Ep 14

Morning devotions were always boring. We had them every morning since I was a child. What's the point of telling us what we already know? I'd feel like asking but, fearing my mother's fiery temper, wisely kept my opinions to myself.

One of my mother's recurring lessons was: always mind the kind of friends you keep.

I thought about that lesson over and over again as I followed Sammy into the black BMW.

My senses were off; there were red flags everywhere. The driver looked rough: dark shades, poker face and a long cut along his chin. He smelled of weed and alcohol, another red flag. But I was with Sammy so what the hell could go wrong? The door slammed shut and the driver glanced through the rearview mirror, checking us out.

I felt uneasy and whispered to Sammy, who had his hands folded across his chest, 'where are we going?'

Why was I asking this question now? I could have asked that twenty minutes ago when he'd come knocking at my door asking me to follow him somewhere.

'Relax,' Sammy answered without looking at me. I still felt uneasy and didn't feel like relaxing, especially with how that driver looked at us.
I leaned back against the seat and exhaled, as the car started and edged through the crowded street.

The drive was ten minutes long and in all that time neither of us said a word. I had my phone with me, although I almost constantly regretted taking it with me. What if something went wrong?

When you're inside a shitty car that sounded like the combination of a beans-grinder and a heavy-duty truck, you tend to be aware of your surroundings. The seats were worn and the leather stuffing peeked out from it, but those were the least of my worries.

The car was bouncing through a bushy path. The road was bumpy and flanked by bushes and trees, and nothing else. The only building around was a tall uncompleted one, and that seemed to be our destination.

The driver killed the engine and stepped out of the car. Sammy opened the left door and stepped out. I did the same with the right door, except it was stuck. I pushed against the creaking door until Sammy cleared his throat and I turned to look at him.

'Pass here na.'

'Oh.'

I stepped out of the car, happy to breathe in the fresh air around me and not that stale alcohol and weed smoke which filled the car.

We stood by the car and the driver left us and went towards the uncompleted building. Alone now, I tapped Sammy.

'What are we doing here?'

Sammy shrugged and scratched his chin, running his thumb over the thin mustache he was grooming.

'Chill, bro. We just want to buy something.'
'We?' I wanted to raise my voice but took a deep breath and calmly said, 'what are we buying?'

Two men came out from the building and the driver followed behind. Seeing those three made me realize how average Sammy and I were, in terms of height. Sure, Sammy was a bit buff and muscular but what about me?

The guy in the middle, big and heavily built, came over to us. He looked rough. They all did. The one by his right wasn't as heavily built as that first guy, but he had a nasty look about him.

Black jeans and yellow shirts. All three of them. I hadn't even noticed that about the driver, but they all had a touch of black and yellow in their outfits.

Hell, Sammy wore freaking yellow socks and black shorts. What the hell am I doing here? I wondered and stayed by the guy, on Sammy's suggestion, as they did whatever deal they had.

There was a distant rumble in the sky and it looked like it would rain any minute; the clouds were already turning dark and the grasses rustled as the wind picked up.

'I should be home,' I said to myself and continued watching. At one point I noticed their eyes were on me. Sammy also turned to look and I heard him say, 'no. Na my guy be that. He dey OK.'

The big guy looked at me for a few more seconds and I held his gaze, feeling brave all of a sudden, then he nodded and focused back on Sammy.

Their conversation went on for fifteen minutes, and in that time the dark clouds had already thickened and I'd already felt a few raindrops on my head and arms. I was bored.

I kicked a small rock and sighed.

'Sammy,' I called out and he gave me a quick look without saying anything.

'Crap ' I sighed, feeling more raindrops. I left the car and started walking towards them. The driver looked at me, and then the others did the same. Sammy, as usual, was the last to turn.

He shook his head discretely and I knew he wanted me to turn back, but something was not right. I stubbornly continued towards them.

'Bro, I'm coming,' he said in a low voice. His eyes were dim and his voice a bit unclear. Was that...fear?

I stopped and sighed again, nodding slowly. Fine, I'll go, I thought. Id just turned back and started towards the car when I heard the big guy's voice.
'Sammy, you dey Bleep up o. Big time.'

I was curious. There was a certain sharpness in that voice that chilled me, not to mention the roughness in it, the type gotten from smoking and drinking too much.

The big guy shoved Sammy's chest and he staggered back. What happened next was crazy. Perhaps one of those moments when instincts take over.

'Hey, stop!' I said snapped and, as if to make it more dramatic, a heavy clap of thunder ripped through the sky. The big guy pushed Sammy to the side and marched towards me. I could feel the ground shaking as he closed the gap between us, looking bigger than he'd looked from a few feet away.

