“The world has become one big grassy knoll, crawling with lone gunmen—who think they’re the Warren commission.” – Ken MacLeod.
•••
The lighting in the hall was like one he had never seen before.
Little miniscule bulbs that protruded out of short conical poles were wedged into the walls and from a distance they appeared like glimmering candles. The wall was covered in abstract wall mural paint that displayed silhouettes of men and women in groups of twos clad in formal attire, in erotic and informal positions. The marble floor was engraved with snowflakes of differing size freckled with tiny dots of falling snow, and while mobile they seemed to shimmer and move. The ceiling above was pleated with a white canopy which mass swam at varying positions to exude a sky of dense clouds.
It was nothing but magical.
“Damn,” Was the remark from the vision whose arm was looped through his right arm. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who was entranced by the atmosphere. “And I thought that I couldn’t see something different asides the regular satin sheet design and big chandeliers in all the numerous weddings that I’ve been to in the past few years. Turns out, I was wrong.”
“Numerous weddings?” His curiosity piqued, as they strode forward to join the mobile crowd dispersed across the wide ball room that was void of tables or chairs. The organizers of the party had really gone out of their way to extort concrete foreign policy in their planning since they had neglected the utility of chairs and tables. Were they going to stand all day? “I thought you said you don’t have a lot of friends anymore and majority have drifted away. Surely, they didn’t call you out of the blue to invite you and you also didn’t travel all the way to attend, as if y’all have been tight for the past few years.”
“No, not that.” She smiled, as he lowered his gaze at her. Her golden studded earrings jingled as she shook her head gently and bared her flawless set of white teeth. It warmed his heart greatly that she wasn’t holding back and was simply feeling, unlike her previous antagonistic attitude. It would seem it was wearing off gradually. “It’s just this thing that happens when you’re a part of a big family. It was many years ago in fact, when I was still in secondary school. One aunt or one uncle would have a wedding and I’d have to go and you know, all the designs were pretty much typical and formulaic…”
“Like my outfits, right?” It took her a while to grasp the meaning behind his interjection, but she only smiled and nudged him gently.
“You don’t have to take that personal, most men are pretty much formulaic with what they wear everyday cos they don’t care much for fashion or don’t have a lot of time to think of more innovative stuff to wear.”
“So, why were you always hammering me like it’s a big fashion blunder or like the pair of shoes I’m wearing don’t match and are of contradicting pairs.”
She met his gaze. “You only complain about something that you’re bothered about or care for. If it was someone random I met on the street or just an acquaintance—I couldn’t care less if they wore the same shirt every time we met. I’d be taken aback but not to the point that I would say anything. I only complained because I care, simple.”
Wow.
“And here I was thinking that it was just you taking jabs. Anyway, what were you saying?”
“I was talking about the detail put into designs and all,” She resumed, as they veered closer to the center of the vast space. It was then he noticed the tower-like counters, that wadded down to the end of the hall positioned at fixed gaps—holding filled glasses of champagne with bubbles rising up to the top. “It was always the usual formula. Even the colors were very predictable. If it’s not red and white, it would be orange and white. Or Blue and white or something very simple. They were beautiful, though but I just thought I couldn’t get anything new from a party.”
“Well in their defense, you’re talking about a Yoruba Owambe party and this is a dinner party–”
“And so it is still the usual approach,” She cut him off. “Can’t you remember our dinner night back in UI? I don’t know if it changed after the one I attended but it was the usual scenery with the one I saw in parties. But this? This is different…” She trailed off, with her head facing his left. “Wow, so that’s the like the dining hall.”
He followed her gaze and confirmed her words. Concealed in the façade of caliginous illumination and shadows casted from the large pillages that held the building, was a narrow space characterized with steel tables and chairs, segregated in groups—coated in golden decorative filaments. The table was scanty and had no item on it, except an antique candle stand shaped flower vase that was packed to the brim with vivacious flowers. Magical, he thought. Simply magical.
“But then we shouldn’t be too surprised,” Lani continued, as they continued to make their way forward. “This place is the love child of an architect firm playing host to other rivals. Surely, the design was going to hit it out of the park. Some day when I get bored with being an interior décor specialist of houses, I could dabble into events decoration. I just need to go to an academy to take a course. It can’t be that difficult.”
