Izyyblaze:

Ooo dear,thanks alot and sorry for putting you through the stress of checking it out. Your pen name huh? likey

It's alright. At least, i now know the meaning.

bellefidel:
Audrey Audrey Audrey u re the best of best ....thank you :PAudrey Audrey Audrey u re the best of best ....thank you

Thanks dear

Teespice:
choi

I go love ooooooo.

where is my own gio to sweep me off my feet?

nice story line.

Lol. He's on his way

Jonathan2787:
yeah i said most of your story because anytime i see a story you authored i must read it, this is your third story here am aware, so pardon my use of most, secondly i know its fiction but strive to make it real because i visualize stories when i read and making it look like a fairytale takes the fun out of it, and your last update is cool, i posted my comment before reading it and i must say am impressed because you adjusted in the areas i talked about so tnx and keep it up, mind you i pay attention to every details and my criticism is not because you are a bad writter its because i love your style.

Sorry, i'd not finished typing what i had in mind and i didn't know i mistakenly sent the half-baked bread. I sincerely appreciate your criticism. It's going to keep me on my toes. Please continue paying attention to details. Thanking you

Jonathan2787:
audrey you have a great talent as a writer i have followed most of your stories and i like them all, but this particular one is kinda deviating from the original way it started, because i visualize everything i read and am connecting with the characters but the way gio talk to his twin is not supposed to be so, it makes it so unreal and makes the story loose its originality, i don't believe in ghosts but i can attest to the fact that anyone talking to a ghost all day long is a nut job and a weirdo and its unreal for people to be drooling over a weirdo like that, so I'll appreciate if you hardly talk about dano, and that nkiru also seems unreal because even if shes a saint dont u think she should soften her stiff personality? She's from a poor home doesn't mean she cant dress fine, i recall hassana bought her some clothes shouldn't she Atleast look good, her poor could she be that she doesn't have any nice clothes but doesn't feel bad and behave like a robot without feelings, everyone wants the good things of life thats a more reason why she should accept gifts or help, i am a student and i can imagine the lives of people in a school setting, her character needs a little improvement, shes too unrealistic just like gio.

Wow! I'm sorry i laughed when i was through reading your comment. Not because it was funny but because i wasn't expecting criticism in those aspects.


Most of my stories? I have only shared three stories with the public. This one and Unfulfilled Promises and Waiting for the bouquet which is even on sale.


Okay, let's get down to the points you made. First and foremost, i must commend you on your attention to details. I love that in my readers. Secondly, please remember that the story is still a fictional piece despite the fact that i've tried to make it look very real. Thirdly, i agree with you, Gio is a total nut job but he isn't your everyday pyscho. Something happened to him (please don't make me let the cat out of the bag) Unlike crazy people who need medications to get them sane again, his case is different. And hello, i believe in ghosts. I've had some personal experiences and done some deep research, hence my boldness in being able to write on such. As for still being drooled over, please! They don't see him as a weirdo but as a snob and an arrogant guy. Only Tosin knows he's one. And when the rumour went round of him being gay and crazy, they stopped until Nkiru came into the picture.


As for Nkiru and her mode of dressing, please remember she is surrounded by rich kids who always dress in designers ensemble. To a poor person, there's nothing wrong with Nkiru's clothes or mode of dressing. And i didn't want to let this out yet but part of Nkiru's side of the story isn't fiction. There really was a girl who was too proud (not a saint) in her poor state to collect hand me downs from friends. Not me sha. She felt she was already being talked about so wearing her friends' clothes would only worsen the talk. But hey, when Nkiru found love, she started dressing better, right? As for her robotic style, haven't you met a phelgmatic before? They are masters in hiding their true feelings but i will work on her. That reminds me. Gio is also real. I mean there really is a drop dead gorgeous Gio who is an arrogant snob but not a wierdo who also has an equally drop dead gorgeous cousin but a sweetheart. And yes, girls made a**es of themselves over them and wrote their notes for them. But unfortunately real Nkiru didn't fall for real Gio nor his cousin. I decided to do that. Yes, girls will drool over you when you have the looks, money, class even though you're sick upstairs. That's why you hear so many murder cases these day. Real Nkiru's story inspired me to write this. I will invite her here someday to back my statement.

Well, i must say it has been fun trying to argue these points with you. Please let's do this again. But please the story is just starting. Slow and steady is usually how i play. We haven't gotten half way yet. So please keep your fingers crossed with an open mind. Please feel free to place more criticism. Thanks dear

Jonathan2787:
audrey you have a great talent as a writer i have followed most of your stories and i like them all, but this particular one is kinda deviating from the original way it started, because i visualize everything i read and am connecting with the characters but the way gio talk to his twin is not supposed to be so, it makes it so unreal and makes the story loose its originality, i don't believe in ghosts but i can attest to the fact that anyone talking to a ghost all day long is a nut job and a weirdo and its unreal for people to be drooling over a weirdo like that, so I'll appreciate if you hardly talk about dano, and that nkiru also seems unreal because even if shes a saint dont u think she should soften her stiff personality? She's from a poor home doesn't mean she cant dress fine, i recall hassana bought her some clothes shouldn't she Atleast look good, her poor could she be that she doesn't have any nice clothes but doesn't feel bad and behave like a robot without feelings, everyone wants the good things of life thats a more reason why she should accept gifts or help, i am a student and i can imagine the lives of people in a school setting, her character needs a little improvement, shes too unrealistic just like gio.

Wow! I'm sorry i laughed when i was through reading your comment. Not because it was funny but because i wasnt expecting criticism in those aspects.

Most of my stories? I have only shared three stories with the public. This one and Unfulfilled Promises and Waiting for the bouquet which is even on sale.

Okay, let's get down to the points you made. First and foremost, i must commend you on your attention to details. I love that in my readers. Secondly, please remember that the story is still a fictional piece despite the fact that i've tried to make it look very real. Thirdly, i agree with you, Gio is a total nut job but he isn't your everyday pyscho. Something happened to him (please don't let me

jaybiz007:
Wonderful...still anticipating how felix and gio are linked in this literary piece.

They are both drop dead gorgeous na. Just kidding. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks dear

Bb4u:
wow, ghostmood deactivated, tnx ma'am for sharing this wonderful piece with us...expecting mur #moreinspiration#

Thanks dear.

teeghurl:
Good job Audrey. God bless you

Thanks dear

CuteChiluv:
You are awesome, well done

Thanks dear

tijehi:
Beautiful update Audrey. Uwese, obhulu.

Eeeh! Meh hun.Obhulu too

Izyyblaze:
Hmm...now i feel like falling in love. Jessica is a nut case...future husband ni,future b/f ko. Felix is such a hopeless womanizer,i pity ivie. Thanks ma'm Audrey for this wonderful story, can't wait for tomorrow to come.
By the way, i love your name,what does it mean please?

You're welcome. Audrey means 'Noble strength'. (You made me go look it up) It's actually a pen name.

loveyP:
Hmmmmmmnm. ..........thanx for d update

You're welcome, dear.

