“Hi Halimah”

“Hey there. See, I would have loved to not say anything, but how do you keep up with those your friends, especially that stupid one that approached me today? If I had known that these were the kind of friends you had, I would have kept my distance.”

“Haba Halimah, I am not my friends.”

“You are not, but they say show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are. How can he harass me in such a manner? Who does he think he is?”

“I apologise on his behalf. I am sorry for his behaviour; I am sure he didn’t mean to do that.”

“Really? Was he on drugs? See Tade, you will piss me off if you keep defending him. Who does that?”

“I am sorry, Halimah; I am nothing like Tariq. I can never and will never do such a thing.”

As the words rolled out of his tongue and the conversation with the boys came to mind, Tade became all sweaty.

“Can we go on a short walk? This space has become hot.”

“Hot? Are you sure you are good?” Halimah asked.

“Errmm, yeah, yeah, I just...you know...fresh air,” Tade stammered.

“Okaaayyy”

“Halimah, you know I really like you, right?”

“Hmmm, what’s that?”

“I do like you, and I will never do anything to hurt you.”

“You know that is easier said than done, Tade. But we are just good friends, so I guess we are good.”

“I want more Limah. I..i.. want hugs, kisses, and intimate moments. I want to know you beyond what I am able to see now.”

“Huh? Please o. I am not ready for all of that, Tade. Yes, we can be close, but I don’t think it is the right time for all of this.

Tade was thrown off balance. Even though he barely believed in himself for this mission, he thought that it would be easier if she played along, but she wasn’t interested in what he was saying. He planned to only film some small intimate moments and definitely not go all the way.

“Why do you want all this all of a sudden?" Halimah asked.

“Well, it has been on my mind for some time now, and I just felt the time was right, but if you are not okay with it, then it's fine. It just makes me feel like you really don’t like me.”

“Hmmm, I like you as a friend for now. Hopefully we can grow together, but I didn’t anticipate these requests, and honestly, I am not ready for them. This does not mean I don’t like you.”

“Errmm, let’s change the subject; it seems things are getting a bit uncomfortable. I am okay being your close friend and whatever add-ons you decide to give me.”

“Are you sure about that, Tade?”

“Sure. I am okay as long as we remain close.”

“Alright then.”

“Tade how far? The 48 hours have elapsed, and you are now in injury time. Give us update.” Bartho said when the boys met at the street corner over the weekend.

"Bartho, my guy, you rate this Tade too highly o. Do you really think he will be able to pull the kind of strings we pull? He hasn’t started sitting in the big league. I knew he wouldn’t be able to land that babe; that was why I gave him that task. You see that babe is mine, and I must chop am.”

"Guys, relax. I am working on it.”

“Hahahahaha, are you trying to sound tough, bro? Please, it doesn’t suit you.”

Omijie’s whistle caught the boy’s attention, and they looked in the direction he was looking to find Halimah about to take the small corner leading to the estate supermarket.

"Okay, golden boy, I am not waiting any longer; there is your chance. If you don’t man up and do it, I will do it here and now.” Tariq said, slapping the back of Tade’s head.

Since it was an unexpected slap, it hurt really bad, but what hurt the most was the fact that he was being bullied for no reasonable reason.

Tariq pushed him forward until they got close to the small corner, then he said, “You naïve punk. You can never be half the person I am. You are a classless nobody when it comes to women, and I will prove that to you tonight.”

Tade felt Tariq’s words cut through him like a sword. He could hear his loud evil laughter behind his ears and was filled with rage. He wanted to rush his ex-homeboy—yes, ex—because he finally told himself the truth that he had been shying away from all this time after that reset slap that these guys were not his friends. No true friends will do what they were doing to him.

What happened next shocked both Tade and his friends.

He didn’t know what came over him. Whether it was rage, empathy, or helplessness he couldn’t tell, but he broke free from Tariq’s loose grip, ran towards Halimah, and pushing her to the ground, he hiked her and began to pour his entire emotions into her.

Halimah was shocked to see Tade bump into her out of nowhere; however, nothing prepared her for the pain and betrayal she experienced thereafter. She was about to ask her friend what he was doing at the street corner at that time of the night, but before the words could form, she found herself on the ground. She was still trying to process the pain she felt from her bruised elbow and calf when she saw Tade reach for her skirt. What was he doing? She tried to think but couldn’t as an electric wave of pain shot up her spine. She let out a loud cry only to realise that Tade’s hand was firm over her mouth. How was he such a pro at this when he looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly?

Tariq looked like he was going to cry as he watched the scene unfold. He didn’t believe Tade was capable of raping someone. He knew he talked intimidatingly to Tade and the other boys, but even he wasn’t capable of raping someone, not to mention a friend and classmate.

“I didn’t mean that,” Tariq said almost in tears as he turned to the other guys, who were a few minutes away from drooling.

Halimah shut her eyes tight in painful surrender, and after a few minutes when she could no longer feel the pressure, she opened her eyes slightly to find herself alone.

The whole episode felt like a trance for Tade. One minute he was standing with Tariq, the next minute he was on top of Halimah, and then when all his emotions were out, he got up like a wounded bear and sped into the dark.

The night was quiet for Tade, for Halimah, for Tariq and the other boys.