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The best friendships starts with "hate". I read that once in a novel. It seemed almost impossible until I experienced it myself.
My first year of school was so scary. Before I spoke a sentence out to anyone I would have recited it over and over in my head. It's safe to say I was really shy.
The first time I noticed her was just right before a class, she came in and a lot of people greeted her. Now it wasn't like a movie where she came in and everyone turned to look at her but you could feel her presence.
It was instant, the dislike. I was the unknown girl. Why did she get to be so "known".
I didn't see her for a while. I managed to make a few friends by then so it was going as good as it could be.
A few weeks later we were all cramped outside a class hall waiting for the lecturer to arrive.
I don't know how it happened but I sat next to her outside the hall. I think one of the reasons I'll forever love Ed Sheeran's photogragh was because it was the song that brought us together.
Someone was playing it not so far away, next thing I know we're both singing. Well she was singing beautifully while I sounded like a frog.
From us both agreeing that it was amazing song, to us talking about our favorite kind of music to just talking about life in general. Normally I don't talk to strangers without feeling awkward but there was something about her that felt safe.
The saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover" came into play.Turns out her life wasn't as great as I thought it would be, from issues at home to the pressure she was under by her parents to having no where to live.
Back then I was staying with a friend of my brother's and was about to buy a hostel space. I didn't have a strong ground. I wasn't even sure I'd get the space but I found myself telling a complete stranger, "You can come stay with me when I buy my space".
I went home thinking, what have I done. I'd have to see her in school. What would I tell my parents inviting a stranger to stay with me?. I prayed that night asking that He help me.
The next morning I went to my University student's affair to meet the person I'd get the space from. It was pretty early so I sat outside waiting for the place to open. I heard someone call my name. I turned around and there she was.
You know that moment in a movie when you realize something was meant to be. I felt it in that moment.
Prior to that day I hadn't told her where I would so her showing up there, I took as a sign. She stuck with my all through the day, eventually we succeeded in getting the space.
If you have stayed in a Nigerian hostel you will understand the concept Roomie, Bunkie, Sidie but if you've not I'll explain it. Your Rommies are your roommates in general. Every single person that stays in that room with you. A Bunkie is the person you share a bunk with and a Sidie is the person that stays at your side. We were going to be sharing a bed and staying in the hostel so we had to come up with a name and Beddie was born.
We became inseparable after that. You couldn't see her without seeing me. Our names couldn't have been more different but people sometimes confused the name for one another.
It finally happened. I found my person. That one person that existed in my tiny bubble with me. We did the silliest of things like walk under the rain, dress to match, sit on flyovers instead of walking across it. I think my favourite part was when we would stay awake and laugh into the night for no reason in particular or when we would go to her grandma's place, visit the stream and place our head in the water. I've never felt more at peace with my life than in those moments.
Esther supported the crazy I didn't know I had but at the same time she also grounded me. From the quiet, shy and unknown girl that used to be scared to talk in public, I became me. For a fact I don't think there's a single person out of my two hundred and something coursemates that I don't talk to now.Those were the really good times.
I really did think she would be my forever but then life has a way of proving me wrong.