*********

As Ivie encountered Felix's stunning dark eyes her mouth ran dry, her every muscle so taut that she could hardly breathe as he studied her. Oh, God, no wonder he was the way he was, Ivie muttered. He lived a dog's life. Felix had just told her the sorry story of his life. How he'd spent the first five years of his life at an orphanage, ran away from there and roamed the streets for another five years before his foster parents had found him sleeping in front of their house in Calabar then. They'd taken him in and adopted him but he still didn't feel he belonged with them. It was the reason why he went round looking for where he'd fit in. A movie he'd watched a while ago relating to his life had showed him that what he needed was the genuine love of the opposite sex. That was the reason why he'd gone searching for that love which had unfortunately branded him a womanizer when all he had wanted and sought after was the love that would make him feel complete. He'd found that love in her. The first time he laid eyes on her during that church commotion, something in him had told him she was the one. He was done with searching for the right girl because he believed he'd found her. But when she kept rejecting him, he'd felt life wasn't worth living. If she would ask his friends, she would know they'd stopped him from taking his life when he'd gone back to school a broken man.

Tears made their way down Ivie's lovely face. When he'd seemed withdrawn and stopped chasing her a week before he left, she'd wondered if she'd made the biggest mistake in her life by rejecting him and castigated herself for listening to Obehi. She felt drawn to him like a drug addict to cocaine. Swallowing her pride, she'd gone to visit him when she heard he was home for the weekend to visit his mother who was feeling under the weather. Such a caring person couldn't be the heartless womanizer she'd heard him to be. He'd been cold to her at first in the living room but had eventually invited her to his room for privacy. Catching her hesitating, he'd asked her with a sad smile what could he do to her with his sick mother in the other room. In the room, seated on his bed while she seated on a white plastic chair, she'd asked him what was the problem and after keeping her mute for some tense minutes, he'd finally opened up to her.

She could relate with his story because she was an orphan too. Having never known her dad because according to her mother, he'd died a few months to her birth, she'd lived with her mother, a trader who dealt in tomatoes in Aduwawa in Benin City for eight years until a ghastly auto accident had taken her to the world beyond. She'd resided with neighbours until her childless aunt had come for her to take her to her marital home where she had experienced love before the untimely death of her aunt's husband due to a brief illness. Her aunt's in-laws had dealt with her aunt and called her a witch at different turns, accusing her of killing her husband and subjected her to barbaric mourning rituals. It had been a miracle that they had been able to flee the primitive village without being caught.

Like a drug-induced person, Ivie walked slowly to sit beside him on the bed before lifting his large dark hand and holding it in hers. With her other hand, she lifted his hung head and stared into those brilliant eyes of his.

"I...I was scared of the attraction I felt towards you that was why I kept rejecting you...coupled with the unimpressive things I'd been told about you. I..." she stammered to a stop and took a deep breath. "Yes...yes, I'm saying yes to a relationship with you. I'm not knowledgeable about such things but yes, I'll be your girlfriend. If you will still have me." A bright smile pushed itself forth on her tear-stained face.

You don fall mugu, silly girl. By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed.

Felix lowered his eyes as he allowed more tears fall from them. He felt lack dancing 'Alanta' at that moment. It wasn't his fault that he'd had to put on the dog, she had been the one proving stubborn. Had he known plan Z was what would get her defenses falling like a plane from the sky, he would have employed it sooner. It had started with ignoring her, then going back to school for two weeks even though he hadn't felt like it and had held himself from communicating with her through Obehi since Ivie didn't own a mobile phone. In those two weeks, he'd starved himself to make sure he lost weight. With joy, he'd gotten the perfect excuse of coming home when his dad had told him his mother was down with malaria. Spreading the word around that he was back in Ubiaja just to see his sick mother, he'd passed by her house with Kenneth, making sure she saw him. Kenneth had been the one to tell him that shock had left her transfixed on her doorstep. Felix knew then that it was just a matter of time before she'd come looking for him and he'd perfected his orphan story. Getting a call from her through Obehi's phone hadn't come as a shock, the shocker had been her willingness to come to his house. He'd thought she would ask him to come over. Who was he to complain? When a man is coming toward you, you need not say: “Come here.” Beautiful! So he hadn't starved himself nor lied about his parentage for nothing. Plan Z was the bomb, it had worked like a charm. Not that he'd tried it before but he was going to continue using it to crack girls who were forming hard nuts. Learning the tricks of the trade in wooing girls some years back was definitely paying off.

Dating wasn't what he had in mind. He just wanted to do her a number of times and move on to greener pastures. There were a lot of girls waiting in the wings. But hey, one didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Half bread was definitely better than puff-puff.

Sugarcane is sweetest at its joint.


*To be continued tomorrow*

**********

Nkiru woke up the following morning, stretched delicately, farted and yawned on her bed. She made the sign of the cross as she usually did to begin her morning prayers, murmuring them.

"Our father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you..."

Her gaze flickered to the foot of her bed as she turned. She nearly screamed in fright as her gaze rested on a big white teddy bear with a pink bow-tie around its neck. Beside it were wrapped gifts. Her prayers forgotten, she got up to inspect the gifts. She hugged the teddy and remembered seeing it at the window of one of the shops in school. She'd stared at it with longing. How had Hassana known about it? Had she told her? She couldn't remember doing that. She lifted the laptop-shaped handmade card. She opened it carefully and read the artistic legible handwriting. It was a poem.

Miss Hazel Eyes

She is of simple proportion,

She is humble and plain,

But her smile is like the morning dew,

She walks like the queen of the world,

Her voice is both sonorous and pleasant,

She has seen many happy days,

As much as she has experienced the sad moments.

She sings like an angel,

And the world bows to her words,

To me, she is an embodiment of perfection,

An inspiring aura revolves all around her,

Because she is a replicate saint,

Others may see her as just plain,

But she is amazing to me.

She is clever,

She is intelligent,

She is beautiful,

She is the one in my life.

*thanks Larrysun for the poem*
                       
Tears came to her eyes when she was through reading it. This was going to be her best birthday ever. Hassana was definitely the best friend on earth. Her phone buzzed just then. She lifted her Nokia phone from the bed. It was a text message from Gio. Why was he texting her this early? 

"Happy Birthday, Miss Hazel Eyes."

Nkiru's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. No way! Like seriously? How had...

Her incredulous eyes fell on her roommate who was lying on her back with one leg propped against the wall and the other dangling towards the tiled floor. Hassana always slept as if she was in a karate class. Nkiru walked slowly to tap her gently. Hassana peeped from one eye before opening the other. She stretched and yawned. Nkiru took a step back to avoid the bad morning breath. 

"Mene? Why have you decided to disturb my sleep? I was dreaming of Anthony. It was my wedding day. He was standing beside Ahmed and singing to me as I walked towards them in my wedding regalia." 

Nkiru giggled hysterically. After Gio and Nkiru hit it off, happy with her friend's relationship, Hassana had searched for someone else to stalk. She found Anthony, a music student. He was handsome but not as handsome as Gio. Hassana was always found in the music department listening to Anthony sing while playing the keyboard. His voice would make angels green with envy.

