“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves.” – Federico García Lorca.
•••
He is up.
A distant audible loud yawn came into hearing, and she took the action as a cue that Dayo had finally woken up from sleep. To her surprise, he had slept for quite the number of hours but once again she wasn’t so surprised because she knew that it must have been a long time that he had had a sound, sleep with ample time. Since he was a workaholic, she knew his sleep-time probably didn’t span longer than four or five hours every day.
The next noise in the series of sounds – was the shuffling and padding of feet on the ground, and the action made a cold chill to run down her spine. They had arrived on the Island – at midnight and had both proceeded to their respective beds instantly without having dinner since they had both eaten to their fill on the plane. They had slept in different rooms of course, and while she knew such boundaries were called for in the current scenario, she didn’t exactly like it that way.
She didn’t have the most canal thoughts in her mind, after her not exactly fiasco the last time she made a sexual advancement on him but she didn’t see what was wrong in both of them sleeping in the same room at least. It wouldn’t hurt to share the same bed also, and maybe perhaps – cuddle and fall asleep in each other arms. A short make-out session wouldn’t be exactly bizarre either, neither would a lengthy one and so would–
Urgh!
She realized the trail of her thoughts were leading to sex once more, and she realized she had to shut them out totally because if Dayo caught wind of such intention, knowing as intuitive as he was – then it wouldn’t end good. At the same time, it didn’t mean she was exactly giving up on the bid to share the same room with him.
They still had plenty of time left on the trip, and she figured that it wasn’t too far-fetched to think that with the right points and incentives, she might be able to alter his thinking on that matter. After all, once upon a time – he wasn’t comfortable with public display of affection but it wasn’t so long ago on the plane in which he had engaged her in a steamy, make-out session. Her mind had reeled with want and bliss then, till now – she couldn’t actually believe he had done such thing.
The creaking noise that stemmed from the parting of the door – jolted her into a static, expectant state, as Dayo stepped through the kitchen’s door arch-way.
Wow!
It was the first time she was seeing him so – rough. Yeah, rough. His hair was rumpled and curly, and gave him a messy bad boy look. His azure-colored eyes, glowed brighter than ever in the dimly lighted room and his biceps weren’t exactly – heavy duty, but they bulged and flexed in all the right places. She wondered how someone could look so attractive, while being unkempt.
“Hey, you.” His voice wasn’t short of the morning brilliance either, as it was slightly deeper and sexier than the usual. He strode over to her one inch-shorter frame, and snaked his arms through her waist before pulling her in for a kiss. She could still taste the traces of grape wine on the edges of his lips, which he had yesterday and it only made her wilder with desire. Involuntarily, she bit his lower lip hard and caused him to withdraw abruptly.
“Easy there, okay.” His voice remained hoarse, and he sucked gently on the blot of blood that formed on his lower lip. “Don’t go all Twilight on me here.”
The color spread all through her face. “I’m sorry, your lips just taste too good for your own liking. Especially its color. Damn, how could they be so red?”
“Oh, you don’t know why?” His right brow rose up in a mocking manner. “Don’t you know that the more you kiss, the pinker and redder your lips would get?”
Really.
“Wow,” She joined in his charade by feigning a bewildered glare. “You must be a bad boy then. For yours to be so red–, oh please faking my surprise isn’t even working,” Her pretense broke down like a punctured, deflated tire. “You, kiss a lot? And you kiss like that after such extensive experience? You know your character kissing in video games, don’t count right?”
“What?” He jerked back in amusement, withdrawing his hand from her hips. The moment he did, she felt a wave of cold air hit her. His arms indeed were home. “Why the hell would you make such joke?”
“You play the Sims, Dayo. You’ve told me before and I know they kiss in that game.” She drawled. “BTW, the Toons in that video game kiss even way better than you do. Believe me, I’ve seen it – it’s so thorough. I even wonder why they rate the game 12+”
“Really, do I kiss that bad?”
Aww.
She could sense the disappointment, and insecurity in his voice and it only made him more – adorable and cute. Of course, he wasn’t as bad as she put it really but her earlier statement was very true though. Those Toons in the video game could kiss way better than he could.
“Yes, and I only love–like you more for that!” Damn, she thought as she strode over to him and planted herself into his arms. She really had to get a hold of her speech, before she said something she wouldn’t be able to take back. “Because I get to teach you how. It’s fun, believe me.” She added, before entwining her fingers in his disoriented hair and pulling his lips down to hers.
