July 2022
Elvis
"You're smiling." I said once she opened the door. I haven't seen her for three days now. And today was meant to be the day she went back to work.
"I thought that was your goal." She closed the door after me and followed behind me.
"I mean, I love to see it. So I take it today was fine." I turned in time to see her shrug. But her eyes held more than the careless attitude her body tried to give off. For the first time in a while, her eyes looked alive.
"I was cooking before you came in. So if you don't mind–" she started to say but I cut in.
"Of course." I said walking towards the kitchen. I rolled my sleeves up to my elbow and washed my hands first.
When I turned back, she was standing at the doorway looking at me. "What do you need me to do?" I asked and she tried so hard not to, but ended up smiling.
"I was going to say, if you don't mind staying in the sitting room alone for some time until I finished."
Oh. I thought. "Why would I stay there alone?"
She frowned for a bit before entering fully into the kitchen. She washed her hands as well and then opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a cutting board. She took a knife from the counter and set them before me.
"Since you want to help. Here. Cut them in thin slices." She said giving me the onions. "You know how to do that don't you?"
"Of course." I said taking the onions from her.
"I'm still trying to understand how you act so freely around here. The way you always enter the kitchen as if you own it." She said standing over the gas cooker.
"It's always been in my mind to say. So no offense." She added. Just the way she said it was amusing. I chuckled.
"Yeah, it does sound like it's been in your mind for a minute."
"No but seriously. You did this the last time too. And the time before that. You just waltz in like you own the place. It surprises me."
"I'm sorry. Bad habit. I basically lived here before you came into the story you know? Muscle memory I guess."
"Muscle memory. Do you like spicy food?" She asked and turned her back again to me.
"Yes. Very well."
"Really?" She turned back with an impressed look written all over her face. "On a scale of one to ten. What's your spice tolerance level."
"11."
"What? Really?" She said laughing.
"Yeah. I live for it." I said and she smiled and nodded. "You?" I asked.
"Same here." She said and took the pepper off the shelf. "I guess we have that in common. How was work today? You're finishing later than usual these days." She commented without turning to me.
"It is busy at work these days. Today was just like usual, nothing new. How was it going back to school?" I asked.
"Are you done with the onions?" She asked and turned to me. She walked to where I was and looked down at the onions. One look at it and she started laughing.
"Elvis, I said thin slices. What in the chunky slices are these."
I looked down at the onions and then back at her "maybe we have different understanding of the word thin? But does it matter anyway? They're going to disappear in the food." I said and she sighed.
"Anyway..... Thanks." She carried it and walked to the pot. "Can you cook by the way?" She asked randomly.
"I can make food for survival." I said and she laughed and nodded.
"I can tell." She said and chuckled again. I could listen to Ijeoma laugh all day.
"School was nice today by the way." She said and smiled wistfully. She looked lost in her thoughts for a while and her smile widened after that. Something I thought I would never see again.
"It was surprising. When I entered the school gate.... because I didn't get there early enough. So they were just done with the assembly." She stirred the stew gently, covered it back up and then lowered the fire. Then started bringing down plates.
"So when I came in, I didn't even see them first. But a lot of my students just ran to the gate. Like I was swarmed. They were just clamoring we missed you Ms. Ij."
She looked up at me and I could see her eyes misten. I helped her to dish out the food when we finished. Or when she finished rather, and then we carried them to the sitting room. We both sat on the same sofa, just few spaces away from each other.
"Even my most stubborn student, like this girl has stressed me the entire time I've been teaching her. She took my bag from me when I walked to staff room. They were all just.... It really took a lot not to break down in tears in front of them."
No. It took a lot to not go to her. I wanted to kiss her.
But as soon as that thought flashed my mind, the retribution followed. How can you listen to your friend's woman and all you think of is that? What kind of human are you?
The same way I've felt about myself since I realized that my feelings for Ijeoma were not going anywhere. At least not anytime soon.
"Are you listening?" Her voice permeated my thoughts.
"Yeah. You said the girl was stubborn. How so?" I asked and she shrugged.
"Just rich kids stuff. I dealt with it earlier on though."
"Now I want to hear the story."
She did tell the story and I laughed through it. Rich children and their peculiar problems. We ate slowly or she did rather, while we talked about a lot things. Filled up each other on the things that happened over the weekend.
************************
"You didn't have to do that." Ij said moments later while I wiped my hands on the hand towel.
"You cooked. It's only proper that I wash the dishes." I said and she shook her head.
"If you insist."
"I should get going. It's late already." I said and she nodded again. It was already well past 8. My house wasn't that far from here, so I didn't mind staying here till late at night.
She walked me to the door and stood there with a hand on the door handle. Again. It took all I had not to hug her. Not to kiss her.
