It was a Saturday. Oma was alone at the room she shared with Asa who'd gone home to see her mother.
She didn't know what sickness Asa's mother had, she hadn't asked. She wasn't good at consoling people so all she did was hug her and tell her everything would be fine.
If there was anything oma was, it was lazy. Asa had been gone for roughly two days, but the room already looked like a mad house. There were plates from two days ago and her clothes and shoes were littered everywhere. If she didn't wash soon, she'd have to go out naked.
She begrudgingly gathered her dishes and clothes for washing.
The laundry space was full. She searched for an empty spot to wash and dropped her clothes on the floor when she found one. She'd wash them after the dishes. There were about three washing machines there, but none of them looked like they'd been used for years.
"Are you looking at those washing machines. My dear those things are just for fancy. My sister finished here last year and she told me they never used them. It's just there gathering spirogyra."
The girl beside Oma said. There were really green things around it.
"I haven't seen you here before. I know everybody in this hostel and I know I haven't seen your face anywhere before. Where have you been?" The girl asked.
" I just resumed last week. I'm Oma. What's your name?" Oma replied, selecting the clothes she was to wash first.
"I'm Femi. Wow. You just resumed last week? You've really missed a lot oh. Your matric will soon come. What has been holding you since? Did you fail JAMB or what?"
Normally, Oma would have been irritated by Femi's questions. Maybe it was because she realised she didn't have any friends besides Asa. Talking with someone else wouldn't hurt. University wasn't like secondary school. You could meet one person today and never see that same person the rest of your life. She didn't believe Femi when she said she knew everybody at the hostel.
"I didn't fail JAMB. I just had issues at home so I decided to resume late. How can you even say you know everybody in this hostel. Are you God?" Oma asked with a straight face. She held the shirt she was washing awkwardly. The last time she'd washed with her hands had been three years ago. She didn't quite remember what she was supposed to do. She decided to watch Femi. Femi washed like she'd been washing her whole life. There were three buckets of washed clothes beside her and there were still some more on the floor. It was either Femi had children she was washing for or she hadn't washed in months.
" I just have sharp eyes. I never forget faces. Especially faces like yours. I can never forget your colour. I'm not a fresher and I'm not in this hostel but I should have seen you at the canteen. Don't you eat? Or you cook your own food like me? When I was in my first year here I didn't cook. I always went to the canteen and I really regret it now. Like, who was I trying to impress? I prefer to cook my food myself but you can't in my own aje butter hostel so I often cook in my friend's room here..."
Collar first, armpit areas, button, body. Turn over, repeat, rinse, drop. Next.
Oma was thankful for the girl's chattiness. At least she wouldn't notice her fidgeting awkwardly with her clothes. She was the kind of person who'd talk for hours before noticing the other person wasn't listening.
"Hey!"
"Yes?"
"Where's your mind?" Femi asked with her hands on her waist.
"Sorry, I was thinking of something..."
"I was asking you where you're from."
Femi cut her off.
"Abia state." Oma responded. Femi was quiet but Oma kept washing. She probably expected her to ask the same question.
"You're Igbo girl! Omo Igbo." Femi sounded surprised.
"Didn't I tell you my name is Oma?"
"The way you're calling it it's sounding like English name."
****
She was in class before seven everyday. From her experience with Phil, waking up early wasn't a big deal for her. She tried to revise what Obi had taught her. She was so grateful to have met him. Almost every topic seemed to make sense now.
The class slowly began to fill up with people like her who always came to class early. It didn't take her long to see him.
Obi usually came in from the front door unlike her who came from the back. The stares from people at the front scared her and it was something she avoided at all costs. It didn't seem to bother him anyway, because even if the class was filled, he still found his way from the front. According to him, it helped him find the best places to sit.
His height made him unmistakable. He was the unarguably the tallest person in their French class. He carried his school bag over one shoulder alone and his free hand was in his pocket. He waved at a few people at the front, even made small talk with them. His eyes scanned the entire classroom like he was searching for something.
Oma watched him from the back, unconsciously trying to conceal herself from him. The few weeks she'd spent at this school revealed to her that Obi wasn't the timid awkward freak he'd presented to her at first but a social, carefree person who was at ease with everyone, even the most unapproachable.
He only acted weird around her.
A huge smile covered his face when he caught sight of her and with a few strides, he was right beside her.
"Good morning, Oma." He greeted, beaming.
"Good morning Obi." She moved so he could seat.
"Thanks to you, I can make sentences in French!" She said excitedly. He smiled back and sat down beside her.
"Grâce à toi, je peux construire les phrases en français."
