Pantie Rule

18 | Turning Point

It was a Monday, and Mondays were days of Government. I mean the course, Government.

How neocolonialism was subtly practiced in Africa, and even Nigeria! You know, I've always Imagined I could squeeze those raving colonialists by their necks, bring their noses to mine, look them in the face, blink twice and scream into their throats: "I love you from the bottomless pit of my heart!" I'm sure It'll echo down there, through their whole being. That should scare one away. One day. One day I would do that.

It was not until our Government class was over that I noticed that Martin was around! Wow! He looked really cute and less chubby this time. His sickness had sure made him look more attractive, and what was he doing in 'Block 19'? This block had only halls of computers for students' use with free WiFi, but it was hardly used, and usually empty. Probably because it had once been out of ban from students because it was being abused; used to watch porn. And maybe also because, the School Authorities never provided free WiFi, ever again.

I was planning to go over and greet him, and ask if he'd really recovered or he'd still like to - 'you know' - spend some more time at home. I would really advise him to take one long, nice break before he asks me, and gets the real sickness after I've said my epic 'No'. But before I could even move, he had already begun striding to me, with such confidence.

This better be a good time to walk up to me with such nonchalance, Mr. Man!

"Hi, Omotara."

"Hey, Mart! What's up na?" I said, with a happiness that even surprised me myself.

"I'm fine." He said with a little more show of comfort. I plastered a smile on my face and he did the same, just that my was a fake fake smile, and his was real fake. I could tell. A boy that likes a girl doesn't throw a fake smile at her. I winced. Then just as it came, it disappeared. "You said you were going to wait last week."

"Mm?" I turned my head like I had no clue of what he was saying "Wait." I blinked severally, feigning absentmindedness. "Wait, what?... How?... For whom?"

Martin, my beloved. It'll be of great gain to you and your family and your extended generation if you do not ask me for a relationship, reason being that they might lose you to a two letter word.

"Oh," I stalled. "How about we wait till it's closing time?" I snapped smiling proudly and wiggling my whole body left and right, again and again with my two hands gripping a small portion of the back of my skirt.

He smiled away a quick disappointment. "Okay." His voice was clearly stiff, and not happy as he extended the 'y' of his 'okay'. "Closing time..." He pushed his hands in his pocket and shrugged, "if you say so." He was walking off.

I turned back. "Bye!" I said, as I did.

I don't want to tell him no. So, I have to stop him from asking at all. I walked on thinking of how I was going to plan my next move. I had to do something before he did something that could cause a very big something! But before I could do something or even think of the something I wanted to do. I heard footsteps running back towards me. I froze. Lord, let him not tell me something.

"No, it can't wait till closing time!" He called, and I almost jumped out of my skin in shock. I could feel his desperation, and now I was sure he would die soon. Really very soon.

"What?" I instantly jerked my hands open and frowned at him. "Leave me be! Leave me! Ah, ah! If you like me tell me, and stop being spooky!"

A few students looked at us. I'm sure they looked at us as apprentices in such business. They did things much more worse.

Someone let out a loud; mad oh, that reverberated round the building.

Martin's tongue seemed like they were being tied to a string and then hooked to an invisible hanger on the roof of his mouth. Then he blurted out! "I like you... I mean... No! Um... That's not what I want to sa-" He said amidst scratching his face.

"I knew that is what you wanted to say, alright? Thank you for the gesture, but Martin, look you're a nice person but..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. So, I looked around to see if any of the students were still looking at us. Then I turned to him. "No, Martin. I don't like you." I tried to say it in the most childish way I could, but it never came out like that.

"Well..." He inhaled, "I don't care!" No, I just shattered his heart! He's a liar! He's a bloody liar. He cares. But as far as I did not see him dead on the floor I wasn't going to care too.

I lifted my brows and smiled. "That makes too of us! I don't care too."

"Shut up, Omotara!" His words jumped at me, searing through my flesh like hot coals. My eyes stood out. I mean, my eyes were outstanding! "Shut up!" I held my breath, and my eyes roamed around, but the quietness of the place kind of created us our own world.

Oh my God! His reaction was barbaric! Raw! Stupid! I hate him even more!

"You put words into my mouth!" He shouted, sending my heart beating twice as fast. For the first time in a long while I was really afraid. A sharp pain shot through my head, and at that moment I winced. He looked worked up and sweaty.

"I don't like you. And I never did. And I never will, okay?" He said, as I fought to concentrate on what he saying, my head throbbed.

"I still don't know why you girls presume relationships whenever a boy wants to talk to you! Are we not humans also? Don't we have feelings? Why treat us like trash?"

I didn't quite understand him. This was the first time I was seeing him this way. It really got me confused and numb.

"Oh, well it's about time you started talking about your burial because I've said no."

His eyes mirrored deep hatred and mild disgust. And I was really shocked. I wasn't expecting any of this and it was getting out of hand. I had never seen Marcus like this before, never.

"I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?"

"Look, I'm not ready for all your madness. And-"

"Enough!" I shouted. I had to show him I could get angry too. "Enough of this your petty shenanigans! I don't get o!" I was feeling the heat rise through my chest. "Just because I said no, you want to die after losing your voice?" I shut my eyes as I tried to calm myself. "I'd suggest you protect your voice so when you get to hell you'd be given the award for best backup voice! I hear the devil is the lead singer." I turned around and walked outside the building. It was all quiet and scanty here

"You want to know more about Fatima's death?" Martin's voice filtered into my ear.

I stopped in my tracks. Fatima? My own Fatima? My hands started jittering and I suddenly could feel a cold sensation creep up my spine, through my skin, sending a short shiver throughout my whole body.

Slowly, I turned back to him.

He looked at me with hard eyes and there was a tinge of soberness those black beads. I stared back. Fatima was one of the hidden parts of my life I never wanted to talk about.

"Omotara, I did it."

"You did what?"

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