I got to London's lodge far later than I thought. It was 8:35 pm. Oyin's Lodge was two streets away from where I live, My lodge was at Wellington street. It was a new layout with a few numbers of houses and lodges. It will take thirty minutes to trek from Peters Street to Wellington Street. Well, if it depends on how fast my legs carried me I might get home before 9 pm.
As worst as it could get, there are no signs of Keke or bikes running at this time. I understood clearly because Wellington street wasn't as developed as the neighboring Street although there were modern houses and a few local ones in the deepest and of the street. The road linking to the three junctions was filled with muddy earth to cover up the potholes making it difficult for transport vehicles to run through and the bushy part at the side of the road was the only accessible path only legs can thread on. Only a few bikemen took the risk to drive through the rough terrain and the little pathway that led to the deep end of the street but the heavy rain has sent them to retire early.
Saka, the security man that I feared would be at the gate was nowhere to be found. The gate was left ajar. I slightly pushed my way through quickly and stealthily walked into the compound without being noticed.

Evenings at London's lodge are the most peaceful time you can get to enjoy your relaxation without any disturbance. That's when there's a power supply. The silence was short-lived by the last flat with the sound of "I better pass my neighbor" aggressively singing in the corner of the verandah. Unlike the rest flats that were covered in darkness. The fluorescent lightbulb from our flat illuminated a little space leaving a dim ambiance effect on the next flat.

I got close to the verandah, my brother was already at home with Becky, his girlfriend.
I dip my hands into my pocket and brought out my phone to call him. It rang for some seconds before his voice came through, and I quickly responded.

"Hello bro, please come and open the gate for me I didn't carry my key."

"Tam, where have you been?" He questioned in his half-baked British accent.

"Abeg no vex say I no quick come on time na rain hold me for my friend place if not I for dhan come since. Sorry, no vex." I said as I typically apologized as a Nigerian would do.

"And you didn't call me to tell me earlier.. you would have slept there sef." He complained.
I apologized again realizing I was at fault for not calling him on time to tell him I would be this late now it turned out that my presence might put them in an uncomfortable situation.

"When I feel say you no go come back..." He mumbled under his breath.
The sound of the doorknob clicked open, and Eugene's head came out first before emerging from behind the door.
He was not smiling at all, his thick eyebrows were at their meeting point almost close to each other.
"This one you came late my girl is around. know how you will behave."
I nodded reportedly. He gave me the key to the burglary proof and the door and went back inside.

The flat I live in was originally rented by my elder brother I came to squat with him after he insisted that I shouldn't waste money looking for an apartment instead the money should be shared between us. Honestly, it saved me the cost though.
It was a bedsitter apartment, cozy enough for two or three persons to stay.
I got inside and saw Becky sitting on the bed close to my brother with a duvet cladding her chest down.to her toes. I greeted her but her response came out faintly. I guess she was puzzled not expecting anybody to come in at the time she was enjoying her moment with her man. Her eyes were just fixed on my brother who was busy pressing his phone. Her lips read no sign of happiness. She was utterly confused.
I made my way to the bathroom, bathe and change what I wore to a plain blue T-shirt and black shorts before coming out. My bed was on the opposite side of the room I made a quick move and dropped onto my bed facing the wall. I couldn't make steady thought of how my day went, I was taken by the bad weather, inconveniences at Oyin’s place, the rough terrain I had to follow home, and now the undesirable moment my brother’s girlfriend is passing the night with us. “Chai!”

I picked up my phone from the side of the bed and stretched my hands to pick up the earphones I left on top of my physics textbook at the opposite edge of my bed. I switched on my phone, the wallpaper displayed was I and Oyin in a selfie taken by me as she passionately wrapped her arms around my chest. Back then our friendship was still clean and we were still respecting our boundaries as good friends will do. I miss those days her eyes were as innocent as a baby coupled with a frank smile exposing her nice dentals.
I thought about our early days together and recap how we transcend from very good friends to consensual sexual partners. I hissed silently, tapped my phone settings, and entered the display icon. I tapped the on the wallpaper option and chose an animated picture as my home screen and lock screen. I minimized it and went to my music library to jam to my Lo-fi playlist. A few minutes into the third track my eyes became heavy and I felt my consciousness drifting slowly as I dozed off completely.

*
I was awoken by the unpleasant nagging from Becky. From how the conversation was going I suspected it has to do with me showing up unexpectedly yesterday night. I understood, it was a turnoff show for them.