"So....I'll see you tomorrow?" I said and she nodded.
She waved and closed the door after me.
I sighed when I got to my car and put on my seatbelt. I can't keep doing this. This feels empty. Somehow it felt worse than looking at her laughing with Ik across the room. That felt unattainable, but him in the story put my emotions in check. Sort of.
Now. Now she sits across me in the room. She's laughing with me. I'm the one she's smiling at. But it feels ever out of reach from me.
This feels empty.
The shrill sound of my ringtone snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced down at it and started when I saw the name across the screen. I picked up the phone immediately.
"Ij. Is everything okay?" I asked and there was a long pause on her end before her voice came on.
"Can you stay?" She said in the smallest voice I'd ever heard. With a lot of breaks in between. "Can you stay over this night? I know it's asking too much from you but......."
I ended the call and struggled to take the seatbelt off. I got out of the car and legit ran up the stairs. The door wasn't locked when I came up and she was on the couch when I entered.
She turned at me her eyes showing off every surprise she felt. Her phone still held to her ear. And her face tear streaked. "Ije."
"Shhhh." I wrapped my arms around her and held her as she broke down. Held her as shivers passed all through her body. As her shoulders shook. I rubbed her back as she cried silently.
"I had such a great time today. And when you left....when I was alone again..... I just....I don't want to slip back into depression. I can't do this."
"It's okay." I kept on rubbing her back and whispering to her. I didn't know how long I held her for. Or how long she cried. But we stayed like that for quite awhile.
I felt every shudder of her shoulder, felt every shiver that passed over her slim body. Yearned to take away every sadness and heaviness that she felt. But I couldn't. I was forced to just hold her and look in from the sidelines.
I brushed my palm down her head, gently and slowly. And then down her back. Rubbing it slowly. She feels so warm.
When I didn't hear any more sound from her, I brushed the sides of her hair with my hands. "You okay now?"
She pulled away slowly and then covered her face with both palms. "This is so embarrassing." I heard.
I started chuckling and she removed them immediately and glared at me. "Why are you laughing."
She looked cute. With the puffy eyes and red face. Without knowing, I reached up and cupped her face and brushed my thumb softly against her cheek.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about Ij."
She rolled her eyes and I smiled. "At this point, you must find me annoying." She said.
"Never."
That came out quite fast. I thought to myself and the widening of her eyes after supported my claim.
"Oh. Ok."
************************************************
July 2018
"He's here." Kamso announced from the sitting room.
"Don't you have anything to do?" I asked, more like shouted from the room.
"No." She shouted back. "I like doing amebo." She added and I started laughing.
She looked up from her phone when I came out. And looked me over. "You look very casual."
I shrugged and slipped my phone inside my back pocket. "He said causal."
"Why are you two always going out at night. Please come back earlier than you did yesterday. I don't like being worried." She said and I nodded.
I went down the stairs hoping that this time it works out. He was again, standing, leaning against his car. "Hi." I said when I walked up to him.
"Where are we going today?" I asked and he stood up and pressed his key to lock the car.
"A walk." He said and I almost sighed. That's the worst I swear.
"A walk." I repeated making sure I heard correctly. He nodded.
"Just a slow, casual stroll around here." He said and I just continued to nod. He chuckled and I looked at his face.
"No need for that face. It can't go wrong with a walk."
Oh I can tell you a thousand and one things that can go wrong with a walk.
"Besides." He continued to say. "The third time's the charm they say."
"If you say so." I said and motioned for the pathway. "Lead the way." Fortunately, the road around our lodge was really nice. And there are street lights along all the path.
"Is there a way to actually go right round this place. It looks big enough." He asked as we walked down the path that led to the lodge.
"Yeah. The road goes right round it. It's a long walk though. I haven't tried to go round at a go, but maybe an hour? An hour thirty minutes. Or thereabout." I said and he nodded.
"That's perfect." He reached down and took my hand in his and continued down the road. Okay?
"I know we talked about this yesterday, but I'm not proud of what happened yesterday. I'm sorry." I said and turned slightly to steal a glance. He was already looking at me.
"So how's your face?" I asked maintaining the eye contact. He chuckled and then massaged his jaw.
"Still bruised. I haven't fought since secondary school. Thanks for taking me back."
I smiled regardless of the sarcasm that laced his tone. "You're welcome. Anytime." I said and again, the silence.
"So...." He said and trailed off for a while. "So, I know we should be moving on right now, but I genuinely want to know what went wrong on our first date. I personally thought it went well, but you didn't. Obviously."
We passed some students going to night class it seemed. But otherwise, the road seemed quiet. It was a slightly chilly night thankfully. So I wasn't sweating in the name of a walk date.
"We should actually be moving on like you said." I said. Wondering how much longer he was going to dwell on that.