She teased his lips gently in a slow, sensual way before jolting up the tempo a notch and invading his mouth. Her lips found its way to the cut she made earlier on his lower lip, and she sucked gently at it – reopening the wound and inducing a fresh flow of blood. She didn’t know what came over her, but she did it anyway. She drank in the taste of his blood, and it only ignited her blaring systems further with want and judging by the moan that escaped his mouth – the action was torment for him also.
His hands travelled down to her buttocks, and clutched it tightly before he swirled around and placed her on the counter. His right hand shot up to the crane of her neck, nuzzled it and he took over the steering wheel of the kiss from her. The kiss echoed of immense want and the estranged nature of contact in their relationship.
When she let out of a muffled squeak, he let his lips roam down to her collarbone. She had never been conscious of every single atom within her body before.
“You know,” She whispered, when his tongue began a tease on her shoulders. “The bed-room isn’t so far, and it isn’t really morning yet. Perhaps, we could–you know, take this to a more comfortable place.”
While uttering the statement, she indeed had the fear that the action had the possibility of bringing a stop to their current steamy activity, and it did. Her heart sank as he pulled away, his arms however still locked on her waist.
“You know we can’t do that,” He swallowed as their fore-heads met, and his gaze lingered on her lips. “We both agreed that you would respect my decision on that.”
She bit her lower lip in disappointment, totally oblivious to the effect it was exerting on Dayo. “Yeah, we did but I just–you know, that was a long time ago. And I just thought things had changed a bit, right? I mean we’re not in the same stage as we were before, and I was hoping that perhaps that had changed too. Or didn’t anything change for you?”
Of course, it didn’t. Maybe a little, but it was nothing compared to how much had changed for her. After all she had fallen in love with him, while he had–well, just found more will in him to be a good boy-friend. Which wasn’t supposed to be a new thing, but was for him because he was–Dayo.
“A lot changed for me, really.” Dayo’s throat bobbed downwards, and he pulled away finally and stepped backwards. “I mean a life-time ago, I wouldn’t even be comfortable sharing a kiss with someone like this, or even contemplate thoughts of travelling out of the continent just for a vacation and please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this because I regret it. I’m just saying it to emboss my previous points, that’s all. You’re just gonna have to be on board with me on this. Let’s be on the same ride okay, I don’t want to be moving at a steady pace and see you way ahead of me. It’d work better for the both of us in that way.”
A steady pace? So what pace was she moving at? A fast, illogical, bizarre pace? She almost spoke the words out loud, but the after-shocks of pleasure sizzling through her body inhibited the utterance.
“Okay, slow and steady wins the race it is.” She remarked in surrender before leaping down from the counter. “BTW, before we go shower and clean up. I prepared a little something for you for breakfast.”
“Oh, really.” The enthusiasm in his voice was audible, as she padded across to the other side of the kitchen to retrieve the plate she had kept in the microwave earlier. She could sense he was indeed hungry. “I hope it isn’t something too light. I’ve had enough of light things on the plane, and no pun intended. I wasn’t referring to the song.”
She chuckled nonetheless, opening up the oven and retrieving the plate. “Depends on your definition of light.” She added before striding back to the counter, and setting the plate down for him. “It’s just scrambled eggs and potatoes, nothing much.”
“Hmm,” He remarked bemused, while pulling out a stool. “I must say, smells really good.”
Huh?
Her eyebrows furrowed, as she took the stool by his side. “What do you mean smell? You haven’t even opened up the container yet, and yet you’re smelling it already. I didn’t know you were mutated and could smell stuff through containers. What a lame superpower that would be if it were real.”
“You think,” He opened up the container, and emptied its content into a plate. “In this country, you think that sort of power would be lame? I think I’d be a billionaire trust me. I can only imagine the number of private universities and secondary schools that would pay for my services. You know how students love to go against the rule of not cooking in hostels. Just imagine if I was a staff and I had that power. Oh, well – the money would come with a lot of enemies also.”
She only smiled once again at his quip, as he finally set about to eat the meal. Her heart-rate picked up as he lowered his hand to a potato, and grabbed a handful of egg also. She really hoped she didn’t mess anything up, because cooking wasn’t what she did frequently or at all. All she did was use her initiative, and according to famous chefs that was the most important thing, right? The initiative, not the knowledge per say.
Oh, drat!
She could sense that it tasted awful, the moment he slid the lump of food into his mouth. His previously amused face had morphed into that of an incredulous, stunned one as the food clogged in his throat and induced choking. Quickly, she got a bottle of water from one of the cabinets below and handed it over to him.
