Maybe, You Will See Me Now

032

She noticed a woman walk out of the building. Again, she ducked and this time, she pulled on Andrew's arm along with her, forcing him to do the same. His head hit the airbag section. The audible sound it made on impact terrified her. She covered her mouth with both hands and her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Andrew lifted his head, wincing in pain with his hand over the right side of his forehead. His eyes barely open, a brief chuckle left his lips. He looked in her direction. The expression on her face reminded him of the past when she rammed the door into him at the cafeteria. Though in pain, he couldn't stop the laughter that erupted little by little.

"I'm sorry." Ijeawele apologised after she brought her hands down.

Andrew opened his eyes better and saw her. The look in her eyes and the expression on her face said it all. The distraught wasn't what he ever wanted.

He reached out for her hand and held it in his. "I'm fine. See." He pressed the affected area and made an involuntary slight wince.

"I'm fine." He mentioned again, trying to convince her better.

Ijeawele watched him, her expression softening by the second. A weak smile appeared on her face. He smiled back. They looked down at their hands together. Andrew was the first to withdraw his hand. Ijeawele stared at her empty hand for a moment before she reached for her seat belt. Andrew buckled up as well and they were on their way out of the compound.

#

Delight clenched her arms tighter around her purse and light pink makeup box on her laps. She squinted her eyes to prevent the dust from flying in and pushed the stray strands of her black bob wig away from her face. Her right arm felt stuck behind the arm of the passenger by her side so she pulled it out. Delight leaned forward and stared out. The rickshaw came to a stop in front of the traffic light. She rested her arm on the box then laid her head in her palm.

A light frown appeared between her brows. "Andrew?" The name left her lips like a whisper. Soon, she was lifting her head out of her palm.

He was smiling at someone in the driver's seat. Delight stretched her neck to view into the car. Her eyes widened on sighting who it was.

Ijeawele. The name felt thunderous in her head. Like a bad omen of some sort.

The light changed green and the car drove ahead. Her heart began to palpitate. She lowered her eyes, lurking them left and right for a moment before they were back on the road. But the car was far gone from her sight. She stretched her neck once more and almost popped it out of the auto rickshaw. Still, nothing.

Delight leaned back into her seat. A lot of theories played in her head. She definitely saw Andrew and Ijeawele. But... Why were they together?

She clenched tighter onto her purse.

"It can't be." The words left her lips in a hot breath.

Delight walked into her older sister's saloon which she had come to share with her. She wore a long face and went ahead to leave her purse and the makeup box on the counter.

"Wait, we'll soon go home." Maria told her two year and a half daughter whose tantrums were becoming too much for her to handle. Again, she looked in her sister's direction, perplexed as to why she was standing still spaced out.

"Delight." She called while rocking the younger one in her arms. When there was no response, she peeked at the sleeping child in her arms and settled on walking up to her younger sister instead of raising her voice.

Maria gave her a light push. Delight shifted her attention to her.

"What happened? Didn't she like the makeup?"