When Silence Makes The Loudest Noise.

I wasn't really happy with how Opeyemi's responded to me on call that evening, and it was clear that I had offended her even though I didn't know what my offense was.

She's always buzzing with energy, especially when talking to me, but that cold conversation we had that evening just didn't sit well with me.

"What's going on? Did anyone offend you, or something happened at your end?" I asked the moment I realized she was trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

The Opeyemi I know would talk for at least 10-15 minutes before ending our conversation.

"I'm fine, not just in the mood for calls this evening. It's nothing serious," Opeyemi replied.

"Will you visit me tomorrow so we can talk about it?" I asked since persuading her on the phone wasn't yielding any results.

"No! You are welcome at my place if you want to see me," she replied and sighed heavily.

"Okay, it's fine. I will come over tomorrow if that's what you want," I replied.

"Whatever!" She replied, and I could feel anger in her voice.

Opeyemi would never have spoken to me that way on a normal day, and I had to browse through our chats after the call. Probably there was something I did wrong to have pissed her off, but I didn't get a hint.

We were just teenagers when we met at a factory somewhere in Lagos, and our relationship went from being just colleagues to best friends over the years. We did so many things together, and a lot of people thought we were dating, but that wasn't the case.

We were just fond of each other but promised never to become lovers because we had the mentality that it was easier for friends to forgive each other than for lovers to do.

Throughout the night, I didn't feel good because of Opeyemi. My mind kept roaming around trying to figure out what could have happened, and I wish it was morning already so I could go check up on her.

I left my place in the morning and stopped to buy something to prepare at her place for breakfast. We were both foodies, and one of the ways of reaching our hearts is with food.

---

Upon arriving there, I intentionally swung the grocery bag I was carrying back and forth, but she just pretended not to notice it. I knew it was going to be a long day, which I prepared for, but I didn't know how long it would be.

I settled in, and every effort to make her talk was futile. She made me feel like I wasn't even there, and somehow, I started getting pissed.

_Source

"You shouldn't have let me come over if this was the plan," I said as I thought about leaving.

"I didn't force you, it was you who wanted to come here. I am not the bad one here," she replied.

"Bad? I am not trying to be good or bad and don't even understand what you are saying" I stuttered.

"That's how you sound, and if you don't know, this is how you make me feel when you act as if I don't even exist," she replied.

"Okay, this is making sense now, but don't justify your recent attitude toward me with a false accusation," I replied.

"You think I am accusing you wrongly? You have always been like that, but it's worse now," Opeyemi replied.

"How?" I stuttered because somehow I lost the strength to continue defending myself.

"You don't see it; you don't know, right?" She asked calmly.

"If I knew what you were talking about, you know we wouldn't be having this conversation, or have I ever offended you and didn't apologize?" I replied.

"You have been blowing hot and cold lately, and it pisses me off a lot," she stuttered.

"I still don't get you," I replied.

"Sometimes, you treat me like the best friend I am, but it's the other way around sometimes. You don't check on me or even reply to my text until call you and request for a reply," she replied.

"Are you sure it's me you are actually talking about?" I asked.

"Check the time interval between our chats or it when you just reply me with a single word throughout the day?" she replied.

I reached for my phone immediately to browse through our chat and realized she was right. I felt terrible at that point because I didn't know I was doing all of that.

I didn't know exactly what to say and her stare wasn't helping.

"It's not what you think; I just have a lot to deal with lately and sometimes get carried away," I replied.

"That's not an excuse because when I lost my dad, I didn't push you away despite how bad I was feeling," she replied.

"Can we not make this worse? I am sorry about everything and didn't even know I had these terrible habits towards you," I replied.

"Oh, you don't know, right? I even thought it's your new girlfriend that's behind this," she replied.

"Don't tell me you are beginning to get jealous and I already told you to say yes to one of your toasters," I replied.

"Me? Jealous what? I never had a crush on your big head," she replied, and we laughed for a few seconds.

"I am sorry too. I just wanted to make you feel what I felt when you acted as my best buddy and when you ghosted me," she replied.

"It won't happen again," I replied, and she stretched out her finger for a pinky swear.

"You will never change," I muttered, and I made the promise.

"I should get going now," I said to her shortly after the promise, and the smile on Opeyemi's face vanished.

"Who should cook and eat the noodles?" She asked.

"Oh, did I bring something? I thought you didn't notice it," I replied.

"You are not serious," she replied, and we went on making fun of each other.

We made the noodles, and while eating, a lot of thoughts crossed my mind. We were not getting younger, and one day there wouldn't be this privilege to see or talk to each other like we used to.

I wish I could just tell her my thoughts right there, but it would only drag us back into the already settled misunderstanding.

I didn't know if I was ready for what the future held, but I was aware, unlike Opeyemi, who thought we would be like that forever.