TRINITY (ELEVEN)

The rushing water whooshed and whispered. Aku suddenly became uncomfortable. The wind billowed the dress that she wore. She started to say something but it was too late. Adjeley had disappeared into the sea. 

Her eyes opened wide as if to look for her. Everything happened so fast. She caught glimpse of Adjeley’s hands. She was struggling and splashing. They had never said anything about swimming to each other before. 

All they talked about was how nice it would be to go there without having to ask permission or have an older person follow them to watch their every move.She was scared but knew she had to do something really quick. 

Like a reflex action, she raced towards her friend whose mouth sunk below the water and reappeared again. Her head was low in the water and mouth at sea level.Adjeley’s eyes had become glassy and empty, unable to focus, she closed her eyes.

Aku didn’t know how to swim and it was so obvious that Adjeley was worst because she had not gone too deep. She was trying to swim in a particular direction but was not making headway. Aku started to look around for help.

 She was shivering and was even more scared. She looked at Adjeley’s way and found out that she was trying to roll over her back but appeared to be climbing an invisible ladder. She wouldn’t be able to drag her out even if she tried to save her. They could both end up drowning.

 

Adoley came from no way and jumped into the sea fully dressed. She printed through the water and kept her eyes on Adjeley as she headed straight for her. When she approached her, Adoley hooked her arms around over Adjeley’s chest and side stroked back to shore. 

She asked Adjeley to calm down and float on her back since panicking would make it impossible to help her and she could also be pulled into the water.

When they finally got onshore, they were both quivering. Aku took off her pullover and covered Adjeley with it.

 There was nothing she could do for Adoley who just laid there and stared at the girls. Aku looked at her and smiled. They both looked at Adjeley and they started to laugh out loud. Adjeley even though very cold also started to laugh with them not knowing the reason as to why they were doing it. 

Adjeley laughing made them laugh even louder. And they both laid flat on the beach side. When the laughter ceased, Adoley got up hastily and started to run away. They didn’t understand why she would leave abruptly. So shouted out their gratitude to her.

She didn’t respond, neither did she look back but instead stopped a girl who was leaving the beach. She said something to the girl and returned. She came back and sat beside them and they were astonished. 

Adjeley had been dried up by the cold wind. She thanked her again and out of curiosity asked her what she said to the girl. Apparently that girl was a known gossip. If she had left the beach, everybody would have heard Adjeley’s story which would have put her in trouble with her parents. So she went over to warn her from spreading her own version of the story or even letting anybody in on the incidence.

They got along easily as if they had been friends forever. They stayed there and chit chatted for a long while, laughed and shared jokes till Aku realized that her time had been far spent. They walked home together as Adoley escorted both girls home.

 When they got to Aku’s house however, her grandma was not too happy on seeing Adoley with her. She glared at her for a while and asked Aku to hurry inside.

‘’I hope she didn’t do anything to you’’ Her grandmother asked after Adoley walked away slowly. She nodded affirmatively and went inside to take a nap.

 

Aku woke up from her sleep. She was sweating profusely. Both the air condition and the fan were off. She smiled as she reminisced about how they became friends with Adoley. She sat on the bed for a little while, grabbed a tissue and wiped her face with it. Their life changed.

 Or that how life changed for her. She was no longer the timid girl everybody thought her to be. They were mischievous at times but she still kept her focus. She put on her bed side lamb and went to the kitchen to drink water. It was 3:00am in the morning. She walked bare footed and her feet felt the cold ground.

She pictured Adoley’s face and smiled to herself. They helped each other in any possible way they could. Adjeley and herself encouraged her to go back to school. They were not paying much in the government school and though she started, Adoley stopped mid way to learn hair dressing.