After gulping half the contents of the bottle, he turned on her with reddened eyes and all.
Uh-oh.
“So?”
“Tiolu Keye,” He growled. “You have failed this meal.”
She burst into a raucous laugh, and hit him hard on the right rib. Of course, he had just insulted her poor cooking skill even when she knew being modest and not being blunt was the right thing to do on his part, but the statement was a teaser from the CW Superhero show – Arrow. The lead male in the play had once told the female lead the same thing in a similar position.
“Why am I not surprised, you watch Arrow too.” She folded her arms in amusement.
“Why not. Oliver and I – we have a lot in common.” He continued, before returning to his seat and staring blankly at the meal before him.
“Oh, really.” Her gaze skimmed his entirety in a mocking way. “Well that lot certainly don’t include, height, brawn, combat skill, sexual prowess and flexibility and pretty much everything that defines Oliver.”
He rolled his eyes. Haha! He freaking rolled his eyes. He was such a case, she thought.
“Well, we are both billionaires.” He held his left hand up. “And please don’t rectify by saying I’m only a billionaire by local currency. We both have younger sisters with a wild social life and the last but not the least – freaking hot girl-friends.”
Aww.
She couldn’t help it. The color bulged out of every corner of her face, and her lips parted and made way for a flustered smile also.
“Nice save, hero.” She scowled. “Anyway, could you at least tell me what’s wrong with it?”
His eyes narrowed into slits, as his gaze travelled back to the counter. “Well, the egg is okay really but I think the potato is where you went wrong. I think you added a little more salt than needed.”
“Just a little?”
“No, I really think you must have emptied a whole pack into it really.”
Her heart sank.
“But it’s okay,” He began in a soothing tone, and pulled her in for an embrace as if reading her perplexed state. She wished she could read him, like the way he did her. “There is still plenty of time to learn. And besides it’s just cooking. There are people that would always be better than you in it no matter how good you are. People that are employed to do it.”
She could sense he was sweet-talking and was holding back some info, but it wasn’t like she wanted to hear it all anyway. She figured that could wait for another day.
“Okay, enough cuddling really. We have quite a day ahead of us.” She cleared her throat, and broke the embrace. “In fifteen minutes, our ride would be arriving to pick us. We really don’t want to be unprepared and have the need to tell them we’d be ready in a few moments in Korean. I kinda threw that hand-book they gave us in the airport away.”
“Not to fear, there is Google translate.” He winked at her, holding up his phone. “Anyway, that’s right. We should be quick. I’d meet you in the living room in the next hour then.”
“Good,” She nodded, just before an awkward silence descended. “C’mon, shoo shoo! Keep moving, you really don’t need to kiss me every time you’re leaving me.”
“And I believe that, because you females always speak what you want and not the opposite.” He laughed as he walked to her, and lowered his lips to hers. She closed her eyes, waiting for the imminent but instead she felt his lips on her right cheek instead.
“Shotgun!” He screamed before darting past her into the next room, where she was pretty sure wasn’t the bath-room. She chuckled internally. It was going to take him a while to realize that he was in the storage room, and when he came out – he was going to have to face her for the stunt he pulled earlier.
*****
“Are you okay?”
Once again, all she did was wave her right arm in the affirmative.
“Uuh, you’re gonna have to give me something other than that.”
This time, she gave a thumbs up.
“You know I meant a vocal response.”
She let out a muffled noise; that he couldn’t exactly classify as a growl or a squeal.
“An actual vocal verbal response. Not a–whatever that was.”
This time she took him by surprise. She leaned to her side, retrieved a flat stone and hurled it with all the might it seemed she could muster. He’d have ducked to his side, if only the stone made it a few inches past its point of projection.
“Okay, now I get it you’re really tired.” He shook in laughter. “But in my defense, you’re the one who insisted you could climb the mountain. I tried to talk you out of it, but all to no avail. You insisted, and look at where we are today. I mean look at where you are, because I’m not really fazed by the whole thing.”
A frown took up residence on her face, as she rose to her feet finally. She advanced angrily before him, and would have tripped and fallen if he didn’t lung forward to catch her.
“Hey, you’re trying to hurt me okay. Not yourself, take it easy.”
She shoved hard at him, but the action had no effect whatsoever on him. On a reflex, he wrung his right arm around her waist for support.