"You're the worst Muslim I've ever known. You watch too much telenovelas. I'll seize your laptop today," Nkiru warned with a finger in the air.

Hassana sat up and her beddings dropped to the floor. She stretched again and looked at the gifts with a smile.

"Explain this." Nkiru pointed at the gifts.

"What?" She was innocence itself.

"You told Gio, didn't you?"

"Of course I did. Since you chickened out like a chick sighting a hawk, I knew I had to tell him. I sent him a message and he replied that he knew. When you guys were having dinner, Tosin called me and I met him in front of the hostel. He gave the gifts to me and I hid them in Cynthia's room. When I was sure you were dead to the world, I snuck them in as requested," Hassana narrated with a satisfied smile on her face. "So enjoy the gifts. Lemme go back to sleep to continue that beautiful dream." She lifted the beddings from the floor and laid on the bed. She turned towards the wall and covered herself.

"By the way, happy birthday. May Almighty Allah continue to shower you with blessings. Ameen." She closed her eyes and prayed that the dream master, if there was one, would allow her go back to that particular dream. She would wake up later to say the Salat al-Fajr.

Nkiru smiled and shook her head. Hassana was so liberal a Muslim. She prayed her future husband wouldn't curb that natural aspect of her. She went back to view the gifts. There were three beautifully wrapped gifts. She lifted the first one and opened it. Wow! It was an Iphone. The second one was an exotic perfume by Chanel. The third was the one that totally blew her away. A brand new Acer laptop. Christ!

She rushed to her phone. These were just too much for a pretend girlfriend. She prayed inwardly that he felt the same way about her before dialing his number. Her heart beat faster at every ring. She lifted the phone from her ear and dialed it again when he didn't answer the call. She gripped her night gown hard as the phone rang again. She brought the phone down from her ear in disappointment when he didn't pick again. He sent her a text message.

"Busy. I'll see you later."

But she didn't see him later. She didn't see him in his lecture hall neither did she see him in his favorite reading hall. She began to get worried. Was he avoiding her? She had dressed carefully that very day just for him. Hassana had chosen a polka dot flared spaghetti gown with a small jacket for her to put on with wedges. She'd used makeup sparingly and for the first time in her life, that morning she had felt she looked beautiful but now she was in despair. She hadn't caught a glimpse of Gio all day despite the fact that he'd made the whole school know that day was her birthday by putting out a special request on the school's student radio and dedicating a song 'My girl' by The Temptations to her. Everywhere she went, people wished her a happy birthday. Every dog had its day.

Greeted like visiting royalty wherever she went, her joy knew no bounds. There were those who cast looks of aspersions at her and called her names to her hearing of course, but she wasn't bothered by them, she just wanted to see Gio and question him on why he'd been scarce all day and also why he'd put off his phone.

When lectures were over, a student in the Fine Arts department presented her with a painting, courtesy of Gio. She stared at it with watered eyes. The portrait made her look beautiful. She remembered vividly the day Gio had taken the snapshot. She had a hand on her jaw while the other rested on her opened notebook. She was staring out the window, lost in thought, a forlorn look in her eyes. She'd been thinking of a future with him that day and he had teased her that she was probably thinking of her baker's dozen children back home.

A smile turned the corners of Nkiru's lips. She just had to see him. Besides, these wedges were killing her. She wasn't used to wearing heels. She tried Fiorella's number but it was switched off also. She went to look for the petite beauty in her department. No one had seen her all day either. Nkiru decided to check on her in her room. She thanked everyone who wished her a happy birthday on her way there. She made the sign of the cross before knocking on the door, remembering Gio's sister didn't particularly like her. When she didn't get an answer, she tried the door knob and pushed the door open. 

Fi, on a Flamingo Pink Victoria's Secret lingerie was looking disheveled. Nkiru stifled a gasp at the unkempt appearance of the beautiful girl. She had her pillow propped against the wall with her legs drawn up to her chest. She was staring into space at the ceiling.

"Fiorella," Nkiru called as she stepped into the room. Fi brought her head down to look at her as if she wasn't there.

"Emmm..." Nkiru scratched her head. "I came to ask if you've seen...I mean heard from Gio today."

Fi turned and stared into space, ignoring her. When Nkiru stood there for about three minutes without any form of response whatsoever from Gio's sister, she decided to retrace her steps in embarrassment.

"You call yourself his girlfriend, you this gold digging tramp, yet you don't know what today means to him," Fi rasped.

Nkiru slowly moved away from the door. 

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself for calling him your boyfriend." Fiorella continued her tirade as tears she'd been trying to keep at bay moved down her eyes. "The woman you've replaced in his heart died six years ago today. It's our family's ritual to stay indoors all day and reminisce the good times. If you don't mind a spot of advice, give Gio a wide berth. You're not his type." Fi interposed sternly.

At that advice, Nkiru took an offended stance, her spine very straight, her chin lifting. She felt like dragging the mourning beauty to see all Gio got her for her birthday. Not his type indeed! Yet he had chosen her out of all the girls in the school to be his pretend girlfriend.

At that remainder, Nkiru's shoulders slumped. She felt as if a bucket of cold water was poured on her. Then the reason for Gio's absence penetrated her brain. While she had been feeling fly all over the school, the guy she loved was mourning alone in his room. Her face showed the misery she felt inside.

Fi tipped her head sideways to study her. She hadn't expected this sort of reaction from her. Maybe the tramp actually had feelings for her brother. Too bad because Gio would never be hers. She would personally see to that. Especially after the mistake she'd made. Since she wasn't happy, neither would Nkiru and her brother.

"Thanks for telling me." Nkiru said into the silence and had to forcefully tell her legs to move. She walked awkwardly to the door. She didn't remember how she left that particular hostel building to her own. Finally, Nkiru pulled herself together and discovered she was seated on her bed in her own room. How had she gotten there? Oh, boy, she must have walked liked someone in a trance.

Gio's mother, the woman he loved so much had died today of all days, six years ago. Her birthday! A day of joy to her was a day of sadness to him. The irony of life. She was numb for awhile before she made herself move to pick her phone. She called Tosin who told her he was in his lecture hall and would check on Gio later on. Nkiru had to wait till dinner time before Tosin called her back. She'd spent the rest of the day on her bed, thinking, before she'd dozed off. She'd woken up hungry before Tosin's call had come in. She pleaded with him to get Gio to meet her in front of the male hostels. Tosin promised to do his best. Nkiru dressed up in her best top and jean trouser with flat brown sandals after taking her bath. She wore the Chanel perfume and basked in its flowery fragrance. It made her heady. She walked briskly to the male hostels and ignored the cat whistles by the guys hovering in front of the hostels. Male and female students could be seen hovering and walking about there. Like a cat on a hot tin roof, she waited for her beloved.

