He stopped and looked in her
direction without saying anything. She went closer and stood still, expecting
him to say something. He just looked at her without saying a word.
“You are not saying
anything?” Cynthia said.
“What do you want me
to say na?” he asked, a bit indifferent.
“Why are you
sounding like this?”
“Don’t worry about
me. I will be fine.”
He
turned to go in.
“You are walking
away from me,” Cynthia said.
He
turned away from the door and stood for some seconds without doing or saying anything.
“I am sorry,” he eventually
said and sat on the pavement in front of the door. “I just need to rest.”
“You are still sad,”
Cynthia said and sat beside him on the pavement.
“Not really.”
“Then why are you
giving me attitude na?”
Chuka
sighed and said, “I just feel stupid. That’s all.”
Cynthia
didn’t know what to say. It was not her fault but she couldn’t tell him that.
She just kept quiet.
“This is your food,”
she said after a while, passing the food flask to him.
“Ok thank you,”
Chuka said, taking the food flask from her. “You shouldn’t have bothered though.
I already ate something.”
“What did you eat?”
“I ate snacks.”
“Is snacks food?”
“I am ok with it.
But thanks for the food anyway.”
They were quiet for a while. It was
Cynthia who broke the silence.
“How is your face?”
She asked.
She turned towards him and flashed
her phone screen light on his face.
“A bit sore but
better than yesterday,” he replied.
She touched the places he had
injury and he writhed a bit.
“Sorry,” she said.
“Thank you,” he
said.
They
were quiet for a while. This time it was Chuka who broke the silence.
“Are you still angry
with me about what happened today?” he asked.
“I was angry but I
am not anymore. What I feel for you now is more like pity.”
He
burst into laughter.
“I don’t mean that
in a negative way o,” she said.
“I understand what
you mean,” he said. “I didn’t know I was worth anything until today.”
“How do you mean?”
“The way people responded
when they heard the false news.”
“Most of them just
wanted stories to tell. They came to hear the news they will spread first
hand.”
“Yes but it was
amazing. Within minutes, people were everywhere.”
“You are a nice guy.
People like you. So don’t pull that kind of stunt again.”
“I will not, especially,
knowing that you care.”
“Yes. I care about
my friends.”
“Friendsss,” Chuka
said, stressing the ‘s’ and mock-coughed.
“I am not in for any
relationship now. I have to finish school and get a handle on my life.”
“I understand. I
don’t mean to rush you into any decision. The fact that I am crazy about you doesn’t
mean you should feel the same way about me. The only thing I can do is try my
luck. If it does not work out, I move on. Such is life.”
“The funny thing is
that I know fine girls in this neighbourhood who are crazy about you and will
do anything to have you.”
“It’s really crazy.
Being in love with someone who does not feel the same way for you, and the
circle keeps going.”
“Yes. That’s the
reality of life.”
“It is in our hands
sha, to see the signs early and stop our own emotions from going haywire.”
“Sometimes we can’t
do anything about it.”
“We can. We are
meant to be in control of our emotions. At least you are a good example of
that.”
“I was messed up
emotionally before now o. Kai.”
“Really?”
“Yes. A lot
happened.”
“Do you mind
sharing?”
“Nothing that you
don’t already know; guys taking advantage of a girl’s innocent emotion.”
“Oh ok.”
“What helped me was
when I learnt that it was safer to love with my head before my heart.”
“Very true. If you
don’t use your head, they will shatter your heart for you.”
Cynthia
looked at him and said, “I didn’t know you had this mindset about love.”
“I do,” Chuka said
and smiled. “Just that some people come and shatter what you already know and
leave you to pick the pieces.”
Cynthia
burst into laughter.
“I am now a
shatterer now abi.”
“Something like
that,” Chuka said, laughing.
“Please eat your
food. It is getting cold.”
“It’s true. Will you
feed me?”
“I will pour it on
your now,” Cynthia said, laughing.
“Shatterer like
you,” Chuka said, laughing.
He
opened the food and began eating.
“The food is sweet,”
he said.
“Thanks to my mum,”
Cynthia said.
“Yours is sweet too.”
“Story. I cook
potty.”
“You are not serious.”
“Don’t talk while
you are eating.”
“That advice is for
children.”
He ate
half and closed it.
“The night is still
young,” he said. “I will finish it later in the night.”
“It is not good to
eat late,” Cynthia advised.
“That’s for women.
It does not have any harmful effect on me.”
“Okay o.”
“When I am done, I
will wash the plate and return it.”
“Don’t stress
yourself. I will collect it tomorrow.”
“I will be traveling
very early in the morning.”
“That’s true sef.
Will you come back again?”
“Why not? Though it
depends on the outcome of my going to the village.”
“Eiyaa. I am missing
you already.”
“Even if I will go
somewhere else, I will come to take my things here. So we will definitely see.”
“I don’t feel like
you should go sef.”
“What Mabel said to
me earlier made so much sense to me.”
“What?”
“About a man having
security to offer the lady before thinking about a relationship.”
“Oh ok.”
“I came to stay here
with my brother to see if I could get a job, but I have not gotten any. I need
to explore some other options in other places.”
“Sure.”
“Then when I am
standing and you are still available, I will come and try again.”
“You are sounding so
matured.”
“Thanks to Mabel for
shaking me up.”
Cynthia checked the time on her
phone.
“I have to be going
now,” she said and stood up.
“I wish you could
stay longer,” Chuka said, standing up also.
“My mum will be
waiting for me so we can pray before sleeping.”
“Ok.”
Chuka
hugged her tight and held onto her, gently stroking her back, just above her
waist. Cynthia did not resist the hug.
“Thank you so much,”
he said into her ear as he ran his finger from the base of her spine area to
her bra.
Cynthia
felt her knees shaking.
...to be continued
Nedu Isaac
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