(WRITTEN BY JOY A. ADEWUMI)

‘Dude! Wake up!’

‘Stop the flipping noise man!’ I croaked at the loud baritone that roused me from sleep. It was crazy BJ!

‘It’s noon, guy, what’s with you these days anyway?’ He hissed.

I pried my eyes open in the dimly lit room. Thank God he didn’t think to open the blinds; otherwise, I’d be dead by now.

‘Jeez!’ I croaked again as I pushed my head up and reflexively grabbed my head with both hands. ‘I swear, I think I’m about to die!’

‘Yea, you look like it!’ BJ retorted.

I would have thrown him the nastiest look had I the strength for it. ‘You no well.’ I retorted rather weakly.

Oh, dear Mary! What was wrong with me these days? My hangovers were never this bad. Wait, did I overdo the alcohol again yesterday?

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I looked up to see BJ spotting a bruised eye, with a tray bearing a glass of water and two tablets of Aspirin on it.

‘Yo! What’s up with your eye? Were you caught making out with someone else’s woman last night?’ I taunted in a lazy tone.

I didn’t see his reaction as I downed the tablet with the water. What I did hear however gave me a start.

‘Guy, are you stressed? Or have you started doing drugs? What in hades is your problem these days?!’ He sounded very pissed.

‘Whoa, man! I asked after your well-being and you come at me. That’s not the sequence,’ I replied trying to lighten the mood. What’s the guy’s problem anyway?

‘Sequence kill you there, Skinny! At this rate you’ll either fall asleep in the middle of the road one night and get crushed by a trailer with no headlights or your liver will give out before the year runs out! Man, if this is you pushing your limits, I suggest you find some other way to do it!’ Yeah, he was certainly pissed, and I knew this had everything to do with last night at Club Ashroof.

What on earth did I take this time and how come I was waking up on my own bed when I could barely remember a thing. A wave of anger began to rise in me!

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‘What’s your own deal, man?! You’re supposed to be my bloody friend! How come you always let me ingest weird stuff and then you come the next day to berate me? What? You were too busy with the babe whose boyfriend beat you up to notice that your friend was about to commit suicide?’ My head revolted with a furious vengeance at the effort of raising my voice.

BJ’s features turned stormy and downright frightening. What was his deal? I was the wronged party here.

‘Guy, you’re legit high on something maddening these days! Swears! And if I wasn’t a better man, I would have pummeled you in your sleep.’ He snarled. I was confused. This guy should speak English jare.

‘You want to know how I got this bruise?’ He continued, ‘You flipping gave me this bloody bruise, man!’ BJ’s facial veins were nearly popping as a result of the strain of his fury.

‘What?’ I asked weakly. It was maddening that I couldn’t remember a thing. What was wrong with me? This wasn’t me for Pete’s sake!

‘You asked for the strongest Vodka Red Bull Cocktail in the house! Man! I was legit scared for you, because I knew if I let you be, you would certainly overindulge and the bartender guy wouldn’t be able to stop you. When I tried to stop you, you shoved me so hard the next contact I felt was that of my head against a sharp edge of the bar counter. It was so close to my eyes, I thought I’d gone blind. Man, what’s wrong with you? What’s come over you? The other night, you were mad that I didn’t caution you. Then when I was about to do just that yesterday, I got this.’ He shouted pointing at his bruised face. ‘Once upon a time man, you had your game together and you avoided whatever made you a nuisance. But now? You’re not just a nuisance, you’re becoming a real pain in the behind! Swears!’

My head banged at the volume of BJ’s rant, but I didn’t have the effrontery to tell him off. What on earth?! A Vodka Redbull? Where in Pete’s world was my mind? My alcohol tolerance was already very high as it stood, so mixing alcohol with energy drinks that had the propensity to mask my level of intoxication was a no-no. I could very well drink till I dropped if the Vodka Red Bull was involved and maybe that was exactly what happened. If not, what else could explain this deadly hangover I had?

He was right! What was wrong with me? How did I manage to almost blind my friend in an alcohol-induced fit that I couldn’t even remember throwing? Wait! How did I even get home?

