Improvised Plan #ProjectNigeria

4- Room Mates

"I hate lying. In fact, I'm a bad liar. But on the bright side, in two weeks, Nonny will be gone. And we can go back to not knowing each other," I promise.

"That's the thing. Can we, though?" He asks with that annoying smirk.

"As in what?" I ask, with a roll of my eyes. "You don't exactly look like a keeper type, you know."

Saheed looks surprised at my remark. He shakes his head before laughing. "Ouch. Smart mouth you've got."

"Mmm," I reply while chewing on the end of a chicken bone.

"So what are the rules, Ola?"

"What rules?" I ask.

"Touching, kissing, levels of intimacy..."

"Oh, I never thought of that," I say, surprised that I had actually never thought of it. Honestly, I keep surprising myself.

"What did you expect, that we would show up there and sit like robots through out the date and the next two weeks? Come on, Ola...we're supposed to be madly in love."

I suddenly get the feeling that he is having fun, watching me almost go into panic mode. Intimacy isn't something that comes easily for me...and pretending it exists between myself and a total stranger is a whole new level of close to never.

"We'll show intimacy only when necessary." It sounds stupid to my ears, but it's all I've got.

"When will be necessary?"

"Are you enjoying this? Making me uncomfortable?"

Saheed leans back on his seat, folding his arms. "The only thing worse than a lie, is a poorly constructed one."

I nod at his frankness. "Well, you seem to be an expert on male-female things."

"I was right when I said you were too rigid for the last man, wasn't I?"

The thought of stabbing his hand with my table knife crosses my mind. If I reveal to him that I gave in to desperation and have been going on blind dates ever since Nonye had revealed her plans to visit Nigeria- no, I don't even want to think about that!

"Will you be spending the next two weeks trying to make me miserable?"

He raises his palms in surrender. "Hey, don't get too worked up. Remember, this isn't compulsory and I'm only trying to return a favour."

"Aha, so you do feel indebted to me, after all?" I ask with a laugh. "Pay back for having me listen to your drunken rants for three straight hours!"

"Three hours don't equal two weeks," he points out flatly. "Curiosity is my main reason."

I sigh again. I might be pushing my luck by getting on his nerves; I mean, what does it matter his reason for helping me? We simply have to show up when Nonye needs our company, and we will rarely be alone. So, there's no need for worrying about my safety.

"Thank you," I tell him with a smile. " You have been most gracious."

He rolls his eyes and blinks them slowly. I stare for a moment longer, studying their colour. Amber. Stunning. I begin to wonder what his parents look like.

"Which parent did you inherit your eye colour from?" I ask, regretting it immediately.

Saheed pauses before replying. "My father. In fact, I am a replica of the man, in more ways than one."

I get the feeling that he isn't pleased about this similarity, but I don't press on. Instead, I nod. Finally, the waiter, a young man of about twenty, arrives with my drink and the bill.