A week later,. Time check, 7 PM.
It was time to go to the school library to study and prepare for the Dr Adams test the following week..
Students sat in groups, though few students sat on their own doing their individual Reading.
Mandy and Ifes sat in their preferred positions, and yanked out their course materials to start reading...
They must have read for about 40 minutes when Ifes lifted up her eyes from her Book and saw Ryan,
He looked confused like he was lost and didn't know which topic to read, and scratched his forehead severally.
She stared at him for a while before she continued reading but felt a nudge to go and help him.
At first, she wanted to ignore but abruptly felt a deeper urge to go to Ryan...
Ifes, get up from there and go and meet him."
But you know this is not funny?"
Ifes moved her gaze towards her roommate who's eyes were fixed to her book and felt like doing the same but the nudging wouldn't stop..
Mandy." Ifes called-out hoping her friend would not allow her to leave.
Mandy looked up from her book. Yes Ifes, want something?"
From Mandy's facial expression, she knew she had really distracted her.
Will You excuse me? I will be back soon. Ifes moved her seat backwards till she could get enough space to stand up.
Okay, don't be long". Mandy said, taking her eyes back to her book. ..
Ifes gazed at her friend whose eyes were back to her book and wondered.. Just like that? She didn't even ask where I'm going, or what I am going to do."
She concluded that this must be for a purpose after all and spun around to leave..
Nope, I won't." She walked away from her table to Ryan praying that he would not make a scene
*****
"She got to the front of his reading table and waved her hands in the air.. Hi!", she said, sounding cherry..
He looked up and stared at her expressionlessly, she did not see the usual hate, she looked into his eyes, maybe she could get a clue of what he was feeling but he was still enigmatic.
She got nothing, nothing to use as an excuse to walk away from him, but why was she trying to walk away?
"What was he thinking of her now?
She knew he was not happy to see her but was he sad or angry?
The Jesus girl that brought him word, she separated him from his clique of friend, did seeing her just make his day go sour? She reasoned like a common third-party not wanting to reason it from the stance of the girl that might be slapped in a few seconds from now
What if he makes a scene?
Or laughs at her?
What if he calls her names?
What if? What if? What if?
These questions ran through her mind like rapids.
She started giving it a second thought if she should do what she came for or turnaround and just walk back to her seat without uttering another word,
She wanted to choose the latter but kept hearing the still small voice telling her to talk to Ryan..
You look like u need some help.
I'll show you something, give it here." She grabbed his book before he could give his consent or object..
She flipped over the book jotting down some topics she felt they were going to write,
She gave a brief explanation on the topics and when she was done, the look on Ryan's face was a little more than she expected!!!
She thanked him for giving her the opportunity to talk to him, then spun around and walked back to her seat without looking back...
taking her seat opposite Mandy at the round reading table, she looked up to see Ryan still staring at her astonishingly!
Their eyes met and they locked gazes,
She managed to break the staring contest between Ryan and her, she gazed at Mandy, then back to Ryan and finally to her Book.
Ifes couldn't look towards Ryan's direction again to see if he was even going through the guidelines she gave him,
She also needed to study for Mr Adams test,So she thought in her heart that looking at the Lad instead of studying would do her no good..
She studied and studied and studied without blinking her eyes or looking to her left, right or forward.. .
Ifes, Ifes!" Ifes heard Mandy's exhausted and sleepy voice drawing her out of her knowledge quest after three hour time as she tapped her on her shoulder.
I want to leave now, I am feeling sleepy and I know me any time I am like this whatever I try to read just bounces off my head"
Ifes did not want to leave just yet, still had much to cover in her opinion, but of course, this sounded to Mandy like her usual overkill and need to put in the more than necessary work
" Why are you like this?? and u know I'm not leaving without you.. why do u always insist on overdoing it?? don't faint on me someday, I am not a fan of riding in the back of ambulances." Mandy sat back on her seat Soon after she laid down her head on the desk and drifted off to sleep.
I have to read to maintain a high gp if I want to continue to sustain my scholarship." Ifes said despite knowing her sleeping roommate could not hear her.
Ifes finished reading and woke Mandy up.. I'm done reading, so shall we?"
Mandy groaned, clearly sad that her sleep had been interrupted.
On their way out, Ifes glanced back at Ryan's direction only to spot his empty seat, she scanned the big Library to see if he just changed position, and he didn't do what she was thinking he did: but she already had the premonition that he had left so was not so shocked
But she was disappointed..
I wonder why I am disappointed, it wasn't like I was expecting anything better."
She shook off the thought of Ryan from her head.. I think I have tried my best." Ifes concluded in her heart as they both walked back to their Dorm Room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On Monday of the following week.
Ifes said a customary short prayer before writing the test.
It was a 2 hour paper
The need to stretch Maade Ifes to look at her wrist watch and discovered that one hour, twenty-five minutes had gone by without her stirring from her writing
At that point Ifes knew she had to raise up her head,she needed to stretch her neck a bit.
At the process of doing that, she saw him looking at her eyes and mouth agape, flies could easily enter..
Ha! Na wetin dey do dis one? ( What is wrong with him?" She asked silently in her heart..
How long has he been staring at me like that?" She asked again.
You have 30 minutes more." Dr. Adams' voice echoed.
That was when she realized she had stared at Ryan for 5 minutes, she bent over to continue writing; but didn't see if he did the same...
The thirty remaining minutes breezed by, and the students filed outta the class mostly in group.. Ifes waited for Mandy outside for another custom of theirs which was post-test analysis to determine how well they did.. some said what's done was done but not Ifes and Mandy
Mandy walked past Ifes without noticing she was even there
Strange, she had never seen Mandy so engrossed in her thought like, neither had she seen worry lines etched so deeply on her face that she seemed like a whole different person, Mandy was always carefree and happy, this was unusual
Earth to Mandy!"
Haaa! Ifes you almost scared the life out of me."
A million for your thoughts."
"I'm fine, let's leave."
Not on til you tell me what is going on in that heart of yours."
Ha ha ha! Its nothing, let's go, I'm famished." Mandy started walking away before Ifes could utter another word, if she was not convinced before now, she was totally sure Mandy was hiding something from her and she didn't want to push it, Ifes believed that whatever it is: she would tell her..
They didn't keep secrets from each other...
They were still moving slowly when Ifes spotted Ryan figure walking towards them
but she didn't turn to confirm if it was him, she kept on walking as she wasn't prepared for any Drama.
Author's note
I know I have been leaving some stones unturned but just continue enjoying your Reading, with time, everything will unfold😊
I will appreciate your votes and comments
Thanks