I once heard someone say "Friends do come and go but the memories stay forever ". I agree with this because there are memories that can never be erased from one's mind because they are forever imprinted.
I was on my phone last night going through my social media accounts, and then I decided to go through my Facebook account and saw that I had several notifications. I wanted to clear them off when one caught my eye. It was a picture I took with a friend of mine under a tree in school many years ago.
I looked at the picture and I couldn't help but shed a tear then I smiled. My tears were because I had missed Adenike so much and I had no means of contacting her.
I met Adenike during my first year at a higher institution. The first time I saw her was when she came into the auditorium where we were to receive lectures, we had a general course then and she was part of my unit though we were studying different courses.
She is so beautiful, dark in complexion with a smile that would make you fall in love with her without a second thought. At first, I noticed she was an introvert, she would just sit in a corner of the auditorium and take notes while the lecturer was in class. I didn't know her name then but I was intrigued and wanted to get to know her so one day I approached her.
"Hello, I am Rukkie ", I stood beside her one day while we were waiting for the lecturer in an auditorium.
"I am Adenike", she responded giving me a warm smile. Then I asked if I could sit beside her and she nodded in affirmation.
I took a seat beside her and just couldn't help but admire her. The lecturer came in and started off the lectures. That was the beginning of our friendship.
I felt she noticed I was very free with her because It wasn't long before we started spending time together. She is nothing short of a sweet soul. I am always looking forward to meeting with her.
Whenever we are not having lectures we do spend time together under a tree somewhere in the school premises. It somehow became "our spot", though we weren't the only ones who stayed there.
We became so close and that was how I knew about all the challenges she was facing. She is an orphan and stays with relatives all through her life. She was staying with her aunt at the time and it seems the aunt is having issues with her husband she told me that there is a probability she might be sent back to their village to stay with another relative as her aunt told her that her husband can't pay her school bills and she doesn't have a job herself. I told her maybe with time things will get better and she will be able to continue her schooling.
The day I came to school and didn't see her, I was surprised because the Adenike I know don't miss lectures. I went to check her in the two places I always knew her to be which are our spot under the tree and the library. When I didn't see her in those two places, part of me knew right there that she was gone.
She has no phone and no way I could contact her. I went to her aunt's place where she stayed and her aunt told me she moved to the village to stay with a relative and she doesn't know when she will be coming back to school. I even asked to get a number so I could contact her but all I got was that my message would be passed across to her.
The last time I went back to the aunt's place, they were no longer living there. I inquired from a neighbor and was told the aunt and her husband had separated. This made me remember how she once told me her aunt and her husband were having issues.
I felt bad because I knew just how much she was eager to go to school. The seriousness was so visible. She would sometimes drag me to the library so we could get some books we needed. I wished she had a sponsor who could help her and see her through school. I knew her for about two months and now she was gone. It's so sad that sometimes when fate deals you a hand, you have no choice but to play the hand you are dealt, especially when you can't help it.
Looking at the picture again, I smiled because I believe the world goes round in circles and one day, maybe, just one day the universe will bring her back into my life and I will get to see her again but for now, I am grateful for the little time we spent together and I will continue to keep her in my heart and reminisce on all the Sweet Memories we shared.
Thank you all for reading.
I would have loved to share the picture but I couldn't do so without her permission.