“Yeah, but a lot of people don’t know how to go back to learning after school.” Tari replied. “Once they graduate and they’ve worked for several years, it’s just like very difficult to go back into a classroom, sit down with people and take notes from a person you’re likely to be older than. It’s the same way most people who took gap year after secondary school find it difficult to adjust when they resume college, because they’ve been doing nothing too intellectually tasking during their stay at home.”
“Yeah, I get your drift.” She said. “And I’d admit that I didn’t consider that before but I don’t think I should have a problem with that. Interior décor is something that changes a lot over time and if you can’t adapt and you keep using the old style that you were taught, no one would want to seek out your services. It’s like music production and the resurgence of the Electropop and Electronic dance music genre these days. The producers that birthed this genre are enjoying the acclaim its bringing, while many are trying to adapt and learn, so they don’t become irrelevant.”
“Ah, I get the picture also.”
“Yeah, architecture is also subjected to that, but it’s just that the changes don’t come until very long periods of time. While interior décor, it keeps on changing rapidly hence more adaptation. So every day, we’re constantly surfing interior décor sites, learning new stuff that is coming in and making sure we’re informed on the new trends that are taking the market by storm. Graffity has been really instrumental in helping its stylists adapt. Every month, we have this oriental seminar in which bigger experts come in to share their opinions and everyone else gets the platform to pass out information that could prove useful.”
“You sound like one big happy family.”
“More like one big, beefing, disconnected family.” She rolled her eyes. “No one is really pals with an employee outside their team, because in a way we’re all competing against each other no matter how indirectly. At the end of the year, each team has to present their projects and information related to it. How it has profited the firm, revenue generated and word of mouth expansion. So of course, there is always a team that comes out on top and one that comes under serious scrutiny.”
His face tightened. “That isn’t nice.”
“Well, that’s the way it is.” She said. They had halted in the center now and were standing by a mount of champagne. He had released her from his arm, so they could face each other and converse. The lighting that beamed from their sides went a long way in emphasizing every detail on her profile. The slight curve of her hooked nose and hooded, alluring eyes that mirrored multiple dots of light and her chin that was perfectly squared. He blinked his eyes to suppress the unhealthy thought forming at the back of his mind.
“If not for the fact that the team who steps up to give most points out to the rest is rewarded with a package, I’m pretty sure every team wouldn’t share whatever they discover. They’d conveniently keep it to themselves, so as to use in their ploy to come out on top over other teams. It’s almost pathetic.” She added.
“Less pathetic than your colleagues hating you for a contract that was specifically assigned to you?” He could relate well to her feeling. “When they know fully well that you did nothing illegal or questionable to get the contract, but they still hate on you for something that was specially requested to you? It’s just silly. And it’s even worse, because contracts are hardly awarded to the firm in general. Most people know who they want and so they go directly to them. It’s unlike your world, where the position to choose who gets on the projects rests on the administration.”
“Okay,” She said.
“Yeah, so some people could go a year without getting anything and the administration would have no choice than to demote them to assist another architect on a project. What’s even worse? It could happen to anyone. Let’s say, I’ve been at Sky for twenty years and all of a sudden this new guy comes in who everyone loves, and all of a sudden they forget you – it’s only a matter of time before you become his assistant, because no one wants you anymore and they can’t lay you off because you have a contract with them.”
“Wow, and I was complaining.” She looked terrified. “That’s really cut throat.”
“Now, you can understand why I keep to myself most times. At the beginning, I used to tell myself that the reason why I did that is because I’m not big on socializing and I’d rather be a solo person, but then along the line—I realized that part of the reason was to avoid the type of awkwardness that could arise, if I get demoted to an assistant on a project and the main man on the contract was a person that I used to demand respect from. How bad would that be?”
“It’s easier to not be friends with anyone, so if that happens you’d feel pretty neutral.” Lani finished for him. “I get it totally. I can’t imagine myself answering to either Sarah or Matthew in a couple of months. I’m not saying I’m a really bossy person, but they’ve been answering to me throughout the duration of their time at Graffity. We might have become friends along the line, but it’s still weird for them to suddenly ascend to a higher ground. To be frank, it’s a really horrid thing I wouldn’t like to experience.”
“I used to think I’m a horrible person for thinking that way, but now that I know you’re in this with me, I feel more relaxed and humane.” He smiled, reaching out to take her hands into his. “Once again, thanks for doing this with me. I know this isn’t much in the way of a one on one time, but you agreed to it anyway.”