“I’m tired yeah, but you’re beginning to become the reason.” She spoke finally, in between deep, dragged breaths. The Halla Mountain Challenge was indeed dazing indeed. It was one of the might he say – extreme sports that the Koreans engaged tourists in whenever they visited, and since it was protocol – Tiolu had insisted that they take it. Her enthusiasm had gotten the better of her of course, as always. He did tried to ask the Korean guy how long it would take to ascend the slope, but instead the guy must have taken his enquiry as an order and had hurled them into the mountain climb instantly. He really didn’t know why the guide couldn’t speak English. After making the complaint to the guide in question, the man had replied that the Island was pretty much desolate during the present time of the year, so the guides weren’t available. Before today, he might have been a fan of South Korea, but not anymore.
They sucked.
“And I’d say – I told you so, but I can’t because I already said that multiple times on the climb. The first time being at the beginning of the climb, when you yelled and said you couldn’t go through with it.”
He could sense she wanted to elbow him hard in the ribs, because he had his arm around her and he knew her body was tightening in anger but she certainly didn’t have enough strength for such offensive action.
“I’d also have plenty opportunities to say I told you so to you also,” She began, as they commenced the brief hike to their apartment. “An instance is when you’re dying and crying out in pain after I slit your throat in your sleep. Nothing beats a statement said to a person right before they give up the ghost.”
He tittered. “Oh, mine’s similar also. You’ve given up your own ghost a long time ago. What’s left now is just your body. Why do you think you can’t walk by yourself?”
And finally, her anger dissolved and she let out a genuine laugh. It was good to see her back again.
“Okay, but please stop using that to taunt me okay?” She begged in an apologetic tone. “I’d have enough of that after I narrate what went down here to Anjola when we get back to Nigeria.”
“Noted,” He smiled, as he directed his gaze to the path ahead. Their current environment was a garden, blistering with a variety of blossomed flowers – all conjured to form a rainbow-esque image in the sight of the observer. The gentle chirping of birds, and rustling of leaves were existent also and the sun – was warm.
Not scorching hot like the one back in Nigeria.
“Oh, I’m going to be so dead when I wake up tomorrow morning.” She grunted, her gaze lowered to her legs. “Muscle pull would definitely come in everywhere. I so much hate when that happens. I hope it happens to you also, so we’re together in the dilemma.”
His lips quirked. “I’d have – ‘awwed’ to that, but I know your intention wasn’t sweet. You only said that because you want to get a chance to tell me – I told you so in advance, just before you slit–”
“Slit your throat in sleep, hell yeah.” She completed his statement in an ominous laugh; that actually sent a cold chill down his spine and make him contemplate thoughts bordering on the fact that she could actually carry out the action she proposed. “And then one more time when you’re in hell, when I eventually die of old age and we meet.”
“Oh,” His eyes widened. The speed of their paces had increased a bit, as Tiolu began to regain her energy in bits. “So you’re willing to admit that you’re going to go to hell for your sin. Thank God, you know that. There is definitely no place for you in heaven for people like you. BTW, if you think you can get there by flight – God will shove you out himself, and down to hell where I’d also have the opportunity to return the favor – I told you so.”
She chuckled. “Well, that won’t happen because I’m not dumb and because I want to go to hell. Not because I lived a sinful life, but because it’d be great in it with you. Why should I miss out on the opportunity to spend eternity with you? I mean even life here isn’t forever. Always and forever is only possible in the life after.”
Despite the fact that he knew her statement was obnoxious and laddered with a bit of blasphemy, he couldn’t exactly conceal his resulting blush. She was indeed a flatterer.
“Of course, I’d be so irresistible there anyway.” He continued in the mockery. “I’d have gotten there, way before you do and would be – hotter. You know. So hot that you can resist.”
“Oh, bite me.” She shoved him lightly on the chest, before returning her gaze to the life ahead. As his thoughts travelled back to the previous day when they embarked on their current adventure, he remembered her words preceding that and deemed them – right. She had indeed iterated that the trip would be liberating and exhilarating. In fact, time had passed by so quickly that he didn’t even realize that it was only two days left on the trip. Time indeed passed by quick when you’re having fun.
When you don’t want the current activity to end.
It was the plain truth, he didn’t want the trip to end in the next few days. And he found himself kicking himself; that he didn’t agree to the initial seven days she had proposed and had opted for a lesser figure of – four instead.
Damn it.
“Hey! What the heck!” She squealed, as dust particles rose up from within the grasses and spewed up to their noses. “Stop kicking the floor, would you?”
