ENVY 23

Ese hit the bed immediately she entered her room with Teju. She had at last given in to her mother's consistent pestering and moved to the staff quarters to live in the Dr's boys' quarters. But for the loneliness, she enjoyed the quarters, she is normally a very private person and her insistence on staying in the hostel, especially after she had spent a "stressful" month in the hostel, had been simply because she had not wanted to hear her mum say "I told you so". Even when she had agreed to move, she had made it look as if she was agreeing reluctantly just in order not to give the barrister the pleasure of gloating. The room was cosy, not as big as her room in Benin but big enough to shelter about 3 persons. It's furnished with a 6 by 4feet bed, and a bedside table against the wall, a standing mirror with a shelf attached, and a small sofa. All courtesy of the good Dr who was on a sabbatical leave outside the country. But for the cleaner and gardener who would come around every weekend to tend to the compound, Ese was pretty much on her own. The main building was always locked since the Dr. lived alone. Teju slumped on the sofa"Hallelujah! We are done for the semester." she exclaimed with an exaggerated sigh.
"Yea, it was something" Ese agreed "this semester's exam is the toughest I have had, even reading wasn't fun. I used to go to read with Siji normally, but it was different this time. He practically suspended our relationship"
"Are you guys having troubles?"
"No, not in that sense. But I sense he feels I distract him, though he didn't come all out to tell me that. He only said he needed to study with his guys more often, and the few times I called him during the exams, he would always find an excuse not to see me"
"Maybe they were not excuses Ese, maybe he really was busy"
"I know, it's just that I couldn't help but think he was avoiding me because he thought I was a distraction"
"Are you a distraction?"
"I don't know, you'll have to ask him"
"When you guys were reading together, was he a distraction to you? Were you able to read with him beside you? Without the temptation to talk about something or to rest your head on him?"
"Not really, he doesn't distract me. In fact I read better with him beside me. Of course I talk to him every now and then, but we can be beside each other for a couple of hours without saying a word, just knowing he is beside me does it for me."
"Actually dear, he may not be a distraction to you, but you may be to him. We are all different, he may lack the discipline you have in that area. I remember when Kalu was writing his first MBBS exams, he specifically told me that he would need some time to himself, that he finds it hard to go back to his books when he sees me, so we completely didn't see each other throughout the period of his exams, we only communicated via calls and SMSes"
"How I wish Siji is that crazy about me" Ese said smiling "though it would have its drawbacks like yours but at least I will understand the reason for the break in communication and it'd even be somewhat good for my feminine ego. Siji can study with me around, I think he was just being unnecessary concerned about his CGPA dropping"
"Is it that bad?"
"No, he is still in the first class range but he complained to me that at the rate with which he is dropping, he is scared he may not graduate with a first class, he used to top his faculty you know? Now he doesn't even top his department and he is particularly not happy that Pago whom he considered as a less serious student is leading the class. Sometimes when he talks about Pago I sense this deep envy in his words.
"You mean you sense he wishes he is Pago?"
"No, not exactly. I don't think he wishes he is as privileged as Pago but I'm sure he believes that he is a better student than Pago and things should be the other way round. He always say he teaches everyone in the class yet by the end of the day he scores lower than a number of them"
"He really needs to cool down. The way I see it, he's worrying too much over nothing, such things do happen"
"Yes, I told him, but he is just..... he is just Siji.....and he is ambitious"
"There is nothing bad in being ambitious"
"I know, but when it's too much, it becomes something else. How he feels about Pago now is worrisome too"
"Don't get yourself too worked up Ese, they are friends, guys don't let such silly feelings come between them" Teju said, then added "what about Pago? Is he still disturbing you?"
"Yes oo, my sister. He calls me almost always. When I stopped picking his calls, he started sending lewd text messages to me. He was even here yesterday"
"Really?"
"Yes, you know he stays close by, just a few blocks away. He came in the evening. Thank God my door was locked already"
"You didn't allow him in?"
"Of course not, immediately I knew he was the one, I ignored him completely"
"What did he want?"
"He said he knows that Siji does not have my time now, that he has my time, he is gonna do things that Siji can't do to me, he's gonna take good care of me and blah blah blah...."
"That boy is sick"
"Yea, said more and he was very explicit, I kept quite all through the monologue. He left when he was done"
"I think it's time you told Siji about all these, it's becoming serious"
"No, it's really not, Pago is harmless, I'll just endure him till he gets tired of me, I don't want this coming in between them"
"Exactly Ese, he knows that, that's why he is keeping at it. He knows you won't tell Siji"
"You know Siji had some misgivings about our relationship, because he suspected Pago was interested in me and I in him. I assured him then that we are just friends and Pago did too. I don't want those misgivings resurrecting again."
"Ese you are thinking for him, he is an adult, he can think for himself. Tell him and if he is really serious about you he'd stand by you and help you fight his friend off"
"No Teju, I won't" Ese said stubbornly
Teju knew when to stop pushing.
"I'll tell Kalu then, he should be able to talk some sense into Pago."
"Please don't, there is a chance Siji will hear about it if Kalu knows."
"Hmmmmm" Teju sighed deeply, suit yourself then."
Ese's ringing phone interrupted them.
"Speaking of the devil." she said as she picked the phone smiling.
"Hello baby, how was your last paper?  I.........yes she is here" she turned to Teju and said "check your phone, Siji said Kalu has been calling you."
Teju fetched her phone from her bag and exclaimed when she saw the 10 missed calls from Kalu. "What's the matter?" she asked Ese who has resumed her phone conversation.
"Terrorist attack?.........in New York? We didn't hear about it, we came straight to my apartment after our papers." she paused a bit to listen to whatever Siji was saying at the other end while Teju watched her with questioning eyes.
"Jesus! his mum? Kalu's mum too? Jesus! Okay I will tell her" she dropped the phone looking dazed.
"What is it?" Teju asked again, this time with more urgency
"There was a terrorist attack in New York this morning, in the World Trade Centre"
"And?"
"Pago's and Kalu's mums were there, no one has been able to reach either of them since the attack."
Teju was already making for the door before Ese finished talking.

About the Author.

 Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 22

September 11, 2001

Harmattan

"You have 10 more minutes to go, you should start rounding off by dotting all your 'i's and crossing all your 't's, you will not be given an extra second to make any amendment. Remember to write your matriculation number on the space provided on your answer booklet and nowhere else, I only want to see your number and it should appear only once, I don't care if your surname is Jesus or Muhammad, I don't want to see it. Know that you are failing this course if I see your name" Professor Jasper bellowed in his British accent. His real name was not Jasper, it was Owinikoko Aberuagba, Jasper was his nickname right from his undergrad days and it had stuck because everyone found it easier to call him Jasper and he didn't seem to mind it. He was a no nonsense man and he was feared by students and respected by his fellow lecturers. It was EEE 311 (Electromagnetic theory I) exams and it was the norm that a lecturer, with the help of two or more departmental staff supervises his exams himself. Prof. Jasper would rather be doing something else right now than watching the students trying to tackle his questions, he was a consultant to a number of companies and he had other businesses at the sides. His hands were full. That was why the department always set his course to be the last on the exam timetable.
                           ★★★
Siji was more than dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's, he was even backing the 'k's. He looked at his work for the umpteenth time and saw nothing wrong, but he still was not satisfied. ----what am I doing wrong?--- he asked himself. He used to trust his work, he used to take pride in his speed and accuracy, he used to only go through his finished work once before submitting and he would hardly find a single error, but lately he had not been trusting his accuracy, not with his CGPA  dropping  and moving precariously close to the border. He had been dropping steadily every semester since his saw his 200 level first semester results, he would not have bothered if everyone else was dropping, but that was not the case, a number of his classmates had overtaken him, including Pago. Pago was the one leading the class and Siji just didn't feel okay by that. He could not afford to fall below first class, although he had no one to answer to, he would be failing himself. He looked at his solutions to the four questions one more time.
                          ★★★
Pago finished fifteen minutes earlier, he had gone through all his workings several times over, and he could find no error in them. Though he had not been able to answer all the four questions, he had done his best and was ready to submit, but he still could not submit, not yet, he had to wait. He looked at Siji who was seated about 6 feet from him and looking down at his answer booklet. Pago was sure that Siji was through too.
---come on Siji, what else are you looking at? Stand up and go and submit--- he silently willed Siji to go and submit, he could not afford to submit after the given time had elapsed, and he did not want to submit before Siji ---Come on Siji, Come on----
                        ★★★
  Just when Pago was about losing it, Siji stood up and walked to the front of the hall, submitted his booklet and walked out. Pago stood up just as Siji disappeared through the door. He submitted too and walked out of the class. As he exited the hall, he remembered that he did not write his matriculation number on his answer booklet so he rushed back in
"Hey you! What do you think you are doing" the Prof barked at him as he walked towards the submitted booklets on the table
"I'm sorry sir, I forgot to write my matriculation number on my booklet sir"
The Prof glared at him monstrously
"Did you forget to wake up this morning?"
---what has waking up got to do with this--- Pago thought but he said "No, sir"
"So how come you forgot to write your number? You know the implication? It means you didn't seat for my course"
"Sir I .......I was......" Pago stammered, trying to look for an excuse as Prof. Jasper turned his back on him.
After much pleading, the Prof. pointed at the table and said "Go ahead"
"Thank you sir" Pago said as he walked to the table. He wrote the matriculation number smiling as he noted the similarity between his number and Siji's. His own number ended with 8 while Siji's number ended with 3, those that fall between the two were in other departments in the faculty, hence he came right after Siji in the class list.
                      ★★★
He met Siji outside waiting for him
"I thought I saw you coming out" Siji said as they both walked towards the halls of residence. Pago's car was at the repairer's in town.
"I was, but then I remembered I didn't write my matriculation number on my booklet, so I rushed back in. Professor Jasper gave me hell before allowing me to write it"
"Serves you right, you always forget to write your number, you may pay dearly for it someday"
"You can say that again bro, I almost did today"
"I don't know what it would cost you to always write your number first"
"I do, it's just that I sometimes forget. Whenever I see the questions, all I think about is solving them"
"That's not an excuse, answer booklets are given first"
"You know that's not always true, like today, we were given both the question paper and answer booklet at once"
"You are right there, but I feel you should still learn to write your number first"
"Yes sir" Pago said giving Siji a mock salute and they laughed. They both hated discussing their exams just after writing it so they walked silently side by side for a while, then Pago asked "how is Ese? It's been a while I saw her"
"She is fine, we haven't been seeing much of each other lately, the exams is keeping us both busy but we do speak on phone every now and then"
"And you could afford talking to her long enough on phone, I mean doing your love talk and all"
"She does most of the calling. You know I barely got enough money to buy this phone after I won the last scholarship"
"Yea, you'll rather spend all your money on study materials and send the rest to your Ma'ami than spend it on yourself"
It's because I saw getting a phone as a luxury I can do without, but Ese made me get it. She threatened that she would buy it for me if I didn't buy it for myself and I don't want her buying such a thing for me"
"Good of her, she seems to be really fond of you"
"Yea, and I'm quite fond of her too, we've been together for about a year now and it's still like we just started"
"I never can understand how you can stick to one girl for a year, Kalu too. Don't you guys have hormones? You are yet to know her right? Biblically"
"I don't get you, how do you mean?"
"Don't you know what it means to know a girl biblically?"
Siji smiled "it's strange listening to you talking about the Bible"
"Oh! I do read the Bible" then he corrected himself with a smirk "I used to, in high school, it was a missionary school so every student must read the Bible"
"Okay, so what does knowing a girl biblically mean?"
"Lemme explain like this, at some point in the Bible it was written 'and Abraham knew Sarah and she bore him Isaac' or 'David knew Barthseba and she bore him Solomon' maybe that's not exactly how it was written, but you do catch my drift, don't you?"
Siji could not control the laughter that consumed him, he started hitting Pago playfully and he too joined in the laughter "Bad bad boy. You are using the Bible to drive home your lewd point. We need to use bleach to wash your brain and mouth, they are full of dirt"
"Anyway, now you understand. So have you known Ese biblically?"
"No, I haven't known her biblically"
"Jeez! Don't tell me you've not even kissed or smooched or ....."
"I reserve the right to remain silent" Siji interrupted smiling
"You are a big spoil sport, I was having fun"
"My relationship with Ese shouldn't be your subject of fun" Siji said, then in other to shift the focus from himself, he asked "How is Stella? Hope you two are going on well?"
"We are cool, just cool. Like the others, she understands the rule, even more than Cynthia. Cynthia relocating to Port Harcourt was a blessing, she was becoming too complicated to handle. I was really looking for a way to drop her but her brother did it for me when he asked her to come over. And just about the same period, Stella gained admission"
"I never thought you will end up dating her"
"Me neither, you know, that night at the Lagbaja show, she was your date but you stood her up. She still believes you are gay and with the way you are playing it cool with Ese, I am beginning to believe her"
Siji intentionally ignored the jibe and asked instead "what about that friend of hers? Your date that night"
"Oh! Tina. She failed UME, she has left town sha, I really had some good time with them, I still have Stella though and she has proven to be better than both Tina and Cynthia"
"At least you're sticking to just one now"
"The hell I am, I have one steady for now, but I am not you, neither am I Kalu"
                     ★★★
When they got to Faj, they noticed that the TV room was unusually filled up.
"Is there a soccer match going on?" Siji ask Pago
"Not that I know of, and I have never seen the TV room this filled, not even during the champion league finals or last year's Olympic games"
"Let's have a look"
They entered the TV room through the back door and could not move to the front for everywhere was  occupied and most of the students were standing. But for their heights, both of them would not have been able to see the TV from where they stood at the back of the room. On the screen was CNN, which was unusual.
"When did CNN become Supersports? Pago asked no one in particular. Siji was not listening, his eyes were fixed on the screen, trying to read the breaking news at the lower part of the screen, he could barely read it because of the distance, "TERRORISM ON AMERICAN SOIL" then the white woman on the screen was saying. ".......... in Pentagon and one crashed in Pennsylvania, the twin towers of the World Trade Centre were the worst hit and casualty figure is estimated to be in the thousands........." the screen changed and the twin towers were shown as the planes crashed into them, then as the buildings started crumbling down
"Jesus!" Someone shouted in the front of the room then another voice said "these people have no value for human lives, heartless bunch of rogues." Siji tried to shut out the voices around him so he could hear the white woman on the screen "......... the terrorist group Al-Qaeda are suspected to be responsible for the attack............."
Pago was carried away by what was on the screen that he didn't hear his phone ringing
"Pago, your phone is ringing" Siji said, tapping him
It was Sike, his elder sister calling from the United Kingdom. She hardly called, she wasn't the kind to call for chitchat, she was too serious that Pago had nicknamed her Margaret Thatcher. ---why is Sike calling me?---
"I'd have to pick this call outside, the noise is much here and it's an international call" he told Siji as he walked out of the room.
10 minutes later Siji walked out of the room and saw Pago dialing his phone frantically as he walked up and down the corridor, he looked apprehensive, he looked scared, Siji had never seen him like this.
"Is something wrong Pago?" He asked as he walked towards him concerned
"It's my mum, she is in New York, she was at the World Trade Centre this morning, and now she can't be reached. No one in the family has been able to reach her."

About the Author

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 21

So you mean Siji didn't know she was the same girl we've been talking to him about?" Kalu asked after Pago narrated what happened earlier in the day to him. His mum had just left and they were both on their way to the halls of residence.
"he didn't, and unless she has now told him, I think he still doesn't. He was surprised when he saw me but I am sure it was because he never thought her mum and mine were friends. I was shocked too, I must confess, so was she, she would have caught a fly with the way her mouth hung open" he laughed at his joke and Kalu joined him.
"I must give her credit though, I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't looking at her, she recovered so fast that no one but me noticed. Then she acted as if we've never met before and I did ditto."
"So what are you gonna do now?"
"I don't know really. The truth is, it all started as a joke, like the normal MOZ 101. Then her stubbornness turned it into a challenge, I wanted to see how long she would resist and how I would have enjoyed her fall" he smirked wickedly "I really had special plans for her, but now things have changed, my friend is in love with her and not only is she the daughter of my mum's close friend, my mum is taken in by her. You heard her saying I should be seen with decent girls like Ese. She only met the girl once and she is already deceived"
"And how come you know Ese isn't decent?"
"Don't be so naive Kalu, is there any decent girl these days?"
"I believe there are"
Pago laughed and said "don't tell me Tejubaby has hoodwinked you. You've not been intimate with her, have you? She's still teasing you with it in order to keep you.... to keep you interested, whet your appetite..."
"Pago, I........."
"You need to lay with her before you can say for sure, and I'm sure you'll be surprised...."
"I won't sit here and let you talk about Teju like that" the anger in Kalu's voice shut Pago up "I wasn't asking for a relationship advice, so please keep your opinions to yourself"
Pago knows when to back off "I am sorry Kalu, I just...."
"It's okay, let's just lay it to rest"
They drove in silence for a while each with his thoughts, then Kalu broke the silence. "What's the essence of seeing Siji now if you are yet to decide on what to do"
"I guess seeing him will help me to decide"
"I think you should leave her alone, Siji's interest in her unlike yours, seems to be sincere. And you can have others. You even have others."
"I will know, when I speak with him"
"Good enough" Kalu said as Pago parked in front of Awo hall. They both got off the vehicle and walked towards Siji's block.
                           ★★★
They found a comfortable spot at anglomoz, it was a covered bus stop that had almost fallen under the weight of neglect, but still good enough to perform it's function. They sat on the slab provided as seats. He could smell her fresh scent. He could tell that she had just taken her bath, she was not only smelling fresh, she looked fresh. He had not had time to refresh since they last saw each other. He normally would have freshen up before coming to see her but Pago and Kalu had visited and by the time they left, he was running late and he knew it would be a bad idea to keep her waiting. He felt somewhat under dressed and it, in addition to her silence, was making him uneasy. She had only said hi to him that night and nothing else. She was a far cry from the lady that had hugged him earlier in the day. He looked around the park and saw  a few other couples.
"This is the venue for MOZ 101 you know?" He joked just to fill the silence. If she heard what he said, she ignored him. After what seemed like an eternity to him, she spoke. "Is this what this is? A MOZ 101 stunt?" She said in that soft measured voice of hers that he had learned to  start dreading
"I don't get you Ese. How do you mean?
"Don't play ignorant with me Siji, you know what I mean" her voice slightly raised now, but still controlled "Okay, I will spell it out for you if that's what you want. Are you taking me as a MOZ 101 babe, because if you are, you've got the wrong girl?"
"Ese no, you know that's not true"
"What's this then?" Before he could think of a suitable reply, she continued "you never told me you were friends with Pago"
"Ese I....I didn't...." He started stuttering
"Please don't try to deny it, you knew all along, maybe not from the outset, but you later knew that ....that I know him, that he has been disturbing me, and you didn't say anything. Looking back now, I remember wondering why you were so interested in Teju's boyfriend. Kalu is your friend also, right?" He nodded without saying a word.
"Oh God! This is all a game right? A bet between you and Pago. who gets the girl first get the price, how much is at stake? Kalu must be the one holding the price for you guys. What were......"
"Ese please, you need to cool down. All your accusations are preposterous. For starters, Pago and I saw you at different times so there was no way we could have placed a bet on you. I agree I later on knew you were the same girl Pago was interested in, but I assure you that Pago only got to know this afternoon, you could tell from his expression that he was shocked to see me with you. You weren't the only one I didn't tell, I didn't tell Pago and Kalu also, I knew Pago has some interest in you and I do too. You'll agree with me that it's a dicey situation, I was trying to be careful not to take the wrong steps, that was why I said nothing to either of you. I cherish my friendship with Pago and I want you too, I don't want one affecting the other. And there is the social status thing again, you two are both..... you know...up there and me...."
"And you sincerely think that will affect my decisions?" she asked unbelievably
"Initially, I did, I don't anymore. But it isn't just you, you know? I felt it today from your mum, she isn't that crazy about me"
"You are dealing with me here, not my mum and I am not a baby. You should be telling me how you feel about me, not how you think my mum feels about you"
"I think the way I feel about you is pretty obvious, what else would make me pray for a man who splashed me with water?" She laughed and he joined her "I knew something struck me that day, I couldn't place it, I am still trying to understand it because it's novel, I have never felt this way for anyone before. I want to be more than a friend to you, I cannot see the future but I know I want to be with you now"
"Are you wooing me Adesiji Adebambi"
--Are you kidding me?-- he thought.
She had practically forced him to woo her and now she is asking if he is wooing her. ---The man that reached the conclusion that females are complicated beings must have been a very wise man--
But he liked the way she said his name in full. She had taken extra care not to pronounce it wrongly remembering to stress out the 3rd syllable of his surname.
"Yes, I am, Ese Osaruwense" he said returning the courtesy.
"Okay, now that we have reached an understanding, I will have to think about it" she said coolly.
--Really? That's all you have to say after you made me pour out my heart to you?--
Aloud he said "okay, no wahala"
"I think I need to go to bed now" she stood and started walking towards her hall without waiting for him. He caught up with her and walked silently beside her.
"When next am I going to see you?" He asked as they got to the entrance of her hall.
"I can't say, but you know my room, don't you? Goodnight" she said and entered Moz without waiting for his reply.
                      ★★★
That night he tossed for about two to three hours trying to make sense out of her behavior before sleep finally came.
                       ★★★
When the image came that night, it was not a juxtaposition of two faces but one very clear face, and she slept sweetly with a smile on her face.

