Dressed In Body-fitting long silk gown, her hair dropped loosely against her back. She retouched her lipstick the second and final time.
“Let's start going already,” Chidi urged, “we have kept him waiting for minutes.”
Tina dropped the lipstick and grabbed her bag.
“Stay safe, girls!” Patricia advised from the couch after receiving hugs from the girls.
“We will, aunty!” Chidi echoed from the door.
“Good evening, ladies,” Clint greeted as they entered his Toyota Corolla.
Tina gave him a side hug, while Chidi greeted from the back. “Evening, handsome! Where are we heading to?”
“Whoa!” He responded, flattered.
Chidi was amused. Tina imagined his head growing twice bigger.
“Flattered?” Chidi asked.
“Yeah, not by the word though.” He glanced at amused Tina.
“By what then?”
“Well, for acknowledging it.” Chidi queried.
“That's not enough reason.”
“It is. Guys don't always come across girls who openly acknowledge their looks. And it's almost impossible to get that from fellow guys,” he argued.
“True,” she succumbed.
“Exactly, that's enough reason.” They laughed.
Their ride was filled with discussions and Tina's arguments with Chidi, who got more excited about the dinner after learning the location.
“Welcome, ladies!” Anna cooed.
“And gentleman,” Iyke completed, as the trio stopped by the table.
They took their seats at the table after exchanging pleasantries. Plates of puff-puff, samosa and spring rolls were distributed around the table by a waiter shortly after their arrival. Another filled their glasses from a bottle of red wine.
Tina ate her appetizer in silence, laughing at their jokes at intervals while they discussed. Anna led an assault against Clint; they teased him the most on the table.
Clint didn't look exactly pleased. He tried at intervals to divert their attentions to other topics. That did work, but it took only a little while before they pounced on him again. Iyke occasionally defended him and turned the banter to 'ladies versus men'. He often got cornered by Anna to take her side on occasions, setting the trio against Clint again.
Unlike Clint who either went short of words or got outmatched by the trio, Iyke was a good orator and effectively deflected attacks on him, mostly using Clint as human shield. Clint occasionally called Tina to his defence, in a bid to carry her along. Likewise, others occasionally tried to get her to their side or seek her opinion on some subjects.
Tina spent her time closely observing Clint as they discussed. She found this aspect of him, which was being easily outgunned in an unregulated argument, interesting. Interruptions threw him off balance and his facial expression got her the more. The ease at which he let things slide was graceful to observe.
“Chidi, don't be deceived. This is coming from a not so special place in her heart. . .” He tried to appeal to Chidi against a statement made by Anna.
“You say what!?” Anna interrupted in a funny British accent, sending everyone to laughter.
“I know you hate me, and you have. . .”
“I actually love you, darling. You know I do,” Anna interrupted him
“No! You don't . . .”
“Yes! I do.”
He relapsed to his seat once again, giving up the argument for the umpteenth time that evening.
Clint caught her staring. She laughed shyly and shifted her gaze to the glass of wine on the table.
He didn't look away; she felt his eyes on her skin, waiting for her to raise her face. That would not be coming soon; her face had turned crimson.
“Let's do a song. Who is interested?” Chidi suggested.
“Me!” Anna voiced.
“I'm in!” Clint agreed.
Tina was very grateful to Chidi because the whole awkward gaze was getting awkwardly more awkward for her. All thanks to the sudden silence on the table at the moment.
“I'm in too,” Iyke croaked last.
“Tina!” Clint gently touched her with his smooth but strong hand.
Tina felt chills all over her body. She raised her head to see everyone looking at her.
“What about you?”
She nodded awkwardly. She knew his question was to carry her along, not like she was going to sing anyway.
“Who's going first?” Chidi asked again.
“I,” Iyke said.
“Start,” Chidi said to him.
“Ok. Which song do I sing now?” He thought aloud, “babe, suggest for me,” he looked at Anna for a response, “err. . . Let me sing, this song, err . . . by Fave, My Baby.”
Steady your face jor for me, I wanna take a picture
So this could last longer for me . . . He started the song.
Chidi subtly drummed to the tune of the song on the table with her hands. This attracted the attention of the not so many customers left at the restaurant at that time of the night.
“Eeyy! eeyy!” Anna hyped him while he impressively churned out the lyrics of the song.
Clint took the last turn to sing. He looked a bit hesitant to show his singing prowess.
“What do I sing now? R&B? Naija hits?” He thought out loud.
“Anyone,” Anna suggested.
“Fine, let's go,” he said, “Bloody Samaritan.”
“I’m feeling vibes on vibes, I’m a ticking dynamite, I’ll blow your candle light, you know I’m just that type, no oh dem no fit kill my vibe . . . Iyke drummed on the table louder; the ladies stood in a frenzy to dance. Chidi subtly dragged Tina up when she won’t join them.
Vibe killer, bloody Samaritan, protect my energy from your bad aura, na my pastor say I be my healer, everything I desire, I go receive. . .
Everyone chorused with him, freshly drawing the attention of other customers. Some of them seemed fascinated while others were rather uninterested, but the unofficial music group took no notice of them.
Oya grab something, hold something, girl like it’s your birthday go Shawty, ma worry, nobody fit take your place, baby shake something.
Clint who had earlier accepted to sing on Tina’s behalf switched to another lyric. Anna went over to Iyke and rocked Iyke on his seat.
*****
There was a little mix up from me. The text I published earlier was for chapter 10. I'm sorry for the inconvenience 🙏.