He didn’t realize that he was actually kicking the floor earlier when immersed in the thoughts of kicking himself.
“Sorry, the rhythm of the bird chirping and the leaves rustling got me there for a minute.” He cleared his throat.
“Well, if you want to dance so bad why don’t you bring out that mp3 player handed over to you by the guide earlier and play some actual music.” She scoffed.
“Actual music?” He turned an inquisitive glare on her. “I’m sorry – actual music? You do know I wasn’t handed two media players right. One with Korean music, and the other with actual music. It’s just the one with Korean music.”
Her face broke into a grin. “You really don’t have to take their music apart like that. I hear chunks of it during their shows and it ain’t that bad.”
“No, really it’s something different that’s on that player.” He corrected her. “I don’t think they gave the music selection mantle to a teenager or someone else who is modern. It must have been one of the monks in the Buddha temple they have here.”
“They have a Buddha temple, here?” Her voice waxed with sudden enthusiasm and glee. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“Uh, do you remember that pamphlet thingy they handed over to us when we first got here?” He replied. “Well, guess what – it wasn’t a hand-fan like you used it for. No, it was a tour guide and in big print, it was clearly spelt out in it. Next time if you don’t understand strange and foreign objects, ask questions.”
Once again, she’d have elbowed him hard on the rib – he figured if she wasn’t drained of energy.
“I didn’t actually know English was in that thing.” She said in defense. “And besides, who distributes pamphlets that are almost fifteen pages long. All the tour guides I’ve read are always very short and brief. They can’t expect all foreigners to have a great temperament and read every damn thing on the paper.”
“That’s only because all the countries you’ve been to before aren’t really places that need guides.” He clarified. “For example no one can visit America or Britain and need any large amount of direction before being able to navigate the country. There are really no tour guides. I mean such places, regular citizens on the road act as guides because communication is easy and efficient. You know, virtually everyone can speak English.”
“That’s the first statement you’ve made today, in which I didn’t feel like knocking you upside the head.” She smiled. “But on a serious note, I actually didn’t know a Buddha temple was here. I’ve been so fascinated with the deity and the teachings round it. Also, I just love its design. Plus, I connect a lot on what revolves round it than even what I hear in church. I’ve always wanted to visit where one was.”
“Are you sure that’s your reason,” His voice lowered. “Or you just want to brag to Anjola or any other female friend that you might have who is crazy about Indian films, that you’ve prayed to a Buddha.”
She rolled her eyes. “None of my friends dig Indian movies.”
“Okay, are you sure it isn’t because you believe it grants a person’s will as perfectly as portrayed in Indian Cinema?” His enquiry, caused another frown to mar her face. “Okay, you and your friends might not be fans but you can’t exactly say you haven’t seen just one Indian film where such thing happens.”
“Dayo, please don’t make my prayer point to the Buddha be about your sudden disappearance.” She said in an exhausted monotone. “Just please help me locate the Buddha Temple if you can, and if you can’t well – still don’t mean I can’t pray to it from here about your disappearance.”
His right dimple bulged out as a result of his smile. Her words and reasons were of course foreign to him. It was the first time, he’d hear from a person that they connect more with an Idol than they did with the God they served in Christianity. Once again, he had discovered yet another layer to her. And he didn’t know if this current one was fascinating or disturbing.
He also wondered why she was bent on visiting the temple. What could be so urgent that she wanted to pray about, anyway? Judging by all the prayers he had seen rendered to the particular Idol on TV, he knew it revolved round love and relationship. So there was a high probability that she wanted to pray about them. And again, he didn’t know if his current assumption was fascinating or disturbing.
“What do you wanna go do in a temple, anyway?” He dared ask, as an ominous secluded hut – which he knew was the temple, came into sight. “Definitely, the matter of being the first person to say – I told you so, isn’t that serious. You’re not gonna pray about that, are you?”
She bit her lower lip. “That’s a silly question, Dayo. It’s like me asking you why you attend Church. What else, if it’s not to pray.”
“Oh, these days? Believe me, a lot of things go on in the church.” Dayo disagreed. “Entertainment and leisure activities, distribution of free food and clothing materials. I even know a church where they stream live EPL matches every Sunday in the evening after the service and all. So these days, believe me – a what are you going to do in the church, question? Is a very, very valid one.”
She shut her eyes, like trying to arouse some certain telepathic or telekinetic power within her to rip him into shambles. Oh, how he loved teasing her. She looked so cute while on the edge.