About the Author

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 20

Pago pulled up in front of the hall and killed the engine "My mum said they are somewhere around here, we would have to look for them."
No sooner had they got out of the car than they saw Cynthia walking towards them.
"Shit." Pago cursed silently that Siji could barely hear him
"What's it?" Siji asked silently too
"Can't you see Cynthia coming?"
"Of course I can. What about her?"
"Ooooh! Why are you acting clueless? I am just about to see my mum. Cynthia isn't the kinda girl I want my mum to see me with."
"Ohoh! So what are we gonna do about her?"
"I'll have to take her somewhere far from here. She has been acting funny lately and becoming very unpredictable. I thought we had an agreement."
Siji smiled "that kinda agreement doesn't always work in matters of the heart."
"Matters of the heart? It's just sex and she knows it, she.........." He trailed off as Cynthia came close enough to hear them.
"Hi Siji, I have not seen you at the bar this semester, not that you buy our stuffs but we've missed your presence."
He laughed and said "I have been busy dear, I should drop by sometime soon."
"Please do." she shook his hand and hugged Pago "hello baby." she said to him
"What are you doing here?" he grumbled
"Oh! Someone is not too happy to see me. Is one of your girlfriends matriculating today?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Pago give me some credit, I'm no fool, you are not here for sightseeing, are you?
"Of course not, I have come with Siji, a friend of his is matriculating." he lied, then said" your are yet to answer me, what are you doing here?"
"Business, we've come to sell our non alcoholic drinks, our patrons don't buy them and this is a good avenue to dispose them. Our stand is over there" she said pointing at her left "Jude is the one manning it, I came to drop some things with him, I was on my way back to New buka when I  saw you guys."
"Let me walk some distance with you then." he said then turned to Siji "I'll just be awhile"
As he watched the couple walk away Siji wondered at how perfectly Pago could play his game without getting caught.
When Pago didn't come after a long while, he started moving round to feed his eyes. He could see several families with different kinds of rice in different shapes and sizes of coolers. It was as if everyone around him were either eating or serving. Some students were moving from one family spot to another eating their fill. He could remember when he was matriculating, it had been only him, Ma'ami was not there since she didn't know anything about matriculation and he had not invited her, he had celebrated alone, taken a few shorts at the motion ground with his ceremonial gown and that was it.
Siji suddenly found himself at the spot, he couldn't understand how he got there. He had been thinking about his matriculation as he walked around and his legs had taken him there, to the spot he had helped Ese pick for her matriculation ceremony. He was filled with anxiety as he tried to turn back and retrace his steps but something caught his eye. The matriculant at the spot was not Ese, she was not even a she, she was a he. Siji moved closer to the spot to have a better look. He could see that the OSARUWENSE he had written boldly on the wall had been covered with a cardboard that had JOHNSON written on it. He knew what had happened immediately, someone had snatched Ese's spot. It was common for already taken spots to be snatched, that's why most people get someone to man their spots for them. He hoped Ese got another spot and soon enough. He was glad he now had an excuse for not showing up.
"You are welcome my son, come and celebrate with us" a short middle-aged woman smiling up at him said "please do have a seat" she must be the matriculant's mum, she was holding his hand now and pulling him, there was no way he could escape. He followed her and sat on the chair."
"What will you love to eat? We have fried rice, jollof rice, semo,.........."
"Jollof rice ma'am"
"Tade jo bami serve iresi jolofu fun okunrin yin" She said to the lady serving. In no time he had a plate full of rice in front of him. The irony of the situation was not lost on him as he ate. He was eating at the same spot he was trying to avoid. The food reminded him that he had not eaten that morning, he rushed it all up, not only because of hunger but also because he wanted to rush back to the car, Pago may be looking for him now.
"Thank you very much, ese gan ma" he said to the woman as he stood to leave "you're welcome my son, Oluwa lo se" she beamed at him as though he was the one who did her a favour. He shook hands with the celebrant wishing him well and hurried off.
He decided to take a shortcut in order to get to the car on time. He was walking very fast.
"Siji" He heard a familiar voice call his name and he turned but he saw no one
"Siji over here" the voiced called out again. Now he could see her, she was jumping and waving for him to see her because there were lots of people between them, blocking them. She started walking towards him.
"Oh! Jeez!" He muttered under his breath. Ese was smiling as she got close to him. Despite his beating heart her smiled triggered his. She surprised him by hugging him when she got close enough, tiptoeing to wrap her arms round his neck and crushing her bosom against his chest. She had never hugged him before, no woman had ever hugged him before, not even Ma'ami. He was not accustomed to such shows of emotions. Not sure of where to place his hands, he let them hover behind her back momentarily before dropping them by his sides. He stood rigidly and felt somewhat awkward. She released him and smiled up at him.
"I'm glad you could make it, I was worried you wouldn't find this place since the spot we picked had been taken"
"Yes.......I ...I saw it" he stuttered as he tried to reset his brain that had been set to default by her actions.
"Anyway, we got somewhere else, better than the one we lost. My mum is there with a friend of hers, let me introduce you to her" she said  holding his arm
"Your mother?" He said not moving
"Yes, let's go, she won't bite you" she joked when she noticed his anxiety, then added "you'll like her" he could not say no, so he let her pull him along.