“Are you kidding me? This place is mind blowing.” She gave him a rueful smile. “I’m running out of mental pages, because I’ve been making a lot of mental notes ever since we stepped into the hall. There is a handful of stuff that would be great for application on my next project. So this is like the first date I’m going on that’s really mind blowing and insightful at the same time. I’m learning stuff.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” He replied, as he noticed a couple approaching them from the corner of his eye. Lani’s eyes followed his as it zoned in to identify the incoming company. The man was more than familiar, with his cinched, wrinkled skin and snow white beard and hair. He was wearing a Kiton K-50 suit, one of the most expensive formal attires in the world and its sleek detail made him look distinguished. A suit of such price would make anyone look distinguished. And the petite fair complexioned woman, who had her hand linked through his—clad in a blue corded lace sweet-heart off shoulder dress was equally stunning. Her makeup was heavy and he might not have recognized her, if not for the relationship she had with the man in question.
The founder of Sky.
“Hey, Tari.” She grinned, extending a hand and he shook it gracefully, wearing his most disarming smile. “Dad, surely you remember…Tari, Mr. Ibiyemi. One of our most brilliant architects and the reason why we’re all here today anyway. You’ve met him a couple of times.”
The man’s gaze narrowed on him, before he held out his hand also. When he commenced work at Sky, the man’s health hadn’t become critical and so he was around frequently. But then, his position in the firm hadn’t been solidified or established—so the man had had little to no reason to have dealings with him. By the time his talent had broken out and become more recognized, his able daughter who was the one making the introductions had taken over the reins.
“I do recognize him, Adeola.” He nodded, a smile of cognizance taking up residence on his lips. “I can’t exactly pinpoint if we’ve had some sort of interaction in the past but I do know him. He’s the reason why you threw this elaborate ball then. The architect on the Tijanis’ project?”
“That would be me, sir.” He beamed. “But I think it’s a bit going overboard by saying that we’re only celebrating me here today. We’re not here solely because of me.”
“Oh, you can keep on deceiving yourself.” Adeola snorted, and then her gaze shifted to Lani who was now by his left. “Whoa and who is this beauty that I’m guessing is your date? Please don’t tell me she’s your sister or cousin or something like that.”
He and Lani laughed in unison. “No, she isn’t. She is in fact my date for tonight. Where are my manners,” He cleared his throat. “Miss Omoniyi and Mr. Omoniyi, I’d like you to meet Lani Olaere, interior décor specialist and expert on the Tijanis project. She’s a very brilliant woman and I must say I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the brilliance I had in mind if she wasn’t on board.”
“Hmm, that’s a lot of praise.” Adeola grinned, as she exchanged handshakes with Lani. The old man simply gave her a curt nod and smiled. “So you guys met on the project and hit it off? Don’t mind my intrusion, but this one here has a very serious reputation at Sky and he hardly views anyone as friend asides Ose, who is the overseer of contracts and all. Not to talk of a woman, haha! I’m so happy for him.”
He tried his best to conceal his blush. Adeola was a very delightful, professional woman. She was the living embodiment of a considerate, warm yet no-nonsense boss. Initially, he thought she had feelings for him and was making advances of a slightly inappropriate nature but as time went on, he came about to realizing it was genuine fondness. She was a couple of years older than he was, and was without marital prospects according to word going around. She was every bit the workaholic like he was, so he guessed that was why her relationship status was the same as he was.
Not anymore.
“In fact, the only reason I was sure that he talked to women is the fact that he talks to me,” Adeola continued. “I’ve never seen him fraternizing with the others, but then the rest have it out for him because in his brief time at Sky, he has done what many haven’t done in twenty years. It’s good to see him with a woman, a very beautiful one—no less. I’m hoping this isn’t just a one time, friendship favor and that romance is actually brewing.” Her eyes darted from his to hers. “Ah, I don’t need verbal confirmation for that. There is definitely romance cooking on the stove.”
Her words drowned in a high pitched laugh, that was stopped by her father’s scathing look—which provoked his first real contribution to the conversation.
“We’re glad that you’re pulling off terrific stuff on different contracts,” His voice was hoarse. “You keep on making Sky proud and Sky would keep on making you proud. I hope you’re not thinking of leaving us anytime soon. If you’re getting contracts from other firms and they’re bothering you, all you need to do is point me in the right direction and I’d make it all go away. I could file a law suit for employment harassment.”