“Just shut up for the next few minutes.” She beckoned, as they came to a halt on a terrace of rocks leading to the entrance of the Buddha Cave. “Just please don’t say anything that’d anger the god in there.”
Alright.
His smile vanished, as they walked through the opening arch and into the cave. It was just a typical regular cave – consisting of irregular huge rocks, scampered about in no definite manner. And right in the center of the room, the Buddha entity was mounted on the only definite-shaped rock in the room.
Let’s get this over with.
In no time, they were standing right in front of the Idol and were offering prayers. Tiolu, he noticed seemed very professional in the act like she had done something similar in the past or had practiced for it before. While he studied her in amusement, her right left hand reached out for his right thigh and pinched it violently.
Ouch!
“Clasped hands, and close your eyes will you?” She cautioned in an irritated tone, as he flinched in pain and went about the praying action. He racked his head hard for a viable thing to pray for. And ended up praying that he concluded his mission in Nigeria successfully before returning to the United States and that also – that the current trip should not fail in its action of altering their relationship.
Deep within him, he didn’t exactly know the motive or meaning behind that prayer.
Tiolu rounded up after a few seconds, and signaled for them to head back outside. She seemed reinvigorated and re-energized after the action, and she didn’t seem to need his support again. He could only wonder what she prayed about.
“What was your prayer about?” He asked as they progressed on the hike back home. The clouds had begun to hover in the skies already.
“I didn’t ask for yours.” She snarled.
“You didn’t feel like.”
“No,” She shook her head. “It’s not protocol to do so. Just forget about it. So, tell me – do you still regret taking this trip with me or what?”
Hehehe.
*****
“You know they say this is Amala, but I highly doubt it is.”
Dayo’s face was a mess of unimpressed emotions as his eyes travelled the meal before him. It was just a couple of hours ago, that they had arrived back at their loft on the island after the hectic adventure they had embarked on during the day. They had both proceeded to taking showers before ordering dinner, and now as she watched him dip his hand into the meal – she could sense he would rather eat something else.
“What were you expecting it to be like,” She chuckled, dismantling the mold of food before her – piece by piece with her knife and fork, before dipping into her soup of Ewedu. “We’re not in Nigeria, okay? They can’t prepare the meal as good as we Nigerians do. If you know you wanted quality native meal here, you should have brought along your own cook. You know.”
Dayo smiled, lodging a piece of meat into his mouth, neglecting the food before him totally. “That’s hilarious, but believe me – next time, I’m travelling to a place like this, I would actually consider it. Or smuggle actual food past Airport security.”
Her brows furrowed and she looked up at him. “You can do that?”
“Pfft! I’m Dayo Tijani.” He snorted. “If they discover inappropriate content in my luggage, they’d just use that one to ‘whine’ me and collect money. Is it not Nigerian police men? Just give them money and they’d start acting like you’re Jesus Christ who laid your life down for them on the cross.”
Tiolu smiled once more as she watched him, asides from the fact that he was evidently appalled at the meal before him – he seemed contented and relaxed at everything else. During the long hike, she had asked him if he still regretted coming and his reply wasn’t exactly an enthusiastic one but she knew it deep within her that he was enjoying himself exceedingly but didn’t just tell her – so as not to compromise the reason behind his initial refusal.
“So, the next time you’re travelling.” She began, sitting up and progressing with her meal. “Would it be another romantic getaway with me?”
Well, she knew such question was uncalled for at the moment. They hadn’t even finished with the current trip, and she was already teasing the next one. It was somewhat suffocating actually, but since they were talking about trips – the words had tumbled out of her mouth on a reflex.
Once again, she couldn’t read his facial expression, but she knew it was far from being impressed.
“You want another trip?”
Astonishment and incomprehension, she detected in his voice.
“Yeah, I mean this current one is really great, right? And we’re not even done with it yet.” She continued. She figured it would be senseless to back out of it, now that she had raised the topic. “And I know it might seem like a hurry of some sort but–I don’t know, I just felt taking another trip wouldn’t be so bad.”
He dropped his hands and placed them on both sides of his plate. “I’m confused, just trying to follow your enquiry here. You said we should take another trip after this? Sorry, no offense but is it a norm for two people in a relationship to travel as much as you’re proposing? I mean, married people don’t even travel like you’re proposing. Or is it just a Britain, thing?”
Her body tightened. “It doesn’t have to be done elsewhere before we make it a thing. I mean, we’ve both realized that perhaps the only way to get ample fun is to leave life behind. You know go on a retreat. Why can’t we continue with it?”