His eyes were red and his nose flared. 'You say?'
Stand firm and never run away from a fight. My father had told me that many years ago. It was never relevant to me, at least not much; I hardly got into fights.

In that split second between my next response and the guy's next moved, I flashed back to the last time I'd been in a confrontation with someone.
Secondary school. Twelve years old. His name had been Musa. A bully, this boy. Big and hard-faced. He had a broken tooth and he stammered terribly. A friend of mine had come to school with his new bicycle and, based on friendship ranking, I was to be the first person to ride it during the break period. It was an honor and I took it with pride. Then Musa showed up and demanded he rode the bike.

I would have let go because my mother always hammered on the need to stay away from trouble. But this bicycle was new and it felt great just sitting on it. So I came down and looked Musa right in the face.

'No.'

A loud gasp erupted among the small crowd of my classmates and a few seniors who'd gathered around. I felt empowered and continued, 'the bicycle is not for...'

That was as far as I could go with that defiant outburst before I saw his fist swinging towards my face.

I felt a strong grip on my shirt collar and I shook back into reality. The big guy had me by my shirt, Sammy's begging voice echoed in the background.

'You 'o learn to mind your business when I finish with you,' the big guy threatened, his bald head glistening as the rains increased and washed over it. His grip was strong and I struggled to break it.

Sammy, the same person who'd brought me here, was pleading with Daniel--the big guy's name--while he stood at a safe distance. I glanced down. Everything was happening ao fast. The rains had started and the air smelled of wet earth and leaves.

Looking down, I saw a knife strapped to the big guy's belt. What was I thinking? I wondered, but that was it: I wasn't thinking, and so I made mistake number two.

'No dey talk when...' The big guy was hammering when I hit his hand off my collar and swung my right hand at his face.

Sparks. Explosions. Shattered bones and torn flesh, and dripping blood. This was what I pictured when I swung that punch, but the reality was very different.

My fist bopped against his nose--a bop, one which hurt my knuckles. His face felt like hard concrete, and his eyes became fiery.

'You don die today,' he said and grabbed my left hand. Yes, that tight hold was the grip of a killer, and so for the first time, I felt scared.

He raised his hand, rain falling hard on us, and I looked up following the height of his arm.

'Daniel, stop. Na jew. E don do,' Sammy was saying, but the big guy didn't hear that. The blow felt like everything I'd imagined my own to be. I felt the pain shoot through my body as his fist crushed against my nose, the blow pushing me off my feet.

I yelled out and held my nose, my hand quivering. Blood trickled down my hand and dripped onto the grass, disappearing almost immediately as the rain washed it away.

I crawled onto my knees and watched Sammy argue with the big guy. Oddly, the other two seemed unperturbed and just stood there watching.

It flashed again in my head, the fight with Musa--and how it'd ended. Musa's punch had sent me sprawling over the bicycle and I'd felt like crying. Hot tears had already welled up in my eyes. But I didn't cry, neither did I stay down. It was a really fine bicycle.

There was a pen in my left pocket which I immediately grabbed with my left hand--and this turned out to be crucial, for my left hand was weaker. No one saw it coming, the way I dashed across the bicycle and jabbed the pen at Musa. He jumped backward and I lost my balance, stabbing the pen right into his arm.

I was still on all fours, the rain beating down hard on my back, and the pair shot strongly through my body. My eyes shifted over to a small rod on the ground close to me. I thought of the fight with Musa, thinking not of anything else, and reached for the rod.

The footsteps were fast, and the voices hurried.
'Daniel, make we go. They don dey come.'

I was half on my feet now, the rod forgotten. The three pushed past me--the big guy scowled at me before jumping into the car--and we were soon alone.

Sammy was silent as he helped me up. The police were scoping the area, he told me and we left, cutting through another bush path which led onto a quiet street.

'Are you okay?' Sammy asked after we'd walked for a while in silence. My face hurt like hell and my head ached, but the rain was cool and refreshing. So I said:

'I'm fine.'

He nodded, rubbing his mustache again with his thumb.

'That thing you did was stupid.'

'I know.'

He sighed heavily. 'Thank you.'

I looked at him for a second and then looked away. Our feet slushed through the water filling up the streets and rushing into garbage-filled gutters.

'Are you in trouble?'

He looked at me. 'Hmm?'

'With those guys back there. Are you in trouble? Like, is your life in...'

'I'm fine.' His tone was dismissive and he gazed ahead of us as if searching for something. I watched him and was surprised when he smiled and shook his head.