It took a while for him to realize the man was making a joke, and when he did it was almost too late to laugh so all he could do was grin wildly.
“Jeez, Dad if you’re not going to soften your expression when you’re going to make a joke, at least give your audience a notice that you’re about to crack a joke, so they’d know when to laugh.” Adeola mocked her dad’s rough exterior and sent them into a hearty laughter. The man looked almost like a sadist, incapable of love—but Tari knew from his protective grip on his daughter that his love for her was monumental.
“If you would excuse us, we have quite a ton of people to meet.” Adeola said, tugging at Mr. Omoniyi’s hand.
“Yeah, and a lot of young potential bachelors also.” He whispered to his daughter, and this time they all laughed.
“I’d choose my own husband on my own time and terms…” Adeola grumbled as they walked away, and joined the crowd jumbled in the center. It was Lani’s voice that snapped him out of his intense concentration.
“They’re really delightful, people.” She said, as she took his arm again. “The lady is your boss, I’m guessing?”
“Yup,” Tari nodded. “For your information, she’s one of those few people on earth that knows how to make you feel more important than you are, and get embarrassed at times when you start to overestimate your importance. When she first came in, I thought she was coming on to me but after time I realized she was just a very friendly person. Plus, there weren’t a lot of young people around that she could associate freely with.”
“That’s rather pompous of you. To assume everyone that’s nice to you is taken by you.” She goaded him.
“Hey, I’m not a very friendly person, so why would any nice, gorgeous woman be nice to me, for no feasible reason when I’m not being friendly.” It was simple logic. “It was either that or she visited a native doctor that told her that the key to greater prosperity is befriending me.”
“You’re not serious,” She tittered. “I guess I can understand you a bit. But then I’m a woman and virtually every man that walks up to you to engage in conversation, without having nothing businesslike tying you both, is pretty much interested in you. The problem is that you don’t know the ones who want a relationship or just plain sex, or just want to get into your head and play mind games with you.”
“Hmm, I’m detecting a hint of bitterness at the end of that statement. Someone has turned your head into a game console in the past, I’m guessing?”
“Not in a serious way that it was devastating, but it wasn’t nice either. So it was while I was in high school, final year. There was this bank, close to our house that I usually go to, frequently to deposit and withdraw money for my folks. And then you know how these bankers are always dressed corporately and all that. There was this young guy by the counter unlike the rest that were mostly sadists and frowning for no reason as if I’m the one responsible for their jobs in the company or something like that.”
“I know right. I never seem to understand why most people who work behind counters are usually nasty.”
“Yeah, so you get the picture. The guy wasn’t really handsome, but his blazers and suits were always on point. And I wasn’t the only one who found this stimulating because I see the looks and advances that his colleagues and customers put on him. Even way older women, that I’m sure have husband and kids at home flirt with him. I wasn’t immune to his charm but I didn’t let it show until he started buttering me up.”
“Buttering you up?”
“Yeah, he started giving me a lot of attention. When I arrive by the counter, he’d chat me up, ask about how life after high school is and why I should prepare my mind for the real, tasking college and why it’s not a playing ground, blah blah blah. You know friendly chat like that, that I would have found nagging and nosy if it came from a regular guy but because he was hot, I was flattered.”
“Moral lesson, hot guys can get away with being nosy.”
She chuckled. “Of course, that’s not where I’m going to but well, if you didn’t know that before, you know that now. Anyhoo, we kept on talking a lot and I started crushing on him. I wasn’t afraid of it, because he was older and I knew the crush would never grow past the admiration phase. I never dreamt we could have anything because he was older and hot, I mean he’d have a truckload of gorgeous women with a lot of goodies trooping about him. He might not be loaded, but his looks will draw a lot of women.”
“That would eventually leave when they realize he isn’t loaded.” He butted in again and it earned him a pinch on his forearm.
“Some interested in money will leave, the ones that want to have a sexual relationship would stay and trust me they would be greater in number because there is nothing on him that is screaming money. He looks good in his outfits, but it’s not like he’s wearing Gucci or Versace or some other ostentatious designer outfit that is really flashy.”
“Got it, continue.”
“So, he asked for my number one time and I was surprised. I thought he saw me in a younger sister capacity, but then we started chatting and things got out of hand. He flirted with me like we were mates and I found myself doing the same back. Before I knew it, I had fallen for this guy seriously and it just wasn’t a crush I had for an attractive older man anymore. I was already planning on how we’d start hanging out and all, when he dropped the bombshell that he was married.”