“And we’d keep on going on dates, while all these trips are in motion?”
Well.
“Why not,” Her shoulders rose. “It’s not unheard of. But if you feel it’s too demanding then we could reduce the number of dates, you know to accommodate the trips and all. So, are you in for it? It’s gonna be one heck of a ride, I promise. I have a truck-load of underrated places to visit.”
There was a brief silence before Dayo replied.
“I don’t know, Tiolu this just sounds too much for me. We’d go on trips, go on dates, visit each other at home, contact on the phone? I mean I have only twenty-four hours in a day. I don’t know if you have more time in your day, but for me I have a life also. I have work to attend to, duties. I have to rest also. I think this is just too much for a relationship like ours.”
A relationship like ours.
Her fingers latched on to the steel bars of the chair, beneath. “What exactly do you mean by – a relationship like ours?”
His throat bobbed downwards. “Well, you understand me. We’re just in a relationship. Nothing more. We’re not getting married, you’re not my fiancé. Neither are you my wife. In fact I don’t think any of the aforementioned individuals has the power to demand that much time from me. Except my wife, maybe but bottom-line is – this is just a relationship. Nothing more.”
Nothing more.
Her heart sank at his words. He had dropped the bombshell finally, the ugly truth was now glaring its face at her. The fact that he never intended to take their relationship to the next stage, or never contemplated such thought. To him the present phase was perfect, and it was alright that way.
Damn.
She couldn’t exactly lash out at him, because hurtful or not – his words were the truth. She wasn’t his fiancé or wife. She didn’t exactly have the mantle to demand such time and devotion from him. And the fact that she was willing to make such sacrifice is because she was in love with him. The reason why he had disagreed and been clear-headed was because he was not in love with her.
Oh, God.
“…You’re all on your own now, Tiolu. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The words spoken by Anjola rang in her head like an alarm now. She didn’t listen. She refused to listen. And now she was going to pay the consequence.
Still, she refused to conceive defeat so early.
“You have valid points, Dayo. Really you do.” She rose up to her feet, but her heart pummeled deeper instead. “But you can’t exactly restrict us and what we can and cannot do. Who knows if what we have now could progress or you know, mature into any of those things you mentioned earlier.”
Uh-oh. Had she just indirectly said – she was game on the idea of getting married to him!
“What?” His eyes broadened in unbelief, and this time she could read the emotions on his face loud and clear, and it was – amusement. Yeah, he found it funny that she thought such thing could happen. It sounded ridiculous to him and made no sense.
“You’re kidding right?” He repeated, whilst trying to suppress a chuckle.
Say you’re kidding, and get yourself out of this squabble! Do it, so you could at least progress with your relationship.
But she figured she didn’t want to. She figured that if he was so contented with remaining complacent in the relationship, then it was a problem for her. It was a relationship she didn’t want, and she felt the need to express her frustration.
“…But if you do, then there is no reason to press forward with it. You should back out immediately out of it. Despite the love you might have for him.”
Lauren words also reverberated in her head, and she found her world shrinking and crashing. No, she couldn’t go down like this. She couldn’t eventually end broken-hearted like majority had predicted.
“No, I’m not kidding. I–what’s so wrong or bizarre to think that what we have now can’t mature into something like marriage later on…”
The words clogged in her throat, did she just say marriage? Marriage? The one thing she despised, and wasn’t ready to give any amount of thought to. Did she just express want in marriage?
“…I mean how does a relationship between two people in a marriage commence anyway? Do they just find themselves and decide their each other’s soul mates on the spot? No, they take a liking to each other, get into a relationship until it eventually matures into marriage. So, I’m not totally wrong you know.”
“Chill, just slow down for me here.” Dayo rose to his feet, faced her and folded his arms. “You’re saying you want marriage?”
Uh, yes?
“No!” Tiolu shook her head. “I mean I’m not saying I can’t want it later on? All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be putting restrictions on our relationship that would prevent it into maturing into something like that later on. Because, well there might come a time where the notion wouldn’t be so – far-fetched.”
“Far-fetched?” He echoed her last words.
“Yeah,” She nodded. “A time where we might want it.”
Dayo exhaled sharply and raked his hair with a right hand. “Okay first of all, this topic is very, very awkward. I mean, we’ve known each other for roughly a month and we’re talking about – marriage here?”
