Of All the Girls in Lagos

***

For Sting, pushing drugs wasn't just a means to an end. He was a graduate of Yaba College and had better grades than most of his peers in society. He had never been destitute or so in need of cash like most people in the business claimed to have been once upon a time in their lives. He'd been born to middle class parents, but hadn't fit in with their idea of society. Moreover, patience and contentment hadn't been his strong suits. He revolted against their authority too many times to count and hadn't surprised anyone when he chose to be an outlaw. His father had disowned him eventually.

It was less about the money and more about his disregard off society's norms. As a teenage kid, he had always taken joy in breaking the rules. He'd begun with holding up a convenient store with a ski mask and a loaded pistol. With time, he'd met other ruffians and gotten himself from bad to worse - he'd sold Indian hemp on Yaba campus, moved bags across state lines, put up a fashion modeling agency that actually provided escort services for clients. He hated attention and enjoyed the allure of roaming freely with a kilo or two in his bag and his favorite .44 in his pants knowing he had the lion's share in anything illegal going on around. Yet Sting had never seen the inside of a prison cell. One of the first things he'd learned was that most policemen were only brutal because they were hungry. They didn't give a rat's ass about the law, and if you fed that hunger regularly, they got a lot friendlier. Thus, even the commissioner of police and his immediate circle were in Sting's very deep pockets.

His cousin and aide-de-camp, Spencer was not yet back from the errand to the girls' lodge but Sting felt good about roaming alone. He paused to pat his side bag as he walked towards the cashier's counter pushing his shopping cart. The shelves and compartments in the shopping mart were fully stacked with groceries and Sting's cart contained all he came to pick that morning. Sting was the only client in the supermarket - a drug dealer shopping for groceries like normal people without back up even though he was in his neighborhood.

"Oga, good morning," greeted the sole attendant who was mopping the front part of the shop. She hurried behind the counter and took out a calculator while Sting offloaded his trolley. The attendant calculates his purchase and puts them in shopping bags. "It's five thousand, three hundred naira sir."

A man wearing sunshades walked into the supermarket - a bulk of a man, his muscular frame hidden beneath his tight cashmere and jeans. He was talking to someone over the phone in low tones. A tiny alarm went off in Sting's head. His sixth sense was suddenly awake - those instincts that had brought him this far. He was sure he knew four-eyes from somewhere. He watched four-eyes till he disappeared among the shelves from the corner of his eyes. Sting smiled at the shop attendant as he reached for his wallet. "Have you ever seen that man before?" Sting asked, as casual as he could.

"No," She replied after looking up in four-eyes' direction. Sting handed her some cash while she hands him the shopping bags.

"Thanks, and keep the balance. See you later." He takes his shopping bags and walks out of the supermarket frowning. He knew that Johnny's body would've been found by his loyalists by now. His beef with Johnny wasn't a secret and he knew he'd be the usual suspect. A lot was about to change.

***

The Mercedes convertible slowed to join a queue along traffic. The red light was up and Banks was behind the wheels. Andy looked up from a celebrity magazine he was reading. He frowned at the line of cars in front of them and looked at his wrist-watch. Banks' Iphone 5 buzzed. He took the phone out of his pocket and read the message. He chuckled as he put the phone on the dashboard.

"It's Jennifer... says she's in school with Chika and wants to know where we are." Banks read.

"That reminds me. You drove Jennifer home last night." Andy said smiling suggestively.

Banks laughed. "I was wondering how long till you bring it up. The script just seemed like something you conceived."

Andy closed his magazine. "So, what happened?" He cast his net straight up. Banks grinned at him. "You don't know already?"

Banks had his entire attention now. "No! Why would you assume...?" Andy said taking off his reading glasses.

"Nothing," Banks replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Okay, you don't sound like it was just nothing. Did you even go to first base with her?"

"Well, I thought she'd mention it to her cousin who wouldn't waste time to tell you all about it."

"Tell me all about what! Did you two do anything... worth mentioning?" Andy inquired. He loved a good love story.

"Well, she invited me in...her mom is in Florida, remember? We went up her room and...you know..." Banks shrugged with a smile on his face.

Andy slowly comprehended his meaning, then, "Liar!"

Banks frowned at him. "What! We were both tipsy and excited. It was kind of inevitable."

Andy considered it and seemed pleased. The red traffic light turned green and soon they were cruising again. "How was it? Was it even worth all the effort?" Andy asked. "Does this mean she's now your girlfriend officially?" He stopped when he recognized the mock look on Banks' face. "You're totally pulling my leg!"

Banks laughed. "Having fun at it too..." Banks replied as he drove.

"I'm sure you didn't even kiss her goodnight! Even when you knew you could! Why? We arranged everything so perfectly!"

"Andy, don't you ever listen to me?" Banks chided. "How many times do I have to say this... I'm not a character in your fiction stories and movie scripts?"

"That girl is in love with you. You both look good together." Andy said.

Banks sighed. "I like her a lot too, but not in that way. We don't have chemistry, just a million things in common. I don't think about her sexually."

"You still can if you want to. It's not hard. Sure you've really looked at her, but duh, she's got everything! Just think along the right elements and you'll see the chemistry. Many people envy you Banks." Andy said. "You own a convertible! Your mom is one of the wealthiest business women in this city and you are book smart too! The best part - your talent is a big business prospect. Most of these other girls will gladly leave their boyfriends just to be in Jenny's shoes. Everyone knows she is the closest female friend you have. If I don't know you well, I'll agree with those who already concluded that you're gay."