Isabella watched in surprise as her daughter rushed off to meet the tall lanky boy. When Ese had mentioned she had another friend she would like her to meet, she had assumed naturally that the friend was female. If discovering that her daughter had a male friend surprised her, what Ese did next amazed her. She didn't even hear what Doyin was saying, all she could see was her daughter hugging the boy. She was seeing a side of her daughter that she hitherto was not aware of. She watched openmouthed as Ese hugged him as though she had known him all her life.
"Isabella!" Doyin literally shouted to get her attention "what's wrong with you, you have not been listening to me" Doyin apparently had not noticed what captured Isabella's attention.
"Oh! Sorry dear, what was it you were talking about?"
"Hope everything is alright?"
"Yes Doyin, I am fine. Now what were you talking about?"
"I was saying my son is finding it hard to locate this place, and I haven't been much help since I don't know this place well enough to be able to tell him exactly where we are."
"Oh! Don't worry, my daughter Ese will help with that, here she comes"
"Mummy here is Siji, the friend I told about" Ese said when they got to the spot
"God afternoon ma'am" Siji greeted her, he could barely hide his anxiety
"Afternoon, it's good to meet you boy" she said flippantly with a stress on the "boy" while giving him a plastic smile, then she waved her hand dismissively at him and turned to Ese "where exactly are we? My friend's son is finding it hard to locate us"
"I really don't know how to......" Ese started saying
"We are at the faculty of Admin car park, but close to the Rotunda. He should see us if he comes to the Rotunda" Siji offered then greeted Ese's mother's friend that he had not noticed until then. She smiled at him and thanked him as she called her son.
"Sit down Siji, what will you like to eat?" Ese asked him
"Actually I'm filled, I have eaten, while I was searching for you, I saw a classmate of mine whose sister is matriculating today and he made me eat with them." he lied
"Really?" She didn't sound pleased "you still have to take something here" she insisted "a plate of coleslaw wouldn't hurt."
"What's that?"
"You will see" she answered as she served it in a saucer, then served him two turkey on another saucer and a bottle of chilled malt. Not sure of the taste, he fetched just a little with the spoon to taste. It tasted good. Isabella was supervising the maid who was serving others but she kept looking at Ese and Siji.
--where did my daughter find this boy that doesn't know what coleslaw is?-- She thought to herself and hoped Ese was not having any funny idea because she wouldn't allow some uncultured boy taking advantage of her daughter.
The way Ese's mother was looking at him made Siji sense that she didn't like him and she was making him uneasy, she wasn't even trying to hide her dislike. She was an older version of Ese, he could see where Ese got her beauty from, they look so much alike and he was sure that in 20 or so years Ese would look exactly like her mum looked.
"Mummy! Here you are, locating you had been an herculean task" Pago's thick voice startled Siji out of his reverie. The turkey lap he was battling with dropped from his mouth onto the saucer as he stared agape as Pago hugged the woman he spoke with few minutes ago.
--shit, she is Pago's mum, Ese's mum and Pago's mum are friends--
"How are you doing baby boy, look at you, you've grown skinny," Doyin said then asked "where is Kalu?"
"He can't make it, he will meet us at my apartment"
"Okay, you should thank that young man over there, he was the one who helped me with the descr......."
Pago could only hear his mother's first few words as he turned to find Siji staring at him like he was some ghost.
"Siji! How did you get here? I have been look........." He trailed off as he saw who was sitting beside Siji and looking at him with surprise in her eyes too. It was making no sense to him, he tried to wrack his brain to get an explanation, then it hit him. She must be the girl Siji had been talking about.
--Siji and I have been after the same girl and her mum happens to be my mum's friend, interesting--
Aloud, he said "actually mum, he is my friend, this is Siji, the one I told you about. We came here together but kinda lost each other"
"Oh! The same Siji?" Doyin said moving closer to shake his hand as he stood up "how are you doing my son?"
"I am fine ma."
"Good, Pago told me about you, how you make him sit up. Sometimes, with the way he talks about you,I thinks he envies you" she said laughing then added "And isn't it amazing that you both somewhat look alike?"
Siji smiled to hide his embarrassment
"Come on mum, I only said he makes me take my studies more serious."
"Yea right. You should meet my friend Barrister Osaruwense and her lovely daughter Ese." Doyin said as she introduced them. Siji could not help but notice that Pago got a warmer welcome from Ese's mum. Pago and Ese acting as though they both had never met, shook hands and said the usual perfunctory courtesies. Some minutes later after taking pictures Doyin made to leave.
"I need to get to my son's apartment at the quarters to drop the things I brought for him before leaving"
"He stays in the quarters? Ese refused to, no matter how hard I tried to convince her." Isabella said
"Don't worry, she may change her mind in time."
"I hope so. She can be very stubborn a times."
"Aren't they all?"
They said their goodbyes and the Adebantus left. Siji too, soon excused himself and Ese offered to see him off
"Thanks for coming" she said after walking for some minutes in uneasy silence.
"It's my pleasure."
"Really?" She turned on him and stopped walking, he stopped too "Are you sure? Did you even plan to come? The way I see it, you only planned to come celebrate with your friend's mother's friend's daughter and not me. Her voice was not raised, it was calm but he sensed she was not happy with him.
"Ese, I...."
"We will see tonight, I will be in the room by 8pm." it wasn't a question, it was a statement delivered calmly.
"Okay" he said
She turned and walked back, leaving him standing there.
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"Where did you meet that boy" Isabella asked her daughter
"He isn't 'that boy' mummy, his name is Siji"
"That didn't answer my question."
"I met him here obviously, he is a 200 level student, and he's been a good friend."
"I don't like him."
"Mummy, you barely know him, you can't......"
"I know him well enough to know you shouldn't be mixing up with him."
"But mum..."
"Just be careful with him, something isn't right about him."
She had learnt not to always argue with the Barrister so she gave in
"Okay mum, I'll be."
"Good. Now didn't you notice what a fine gentleman Pago is? He is just like your father was at his age, young, bright and handsome."

About the Author. 

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 19

They all entered  Oduduwa hall, all adorned in blue ceremonial gowns, they got their gowns a day before and that in itself was an herculean tasks. The students had to go to their respective faculties to get it. Ese had had to queue, struggle and even fought to get her gown and when she finally succeeded, she got a mismatched gown and cap. She got a navy blue gown and a light blue cap. But luckily for her, when she got to the hostel she saw that Teju got a light blue gown and a navy blue cap so they had swapped.
The hall was already half filled when Ese and Teju entered. There were post stands around the hall indicating seating arrangement. Name of faculties were written on the posts.
"That's Social Sciences Ese" Teju said pointing at one of the posts, then added "but I can't seem to find Administration"
"It's because you were busy looking out for my faculty, that's it over there" Ese joked pointing at the post next to the one Teju had pointed to.
"Don't flatter yourself, I only saw it by chance, and by the way, you saw my faculty before me too" Teju retorted
"Yea, right"
They both walked to the positions assigned to their faculties. The hall was a sea of different shades of blue. Ese had picked the navy blue because Teju did not like the cap. Teju had said it looked like a Fulani shepherd's hat because of its wide top. Ese herself didn't wear the cap, she held it in her hand, she wasn't really the cap wearing kind so she had not mind picking the navy blue gown.
    The noise in the hall died down as the Vice Chancellor, alongside the Registrar, the Deans and other senior officials of the university entered the hall dressed in similar looking multicolored ceremonial gowns and sat down on the high table in front of the hall and the program began. A woman whom Ese recognized as her faculty's  secretary came to share a pamphlet to them. Ese looked at her copy "MATRICULATION OATH" was written boldly at the top, she quickly read through it, then dialed her mother's number again. She had been trying to reach her since day break but the network seemed to have a mind of its own that morning, and just as her previous attempts a disembodied voice told her that her call could not be connected. She dropped the phone in her bag, disappointed.
They started the program by reciting the national anthem and the school anthem, and the registrar introduced the university officials, then the VC gave a boring speech where he congratulated, advised, warned and threatened the freshmen.  The registrar came back to the podium to lead them through the matriculation oath. All the matriculants stood up and read the oath.
"Know that you are bound by the oath, you did not just read the oath  for the sake of formality, you will be punished accordingly if you in anyway break the oath. You are expected to fill the spaces on the pamphlet with you, fill in your names, your faculties, append your signatures and write today's date, then your are to submit it in your various faculties.
Lastly the matriculants were asked to stand up by faculties and were introduced to their deans who accepted them into their faculties.  The VC and the others filed out as they came.
As Ese stood up to leave, her phone rang, it was her mum
"Mummy you missed it, we are through, we are just leaving the hall, where are you?"
"Will you even allow me talk?"
"I'm sorry mum, it's just that I would have loved you to be around during the matriculation proper"
"Oh! I am, look back at the audience section"
Ese looked back and saw her mum amidst other proud parents, she was waving at her.
"Mummy" she screamed so loud that she scared those around her as she forced her way through the crowd, up the stairs to meet her mum at the back. She hugged her tightly when she got close enough to jump at her.
"Oh mummy, I have missed you so, I was scared you were running late, that you wouldn't make it on time, I even tried calling you several times but I couldn't get through"
"Isabella smiled down at her daughter and said "you know I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. I tried your number also. The network can be funny at times"
"I spoke to daddy yesterday morning and he told me you had gone to Kano and that he wasn't sure if you'd make it back yesterday, so I thought...."
"Yes, but I made it back yesterday. Actually I was supposed to have come back on Sunday but I met an old friend there, she convinced me to shop with her at the Kano cloth market, and the weather was bad on Monday, so we couldn't fly. She will be here today too"
"Your friend? Is a child of hers matriculating too?
"Yes, my friend and No, no child of hers is matriculating. Her son is in his second year, she planned to visit him this week, and when I told her about the matriculation, she decided to come today in other to celebrate with us too. I am even expecting her call"
Ese looked around for Teju and luckily found her, she waved at her and beckoned on her. "Mummy here is my close friend Teju" Isabella smiled down at Teju and shook her hand "Nice to meet you girl and congratulations...." Her ringing phone interrupted her "excuse me" she said as she picked the call
"I gotta go Ese, my big bro just called to tell me that my parents are already around and are setting up already at the spot"
"Oh! Okay, say me hi to them"
"I will, but you have to come over so that I'll introduce you to them"
"I will"
"Good, see you later" Teju said as she rushed away.
Isabella finished her call and said "that was my friend, the one I told you about, she is just entering the school gate. Where has your friend gone to"
"To meet her parents. Let's go mum, I found a special spot where we can set up, and I want you to meet another friend of mine"
"Okay, you've been here just about a month and you've made a number of friends already, I didn't know you are this gregarious" Isabella said as she followed Ese out of the hall
"It's not that mum, it's just.......... it's just that they are great"
"Okay, I'll accept your words for it"
Their spot was already taken, they had to find another spot and luckily they got a better one but Ese was not pleased, she was pissed. Now it would be hard for Siji to locate them, that is even if he did, they had both picked the lost spot the night before and they had agreed he would meet her there. She would have called to inform him about the change but he had no phone. She really wanted him to meet her mum.
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"When is our next class Siji?" Pago asked as they finished their second class for the day. He didn't bother to copy the timetable anymore. He would ask Siji after every class when and what the next class was, and after the end of everyday he would asked him the time for their first class the next day.
"Actually, we are to have EEE 201 by noon but the lecturer has rescheduled so we are free for the day" as Siji answered he thought of Ese and knew he had no excuse to give her if he didn't attend her matriculation as planned
"Good" Pago said loudly snapping him out of his thoughts "My mum is coming today"
"Really, you never told me"
"It's because she just told me yesterday, I knew she wanted to come but I didn't know it'd be this early. She said it's because her friend's daughter is matriculating today. She called me during the lecture, I guess she is around already, I'll have to call her back to ask where she is.
"Hello mum, where are you?" He asked when she picked the call
"Okay, we will be there shortly" he hung up and turned to Siji "she is here, she is somewhere around Oduduwa Hall. Let's go, Kalu will meet us there" he said taking it for granted that Siji would go with him. Actually Siji had no plans but he didn't feel like meeting mothers, he was trying to escape one and here is another. Then again, he reasoned that it would be easier meeting Pago's mum than Ese's mum, but he still tried to find a way out.
"Okay, but,  how can I manage with my bag and all.........."
"You'll drop them in the car na" Pago interrupted impatiently as he walked out of the class
-- I will have to give Ese a plausible excuse-- Siji thought as he followed Pago out of the class.