The birthday girl lost her heart again to the guy coming towards her in black trousers, white shirt and a black jacket with his hands in his pockets. He was a sight for sore eyes. He stopped directly in front of her. Her breath came in short gasps. He was much too handsome for his own good. The streetlights accentuated his remarkable features. She put forth her left hand for him to take it. After a moment hesitation, he removed his from his pocket and placed it on hers. His hand was cold. She didn't say anything but led him to their favorite spot; the stone benches with dim gloves. They were lucky to find the place deserted. It was dinner time. They sat beside each other on one of the benches. Nkiru brought out a bar of snickers chocolate from her pocket, broke it into half and gave him a part. They sat there in companionable silence for awhile.

"Happy birthday. How was it?" Gio intoned quietly.

Nkiru sighed. "Thanks. It was beautiful. Would have been better with you though."

"I'm sorry. I was very busy."

"Busy mourning alone?" she asked and squinted her eyes at him. He moved his head to look at her with surprise in his eyes.

"Tosin," he whispered in fury.

"Nope. Fiorella. After throwing insults at me." Nkiru chuckled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Gio let out a deep breath. "I didn't want to spoil your day."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Celebrate life, Nkiru. Death is nothing to be celebrated."

Nkiru put her hand on his jaw and turned his face to meet her gaze. "When you're happy, I'm happy. When you're sad, I'm sad."

Minutes ticked by as their eyes were locked on each other. Suddenly tears started streaming down Gio's eyes. She removed her hand from his jaw and placed it on his cheek. He lent into it.

"It's been six years yet it always seem like yesterday every year. She was beautiful. She was the most beautiful woman on earth to me. She brought so much joy to everyone she came in contact with. Apart from Dano, she was my best friend. I could tell her anything and everything. We spent hours talking to each other." He paused and tried to get a grip on his flaring emotions. "This particular anniversary is quite painful because she told me before she died that she had a feeling that this year, 2010 would be a significant year in my life. She usually said things like that when she was alive and most of them come to pass."

Nkiru nodded and moved. They were ensconced in each other's arms.

"What happened?" she questioned some minutes later.

"Cancer. That bastard lung cancer took her away at a time we needed her most."

"I'm so sorry." Tears rolled down her eyes as she tried to imagine life without her mother whom she loved so much.

"She could barely talk before her death. She was a shadow of her former self. My once vibrant and jovial mother was held in the tight grip of cancer. I really should have gone into the medical field to fight that evil spirit called cancer."

Nkiru removed her head from his shoulder and used her hands to wipe away his tears while he did the same to hers.

"It's okay, Gio. These things happen. God knows why He took..." Gio placed his lips on hers and time stood still as their lips fused and sparks flew. Nkiru had never been kissed before but it felt so natural for her to move her lips in rhythm with his. His mouth moved on hers with a soft, sensual pleasure, his tongue darting between parted lips, gently then fiercely plundering the hot, sweet interior in an erotic, wonderful kiss that quickly flared out of control. He swung her round into the circle of his arms and, with one hand braced to the shallow indentation of her spine to draw her close, he bent his head and kissed her parted lips some more.

Shock crashed through Nkiru and made her knees shake at that first breath-taking instant of sexual awareness. She had never been less prepared for anything and impressions hit her in a flood of overwhelming sensuality: the exotic tang of his designer cologne, the uncompromising strength and power of that lean, muscular body crushing her softer curves, the hard, demanding pressure of his erotic mouth on hers. And while at the back of her mind a voice was shrieking no and urging her to pull back, that this wasn't right, her body was singing entirely another song. There was a wildly addictive fire to the taste of him. She wanted more, she wanted so much more she trembled with the astonishing force of that wanting. His raw masculine passion sliced through her every defence and roused a surge of naked hunger within her. The plunge of his tongue into the sensitive interior of her mouth made her body tremble, while heat pooled between her thighs and her breasts swelled, pushing against the lace of her bra so that it felt too tight for comfort.

Gio finally wrenched his lips from hers to whisper passionately, "Be my girl. Be my girl for real, Nkiru. I don't want to live without you. You've taught me how to smile again. You're my Luna. Your moonlight has chased away the darkness in my life. I've been denying it but I can't anymore. Throughout today, I wanted to be with you, I wanted to share this day with you but I didn't want to ruin your day. Luna, I'm whipped. I've fallen hopelessly, passionately and irresistibly in love with you. Please be my girl for real."

Nkiru smiled through her tears and kissed him. "Yes. I'll be anything you want me to be because I love you too. You're my world."

Gio enveloped her in a bear hug. Nkiru felt giddy with joy. She felt like standing on the bench and shouting to the entire school her love for Gio. This was definitely the best birthday ever.

The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him/her beautiful.

*Continuation of episode 10*

"Guy, no go kill yourself because of this girl o," Ose warned as he followed the direction of his friend's gaze. Ivie was passing by the front of his house with her friend, Obehi, and Felix was staring unblinkingly at her, a ritual that was fast becoming a habit.

Felix followed the gently swaying behind of his crush until she was no longer visible. His loins complained bitterly. That was the one chick who was out of his reach...for now.

He couldn't believe that he, Felix, the Don Juan of his time was actually spending two weeks chasing just one girl. To his consternation, he'd discovered Ivie wasn't like any of the girls he'd met. Her innocence and admirable naivety got him desiring her the more. She was so shy, she'd make a squirrel look brazen. Where girls still shy in this century? In his mind's eye, he remembered how he'd approached her to chat her up when he'd met her in her friend's house which he'd planned the following day after mass. Too tongue-tied to talk, she'd answered his questions in monosyllables. Undaunted, he'd started stalking her, meeting her at odd places and feigning surprise. Eventually, he had been able to get her to talk and loosen up. It had seemed like ice from the north pole thrown at his face when even before he opened his mouth to tell her he liked her, Ivie had told him point blank not to bother saying such things if he knew that was the reason why he was stalking her. To add insult to injury, she'd told him she'd heard he was a flirt and a womanizer and didn't want to have even a platonic friendship with such a person, let alone date him; thereby cutting the ground from under his feet.

Felix had gone home like a deflated balloon that day and had been unable to eat nor sleep. His mother had worriedly asked if he was okay. Foolishly acting out of character, he'd told her what transpired between him and Ivie. Till date, he still regretted the action because his mother had broken into a fit of laughter and praised Ivie mightily. With bloodshot eyes, he'd gone into his room and slammed his door so hard the whole street heard it. That was last week. After pulling himself together and remembering who he was--the honey-coated devil--he tried again. The embarrassment he received was worse than the first. She hadn't said a single word. After allowing him to talk his heart out for thirty minutes, she'd kept him quiet for another thirty minutes while he kept telling her to say something. Ogbanje madness! When the cup of his foolery reached the brim, he angrily left her grandfather's place. It had led to another loss of appetite and sleep. And his mother was having the fun of her life at his cost.

"You didn't take dinner last night. Has she dissed you again?" His mother had asked, standing by his door the following morning trying her best to contain the hilarity bubbling inside her. "Please tell her I'm her biggest fan."

Silence had been the best answer.

It was time to move on to plan Z since plans A-Y had failed so far. If it didn't work, he'd put a bullet in between his eyes. Never it be said he failed to get a girl.

"For where? She dey crase? Her father lap! Make i commit sucide because of girl? Her mama left b*east! Arrant nonsense!" Felix brought forth his thoughts in a loud voice, forgetting his friend was sitting beside him on the broken fence. He jumped down and walked away. His steps and stance reflected a man on a serious mission.

