun. You get the pleasure of the person's company without all the complicated romantic feelings.

Now that I think of it, nothing is ever that simple.