"Thought you were going to give me a hug with the way you ran up to me" he said with a coy smile.
"I didn't run up to you" I stated defensively yet subtly spreading my arms open for a hug.
He didn't hesitate to fill in the gap. He wrapped his arms tightly around my frame. I inhaled the cool scent of his cologne, closing my eyes to savour it. He always smelt so good. His arms slid down slowly to the base of my back before lifting me off the ground.
I hit his back lightly. "Stop, put me down"
His essence and expensive, smooth ride was already turning a few heads even before I approached him but now that he pulled this stunt, I could feel and see a lot more eyes. I definitely wasn't loving the attention.
He chest vibrated from a deep chuckle and he proceeded to sway me from side to side defiantly. I buried my face in the crook of his neck drowning with embarrassment.
"Stop. Please drop me" it came out all muffled up but he finally heeded my request and placed me back on my feet.
I pulled away and hit him hard on the chest as soon as my feet landed on the lard ground. He cupped his chest in his palm and feigned a hurt look before replacing it with a grin.
I kissed my teeth and stood, hands akimbo. "What are you doing here?" I repeated.
"Want to get in first?" He gestured to the passenger door then pulled the door open like how a hotel doorman would do.
I eyed him cautiously, fighting back a smile and proceeded to get into the car. He shut the door gently and casual strode over to his side, throwing a few glances around the surrounding. God, this man was fine.
He got into the driver's seat, pulled on his seatbelt and made to reverse out of his spot. He had one hand on the steering wheel and placed the other hand behind my seat as he focused his gaze behind us as he reversed.
I noticed the neat fade on the side of his head and clear, glossy curl pattern atop his head. It was clear that he just visited the barber's place. I'd seen videos of girls who swooned over their boyfriend's fresh cut and I never understood it until now. I just knew he was looking mighty fine for no reason, today. Well, the reason just surfaced.
He clenched his jaws involuntarily and I caught sight of the veins at back of his hand on the wheel pop up for a quick hello. I averted my eyes to the view outside my window.
Clean thoughts, Lord. Clean thoughts is all I ask.
Eventually, he pulled out of the driveway and out of the university environment. There was a little traffic right outside the University gate and rain had begun with a light drizzle. Minutes later, the velocity of the rain increased to somewhere between a downpour and a light rain.
My sister was yet to reply to my text so I couldn't guarantee the safety of my clothes from the rain but the sound of the windshield wipers swaying across the glass felt therapeutic that I didn't feel the need to panic.
"So, how did you end up here? It was quite far from the house" I asked
"Yeah. I was running an errand for my mum and then I thought why don't I pop by and check on you" he said, eyes trained on the road.
"You took a risk there. What if I wasn't in school, what would you have done then?" I asked
"A risk? Not really. And I would've just gone home if you weren't around" he shrugged his shoulders.
"Really? Hold on, how did you even know where to find me and the exact time I was going to step out?" I asked suddenly bewildered.
He chuckled lightly. "Calm down. I was going to call you when I arrived but you walked out of that building so I guess that was a win. And, I've dropped you off at that exact spot once before, in case you've forgotten"
Oh. I nodded.
A cramp hit me and I subconsciously crossed my legs at my ankle, wetting my apparently dry lips. I settled for a subtle feet tapping against the car floor as I waited for the pain to dissipate. I rested my jaw on my palm and my elbow on the door handle.
Once this traffic clears up, I'll be in my house in no time since I don't live too far. Hopefully, I wouldn't get to the gut wrenching and puking stage. Can't have myself being embarrassed for the second time.
I shut my eyes tightly as I felt another wave of cramps take over my lower abdomen. I rested my head against the glass and listened to the rain tapping against it.
"Here"
I heard the crackling sound of a nylon bag beside me. I turned in the direction and found Yinka was holding out a blue nylon bag.
"What's this?" I asked eyeing the bag as I slowly took it off his hands.
I placed it in my laps and immediately felt a warm sensation before I even got to look into it. I pushed the nylon open and found a takeaway plate and a cool bottle of water. I pulled out the plate and looked at it's content from the side. It was Jollof rice.
I glanced at him with furrowed brows and returned to the bag. I carefully placed the plate back into the bag and pushed the bottle to side to find a packet of Paracetamol.
"Is this for me?" I asked, slightly lost
"Yeah. Who else?"
I opened my mouth to speak but words failed to fall out. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to say. Right in front of me was exactly what I needed but how he knew was what I wasn't fully comprehending.
He took note of my internal struggle and decided to help me. "I was on my way here and when the weather, it was pretty obvious that there was going to be a downpour. So, I took a detour to grab these"
I waited for him to go further since he was missing the main component of the narration. He didn't seem to think going by his silence.
"How did you know I was on my period?" I said softly. This was the mind bugging part.
"Oh, I didn't know for sure but I guessed because of your face" he stated like that was supposed to make complete sense.
"My face?" I asked, my hands immediately flew to it.
He spared me a quick glance. "Yeah. It was getting kinda rough. Like pimples and stuff. I heard somewhere that was one of the indications or symptoms or something. Right?"
"Y-yeah, I guess. I mean not everyone is like that but--" I looked into the bag and then back at him. "-- wow, thank you. I don't really know what to say."