About the Author

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 18

The Ladies Club started during the colonial era, it was started by a handful of women who were alumni of only female secondary schools in Lagos and Western Nigeria. It was known as the New Era Ladies Club then. It aimed at supporting women to have equal opportunities as their male counterparts and to build and strengthen a sisterhood bond amongst the women. Over the years the club had so grown that it had members from all parts of the country regardless of whether they attended only girls schools or not. The club now boasts of women who have made their marks in their chosen careers, many of them have even reached the peak of their professions. From lawyers to Judges, Doctors, Engineers, Economists and what have you. The club met annually, and the venue was rotated among the six regions of the country. It was the turn of the Northwest to host the club and the city of Kano was chosen for the event.
The intense sun that greeted Isabella as she climbed down the ramp at the Aminu Kano International Airport pierced through her skin, she walked as fast as her legs could allow  across the tarmac and gave a sigh of relief as she entered the cool building. The sun coupled with the fact that she hated flying, no matter how short the distance was, had drained her. She made for the waiting area. She had travelled light since she would be leaving the next day, so she had no luggage to wait for by the conveyor, but she wanted to rest a bit, she was not running late and she was not eager to go back under the hot sun. She sat down on the  available seat, rested her head on the headrest, and closed her eyes.
-let me just take a breathe-
"Bella, Bella, Bella, is this you" the excited voice roused her, she opened her eyes and saw the familiar face looking down at her. She jumped from her seat and they both hugged excitedly.
"Doyin, Doyin, how long has it been?"
"Five years I think"
"You have not been attending the meetings regularly"
"See who is talking. You were not in Port-Harcourt last year, I specifically searched for you" Doyin said as they both sat down.
"You are right, the firm had lots of cases to handle and our clients were on our neck, it was just after the elections, I had my hands filled. But what about the years that preceded last year? I didn't miss any of those and I didn't see you"
"You know na, my business always keeps me busy, and a times Victor may require me to go on one of those oversee business trips with him. I have been lucky lately that the dates of the meetings are not clashing with any of those trips"
"How is Victor? I have been reading about him in the papers. If he is not acquiring one company he is  building another"
"He is fine my sister, God has been so good to us. To you too, I hear John has been shortlisted for ministerial appointment.
"Yes, he has. What's remaining is just some formalities like the interview with the Senate"
"Oh! Nice. Who would have thought...? We've both come so far. I can still very much remember our days in Queen's College and Ibadan" Doyin said reflectively
"Ditto. It's just like yesterday"
Isabella Ogagah and Doyin Adedapo had met for the first time as young girls in secondary school and they had become very close friends and their friendship had continued when both of them gained admission into the University in Ibadan, they had both studied law and they were inseparable throughout their school days. They both met their heartthrobs at the university and married immediately after school. Isabella had married John Osaruwense while Doyin had married Victor Adebantu. Isabella had gone ahead to law school and joined a growing law firm in Benin while Doyin had remained a house wife living in Lagos and later went into business. They were separated by marriage and locations but the Ladies Club had become a means by which both of them met every year.
"I tried your number, the land line, several times but NITEL keeps telling me that the line wasn't listed " Isabella said
"Oh! It was because we relocated, Victor finished the house on the island and we moved from the mainland. I'm sorry I didn't inform you about it, everything was crazy then, I even lost your number too. Let me give you the new number."
They exchange numbers
"Why are you seated here, are you waiting for someone?" Doyin asked
"No, I was just taking a breathe, the intensity of the sun here is something else. I practically ran across the tarmac"
"Me too. But we can't stay here forever, let's go to the hotel, you'll be able to rest better there before the event starts"
As they exited the airport building, a slim man in kaftan rushed at them
"Hajia, Madam where I dey go?"
Doyin dipped her hand into her handbag to fish out a card then read from it "Royal Tropica...."
"Royal Troficana Hotel" he interrupted her enthusiastically "I savi za flace, kuzo muje na kai ku, enter za mota". He said as he rushed back to his taxi to open the back door for them and held it as they entered. He closed it gently then rounded his vehicle to enter the driver's side.
"How far is the hotel?" Doyin asked the driver
"Not too par malama" he replied as he drove out of the airport
"Why don't you put the AC on?" Isabella said
"Ai rankidede, AC I chop am for fetir and fetir I chop am for moni"
"What's fetir?" Doyin asked
"He means petrol, fuel" Isabella replied, then to the driver she said "don't worry, we will pay for it. Just put it on please, this heat is too much"
"Okay hajia, ba masala"  he said as he switched the air-conditioning unit on
"You know Doyin, I almost decided not to attend the event this year?"
"Why is that?"
"My daughter just gained admission into the University and her matriculation is next Wednesday, it was earlier slated for Monday but then shifted. I wouldn't have been able to make it here had it not been shifted."
"Oh! That's nice. What school is it?"
"It's Ife"
"Ife! I have a son there too"
"Really? I didn't know"
"It's because it's been awhile we met, and he just gained admission last year, he is in his second year. I plan to visit him this week. I haven't picked a day yet, but with you going there on Wednesday, I guess I'll pick Wednesday, it'll be nice to get together again, celebrate with your daughter and all.
"That will be nice, I'll like to see your son too"  the barrister said.
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"It's your turn to tell me about yourself. How was growing up like for you?" This was their second meeting and it's a week after their night at the tennis court. They had not had the chance to meet and he had really not being eager to see her. Not that his feelings for her had changed but he was trying hard to avoid the trouble he strongly feels the future holds. With Pago in the picture, he believed that if he kept on seeing her, it would end badly for at least one of them if not for the three of them. But he just couldn't stop himself when she appeared in his room that evening. He was only glad Wale was not in the room when she came. He  had quickly left the room with her then they had walked around the campus and finally settled for the park in front of the school's library and beside the Senate building. There were other couples there but there was a reasonable distance between them and the closest couple.
"We are just two" she replied
"Two?"
"Yes, my older brother and me, his name is Richard. He is in the States, schooling"
"Why didn't you go to the States, I am sure your parents can afford to send you there too"
"Yes they can, but as the baby of the house, Mummy wants me close by"
"And you don't feel somewhat cheated? That you are being deprived of your right or something?
She smiled at him "I don't really see schooling abroad as a big deal. I agree their schools are better and free of crises and all that but it still doesn't freak me. And unlike Engineering, one doesn't really need a sophisticated laboratory in order to learn Economics."
"You've got a point there"
"Anyways, I'll be doing my Masters degree over there so" she shrugged
"You still haven't told me how growing up was like for you"
She was quite for a while then said "My childhood wasn't as interesting as yours. I didn't play truant, I couldn't even if I wanted to. The schools I went to had well secured fences and gates and I was dropped at school every morning and picked up after school. I really didn't have any interesting adventure while growing up. My brother though gave me some troubles, he is a couple of years older than me and he was a constant pain in my you-know-where. We were always at each other's throats but as we grew older we became closer. All my friends were school friends, no neighbourhood friends. I guess that's pretty much all about me. Like I said nothing interesting"
He knew she had left the privileged part of her childhood out. He had thought she would talk about her summer breaks abroad about the number of countries she had visited and the number of toys she had but she disappointed him. Unlike many in her shoes, she didn't wear her privileged status on her sleeves and he liked her for that.
When she noticed he wasn't talking but seemed to be deep in thoughts she asked "you have any question?"
"What do your parents do?"
"My dad is an Economist and my mum is a lawyer"
"They made you pick Economics I guess"
"Yea, but I think I have a flare for it, I like it. They picked Ife too and I'm beginning to like the school"
"You should trust your parents' judgements then"
"Not all exactly. They didn't want me to stay in the hostel, they wanted me to stay at the quarters with one of their doctor friends, I stood my ground and I haven't regretted it"
"Good, that place would have been boring for you"
"Not that the hostel is cool but I still enjoy it there"
They were silent for a while, then he asked "Do you know what this park is called?"
"No, what's it called?"
"Motion ground"
"And you know how it got the name?"
"No"
"Oh! You are yet to find it in those books you read" she teased
He smiled "it'd be a waste of time searching and I really don't care how it got its name. By Wednesday on your matriculation, this place will be filled up with people taking pictures"
"Really?"
"Yea, that's how it has always been"
"My mother will be coming. You will be free enough to come right?"
"I...I... I really can't say, the matriculation is for freshers, we the others will still be having lectures" He said, he didn't want to start meeting rich mothers.
"And you can't find time in your busy schedule to drop by?" She asked sarcastically
"I'll see, it depends on my timetable that day"
"I won't be happy with you if you don't come" she said pouting and he laughed
"I am serious, you must come"
"I will try my best to" he said as he silently prayed that he would find a forgivable excuse not to make it on Wednesday.

