Maybe, You Will See Me Now

019

"What can I help you with?" Ijeawele asked Andrew the second he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"You don't need to. I'll handle everything." He said while he walked into the kitchen. She followed.

"It'll be faster if I help."

Andrew stood by the gas cooker. "I have parboiled the rice. I just need to mix it..." The phone in his pocket rang and he reached in for it. He took one look at the caller ID and disconnected the call. After returning it into his pocket, he looked at her. "Besides, you're a guest."

Ijeawele was ready to say something when his phone rang again. Again, he took it out, and looked at the name on the screen. His face turned grim and like before, he disconnected the call. She watched the discomfort on his face which eventually seeped into his body movements.

He raised his eyes back to her and tried his best to return the shine to his face with a smile. "I'm sorry. I..."

Again, his phone rang, disrupting whatever he had to say. A sudden annoyance played across his face while he reached into his pocket again. Ijeawele hadn't seen that expression on him before.

"It's fine. You can answer it." She said while she turned away.

"No, wait." He was quick to hold onto her hand. "It's..."

Ijeawele watched him disconnect the call again. This time, he went ahead to switch off his phone before returning his gaze to her. "... it's nothing important." Slowly, he released her hand. She lightly gulped down. The feeling of him letting go of her hand was different than she would have expected. Almost like she felt rather disappointed than relieved.

"Are you sure? Continuous calling. It seems important."

He shook his head. "No..." For a moment, Andrew hung his head low and sighed while he did. "That was someone I used to date." The very period the words left his lips, he wondered why he was telling her that. Yes, it was his past but a very recent one. Andrew didn't want her feeling like he was hiding anything from her. He didn't want that to be the start of anything good happening between them.

Ijeawele stared at him. Her gaze and expression, plain.

"Your ex." She mentioned and after a pause, she continued because she couldn't hold it in. "Are you friends with her? Is that..." She bit her lower lip and looked away from him, an attempt to hold off any further inquiry from her. After all, who was he to her and why should she care whether he was friends with his ex or not?

Andrew wasn't sure if it bothered her or she simply misunderstood something. The best would be for him to explain clearer. "I ended things with her a few days ago. She's refusing to accept it. Hence, the calls."

Ijeawele folded her arms below her chest. She didn't want to look at his face. It filled her with questions and made her want to butt in. That was a behaviour rare of her to exhibit.

In the end, unable to hold it in, she shifted her eyes to his face. "Why? Wasn't she good enough?"

A quick frown appeared and disappeared between his brows. "No. She's good in her own way. But I wasn't good enough for her."

Ijeawele had a similar quick frown that he once wore.

Andrew went on. "She cared and invested way more than I did. I thought I'd eventually grow to care about her the same way... I realised I never will after I met someone else."

His eyes searched within hers, from one to the other for something or anything that would make her understand or maybe help him understand her better.

Suddenly, she lowered her eyes from his and unfolded her arms.

"You're all the same." Ijeawele muttered under her breath. Her face haunting with disappointment. But Andrew heard it.

He tried to say something but she spoke up first. "I forgot. There's something important I need to do. Thank you for inviting me." Immediately, she turned away and hastened her steps to the couch to pick up her purse.

Andrew's frown was clearly visible when he went after her. "Wait, you're leaving?"

"Yes." Ijeawele replied while she went after the door.

Andrew stood in her path. His frown even deeper. "Are you upset with me?"

Ijeawele sighed before lifting her eyes to him. Her face held no expression. Nothing to convey her emotions. Yet, he could feel the anger from her.

"No." She lied. Why wouldn't she? He would never understand the reason for her actions. In fairness, she was upset at everything. Even at herself, for believing there was one spotless man out there and Andrew could be that man. Yes, it was unrealistic for her to wish that. Still, she did.

"You understand I didn't want to hurt or deceive her. That was why I ended things."

The silence between them lasted and while he hoped and wore a weary look on his face. Hers remained the same.

"Why did you invite me to your home a few days after you broke up with your girlfriend?"

She looked at him, waiting for a reply. Andrew lowered his gaze from her. His eyes dwindled left and right because he didn't know what exactly to say. He knew that she was special and different to him. Yet, for some reason, Andrew felt that he shouldn't say anything he wasn't sure of. The last thing he wanted to do was play with her feelings.

Ijeawele's smile was brief, fake and faint. "I'm not easy." She walked past him and went on to open the door, closing it behind her afterwards.

Andrew stood in the same spot longer. He felt defeated and weak. Most of all, he felt regret. When did it all go wrong? When the calls came in? When he told her the truth about Delight? Was it about how he said it? Maybe, it was from the moment he said yes to dating a woman he clearly wasn't quite into. Why did he do that and why did he take too long to tell Delight the truth? Perhaps, in the beginning, he liked the distraction from his family issues that she brought.

Andrew sighed. None of it mattered now.

Only her. She was all that seemed to matter.

Hi guys. I'm really hoping you liked the chapter. Don't forget, I like to know what you think of each chapter. Pls vote or comment to share your thoughts. : )