He didn't look back at me since he was driving but I noticed his lips curl up in a wide smile. "It's cool"
This was anything more than 'Cool'. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me. My heart truly clenched at the mere thought. I must really be emotional because I think I'd say at this moment, I liked him a little more than friends would do.
I must really be clouded with period emotions.
He glanced at me for a second. "So, you eating that or what?"
I laughed lightly, looking down at the plate. I looked up at him and called out to him. "Hey"
He looked at me and I stared right into his eyes. His countenance softened as we held eye contact.
"Thank you" I said softly, in the most sincere tone I could conjure.
He gave me a small smile. "Anything for you"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hang on. There's an umbrella in the boot" he said, unstrapping his seatbelt.
I looked at him crazy and burst out laughing. "Why would you keep an umbrella in the boot?"
He looked up into the sky through the window, calculating how he would get out and reach the boot without getting drenched. The answer was impossicant. The rain had reduced from being a downpour but it was still somewhat heavy.
"There's no way this rain is not flogging the hell out of you" I said, looking out the window.
He chuckled, shook his head and counted down from three before dashing out of the car. I laughed heartily as he jogged over to the boot. Seconds later, he resurfaced with an umbrella and appeared at my side of the door.
I pushed the door and stepped out with my bag in one hand and his phone, he left in between us in the other. "Thank you"
We briskly walked over to the gate of my apartment. Yinka completely shielded me with the umbrella as I fumbled for my gate keys in my bag.
"Sorry" I chuckled. I could hear the jangling of the keys but the accursed keys refuse to show up.
Finally, the keys decided to show up but Yinka's right sleeve was already soaked. I pulled open the gate and the main room door, rushing in to grab a clean towel for him.
"Wait there" I said to him before he could step into my rug floor and soak it up.
I pulled out a clean dry towel from my wardrobe. It was a short navy blue towel I used to dry my hair whenever I washed it. I sniffed it to make sure it didn't have any funny smell as I walked over to the door.
"Here..." My voice faltered as I opened the door. Yinka was standing half naked, hoodie-less in my corridor.
"Thanks" he took the towel from me and began to wipe his arm, oblivious to the effect he had on me.
I averted my eyes and cleared my throat. "uhm, give me the hoodie and jacket. I'll hang it out to dry". There was a semi-long rod that was installed from one side of the corridor to the other.
He handed the clothes to me and I picked up to empty hangers then hung them on the rod. I looked over to all my clothes drenched out in the rain.
It's one of those things. I consoled myself.
"I don't think I have anything that could fit you" I said as we walked into my apartment.
"I'd be surprised if you did" he said, draping the towel around his shoulders.
"You're going to get cold, if you stay that way" I said, ransacking my wardrobe for any item.
"I'll be fine" he said, flexing his arm in attempt to ward off the cold air.
After minutes of almost tearing my entire wardrobe down in search of clothing. I was able to find a large sweater jacket. I got it a long time ago but I always drowned in it whenever I wore so I got another one and forgot about it.
I felt more comfortable now that he was well clothed in this small spaced apartment. The rain wasn't backing down, instead it wavered between light and heavy rainfall. I asked him numerous times if he wanted to eat something but each time, he kindly refused. We settled on finding creative ways to entertain ourselves.
At the moment, he was trying to convince me that the afro-dance 'legwork' was easy to accomplish.
"I'm telling, you can do it. Just relax, you're overthinking it" he said.
"This has nothing to do with thinking. I'm telling you my body is not corresponding" I said, panting heavily after two ridiculous attempts. I crossed my arms over each other, like an X. "Error 402. Error in connection"
He laughed loudly then walked over to my side, planting his self behind me. "Okay, so spread your legs... Hold on, that sounded inappropriate. I mean not that I mind though"
I elbowed him lightly, grinning like I won the lottery. "Get away from me"
He chuckled and moved around to face me. "Okay, sorry. Let's try this again"
I tried my best to attain the stance he required in seconds and then he requested I jump, crossing one leg over the other. Let's just say it didn't end the way he planned and I almost took him down when I lost my balance.
I laughed my head off, like a banshee as he managed to stabilize both of us. "I'm not trying this again"
He nodded, finally agreeing with me. "It's probably for the best"
"Thank you" I said with a grin, still calming down from the highs or my laughter
My breath hitched in my throat when he enclosed the space between us and began to smoothen out stray hairs on my head. All that jumping around set my hair into a minor disarray. He took a step closer to me and my mind screamed for me to step back but my body didn't.
His eyes flickered from my hair to my eyes and then finally landed on my lips. He lifted his eyes back to mine and arched his brow, silently asking for permission. He lowered his head slowly and arched his brows again. His message was clear; if you going to pull away, do it now.
Where exactly do I want to pull away to? In this tiny room.
As a sign of assurance that I was down, I stood on my toes and leaned in. He was inches away from my face, our breaths lightly fanning against each other's skin when the room door burst open. We pulled away faster than the recoil of a gun.
"God, I'm soaked to the bones. To the bone marrow, gon" Oluchi announced, looking up from her wet bare feet. "Oh, Yinka you're here. Hi." She looked to me. "Neye, please help me pass my towel. Thanks"
"Sure" I muttered, trying my best to hide my flusteration.
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