Serendipity

Chapter 7: The dress code is cream.

She stared at him as he opened his mouth and closed it. He wanted to say something witty but obviously he was shocked. She did not understand his perplexity. Had he expected her to just say yes? Had he forgotten what he had put her through?

That was so impossible, she wanted distance with him. She wanted him far away from her. He hurt her and the bitter truth was that she was not over it. She was over him but not the fact that he cheated. Definitely not that. He had cared for her the previous day didn't mean that her door was wide open for him to crash into. They needed to keep away from each other.

But something caught her, he was never speechless. Even when turned down, he kept his smirk in check and always said something in return. But now he seemed lost, short of words. Perharps hurt or even he might feel humiliated. She did not understand. She felt bad that she had made him feel so lost.

She sighed. "look I don't feel like going anywhere today okay? Please understand that I don't feel up to it. I'm still weak and a car ride will make me dizzy."

She hoped her simple speech won't make him feel humiliated anymore. Even though he hurt her in the past, she didn't want malice. She just wanted distance. She still hadn't forgiven him and it was hard seeing him.

"Yea, sure." he forced smiled. The sides of his eyes crinkled as he did. His brown hair shone under the light and she smiled at it's beauty.

"You can hang around for tea." she suggested, gesturing to the dining.

He shook his head and gestured limply to his watch. "Sunday. Church gotta go."

Of course, he had to get to church. He turned to go.

"How did you find me?" Derin asked as he neared the door. "I mean how did you know this place,"

Have you been in contact with Lola before?

"Lola might have slipped her card in my arm yesterday. I guess..... It was no use anyways." the last part came out as a whisper but she caught it. He heaved heavily and pulled open the door. Waving his hand uninterestingly, he closed the door behind him with a loud bang!

"Bye." She called.

"Yea. Bye." He replied from outside.

The echoing bang that resonated through the room and her ears made her feel like a lost soul. It made her wonder if she had done the right thing. Pushing him away like that. Wasn't it for her own good? She bit her lips and stared at the door. The image of Nonso's hands waving flashed in her mind continually.

****

She stayed in, took her drugs and rested. At one pm, her best friends stumbled into the apartment grinning like 'Cinderalla's Godmother'. They froze once they saw her, seated on the couch and fleeking through  Dstv channels. Ify walked over to her in slow dramatic steps. She flung her purse on the couch closest to the door and kept on.

Lola walked past Ify and sat on the couch, staring intensely at Derin.

"You didn't go with him?"

She sighed and tossed the remote aside. If only they were in her mind, they'd see what was going on. How conflicted she felt. But what was it what she really wanted? He walked in and asked her if he could take her to church. Why was he webbing his way into her life again? Did he think she had easily forgiven him? Just like that! It irked her that everyone could just forgive him after he had hurt her. She hadn't.

"I was still feeling sick. If y'all want, you could call him and follow him to church." Derin snarled and stood up, then turned to Ify who stood watching her. "Home?"