Schooled

I relocated to the village after Amanda's wedding. I wasn't a guest. She didn't invite me. Babatunde persuaded me to attend. To show I had gotten over her, that I bore no ill-feelings towards her. A lie. I was still very much in love with her. Perhaps, only my hatred matched my passionate feelings for her. Besides, what was that nonsense of colour of the day I read from the invitation text message on Babatunde's phone? Fuschia pink? What the hell was that? I couldn't imagine myself expending scarce resources to attend the wedding of the woman who slew whatever love I had in my heart.

For 12 years I loved her. For 8 years she knew. For 6 years she fed on the love, milked my pockets, wiretapped my brains and shipwrecked me on a voyage of unrequited love. I strived to outdo myself in showing her love. With every extra effort and kind deed, I hoped she would change her mind. But to her, the marginal utility of every of my tangible show of affection was in the negative.

"Ay," she called me on phone one evening. "I want to eat some ice cream and sharwama....."
My mind went on overdrive. I had only N2000 with me. A cab and the requested goodies would eat up the money I had. And I needed to duplicate some documents. Then, there was the matter of feeding through the weekend. It was Friday evening.

Bolaji's house was about a hundred paces from mine. I set out to see him to borrow N2000. The sun was going home - a flat, yellow disk against the skyline. I had to walk past the community park. I could see figures lulling around in the tree-lined expanse. Frank was one of them. I decided to try my luck.
"Frank," I beckoned to him when he turned. He was too casually dressed to be with his wallet. But he was. The bulge extended behind his left hind pocket.
"Guy," I begged in my most pacific voice. "I fit collect 2k from you?"
He looked away, avoiding my eyes. A good sign. He owed me a lot and probably felt compelled to give me the money even though he would rather not.
My phone rang again. It was a flash call from Amanda. I was now armed with N4000. I headed to her house. It was a bit dark now. Making out faces of passersby had become a chore. I took a shortcut leading to my destination. Two female figures were gliding their way on ahead of me. I overheard them.
"...... you are not dating him yet he buys you all those things? Hmmmmm. It is like you don go Ijebu Ode for him."
"My friend o, see me o. Na my fault? The young man wants to show love na. Is it a must that I must reciprocate?"
"But, Amanda, it is not fair na. You know he is into you. He is being so caring and generous to prove his love and win your heart......"
"Which heart?" Amanda's hissing stretched like the road. "He is not my type. He should go and find his mates."
She mimicked a snake again and looked at her phone's screen. "What is keeping this boy?"
Increasing my pace, I walked past them. Greeting her conspicuously, I turned a deaf ear to the calls of "Ay, Ay, where are you going?" I walked on into the night, into my new dawn - a boy striding, much wiser now, into manhood.....