Atuweni felt herself calm down. The tears stopped and she just stayed snuggled up against her mystery man enjoying how his body heat seeped through their clothes and into her own. It was really comforting to just sit there in utter silence and not feeling completely alone in the world. She loved the way he smelled. It was fresh n minty and still so sweet. His cologne smelt a lot like something from Avon.
She finally moved from his chest and looked up to me.
"T-thank you," she stuttered
"Its okay," he smiled down at her
"You're always saving me,"
"Its my pleasure,"
"I really want to clean my face,"
"There's a bathroom right there," he said pointing to a door on the room.
"Thank you," she said standing and going into the room.
She cringed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her mascara was streaked down her cheeks in black stripes and her face powder was smudged. She splashed water on her face and when she was satisfied with her look, she wiped her face and then walked out of the bathroom to find her mystery man still seated on the bed. He looked up at her when she entered the room.
"You're still here," she stated
"Yeah. You removed your makeup. I love your face better without it," he said
She felt herself blush. He just complimented her. She finally took time to take a good look at what he was wearing. He was wearing a golf shirt with blue top part and sleeves and stripes below the clavicle. He had grey sweatpants on with black socks and grey cotton Louis Vuitton slides. He looked very casual for a party but looked amazing all the same.
He was sitting there with his arms folded across his chest. The way they were crossed made his biceps bulge out and the tight shirt only managed to accentuate his well tonned torso. She wondered what it'd feel like running the pads of her fingers on his torso. Would it be soft or just hard and tonned.
What the hell Atu? Stop day dreaming about touching him...you have no time for men trouble. She thought.
When she looked back up at him, he was smirking at her.
"You're checking me out now?" He teased
"Oh please as if," Atuweni said rolling her eyes as she walked to the bed.
She sat down next to him.
"I didn't take you for the party type," he commented
"And you look overly underdressed for this type of party,"
He quirked an eyebrow, "what would you expect me to wear at this type of party?"
"I don't know. Maybe not slides and sweatpants. I cant help but feel that sweatpants give the comfortable homey feel most times and paired by slides, that's the full homey feel."
"So i look too comfortable for a party?"
"Exactly, even though I'm sure the price of your slides alone is more than my entire outfit," she said mumbling the last part.
"So what were you doing in here?"
"I just needed a break from the noise and everything. A moment of quiet and peace,"
He hummed a response and stayed quiet.
"And why arent you dancing with some girl or joining the mile high club or watching the game or getting high?"
He chuckled, "what do you take me for?"
"I take you for a party goer"
"Well its not too far from you. I also just want some quiet from everything including my own life,"
"How bad can it be?"
"The party or my life?"
"Both?"
"The party is okay but i cant fully get wasted because i need to be sober so i can have some sense of responsibility at the end of this all. My life," he exhaled, "well you could say a break from the pretence and standards that cause tension and having your life almost always run by some other people,"
Atuweni simply nodded and comfortable silence followed. Neither of them speaking just sitting and enjoying each others company.
"I'm not," Atuweni said
He looked at her confused quirking an eyebrow in question.
"A party person. You assumed correctly. I'm not a party person. I was dragged here by my friends who said i needed a break from the stress."
"Ah, i see. Well your friends are good and I'm glad they dragged you here even though you didn't want to come,"
"And whys that?"
"Cause i got to meet you again."
Atuweni chuckled, "i guess so huh."
"Yeah our last meeting was cut too short by the phone call,"
"Which reminds me, you never told me your name."
"I didn't did i?"
"No you didn't. So what is it?"
"Why don't you take a guess?"
"Come on, i keep running into you and you keep saving me. Maybe if you told me your name next time I'll bring a medal with your name engraved on it as a token of appreciation?"
He laughed harder than she had ever heard him and she found herself loving the sound of his laughter and smiling like an idiot.
"I like the sound of that but you're still guessing,"
"But its totally unfair, i didn't make you guess my name,"
"You didn't but I will,"
"Ugh, fine. Keep your name," she said folding her arms
He chuckled again, "yeah, first it was you never looked the part now i see that you don't act like you have a son either."
"Are you trying to say I'm irresponsible?"
"Not at all. You just whine a lot to be someone's mother, I'm betting you and him would be a handful. That's two kids right there," He teased laughing
Atuweni playfully slapped his arm, "i don't whine a lot,"
"Okay, suit yourself,"
"But honestly, whats your name?"
"Hmm should i tell you?" he said his index finger and thumb caressing his chin. "Lemme think about it,"
Atuweni rolled her eyes, " and then you say I'm the one who seems immature,"
"I didn't say anything of the sort," he said raising both his hands
Atuweni caught the sparkle of his watch. It was silver and diamond encrusted everywhere from surrounding the face to the straps which she assumed were all metal too. Her eyes widened when she saw the time. It was after twelve.
"Oh no,"
"What? Is something wrong?" He asked following her line of sight to his wrist
"I'm late, this is soooo bad." she said standing up and beginning to pace, "i was supposed to be home by nine and now its almost one. How did i lose track of time so much?"
