I had the natural likeness for her which had its roots in the very base of my heart- just the portion that counted most.
Her very presence shook the roots of my existence, melting me like a pack of ice of heat. My love for her seemed to increase with each passing day, throwing my psycho emotional defence into shambles and making a mockery of my childish resistance. Did I say childish resistance? ….
What more; when with all the determination and resolution, I still see blue in her eyes muffling my subtle vocal abbression, my final resolve to
say: good bye!!!
I had met Jennifer when I visited her room with one of my roommates.
We had gone to see my guy’s babe, Prisca who happened to be Jennifer’s friend and room-mate.
‘”Since that was the first time I was going there, I wasn’t particularly active in their discussion. In fact, I didn’t just say anything all through our stay apart from the expected exchange of pleasantries. My eyes simply moved from one part of the room to the other like a standing fan, taking its time to rest on Prisca’s friend. The way she talked, the sincerity in her voice, the appeal that emanated from them, all caught my fancy. It wasn’t until we were on our way back to the hostel that I told my ‘friend about the emotional riot that was gradually building up in my mind.
“Ben-O, who’s that other babe you were having a gist with?”, I inquired casually, my face remaining expressionless.
“You mean Jennifer?”, Ben asked sharply, smiling.
“If that is her name”, I replied, feigning not to have taken note of that.
“She is Prisca’s room-mate and her close friend too. Anything about her?”
I smiled and nodded in response, slowing down our walking pace.
“Man … there’re so many things about that babe that hold me captive”, I had begun.
“She seems to have tickled some kind of chemistry in me. It’s like •.. ”
“Ken-O'”, Ben interrupted, laughing hysterically.
I knew him too well to be embarrassed by his sudden outburst despite my effort to be serious, I found myself infected by his laughter.
“No -no … Ben”, I managed to blab in between laughter. I meant’ every inch of what I’ve just said. I like the babe”.
He managed to stop laughing and fixed a’ piercing gaze’ on me, his eyes beaming with excitement.
“Are you serious?”, he inquired, stopping in his tracks. I nodded with interest. Ben skipped over a shallow culvert by the roadside and sat under a tree adjacent us. I
walked over and joined him without saying a word. We were then a few yards away from our hostel.
Apart from the electric lamps fitted at strategic positions, the full blown moon also added a great deal of splendour to the night, casting its shadow on virtually everything around us. The cool night breeze that fluttered
and kept the trees dancing to its rhythm, filtered through my nerves, arousing sensations that enveloped me.
Ben looked at me mischievously.
“Ken ~O~·, he called out, smiled, and paused briefly. “You don’t ‘have any problem, she’s be gonna ~ yours one – time …” he assured, sounding very confident of himself. He had given me the babe’s curriculum vitae and warned me against making any fake move. A game plan was drawn up immediately on how
I was going to track down the babe.
We hinged our hope on her promise to visit our room with Prisca. Ben was going to see to that. . Life continued as usual, with hope turning into expectation, which in turn had its stretch on the mind. It was after two days that everything took a dramatic turn. The romantic coup de’etat had worked! And our queen of the
pack beefed-up her defence, I had to allow some seconds to pass, to properly assimilate the implications of the news Ben had just broken to me.
“Ken-o, yawa don ga-as”, he blurted out, advancing towards the balcony from the entrance. ‘ .
I looked sharply at him, eager to know what was in the pipeline, still holding on to the shirt I was washing.
“Wetin happen?”, I asked.
“Men .. Prisca has leaked our move to her friend”, he informed.
“Babes in – their childish excitement”.
He moved his hand in mock surrender.
I allowed my mind to take a quick dive, dimming my eyes slowly.
“How come she knows about the deal?, You told her, ehn?’ ‘
“I had no option but to let her know. She was beginning to think I had an ulterior motive. You know women and their suspicion”. He replied leaning on the rail.
“So how do we get out of this? You have put things in a tight comer.
But she for no tell-am anything”. I didn’t really know how to approach the issue.
Ben smiled at me:”Easy, she’s already in the game, we’ve got to play it willy-nilly. I take the initiative of talking to her this evening, is that okay by you?”
I smiled and nodded. He walked over and entered the room. Before I could settle back to my washing, the music from the room increased in volume. The sound box
was humming Keith Martin’s, “Never Find Someone Like You”. I shook my head. · Ben and his penchant for loud music, I mumbled.
The room was too hot for comfort, N.E.P.A. had just struck and probably the school generator was faulty.
The balcony and the environs of the hall were paying host to groups of students. Ben and I decided to take a walk through the main campus. We were later joined by a friend of ours, Jenny, who was just coming in from town.
“Dunlop Elite, tested and trusted.”
Ben teased, pointing at his protruding stomach. “Men … this guy’s tyres never go flat, no matter what. Front and back”.
John smiled and adjusted the waist of his jeans trouser. • … Evidence of good living. This hard time no reach your body one bit. I pointed out to Ben, laughing.
Na-wah-ol!, this ‘one pass me.
Ben moved over to take a closer look at the folding on Jenny’s neck.
You guys should come off this.
Man dey die, you dey talk bullshit” .
John reproached us, trying a false’ frown.
What’s killing the guy man?”, A female voice asked from behind us.
We turned swiftly and fixed our gaze on the enchanting face of Prisca and her course mate, Nnenna. I pleaded to see Prisca in camera, dragging her away from Ben’s arm.
“Eh … you’ve started again
You already know why I want to see you. She was all smiles and she weakly tried to free herself from my grip.
“Come, tell me”. I let go my grip on her arm. ·Why did you tell her?”, “Who?” She asked feigning ignorance of what I was pushing at.
“Jennifer, why did you tell her my intension” >I
Prisca nodded meditatively and shrugged, exhibiting that, what do I do.
I do, ladies countenance.
“I just had to. I felt that wouldn’t make much difference and besides …
“.Besides what?· ,I’ interrupted, using’ the most appealing tone I could offer.
“You’ve put me in a tight comer because she has bluntly refused to come to our room”. I bared my mind completely to Prisca and passionately
asked for her support. With that, I pleaded with her to create an enabling environment for me to meet with Jennifer in the evening.
I was decked in a sky blue multiple striped long sleeve shirt, a navy blue pair of trousers and my eye catching Italian hard leather ·knock to complement my elegantly disarming appearance. Ben’s perfume’ was handy to add scent to the glamour. We walked into Prisca’s room at exactly 7.05pm. The uncertainty that had continuously pervaded the air around us was instantly doused. Prisca and her friend were in the room probably expecting our visit. After a few minutes chat, Ben and Uche excused themselves to see Uche’s sister in the next hall. I had no other option than to chat with Prsica who was busy preparing some food for us….
…To Be Continued
