The village of Aiyetoro was never really quiet.
There was always something going on like goats crying in the morning , women talking by the roadside, kids playing with tyres and loud generators at night.
Then there was this one uncle who always argued about politics like he was the president or something.
For Tobi.... who was just seventeen years old, there was just ine quiet place in the whole village he always went to.
It was the old mango tree behind his grandmother's house, that was his own spot.
This tree stood beside a stream at the edge of the village.
Not many people went there because they thought that the place was haunted.
They said some old woman used to live there a long time ago and people had heard strange noises at night there too
Tobi did not believe all that.
Whenever things got too noisy , Tobi would take his notebook and pen and go sit under the tree to write stories.
That Saturday afternoon he was sitting there again leaning against the tree trunk and chewing on his pen.
He was thinking why do rich guys always get the girls in stories.
Poor guys deserve love too.
Then he heard a voice.
"You are talking to yourself again."
Tobi jumped up fast his notebook almost fell into the stream.
It was Amaka, his neighbor.
She was carrying a basket of oranges on her head, smiling like she caught him doing something bad.
"Tobi look at your face " she laughed. "You almost fainted."
"You scared me " he said, holding his chest, "What are you doing here?"
Amaka put down the basket carefully.
"I should be asking you that " she said.... "Everyone says this place is haunted."
"And you still came " Tobi said.
"I was just passing by " Amaka replied.
"You don't pass by here " Tobi said.
Amaka folded her arms.
"Okay fine " she said. "I followed you."
Tobi looked at her.
"Why?"
Amaka just shrugged.
"You disappear every day and nobody knows where you go " she said. "I thought maybe you had a girlfriend."
Tobi laughed.
"Me, a girlfriend? Lol No way."
Amaka rolled her eyes.
"You like making fun of yourself much " she said.
The two of them sat quietly under the tree for a moment.
The stream was flowing gently. Birds were singing in the distance.
"This place is nice " Amaka said softly.
Tobi nodded.
"It is the quiet place around here."
Amaka asked, "Why do you need quiet much?"
Tobi looked down at his notebook.
"My house is always noisy " he said. "My little brothers are always shouting my mom is always angry, My dad..." He stopped, "My dad has not smiled in months since he lost his job."
Amakas face changed.
"Oh " she said.
Tobi said, "When everything gets much I come here."
Amaka sat down beside him.
"My house is noisy too " she said, "My aunt is always shouting at someone."
Tobi laughed.
"That woman is scary " he said.
Amaka agreed. "She is very scary, one day she had shouted at the electricity company people because the power went out."
The two of them burst out laughing.
After a while Amaka looked at Tobis notebook.
"What are you writing?" she asked.
"Stories " he replied.
"Can I see?"
Tobi hesitated.
"No " he said.
"Why not?"
"Because they are kinda embarrassing " he said.
Amaka asked again "Please?"
Tobi said, "No."
Amaka snatched the notebook from him before he could stop her.
"Amaka!"
She jumped away, opened the book.
"Let me see what our village writer is hiding " she said.
Tobi covered his face.
Amaka started reading out
"'Ngozi looked into Chinedi's eyes and her heart danced like Christmas music"
Tobi was so embarrassed.
"Give me my book back!"
Amaka was laughing hard she almost fell.
"You write romance?" she teased.
Tobi chased her around the mango tree.
Finally she gavve him back his notebook.
"I'm sorry " she said, still laughing. ". Honestly it's good."
Tobi looked at her.
"You are not making fun of me?"
Amaka shook her head.
"No you are actually talented " she said.
For some reason hearing that from Amaka made Tobi feel happy inside.
"Thank you " he said quietly.
The sun was setting, making the sky orange.
Amaka stood up. Dusted her wrapper.
"I should go before my aunt starts looking for me " she said.
She picked up her basket and looked back at Tobi.
"Can I come here again sometime?"
Tobi smiled.
"I thought you said this place was haunted " he said.
Amaka grinned.
"Maybe it is, but at least the ghost is friendly " she said.
Tobi laughed as she walked away.
For the time, in a long while the quiet place did not feel lonely anymore.
