Ijeawele woke up due to the urge for her to relieve her bladder. Then, she laid back on the bed and shut her eyes to return to sleep. Not long after she closed her eyes, they fluttered open again. Ijeawele sat up. She had suddenly remembered the man she left in her living room. After she returned to her room, she had fallen fast asleep before she knew it. She looked around, realising the electricity was back. Ijeawele then got up from her bed and looked out of the window. At 2 a.m., the rain had finally subdued with a few droplets still coming down. Ijeawele opened the door and walked out of the room.
She stood in front of Andrew, whose eyes remained shut, fast asleep. Her arms were folded below her chest. Ijeawele thought about waking him to the news that he was free to leave. But it was too early in the morning. It didn't seem like a sensible idea. Rather than lying down, he had slept off while still sitting. His head slacked upon the headrest and he didn't seem comfortable. Ijeawele stared at him, lightly biting her lower lip. After a bit of inner debate, she concluded it was best to let him be. Almost because she would prefer to avoid any sort of awkwardness. She walked back to her room and picked up a wrapper from the wardrobe.
Quietly, Ijeawele spread it over him and endeavoured to straighten out the edges that didn't lay properly. During that act, she'd gotten closer to him. Her gaze fell upon his face. Instead of looking away, she stayed on. His words repeated once more in her head.
"If you ever need a shoulder to cry on or a friend to talk to, I'll be there."
Although Ijeawele hadn't entertained his effort, she couldn't help but wonder why he would want her as a friend. She hadn't exactly been nice to him. Could it be that he pitied her? The thought of it made her a little upset.
Ijeawele leaned away from him. She decided to let go of all thoughts and ill feelings their last conversation might have come with. After all, it's not like he'll ever be trapped in her home again because of the rain. By morning, they'll go back to how things were. She switched off the light in the living room and left the one from the kitchen before she retired to her bedroom.
Andrew gradually fluttered his eyes open. The first turn he attempted; he felt a sharp pain in his neck which eventually went down his back as he leaned away from the backrest. He rubbed the back of his neck as if that was enough to soothe the stiffness that settled there. Andrew noticed the wrapper on him. He looked left and right. That was when he was once more aware of his presence in Ijeawele's house. He hadn't seen her but he knew she was the only one who could have left him with a covering. A vague smile showed on his face. He was appreciative.
The second he got up from his seat, he went for the light switch. After the lights filled the room, he looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 4:45 a.m. Andrew couldn't believe he'd spent the night here. He worried that Ijeawele might not have liked his sleeping over. He was supposed to stay until the rain stopped and yet, he let himself fall asleep.
Andrew yawned, still a bit sleepy but he knew he needed to go to work by daybreak. He ran both hands over his face. It was time for him to leave. He stood in front of her bedroom door. Just as he was about to knock, it came to his realisation that she could be asleep. He would hate to wake her up. But it would also be rude to leave without letting her know. Andrew rubbed the joint between his neck and shoulder. An attempt to ease the stiffness. The position he'd slept in was bad for him.
In the end, he decided to knock. The moment he raised his hand to knock, she opened the door and stood in front of him. Both were surprised to see the other.
"Good morning." Andrew greeted as he brought his hand down.
"Good morning." She reciprocated before adding, "I was about to wake you."
His smile was short-lived. "You were? I was about to do the same... The rain has stopped."
Her chuckle was light and brief. "Yes, it has."
No matter what form it was, it was a smile from her and Andrew liked it. "I think I should go."
Ijeawele nodded. "But, it's still very early. Are you sure you can find your way?"
"It's almost five. I'm sure the buses have started running."
Ijeawele nodded again to his words. But this time, she lowered her eyes from him as if thinking. Andrew saw it as her ending the conversation already so he turned away.
"Wait." She called and he stopped, turning his head after barely four steps away. "Wait here." She added before taking a step back into the room and closing the door.
