Blindfolds

16

A child's juice box toppled over and fell on the floor, and Dinma was quick to pick it up before it spilled, for if it had, it would have earned her a screaming child. Ensuring the little girl had her juice box safely in her hand, Dinma walked back to her seat, at the front of the class, her phone still pressed to her ears.

“I'm not coming.” She said when she plopped into her seat.

She was met with silence at the other end, making her question if Temi was still on the line.

Temi replied in a breathe, “Is this about Mike?”

Truthfully, she had forgotten all about Mike. The guy who caused her a heartbreak, the guy who she had envisioned a future with, and all of a sudden, it seemed as though he only existed as a memory. For there was one who was haunting her already, Yomi.

“This has nothing to do with Mike.” She found herself explaining.

“So why are you not coming? And don't tell me it's because Lara's hosting. Please it would be so nice, I'll be coming with Toju, and you can invite Yomi too.”

Dinma frowned at the statement. Now she had better reasons to avoid the reunion. One, every one would have a date, or a husband, and she wouldn't. She already felt pressured as it was, that Lara would be expressively showing off her husband to everyone. She knew that she might act as though it didn't bother her, but it did, and she wasn't going to tell Temi that, instead she said, “I don't have anything to wear.”

Back at home, nothing changed. Yomi was ignoring her, and she kept herself busy by going through his late wife's possession. Today, She found a couple of old books in the wardrobe. So in curiosity she sat on the floor in front of this wardrobe, carefully going through the books. She noticed however, that not one of the pages of each book was creased , and they all had some pointer markings on their pages, an indication of careful studying. Kamsi Oguike, the name written on the front of every book in neat calligraphy, was indeed a meticulous young lady.

After a while of aimless browsing of the books, Dinma grew bored and made to return the books back when a lone picture fell out of the pages, on to the floor.

Dinma picked it up, and peered closely at the picture. It wasn't a recent one, as its quality was a poor one, but she could recognize the lady in the picture. It was Kamsi. She had an annoying semblance with miss Grace, but in the picture, she looked bubbly. She had her hair slicked back into a bun, and her  smile was dazzling. Dinma knew she couldn't compete with that. The lady was simply elegant, her eyes mocking Dinma for thinking She had wormed her way into Yomi's life and that of Zara's. But Dinma knew not to bother, for she could never win Kamsi Johnson. She felt a lump behind her throat, the one threatening the tears that stung in her eyes to fall.

She sniffled just as the door bell rang, echoing in all of the house.

Yomi should get it. It could be Grace. She thought.

Her subconscious sneered at her, reminding her that she was being petty. So she stood, throwing and shoving the books haphazardly into the wardrobe.

The bell rung again, this time Zara who was colouring in the living room yelled.
“Aunty Dee! Somewan is outside.”

As she made to leave the room, she stubbed her little toe against the wall. She yelped loudly and bit back a curse, only leaping a little to the door. She walked in to Yomi halfway to the living room with an oomph. His eyes scanned hers with worry evident in his features, and she realized that he had raced down the stairs  when she heard him trying to calm his breaths.

“I heard you scream. Are you okay?”

Great! He was talking to her because she was in pain. How pathetic!

Not giving in to the urges of rolling her eyes, she replied. “I'm fine.”

He nodded, and she noticed he was on nothing but a black sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his waist. His bare chest and taut stomach was made of well sculpted abs. Her hands itched to run them over his body. He was barefoot too. Her eyes went up to his face, and she met him hiding a smirk. He had caught her staring. She flushed, grateful when the bell rang again.

She walked around him, taking a whiff of his after shave and cologne, to the living room. And when she got to the door, she looked through the door hole. It was Temi.

With look over her shoulder, ensuring that he hadn't followed her. She opened the door. She didn't want her best friend mis understanding things. Not when he was shirtless.

“What took you so long?”

“Sorry.”

Hey oh!
Thanks for sticking with me, and my sloppy writing schedule.
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