His friend hastily dialed their other friend's number.

"Ken, abeg bring strong rope come my house...yes...strong one. The type wey dem take dey tie cow...that Ivie girl don finally make Felix kolo..."


**********

Smoothening her damp palms down over her black skirt and held her head high, Ivie willed herself not to move her head backwards to take a peek at Felix. Obehi was quite a trouble maker. She'd told them to pass by his friend's house knowing Felix would be there and he was sure not to miss the opportunity of either staring at her or approaching her.

Ivie had tried her best to pretend indifference to Felix's advances to her friend and Felix but she couldn't deny to herself that she was attracted to him. She had gawped at Felix like a bedazzled kid the second time she'd laid her black eyes on him at Obehi's house and had severely embarrassed herself by accidentally pouring her drink on her beach-blue midi dress. Since she had never felt that way around a guy before, not even around her secondary school boyfriend back then, she could only put her behaviour down to the effects of seclusion from the outside world.

For a year, she'd stayed ensconced with her aunt in a thick village after the death of her aunt's husband. They'd gone through h.ell during her aunt's one year of mandatory mourning. The one year over, at the first light of dawn, her aunt had packed their stuff and they had fled the village to their family house in Edo state. They'd met her grandfather there as their only surviving relative.

So used to being indoors, she'd not stepped a foot outside the house for a month before their neighbour's daughter, Obehi--newly returned from staying with relatives in Lagos--had forced her out of the house. Within weeks, she'd gotten the hang of dealings in the village and ignored advances from guys except for Felix...

Was it because he was so handsome that made her feel so much for him? But he was a womanizer. Even his countenece showed it. Obehi had sang it into her ear drums countless times to ignore him and have nothing to do with him if she didn't want to be just another notch on his bedpost. But she liked him. He was funny and witty and naughty. Most times she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at his jokes.

What were her chances with him? She'd never been in a relationship. How was she sure Obehi wasn't just being jealous? Word on the streets was that Felix didn't date fat girls and Obehi was rather on the robust side.

Ivie was tempted, oh, how tempted she was!


**********

Nkiru had been very nervous to see Gio for the first time after they resumed for their final year. With the little money she had left from her tutorials, she'd bought better used clothes and her youngest sister, Njideka had sewn some sexy styles for her. Nkechi had made her hair and also bought her makeup and cosmetics in the Get-Gio-At-All-Cost scheme but she'd put her foot down at fixing her nails and painting them. She'd been crestfallen when Gio had only smiled and held her hand before walking her to her class, not mentioning her new look with her mauve jacket and skirt lovingly hugging her slender figure the day after resumption.

Three days after resumption and he'd still not said anything on her new look, she'd wanted to give up but Hassana would hear nothing of it. She added her own cosmetics to her cheap ones since Nkiru refused putting on her clothes. Nkiru couldn't credit that some new clothes, a rather silly hairstyle and a few cosmetics could genuinely dredge a response from a male like Gio who had beautiful girls chasing him everywhere he went.


**********

Sighing quietly, Nkiru waved Gio good night as usual in front of her hostel. The following day was her birthday but she hadn't been able to summon courage to tell him despite Hassana's incessant text messages urging her to tell him. She had not wanted it to seem as if she was fishing for gifts or anything. With a lowered head, she walked into the building so she missed Jessica's venomous glare at her.

Jessica had fumed in silence all through last semester as she watched Gio and the church rat flaunt their relationship for all and sundry to see. She'd thought it was just a fluke but here they were again this semester, holding hands, talking, walking, eating and studying together. No, no, no ,no no, no! Ugly bitch wasn't going to take her place. No one was going to foil her carefully made plans to marry Gio. She had to make another plan quickly to remove Nkiru from the picture. Having lost a bet of a tidy sum because she'd thought Gio and Nkiru wouldn't be seen together this semester, it was time to set the ball rolling. She'd break them up if it was the last thing she did.

**********

Fi watched her brother at the balcony, talking on the phone and there was no doubt in her mind who he was talking to. Nkiru Chiwendu! He'd been talking to her now for almost twenty minutes, oblivious to the fact that she was standing behind him. The way he smiled and drawled grated on her nerves. She gripped her tank top hard. When was the last time Gio smiled at her like that, never mind talk to her for twenty unblinking minutes? He finally ended the call with a grin. He placed the phone in the pocket of his joggers and placed an elbow on the balustrade to look at the cars driving by in the quiet street. He turned sideways as if he was looking at someone and said, 

"She makes me smile."

A sob caught in her throat which made Gio sharply turn around. With a hand to her mouth, Fi fled the balcony into the upstairs living room and went to her own wing. Gio cast a bitter look at his late twin before walking at a slow pace to his sister's room. He knew Dano had known Fi was behind him before asking him how Nkiru made him feel. When he heard a loud bang, he grimaced and braced himself for girlie drama. He was however shocked when he turned the doorknob to Fi's room and found it locked. That was unusual. He made his right hand into a fist and gave a succession of rapid knocks on the door.

"Go away," was the reply that came from the other side of the door.

"Fi." 

"I said go away. Go and be with her. She makes you smile while I remind you of the people you've lost."

"Fi, it isn't like that." He hated making her unhappy.

He turned to look at his twin who had his arms folded across his chest and was grinning like an idio.t.

"Are you sure I wasn't the one who died in that accident? How come you've taken my personality? You who rarely smiled in real life is now full of smiles and playing pranks." Dano smiled some more to further infuriate his brother.

"I said go away! Leave me alone!" Fi yelled, thinking he was talking to her though she hadn't heard his words.

Gio wanted to knock again but let his hand drop. It was more than obvious that Fi was jealous of his relationship with Nkiru. He couldn't blame her though. She was used to being the only female who made him smile after their mother's death until Nkiru came along. With hunched shoulders, he went back to the balcony. He missed Gaetano. His little brother was in school. Luckily for him, his father wouldn't be around during their three weeks holiday. He was in Germany for his regular medical check up yet he headed his committee on health. Freaking hypocrite!


**********

Smiling like a broke woman receiving her paycheck before the end of the month, Nkiru put back the phone in her pocket. She raised her head to look at her visitor and noticed his hands were tightened in fists. He let out a barrage of insults at her, picked up his car keys and almost empty can of malt and stormed out of the house. Nkiru could only stare after him. Good riddance!

She heard giggling behind her before she heard footsteps. The gigglng Nkechi hugged her from behind. They shared a good laugh until they heard their mother's angry footsteps outside, approaching the house. They stood ramrod stiff. The woman burst into the living room.

"Nkiru, what happened?" Her eyes flashed fire at her first daughter.

"Mummy, me I don't know o!" Her daughter was the face of complete innocence. "A friend from school called me. I answered the call. When I was through, Andy just started hurling insults at me before angrily leaving the house."

Her mother moved closer. "Nkiru! Nkiru! Every woman is beautiful until she speaks. You should have ignored the call or better still told her to call back. You know Andy's mouth runs like a leaky faucet. I don't want him to tarnish your name in this village. Wherever a man goes to dwell, his character goes with him."