“I’m sorry, what?” He turned to her abruptly, in a way that made his hand jerk from her hand. After she saw the horror on his face, she only smiled. “He was married! You were flirting and chatting with a married man!”
“I know right! But how the hell was I supposed to know? I mean those days that I heard stories of small girls being found in compromising situations with family men, I was quick to crucify them but now that I’m at the other end of the peering glass, I can see how you could be manipulated. He never ever said it, he doesn’t look it. And it’s not like I know his friends or something. He just led me on like that to drop the bombshell.”
“That hardly makes sense,” Tari said, as he ruminated on her words. “If he didn’t want to mess with you and cheat on his wife then why did he tell you so early? He could have continued to lead you on, hang out with you and then maybe make his sexual advance on you if he wanted—”
“You know I wouldn’t have sex at that stage in my life—” She protested.
“I’m not saying you will have sex with him. I’m saying he’d have made his advance. The only viable reason I can come up with is the fact that, he realized you’re a minor and it won’t work out. Maybe he wasn’t doing a lot of thinking from the onset.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Lani replied, her gaze in the distance. “Isn’t that your friend?”
She was right. Osemudiame was approaching in a compact, double breasted black suit with white uneven stripes. His hair was trimmed, and glistened which spoke volumes of application of excess hair product or maybe it was just the lighting. Glued to his side, was a fair, ethereal vision like Adeola but with a voluptuous shape that was swallowed in a cream colored glitter lace sheath gown that bared a little cleavage. Her black braids cascaded down in one swoop over her left profile, and she also had little makeup on. Which was appropriate for someone of her complexion.
The men shook hands, and the women exchanged introductory pleasantries as music came on. A live orchestra had taken up stage on the podium, and was doing a rendition of an old school jazz rythm.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Tari found himself saying in the company of Osemudiame and Modupe. “It’s not like Ose talks about you a lot, but that’s more reason why there is a lot of speculation around meeting you. I wouldn’t know that he was married if I didn’t see your picture on his tablet…” He trailed off, as Lani’s feet rammed gently into his and immediately he realized his blunder. “Not like he acts unruly and flirts around like an unmarried man, but you get the picture.”
Ose facepalmed, while Modupe gave him an exuberant smile. It would seem that it wasn’t the first time she was hearing such.
“It’s okay, of course I know that he is an extremely private person and why I love the fact that it makes him off bound, I don’t exactly like the way people assume he is a lot younger and still single. I’ve not exactly seen a lot of women flocking around him or anything, but well—distant jealousy I guess. Plus, it doesn’t help that he doesn’t like me meeting with his work people. This is the closest I’m coming to see what he does at work.”
“It’s because it’s mostly boring, like I told you several times,” Ose replied. “Do you want to follow me to the office, just to see me go about dishing orders to people and giving them bad news of how they have been demoted to assistants of their junior colleagues and vice versa? Overseer of architectural affairs sounds interesting, until you get to see what I do.”
Modupe didn’t look convinced. “You talk like the people you give orders to, are a bunch of disobedient kids, who you have to explain everything in a painstaking way to them.”
“Tari here is a hardened workaholic,” Ose said. “And he’s the most fun one. That should give you a mental image of the type of people I work with.”
“Really?” Tari butted in. “I think Tej and John would beg to differ. I mean Tej has a lot of female clientele so he has to be fun. It’s either that or well—there is no other reason, really.”
“Tej is more fun than it’s healthy so it gets to the point that it’s unhealthy,” Ose clarified. “And John is a nutcase. Says one thing, does the other. Bottom line, my job is not as fun as its title. And when it’s a ridiculously long ass name like overseer of architectural blah blah, you get the level of fun I’m trying to go for.”
Modupe only shook her head and turned to Lani. “You were the interior décor expert on the Tijanis project, word is going around that you did a terrific job.”
“I was the lead specialist,” Lani corrected with a grateful smile. “There was a couple of us on the job and I can’t discard the opinions of the rest because they were instrumental. Matter of fact, I can’t work without them.”
“That’s good, team spirit and all. I was just going to ask if you do—”
“This isn’t about that house remodeling thing is it?” Ose whispered to his wife, but Tari could hear clearly. He didn’t know if Lani could, though. “If that’s it, I told you that I certainly do not want my bedroom covered in pink paint—”
“Our bedroom you mean,” She snarled. “And you’re beginning to forget the fact that, I let you have your way with virtually almost every design detail in the rest of the house, but when it comes to just this one detail, it’s a problem.”
