She stared at him as he opened his mouth and closed it. He wanted to say something witty but obviously he was shocked. She did not understand his perplexity. Had he expected her to just say yes? Had he forgotten what he had put her through?
That was so impossible, she wanted distance with him. She wanted him far away from her. He hurt her and the bitter truth was that she was not over it. She was over him but not the fact that he cheated. Definitely not that. He had cared for her the previous day didn't mean that her door was wide open for him to crash into. They needed to keep away from each other.
But something caught her, he was never speechless. Even when turned down, he kept his smirk in check and always said something in return. But now he seemed lost, short of words. Perharps hurt or even he might feel humiliated. She did not understand. She felt bad that she had made him feel so lost.
She sighed. "look I don't feel like going anywhere today okay? Please understand that I don't feel up to it. I'm still weak and a car ride will make me dizzy."
She hoped her simple speech won't make him feel humiliated anymore. Even though he hurt her in the past, she didn't want malice. She just wanted distance. She still hadn't forgiven him and it was hard seeing him.
"Yea, sure." he forced smiled. The sides of his eyes crinkled as he did. His brown hair shone under the light and she smiled at it's beauty.
"You can hang around for tea." she suggested, gesturing to the dining.
He shook his head and gestured limply to his watch. "Sunday. Church gotta go."
Of course, he had to get to church. He turned to go.
"How did you find me?" Derin asked as he neared the door. "I mean how did you know this place,"
Have you been in contact with Lola before?
"Lola might have slipped her card in my arm yesterday. I guess..... It was no use anyways." the last part came out as a whisper but she caught it. He heaved heavily and pulled open the door. Waving his hand uninterestingly, he closed the door behind him with a loud bang!
"Bye." She called.
"Yea. Bye." He replied from outside.
The echoing bang that resonated through the room and her ears made her feel like a lost soul. It made her wonder if she had done the right thing. Pushing him away like that. Wasn't it for her own good? She bit her lips and stared at the door. The image of Nonso's hands waving flashed in her mind continually.
****
She stayed in, took her drugs and rested. At one pm, her best friends stumbled into the apartment grinning like 'Cinderalla's Godmother'. They froze once they saw her, seated on the couch and fleeking through Dstv channels. Ify walked over to her in slow dramatic steps. She flung her purse on the couch closest to the door and kept on.
Lola walked past Ify and sat on the couch, staring intensely at Derin.
"You didn't go with him?"
She sighed and tossed the remote aside. If only they were in her mind, they'd see what was going on. How conflicted she felt. But what was it what she really wanted? He walked in and asked her if he could take her to church. Why was he webbing his way into her life again? Did he think she had easily forgiven him? Just like that! It irked her that everyone could just forgive him after he had hurt her. She hadn't.
"I was still feeling sick. If y'all want, you could call him and follow him to church." Derin snarled and stood up, then turned to Ify who stood watching her. "Home?"
Ify sighed and nodded slowly.
Derin took her bath and got dressed for the trip back to her apartment. Lola had insisted on driving them back and they knew better than to argue. Asides from that, they weren't ready to jump buses in Derin's ill health.
They spoke about church and how powerful the service was. They avoided the topic of Nonso and did not question Derin's decision. But all Derin could think about was Nonso. Of how He looked humiliated when she said no and of how everyone could forget so easily whereas she still harboured hurt in her heart.
Once they were back at the apartment, she gave Lola a quick hug and went to bed. She didn't want to see their faces, she'll only keep thinking about Nonso and she'd only hear the contradicting voices of guilt that haunted her and the hate she felt.
She sat on her bed and her mind drifted to the university days when they had been dating. He'd been the best, he always dropped by her dorm room to check in on her. The both of them became inseparable that she felt she had slowly drifted from Lola and Ify. She remembered that once he smiled at you, he was genuinely happy, if he laughed, he was having a damn good time and he smirked if he was amused, which was all the time.
His mother had died of cancer in his final year in secondary school and it had affected him more than he wanted to admit. She knew that as the first son he tried to be strong for his siblings, she knew his heart was pure.
He had a good heart, all he ever did was good. she remembered how much he sacrificed during their relationship but still it didn't change the fact that he cheated. It still surprised her that he did. It puzzled her that someone so good could do something so bad to her. She was disappointed because then, she had always seen him as the better part of her.
She gulped loudly as she forced herself to sleep. It was then she realized she was still wearing his shirt and she clutched tightly to it.
******
The ray of sun flashed through her window blinds and kissed eyelids. She groaned in response as she stirred. She stiffled a yawn and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. She reached for her phone which sat on the night stand and checked the time, it was 8:30.
She gasped, throwing the blanket aside. She was still slipping on her slippers when she saw the note on the night stand.
'Babes, gone to work. Eat rest and sleep, just feel stronger, I'll call in sick for you today no probs'
Ify.
Xoxo
She creased her brows and re read the message.
And the rest of the day she spent doing what Ify had asked of her. When ify returned, she looked like she ran a hundred meter race.
