UYAI ✔️

Uyai (seven)

"Eh? My water pot?" how was she going to produce a water pot when she had given hers to Edem? She looked down at her feet and watched as her toes picked up debris from the muddy soil, immediately a foot away from her slippers which she had unconsciously discarded in the midst of her tryst with Edem. She frowned at her predicament still trying to avoid her little sister's annoying smirk she was trying so hard to hide, but with difficulty, if the little twitches at the angle of her lips was not obvious enough, her whole expression screamed 'I've caught you! and you won't get away with it .

Obviously she couldn't avoid her for long, since she began to annoyingly tap her foot in impatience. She looked up at Edem and said sorry with her eyes hoping he'll understand, then she  pretended to remember "Oh! I think I gave you mine. Where did you keep yours? Didn't I warn you to be careful? You know a lot of water pots do get missing sometimes. Probably one of the maidens may have mistaken yours for theirs." she wisely took her water pot from him. The other just stood there more confused than ever.

Unbelievable! Uyai carefully looked at her sister. She didn't know whether to feel insulted or amused that sister thought her to be such an pliable fool. For God sake she attended secondary school and graduated with flying colours. She even passed her WAEC with no stress. Had she really forgotten that her twig of a sister had one thing going for her? Her brain? She was tired of being played a fool when she knew she wasn't for goodness sake!
"Why? That's so careless of you." she turned to Edem with a serious face.
Shocked that she was directly facing him. He made a choking sound.

Uyai just raised an eyebrow. She so wanted to hit him for chasing her sister behind her back. Well, technically it wasn't really behind her back, but still she hadn't fully approved of him dammit!
"Err...my bad" he chuckled nervously "I-Its my first time so am bound to be carefree, guess I was just careless." he whispered the last and Uyai read the hidden meaning.

"That's right! You were careless, too careless even."

"Its never going to happen again." he silently said, it was his way of apologising.

"Of course it won't. I'll make sure of it." she retorted. Uyai was having none of it. His apology fell on deaf ears.

"Err...what's going on here?" Affiong asked looking back and forth between the two. She couldn't help but think something indeed strange was happening directly in front of her; that the two were involved in a silent communication she wasn't sure was pleasant. Besides that, her little sister was acting too bold for her liking. What indeed was going on that made her little sister scowl darkly and her secret lover looking so remorseful? Why the hell was she being left out of the loop?

Now they were now in a staring contest. Affiong felt so left out.

"Uyai!" she whispered yelled "Do you two know each other?" she said now addressing the two.

"No oo!" They immediately said in unison. All it did was arouse her suspicion. She was clearly missing something and she was going to find out. She sincerely hoped it wasn't what she was thinking.

She quickly shook her head at the thought.

"Never seen her before. I am from the neighboring village remember?" he schooled his feature into a clueless one, while staring deep into her eyes as if to charm her to believe; and she almost did. Almost.

"Yes me too. Who is he?" Uyai feigned ignorance, she wanted to add. Me, twig, know any man,or a man knowing me how is that possible? But to avoid the satisfaction it'll give her sister, she had to keep her mouth shut.

Unnoticed to Affiong she had thrown the ball to her court.

"Him?" Uyai nodded "As he said he is from the neighbouring village."