Nkiru frowned, folded her arms across her chest and turned away. She clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"Mummy, Nk isn't to blame. I was behind the door. The call didn't even last a minute." Nkechi lied.

"Really? Good riddance sef. I never fancied him; with his terrible English sef. He knows he isn't fluent in the language but always insist on speaking it instead of Igbo which he's a champion in." She hissed. Her daughters burst into laughter.

"Maybe he's feeling intimidated. You know we were once called city people," Nkechi chipped in.

A shadow crossed her mother's face. She sighed and looked far away like someone in a trance. Nkiru had to touch her arm to bring her back.

"God knows best," she acclaimed. "Nkiru, quickly go and prepare the porridge before your father comes back."

Nkiru frowned and Nkechi laughed. Their mother ignored them and went back to her shop.

"Do make you come dey go your salon jor." Nkiru playfully pushed her sister.

Nkechi was all smiles. "I'm covered. Chinelo, my assistant is there and I now have two apprentices. I'll go there later."

"You'll make Ghana weaving for me a day before I leave." They walked towards the kitchen.

"No problem. It's not only hairdo o. You need total revamping and i'm going to help you achieve it at all cost. Operation Get-Gio-To-Fall-In-Love-With-Nkiru commences tomorrow. We will leave no stone unturned. So what did he say?"

Nkiru didn't reply her as they walked into the kitchen. They had a lot of cleaning up to do before preparing lunch.


**********

Fiorella sniffed and hugged her teddy bear tautly. She suddenly threw away the stuffed animal when she remembered Gio had gotten it for her. How could he do such a thing to her? How could he replace her with that plain and poor thing? She used to be the only female who made him smile. What did he see in her anyway? She felt like hurting him the way he'd hurt her. Payback is a b*tch and she intended being b*tchy.

Truly she'd wanted him to fall in love and snap out of the emotional limbo he'd been in for the past four years but not with that...that...thing! And not at the cost of their sibling relationship. Granted Gio was now more open but his whole focus was now on Nkiru.

She makes me smile! She makes me smile!

Fi couldn't get those words out of her mind. Jealousy poured out from every pore in her body. Lifting her sexy frame from the bed, she paced her pink-splashed room. Something had to be done to make Gio feel exactly what she was feeling at present. What was the one thing she could do to Gio that would really get to him? Something that at the end of the day she could throw it in his face that what she'd done was as a result of him neglecting her for the hated girl, Nkiru Chiwendu!

After brainstorming for a moment, Fi sniffed and raised her head to look around her room which was decorated in her favorite colour of pink for her phone. She saw the phone on her dresser and went to it. Sitting on the mahogany stool before the dresser and staring at her red and puffy eyes reflection on the mirror, she hardened her heart. It had to be done. She picked her iPhone 3GS and scrolled through her phone book for Tosin's number. It was time to give her brother a taste of his own medicine. In her jealousy and rage, she didn't stop to think who she'd really be hurting with her actions.

*To be continued*

More coming up. Just having issues with my network provider

CHAPTER FIVE


Sometimes the door closes on a relationship, not because we failed but because something bigger than us says this no longer fits our life. So, lock the door, shed a tear, turn around and look for the new door that’s opened. It’s a sign that you’re no longer that person you were, it’s time to change into who you are. It’s going to be okay.
—Lee Goff


Episode 10


NKIRU dropped the knife she'd been using to peel the hairy yam and started scratching her left hand. She got up from the small wooden stool in the kitchen and went to the sink. After taking the bar of soap from the partly broken rubber plate and the blue sponge as well, she scrubbed her hand vigorously. Before long, the particular spot had turned red with rashes but that didn't stop her. She continued scrubbing. Her immediate younger sister, Nkechi came into the kitchen, held her elder sister's left hand and removed the sponge forcefully from her right hand to stop her from scrubbing it to ribbons.

"Ogini? (what is it?) Do you want to scrub yourself to death?" Nkechi questioned from a height Nkiru could never hope to attain.

"Abeg leave me. This useless yam is itching my skin." Nkiru's eyes glistened.

Nkechi went into giggles and returned the bar of soap and sponge to their initial place. "Don't let Daddy hear you calling his yam useless."

"It's useless jor!" Nkiru frowned and kicked the yam. The half-peeled tuber of yam rolled from the steel tray to the floor. Nkechi laughed before bending to pick it and put it back on the tray again. She sat down on the small stool and held the knife. Nkiru washed the lather of soap from her hand and opened one of the wooden doors of the cupboards hung against the wall. She stood on her toes to take a bottle of palm oil but couldn't get to it. Nkechi dropped the knife and helped her elder sister get the bottle.

"When Mummy was forcing us to eat beans when we were small, you kept giving your portion to our dog. See now," Nkechi teased and Nkiru gave her a playful bad look. Nkechi sat down on the stool again and started peeling the yam with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I took after Mummy while you, Nnamdi and the ejimas (twins) took after Daddy." Nkiru formed a pout.

Nkechi laughed again. "At least you're still taller than Njideka but mind you, she's still growing."

"Free me, abeg." Nkiru opened the bottle of palm oil and poured a little inside the bottle cap. She rubbed the liquid richly on her reddened skin.

"Abeg no finish the oil," Nkechi had to shout when her sister continued pouring more and more palm oil on her hand. For an answer, Nkiru dipped her forefinger and her thumb in the oil and flicked it towards her younger sister. It landed on the left sleeve of Nkechi's blue denim gown. Nkechi slowly pulled herself up, took the bottle cap containing the palm oil and soiled Nkiru's multi-colored blouse with it as she made to run out of the kitchen. 

By the time their mother got to the kitchen, it was as if a palm oil festival was going on there. There was palm oil all over the place, from the cupboard to the counter to the bare ground and all over the bodies of her daughters including their faces. The ruckus they made as they bathed each other in the palm kernel product had given their position away, hence the presence of their irate mother.

"So Nkiru and Nkechi, you girls have decided to behave like little children and waste my precious oil. Do you know how much I bought the four liters of oil you girls have wasted?" Nkiru and Nkechi looked at each other and tried to hold back a smile. Their mother was fond of asking such a question concerning anything she purchased. 

"Mummy, it was Nkiru who started it." Nkechi pointed at Nkiru who was blinking rapidly to stop the oil from dripping from her forehead into her eyes.

"Shut up. So if your elder sister refused to behave like an adult, you'd join her in behaving like a child, okwia?" Mrs. Chiwendu was having none of the finger pointing.

Nkiru stuck out her tongue at her younger sister but that was a mistake because it enraged her mother further. 

"And you this Nkiru, how old are you?" The woman with hands akimbo asked.

Nkiru stared at the bare ground and rubbed her sticky palms together.

"Answer me!" her mother, with an octave higher demanded.

She sulked. "Twenty."

"You're not ashamed of yourself. At your age, I'd already given birth to Nnamdi."

Nkiru rolled her eyes and bit her bottom lip to keep from bursting into laughter. Her mother had told them that particular history a million times.

