"Mummy, it's three in the afternoon, I will be fine." I said, putting my wallet in my bag. "Besides, I'm going with Jennifer."
"Which makes matters worse," my mum replied, "you know how Jennifer can be."
"Mummy!"
"I'm just saying."
"Don't say! Besides, it's JAMB registration, not Military recruitment."
"It doesn't matter. You're girls going to town and you know how that place can be." Mum said, walking towards me. I had to get going before she reached me or she would hold my hand and start advising me and tell me a story from her past.
"Mummy, people go to town all the time. Nothing will happen." I said, quickly opening the door and stepping out. "I will see you later. Bye bye."
"You know you can always go tomorrow!" She called after me.
"Bye Mama!"
I'd been friends with Jennifer since JSS 2, and hanging out with her has always been the best thing. She had her flaws like all of us, but you know, they made her unique and I can tolerate her shit.
"Seriously, you're taking selfies in a bus." I said, puckering my lips as she took the shot.
"Why don't you shift your ugly face if you're not into it?" She replied, sticking out her tongue and snapping some more photos.
"Really, I'm the ugly one?"
"I didn't say that."
"What do you mean? You did!"
"I said you should shift your ugly face."
"What's the difference?"
"Bitch, I don't know."
"We're almost there." I said, reaching for my wallet.
"Almost where?"
"Bitch, I don't know."
"You're the worst, I swear."
The place was like a market!
I mean, it was a really large, well lit, air conditioned hall, but it could barely handle the population.
Registration was almost ending so all the lazy idiots who had been procrastinating were caught up in the rush hour. Like me and Jennifer, who was standing in line behind me, tapping away on her phone.
Registration officers lined up one length of the hall while people queued up in front of them.
We stood at about the middle of one of these queues, putting us behind about 30 people. It was going to take forever to get to our turn.
People made phone calls, yelled at each other, sold recharge cards and canned drinks, or just listened to music on their phones.
"Hey, Jennifer-" I turned around to say, before I caught her body movement and reduced my voice to a whisper. "Wait, are you grinding that guy?"
"Babe, if a guy is going to let two of us get in line in front of him in a place like this, I think it's best to show a little appreciation."
"You call that appreciation?"
"You lack proper feminine training." She said, shrugging. "You need to hang with me some more."
"No, thank you abeg, no be me and you."
After ages of standing in line, we were about 10 people away from the registration officer. Jennifer was restless. "See, I really need to piss fa."
"Then go na." I replied. "Must I come with you?"
"That's what girls do, so yes!"
"Someone has to remain in line."
"Eh, let me talk to him."We both headed to the restroom.
The guy had agreed to save our space till we got back. He was putty in Jennifer's hands.
The restroom was cooler than I expected. I mean, it's not like I looked forward to seeing a dump but it was then, you know what I mean. They actually had this shop-rite-like restroom where girls take selfies and share without buying anything from the mall.
"Abeg, be fast." I said, walking to the mirror. "Let me touch up my make up."
"Yeah, do that." She replied, disappearing into an empty stall and closing the door. "You'll need it for that ugliness."
For the record, just to get it out there, I'm not ugly. Yeah.
I had barely reapplied my lipstick when a lot started to happen really quickly.
First of all, there were two loud bangs like gunshots in the hall. People screamed. Then there was rapid gun fire during which three girls ran into the restroom, the last of them slamming the door behind her and throwing the bolt.
People were giving orders in the hall, ordering everyone to lie down. Hands banged on the closed door, shouting for the door to be opened. The girl beside me dropped to her knees, trembling in tears. Jennifer was coming out of the stall, and fastening her trousers, and looking calmer than I'd ever seen her in a heated situation.
The banging on the door continued, and someone inside heard her name.
"Oh God! " She cried, running to the door. "Amara!"
Jennifer was on her in a second. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked.
"I want to open the door."
"Why?" Jennifer asked. "Are you mad?"
"My friend is there!" She replied, pointing to the door. Someone outside continued to shout "Bisi! Bisi!"
Jennifer held the little Yoruba girl by the shoulder and looked into her eyes. "No one opens that door."
