𝟑𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥

~~ 49. ~~

             She wrapped her thick night robe around her body tightly. The weather was always too cold at night.

             She turned back to look around the room and then at the couch where Demilade usually sleeps. He wasn't in the room and she wondered where he was. She left the room to look for him.

              Everyone had gone to their room early. She could hear the sound of water. And the sloshing of water.

              There was no one in the sea when last she looked outside the window. Moreover, it was too dark for someone to be in the sea. Then she remembered the swimming pool.

"No, hope it isn't what I am thinking," Lola said to herself. And her face furrowed to a frown and she opened the door and walked out to the pouch.

          And just as she thought, someone was swimming in the pool. And it happened to be Demilade Ninalowo.

"Demilade," Lola called like she was calling her little brother. She was still wondering what he was doing in the water on a cold night.

             When he seemed he didn't hear her, she called again in a hushed whisper. She didn't wake others. And she looked around. It was eerily quiet in the compound except for the sounds of water slapping the land and the sloshing sound made by Demilade as he swam in the water.

             He seemed to hear because he pop his head out of the water and he use his hands to wipe away the water from his face. And then turned around to face her.

              Demilade seemed a little shocked when he heard Lola's voice. At first, he thought he was probably hallucinating since she had been the one hovering in his thoughts. But she called his name again. And behold she was standing at the edge of the pool. She had this serious motherly look on her and he couldn't help the smile that curled up his face.

            He swam closer to the edge where she was standing.

"Hey what are you doing outside? Is it not cold?" He asked as he leaned his weight on the edge of the pool in front of her leg.

"Well, I should be asking you that. Aren't you cold?" She asked, gesturing with her head at his body in the water.

           He shakes his head. "Nah. You can come check it out." He said before he realized what he said.

             Lola stared at him for a long time. And he thought he had said something off-point. He was about to take back the words when she said.

"No thanks. I can't even swim." She replied.

"There is a first." He found himself saying.

"No, thanks. Moreover, it is dark. We should be in the room." She answered. "You should come out of the water. It's late."

             He looked at her as she stood, her arms crossed on her chest.

"Common, it won't kill you. Look I'm fine." He urged her. He swam back with his arm spread out on the water.

             Lola stared at him like he was drunk. She wondered why he was been playful and all nice and cheerful. He had clearly been avoiding her since they came for the vacation but now he was urging her to swim with him. He seems to be having fun with it. She watched him swim back to the edge of the pool.

              But as much as she wants to do that, she can't. She can't swim and it was dark and there was cold. She is still wondering how he got to stay in the pool on a cold night.

              She was still in her thoughts when she felt an arm around her leg and her nape and suddenly her feet were off the ground.

"Jesus!" She wailed when she realized Demilade had carried her. She didn't even know when he came out of the pool.