Friendship is a beautiful thing, but do you know your friend? Is he or she as loyal to you as you are to him or her? Sometimes, some friendships are not worth dying for because they can take an unexpected turn. Your favorite person can turn out to be your worst nightmare.
"Felicia, I love you, and I will do anything for you," said Alicia, Felicia's best friend. These two girls had been friends since their childhood, although they had once separated due to education, but as they grew, they found their way back together again.
Alicia is known to be hot-tempered; she always flares up over little things, while Felicia is a calm and collected lady; she carries a bright smile always, and this makes people love her. These two girls do things together on many occasions, and outsiders emulate them and want to have a friend like them, but unfortunately, no one knows what these two good friends had in mind for each other.
Alicia is an outspoken person who doesn't tolerate nonsense, while Felicia is an introvert who doesn't talk much but also doesn't condone bad habits. Both girls share virtually everything, such as clothes, shoes, wigs, and anything else, because they are more or less sisters. They are examples of perfect friendships anyone could wish for. Alicia and Felicia moved in together after their Nysc to start a new life and secure a job.
"Babe, there is an Owambe party (wedding party). I would love us to attend together," Alicia said to Felicia after dinner a week before the party. "A friend of mine is getting married; would you love to attend?" Alicia asked. "When is the wedding?" Felicia asked her friend, who was trying to check the date of the wedding from the invitation card sent to her via WhatsApp. "Oh yes, I've seen it. I was trying to confirm the date before replying to you; it's next week, Saturday," Alicia replied.
Felicia asked with a smile, "Okay, what are we wearing? the latest material we sewed, I guess? Alicia nodded in reply, and they concluded they would be going to the party. The day of the party arrived, and both friends dressed gorgeously for the venue of the wedding ceremony. The celebration was going on, and a while after their arrival, a man walked up to their table and said, "Can I join your table, ladies?"
Felicia answered "yes" with a bright smile and instantly caught the interest of the young man. "You are beautiful; keep smiling like that, please; it can melt a stone heart," the young man, who later introduced himself as Felix, said to Felicia. "Thank you for that compliment, though I felt flattered," Felicia replied. The two seem to be getting along well until Alicia, who had been quiet since the arrival of Felix, clears her throat and says to Felicia, "Babe, can you skip the friend zone? Do you know him before?".
"No, but he is a gentleman," Felicia replied. Alicia hissed and answered, "Gentle my ass." Felix smiled and said, "Madam, I'm sorry for getting too familiar; I love her vibes," pointing to Felicia. "I'm Felicia," Felicia said with a smile. Out of excitement, Felix clapped his hands and shouted, "Wow, I'm Felix, my Felicia." Then both Felix and Felicia laughed. "What's your name, Angel?" Felix said, turning to Alicia and asking. "I'm Alicia; thanks for asking," Alicia replied sharply to Felix. "You both are gorgeous, I must say," Felix said.
"I will be on my way soon. Do you mind giving me your digit, my Felicia?" Felix pointed his phone at Felicia to type her number. "Of course." Felicia collected the phone with a smile and inputted her mobile number. "Thank you for your time, my Felicia," Felix said as he collected his phone from Felicia and then gave it to Alicia to input her mobile number too. "Are you playing around?" Alicia asked with a frown. Felix smiled and said, "Not at all, Madam Alicia; I just want to be a friend." Alicia collected the phone from Felix, inputted her number, and returned it to him.
After collecting their numbers, Felix stood up to go and promised to give them both a call. Felicia smiled and wished him goodbye, while Alicia didn't say a word. "He is cute and so friendly," Felicia said. "I didn't see any cuteness in him; I hate people that show off," Alicia replied. "Ehhhh! Baby girl, what was he showing off? He's just being nice; that's all I see, Felicia responded.
After the ceremony, on getting home, Felix called up Felicia, and they had a long conversation filled with laughter. Alicia became jealous, but she tried as much as possible to hide it from her friend. After Felicia's call with Felix, Alicia asked, "Who was that? And what were you both discussing that was funny that made you laugh out loud?" "It's Felix, the guy at the Owambe; that guy is so funny and jovial," Felicia replied to Alicia, whose countenance had changed immediately after she heard it was Felix who just called Felicia.
"Are you taking this guy seriously? You have to be careful," Alicia quickly chipped in. "He is not that bad, and he doesn't mean any harm; he just wants to be a friend," Felicia replied with a smile as she stood up from the living room where they were sitting to go to the room to freshen up and change her clothes.
Gradually, as time went on, Felix and Felicia became so close and got into a promising relationship. All this wasn't going well with Alicia; she was jealous of her friend because she liked Felix secretly but pretended to love Felicia like she hated him. Fortunately, luck shone on both girls, and with the help of Felix, they were able to secure a job at the same firm. This was a prayer come true, but never did Felicia know that her most trusted friend, whom she sees as a sister, was plotting evil behind her back.
Both girls were enjoying their stay together at their new workplace until an unforeseen circumstance happened that threatened Felicia's life. Alicia planned with some people to defame Felicia, saying she embezzled the firm capital because she is the accountant. With different evidence as an alibi, Felicia was surprised to see that her friend was the leader of the coup. Alicia gave false testimonies, confirming that Felicia told her about her plan to do away with the firm's capital.
Felix, who stood as a guarantor for the two girls because it was his friend's company, was surprised to hear how Alicia stood against her friend. "Alicia, why can't you support your friend? someone you've known since childhood, you think she did it?" Felix asked Alicia after setting up a meeting for them to see.
"She just showed her true self; that's who she had been; you didn't see it because you loved her, whereas she doesn't love you, Felicia told me.I was the one who loved you, but you chose her over me; now you've seen for yourself that your girlfriend is a thief, Alicia answers Felix. "Well, I don't believe that, and I will fight this till I prove her innocent," Felix said and left angrily.
Alicia didn't understand the gravity of what she had done; Felicia was arrested and locked up in jail. While she was away, Alicia was trying her best to get Felix's attention, but she wasn't successful. The investigation went on and on, and weeks were turning into months. After lots of attempts to get Felix turned void, Alicia's conscience wasn't at rest, and this was the time she realized she had gone too far with it. Felicia had to carry the cross of Alicia's lies, and now it dawned on Alicia the gravity of what she had done.
Felicia was jailed for six months before the truth was exposed, as one of the people Alicia planned the coup with can no longer live with the guilt of an innocent person being punished for something she knows nothing about. This was a reality, and Felicia refused to believe that her best friend set her up. It was something Felicia found difficult to accept, but it was the truth, and she believed it after Alicia personally confessed to her.
"I didn't know the gravity of my lies until you were jailed; I'm sorry for everything," Alicia begged Felicia for forgiveness. "You did this all because of a man? I was told everything you did to have Felix while I was away in prison suffering for your lies, Felicia angrily replied. "Anyways, I forgive you, but I can no longer be friends with a serpent as you are; I'm moving out," Felicia said as she stood up angrily without listening to whatever was left of Alicia to say. Felicia went into her room, packed all her belongings, and left the house for Felicia. This was how their friendship of many years was ruined.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.