Andrew looked away. While waiting, he neatly folded the wrapper she'd lent him and then left it on the couch. Ijeawele opened the door, wearing a pair of fancy slippers, her phone in one hand and her car key in the other.
"Let's go." She walked past him, heading for the main door. Andrew remained still, staring at her in confusion.
"You're coming with me?"
"No." She replied, furrowing her brows at his words. Then, she added, "I'm dropping you off."
A light chuckle left his lips. "You don't need to do that. I'll be fine."
"Yes, I've heard you." Though those words were her reply, she went ahead to unlock the door and took the first step out.
Andrew stared at her; a bit dumbfounded. Her stand remained the same and he just knew arguing with her about this would be futile. Without a word more, he followed out of the apartment and she locked the door. Ijeawele had to wake the gateman so he could tend to the gates before they got into the car.
He was well aware that he shouldn't interpret her good deed into any sort of explanation. But it felt nice to see that she cared whether as a friend or a colleague. So, even while she drove out of the compound, he stole glances at her. Ijeawele pretended not to notice. Her present action was not part of her plan at all. Her decision was abrupt. Her mind had gone through a few things that could go wrong for him that morning. After all, her area was new to him. The thought didn't settle right with her. Now, here she was. If anything, she felt a little embarrassed and a little like an idiot.
She looked at him and their gaze matched. Ijeawele was the first to look away. "Where do you stay?"
"Egbeda."
Ijeawele glanced at him with a light frown between her brows. "Are you sure? Because that's where we are."
"Really?" Andrew asked and looked out of the window. He couldn't recognise his surroundings. Maybe because Lagos and even his housing area were new to him. He'd only managed to cram the path and transport route from his home to work and vice versa.
"Can you direct me?" She asked and he looked at her, his lips parted a little, yet no words came through. Ijeawele could see the confusion on his face. A little innocent. A little cute. It was a different kind of look on him so much so that she barely suppressed a smile while she looked away from him to pick up her phone. At the moment, she doesn't feel embarrassed or stupid anymore because her decision now makes sense.
She turned on her data, went to the Mapp icon, and stretched her hand to him. "Type in the address." He did as told with no questions asked.
Ijeawele wore another light frown at the result. His address was fifteen minutes away from hers. The coincidence was a little strange for her. She looked at him and he looked at her.
"Is something wrong?" Andrew asked because of the suspicious look she had in her eyes. She would've loved to interrogate him on how he came about his living space. But a part of her thought it was a little childish and unbecoming of her. There was no way he purposely picked a space close to hers. Ijeawele mentally shook her head. She was thinking too highly of herself and it was ridiculous. Finally, they were on the road. Their path was littered with very few cars so the ride was smoother except for the potholes here or there. The ride was in silence until Ijeawele pulled up in front of a black gate behind which a two-story building stood.
"Is this it?" Ijeawele asked while she stared at the building. She turned to him just in time to see him nod to her question.
"Yes." He replied. It was enough for her to feel pride and satisfaction. He wore a smile. "Thank you Ijeawele for everything."
Her brows arched a little, purely due to her surprise at hearing him call her by her name for the first time. Neither did it feel weird nor repulsive. It just... It made her heart skip a beat. She flashed him a smile because she was worried he would notice where her head was at. He wore his broader before he pushed the door open and stepped down, shutting it afterward.
Andrew walked around the back of the car to the gate. She watched him knock. He turned his head to her and waved bye, wearing the same wide smile. Ijeawele didn't give it a thought and waved back to him. The gateman opened the gate and Andrew walked in. Ijeawele looked away only after that.
She stared at the hand she had waved to him with. It was then that she gave her action a thought but it was too late. Ijeawele was sure that she felt her heart skip. Yet, acknowledging it happened would mean analysing the reason why and she didn't want to get into that. Andrew was like a breath of fresh air. There was something about the way he looked at her or spoke to her. It made her feel heard, respected, and... beautiful. It seemed rather impossible to shrug him off as a joke or afterthought. Ijeawele knew it would be hard for her to completely ignore him, which worried her the most.
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