“How’s that my fault that you didn’t pick a bone with anything?” His shoulders rose. “I just happened to have taste that you agreed with. It’s not my problem that you didn’t find fault with that. That’s way asides the point. The point is that, I do not want my bedroom to look like one of those rooms in Barbie movies.”
“For Christ sake, Ose. The room wouldn’t look as girlish as that, and the pink painting in question is sophisticated—”
A warm, breath fanned him gently on his cheeks and he looked to his side to see Lani’s lips inches away from his.
“You think we should give them some space?” She asked, and the couple seemed to notice their enquiry.
“I should have your number,” Modupe said, imploring Lani to take her phone and punch in the digits. “Ose and I are going to have a very long conversation after this. Have a nice night and happy valentine’s day in arrears.”
The duo seemed to be in the same debate as they walked back into the crowd. He and Lani shared another chuckle as they watched them go. The music had switched to a more funkier, infectious rhythm and some couples began moving to the center of the hall—to take up dancing positions.
“Wanna dance?” He asked, lowering his gaze to hers that appeared to be far away and deep in thought.
“Yeah, of course we should dance.” She nodded.
“Wow, you’re not going to comment on the fact that it’s atypical of my uptight behavior to ask you out to dance?”
“What?” She looked genuinely confused, before realization dawned on her. “Oh oh! You just asked me to dance with you! Okay, wow why didn’t I hear that clearly before? So why are you asking me to dance then?”
“Number one question, you didn’t hear it clearly because something is clearly bothering you. And number two, I figured they’d pretty much ask me to dance anyway as the celebrant of the day. So might as well get over it and escape the awkwardness of having everyone cheer us to the dance floor.”
“Smart move,” She said, stretching out her hands to his. “And about what is bothering me, I can handle it. Trust me.”
But before he could lead her out to the dance floor, Ose came barraging in their direction with a harrowing look on his face. When he slowed down to catch his breath, the words that he spoke shattered Tari’s world totally.
“Development at the Tijanis mansion, Tari. You won’t believe what just happened. The house has been raged to the ground with fire. There are casualties. Literal hell has broken out.”
*****
His heart rate escalated to a phase, that he thought was life endangering and was going to release a pulse that would knock him out and render him breathless. He knew he was over thinking things, as it was merely a ruthless beauty standing before them and not a three headed cobra. But the arrival of unknown people who knew Lani in the past, was enough indication that danger had indeed arrived. At least, this time he would have Lani by his side as he faced this dilemma. To his surprise and relief, the girl didn’t cock a shotgun at them, as all she did was burst into a high pitched cackle that Lani joined in later on.
Okay, what was happening?
“Oh my God, Lani look at you!” She squealed in delight, her arms wrapped round Lani’s figure—after she stepped out of the table and they swirled and spun around in an intimate embrace. They didn’t release each other until they were breathless. He joined them on their feet also. “Damn! Just when I thought you couldn’t look better from your usual day to day smoking hot appearance, you had to go and look like this. You are not just hot, you’re heat itself. They should be teaching you as a subject in Physics very soon.”
“You’re silly,” Lani giggled gregariously. “You’re really looking good too, Grace. You sound like you’re not surprised to see me here today, while I’m surprised to see you here today. I mean, I didn’t know you were here! If you knew I was here, why didn’t you hit me up?”
“I hadn’t exactly seen you, though. Just like once.” Grace replied, still shriveling all over in delight like an inflated ball. He could understand why both girls were that elated. It was obviously a reunion after a duration that spanned a year. “But I heard of you. When I asked around for the popping girls in your department, your name just popped up and I was like it can’t be my Lani Olaere could it? But I just knew you were the one because you were always popping from way back and I knew you applied for this school also. Architecture huh! It’s one heck of a rush to get into that one.”
“Actually, I didn’t get it.” Lani’s voice fell, but she did her best to keep the bleak expression away from her face. “I got survey and I think its pretty okay. I mean, I’m struggling and all with keeping up. Imagine how difficult architecture would be. This guy here is one of the main OG’s bossing his department. Grace, I want you to meet Tari Ibiyemi.”