“You don’t need to know somebody for a century, before you know they are the right person!” She protested. “You can get to know each other very well in a short time frame than even people who have been friends for decades. So it makes sense.”
“And that short time is very adequate to know the person’s totality?” He replied. “It’s marriage, okay? You’d be with that person for the rest of your life. I don’t think it works like that. And let’s even assume that the fact is valid, and maybe you could get to know your spouse that way. I don’t think I’m ready for such thing. Marriage is so not on my mind.”
Really?
“Really,” She advanced towards him a sudden manner, which made him take a backward stride. “And yet all the time we discussed marriage – at the book-store, over the phone after your interview with Square TV and every other time after that, you always kept on saying that you’d love to get married soon!”
Aha!
She caught him guilt-faced. His statement earlier was indeed a lie. Marriage wasn’t something he didn’t exactly want. No, it was marriage with her that he didn’t want.
What have I gotten myself into?
“Views and opinions can change,” He said in a bid to protest, while she began pacing around the room. “When I said those words, I had no idea I’d be as busy as I am currently and also that–”
“You would be in a relationship with me.” She stopped, and faced him. “You had no idea we would be dating. If you did, you would have probably kept those words to yourself. Don’t beat around the bush, Dayo. Say the truth! It’s not marriage that you don’t like, it’s marriage with me!”
“Listen, Tiolu–”
“Answer my question!” She barked at him. “Yes or no!”
He stuttered. “I–I don’t…exactly, know what I want right now but maybe...later on–”
“You see, only someone who doesn’t want something would be confused!”
“It’s not like that, could we please resume our meal and discard this topic?”
And resume with a relationship, that’s never going to head anywhere! I don’t think so.
“No, I do not see the need in this anymore.” Her hands cradled her head, as her world began spinning. “I won’t continue with this and hurt myself further. I’ve had enough–”
At this point, the tears started to trickle down in a fast stream and her voice became shaky.
“Tiolu–” He advanced towards her.
“Don’t,” She shook her head, using her left palm to wipe the overwhelming tears. “If you’re not ready to progress with this relationship, then I guess there is no need to continue with it. Because unlike you, I love you! Dayo, I’m crazy about you! And I’m ready to do anything, and I mean absolutely anything in this relationship just for you! I can’t imagine a world where I’m not with you again. I don’t even want to imagine it. But to you, it’s none of this.”
“Tiolu–”
“You don’t love me!” She continued. “You’re not ready to compromise willingly without arguments? You don’t even want something more than what we have here. And it’s not a crime or a sin really. No, it’s not bad to not want something too serious. But that’s not something I want! And I can’t keep on acting like I’m fine with everything. I can’t keep on acting like I’m fine with this! So I’m sorry. Since you’ve said this is where you want this relationship to eventually die and end, then it has to end here. I can’t continue with this.”
“No, listen we can sort this out–”
“I don’t need to sort anything out with you!” She cried out again. “This is something I should have done a long time ago, but I just didn’t have the balls to do so. No amount of talking is gonna change you. No amount of talking is gonna change the fact that you’d always remain like this. This is the end of us, Dayo and no amount of pleading is gonna change my mind. Good-bye. I’m retreating to my room now, you’re free to leave Jeju whenever you want…”
“Please, Tiolu. Don’t do this–” This time she could actually hear hurt and desperation in his voice, but it didn’t matter. This was the right thing to do.
“I’d be leaving tomorrow morning, myself and I don’t think I’d want to see your face while I’m going.” She swallowed hard. Her tears had stopped, but her head was still reeling in pain. “So, see you Dayo. Thanks for giving me an entertaining relationship. This was great, despite all the negativity.”
“Tiolu, listen to me we can…”
And with that, she turned around and darted to the door of her bed-room, refusing to pay heed to whatever excuse he was conjuring to sway her stance on the matter. Nothing was going to change the current standing. Nothing could.
They had finally broken up, and just as she feared – the end of the relationship had inflicted severe damage on her. She was devastated, disoriented and most of all – broken-hearted.
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Wow, hands up if you saw that coming! It was sorta sudden, wasn’t it? It was the right and most logical action for Tiolu to take and i see perfect reason in it. Now, for some of you might want to antagonize Dayo, he isn’t wrong either. His wants are also very valid.
So, well that was the climax of phase 2. Hope it wasn’t disappointing. Only one more chapter to round things up in this phase, before the third and final one kicks off !!
Tap that star and drop a comment.
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Glossary:
Terms.
1. Whine – Flattering inordinately, usually to mooch something off someone.