'What?' I asked.

'Wetin you wan do with that pipe before?'

I chuckled and took out my soggy handkerchief, pressing into my bruised nose. 'Something stupid, I guess.'

He also chuckled. 'Really stupid.' He regarded me and said, 'you do stupid things sometimes.'
'What's that supposed to mean?'

He shrugged. 'That new girl.'
'What about her?'

'I no fit lie, I no like am.' He switched to English, 'I don't usually like the girls Chidi likes.' Then he looked at me, 'but you like her. Abi?'

I nodded and looked away. Was I an easy read?

'Small advice, bro,' he continued without looking at me, his hand stroking his chin now. 'When you want something eh, you take it. No seedown wait for am; go and take it. Chidi knows that, but you don't. And he knows you don't.'

We reached an intersection and he turned around to look at me.

'And he knows you like her too. Better use your head, bro. Sme-sme no dey take anybody far for life.'
I received a text at that moment.

'Hey, it's Lissa. Got your number from someone here, I don't know her name....are we still doing the Calculus?'

Sammy stretched his neck, peeking at me as I read the text. Then he tapped my back, his hand pressed against my wet shirt.

'I dey support you o. Use your head. Do the right thing.'

I may have said nothing in response to that, even as we continued our work, but I knew what to do now. No more good guy. I mean, I'd almost fought a big guy. That was something, right?

Keep it rolling, more grease to your elbow

Faithfulmartins:
Keep it rolling, more grease to your elbow

Thanks

TheBizarreWrite:

Thanks

TheBizarreWrite:

Thanks

You are welcome

More ink to your pen. Your writing skills is top notch.

Following... ride on bro. I'm enjoying the story die

op I dey ur back mafo

Oulala...more ink to your pen man.
I'm so loving this story back to back

Nice one bro.. Keep the updates coming!!

Ep 15


I took Sammy's advice--I mean, I was going to; once step at a time, right?

Lissa had a certain pleasantness to her when she came to my room that evening. She had a notebook and a pen, but I had my eyes more on what she 'had on'. Short shorts and a light shirt, no bra underneathjust a keen observation and not a perverted one, I assure you.

It was already dark outside by the time we finished solving the last problem. The only light in the room came from my new reading lamp--which I'd gotten just for this occasion. I could see her face the whole time she worked out the problems in her note, her eyes focused on her work.

I had to restrain myself from letting my eyes stray into the uncharted territory that was her cleavage. Her top hung open when she bent her head and solved on the book, giving me a glimpse of the first half of her boobs, leaving the rest to my imagination.

Several times I caught myself gazing straight into her top, and several times I had to check myself and shift my gaze to something else...anything at all.

'Well, thanks so much,' she said and pushed back her chair. I closed the textbook and placed my own notebook, which was filled with rough calculations, right on top of it.

'You are welcome. You can always meet me if you still have any questions.'

She nodded and stretched her hands above her head, her chest heaving. I stared at her chest like one hypnotized; at her breasts jiggling slightly as finished stretching.

'Exams, I'm kind of scared,' she said.

'Oh you don't have to; it's not that hard. Besides, if you don't have the answer to some questions you can always spy from someone else.'

She giggled. 'Bad boy.'

'I learnt it the hard way. Just don't spy from the wrong person.'

'Got it.'

After a moment of silence, where all I could hear was my breathing and a ticking sound in my head, she stood up to leave and I was just about to let her go just like that.

'Thanks again. I'm just...very hungry,' she muttered and shifted away from the desk.
I chuckled. 'Me too.'

Now's your chance, I thought to myself-although the thought came out, oddly, in Sammy's voice.
'You know, we could go out and get something to eat. There's a place, Just Like Home--that's what it's called, where they sell really good food. And it's cheap.'

'Really?' She gasped. 'I'll like to check it out.'
I was growing more confident with each moment, and so I asked her if we could go together.
'Tonight.'

She smiled. 'Yeah, sounds like a good idea.'
I rubbed my hands together, smiling gleefully. 'I'll be waiting for you.'

She said OK and left.

'Yes! Yes, yes!' I punched the air, panting and then sat down exhaling.

'Hey bro,' I heard Sammy's voice and heard a knock on my door before the came in. Weird, Sammy knocking before entering a place? He'd once casually entered one the rooms--I wasn't sure who--and he'd bumped in on a girl naked.

'I don say sorry,' I'd heard him shouting that day, after a fierce argument between the girl and him, where she employed a list of really colourful words, some I'd never heard before.

