Susan couldn’t believe her ears. This could not possibly be happening. If anybody had told her that she and Martha would ever fight over a guy, she definitely would have argued.

No, now that she thought of it, she would have laughed it off because if it wasn’t so ludicrous, it would have been hilarious. She pinched herself with the hopes that she would be awaken from what had to be a nightmare.

Unfortunately for her, it was very real.

She was indeed sitting across Martha in their favourite restaurant where her friend told her some seconds ago to let Daniel be because she wanted him.

Susan was not an idealist, she knew humans could be selfish and sometimes, disappoint you but she thought years of friendship would have weathered all major traces of self-centeredness between them.

But for blood connection, she and Martha were practically sisters. This bond that had gone through a lot and survived all hurdles could not possibly mean anything little to Martha.

Susan and Martha had met in Secondary School when Martha’s parents had relocated to Lagos from the north. Martha had transferred to Susan’s school and for some reason, they had hit it off immediately and before long, they were nicknamed, ‘the dynamic duo’ by their classmates.

Luck had shone on them when they were both admitted to the University of Lagos and that had strengthened the bond of their friendship.

About a year after NYSC, they had discovered soon enough that out of sight was indeed out of mind and so decided to make time once a month for a girls’ time out to catch up.

It was on one of such occasions – last month precisely – that they had met Daniel and his cousin, Joel.

And a month later, on another meeting, she was sitting through what could possibly the beginning of the end of many years of a wonderful friendship, at their favourite restaurant, where they should have been having fun.

All this for a man; a beautiful one nonetheless.

Susan had felt the frost immediately she stepped into the restaurant.

Martha had greeted her with a look that could only be described as a glare but she had dismissed it as the usual disapproval over her habitual tardiness.

Susan had never been early a day in her life, it was a habit she had been unable to break. And the fact that it had never – for some reasons she couldn’t fathom – resulted in any grievous consequences had not helped her situation.

She enjoyed so much immunity from Mother Nature even her job operated on lax timing. Little wonder she had assumed that was what put Martha in a snit.

She had, however, began to suspect Martha was a little more than mildly annoyed when after they had shared pleasantries – stiff on Martha’s end – Martha had said, “well, you better order and get your chow on so we can leave this place. This … whatever this is … is getting tiring.”

Susan had been surprised at that because in the past, Martha would not have eaten before she got there.

But she only raised her eyebrows and said, “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought I did more than come late, as usual”.

To which Martha had almost muttered, “everything isn’t about you, missus”.

At that point, Susan was sure there was more than meets the eye behind Martha’s reaction.

“Would you mind telling me what I did wrong?” Susan had asked.

Martha had been quiet for a while at the question as if contemplating whether to say more.

“Okay, let’s put it out there. I feel like you took Daniel from me, Susan and that doesn’t sit well with me. I saw them first and approached them first while you trailed behind me and all of a sudden, there you were monopolizing Daniel and keeping him all to yourself like you had a stake on him. I want him and you will have to back off”.

Susan had stared speechless all through her monologue because even if she had tried to speak, the horrifying shock had glued her tongue to the roof of her mouth.

And here she was for what seemed like forever, still gaping at her friend with the utmost bafflement even as Martha somehow took her silence for encouragement.

“And if you don’t, I’m going to have to force you to any way I can and this friendship would have to be over.”

Susan was certain this had to qualify for the joke of the century, Martha had never been known to be evasive or tactful but she still never would have imagined this much blunt disrespect from her.

Finally finding her tongue, Susan said, “Martha, first I am shocked beyond words that you felt this way about Daniel and did not think to talk to me about it as a friend but decided to resort to cheap threats and unnecessary melodrama.”

“Secondly, I don’t understand why you are this passionate over a guy you met once and do not know. From the little I know and though you might not take my words for it, you are better off.”

“Duh! Do I look dumb to you? I know that I might not know him so well but I don’t care. I just want him. And they might do it differently in your world, but from where I’m sitting, when a guy is deliciously handsome like Daniel is, you look beyond their flaws.”

At this point, Susan had had enough. “Well, then, I wish you both the best. When you are ready to be a friend, you know where to find me.”

Then, she picked her bag and walked away from the restaurant. The date was ruined anyway.

You are probably reading and wondering how sad! We all want good things of life and naturally, when something catches our fancy, what comes to mind is how to get it.

Girls love bad boys due to this so much concentration on looks without so much as considering if he is as good inside.

But you see, a lot of people have fallen to deep trap as a result of going for container and not content.

The idea that beauty should not be our first priority cannot be over-emphasised.

At the end of the day, the content of that person’s character is what you would live with.