About the author.

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

 

ENVY 17.

"...if Teju had only taken Ese to plait her hair, and had not waited for her, then she definitely would have woken up earli... 'definitely'? Should it be 'definitely' or 'probably'? 'Probably'. 'Probably' is a better word because she still might have woken up late either way........ But then Ese claimed that it was the queues even though she still blamed Teju for spending too much time in front of the mirror. Now, my premises should be...."
Siji had been listening to Wale's Soliloquy for about 15 minutes or so. Normally he would not have been interested enough to listen. Wale was fond of talking to himself and his roommates had come to accept this idiosyncrasy of his after their complaints did nothing to change it. He would only apologize, stop it for a while, then get carried away and continue. They realized he did it only when was trying to concentrate, so they stopped bothering him. He was also the only freshman in the room.
Siji never cared about the habit either way and had never listened in on him, but the repeated mentioning of 'Ese' and 'Teju' made him eavesdrop. But what Wale was saying made little sense to Siji.
"What are you talking about Wale?" He asked
"Oh! I'm sorry Siji, I must have been disturbing you."
"No, you weren't. I am just curious is all. You were talking about Ese and Teju and queues and lateness?"
"I am trying to do my assignment, my PHL 101 assignment"
"PHL 101?"
"Yes, philosophy"
"And what has that got to do with Ese and Teju? Are they characters in your philosophy textbook?"
This made Wale to laugh "No, actually they are students. Ese is in Economics and Teju is in International Relations. They both offer PHL 101 and they both came late to class today"
"Oh! Really?"
"Yes, it was really funny what happened in class today, they didn't only come late, they somewhat disrupted the class too..............." He narrated everything that happened to Siji who listened raptly.
"You see, the lecturer said he wanted to use them to further explain the topic to the obviously confused class, but he used them to give us an assignment instead. We are to submit it the day after tomorrow. I have been wracking my brain but I have not been able to make reasonable headway"
Siji smiled "that's the trick lecturers here pull, when they see that the class is confused, they give out assignments so that the students will be forced to research and read in order to solve the assignment, and while they are at it, learn the topic well. It works like magic, at least for those who do their assignments themselves. I advise you to go and get the textbook, if you don't have any, you can check the library or ask from friends and read the the topic well. What did you say the topic is called?'
"Argument"
"OK, read about argument well, then go to Angola and meet your classmates, those that have read too, and try to solve the assignment together. That's how you tackle such assignments"
"Thanks Siji. Will do exactly that but now I'm hungry. Will you please lend me a sachet of noodles, will buy it back for you when I visit the store later in the day"
"Okay, no problem" as Siji stood to search for the noodles in his locker, he thought of what Wale just told him. It could not be a coincidence, he didn't think there could be two ladies bearing Ese in 100 level Economics. Hers was not a common name, at least not in that environment, it had to be her. And Teju? He knew Kalu's girlfriend's name was Teju though he didn't know her department. If the Teju in Wale's story is the same as Kalu's Teju then Ese may be the girl Pago had been telling him about. The girl Pago was interested in. Could he and Pago have interests in the same girl?
He gave Wale the noodles and laid on his bed as he continued thinking. If she is the same girl, then he would have to back off for Pago. For though he saw her first, Pago spoke to her first, Pago had even declared his interest to her while he........... he did not even know if she felt for him what he felt for her. And the most important thing of all, they are both from rich homes, from the same class. Pago was definitely way ahead of him on this, he could not definitely compete with Pago on this, all he had was his intelligence. But then she may not be the same girl. He promised himself to find out from her when they both meet later in the day, they had planned to meet that evening, he would try and find out without giving anything away. If she was the same girl, he did not want her knowing about him and Pago, not yet anyway. He closed his eyes as he silently prayed --Oh Lord, don't let her be the same girl--

                  **********
***********               ***********

"Where is your friend? What's that her name even? I keep forgetting it." Pago asked Teju
"It's Ese, and she isn't around, she went out"
"Where to"
"She didn't really say, somewhere in academics"
"Academics? To do what? It's too early to start reading'
"I really don't know" she lied, then to discourage him from asking further she said in an irritated tone "she is not a kid and I'm not her mum, she doesn't have to check with me before she does anything. If you want to see her, call her."
when she had told Ese that Kalu would be coming with Pago, she had said she won't be around that she would be meeting her new friend. Ese had not asked her to lie to Pago but she knew if she told him the truth, his questions would not stop.
"She didn't give me her number." Pago was saying "I didn't even know she has a phone, can I have it please?
"You will have to get it from her directly. It'll be wrong for me to give you" Teju told him as she mentally slapped her big mouth for divulging too much information.
"I think that girl is trying to avoid me and you are helping her, yesterday you took her to plait her hair and we missed you both, today you are refusing to give me her number and to tell me where she had gone to"
"Think whatever you like." she said rudely, then turned to Kalu "Kalu are we going or not?" Kalu that had being watching the exchange with apprehension forced himself to smile as if all was well "of course, we are. Pago let's go,"
"I don't feel like going again Kalu, I'll be at the New buka, just call me when you are done so that I'll pick you up"
"But... but ..Pago..."
"Don't worry bro, have fun, he gave them a plastic smile as he walked out of her room.
Teju turned to Kalu and smiled sweetly but he could see that her eyes weren't smiling "Please, come alone next time, don't you ever bring him here again"
"Okay ma'am. Now shall we?"
"Of course we shall"
              
                   *********
***********               ***********

Pago was annoyed. No girl had ever stood him up like this, they always swoon around him but this Ese girl was really getting him pissed, and to cap it all up, her smart mouth friend had talked back at him, he could have strangled her had they been alone. He imagined it as he entered New buka, he imagined his large hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing, and seeing her already big eyeballs becoming bigger as she silently plead for her life. And he relished the thought. He parked in front of Mukoyo bar, all he needed to cool down was there. Cynthia was there.

                   **********
***********               ***********

"I heard you and a friend of yours made a grand entry into your philosophy class today." her surprised gasp confirmed it. He had not been very sure, he had only planned to ask her this way to catch her unawares and it had worked
"Heard it from who? Has the story traveled that far?"
"I really don't know, I heard it from my roommate, he was in the class. He was really battling with the assignment this afternoon and calling your names, so I asked him." this made her laugh. They were walking through Awo hall, he had met her at anglomoz and she had suggested they passed through Awo instead of the main road, ostensibly because it was a shortcut but the real reason was because she did not want them running into Pago. She knew he was coming with Kalu, it was a slim chance but she did not want to risk it.
"See what Teju has caused, Teju, that's my friend's name, the one who has now made my name alongside hers into a 'hostelhold' name" she said in between giggles.
"More like a 'roomhold' name" he said smiling
"Yea, right" she agreed "it was a large class Siji, 5 departments, very soon the whole school would hear about it"
"It might not get that far, after the assignment they'll soon stop talking about it." then he added with smirk "that's provided Awo boys don't hear about it, then they will turn it into aroism and it would last longer" he was laughing at her silently, she hit him playfully saying.
"Don't laugh at me, I have totally forgotten about the aro"
"Don't worry, they too will soon find another topic of interest and forget about it. It may take longer but it'll be forgotten in the long run.
"I really hope so"
They walked in silence through Awo, passed the bush path into Fajuyi Hall then burst out in Akintola hall, by the time they got to the sporting complex the Christian fellowships that usually meet every evening were already rounding off and parking. He took her to the tennis court spectators stand and they sat on the steps. Soon the complex was deserted, and there was, but for the sounds made by the insects and birds, complete silence. Siji leaned back to face the sky, she did the same lying beside him. After a while he said
"You know Ma'ami usually say everyone of us on earth has a star, that there are as much stars as there are humans, when someone dies, his star falls. I haven't verified her claim yet, but again, Ma'ami is full of superstitions."
"Who is Ma'ami? Your mum?
"Oh, sorry. She is my grand mum, she raised me"
"Your grand mum? What about your mum? Your parents?
"They are both dead" he said without thinking
"Oh! I'm so sorry"
"Thanks, I never knew both of them. He died before I was born and she died giving birth to me. Ma'ami is the only parent I know"
"You obviously worship her"
"Yes, I do, very much, she taught me a lot even though she doesn't speak a single word in English. She is quite astute"
"Tell me about her, about yourself, how was growing up like for you?"
"Growing up was fun, though not privileged, Ma'ami made enough to make us go by......." He talked without her interrupting him for about an hour, she liked the sound of his voice which was the only interruption to the silence. As she listened to him, her heart ached for the child he had been, having to hawk every day after school just to make ends meet. Her maternal instinct was activated and she yearned to protect him, to hold him but she knew the proud man talking now did not want her sympathy, he was no longer the boy that hawked to survive, he had come a long way and she was proud of him. She reached for his hand and coiled her fingers around his. He tightened his grip on her hand as he finished.
"I won two scholarship in my first year, so Ma'ami doesn't have to work hard to sponsor my education, I'm applying for a third scholarship with my current CGPA, when I win it I'll have more than enough, I'll be able to send money home even. That's all about me"
"Thank you"
"For what?" He had expected her to ask questions
"For telling me."
"No questions?"
"No"
They both lay there for a while enjoying the silence then he sat up.
"I think it's time we started going" he checked his wristwatch "it's 10 pm already, we have classes tomorrow." she stood up reluctantly and they left the complex. This time they took the main road.
"Your friend Teju, I'm yet to meet her"
"You will, soon, she is crazy but you will like her."
"She doesn't come across as the outgoing kind"
Ese laughed "why did you say so? You've not even met her"
"That's my point exactly, if she were outgoing, I would have met her."
"She is very outgoing, I am the reserved one out of the two of us. You just haven't had the opportunity to meet her. You would have met her today but she was planning to go out with her boyfriend when I left the room"
"She has a boyfriend already? This early?"
"I don't think it's too early, insofar she likes him"
"Is he a freshman too?"
"No, he is a medical student,  and a sophomore like you"
"Medical student? They don't seem to have much time to socialize
"Oh! This one has enough time in his hands. He is Igbo, his name is Kalu"
"I see"
He followed her to anglomoz and watched her enter her hostel before turning. Now he knew for sure. He had kept asking her questions about Teju, hoping that she would slip and tell him what he wanted to know and it had paid off. Now he was certain he and Pago were after the same girl and he knew he cannot beat Pago at this, not at this game. Pago had everything working for him, they both were from rich homes and he was no one. Even though he suspected Pago's intention wasn't noble he knew he could not successfully compete with his friend for her love and he did not even want to compete. He did not want her coming in between both of them, after all Pago had met her first. He would have to back off.
About the Author.

