From Best Friends To Strangers: How Anita’s jealousy ruined our friendship
I met Anita during our secondary school days. Despite being a victim of constant body shaming because of her size, Anita was an intelligent student and a beautiful girl. Our classmates would frequently insult and talk down on her, with some even mocking her for her body odor and mouth odor. But I saw beyond her physical appearance and recognized a beautiful girl with a very low self-esteem.
Over time, I got to know her better and we became friends, and then best friends. I began to share my body sprays and perfumes with her, and encouraged her to ask her parents to get her some, which they did.
After we graduated from secondary school, we both wrote our JAMB exams, but while I got admission to a university, Anita did not. Nonetheless, we kept in touch and spoke or messaged each other every day.
Two years later, Anita passed her JAMB exams and gained admission to a different university, albeit not for her preferred course. But when I asked her to be my chief bridesmaid during my wedding, she turned me down, saying that the position was reserved for slim ladies, not for someone like her. On my wedding day, Anita did not show up, but she had informed me two days prior that her mother was sick and that she was taking care of her.
After the wedding, Anita’s phone number suddenly stopped working, and she didn’t respond to any of my messages until three years later, when she called me to say that she had been living abroad all this time. I was happy for her, but also hurt that she never told me about her plans to leave. We rekindled our friendship, and she even invited me and my family to visit her in the United States.
I discussed this with my husband, and we decided to sell some of our properties to raise money for the trip. However, a friend of my husband warned him against the decision, advising him to let me and the kids go first, and sell some of our properties only if things worked out. We got our visas and flew to the US, with Anita promising to pick us up from the airport. I kept Anita updated on every one of our moves.
Before we boarded the plane I called her and she prayed with us for a safe flight. As we landed I called her immediately. She was so happy and told me she was already on her way to pick us up at the airport. I sat down with my kids and Luggages. After about three hours Anita didn’t show up. I kept on calling her and she kept saying she was coming. My kids were already hungry and I became restless as my son was already crying.
I received a message on my phone and it was from Anita. “Dear Mary my Friend, thank you for the journey with you so far. Thank you for being my friend when Everyone rejected me and made mockery of me. The thing is that I know you came into my life for your personal gain. You used me to shine. We were best friends but the good things always have a way of locating you first. First you got admission before me. You got married and had the guts to make me your chief bridesmaid. Now you have two kids and you expect me to accommodate your entire family in my little apartment. You tried to make me comfortable in school but you failed to ask Juliana what I did to her that made her hate me so much. Mary I am a very wicked person but you never noticed. I hate you so much and I am happy you and that your over perfect husband sold all you had to come meet Anita, your saviour. Goodbye Mary and enjoy yourself as you and your entire family remain stranded at the airport”.
I was devastated by her words, and allowed myself to cry without restraint. I told my husband what had happened, and then went to the airport officials, who provided us with accommodation for the night. The next day, we returned home.
©️ Amaka Vivian
