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.
"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.
No comments:
Post a Comment