Ayo used to tell us that if we paid attention we could always tell when someone was not being genuine. It was not what they said, the little gaps between what they said and what they did, then Ola would just laugh and call Ayo overly sensitive.
Ola would say, "Not everything is that friend " and shake his head.. that was before we met Tunde, the three of us had been friends since school, We were in the class hung out at the same places and had the same inside jokes that did not even make sense anymore but they still made us laugh.
Tunde was the loudest of us all. He always talked about being loyal, honest and "keeping it real." Tunde would say, "I do not do fake " every week, he would puff out his chest like he was giving a speech "If you are my friend you are my friend for life, I hate lies." At first it was nice to hear, even Ayo respected it.
Life has a way of testing people and sometimes it shows us who they really are, It started with things that did not feel right, one afternoon we were all at a food place near our school eating plates of rice and stew, Ola got up to take a call leaving Ayo and Tunde at the table.
Tunde leaned in close. Lowered his voice. "You know Ola can be very selfish sometimes right?" Ayo stopped eating. Looked at Tunde. "How?" Tunde said, "He always thinks about himself first in everything, I just notice these things."
Ayo frowned.
It did not sound like Ola all, before he could say anything Ola came back, Tunde changed his tone instantly. "Hey Ola you need to take it and rest more " he said with a big smile.
Ayo noticed it.
He let it go, maybe it was nothing..
Then it happened again.. Again, Tunde would talk about Ayo to Ola, talk about Ola to Ayo, he always sounded like he was concerned, something about it felt off. It was like he was planting seeds in our minds.
One evening it all came out.
Ola stormed into Ayos room clearly upset. "So you said I am not reliable?" Ayo looked surprised. "What?" Ola said, "Tunde told me everything, that you said you cannot trust me with anything."
Ayo stood up immediately. "That is not true, When did I ever say that?" Ola crossed his arms. "So Tunde lied?" There it was, The tension, It was thick and uncomfortable.
Ayo ran a hand through his hair. "Wait what did he say?" As Ola explained, piece by piece Ayo felt something click, thhat same pattern, that same style of twisting words.
Ayo said slowly "Tunde told me something about you too Ola." Ola paused. "Like what?" Ayo said, "That you are selfish."
There was silence, the kind that makes you rethink everything, Ola sat down exhaling sharply. "So he has been playing both of us?" Ayo nodded. "Looks like it." For a moment neither of them spoke It was like trying to accept something that did not match the person they thought they knew.
Ola said finally shaking his head "This is the guy who will not stop talking about honesty." Ayo let out a laugh. "Mr 'I hate lies.'" The irony was almost painful. They decided not to jump to conclusions yet. Maybe there was an explanation. Maybe they misunderstood. So they called Tunde.
He showed up that night all smiles as usual. "My friends what is up?" he said, dropping into a chair like nothing was wrong. Ayo did not waste time. "Tunde we need to talk."
Something in his tone must have given it away because Tundes smile faded slightly. "What is up?" Ola leaned forward. "Why are you telling Ayo that I am selfish?" Tunde blinked. "Huh I "
Ola cut in "And why did you tell me that Ayo said I am unreliable?" Tunde looked between both of them clearly caught off guard. "I think you guys misunderstood—"
Ayo said firmly "No we did not." The room went quiet. For a second it looked like Tunde might still try to talk his way out of it.. Then his shoulders dropped. "Okay maybe I said some things " he admitted.
Ola repeated, "Some things?" His face showed that he did not believe it. Tunde sighed. "I was just trying to balance things. You guys do not always see each others faults."
Ayo frowned. "So you decided to create problems " Tunde said quickly "It was not like that. I just thought if I pointed things out—" Ola snapped, "By lying?"
That hit harder than anything. Tunde opened his mouth then closed it.. That was the moment it became clear. This was not about misunderstanding. It was not about concern. It was hypocrisy.
The same person who preached honesty could not even practice it. The same person who talked about loyalty was quietly breaking trust, Ayo shook his head slowly. "You know what is funny? You always talk about people being fake." Tunde did not respond.
Ayo added, "But you are the one acting two-faced." That one landed. Tunde looked down rubbing his palms together. "I did not think it would get this far."
Ola stood up. "That is the problem. You did not think." Silence settled in again heavier this time. Friendship does not always end with shouting or drama. Sometimes it just changes.
That night nothing officially broke. No big declaration. No dramatic exit.. Something shifted. Trust, once cracked does not go back, to the way it was. As Tunde left Ayo leaned back in his chair exhaling.
Ola said quietly "You were right." Ayo asked, "About what?" Ola said, "That thing you used to say. About people not being real." Ayo gave a tired smile. "Yeah." Ola shook his head. "Turns out it really is that deep."
