The campus was packed yet seemed empty in her eyes. Jenny felt lonely and frustrated.

Despite all the people walking around her, Kebbeh saw emptiness. The absence of Jenny was slowly killing her. She had not taken notice of this until now. As she sat quietly at the eastern part of the campus, under a huge plum tree, she wondered how it all happened. Kebbeh looked up at the tree and saw that they had something in common: they were both alone and needed each other.

“Hey Kebbeh, do you have a moment? “Begell said in the most polite manner.

He knew that this was his only chance, and therefore, he needed to apply every bit of energy in winning Kebbeh over.

“Ye…ah…” she snuggled reluctantly with the word.

“I’m Begell and this is my friend Kollie” said Begell.

“I know that you are Begell and that he is Kollie. Not just Kollie but your right hand man. Any way, you guys are welcome though you will have to get your own seats. As you can see, I’m not at my house” said Kebbeh.

“Uhuh… Where is your friend Jenny?” Begell asked with concern.

“She’s probably somewhere around. Why?” Kebbeh asked with much interest.

She had always noticed something glorious about Jenny’s looks and facial expressions. Jenny always looked at Begell in an unexplainable way that somehow left Kebbeh puzzled and pondering. She had asking her about it, however, Jenny always had a different explanation which made her think that she had had a wrong thought. It was a feeling that emerged every now and then, when they and Begell passed, or caught each other eyes. Now that he took it upon himself to ask about her, Kebbeh’s interest was piqued and it made her reflect on Jenny’s reactions towards Begell.

“Nothing much. Just that…t. just that this my first time seeing you sitting solo. You guys are never without each other. To admit, I had really admired you guys’ closeness with grace.” He said in an almost inaudible tone.

His eyes were sparklingly full with what she could not explain. But she had the same feelings she had had about Jenny concerning him. And then she became to wonder that indeed, Jenny too had been keeping secrets from her. Notwithstanding, the concern raised by him embarrassed her. It give her a suffocating feeling that pushed her in busting her gut out to him.

“Yeah…we have been faced with some problem these few days. We had a misunderstanding.” She confessed.

“Ouch!!! I’m sooo very sorry. What a great friendship for such a misfortune!” said Begell.

“Come on, it’s not your fault. Sorry guys, for bothering you with my problem” said Kebbeh.

“It’s okay. We all at times are faced with such problem. You see my brother here,” patting Kollie on the shoulder. “We can have misunderstandings at times. But you know something, the friendship we share is far bigger and stronger than any misunderstanding. We have always worked our way around our problems. I think you guys can do likewise. I believe what you guys have is stronger than the problem you now faced.”

With this, she gave a wide smile of relief. “You guys are really something. I’m so glad you came around. I was so lonely and hopeless, but with the encouragement, I can feel much better now.”

***

Tell us: What do you think is important in friendships?