"Go and clean yourselves up. Nkiru, Andy is waiting for you in the living room," Mrs Chiwendu pronounced curtly.

Nkiru groaned loudly. Her mother moved forward, held her by the ear and whined it for her. Nkiru yelped while Nkechi ran out of the kitchen. Nkiru managed to free herself and run out of the kitchen too. When the two sisters got to their room, they sat on the bare floor and hit it with hilarity. They hastily put their hands over their mouths in order to prevent their mother hearing them. 

"Quick baf make you go meet your boyfriend," Nkechi mocked jocularly as she got up to take off her dress. Nkiru hissed. 

Her sister laughed heartily. "Do you know two suitors have come for your hand in marriage? They say we might be poor but we are a decent and respectable family."

Nkiru hissed again as she took off her multi-colored blouse and faded blue denim skirt. She used the blouse to wipe oil off her body before going to the door to remove her pale yellow towel from its top. 

"Why don't you just tell Mummy about him? She's hell bent on getting you married before you graduate," Nkechi suggested as she removed her bra and panties and stood in her naked glory before her sister.

In all fairness, Nkechi was pretty, prettier than her elder sister; in fact the prettiest female in the house. She was tall for her age and had a sort of polishness about her that made her friends suggest she go into modeling but her father would hear nothing of it. She had resorted to doing her other favorite thing which was making people beautiful through her salon. With help from her parents, she'd made her salon the best in the village with modern equipment. It hadn't been easy at the initial stage but through dedication and hard work, she'd made it a standard salon. Formal education wasn't her thing so she left that for her book worm sister and her twin brothers. 

A sad look crossed Nkiru's features and she bent her head. Nkechi walked up to her before picking up her own sky blue towel on the door and wrapping it securely around her. 

"It isn't as if he feels the same way about me. Our relationship isn't real. It's just camouflage," Nkiru admitted as she left the room and walked a few paces to the bathroom. Nkechi walked slowly behind her. They got to the bathroom and closed the door. They hung their towels on the head of the shower stand before Nkechi poured water from the black drum in the bathroom into a medium-sized yellow bucket. Nkiru rubbed soap on her sponge and took a small pail from the wash basin to pour water from the bucket on her body.

"Make it real na. You have the power to do that. You said he's now very free and lively with you. You can go further," Nkechi suggested as she watched her sister rub the sponge all over her body.

Nkiru paused. "It wasn't part of the deal. It's going to end soon. When we resume in two weeks, it will be over."

Nkechi stopped her as she tried pouring water on her body. "You can do something for it not to end. You need to step up your game. Well, to me, I feel he feels something for you. He calls you everyday."

An eyebrow lifted."So?"

"Duh! That isn't the action of a guy who doesn't feel anything."

"He's just a caring person." Nkiru shrugged it aside, not wanting to raise her hopes.

Nkechi stayed her hand again as she made to pour water on her body.

"Why are you saying all these?"

Tears gathered in Nkiru's eyes then. She quickly looked away for Nkechi not to see them. Her younger sister knew her well. They were the best of friends. They were in fact the closest in the entire family. They never hid anything from each other, not even when Nkechi was raped when she'd gone to sell her goods to a sleazy guy in his house back then in Lagos. It was their big little secret. Not even their mother knew. There was no need adding to the poor woman's sorrow that their grace to grass state had cost far more than their livelihood.That afternoon Nkiru knew still haunted her sister. She stayed off men as if they were lepers though she was an incurable romantic. She was rooting both silently and loudly for her sister and Gio.

"He's way out of my league, Chichi." She faced her sister with sorrowful eyes. "He's very handsome and very rich. I'm really not his type. We are too far apart. Opposites."

"Opposite attracts," Nkechi pointed out.

"Not in this case," Nkiru sadly replied.

She bent her head and let the tears roll down her eyes. She wiped them furiously away. Tears wouldn't solve anything. Just spending three days away from Gio made her realise her true feelings for him. She was in love with him. She missed him so much. He called her everyday which increased her longing. She wished for the first time in her life that she was beautiful, as beautiful as Gio was handsome. She felt she would have stood a chance with him even if she was poor. Her heart broke at the thought of losing him. They'd gotten so close the previous semester that most nights, it had to take the sighting of a security man at the hour of nine for them to part company. They even continued communicating with text messages sometimes when they got to their respective rooms before they'd call it a day. But with all these, Gio never gave any indication that they were more than just friends, and she not wanting Gio's famous epic embarrassment, kept her feelings well hidden. And it was all going to come to an end in two weeks as agreed earlier. How she would be mocked by those mean girls! Bets had already been placed that they wouldn't last another semester and sadly, she and her pretend boyfriend were going to prove them right. Oh, would she be able to raise her head in the school again, she who had wanted to graduate without any incident? Oddly enough, if she were asked, she would do it again. Gio was that precious to her. It wasn't just his sleek, dark good-looks, his innate elegance and grace; he had an incredible aura of self-assurance that made her feel safe.

Nkechi held her hand and rubbed it slowly. Just then they heard their mother's voice, calling them. Nkiru quickly finished her bath. She rushed to their room to wear her clothes but walked slowly and grudgingly to the door of the corridor leading to the living room where she knew Andy was seated, waiting for her.

Her eyes went round their living room as she took in the shabby place. Their red flowery sofa and chairs had seen better days, even the blue, red and black patterned rug needed a change. A wooden stool held their old school oversized television and between it's legs was their DVD player and numerous disc plates of Nigerian movies beside it which they borrowed from the video shop behind their house. A nail above the television held the wall clock and another nail held several calendars from even five years ago. She saw a can of malt on the partially broken stool before her guest. She shook her head slowly. There was no way she was going to bring Gio here. She could bet her life that even his gateman's house was better than this. Gosh! She didn't like this feeling. Gosh, she was beginning to become vain! Shaking herself off such unproductive thoughts, she stepped from the door and walked into the living room bracing herself to hear ear-splittering grammar.

"My dear, you have came," Andrew Nwafor told her, smiling as she sat down a distance from him.

"Yes, Andy. I'm here."

"Good. How were your school's studies?"

"Fine." Nkiru stifled a yawn. She was sick and tired of these visits from Andy. He was five years older than her. He owned a saw mill at the outskirts of the village and word on the grapevine said he was desperately looking for an educated wife to join him in running the business. She was determined not to be that wife.

She suddenly realised he had been talking all the while she'd been thinking.

"So," the short and stout man put a knee across the other and stared at her expectantly. "What do you said about it?"

Gosh! She hadn't heard a single word. Her phone began to ring. She removed it from the pocket of her floral dress and her face lit up like fireworks on Christmas eve when she saw the caller I.d. It was Gio calling.

Update coming up. Thanks for your patience.

@kingphilip, Letting Go isn't up for sale. I haven't finished writing it yet.


@Izyyblaze, thanks dear. I love you too (no homo)


@ChidiGodwin01, no problem. Whichever you prefer. Keep it constructive though. Thanks.


@tijehi, lol.

Good morning, folks. I hope we had a good night. Update coming up later in the day. I have major laundry to do this morning. Thanks for your comments and also for following. See ya later.

