FICTION
A Big Gamble
Copyright (c) Orshi Daniel Ayoh 2015
ISBN: 978-978-906-907-1

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical and recording or by any information retrieval system without the prior written permission of the author.



CHAPTER ONE
It was eight hours of Friday morning and the north-eastern wind sped with fierce determination. The leaves danced from their branches effortlessly. Sophia, a first year female student of Westside University Aman, in the Faculty of Social Sciences, department of Mass Communication, was dressed in a black jeans trouser, white armless top and white flat soled footwear covering her feet, a note book lodged in her left hand moving towards the Law Students’ Union Park. After a four-minute walk from the lecture hall she was greeted by a handsome looking young man in his early twenties.
“Hello baby girl.”
“Hi,” she responded and stopped.
He introduced. “Call me Don. I am a third year Law student.” He was decked in white long sleeve shirt, black trousers and black bow tie with black shoes, traditional dress code for law students.
“Sophia’s mine. A first year student of Mass Communication department,” she also introduced, flashing her charming eye lashes.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Don said.
“I am pleased to meet you, Don,” she responded as they shook hands.
“Do you mind my company?” asked Don.
“Not at all, Don. But right now, I have an appointment to catch up at LAWSU Park,” came her answer with a charming smile as she pre-empted Don’s intention.
Barely ten minutes, Don and Sophia arrived the park and settled down. Just then, Sophia’s phone rang and it was her friend on line.
“Hello Freda, aren’t you coming?” she inquired.
“Sophia, I have a busy schedule and therefore can not honour the appointment, please.” Freda explained from the other end of the line.
“Alright babe,” Sophia said, and bade her goodbye before ending the call.
Don jokingly asked. “I suppose that was your friend?”
Without any hesitation, she answered. “Freda, the friend I was supposed to meet with.”
“She’s not honouring?” he inquired, as if he had read her mind. “It’s already eight twenty by my watch,” Don continued.
“Yes, she isn’t,” Sophia answered.
“Sophia, can we meet at Virgin Garden by 8:00 p.m.?” he demanded.
Sophia nodded in approval. “I have no problems with that.”
It was now clear to Don that things were on track. They exchanged mobile contacts.
It was already 9:00 a.m., Sophia and Don bade each other goodbye and parted ways. Sophia left for the canteen while Don left for MACOSA Park where his bosom friend and course mate, Dave popularly known as Flash, was seated.
“Flash, guess what?” said Don with ecstasy. His face expressed excitement.
Flash tasked his brain for a clue to no avail. Thoughts ran into his mind but he could not figure out what it was that had put Don in a happy mood. After some silence, Flash replied. “Don, I can’t guess so wild. What’s it?”
“Flash, I have found Miss Westside,” said Don exhilaratingly.
“Who could she be, Don?” asked Dave paying more attention.
“She’s Sophia, a first year Mass Communication student,” answered Don. “Flash, you need to see her inviting eyes, kiss-me lips, cute nose, smooth skin and fine carriage. In fact, her beauty has the power to break even the hardest stone face into a smile.”
“Okay Don. With your description I can’t wait to meet this Miss Westside. So when will it be?” Flash said.
“At her convenient time, Flash,” replied Don as they strolled out of the park to the hostels.

