4
“Hey, Asia. Where are you?” Afrika asked as she let her backpack drop from her shoulders to the floor of her dorm room, while she held onto her cell phone.
“Hey, girl, I’m at the dining hall. I was famished and came straight from class with some of the other girls on the squad. Hurry up; I’ll wait for you.”
“Okay. I’ll be right over after I pee.”
The dorm suite was home to eight girls. There were two persons to a room, and they all shared a kitchenette that housed a refrigerator, a small stove, and a three-seater sofa and one chair. Afrika and Asia lived in separate suites but down the hall. Afrika liked her roommate, but she and Asia had more in common.
Afrika packed her books for her remaining classes. She took one last look in the mirror, smoothed down the edges of her hair, swished her ponytail, sucked her teeth, and winked at herself. Glancing around the room, she seemed satisfied that she had all she needed.
The sun was high overhead. Students strolled across campus, eager to get a bite to eat or head to their next class. Even though school had been in session for a month, Afrika was enjoying her freshman experience so far. She walked proudly as she made her way across campus.
“Asia,” a male voice called. “Asia, Asia,” the voice called out again when Afrika didn’t stop. “Asia.”
Afrika turned around, her ponytail slapping her in the face. A couple of feet away stood a handsome, middle-aged man, with thick black sideburns, closed-cropped brownish-black hair, wearing a red linen jacket, a red and white striped shirt accented by a white collar and cuffs, and black Hugo Boss slacks. Afrika smiled and then looked him up and down. She came to her senses when she realized the man was staring straight at her—through her.
Squinting, the gentleman pulled back his head, unsure that the young lady who stared back at him was who he thought. “Asia?”
“No, my name is Nikki.”
“I’m sorry…I’ve mistaken you for my daughter. She resembles you a little.”
“You mean, Asia?”
“Yes, do you know her?”
Afrika walked over to where the man stood. She had to agree with the talk on the yard that Asia’s father was definitely fine. “Yes, I know Asia. We’re on the cheerleading squad together. Everyone says we could pass for twins.”
“Well, they say that everyone has a twin in the world. Excuse my manners. I’m Mr. Victor Christianson.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Christianson. My mother says the same thing about having a double somewhere out there in the world.”
“Is your mother from around here?” Victor asked, as he watched Afrika with renewed interest.
“We came here from Kansas. My dad is a Colonel in the Army and he just left for Germany. My mom moved to Durham to be close to me.”
“Oh, I see. Well, it was nice meeting you, Nikki. If we can assist you in the Admissions Office, don’t hesitate to stop by.”
“Thank you, Mr. Christianson.” Afrika waved goodbye.
Victor turned and walked in the opposite direction, but stopped, turned, and watched as Nikki walked away.
THE CROWD HAD DWINDLED IN THE CAFETERIA BY THE TIME Afrika reached it. She got a tray and headed for the pizza station. Her mother said she was going to turn into a tub of cheese if she didn’t leave the pizza alone and start eating some vegetables. When it came to pizza, she wasn’t discriminating—Domino’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut—you name it.
“Nikki,” Asia called from across the room, waving her hand.
Afrika headed straight to the table and joined the group. “Asia, I met your dad a few minutes ago. I was on my way to the cafe when he called your name, thinking I was you. You should have seen his face when I finally turned around.”
“I bet he had the same look on his face that your mother had when she saw me.”
“Shoot, he looked like he was having an out-of-body experience, the way he kept staring at me.”
“It would be something if you were really sisters,” Erika, the head cheerleader, said.
“I’m not adopted,” Afrika said before Asia had a chance to speak.
“Neither am I,” Asia added, looking at the group that now stared back at her. “It’s a coincidence that we sort of have some of the same features. We’re not twins, not sisters, and we’re not adopted. So cool it.”
Afrika nibbled on her pizza and allowed the others to continue with their conversation. This was the first time that she’d seen Asia become upset over the comparison between the two of them. She knew who she was…she was the daughter of Setrina and Raphael, and that was it.
Lost in her thoughts, Afrika put the pizza down and recalled the text her mother sent her. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at the message again. There was no rhyme or reason to the message. She shut the phone, picked up her pizza, and began to nibble on it again.
“Earth to Nikki,” Asia said, now standing over her with tray in hand. “Girl, you aren’t tripping about all that crazy talk about us being adopted, are you?”
“Hell no,” Afrika said. “I know who I am and who my parents are. After awhile, they’ll be saying that the whole cheerleading squad is sisters since we wear the same makeup and the same hairstyle at all our games.”
“You’re right. After cheer practice, why don’t we go to my house? My brother’s birthday is today and I’m going to drop his gift off. My mom will probably have cake and ice cream. I’d go tomorrow, but since we have a football game and the Ques are giving the party of the year, Trevor won’t see me tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe a week’s gone by already since we went to my mom’s house. I was supposed to remind you to get the present. Sorry, I forgot.”
“Don’t worry about it. My handy-dandy BlackBerry reminded me. So, are you up to going with me?”
“I don’t know. I have a lot of homework to do, Asia.”
“Nikki, this is Friday night. You have all day Sunday to do your homework.”
“Well…
“What’s there to think about? After practice?”
“Okay,” Afrika relented, her mother’s warning sounding an alarm in the pit of her stomach. “Okay.”