"Okay calm down Atuweni, you just have to go out there and find whoever you drove here with and then you can go. If you keep pacing, you'll only achieve nothing but being more tardy. Wait, you did drive here right? Because there are no buses on this side of town and it isn't safe either way the buses or taxis with the masikini kids around,"
"We drove here. I'll just go find Maya and then get her to drive me home. And then when i see her at school on Monday, i will beat the living shit out of her,"
He chuckled, "that's alright. Come on, I'll walk you both out," he said opening the door.
Atuweni followed and they walked together down the corridors back where the party was in full swig just getting wilder since most of the people were high and drunk. She cringed thinking of all the hungovers they'd suffer in the morning.
She spotted Maya dancing with Niro and they walked over to them.
"Maya," she said poking her shoulder.
"Hm?" Maya replied turning to face her friend. Her eyes were bloodshot and she reeked of alcohol.
"Can we go? Its getting really late and you know i cant stay here," Atuweni pleaded
"But its soooo fun here," Maya slurred "here have a bottle and drink it down! All your troubles will go whoosh! Away into the night!"
Atuweni shook her head. Her friend was beyond drunk. If she couldn't even talk properly she doubted she was in a state to be driving.
Niro tried to hold Maya's shoulder but missed terribly and stumbled over falling right into Atuweni. Atuweni caught her friend the impact making her stumble backwards but she felt a firm hand on her waist steady her.
She helped balance her friend who was in a fit of giggles and then slightly turned. Her mystery man was behind her with the hands he used to steady her still placed firmly on her waist.
She felt the heat from his hands seep into her own skin through the material of her dress. Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked up at him and saw him gently smiling down at her. She swallowed nervously as she felt entranced by the intensity in his brown eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen and she couldn't bring herself to look away. Their intensity seemed to look straight into her and seemed to be already acquainted with every part of her; past, present and future. They were so deep and raw she felt they swallowed her whole.
"Hey Atu!" A loud pitch screech dragged her out of her spell like trance. She turned around to her friends.
"Two!" Niro slurred lifting a finger, and then looking at it and giggling, "I'm supposed to raise the other finger too, right?" She giggled
"Two what?" Atuweni asked getting annoyed
"There are two of you! Yaaay," she announced clapping and jumping up and down.
Maya joined in on the applause giggling.
Atuweni rubbed her forehead and sighed, "okay these two are in no state to be driving. In fact i should be driving them!"
"I doubt they'll let you drag them out though," he said from behind her
"What on earth do i do with them. I cant just abandon them here all alone,"
"It won't be abandoning them. They'll be safe. They can stay the night as I'm sure every other body in this room will."
"And by spend the night you mean pass out on the floor in their own puke and crash there right?"
He chuckled, "that's another way to put it but eh," he said shrugging
"How on earth am i going to get home now? I'm dead if I don't go home and i really have an early morning tomorrow! Ugh, i should have never let them drag me here!"
He put both his hands on her forearms, "calm down, you worry too much. I'll drop you off. At least that will be one thing fixed and then you can take care of the rest tomorrow morning."
"Fine,"
"Great I'll be right back, gimme five minutes. I'll meet you outside, front porch"
Atuweni nodded and watched him turn and make his way around drunk and high mobs and some girls which threw themselves at his chest the moment they saw him. She rolled her eyes at the gesture. She found herself laughing at his horrified facial expression when one girl tried to make him bend down to her level so she could kiss him.
The moment Atuweni stepped out of the house she felt goosebumps cover her arms and bare legs. Once again, she found herself hating the dress she wore. She knew that the evening would be cold but she had thought she'd be cozied up in her blankets at this time of night yet here she was almost freezing to death in front of a house filled with drunk and high people. When she had heard people say Chilomoni Fagho got cold, she expected mild cool weather not full blown cold that made your teeth chatter.
She wished she had waited for her mystery guy inside or he'd hurry up and appear already so she would be saved from freezing to death. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands on her forearms trying to keep warm.
Just when she was about to go back inside, the door opened and her mystery guy exited the house closing the door behind him. He was now wearing a black Gucci hoodie on top of his clothes and holding a leather jacket and car keys in one hand.
"I was j-just about to c-come l-looking for you!" She stuttered her teeth chattering
"I'm sorry, you must be so cold!" He apologised "here," he said draping the jacket around her. "This will keep you warm,"
She gladly accepted the jacket. She wore it as she followed him down the footpath leading away from the house. The jacket was too big for her and one whiff of its smell and she knew it belonged to him. She wondered how he brought two jerseys to a party though. Maybe he knew how cold Chilomoni Fagho got and decided to come prepared, although his prefered shoes didn't compliment the cold very well.
She found herself in awe of the surrounding yet again. She doubted she'd ever stop being amazed by the beauty of the place. The lawn now had sprinklers shooting water in beautiful circles which complimented by the lights of the night made the whole place look magical. She was completely mesmerised.
She was pulled back into reality when she heard an engine start and saw an SUV drive out from the long car park she had seen earlier and stop before her. She looked on wide eyed when the window rolled down and he nodded for her to get in. She looked at the car before her, it was the same one she had seen him drive the first time they met. But she wondered why it was on the car park since the people who came to the party parked their cars at a whole different spot.
