This hard time does not reach your body one bit. I pointed out to Ben, laughing.
Na-wahoohl!, 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 could only allow for the usual “how-do’s before 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.· I accused her smiling. 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 intention” >I
Prisca nodded meditatively and shrugged, exhibiting what do I do.
I do, ladies countenance.
“I just had to. I felt that wouldn’t make much difference and besides …
“.Besides what?· ,1′ 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 way with Prisca who was busy preparing some food for us….
All this time, I was psychologically studying Jennifer’s internal reaction; feeling more relaxed at the nervous disposition that had taken over her. Prisca
winked at me grinning from ear to ear.
- Should I call her out?·, she whispered a second, trying to conceal her words from the other room-mates.
I nodded affirmatively, returning the wink and managed to suppress the smile that was freely playing around my lips.
She walked over to Jennifer, then her arm across her waist and whispered a few words into her ears. I allowed about 80 seconds to pass before I joined them outside.
“What am I to intercede in a Prisca and Princess meeting?” Prisca teased “Permission to leave, please..”
Her gesticulations and the comic flow of her words was the simple tonic we needed to get us flowing. The short interval of amusement created the much-needed avenue for me to liberalise our discussion. I threw my arm across the iron bar adjacent me, fitting my weight slightly in that direction. The smile on my face narrowed down to a broad grin and I shook my head passionately. Watching attentively to decode the impression my presence had been able to induce in her. “Jennifer”‘, I called out, pausing briefly to assess her reaction. “I don’t really know what to say to you. But the simple truth is that you’ve taken over my ‘heart. I can’t explain why or how it happened. I flipped my arms in the air submissively and not allowed the words to flow, carrying with it an engulfing air of emotion. The sincerity in my heart, pumping out tunes of compassion rocked her wall of defence, leaving the usual film of feminine obstinacy. Jennifer had one reason or the other to keep me posted. I have never been one to easily give up, not when I was convinced that Jennifer just wanted to play tough. I kept pressing on, consolidating my seriousness. Prisca was always there to urge me on.
“Ken, just give her some time, I’m very much convinced that you’re the best thing that can happen to the social life. She just wants to be sure all she’s gathered about you is true”,
She patted my back tenderly. “I can’t wait to see both of you going out together. Your compatibility is what amazes me most.”
“Thanks for your concern. I really don’t know what I’d have been able to do without you and Ben.” I managed a weak chuckle.
“Prisca, I called out, suddenly changing my composure.
She glanced at me sharply, wondering what I wanted to say.
“Jennifer is hurting me so bad. I’ve never had such emotional stress all my life. I don’t know if it’s now a crime to fall in love with someone, is it?
“Come on…just try and take things easy. Free your mind a bit and you’ll be better off.” She consoled using her warm jokes to brighten me.
The semester was gradually approaching its critical period. The examination was just three weeks away with the rash academic environment it carried with it. Everything was at the peak and even the ants crawling on the floor were conscious of that, but one tings seemed to sing a different tune, apparently indifferent to the tide of events. My spirit was actually at its lowest ebb. I was enveloped in a maze of psychological anarchy.
I was engaged in a tussle to free my mind, I needed to be in control of myself. Then Lovelyn came into the scene.
The emotional gap that existed between Lovelyn and I started to narrow down. Subconsciously, I initiated the moves. I started to see her more often than I used to and I encouraged her to do the same. My room-mates didn’t even help matters. They urged me on, creating the impression that I had failed to take advantage of what I had. While I wallowed in the mire of self-deceit, going after a damsel that didn’t deserve a guy like me. Lovelyn had been a good friend to me for the short time we had known each other.
In fact, she’d been able to induce that sisterly care in me that I would have preferred we remained liked that. I cared for her in my own special way, a way that unwittingly lost its defence, drawing in the clouds of love with its side of emotional attachment.
Lovelyn’s presence, though, couldn’t erase Jennifer from my heart but it created the much-needed cushion against the hard bite of my emotional stress. I continued to open up on her without any form of resistance whatsoever. Deep in my heart, I knew I still wanted Jennifer, I knew I still longed for the day she would finally make up her mind. That notwithstanding, I’d made a quiet resolve, not to hurt Lovelyn in anyway. I could help it, I would have sneaked away from the cloud of love that was building up around us. But how could I give up the only opportunity I had to get myself going.
I picked up the card by my bedside and glanced through the words again. It was indeed a lovely one. As lovely as its sender, Lovelyn. My mind moved to the sweet words she had whispered into my ears that last time we had stayed alone together. Memories of her warm kisses still lingered on my lips, the hot romances, passionate caresses the climax of ecstasy we’d shared together. I closed my eyes and allowed everything to flow, as freely as they had come.
But why the persistent craving for Jennifer’s unpredictable love. I couldn’t understand why that was happening to me. I shook my head meditatively. Why now! Why the unexpected turn of events. I had gone to the female hostel with Ben on an occasional visit. We had gone to see Lovelyn first and spend about 45 minutes with her.
As expected, our next port of call was to be Prisca’s room. If I was to have my way, I wouldn’t have made that move with Ben but for his insistence. We were just a few steps from the hall entrance when someone shouted Ben’s name. We turned and guess who it was, Jennifer!
We walked over and exchanged pleasantries with her. I didn’t say any other thing, I knew I still cared for her but Lovelyn’s presence did a great deal of good in curing the depression that had eaten deep into me. I busied myself caressing my non-existence moustache while Ben did all the talking. Just then, I felt a very soft arm form a ring across my eyes. I stretched my hands backwards and pulled the figure close to me getting a firm grip on the feminine waist.
“Ini” I managed to hold back my voice, when the arms finally left my eyes. “what are you doing here?” I asked, having noticed her very casual.
…To Be Continued