"I need to know where what I did wrong. Hopefully it helps. For subsequent dates."
When it seemed he wasn't letting it go, I sighed and thought of it. "The whole date was a lot sincerely speaking. But for the most part, it was awkward. The lapses in conversation made it awkward. Also we argued. On the first date. And, you came on too strong."
I'll get to the argument part on another day. I guess the mixture of everything rubbed off on me the wrong way. But he does come off too strong.
"I told you before, I don't mind lapses in conversation. When else would I have the chance to admire your beauty." He said.
Eh? Where is that one coming from. I turned to look at him but he was looking forward, with his hands in his pockets.
"How else could I have noticed that you have a tiny mole at the corner of your upper lip. Or that the left side of your lips tug up first when you smile before the right follows. Or that you twist your rings around your knuckle when you're deep In thoughts. Or that–"
"Thank you for listing half of my insecurities and adding more to the numbers." I muttered under my breath.
He paused in his steps and turned to me. I didn't stop walking. The way he put his hand on my waist and turned me to him surprised me a lot.
"I love everything I mentioned just now, so what do you mean by insecurity?" He asked
"This is what I mean when I say that you come on too strong." I said and looked down at where his hands made contact with my waist. He let me go and I took two steps away from him.
"You know what, let's let whatever happened in our previous dates stay there. And let's at least start at a light tone."
"I thought you hated small talk."
"Well, with someone like you, I might come to like it." I said and he started laughing. "What's your favorite color?" I asked and he laughed even harder.
I couldn't help but smile. I shook my head and turned to look at him but he was already looking at me. I swallowed at the look in his eyes. Why is he looking at me like that. We just met. Have had two horrible dates, why is he looking at me like that.
"Why are you looking at me like that." My voice sounded so small at that moment. When he started to answer, I held my hands up. "You know what? Don't tell me. I don't really want to know that."
"Ok." He said and there was a lapse. We both walked quietly for a while. And it wasn't bad as I thought.
"Green." He said softly moments later.
"Uh?"
"My favorite color is green." He said and I smiled again this time.
"Oh. Ok. Mine's blue. I've never actually been on a walk date. If you can call this a date. Is this something you do often?"
"I go on walks with every other day. But I've never gone with someone. I felt like it'll be a lot less formal than the dinner date. Maybe it'd help make it less awkward. What's your ideal kind of date?" He asked.
"Umm, movies I think. For the initial time you're getting to know them. At least you could talk about the movie for a while and then switch topics." I turned to him while I was talking.
"You don't look impressed." I deadpanned.
"No, it's a good idea."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
"What?" I asked.
"I can't sit through a movie. I always fall asleep halfway." He finally said and pressed his lips together. It was cute kind of. Like a kid that got into trouble.
"What kind of movies do you like?" I heard him ask and turned away from him immediately.
"I watch all genres. But these days I'm leaning towards horror. Paranormal and stuff like that. What kind do you like. When you eventually watch that is."
"I don't like any particular genre. I watch anything."
"But if you're forced to watch something, what will it be?"
"Action. Sci fi sometimes." He said after thinking for a while.
"For a minute I thought you were going to say romance now." I said and he turned with a smile.
"Why would you think that?"
"The corny statements you drop here and there, sound like they're straight out of romance movies." I said and he started laughing. Then he nodded casually.
"What do you do for fun?" He asked.
And like that, all the 'small talk' and 'talking stage' questions that hated with passion and had escaped on our first date, I answered all of them in the span of an hour.
But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually interesting. I didn't have to lead the conversation, and he wasn't taciturn like I thought. He talked a lot, probably more than me even.
And he laughed often. Deep laughter that sounded like they're straight from the deepest depths of voice banks if that made any sense. I could get used to a voice like that.
And somehow, somewhere along the way, I found myself laughing as well.
**************************
We were still talking when all of a sudden, the street lights went off. The entire place became pitch dark, and if there was one thing I was scared of, it was the dark. But more so, being in the dark right now with a stranger.
With a stranger, on a lonely road. The current conversation we were having all forgotten. The fact that I was actually enjoying the walk also forgotten.
Omo, what if he's been stalking me all these while to kidnap me and kill me.
No but serious, he did give that kidnapper vibe the first day we met. Maybe he's one of my dad's rivals.
A lot of thoughts flashed through my head when all of a sudden, I felt a hand tighten around my wrist. Oh my God. My entire being froze for a minute. And then fear followed.
I tugged my hand free from the hold and started running as fast as my legs could carry me. Running quietly, with my heart beating loudly in my ears.
But shortly, as quickly as I ran, my feet stumbled on something and I found myself falling. I heard him coming after me but I couldn't get up. This is how I die I guess.
