When we were in secondary school, Victoria always had something she wanted to gist me about. It didn’t even matter that we attended different schools, once classes were done for the day, she would hurry out and wait for me at the front of my school a few blocks down. Then like clockwork, we would walk down the long, dreary road together, our lively conversation making up for the dullness of the day.

My parents knew her and hers knew me. How could they not, when we shuffled between houses on the weekend? If I wasn’t sleeping at Vicky’s place, she was sleeping at mine. There were times when our friendship felt forced - like she was desperately trying to be my friend. My only friend. I noticed it when she turned her nose up at other girls that wanted to hang out with me and when she made snarky remarks that inevitably chased them away, but I ignored it.I convinced myself she was just a jealous friend.

When we both graduated later on, the joy was too great for words. Finally, we had more time to be with each other.

We applied to the same school – University of Jos, and both got admission to study there.

“The two of you should stay together” My mother had suggested one day. We agreed, eager for the opportunity.

Then we moved in…and everything changed.

“You didn’t arrange these things properly.” Victoria said to me on the first day in our room on campus. I had gestured to the inadequate storage spaces we had with a shrug. “I did the best I could do.”

She scowled at me, and grudgingly realized that I was right. Our baggage was far too numerous for the tiny shelves and single wardrobe we were given. Victoria herself had 4 boxes out of the 5 that we brought.

That was the first time we had a disagreement and I found it very strange. Where was the sudden hostility coming from?

It didn’t get any better after that. “Vicky”, as I so fondly called her once upon a time, was constantly lashing out at me. “You think you're better than everybody, don't you?!”

When she wasn’t yelling, she was wholeheartedly ignoring me. It was quite a feat in itself considering that our rooms were so small you had to brush past a person to move around, 

I started to get upset too and why shouldn’t I? We moved into this place as friends, but here she was making me feel less than welcome. I met her harsh words with curt replies and her angry glares with a cold stare.

The battle line had been drawn.

Semesters passed like this till the rift between my friend and I was practically irreversible. We cared very little for each other’s wellbeing, only coming together in silence once it was time to eat and then returning to our indifference immediately after.

It was awful.

Even though she constantly reminded me about how much she didn't like me, I noticed Vicky copying little things I did. She began to dress like me, talk like me and even got the same scents I used.

It dawned on me then. She hated me because she couldn't be me and so she tried to make me look bad.

 The day came that put the final nail in the coffin of our friendship. It was the last day of my exams for the session and I had read all through the night. The exam was for 8 and I set an alarm for 6.

Or so I thought.

Being as tired as I was, I never actually activated the alarm before I sunk deep into the arms of sleep. I woke up the next morning to the sound of birds and cock crows. I bolted upright and grabbed my phone with trembling hands. It was 7:51. There was no way I would be able to dress up and make it to the halls in time. My department was strict. Victoria knew this.

Tears in my eyes, I turned to Victoria who lay beside me scrolling lazily through TikTok. “Why didn’t you wake me up, Vicky?” My voice hitched in pain and hurt.

Victoria turned to me slowly, annoyed at being disturbed. She looked me in the face for the briefest of seconds. “Oh,” Then she turned her attention back to her phone. “You looked tired. I thought you needed the rest.”