Sammy had laughed at some point and said, 'I don see, I don see. Las las na sorry go end am.'
I'd laughed and stored that in my head, knowing that I'd never have done it that way. Lots of quiet apologies and then I'd disappear, that would have been my way.

I looked up as Sammy walked into my room. He turned around to the door and said, 'I see that babe comot from this place just now.'

'Uhm, yeah. I'm teaching her...'I paused and turned that reply over in my head, then I changed it. 'I'm taking your advice, man.'

'You don dey run am abi?' Sammy laughed and then proceeded to slap my hand. I wouldn't call that a handshake. Why was his palm so hard and rough?
I felt better knowing Sammy was on my side. He sat on the other chair, flipped through the textbook without interest and then looked at me.
He cleared his throat and I found that funny. I felt like the naive son about to get nuggets of advice from his father. How befitting.

'No waste time, bro.'

'Waste time doing what?'

He turned and looked down at my bed. I followed his gaze and immediately got his point.

'What, I'm not...' Once again, I paused and rethought my response. The former me--I liked to think I'd changed--would have been a gentleman for a month or more, not even getting sexual one bit. Was that what I wanted, to have her on that bed?

Hell yeah!

He stood up and said, 'nothing to think there. No waste time o. Remember say no be only you wan chop.'

I didn't feel uncomfortable at that moment. He left and I stayed there thinking and running the whole thing over in my head.

No time to think, I thought and quickly got ready. She was outside me door a few minutes later, looking pretty in a casual shirt and jean shorts.

----
Just Like Home had to be the most popular restaurant in the school area, and I wasn't surprised when I saw it was filled up. People walked about with trays filled with food while others were either engrossed in their meal or, like in the case of some guy eagerly picking his teeth and staring at the TV, done with it.

I moved over to the counter where we could see glasses with deep metal trays holding the food. Meat, red with pepper and oil, spaghetti, white rice, fried rice, boiled eggs dipped in oil, beans, fried fish; basically all kinds of food were there, including the popular swallow--fufu and eba.
I turned to make a joke to Lissa and noticed that she kept moving her eyes around and rubbing her arms.

'Are you alright? You seem uncomfortable.'
'I'm sorry, I just hated crowded places. I'd never be able to eat in a place like this.

'We'll get takeaways then,' I assured her and she nodded. The restaurant seemed to fill up as soon as more people left, so while waiting for my turn to be served I looked at Lissa and said to her, why not wait out in front?’
Before the main restaurant was a small space where they sold cakes and ice cream, and pizza. This place was less crowded because, in truth, no one came to eat junk food at this restaurant. She agreed.

I looked at her as she left. I knew that other guys were also looking at her and so I guess I just wanted to make sure no one made any move on her.

It took me ten minutes to finally order for what I wanted and by then Id already started sweating and getting irritable thanks to the guys whod just shove orders aside and have their orders taken.

Staring at all that steaming food had caused my stomach to start biting with hunger and I felt my mouth water as I relished the thought of digging into my dinner. And then, of course, the thought that Lissa was out there waiting for me made me extra happy.

I couldnt believe it, but I was making progress.
Walking towards the door with two wraps of food in my hand, careful not to bump into the people around, I stepped out into the other area and at first couldnt spot Lissa. Maybe she couldnt stay here either, I thought and went outside.

I was right in thinking that shed stepped outside, but dead wrong about the reason.

There she was staring attentively at Chidi as he spoke to her. He was suddenly the funny guy and I couldnt believe it, but he was starting to piss me off.

Relax, I told myself and went over to where they stood.

Hey man, I said and he turned to look at me, the smile on his face waned off slowly.

He turned to Lissa. Oh, he's the one you came with?’

I took her out, I corrected. she didn't just come with me.

He narrowed his eyes and I saw, for the first time, an evil glint in his eyes.
We stared at each other for a few seconds, with Lissa standing right in the middle, and then he relaxed and smiled.

Okay. Nice one, bro.

That was the last thing he said to me as he looked at Lissa and explained, I just came to buy something. Youll come na, wont you? for that stuff.

Yes, Iwill, she answered and our eyes met. What stuff?
I felt the weight of the wraps I had in my hand and also the tension in the air as Chidi once again gave me that sharp stare, nodded and left.
We were once again alone and so I handed the other wrap to her without saying anything. She was also silent after Chidi left.

I cant believe that hell be my biggest problem, I thought to myself and felt a bit uneasy. Lissa was saying something as we walked to the road, so I looked at her.

‘Thanks for this. She raised the wrap. I nodded and tried to act normal, pushing away thoughts of Chidi.