Grace wore an inscrutable look, as she extended her hand. “Wow, so this is the Tari Ibiyemi I heard of.” When she noticed his troubled look, she added. “No need to get worked up, dude. No one says anything bad about you. That’s why I’m surprised, because if you look like this – there should be bad stuff going about you and well you know, a lot of fangirling.”
He nodded his head in acknowledgment of her words. “I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.”
“It’s just the truth,” Lani answered for him, and directed her gaze back on her friend.
“So who are you here with?” She asked. “Looking like that, I’m sure you’re here with one of those guys. You shouldn’t be leaving people like that alone because they could get snatched by other girls, you know.”
Grace grinned. “He’s hot and all but we’re just like close friends, because we both suck at commitments and aren’t ready for that shit.”
“Close friends,” Lani smirked.
“Who kiss from time to time,” Grace added prompting another bout of laughter from the trio. “Anyway, it was really good to see you again Lani. I know we weren’t really close friends back in school because we were in different departments and well, you were like this person that was really high up there and didn’t talk to a lot of regular and unpopular people—”
“Oh, please don’t be like that Grace—”
“But it’s the truth, nothing but the truth.” Grace insisted. “You weren’t a snub though, and you talked to most people who tried to talk to you but that’s what scared people away the most. You weren’t stuck up like most popular people and you had all the right to be, so people kept on wondering – what’s her deal? Why isn’t she proud? It made them so uncertain about you and afraid, so they usually stayed away. Everyone thought there was an ulterior motive to you being nice.”
“I’m nice, because it’s nice to be nice. Nothing else.” Lani shrugged.
“Well a lot of people like you aren’t. Anyway, I’m just saying that we should stick together and look out for each other as per high school familiarity levels. A lot of people are out for blood here and it’s more difficult to trust people. I hope I’m worthy of your friendship though and what I’m asking from you, isn’t too much.”
“Don’t be silly,” Lani said, as she retrieved her phone from her purse and handed it over. “Put your number in there and I’d call you first thing when I get to the hostel. I won’t forget, because I’d set an alarm to do that. What department are you in, by the way?”
“Law,” Grace beamed—her fingers hopping on Lani’s keyboard, and Tari knew she was well aware of the prestige basking the course and was proud of it. “Till now, I can’t believe I got it because so many people with higher grades went for it and didn’t get it and my dad knows literally no one. Plus, he is one of those annoyingly honest people that won’t use connections even when he has, but I’m here. God works wonders, girl!”
“He does,” Lani said. “He sure does.” For a moment, he thought her statement was shrouded in envy but when he faced her, she looked nothing but genuinely happy for her friend.
“We’d definitely keep in touch.” Grace said, as she pulled Lani in for a final hug. It wasn’t until she was well out of sight and they were settled back on the table—that his mind roamed back to the absurd remark, Grace had made when she first arrived.
“What did she mean by, she was surprised you showed up today and didn’t forget all about the event?” She had delved back into her appetizer meal, and was filling up both of their glasses with wine. He braced himself for alcohol intake and sat up. “Is that some sort of popular trendy inside joke that I don’t know of because I don’t have a life?”
Lani didn’t reply until she was done filling both glasses. “No, actually. It’s something that goes way back to our secondary school days that is mildly embarrassing. Not embarrassing to the point that I’m ashamed to tell like some sort of personal thing, but the type of embarrassing that has a high tendency of making you laugh.”
He sat up. “Humor me, then. I’ve not laughed a lot today.”
He noticed her disquietude as she locked gazes with him, but she proceeded anyway. “So just promise me that you won’t laugh too hard—wait, that would only give away the hint that you’re going to laugh and make you laugh more so it’s better I don’t say that, but you’ve heard anyway—urgh! Moving on, there was a time back then in secondary school that I arrived really late for school. I’m not a latecomer, I’m usually one of the first people to arrive—because my house isn’t far from the school. But it was test week and I’m one of those people that don’t read much during regular classes and try to cram everything, when tests and exam come around.”
“I know people like you.” He smiled.
“Well, my mom usually wakes me up so I don’t have to set an alarm and all that shit. But that day she went for a night vigil or the night before, so she was sleeping hard. And my dad leaves the house at an incredibly early hour like five, so he gets up at four. More so, the man likes to spoil me too much so he’s the type that could allow me sleep even if it would cost me my punctuality.