"I'm happy to hear that." He said, scratching his neck.
To think that after a week of knowing her, he'd stop acting awkward around her. He didn't. It was like it even got worse.
He looked normal down there a few seconds ago. Why was he any different with her?
There was some noise at the door and when she looked up, she immediately knew the cause of the noise. Nathi. People flocked around her like moths to light. So she hadn't dropped out. Oma thought drily. She couldn't imagine skipping a whole week of school.
Surprisingly, Nathi walked up to her literally ignoring everyone who'd been fawning over her.
"Hi!" She was smiling. But she wasn't talking to Oma but Obi.
"Hey." He said without even looking at her.
"Oma, right?" She said, turning her attention to Oma.
"Yes." Oma spat. How dare she act like she couldn't recall her name.
"Illuminati, right?"
Obi chuckled but held himself.
"Nathi." She corrected, obviously offended.
"My cousin is waiting for you outside."
What!
"What did you say?"
"You've forgotten him so quickly? Asher. The one whose pavement you crashed on. The one who drove you to school a week ago today."
"Yeah... I remember..."
"Well, he's outside. He asked me to call you."
He had her number. Why hadn't he called her on her phone! Now he was outside expecting her to come out to see him.
She took a deep breath and left the class. She didn't want to embarrass herself. When she was almost out, she realized she hadn't told Obi anything. Even though he'd obviously heard what was going on, it was only courteous to tell him. She turned to him but quickly turned back when she saw Nathi had already taken her seat beside him. For some reason, she wasn't quite comfortable with that.
When she went outside she couldn't see him. His face was inscribed in her memory. She couldn't possibly have forgotten him. Now where was he? There was no car around either.
Had Nathi lied to her just to get back at her.
She felt like a fool.
"Hey! Oma"
She heard someone call, accompanied by a honk from a car horn. She looked up and sure enough, his car was right in front of her.
"Come in." He said, opening the passenger door for her.
She did. She felt so small and self conscious in his car.
"Hi." He said smiling.
"Hey." She responded, looking directly into his face for the first time.
He looked even more handsome than before. He had a newer haircut and it made his facial features look sharper. More distinct. His left arm was on the steering wheel and his right hand slowly cupped hers. She felt her whole body melt. His car smelt like him. A heavy, pleasant smell that reeked of wealth and class.
"I'm so sorry I didn't call. My phone got stolen. I just got a new one two days ago." He said. "I wanted to get your number but I wanted to get it from you. I hope you're not angry."
On Nathi that south African accent sounded bitchy and annoying, but on him it was sexy.
She gave him her number and they talked about her week before she left.
"I'm off to get something to eat. Will you go with me?" He stated politely and cupped her palm.
Oma could almost feel herself saying yes. She hadn't been outside the school since she got there and she couldn't wait to explore her freedom. Especially with Asher.
Suddenly, an image of Phil's slightly bent head came into her mind and she felt like vomiting.
"I'm sorry but I have a class right now and I don't want to be late."
She hopped out of the car and practically sprinted back to class.
The class had already begun when she came in from the back. Her seat was empty. Obi was at the front explaining something to the class. He looked so comfortable speaking to a crowd of up to seventy people. She couldn't even imagine herself ever doing that.
"That was a very good explanation from Obi here. Can we give him a round of applause." The lecturer said as Obi walked back up to his seat.
She was the only lecturer who taught French, without actually speaking French.
"That was..." She began but stopped when she noticed the huge frown on his face. He'd never frowned at her before.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He said without looking at her.
"Did I make you angry? You were just fine before I left. Sorry I didn't tell you. But is that why you're angry?"
He gulped and looked at her.
"It's just..." He started. "Never mind."
He said instead. "After the class we'll talk."
"Okay."
But they didn't talk after the class. Immediately the class was over, Obi picked up his bag and left without even saying anything.
***
"How is she?"
"It was not that serious after all. I'm happy. She's even angry I left school." Asa said over the phone. She didn't sound sad at all.
"What was it?"
"It's just kidney stones. Small ones. She had a strong pressure on her stomach and they rushed her to the hospital. I'm just happy everything is almost over. I'll be back either tomorrow or the day after."
Oma sighed happily. The room was boring without her around. She really couldn't wait to see her room mate.
Asa was one of the best things that'd happened to her at this school.
"Thank God oh. I was afraid it was something serious."
"Me too. I'll talk to you later." Asa said before hanging up.
Oma stared at her phone, dropped it and screamed into her pillow.
Asher still hadn't called her yet.
.
.
.
.
.