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

ENVY 16

Teju hurry up, we are running late." Ese whined  for the umpteenth time that morning. They really were late. It was an 8 o'clock class and it was already  10 minutes past 8 o'clock.
"Don't worry too much Ese." Teju said "lecturers are meant to come late to classes, especially their first class in the semester."
"I don't know where you got that from Teju, but even if it's true, I don't plan to start out as a late comer. This is my very first class in this school and I don't want to start on a wrong foot. It's like setting a wrong precedence."
"It's my first class too Ese, I'm just not as sentimental about it as you seem to be"
"Now I'm sentimental right?" Ese hissed. "I shouldn't have waited for you"
"But you are." Teju said and took her eyes from the mirror just long enough to smile up at her friend, then she resumed applying the mascara.
Ese was trying desperately to be angry at her friend but she was failing woefully "You are so impossible." she said pouting, just to stop herself from smiling back. Truth be told, she was being unfair for laying all the blame on Teju. Their lateness was due to several factors. They had  both woken up late that morning, though it would have been early if they weren't sharing three bathrooms with about three dozens females. What Ese saw when she had staggered to the bathroom to ease herself after she woke up by 6:30am had taken her aback. She had seen several girls in various degrees of undress queueing with their buckets filled with water to take their bath. She had rushed back to the room to wake Teju up and they had both taken their bucket to the tap to get water. They had met another queue at the tap. It had taken them about thirty minutes to get water and about 45 minutes to get into the bathroom.
"But Teju, what happened this morning?" I mean I have been here a week but this queues are new to me"
"It's because, my dear, those other days you've spent here were not lecture days, so most students had no need to take their bath early and rush out, hence the traffic was light. Some normally wait till afternoon or even the night to take their bath."
"Oh! We never thought of that"
"Actually I did, but we came back so late from old buka last night"
"Because you took me to a woman who had her hands full. I had to queue to plait my hair too. What's with this school and queues?"
"She had her hands full because she is the best, and it was worth the wait, the patewo becomes you. It brings out your beauty and it's a plus that you have a naturally long hair" Teju said as she stood, picked her bag and they started leaving the room.
"Patewo? Whatever that means?"
"It literally means 'clap your hands' and that's to describe the way it looks from behind, the way the braids from either side of your head meet each other at the centre. I knew it'd be good on you. You should be thanking me for picking it for you"
"Ese" Ese said in a deeply accented Yoruba
Teju smile and said "you only say 'ese' to strangers or those older than you not to a friend and an equal. You are to say 'ose'"
"Thanks, I am sure I'll be fluent by the time we are in our finals"
"Maybe, it all depends on your interest and how often it's spoken around you"
"Of course, with the way everyone here is speaking it, I have no choice but to learn"
"Yea right. We should get okadas, we can't afford to walk to amphi when we are this late.
They hailed two bike men when they got outside, mounted and were taken to their first lecture as undergrads.

****************

It was PHL 101, first year, first semester philosophy class, it was the largest class in school, with five faculties offering it. Because of the size of the class, the venue used was the amphitheatre. When Ese and Teju dropped from the bikes they could hear a male voice over a sound system that was coming from the theatre. They could hear him loud and clear as they paid their fare and rushed inside.
"...............understood as the history of human thought, philosophy relates to the beginning of nearly every other major academic discipline - from physics to psychology, from religious studies to biology, and so on. Not only does philosophy force us to think hard about difficult and fundamental questions, it
also teaches us how to think............."
As they entered , Ese saw that the theatre was half filled with students paying rapt attention to a middle-aged  man on the podium. He stood behind a table and held a wireless microphone in his hand. His voice was amplified by the two speakers mounted on tripod stands at either side of the podium. No one seemed to notice the two friends as they walked up the stairs of the theatre to go seat at the back.
The lecturer was saying "......now let's talk a little about argument.................. the reasons offered within the argument are called 'premises', and the proposition that the premises are offered for is called the 'conclusion'..........."
Ese was walking so fast in order to find a seat before they start drawing attention to themselves, but Teju wasn't fast enough.
"Hold on Ese, we are here already, no need to run" she whispered jokingly
"I am not running, I just want to get a seat before we are noticed and if you keep shouting like that we would be" Ese whispered back
"I am not shouting Ese, I know you blame me for our lateness, but we've made it this............"
"Excuse me ladies, will you both please come down here to the front?" The amplified voice cut Teju at mid-sentence . Both ladies turned  and saw that he was talking to them.
The lecturer had stopped talking to shuffle through the book on the table in front of him while Teju was talking, and albeit she wasn't making that much noise, the loudspeakers that had been helping to drown her voice were momentarily on break. Hence her voice had been loud enough to draw his attention and that of several students. He stretched forth his arms to beckon on them "Common ladies, we are waiting for you, and we don't have all day"
Ese wished she had some juju that could make her disappear as hundreds pairs of eyes were fixed on them both as they walked down the aisle towards the podium. Surprisingly, the lecturer was smiling at them. Ese had thought he was annoyed.
"Okay ladies, will you please face the class and tells us your names"  he said as he gave the microphone to Teju first. Ese could swear Teju was having fun as she watched her collect the mic from him and said.
"Tejumola Ogedengbe"
-well, if she can do it, I can do it too- Ese collected the mic, faced the hundreds pairs of eyes with more courage than she felt and said her name too
"Ese Osaruwense" then gave the mic to the lecturer
"Both of you are obviously friends, right?" They both nodded
"And you stay together on campus?" They nodded again
"Perfect. So class, I am going to use Teju and Ese here as examples for you to  further drive home my points. I will have private discussions with them separately for just a couple of minutes" he said. Then he took Teju to one corner of the theatre and spoke with her for about two minutes. Ese wondered what they talked about when she saw her friend smiling as he brought her back.  She soon found out what it was all about when he took her to the same corner and talked to her for about two minutes too. He placed them side by side then addressed the class again
"Teju here, a student of International Relations and Ese a student of Economics are close friends and bunk mates. When I asked Teju why she thinks her friend blames her for their coming late to class, she said it's because she woke up late and later spent too much time in front of the mirror making up" there was a roar of laughter from the class, he continued "and when I asked her why she woke late, she said it was because they both were at old buka till 11pm last night, she took her friend Ese, there to make this hair" he pointed to Ese's hair as he said that and the class laughed again. Ese looked up and saw some students writing furiously and she wondered what was there to write about the lecturer's narrative.
"I then asked Ese why they were late and she said it was due to the long queues at the water tap and at the bathroom, when I asked why she blames her friend for their lateness, she said she only blamed her because she thinks that even though they still would have been late, they would not have been this late had Teju not spent too much time in front of the mirror." After the third roar had subsided, he said
"I see you enjoyed their story, now this is what you will all do. Teju and Ese obviously have an argument about the reasons for their lateness, so I want you to write two foolscap sheets full analysis of the argument, listing out your premises and clearly stating your conclusion. You are to submit it here on Wednesday, before class starts. See you all on Wednesday." he said as he walked out of the theatre. There was an uproar as many of the clueless students started asking one another questions, some rushed down to meet the equally confused Ese and Teju to narrate to them exactly what they told the lecturer.
After repeating herself for what seem to be the tenth time, Ese was free. She saw Teju with Funke some feet away from her and walked up to them
"That was an experience I won't forget in a hurry" Teju said as Ese got to them
"Yea, an experience it was, and an avoidable experience at that" Ese said
"I know my dear, but I made us both into stars" Teju joked and the three of them laughed.
"I rather not be a star" Ese said in between giggles, then turned to Funke "how come you made it early to class, with the queues I mean"
"I got my water last night and hid it under my bunk. I took my bath early this morning at the corridor"
"And you weren't scared someone would........"
"It was early nah, before dawn. I went back to bed afterwards, I only dressed up when  I woke up at daybreak"
"But why take your bath on the corridor when you woke that early? you could have used the bathroom" said Teju
"I don't like the bathroom"
"Will you please put us through what was taught in the class?" Ese asked her "I don't know what he meant about 'premise' and conclusion'"
"Don't worry, when we get to the room later in the day, I jotted everything down, he also recommended some textbooks for the course. My jottings and any of the textbook should help. I have a class now, see you guys later" she said as she rushed off.