“But I guess he assumed mom will wake me up and he left me. Don’t even get me started on my brother. That one is a chronic late comer. He doesn’t sleep much and he usually gets up before me, but because of one reason or the other and his sluggishness he’d end up being late. So I don’t know what he was doing. Besides he was in S.S.S. 3 that time and was taking S.S.C.E. So he only went to school when he had exams. I was still in S.S.S.2, a class below. And well he was awake, but it didn’t occur to him that his younger sister had school to go to. That was how I slept till 7:30, thirty minutes after the time that I usually get to school. I was so horrified when I saw the time that I hurried up and rushed myself so I could get to school before 8 or risk being punished and well, I was the social prefect. They give prefects bigger punishments when they show up late.”
“Makes you wonder if it’s a privilege or just glorified slavery.”
“Definitely the latter. To round it all up, I got to school a couple of minutes after 8 and they didn’t punish me, because the teacher on duty by the gate likes girls too much and that coupled with the fact that I’ve never been late in my life, made me escape punishment. It wasn’t until I got to my class that I realized I didn’t take my school bag.”
“What?” The laughter surged out of him, like the fermenting molecules of a beer when poured into a cup.
“Yes, I didn’t bring my bag and I didn’t notice it until I got to the freaking class. Funny enough, no one by the gate stopped to ask me why I wasn’t with a bag or anything. It was until I settled down in my seat to take notes of the ongoing class, that I realized I didn’t bring anything.
“It was this annoying boy sitting at my back that noticed me, when I was looking all over myself as if I could have kept the bag somewhere in my body without knowing. For the rest of the day, I was mocked and laughed at. Teachers would ask why I was not taking notes, and I’d have to explain that I didn’t bring my bag and they’d go on to ask how that was possible and then the laughter from the class again.”
Tari had cupped his forehead, with his right hand to restrain the quivering of his body in response to her words.
“Of course, you find it funny also.” She said, sipping gently from her glass of wine. She didn’t look offended but she wasn’t sharing his laughter either. “Everyone thinks it’s funny that I have forgetting issues.”
He took a bold step of faith and reached out to cradle the side of her face. “I think it’s cute actually.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s cute,” She rolled her eyes, and if she was someone else—he’d have assumed it was done with a motive to escape his intense gaze but she was Lani Olaere. “People on the receiving end of my forgetfulness don’t find it cute. It costs them a lot, they usually get into trouble and then they tend to get angry.”
“I’m not unfortunate. Trust me I won’t be in a position where that would happen.” He said in an assuring voice. “Okay, so I don’t sound too cocky and make God ditch me in time of trouble let me reframe my words. I pray I won’t be on the receiving end of your forgetfulness that would give me reason to hate you. I don’t want to hate you.”
“Just you keep praying that such doesn’t happen,” She set his hand down and his heart sank that she found the proximity appalling, until she latched onto it again and pulled him up to his feet. “C’mon, people are moving out to the dance floor to dance. Let’s dance for a while.”
His body went stiff and rigid as he refused to be pulled up. “I’m not much of a dancer, Lani.”
“Then you should be happy that I can dance well. Seriously, I’d make a paralyzed man look good if I led him out to the dance floor. You won’t have to do a lot of work. Just follow my lead. Now, get up!” She grunted as she tugged hard at his immobile posture. “Christ! Did you just turn into a pillar of salt? If you don’t dance now and get it over with, the hosts are pretty much going to ask us to come out and dance and then it’d be worse because we might be the only ones on the dance floor and every pair of eyes in the hall would be on us. I have no problem with that, but I’m being considerate of you by telling us to dance now when everyone is doing so. Surely, you didn’t think you could come to an event like this and escape dancing.”
Actually, his naïve self had thought it possible but he didn’t tell her that. As she led him out to the dance floor with a naughty smile twinkling in her eyes, they got intercepted by Joshua, who Tari just noticed since he walked through the door. His friend looked dashing in a brown checkered safari suit, but there wasn’t much time to admire his appearance.
He looked distraught.
“Tari, the scores for the collaborative project has been released and yours and Lani’s, aren’t there?”
He and Lani exchanged incongruous looks.
“What do you mean it isn’t there?” Tari questioned him. “I submitted it myself. He took it from me and nodded. Did he lose it?”
“I don’t know what happened, but I know that in the slot of your mark he wrote not submitted.” Joshua replied. “And you know what that means, right? That means extra year for the both of you and we both know why you of all people don’t need that, Tari. What are you going to do?”
And for the first time in his life, he was without knowledge to tackle a predicament. He was doomed.
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