'Anything for you.'

She blushed and we went home.

I was alone later that night, my stomach full from the food Id eaten, and my mind filled with thoughts of Lissa. Wed bumped into Priscilla on our way in and shed given the both of us acidic looks before hissing and walking away.

Whatever, I thought and rolled over on the bed. I didnt tell her I wanted anything serious. I did feel guilty, but only for a few seconds. And besides, my thoughts immediately went back to Lissa.

Ill see you tomorrow, shed said and I felt ecstatic. I couldnt wait.

Still deep in my thoughts, my body tickling with excitement, I heard a knock on my door.

I sighed and got up. I dont have salt or whatever they want to borrow now, I grumbled and went over to the door. I opened it and standing out there was Chidi, and he had a weird smile on his face.

The shit getting harder..well done boss

Cool stuff

TheBizarreWrite:
More thanks you guys!

I've written 15 episodes so far and it's been amazing. I really didn't think I'd write as far as this.

Halfway there.

I think, in all fairness, I should ask you guys to follow me on Facebook.

So here it goes:

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Done!

Nice one bro

Hey guys


Regular uploads will continue tomorrow Monday.

Thanks for reading

TheBizarreWrite:
Hey guys


Regular uploads will continue tomorrow Monday.

Thanks for reading

Please tag me

GOOD GUY AT 23

Episodes continue at 9 p.m. this week

I'll soon be finishing up my blog, which means the story may be transferred there for its conclusion. Not to worry, I'll have tons of other short stories on the blog. My mind is the bizarre space.

I'm a storyteller.

I'll drop the link to my blog when ready. Until then, the story continues.

---TheBizarreWriter

TheBizarreWrite:
GOOD GUY AT 23

Episodes continue at 9 p.m. this week

I'll soon be finishing up my blog, which means the story may be transferred there for its conclusion. Not to worry, I'll have tons of other short stories on the blog. My mind is the bizarre space.

I'm a storyteller.

I'll drop the link to my blog when ready. Until then, the story continues.

---TheBizarreWriter

Please tag me

Faithfulmartins:

Please tag me

I'll do that once I update

still waiting for the update

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Check out my blog


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You guys are making my dream come true and I'm so so grateful. See this smile

Nice Storyline Sir, I hope to read more of your episodes. You really help ease-off of this lockdown hardship, thanks sir and i hope to read more of you books.

Hey guys...and ladies

I’m sorry I wasn’t able to upload an episode yesterday. I don’t think I will be able to do so this week.

BUT

There is a big BUT attached to this—and it’s a good one, too.

I’ve been working hard on expanding my craft and building a solid audience, so I reopened a story blog and it’s a great HUB for finding all my stories.

If you can see this right now—and you have an email—please subscribe to the blog. I know I’m a relatively unknown writer at this point but you guys have seen my work; you know great stuff when you see it. I’m a storyteller and I tell stories; it’s my passion, and that’s what I’ve set out to do.
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---TheBizarrewriter

OtWealth:
Nice Storyline Sir, I hope to read more of your episodes. You really help ease-off of this lockdown hardship, thanks sir and i hope to read more of you books.

You're very welcome.

Please subscribe to my blog

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You'll find more of my works there.

subscription done, i hope you to update us with the remaing episode of the Good Guy At 23!

Been years since i commeñted on a story here. I like the casualness with which the plot is unfolding. Even though the story is in first person, it will be more interesting to add subplots so we can have major twists later on. Priscilla's angle. Chidi and Hide should get more active roles. Hope you haven't forgotten Sonia either.

Over all I love the how real it is. Kudos.

johnspurgeon014:
Been years since i commeñted on a story here. I like the casualness with which the plot is unfolding. Even though the story is in first person, it will be more interesting to add subplots so we can have major twists later on. Priscilla's angle. Chidi and Hide should get more active roles. Hope you haven't forgotten Sonia either.

Over all I love the how real it is. Kudos.

Thanks a lot for this. I really appreciate it. More of the story to come. Please subscribe to my blog to get more of my stories

We the story still continue here

TheBizarreWrite:



Please subscribe to my blog to get more of my stories

Yes i have subscribe... Waiting for the next update pls on nairaland or ur blog...

TheBizarreWrite:



Please subscribe to my blog to get more of my stories

Sir what is ur name on fb, i would like to follow ur page

SO SORRY GUYS FOR MY SUDDEN HIATUS. BEEN GOING THROUGH A LOT IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT IT'S BEEN, PHEW! REAL HARD TO CONCENTRATE.


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