***************

"Now get a sheet of paper and write your department and matriculation number on it. And solve the questions on the board, you have five minutes." Said the lecturer.
It was MEE 205, Mechanical Engineering Statics class.
---it's the first class and he is already giving us a quiz--- Siji thought as he tore 2 sheets from his book. Lecturers in his faculty are fond of giving impromptu quizzes. They use them as attendance most of the time and mark them some of the time. Such short quizzes most often than not are the difference between an A grade and a B grade or an E and an outright failure, hence students in the faculty took them seriously. Pago was not in class, so Siji decided to write for him. Even if the lecturer had the time to peruse and check for similar handwritings, they can still defend it because they had almost similar handwriting. The only difference is the size of the letters, Siji's was slightly bigger so all he needed to do was reduce the size of the letters when writing for Pago. He finished his own in two minutes then started writing on the other sheet, he knew Pago's details by heart. Due to the similarity in their surnames, their matriculation numbers were almost the same but for the last digits. Siji had 3 as his last digit while Pago last digit was 8. He was through in another two minutes and had a minute left.
"Now, pass your sheets to the person in front of you" the lecturer said when the time given had elapsed. He collected the sheets from the students in the front row, arranged them and walked out of the class.
Siji met Pago outside the theatre.
"Oh! I see you are quite early for the lecture." he said sarcastically
"It's not like that, I got the time and venue mixed up. I didn't know it was Ajose lecture theatre, I had been in HSLT C since 10 o'clock, it was when I had waited there for about 30 or so minutes that I realised I got it all wrong. I will need to copy the timetable from you, the one with me is wrong."
"No problem, it was a two-hour class, 9-11, we had a quiz even. I did yours for you"
"Oh! Thanks man, you are the best." Pago said as he gave Siji a hug "so when is our next class?"
"12 noon, MTH 201, ODLT 1. We still have an hour."
"Good, let's go get something to eat, I am starving, I haven't had breakfast yet"
"Ditto"
"Let's go then"
They both walked towards his car.

About the Author.

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.

ENVY 15

The knock on the door roused Pago from his sleep, he fumbled around for his phone and looked at it. It was 15 minutes to noon.
"Jeez!" he muttered, ---I have spent half of the day in bed--- he thought, then again, ---I may have spent the whole day in bed but I had not spent it sleeping---
The girls Tina and Stella had being awesome companies. He had met Tina some days back within the campus and he had asked her to accompany him to the show and she had asked if her friend could  come along. Initially he had thought of hooking the friend up with Kalu, but Kalu had being behaving funny since he met Teju, then he had thought of trying his luck with Siji one more time and as always he had failed. His friends were such  spoilsports.
Anyways, he had had both girls to himself last night and if Tina had not pleaded headache and asked to be taken home after the show, he would have had a threesome with them. But it had not turned out all that bad, he had brought Stella back to his room to spend the night with him, she had left early in the morning and he had gone back to bed. Tina did not escape him too.
He smiled as he remembered their action in the theatre's toilet, he could still visualize her sitting butt-naked on the cistern.
-what a skillful and flexible babe-  he thought. He was sure that was what caused her headache.
Gbam gbam gbam. The knock was louder now, then he heard Kalu "Pago open the door" then Siji "I don't think he is in, only a dead man won't hear us knocking"
"The hell he's not, if he isn't, his door won't be locked from inside"
Pago stood and walked to the door, undid the latch and opened it. He was greeted by Kalu's frowning face and Siji's smiling face.
"Good afternoon friend" Siji greeted as they both entered and sat on his bed. Pago sat on the couch.
"If we had not woken you up I'm sure you would have slept till evening. I can't remember the last time I woke up in the afternoon. Have you forgotten we plan to go to swim at the staff club?" Kalu said accusingly
"Oh Kalu, he has not forgotten, he is even dressed for it, look he is only in his boxers" is there a better way to go swimming?" Siji joked
"Guys, it's not afternoon yet, it's still morning" Pago protested
"Yea you're right, it's just few minutes till noon" Kalu said sarcastically "but before you dress up and get ready, it'll be way past noon"
"Did you sleep that late?" Siji asked
"Yea"
"What were you doing?"
"I was busy doing your job for you" Pago replied with a smirk
"How do you mean?"
"Remember last night? Your babe, Stella? She was heartbroken after you dumped her and disappeared into thin air. I had to bring her here to console her. She kept me busy all through the night." The three friends laughed
"That small girl? I never thought......"
"Yea, she just left this morning"
"What about the other one? the one that was with you"
"Tina, she had headache so I had to drop her after the show before Stella and l came here. But I took care of her too. We had a quickie in the toilet while the show was still on" he boasted
"Pago, you better stop spoiling these small small girls. If you must always scratch your itch, there are more matured girls like Cynthia" Kalu advice
"It's not like I disvirgined them or....."
"Deflowered" Siji interrupted
"Ehn?"
"'Disvirgined' is not an English word"
"Really? Okay" after that first encounter, Pago and Kalu had learnt not to argue with Siji on such things
"As I was saying, it's not like I deflowered them, these girls have been in the game for a while, they may be a bit young, but they are pros. Siji you don't know what you missed, that Stella babe is a tigress"
"Sha dey do am sufri sufri. No wonder say you not fat"
"You, you fat?" Kalu said "the pot calling the kettle black. Your own problem Siji na sake of say you no dey chop beta food, Pago dey chop beta but hin dey always waste am ontop woman. Why una two no fit resemble me? Chop beta and retain am". They burst into laughter
"No be my fault say women like me. Na only dat your babe friend dey give me wahala now, she no gree show me face at all. Wetin be dat her name sef?"
"I no remember again jare. Na one Delta or Calabar name. If name no be Igbo or Yoruba, I no dey remember. You can't have them all Pago. In your kinda game, you win some and lose some, let her be"
"I can still have her if I want to, they always fall at some point. By the way I saw your Teju baby last night"
"At the show right? She said she'd be going and wanted me to go with her. Too bad I was busy"
"Yea, she was looking for her friend when I saw her. I told her I'd be visiting this evening, maybe we should go together. Siji you can come too, you may find someone"
"Thanks, but no thanks. My evening is booked, lectures start the day after tomorrow, I gotta prepare for the week"
"At times Siji, you make me feel like we are not classmates, the way you act all serious"
"He doesn't act all serious Pago, he is serious"
"Yea, you are right. But I think it's time he started having some fun. He didn't even feel the babe I got him last night. You know Stella asked me if you were gay" they laughed again and Pago continued "by the way what happened last night? You were gone by the time we got back to the seats. You should have at least warned me that you were leaving"
"I'm sorry bro, I didn't warn you because I didn't actually leave. I was with a girl in one of diners and by the time we got out, the show had ended and your car was gone"
"Waoh! Siji with a girl, let's here the gist please" Pago pleaded
"Yea" said Kalu "let's hear it, how did you meet her?"
Siji smiled "Why don't you go take your bath first Pago and I will tell you guys on our way to the club, it's getting late and we may miss the second session"
"You're such a spoilsport Siji" Pago protested but stood to enter the en suite bathroom
"Remember you promised to teach me how to dive and backstroke Siji" Kalu said when they were alone.
"Yea, I do"
"Remember you promised me too, to teach me how to hold my breath under water" Pago called out from the bathroom.
"I know Ogbeni, now will you please take your bath"
Siji was the best at swimming among the three, because unlike his friends, he had learnt how to swim in the Lagos lagoon.

Some minutes later they were in the car on their way to the club
"Oya let's hear it Siji" Pago said
"I was hoping you guys would forget"
"Forget for where? It's not always someone like you meets a girl he fancies" said Kalu
Siji smiled and started "Remember I told you guys I was drenched by a car the day I resumed and that was why I couldn't make it to New buka?"
"Yes, you said you saw a pretty girl behind the vehicle" Kalu said then asked "was she the one you saw yesterday?"
"Yea, while you were dancing at the front with the girls Pago, I saw her walking out of the theatre and I followed her" he told them everything that happened, everything except her name. He could not say exactly why he didn't tell them, maybe it was because he didn't want Pago playing with her name the way he was fond of doing with Teju's, or maybe it was because of a need to still keep something about her to himself, something about her he was not willing to share yet. And by some miracle or so, his very nosy friends asked him lots of questions about her, questions he could answer and those he had no answer to, but none of them remembered to ask of her name.

About the Author.

Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.

He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.