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‘Dude, I’m sorry. I swear. You’re right; my act is all over the place these days.’

‘Guy, if I was looking for an apology, I wouldn’t be here tending to your stupid hangover. What I need are answers! What is wrong with you? And how do you intend to get your act together?’ I shook my head in pain while BJ continued, ‘Videos of last night are on YouTube already. Where you pushed me and then mixed and downed that poison and passed out.’

‘Oh, flip!’ I groaned. That was so not me!

‘Otunba won’t like this! And I think he’s seen it because all the most-viewed ones have been taken down as at two hours ago,’ BJ finished. At the mention of his name, bile rose in my throat and I wanted to punch something, but of course, I couldn’t even lift myself off the bed.

‘To hades with Otunba! It’s you I’m worried about. Did you get yourself checked out at the hospital? Are you okay? Man, I’m so sorry, honestly!’

BJ stared at me wordlessly for some couple of seconds and then replied as he shook his head, ‘I’m okay. Had to cancel all my meetings and appointments slated for today. Couldn’t show up at those looking like I’d been in a fight, but I’m good. Just a bit sore. But guy, what’s going on? You gas let it out! Is this about your dad?’ My eyes narrowed to slits and against my better judgment, I sat up. I was too angry, however, to groan.

BJ noticed my reaction to him referring to Otunba as my dad and raised his hand in a sign of surrender, saying, ‘Fine! Fine! But is this about him?’

‘The last time this happened, I hadn’t seen or heard from Otunba in weeks.’ I replied referring to the last house party I hosted. ‘I don’t know what this is about but I intend to find out. My game has never been so off track.’ I mumbled, trying to avoid disclosing the real reason I’d drunk myself to such embarrassing stupor the previous night.

After a pause, I added, ‘Thanks man! I can’t imagine how pissed you must have been to have to drive me home after getting roughed up like that. You certainly are a better man than me.’

BJ stared at me like I’d grown horns.

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‘Are you kidding me?! Who do you think I am? Our Lady of Overabundant Kindness or what? I was so pissed at you; I left the club immediately you injured me. It certainly wasn’t me who brought you home.’ He replied and my brows furrowed.

Arrgggghh! It was so frustrating that I couldn’t remember a thing.

‘Maybe the bar called a cab for you. Or maybe someone offered to take you home? Or probably they called the last contact in your call log, but I doubt that since your phone has a password. considering however that you can’t remember anything, the guys at the bar might have talked you into opening it.’

BJ’s speculations only frustrated me further. But I was sure it wasn’t the last option. The last contact I conversed with on my phone before I got to the club, after I left the Palace couldn’t have driven me home. It was my P.I. At least I remembered that much.

‘But ultimately, Hamid should know.’ BJ finished.

Yes! Of course, Hamid should know. I made a mental note to ask him later when I could finally get myself out of bed.

‘Anyway man! You need to watch it. Yesterday, it was I, your friend, you assaulted. Tomorrow, it could be someone who would press charges and the press would certainly have a field day with that. You can’t afford to be in the news for the wrong reasons man.’

I swallowed with difficulty as the full implications of my actions yesterday hit me! I assaulted my friend under the influence of something dangerous or probably even before I had anything serious to drink! My hands shook with fear as I warded off the frightening thought that occurred to me! No! It wasn’t the same and would never escalate to that. I was not Otunba! I was a better man than him!

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But you just did what he would have done! So how far is the apple from the tree now? My mind taunted. Anger rose in me and I fought against the thought. I was under the influence of something. I had to be. I wasn’t Otunba. This apple was nowhere near that evil tree.

Under the influence, not under the influence, same difference. You both assault! I fought back angry tears at that! I was not Otunba! I would never be! I’d rather die than be him!

I needed my act together. And fast!

But how?

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Dear reader,

Things are getting more intense! Skinny is acting more out-of-character by the day, and we seem to be getting a glimpse into his struggles. Can you predict whether things will go south or get better from here? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.

Thanks for your precious time here on the blog. I hope you have downloaded your free copy of my new eBook- Dare to Hope. If not subscribe below in the subscription prompt to get yours. God bless you abundantly. See you next time!

Yours truly,
The Girl with the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!