Confessions of an African It-Girl

part 2

I could feel them other girls’ eyes on me. Yea stupid look hard, Jide is coming to meet me not you, girl with the fake ass polo shirt!!!  As in he’s soo fine!! He has his phone to his ear and he is talking in a low voice which…frankly is too sexy. He walks up to me, sexy smile and all. I too can play the game, my hands go on my hips and I look at him in a way I hope is don’t care-ish. I can’t have him knowing that I thought he had abandoned me can I? 

“hey Jide” I say. He looks down at me with a smile but doesn’t answer me. Hmnn, I’m not sure I like this too much. After a few minutes he got off the phone and hugged me. His cologne was intoxicating. My head is reeling , my heart is skydiving...he’s so fine. Dem.

“how far?” he says. I can’t think of anything clever to say, so I just say ‘’not much’’ and look away pretending to be bored. I catch Uche’s eye, she’s suavely walked back to another bunch of friends. She gives me this look, be careful it seems to say.

“so what movie are you going to watch?” he asks. Damn. I don’t even know what movies are on!!! I didn’t come to watch a movie!! Stall for time Dara!!!

“I’m not even sure.” I say offhandedly “all the movies this month are really dry-“

“Lets go to this thing?” Jide cuts in

“what thing” I ask? as he leads me towards the stairs. Well damn I haven’t even said yes and we’re going??

“Ayobami is having a get together sha.. you know her right?” he says before picking up his phone which had started to ring.

“Yea, of course I know her.” I say loud enough for him to hear, he gives a slight nod to show he heard me. truth b told I have no idea who this Ayobami is. I have no idea where her house is. I have no idea if this is a good idea. As we walk down the stairs I weighed up my options: go with Jide to this thing, what harm could be down right? He came all the way to the cinema to get me didn’t he. Still we had planned to meet in the cinema yesterday and now he’s randomly changing his mind and taking me someplace. I shouldn’t agree. I should say no and be assertive. He’ll be impressed that I actually said no. I should shouldn’t I?

I don’t.

As we walk, I’m not quite proud of myself. I don’t know how to explain it. I was excited that I was about to go to some oh-so-cool party with Sof, I mean, asin… but I wasn’t sure I should be going because, I didn’t even know where I was going! What if the person’s mother is my mumsi’s friend and then I just show up? What would I say? Hi???

         By the time we reached the outside doors I was having second thoughts. I leaned in to ask him whether I had to go when, he picked up his phone and started talking. His popularity was already beginning to frustrate me, lol. I decided there and then that I should go, after all it was a little too late to turn back. I would look like an utter fool if I walked back in there with all them girls who I just eyed. And that useless Folakemi would start spreading useless rumours.

         I stood by the steps of the cinema, while I waited for Sof to spot his driver. Then, to my absolutehorror I saw my mother’s friend, Mrs Omotade, roll her fat self by. Jesus Christ. Let me explain Mrs Omotade to you. She’s nothing more than an over-sabi (over zealous) bored housewife who enjoys casting other people’s children to their parents. She once caught my sister in the mist of some guys, (quite clean cut, Christian boys o!) and told my parents. luckily, my sister’s ever moving mouth can also get her out of trouble and she quickly twisted the story to make Mrs Omotade look like she got the story all wrong. I do possess a little bit of my sister’s sweet tongue, but not enough. My mum would DEFINITELY believe Mrs Omotade. Anyway, so I’m almost frozen, hoping she will not spot me and manoeuvre her fat self my way. I am unlucky and her bulging eyes spot me and narrow at the length of my skirt. Great. “Good Afternoon aunty” I say, in hopefully my sweetest voice and give a quick curtsey. “Hello my dear, you’re Remi’s daughter abi?” she says with that loud voice of hers. I smile and simper some more while I franticly try to signal to Sof not to come and meet me when this orobo is in front of me. Unfortunately he was still on his phone, paying no attention whatsoever to my visual word play.  Moreover he was stealthily proceeding towards me. “Tell your mother, that she must come for one of my bible study classes on the virtues of a spirit filled working mother, who might not have time for her wondering children….” Mrs Omotade started but broke of when Sof grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the car. “Erm…I will make sure I tell her, aunty…bye aunty!!”  I say as I watch her face get more and more horrified. I entered Sof car with new found anger, when Mrs Omotade tells my mum this, I’m probably not going out for a long time. I tried to explain this to Sof, but he was still on his damn phone, so I sat fuming in the car all the way to Ikoyi.