I knew when he got to where I was, I felt him towering over me. Immediately the lights came back on and I could see his face clearly. His lips were pressed together and he looked like he was struggling not to laugh.
"What happ–" midway into what he was saying, he just burst into laughter. Wow.
He just knelt in front of me and kept on laughing.. He leaned over my legs and just collapsed with laughter. When he didn't stop laughing minutes later, I rolled my eyes.
I had to smile finally, it was difficult not to. Soon I joined him in his laughter. The whole thing was funny I had to admit.
"Why did you do that? How can you just start running unprovoked?" He said in between his laughter.
I tried to think of the best way to say that without sounding crazy. "I was scared okay?"
"Of what? I was literally by your side......" he trailed for a moment and then burst into laughter all over again. "Please don't tell me you were afraid of me."
"You can't blame me. You just held my hand all of a sudden. What did you want me to think."
He pressed his lips together and tried so hard not to laugh I could see but soon he was just smiling. He was handsome. And more so when he smiled.
"Wow."
"You can't blame me." I said again. "It was dark, and this place is lonely. There's a hundred and one ways you could kill me. And probably harvest my organs."
He didn't even struggle not to this time, he just threw his head back and laughed. "It's the way you were running silently." He said and laughed harder.
"You must watch a lot of true crimes documentaries." He said.
"It's my favorite thing to watch." I agreed.
"Yeah you said that earlier. You didn't even run a far distance. If this was an apocalypse or something how will you survive?" He said still smiling.
"Have you laughed to your hearts fill?" I asked. And he had the grace to appear somber.
"Can you get up? By the way, the way you fell... beautiful."
"You're mad." I said and he chuckled.
"I think I sprained my ankle." I said and he truly became somber all of sudden. He took his phone out of his pocket and switched on the lights then handed it to me.
"Hold that for me." He said. "Which ankle?" I pointed at my left and he gently lifted it up. "Tell me if you feel pain." He said as softly as he was touching my ankles.
Tell me how his palms could encircle my ankle so easily and I'm not a slim girl. He was looking at my ankle as intensely as I was looking at him.
So there is attraction there on my part. I thought wistfully as I watched him. When he lifted my ankles a bit more, my thoughts spiraled.
I swallowed when he suddenly looked up at me. And blinked profusely. "Was that painful?" I heard him ask and I shook my head. "I don't think it's sprained. You probably hit it against something when you were running." He finished with a smile.
"I guess so." I agreed. Just relieved he didn't catch me staring like that. "I like your lock screen." I said while giving his phone back to him. "What does it mean?"
"........"
He knelt in front of me and turned his head slightly to me. "You're not expecting me to get on you. I'm heavy."
"I lift heavier than you." He said and when I still hesitated, he chuckled "You can always hit my head if you feel like I'm going to harm you." He said.
I smiled and leaned, more like hopped on him. He did carry me with ease. "How tall are you?" I asked when he stood. Because I felt so far removed from the ground.
"Not that tall. 6'1."
"It's the false humility for me." I muttered and he chuckled.
I sighed and relaxed against him, the night got chillier I noticed, I liked it. I liked the breeze. I liked everything. And it was even better not that I wasn't walking. I sighed again.
"You must be enjoying this." He said.
"I am."
"So, you were telling me about ...... before you took off." He said and I raised my brow even though he couldn't see me.
"How did you remember that. Where was I?.......
**************************
"So. How was the walk." He asked when our lodge came into view.
This was the first time I understood when people say stuff like I liked it so much I didn't want it to end. Well maybe not to that extent, but it wasn't near bad as I expected. It was nice actually.
"It's like you said. The third time's the charm." I said when we got to the entrance of the reception area.
"I could carry you up to your room." He said and I shook my head.
"Visitors are not allowed past 10pm." I said. He bent slightly and dropped me gently on my legs.
"You can't be serious. Can they keep tabs on that?"
"I mean, if you were here before 10pm, you could stay. But you can't enter after 10. Security and all that stuff."
"Understandable."
"Anyway, I'm glad you liked the walk. I'm sorry you hurt your leg because of me."
"It's not your faul–" I started to say until I saw the smile etched on his face. I rolled my eyes but smiled too.
"So, I'll call you tomorrow when I get back." He said but I knew what he was asking and I nodded.
"Goodnight." I said.
"Yeah. Goodnight."
And he leaned in like it was a normal thing for us. Like we've been dating for the longest time. Just pressed his lips to mine. It was a peck basically, it was so brief to be called any other thing. And it ended before I could even think anything about it.
"Goodnight."
*******************
"Sooooo" Kamso started once I entered the room.
"You're smiling Ij, that has to be a good thing."
"Amebo."
"Omo, are you limping? What the hell? What kind of dates are you going on?" She asked abruptly and I burst out into laughter.
A/N
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