JAMES:

I chanced on a car that resembles that of Jake’s while on my way to Fifehanmi’s house. I got directions to her house from her mum at the stall. Could this be Jake's car? 

I got to the door and was about to knock when his voice rang in my ears. Jake? What is he doing here? How does he know my girl's house? 

"Fifehanmi, you have every reason to be scared of me but you should have known by now that I can't dump you, not after going this far," he said.

What am I hearing? I couldn't take it any longer. I pushed the door open gradually and entered. Fifehanmi had her back on the wall while Jake, who had his back on me, was leaning on her. He kissed her neck. 

"I have no intentions of doing anything immoral with you, you just have to trust me," he said. 

"Jake! Fife?"

Jake was so shocked to see me. Fifehanmi on the other hand was surprised. 

"James?” She asked, “You guys know each other?"

JAKE:

The shock was great. I felt I was going to melt under his gaze. I bowed my head in penitence. 

"We're friends," I said. 

"Friends? You mean long time friends?" Fifehan asked.

"Quit the pretense, Fife!" James said. 

"What pretense! Will you please tell me what's going on?" Fife screamed.

"You know you shouldn't be shouting, Fife!" he said.

"We're best friends. Childhood friends!" I explained.

He sounded hurt, "How could you do this, Fife?"

"Don't make me feel bad James. I had not told you that I love you," Fife said.

"And neither did you tell me that you don't! I asked if you had a man and you said you don't!" he said. 

"Yes, I didn't, until I met Jake.” 

I looked into his eyes which penetrated mine, "Jake? You came to her behind my back?"

"No, I didn't." 

He shook his head. 

"So it was a mere coincidence?” he asked. “Couldn’t you have realised that she was the same ‘Fifehanmi’ I had told you about when she mentioned her name to you!?" He suddenly began to bark.

"James, I'm sorry!"

"Sorry? Really?"

He turned to go. 

"James, I just acted foolish. I didn't know how to tell you this. I never wanted to see you this way, James."

"You think I can still be fooled?” He said, “Jake, all I ever wanted was to see you happy, and this is the reward I get?"

"I'm so sorry, James."

"I’m glad I met you guys together, otherwise I would have continued chasing shadows. You guys can enjoy each other as much as you can, and please keep to each other. You really do not need me henceforth."

"Ja-"

He was gone, slamming the door furiously. 

FIFEHAN:

I was astounded at what had just happened. James was so downcasted. He could not look into my eyes after his 'childhood friend' had left. He later bowed his head. I was not sure what to ask him.

"James, why did you refuse to tell me that you're friends? How could you keep such a secret from me?"

"I did that for you. If I had let you know that we are friends, you might have chosen..."

"I would still have chosen you!"

She asked, "Why do you always talk as if I had told him that I love him?"

"All the same, it's unwise of me to have you. I have broken his heart. I'm a traitor!"

I took him by the hand, "I know how much you love your friend, and I also know how much he loves you. With time, he's going to forget about this. He's going to find another woman who would love him. Jake, I've chosen you."

We embraced.

"We've never parted ways like this before, Fifehan. We've had a lot of disagreements in our years of friendship but we've never had something close to this before. I'm afraid that we'd remain..."

"No, Jake. Soon enough, he's going to realize that you meant no harm."

After we broke the embrace, we sat together on a three-seater couch, holding hands. He looked so pained.

At that point, I realized that I've never seen friends as close as these two.

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