She had been uneasy all day and she found it hard to realise what the cause could be.

Ever since she had spoken to Layo over the phone, she had been uneasy and was beginning to feel queasy as well.

“Father, what’s going on?” She whispered to no one in particular before closing her eyes and muttering some words in prayer.

She sighed and raised her head almost at the same time, staring at the screen of her laptop, Funmi needed no one to tell her she was lagging behind. She was supposed to submit this proposal before 4pm the following day and here she was; she had not even read about the thesis of her proposal yet.

Thoughts of Layo flashed through her mind, she let out a silent laughter. Why was she thinking of her flatmate when she ought to be brainstorming on how to finish up her proposal?

She started typing again while taking glances at her notepad severally. Barely fifteen minutes later, she realised she had thought about Layo more than thrice.

She knew what this meant, she could not tell what was going on but she knew she had to pray for Layo. Was that why she had been feeling uneasy the whole time? She wondered.

She closed her laptop and knelt besides the bed. At this point in time, she knew it only made sense to pray that Layo be selected amongst the best 10.

But she felt an urgency that did not have to do with Layo being amongst the best 10.

“Lord,” she started with her eyes closed and her heads slightly bowed, a position she had gotten accustomed to whenever she prayed close to her bed.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I pray you have mercy on my friend. Help her, show her Your love. Bring her to the point of encountering You. Please Lord, become her best friend, help her to enjoy the joy of salvation.”

She knew she was not struggling to say the words but she still felt that urgency in her heart that there was more to still be prayed about. Right there and then, she began to speak in tongues while interceding for Layo. She must have spent about thirty minutes or more in prayer because by the time she stood, her knees were beginning to feel sore. But at the same time, she felt at ease, the queasiness had gone and she could tell she was no longer nervous.

“Thank you, Jesus.” She said while restarting her laptop, somehow she knew she was going to finish this proposal before the deadline.

—————————

Funmi had woken up with a yawn and that was when she began to wonder when and how she had dozed off. Her laptop was directly beside her, the last she remembered she had been writing on the methodology of her research. She stole a glance at the wall clock in the room, it was few minutes past three in the morning.

She assumed Layo was back but wondered what time she got back. She stood with a yawn and walked towards Layo’s room, she knocked before entering the room.

The lights were off and the darkness in the room was all engulfing, Funmi switched on the lights and was surprised when her flatmate was nowhere to be found. She gasped, had Layo not come home at all?

Where on earth was she?

She hurried back to her room, picked up her phone and dialed Layo’s mobile. The incessant ringing of the phone with no response baffled her, Layo never hesitated to pick her calls, something was off; she felt that feeling of trepidation crawl over her again.

“Please Lord, keep my friend safe.” She muttered.

—————————

They giggled and she tapped him while shouting, she could barely hear herself as the music seemed to swallow her words.

She had missed him so much and it all still felt surreal that she was in this bar with her old friend Ayo.

“But you’ve really changed oooo, I swear down babes, you have.” Ayo spoke to her while rubbing his fingers on her hands.

She withdrew her hands and laughed, “you’ve been saying that all evening, it’s okay.”

She looked at his face closely and realised he had actually changed. She wondered if she had changed as much he said, Ayo had been her childhood friend. They had attended the same primary and secondary school. He had been her buddy, the good things had caught them together, he had also taught her some bad things that she had never told anyone. She looked at him and she could not explain if she regretted the bad she had done with him, she just could not explain what she felt.

She shook her head and smiled, he wondered why she was shaking her head and his gesture suggested that he was curious.

“Nothing, I just remembered some things but I don’t want to remember them again.”

She smiled, and somewhere in her head she knew she was beginning to get tipsy,

“What exactly have you been up to?”

“I told you before now,” he laughed, “are you drunk?” He laughed and placed his hands on her chin. “You really should stop drinking Layo, you’re wasted.”

“I’m not,” she argued, “tell me what you’ve been up to, even if you’ve said it before, but,” she paused, “I’m very sure you’ve not.”

“Okay, I’m an accountant, I work with UNICEF and due to the nature of my job, I tend to travel a lot. I could go on and on but I’m tired of giving the details so many times.” He said.

“Awww, that’s cool,” she giggled.

He laughed because this was the exact reaction she had given when he had told her about the nature of his job about an hour ago. He was beginning to get used to the reactions anyway, people were usually amazed when they got to know about his job; especially since he was the only Nigerian to ever occupy the position. He smiled as he reminisced on the things he had done to get the job.

He noticed Layo was beginning to stand, he stood immediately and held her as she seemed like she was going to fall.

“Easy babes,” he held her up, “don’t worry I’d drop you, are you sure you remember your address?”

“Of course,” she smiled, “I told you I’m not drunk.” She smiled, she had not taken alcohol in about five years and she was surprised when she had accepted the drink he bought for her. As much as her head felt funny, she still tried to convince herself that she was sober.

She had to be sober, if she got home drunk, she was certain Funmi would be disappointed. Ever since they became flatmates five years ago, she had never taken alcohol, much more become drunk.

He opened the car and helped her get in, she smiled while mouthing an incoherent thank you, one to which he nodded and laughed. He joined her in the car before signalling to the driver to move.

“Ehen,” she started, he turned to pay attention to her, “did I mention that I’m in a competition currently to you?” She was not sure if she had mentioned it before.

“No you didn’t.” He replied looking interested.

“Yay!” She raised her hands in the air with much excitement, “see, I told you I’m not drunk.”

He simply laughed.

“Well, this competition would have just ten winners. Ayo, this is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me. A thousand of

us are left and they need just ten.” She

continued and he wondered how she

suddenly seemed to be sober, “I’m scared

that I won’t be picked.”

She looked at him and he could tell her

eyes were beginning to get misty, “I’m

really scared and I want to win this.”

“What’s the criteria for the winners to

emerge?” He asked.

“Nothing joor,” she pouted, “that’s the

annoying part. It’s merely a game of luck.

That’s why I’m scared.”

He paused, it reminded him of how he had

to compete with fifteen other accountants

from different parts of the world for his

current job. He knew he stood no chance

and that explained why a lot of his friends

had been surprised when he got the job, he

had been a bit surprised too but he knew

what he had done.

He felt a strong inclination to help Layo, he

could see the emotions written all over her

face as she described her fears.

“Layo,” he called.

“Yes,” she giggled.

“I know someone who can help you.”

To be continued…