If you are to ask me how my night went, I'll tell you it wasn't a pleasant one because I did not have a good sleep. I woke up at each interval to check what it is by the time. The music I rely on as therapy for sleep only worked earlier but as time progressed it sounded more like music for insomnia. I'm sure Becky didn't as well. I suspected she grumbled all through the night over my brother's nonchalance and how he slept with comfort.
I kept still on my bed pretending I was still asleep, whilst listening to their conversation. I lay sideways facing the wall in order not to draw their suspicion.

" Babe, you were just grumbling in my ears last night but my eyes were heavy. Kilode?" Eugene asked subtly.
Her response came out zero she folded her hands beneath her huge blossoms with a long face. Eugene searched for clues in her eyes and whispered. "Is it because of last night?"

She nodded in discomfort. “I was uncomfortable. I never expected your brother to show up after telling me he won't come back. You even slept on me as if nothing happened"

"I'm so sorry dear, I never knew he would come that late yesterday. I thought he went elsewhere to pass the night. Babe, okay, I'm sorry it won't happen again. We'll talk about this later in the okay?" Eugene apologized as he planted a few kisses on her cheeks, hugging her sideways.

“But let it be the last time it will happen" She got up and started dressing up preparing to head back to her lodge.

Some time ago I remembered during our 2nd-semester exams. Becky settled in with us on behalf of my elder brother who insisted she should come squat with him regardless of my presence. During her stay with us she did the cooking and the little chores she could do till got to an extent where she started complaining about overstressing herself when I'm around. I paid deaf ears to her complaints but Eugene was with her and solicited on her behalf that I help her with chores. “What chores? Really? What's in this single room that's she's counting as major or minor chores? Or is she pregnant that she can't hold a broom to sweep?” the question was all in my mind to ask him. I was annoyed by his request.

The reason I stayed with Eugene was to save cost for house rent like our parents thought me staying with my elder brother would be too much for him to bear so they sent me money to rent an apartment but Eugene saw it as a waste of money and another source of making money off our parents. He insisted I should stay with him while he sought his rent on a condition I gave him forty percent of it. I protested for the fear of being cheated since he was likely to swing that way. After many arguments he made me believe I would take over his house after he graduated. I agreed to his offer and kept on with it. I don't know, I don’t know where Eugene met Becky whom I suspected she bewitched my elder brother with her love for him. My ignorance at first and I assumed she was a nice girl the first time Eugene introduced her to me.

They have been together since my second year in school and they believe they were the perfect match for each other. I know not much about her background because we've never clicked that well.

Becky wasn't left out when it comes to looking good. She had a high sense of fashion despite her body size and it did not faze her at any point. She was a plus-sized, busty brown-skinned girl graced with natural ebony-black hair twisted in corn rolls. Eugene sure knew what he went for.
I knew she lives at Peters road, close to the neighboring street.

During the time I knew her she often visit and would not spend more than a couple of hours with Eugene at our place. She stopped visiting for some months till our second-semester exams she stayed for a whole month before they shifted it to weekends to week start and still, I was ignorant about it till it got to a point Eugene had to inform me beforehand whenever she's coming over so I can at least give them the privacy they needed. Happily, I would go because I had Oyin so no worries at all.

She had drastically turned my brother to l believe anything she said or is it the time I overheard her telling my brother she will soon move in fully once her rent expires next semester? I didn't waste time eavesdropping on the whole conversation that day because I was busy enjoying my frequent sleepover at Oyin’s. Even if she did move in completely it would have been a no-good situation.


Eugene kept his eyes on her behind as she made her way to the door. “Baba don lost e mind inside Nyansh.” I lamented in my mind. He knew she wasn't in a good mood as she shut the door behind her in an unpleasant manner. He got up and followed her outside. I could still hear them gossip but quietly before Eugene returned inside.

The room was filled with outspoken silence enough to hear the keyboard tone from Eugene's Hauwei phone tapping in rhythm with his fingers. He sighed deeply and hissed silently as he slid his phone onto the reading table close to his bed.

"Good morning bro," I greeted. He reciprocated mumbling under his breath. I felt heavy tremors running through my body as I fully stretched my body before I drop back to the bed dealing weak.
"Bro what's the matter, you don't look bright, Has Sis Becky gone?"

He straightened his face a bit, " She has gone."
"Ohh but she left way too early today. Is anything the matter?” I asked again. He went silent and picked up his phone again. I got up from my bed, I walked close to the door.

“Tam,” Eugene called.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Tam, I want to ask you something." He cleared his throat.

"Ask I'm all ears." Whatever he has to say raised my suspicion about their last conversation earlier and I wished could hear what they talked about.

".Do you think this house is enough to accommodate us?"

“I knew it!" I screamed in my thought. I knew it was because of her and I'm not surprised about it.
I wandered my eyes at each end of the room, I looked at the small wardrobe in between the passage that led to the bathroom and kitchen, and the reading table beside Eugene’s bed. I shook my head to show my disapproval. Eddy read my eyes and knew what my answer was.