"Why are you sweating?" Derin queried, scrunching her face in disgust.
"We've been paid for the month!" Ify said excitedly, jumping up and down in her ballet flats.
"Really?" Derin smiled.
Achievement was one thing important to the both of them. Ify had gone through a lot as a young girl. She lost her parents when she was ten, spent two years with a wicked Aunt and was later taken to an orphange. She remembered in the university, Ify had to joggle multiple jobs just to get by. She didn't always want to bother her elder sister. She insisted that her sister had done enough.
Seeing Ify this happy made her happy. Ify stopped jumping. Placing her hands on her waist, she sighed."I'm so happy!"
"I know, me too," Derin pulled her into a tight huge. "I'm so so glad."
"Derin, the good thing about this job, no matter the low pay, is that they pay regularly. At least at the end of the month we'd be sure something is coming into our account."
Derin smiled and pulled her close again. "I'm happy."
*
The next day, she made sure she woke up early and dressed for work. She wasn't completely back on her feet, but she was better and she was strong enough to go to work. Despite Ifeoma's opposing, Derin got dressed.
She took a quick bath and triumphantly called out to Ify once she was done.
"You finally got up before me!" Ify rolled her eyes. "You need to rest though oh. It's not necessary you kill yourself."
"I wonder why you never say good morning." Derin huffed.
Ify laughed as she pressed the red tooth paste to the bristle of her toothbrush. "Free me,"
Derin got dressed in a simple gown that stopped on her knee and topped it up with a black flat. She wasn't strong enough to wear a heel.
Ify had gone out of her way with a flare white suit pant and a yellow blouse. Her heeled sandal brought out the beauty of the dress.
They took a cab to work and when Derin stepped in, she realized the only people she ever really related with were Zach and Ifeoma. Zach was by her side before anyone else.
"Hey, are you ok?" His handsome face was itched with worry. He chewed briefly on his buttom lip — a nervous habit.
Derin flashed him adazzling smile. "I'm fine. I feel better, thanks for caring."
He pulled his hand through his hair and tittered. "I guess you won't go on another date with me. Not after how bad this one went."
"I would, but as friends, I think we have never really been friends."
"Yea.Sure. Later." he did a mock bow walked away. She watched as he hung his head low and she knew he expected more. But friendship was all she had to offer. She felt nothing for Zach and she was more than certain the amount of times they'd waste on going for dates wouldn't make a difference.
She turned and headed to her cubicle, she sat down comfortably and the days work began.
Customers trooped in endlessly and she made sure to put on a smile as she attended to them. she was slightly feeling week as noon drew closer.
"I'd like to register my Sim." An old woman with wrinkles and skin burn on her cheek. She had a white scarf wrapped around her head and shoulders.
"Ele ma," Derin greeted, smiling.
"Hmm." The Lady nodded. Derin did not expect that because she had spoken Yoruba the woman would kick off in asking her questions in Yoruba. She smiled lightly. It reminded her of her younger days. Whenever her mother spoke to her in Yoruba, she'd make sure not to reply in English because speaking in her father tongue was sweeter than the scathing effect her mother's palm created. She recalled sitting in their studio apartment —at the time when her mother had cut all ties with her father angrily. She'd sit on the white plastic chair, opposite the one blue one her mother took, with the orange light gleaming from the blurred globe of the lantern, she'd listen to stories of Ile-Ife. Stories that at that time she had found interesting and later on she'd get involved in historical discussions and pride in the fact that her mother had told her stories that were history.
"Ómò dada." The Lady gave a toothy grin as she pushed the sit backwards and stood up.
"God bless you." She said in Yoruba.
"Thank you ma, Eshey."
She was already feeling tired when another customer sat in front of her. Her head was slightly bent, hiding her stressed face behind the computer system. Her hands massaged her temples easily. Rubbing it didn't stop the ache, it made it pain her more. She only tried this because she saw people doing it. She hissed and dropped her hands.
"How can I help you?" She enquired, her eyes still slightly closed.
"You can at least help me by telling me why the hell you came to work in this condition."
She froze at the voice and opened an eye, hoping she was dreaming. But no she wasn't, he was actually there. Chinonso Orji was seated before her in a sleek black suit and white inner shirt. He looked furious. His hair was stood out roughly with shaped edges that were aligned with his facial hair. His eyes twinkled, his lips were pressed in a thin angry line and his eyebrows were raised, expecting an answer.
"You have got to be kidding me." Derin murmured into her palm. She sat up and looked around. As expected, Nonso's presence had attracted eyes all around, especially Ify's. Ifeoma wriggled her brows and chuckled silently. Derin rolled her eyes and looked away.
"What are you doing here?" Derin asked indignantly.
"Lunch break is now. I'd like us to talk now."
Nonso had two sides. One which was actually carefree with a smirk on his face and found everything amusing. The second was the determined Nonso still with the smirk, coupled with gleaming eyes and a certain determination to get what he wanted.
The first one was who was at Lola's apartment on Sunday and after getting turned down. He came back today and his eyes insisted that he was not taking no for an answer.