IT was 6:00 p.m. and lectures had just ended for the day. Soon, everywhere was getting dark as the sun journeyed to the West. Don knew what the time was and could not afford to miss the appointment. He was comfortably seated at the Silver Bar of Virgin Garden, keeping himself busy with a chilled bottle of Star beer. No sooner had he dropped the glass, then the door flung open, and it was Sophia who appeared. She was dressed in a micro miniskirt, tight top and a pair of high heeled shoe. Her dress caught the attention of virtually all the guests in the bar including the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Dr. Collins, a family friend of the Williams.
Sophia greeted lovely, “Hello Don.”
“What’s up?” he asked.
“No stress,” she replied, smiling.
“Waitress, please come and attend to my guest,” he said directing her to Sophia.
The waitress neatly dressed in black and white attire emerged and presented her menu. Sophia placed her order. The first on her list was fried chicken followed by assorted snacks; fried rice flavoured with chicken and a bottle of white wine.
Sooner than expected, the waitress supplied her with all she had ordered for.
“Don, don’t you care for something?” Sophia showered concern. Deep in her mind, he could take anything since the bills were on him.
“I am okay,” he replied shrewdly, showing a convincing smile. With the order placed by Sophia, Don knew that his paying capacity was threatened.
“Alright,” she said, sipping from her glass of wine.
After some ten minutes, Don stretched his right hand and held Sophia’s tenderly with these words. “Sophia, I treasure you a lot. Will you be my friend?”
Silence enveloped the table for few seconds. “Yes I will,” Sophia finally answered. “It’s nice making friends especially with your kind.”
The joy in Don overflew its confines as he smiled intermittently, stealing admiring glances at Sophia. “I am honoured,” he said.
Sophia smiled back at him without uttering a word. She couldn’t fix a gaze at him.
“Are you through?” inquired Don after taking a glance at his wrist watch.
“Yes, I am,” she answered. “Let’s be on our way.”
“Oh! I am yet to settle the bills,” Don said, waving at the waitress. “What’s my bill?”
“It’s five thousand, two hundred and fifty Naira only,” answered the waitress.
Don was caught surprised at such a fabulous bill. He pondered within himself on how he would have used such a huge amount for other pressing issues. He removed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans trouser and brought out the sum of six thousand naira. It comprised of only one thousand naira denominations and he gave to the waitress.
“Take, here’s six thousand naira,” he said.
The waitress received the money and Don moved towards the exit as the waitress screamed from the background. “Sir, have your balance.”
“Keep it,” he replied with a smile, portraying the true state of his mind.
“Thanks,” said the waitress, but her appreciation came late as Don had left.


TWO weeks had elapsed and Don’s relationship with Sophia had blossomed. It was a Friday night. The time was 10:00 p.m. when Fred and his girl friend, Ann had arrived MACOSA Hall, the venue of a welcome party organized by the executive council of Mass Communication Students’ Association for freshers. They took their seats patiently awaiting the arrival of Don who had earlier promised to attend. In a short while, Don arrived with his new found love, Sophia and were received at the entrance by Fred.
“Hello Don,” greeted Fred, stretching his right hand for a shake.
“Hi,” Don and Sophia chorused in response.
“Sophia, this is Fred. He’s a friend,” pointing. “And Fred, my apple Sophia,” he introduced, putting his right hand across her waist.
After the introduction, Fred a gentleman with a good command of English said, “Sophia, it’s my pleasure to meet you.”
“You are welcome,” she replied.
“Guys, let’s catch some fun,” Don said, as he led the way to the stage. “But Fred, where’s Ann?” he asked with seriousness because without Ann’s company they would never find laughter due to her sense of humour.
Fred smiled. “Don, I didn’t sneak out. Ann is seated at the high table,” pointing.
Don scanned the high table and soon sighted Ann. He nodded in affirmation, “Alright.”
At this juncture, they took to the dance floor and began dancing to the song track ‘African Queen’ by 2Face Idibia, the famous African artist. As they were dancing, Sophia suddenly stopped as soon as she saw a fellow student with the latest BlackBerry phone she admired so much and wished to have at all cost.
“Don, Don,” she called for attention, but finding out that the music blaring from the speakers was high, she let her mind settled and gave Don a soft tap on the shoulders.
“What’s the problem?” he inquired, thinking she was tired as a result of the busy time they had before the party and needed some rest.
Sophia focused her attention at Drains who flourished his BlackBerry so enticingly in an attempt to woo her attention and love. She could not betray her strong love for the BlackBerry. “Are you on familiar terms with Drains?” she asked, still looking at the BlackBerry.
“What about him?” he jokingly asked with the thought that she had been harassed by Drains or any of his guys.
Sophia focused her attention at his BlackBerry. “Look at his phone, it’s a BlackBerry,” she said.
“And so what about it?” he asked, casually. To him, whether Drains had a BlackBerry or not was not an issue.
“I need a BlackBerry for myself,” she answered.
“Okay, we shall discuss that by Sunday,” Don told Sophia convincingly not to spoil the fun of the night. He was there to truly indulge himself in the fun and music.
The party came to an end at about 4:00 a.m. they drove in Fred’s car to his apartment.