Banks laughed and shrugged. "Someone once told me, that the difference between you and me lies in the difference in our definition of the ideal - the ideal situation, the ideal relationship, the ideal communication and the ideal transaction. I just think that there is more to life than a bevy of girls at your beck and call. Girls are complicated, and I've got a whole lot on my plate right now." Banks said. "I prefer not to add to it."

"Eventually, you'll have to. Abi you no go marry again?"

"When I find her, I won't be surprised at how much I can deal with, with the right girl."

Andy stared out of the window in sober reflection while the convertible increased its speed along traffic. His own thoughts were on his relationship with Chika and couldn't help but compare both cousins from what he knew about them and think of what his friend Banks was missing.

***

Sting walked to his TOYOTA TUNDRA which he'd parked in a lot just outside the supermarket. He was holding the grocery bag and walking confidently when suddenly he heard a gunshot. Sting ducked fast and a bullet whizzed past his left ear. Sting swallowed a scream in his throat and began to run as the second shot got fired. He found cover behind a Toyota Camry parked in the same lot. A bullet smashed a side mirror of the Camry he'd hid behind. He scanned the street from his hide out. He saw people around the premises running for their dear lives. He saw his assailant tuck his gun away and mingle with the crowd. Sting didn't recognize him.

Sting bolted to his vehicle and entered it. He started the engine as quick as he could, reversed and drove out of the premises at top speed. He looked at his rear mirror after a while and saw that no one was following. He relaxed and reduced his speed. Then he took out his phone with shaky hands and speed dialed a number.

***

Lade's room was even more disorganized than earlier. A distinct smell of dirty laundry and un-aired beddings hovered over the room. The curtains were drawn and the electric bulbs were off. Light flickering from the TV set was all that illuminated the bedroom. A foreign movie was showing on the TV. Lade held two remote controllers and lay on her stomach on the unmade bed and had a pillow wedged under her chest.

Her cell phone rang somewhere in the room and she sighed at the distraction. It was Sting, she was sure. She paused the movie with one remote controller and got off the bed and walked to the dressing table to take her ringing cell phone. She frowned at the caller but answered the call. "Sting, good morning!"

Sting was behind the wheels of his TUNDRA, driving slowly along a narrow street that led up to his house. One hand was on the wheels while the other held his cell phone to his ear. Lade heard him pause to take a deep breath. "What are you doing, Nicky?" She heard him ask, with a calm friendly voice.

"You gave me the day off, remember?" Sting could hear the frown in her voice.

"You'll go to ROSA's bar tonight. See if Mandy shows up. If he does, I want to know who he's rolling with tonight. If you can, get close to his goons and get me something."

Lade was confused. "Something about what?"

"Some stupid motherfucker thinks it's a great idea to take shots at me. I want to know if that fool Mandy ordered a hit on me." Lade frowned. A hit on Sting already! They'd known taking Johnny out was an ambitious albeit reckless plan and would have drastic consequences. Someone had linked Johnny's death to Sting already. Lade wondered if she'd be recognized eventually. "Nicky, did you hear me?"

"Yes." Lade replied. "A day off! I knew it was too good to be true." She said.

Sting chuckled. "Babe, I no talk say make you go today. I said tonight, and I don't remember giving you that off." The line went dead in her ear. She went back to lie on her bed looking unhappy. She resumed her movie and settled back to it.

***

Jennifer put in finishing touches to the sketch and dropped her pencil on the desk. She lifted her drawing book to admire her drawing. It was of a hen protecting her chicks from a hawk hovering around. Jennifer was only this good with her pencil when she was bored or anxious about something. Jennifer was sitting alone in an empty lecture room on campus. However, boredom wasn't what she was feeling right then. This one was anxiety and she recognized it. Once, she'd almost been sure Banks would ask her to be his date to the school night, back in their sophomore year. He asked Clara instead. That night she began sketching a picture book with which she won the National Fine Art Competition last year.

At that moment, Banks was descending the staircase in a hurry to catch up with the rest of his schedule. He was carrying a roll of new canvases under his right arm. He was wearing a pair of beats by Dre over his ears and held his bag in his other hand. His supervisor had rescheduled their morning meeting to late afternoon and they'd been at it for the past three hours. It was almost dusk and Banks was exhausted. He'd have to drag the new canvases to where he could get a taxi to his studio. There he would drop the canvases, pick up tonight's delivery and go pick his cash. He still hadn't bought Chika a gift. He'd have to send something over tomorrow.

Banks entered a verandah and walked past a few lecture halls heading quickly for the nearest exit from the faculty building.

Jennifer saw Banks walks past and scrambled to put her materials back into her school bag. She swung the bag over her shoulders. She exited the lecture room into the verandah outside. She could see Banks walking ahead of her.

"Hey Banks!" She called after him.

Banks heard his name over the slow pop he was listening to. He turned and was surprised to see Jennifer hurrying to meet up with him.

"Jennifer!" He looked at his wrist watch. "What are you still doing on campus by this time? I thought you'd be helping out with Chika's party arrangements."

Jennifer took a deep breath to catch it. "Chika mentioned you lent Andy the Mercedes. So I figured you may need a lift after your meeting with Dr. Rose. I didn't realize it'd take this long."

Banks looked relieved. "Thanks Jen. You have no idea how tired I am right now, and I was wondering how I was going to drag these canvases out of campus to get a taxi."

"What else are friends for?" Jennifer asked feeling pleased to be relevant. "Here, let me help you with the laptop bag." Jennifer offered. Banks gave her the bag looking grateful.

They exited the faculty building and walked to where her HONDA ELEMENT was parked. Banks opened the back door and put the roll of canvases on the back seats. He shut the door, opened the front passenger seat and climbed in after Jennifer who was putting the bags in the back seats. She turned the ignition on and reversed out of the lot to drive away.