She smiled, it was one thing they both had in common, stubbornness.
"I see we still have something in common." She fired sarcastically.
"We have a lot of things in common, my dear. I'm surprised you're only seeing it now." he raised his voice slightly attracting heads her way.
He smirked and she knew he may actually attract people's attention, so she got up swiftly and followed him with her purse in hand.
From her peripheral view, she saw Zach. He leaned against the glass table which had phones displayed on them. His eyes hardened as he stared at Nonso. And as Derin turned to see his expression fully, he looked away. She groaned and looked away.
Zachary you won't make me feel guilty. I'm sorry I don't like you.
Once outside, she turned to Nonso.
"What the hell are you really doing here?" She seethed. She staggered slightly as her legs wobbled.
"Relax. First off, you have to get in the car before you fall. Second you need to eat so you can take your drug and third I came all the way to ask you something."
She glared at him. "Don't come here and start acting like you're the boss of me. Don't you dare. Besides I made it clear that I'm fine. Why would you come to my work place and try to make a scene!"
"Calm down Didi..."
"Don't Didi me!" She snarled. "Didi kor, Dodo ni. I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Chai, Derin. Must you always be difficult?! You are making this hard, can't we even be friends? Do you hate me that much?" He looked desperate. "please Derin."
She stared at him angrily.
"Please.. I beg of you. I'm not going to take your time."
"Fine." She said and walked behind him.
She got into his car and they drove in silence to a nearby restaurant.
"Or do you want Mama put?" He teased.
"Maybe."
"It's unhealthy oh."
"Even though it's unhealthy Ify still likes it." she said laughing a little.
They walked in and took a seat. Nonso ordered pepper soup for her and nothing for himself, claiming he had eaten.
"You aren't eating?"
"Not hungry, I think I'm fasting." he smirked and she rolled her eyes.
She scooped the pepper soup slowly, with the white pap wrapped in a maple leave that came with it. Once she was done eating and the peppery after taste still lingered in her tongue, she took her medicine and turned to him.
"So you wanted to talk about something?"
"Yea. I wanted to ask if you'd come with me to Mimi's engagement party?" He breathed.
She stared at him in shock, then let out a light humourless laughter. She hoped that when she looked up he'd say he was joking. But he wasn't, his lips were in a tight line and his brows were ridged.
"Why would you? I mean.... You could have called instead of coming all the way here." she said.
"And get a no? Not happening." He leaned back and shook his head. "I also came here to check up on you."
"I see my friends are already letting you into my life without my permission."
"Are you coming with me or what?" He voiced, ignoring her rant.
"Don't you have Mitchell or what's that her name again?" She fired saucily.
"we ended things." Said Nonso, shifting slightly in his seat.
"Right. And that is supposed to be my business abi?"
"No one said that. I'd just like it if it were you who went with me. I'm simply asking —"
"Is this how you woo someone? Without the flowers and all."
"I'm not wooing anyone. I just need an escort to this event."
"And to you I'd be the perfect candidate..."
"Derin, do you have to be so hard? So difficult to communicate with."
"I'm not difficult, Nonso," she gulped down the little water left in the Brance bottle. "I just don't understand why you've been following me 'upandan' since."
She called the waiter and paid off her bill while Nonso watched her with a smirk. The waiter stared between, looking perplexed.
"What?" Derin eyed Nonso casually.
"Oh... It's nothing, I'm just wondering why you are giving him extra money." Nonso shoved his seat backwards and sauntered out of the restaurant.
Wimp! He walked out because he knew she'd argue. He knew she wouldn't accept him paying off her bill.
"When did he pay you?" She queried the confused looking boy before her.
"He slipped me some cash while you were eating." the waiter gulped.
She tsked casually and pointed to the old five hundred naira note he held on to. "That is for my meal."
She tilted her chin upwards and sashayed out of the restaurant.
On walking into the daylight, she sheilded her face from the sun with her palm standing on her forehead.
"You left your money on the table didn't you?" Nonso called out. He stood, arm crossed in front of his red Camry.
"You know me too well Nor Nor." she purred and walked over to the passengers seat. He guffawed and slipped into the car.
"Hey, so I'll pick you up at Lola's. Saturday morning ten o'clock sharp. The dress code is cream and since I know you won't let me buy you a dress, just make sure you clean up nice." he said once the car stopped in front of her office.
She glared at him.
"I haven't given an answer."
He smirked and leaned in swiftly, letting his lips brushed her cheek lightly. "I know the answer."
She shoved him away, ignoring the uprising anger. She glared at him. "No you don't."
He sighed. "Come on, don't do this please..."
"Don't do what? Because I agreed to go out with you doesn't mean we are best friends and it doesn't mean you get to be cool with me." She stated indignantly.
Nonso placed his fingers on the steering and drummed lightly. "So what's the answer?"
*****
Wat do u think her answer is?
😂😂
She is so stubborn but it seems Nonso came back with fire. 👌👌
If you buhlive in Passion
Say 'yay'
Winner xoxo