"Are you getting in?" He asked
She quickly opened the passenger door and got into the car. When she closed her door, he rolled up the window and put the car back into drive whilst she fumbled with her seatbelt.
She sat back in the seat. They were so comfy and yet the courseness of the leather also screamed "new car". The car interior was also very classy in itself. She felt like she could gawk at it her entire life and not get bored. She wondered if she'd ever make it far in life to own and drive a car which was this expensive.
She silently watched him connect his phone to the car as she enjoyed the ride. With the way the engine ran, she found herself not wanting to ever reach home. She'd go for drives in this car forever.
"Where do you live?" He asked one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding his phone as he scrolled down. She gawked at his phone. It looked expensive too.
She felt bad at how unfair the world was. Some people had it easy: good grades, good and luxurious lives, amazing physique and good looks and the money too. Whereas some had it hard with little money to get them by and below average IQ owing to bad grades and the difficulties of day to day life in a corrupt world which favoured the rich.
"Earth to Atuweni!" His voice snapped her back into reality
"Hm?"
"Where do you live?"
"Oh Chemusa,"
"Okay." He said resting one hand on the gear and the other on the steering wheel.
Kell Kay's 'Chonchi' was playing in the background and his phone was now rested on his lap screen up. Atuweni watched as it went bright from a notification and then before it went dark again she saw his screen saver. Two girls. One wore a maroon and black striped crop top with dungaree jeans covering her top and one strap undone holding onto the other girl. The other wore Kamuzu Academy's uniform and had her hair tied up into a bun. She concluded that they had to be his sisters.
"Take a turn here and keep going," she directed.
He followed the orders quietly. She watched his phone light up again and this time, she focused on the faces of the girls. She felt like she had seen them before.
"Why are you looking at my phone?" He asked
"Your screen saver. Its nice,"
"Thanks."
"The two girls, i feel like I've seen one of them before,"
"You might actually have,"
"Where?"
"At the party, at the Polytechnic, lots of places,"
"Can i take a proper look?"
"Sure," he said passing her the phone
She powered it on and then looked at the faces in the picture and then looked at him. They looked alike with him but not a lot. One thing was certain though, they were all good looking.
"Wait, isn't this Tadala?" She asked pointing to the girl in the uniform
"Yeah why?"
"And this is Dineo," she stated
"Where are you going with this?"
"They're your sisters!?"
"Yes, is something wrong?"
"So the party was in your house!?"
"My parents' house but yes. Again, is something wrong?"
"No. It just, it makes sense. Your casual wear was because you were home, and that's why you had two jerseys there because practically your whole wardrobe is there, and the car, you took it from the car park because those are your family's cars and the expensive slides and phone," she said putting two and two together
He chuckled, "ohkay? You observe a lot. Should i be worried?"
"No. I'm not a thief or something,"
"Never said you were,"
"The red gate over there," she directed
He drove in front of it.
"I'll just go in from here its really no problem,"
"No i insist. I'll leave you inside we cant have something happening to you now can we?"
Atuweni stayed quiet knowing it was no use. She waited till their gateman opened the gate and he drove in. He parked next to their neighbours house whose lights were still on so she concluded that they were awake.
"Thank you, for everything. Five things now, i owe you one," she said
"Five?"
"The umbrella, my son, the whole eeek case, the almost fall flat on my ass, the jersey and the ride home. Would you look at that, its actually six,"
"You have to stop thanking me. But its my pleasure anyway. Which ones yours?" He asked pointing at the four houses in front of them.
"The one in the far back."
"Okay."
"Good night,"
"Goodnight, oh your jacke-"
"Don't worry about it. Take it,"
"But-"
"Really Weni, don't sweat it,"
She smiled, "did you just find your own shortcut of my name?"
"Depends, am i going to be sued?"
She laughed, "no. Thank you for everything once again. Goodnight," she said opening the door.
"Weni," he said before her foot stepped out
"Yes?" She asked turning to face him again
"Its Roman."
She quirked an eyebrow confusion written on her face.
"My name. Roman Mkandawire the second."
She smiled at him, "Oh well then, goodnight Roman Mkandawire the second," she said
"G'night," he said laughing
And with that, she got out of the car, closed the door and walked away.
She heard his car leave the compound as she used her spare key to get into her house. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face. The night had been a disaster but she had also finally known something about her mystery man. She slumped herself on the bed after stripping down to her undies and a tight T-shirt. After tucking in, she closed her eyes and fell asleep with one name on her mind. Roman Mkandawire.
🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼
Hello my lovelies😄
Soooo, super long chapter eh?
I just didn't feel like cutting it short though😳
So we finally know something about our mystery guy🙃
Well then the routine remains the same Vote🌟, comment💬 and share👥
And please follow my profile❤🤗 *bribes with cupcakes😁*
I need to get some shut eye since its around 3AM here -so please excuse my mistakes- but i love you all❤
See you in the next update😀
Xoxo
FK🤗❤