"Oh well. If I may ask do you have anything in mind... Like er... Moving elsewhere or living in a school hostel?"

"Well, I-I don't know yet but I think I'll make a decision soon." I stammered a bit.
“Why are you asking me these questions?” I asked in a pretense of not knowing the reasons behind his questions.
He could keep a straight stare. He kept staring at his phone or the window.
“Very soon... Becky would be joining us here. Her parents refused to send her money for rent and her rent is due. So...” he paused for minutes to tend to an impromptu notification before he continued. “So she begged me to let her squat with us which I agreed to but I reconsider the outcome of it and how you may feel about letting a third person in?”

“I don't know how that idea sounds to you but to me, I'm not cool with it. I can't cope.” I replied in all honesty.

“Exactly, that was what I thought too. It doesn't make sense to have a girl between us and our privacy would be minimum. you know.”

I leaned against the door with my arms fold thinking about what to say concerning the situation I'm in. “So what are you suggesting I do now?”

“How about that your girlfriend?” he asked.
“Which girlfriend?”
“That your fine friend that often visits you now... I've forgotten her name. She's fair, a bit tall. I do see you two together in the CST department.”

With the way, Eugene described her I knew who he was talking about. “Oh, Oyin?”
“Yes, yes, is she, Oyin.” he snapped his finger.
“She is not my girlfriend and what about her?” my expression showed how irked I was hearing my brother call her my girlfriend. “Guyyy!”

“Hold up, you mean you guys are not dating and you guys alike 5&6?” he made a gesture with his index fingers to make a tie.

“Yes, we're not dating. we are just friends.”

“ Hmm, just friends?” he chuckled. “ There is something you are not telling me, Tam.”

I hissed under my breath. “That’s your own business.”

“Okay. But can you tell her you want to squat with her since both of you are besties?” He raised his left brow.

“No, I can't. We are no longer on good terms.”
“But you have been passing the night by weekends ni? Which one is you guys are no longer on good terms? Kilode?”

“Is a long story which I'm not ready to tell.” Eugene kept a straight face. He knew anything he would ask concerning Oyin I would give an excuse. Although he continues to ask.
“What if I help you talk to her about this current situation? I mean look how it will benefit both of us.”
I frowned, “Benefit as per what?”
“Is it like you haven't gotten what I'm saying?”

“So what's in your mind?” Eugene raised his voice above mine.
“Or is it too early to make your decision now?"

"But bro, why are you in a haste to know my decision? Abeg gimme time to think first." I responded slightly annoyed.
Eugene bent his lips outwardly looking unconcerned by my words. All he wanted to hear me say was the day I'm parking out from his apartment so he could bring in his so-called girlfriend to live with him. "Simple man! Mtcheww."

Eddy is slowly changing from the brother I knew him to be. Like we had a good relationship as brothers before Becky came into the picture. He has completely let me know what he had in mind all along. Now was the perfect time for the ball to play on his court.
" Oga, why I'm asking is because I feel you are not comfortable with the idea of letting her stay and as your elder brother I want to be of concern when it comes to your well-being. Not that I'm insisting you move any sooner but you are mature enough to stay on your own”.
I perceived where the conversation was heading but I didn't stop listening. I let him continue with his words.
"... You got your responsibilities to take care of... I got mine too. You need privacy just as I need mine. I just want you to find a place for yourself so you can have your time. I'm sorry I'm calling off our deal." He weaved a weak smile at me.

My head dropped down staring at the tiled floor fighting against the reaction his words left on me.
Eugene was trying to fit me to understand what he said but my ego was below that.

"I'll give you more time to squat with me till you've seen a good apartment. You don't have to worry about the rent. I'll pay for it." He gave another smile as sought my eyes for my reaction.

"Hmmm." I managed to breathe out.
“Are you trying to patronize me for Becky to come live with you uh?”
There's no way he could tell a lie when his intentions were lying in under his eyes.

"Tammy! Is like you are losing your respect and I won't take it! Instead of you being thankful that I'm gracing you weeks to stay with me before you move out... I even promised to take care of your rent. You are still asking me a silly question. You better start to go looking for an apartment before I change my mind." He tackled angrily and left the room.

I've still not gotten over yesterday's saga at Oyin's house and I kinda felt bad for my decision but I need to move on. I lifted my head and throw it back with my eyes closed, and cursed myself for being with Oyin in the first place. I wished things never happen sooner.
TBC

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Bring on part 3 ooo....

We've been waiting for so long

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Bring on part 3 ooo....

We've been waiting for so long

I update new chapters every Friday. Chillax