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CHAPTER 1

  “He graduated magna cum laude from the American university he attended.”

  “He. Is. So. Cute!!”

  “Oh my goodness! They’re like…super wealthy.”

  “My elder sister used to date one of their cousins.”

  Alero placed a hand to her forehead. It was official. It she heard one more thing about the Adenirans and their golden son, she was just…

  “Alero! I’ve been looking all over for you.” Maggie, Alero’s best friend for years and years scolded as she sashayed towards her.

  “Was right here.” Alero smiled. “It was getting somewhat stuffy so I came out for some fresh air.”

  Maggie cut her a skeptical look that communicated her patent disbelief.

  “You were a bit overwhelmed.” She chided. Alero began to deny it but Maggie cut into her. “They are a bit much. You get used to them though.” She continued. “Give it time.” She admonished.

  Alero shrugged her shoulders. It did not matter to her one way or another. She was probably not going to ever be friendly with the Adenirans. The only reason she was at this party was because she had been at Maggie’s place for the week and it would have been awkward to leave her at home while the rest of the family went out for the evening and so she had tagged along.

  “Come on. I want you to meet Banjo and his sister. They’re pretty nice people so no worries.” Maggie said as she pulled Alero along, half dragging her actually.

  Sensing that there was no escape, Alero relented and followed docilely feeling like she was being led to slaughter.

  “Hey! You guys! Don’t you dare start without me!” Maggie yelled as they reached the group hanging around Banjo. It was a pretty exclusive circle of super rich kids. Alero had indeed met some of them before while hanging out with Maggie.

  She had never really gotten comfortable with this clique. She had met Maggie on the playground of the nursery school they had both attended and it had been love at first sight for both of them. They had been best friends ever since. Over the years, Mr. Okwara, Maggie’s dad, had made a killing in the financial market. Money had become available to them in abundance and the Okwaras had moved up in life. They had relocated from the Average middle class neighbourhood where Alero and Maggie had grown and moved to the highbrow enclave reserved almost exclusively for the supper rich with the occasional high ranking government official thrown in. It was a testament to the love between both girls that their friendship had withstood the rigours of cross-city visits and the really wide change in their social status.

  “Where did you get off to Maureen?” someone asked.

  “Had to go get Alero.” Maggie responded.

  “Hey Alero!” Mide, one of the guys sitting in a loose circle around the star of the moment hailed. She had met him a few times at Maggie’s as he was good friends with her brother.

  “Hello Mide.” She responded, a shy smile touching her lips.

  “It’s been awhile since we saw your pretty face around these parts.” He commented. “Asked Maggie after you and she was babbling something.”

  That earned him a hard rap on the arm from Maggie. “I do not babble. And stop making those gooey eyes at my friend! Alero ignore him. He’s an inveterate flirt!”

  Alero wished the ground would open and swallow her up right that moment as it seemed to her that all eyes turned to the ‘intruder’. The girls seemed to eye her up as if she were a potentially dangerous rival that had snuck up on them unsuspected while the guys seemed to look at her again just to be sure they hadn’t missed something.

  “So you’re Maggie’s friend we’ve heard so much about.” A voice drawled.

  Had Alero been told that a body could react sexually to a voice, she would have insisted that it was not possible. Her pebbled nipples would have mocked that belief. She turned slowly, mortified at her own body’s reaction to face the speaker. It was Banjo. She knew that. She had just spent about half an hour outside with girls that had giggled every time he walked by or looked in their direction.

  “Ally, the dude here is Banjo.” Mide indicated with his thumb. “Banjo, Ally.”

  Alero had to smile at that. Only Maggie and their families called her ‘Ally’. To everyone else, she was Alero. What did Mide mean by calling her Ally just now? She peeked a glance at him and he winked at her in response. She quickly averted her eyes back to Banjo, Adebanjo Adeniran of the great Adeniran dynasty. She had to disagree with those girls, he was not cute. Cute, was something two year old boys were and this specimen, was definitely older, much older than two years old. She began to smile a greeting at him when the look in his eyes stopped her cold. Gone was the drawling, charming young man and in its place was…disdain. Alero resisted the urge to look down at herself to see if her embarrassing reaction to him was on display.

  “Hello.” She said coolly.

  To which he responded with a nod and continued his conversation with his friends. Clearly, she had been dismissed. Alero looked around till she spotted Maggie holding court at a corner of the living room. The parents were at the swimming pool area at the back of the house carrying on with their own party leaving the young adults all to themselves indoors. Alero slowly made her way to where Maggie chatted vivaciously with her friends. For the first time in all their years of friendship, Alero felt resentment for her friend. The burn of the snub she had just been given seemed too much for her to bear. It hadn’t been the first time. There had always been subtle shade thrown at her over the years as she had become Maggie’s ‘tag-along’ friend but she had never let it get in the way of her friendship with Maggie. But suddenly it mattered! Oh, how it mattered and she had had enough of it.

  She tapped Maggie on the shoulder to get her attention.

  “Hey Ally. I thought the guys intended to keep you for a bit there. They all….”

  “Would it be alright if I went on home…to your house?” Alero interrupted. Maggie’s smile immediately extinguished.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” she asked, concern marring her beautiful features.

  “I just…I’m feeling a bit dizzy. Perhaps I just need to lie down for awhile.” Alero finagled.

  “Did you eat something…? Did something happen over there?” she indicated the group Alero had just left with a jut of her chin. Alero felt her head turn involuntarily and her gaze clashed with Olly, Maggie’s elder brother. The slight frown of concern on his face was the final straw for Ally.

  “I can go on by myself. You don’t need to leave on my account. And it isn’t that far. I know my way home…to your house.”

  “Ally?” Maggie asked her frown of consternation deepening.

  Alero just waved away her concern and left. As she stepped outside, it felt like the slight breeze washed away the bitterness and pain of the burn she had just been dealt. She may not have realized it then, but in that moment, a few things shifted in her mind that would significantly shape her perspective of life.