@tijehi, lol. I'd written all these awhile back. All I do for now is copy and paste while I continue writing. Thanks dear. And you're welcome.


@Missmossy, thanks dear. At least my short online courses weren't for nothing. Now to work on description.


@adefunke62, you're welcome. Update comes up later in the day.


@ChidiGodwin01, thanks dear. More coming up later in the day.


@kingphilip, okay. Please leave a review when you are through. Thanks for your patronage. And thanks for the compliment.


@Amuj, lol. Thanks dear.


@comfortsunday, abeg leave Facebook matter for Facebook. I don't know where it disappeared to. I'm going to post it here today. You can start following the story from here. Thanks.

ESIXLOVE:
I was off the radar for some time, apart from that I'm pretty fine.

How's your hubby?

He's fine. Thanks

Alright Folks. See you all tomorrow. Thanking you.

**********

Felix wondered again what he was doing in church. The priest-exchange programme to him was a flop. The octogenarian priest delivering his sermon had slowly but surely put half of his congregation to sleep. The boring sermon began almost an hour ago yet the old man was still saying he hadn't gotten to the main sermon yet. Which thick village had they brought him from? He missed their parish priest. The man's sermons were usually thought-provoking and made everyone strive to serve God better and love his or her neighbours.

Had he known the exchange programme was slated for that Sunday, he wouldn't have bothered coming to church. He would have stolen his mother's hot water bottle and placed it close to his neck in order to pretend he was running temperature, thereby getting his mother off his back. Having just returned home after their short semester due to the strike, he'd decided to give up fronting with the church warden group. He'd sampled practically almost all the girls he lusted after and wasn't in any way interested in the rest.

He was beginning to get bored with life. He needed a new challenge. After the quarrel in his room months back, he'd made up his mind to stay off new girls. They brought too much trouble. His regular lays knew where they stood with him unlike the newbies who wanted him to date them at all cost. He hissed. As if dating them would fetch him a billion dollars.

The handsome guy moved his gaze round the back pews which were his favourite and hissed again. No knew faces. Had he known, he would have gone to the 9am mass but after a nice time with his mother the day before, he'd decided to come with her to the 6am mass when she knocked gently on his door that morning. He really couldn't deny his mother anything, well, except his frivolous lifestyle.

He looked at his friends who resided in the village as well and were his schoolmates also, and his mouth quirked. Ose and Kenneth were busy playing games on their phones. Whenever they saw any of the church wardens coming, they quickly put away their phones and made faces of intense concentration. A dirty look was sent to him by the leader of the church wardens when he'd been unable to get his friends playing with their phones for the sixth time. Felix didn't blame him. He ought to caution his friends but he just wasn't in the mood. Besides, he'd resigned from the group but was yet to make it known to the leader. Good riddance even. The man was like the devil with a pitch fork. He was discipline personified! One was made to kneel if one came late to meetings and a fine paid for lateness to mass. Being seen with a member of the opposite sex was an abomination to him and he had the tendency of having apoplexy whenver he saw any one of his six daughters with a boy. He didn't know Felix had ridden three of them before losing interest.

Finally, the valium-filled sermon was over. He told his friends to put away their phones as they all stood to sing, 'The Creed'. Felix smoothened down his blood red tie hung over his cream shirt teamed with black trousers and black Italian shoes which had caused him a fortune. His bored expression didn't change as the prayer of the faithful went on. He was already making plans in his head on how he'd go back to school before their two weeks break was over. He couldn't stand the boredom. His mother would probably declare war on him but he didn't care.

It was time for offertory; Felix's favorite part of the mass. It was time to appraise girls and how they were dressed as they went to place their offerings in the offering box and went back to their seats. Today was unusual though. He wasn't excited by the thought. It was same old, same old. Nothing new to catch his fancy. He was even contemplating telling Ose to place his money in the box on his behalf even though it would seem to all and sundry that he didn't have any money. He couldn't care less.

Something however happened to brighten his day. It was the walking steps of a girl in very high heels. She walked like an astronaut in space. At the way she was walking, one could see that she was praying inwardly not to fall. Ose and Kenneth were already asking if it was by force to wear heels. Felix wondered the same because the girl couldn't be called short, she couldn't be called beautiful either but her beautifully-tailored azure blue lace dress fit her like a glove and her braids bounced on her shoulder.

And then it happened! She probably missed a step from all the eyes watching her and before she could stop herself from falling, she found herself on the back of the person in front of her. A chain reaction began. Loud murmurings began as a mass of tangled bodies, clothes, undies and shoes graced the marbled floor. Even the choir stopped singing to see what was going on towards the back of the church. Felix's friends laughed themselves silly but their friend who was standing by them was like a statue.

I have seen the girl of my dreams, Felix said inwardly. Surely she must be an angel sent to save the situation. His gaze was screwed on tight to a girl who was helping people up. Her gold sequin midi dress caressed her wonderful figure, her slim, straight and lovely legs made him imagine where he'd love them to be. Slim and sexy, that was how he would describe her with a beautiful angelic face to die for. Her skin was so fair and creamy he thought she must be an albino escapee. She was just the way he'd dreamed of his future wife if he ever found the courage to settle down. Gobsmacked, he never knew she existed in flesh and blood.

He found himself drawn to her like a bee to nectar. Like one sleep-walking, he made his way to the place of chaos. He stood beside her and pretended to help by picking up a non-existent thing on the floor. Oh, she smelt good! She made him remember roses a friend's mother grew when he'd visited them in Jos.

Ivie lifted her head and collided with very black eyes set between incredibly luxuriant ebony lashes and felt oddly dizzy for a split-second. She called herself tall, standing at five feet eight but here was this guy towering over her like a storey-building, casting a long, dark shadow.

Drop-dead gorgeous was an understatement. That lean, taut bone-structure, composed of flaring dark brows, proud cheekbones, wide narrow mouth and assertive jaw-line, was the very essence of raw masculinity. As she encountered his stunning dark eyes her mouth ran dry, her colour heightened. Who was he?

Felix went back to his seat at the command of the church wardens who'd come to handle the situation after he'd shared that blazing look with the queen of his dreams. His friends cast a wary expression on him. They knew their friend wasn't himself. They'd seen the way he'd walked like a zombie towards that innocent looking girl. They knew for sure that their friend wasn't himself throughout the mass when he kept straining his neck to see if he could catch a glimpse of the angel.

Abi na ghost? Felix asked himself as announcements were being made signifying that the mass was about to come to an end. The girl had suddenly disappeared into thin air. His neck ached from trying to discover her whereabouts. After going back to his seat, he's turned and realised she was no longer there. He'd even gone outside to search for her, assuming she'd left for home. As the priest said the final blessings, he made arrangements with his friends. They were to rush out of the church the moment the priest and his entourage left. Ose would cover the small gate while he and Kenneth would handle the big gate. He could trust his friends. They were always on the ball. After all, they'd done this a number of times. The innocent angel must be found at all cost.

Felix turned himself into a gateman as he stood by the gate and watched out for the girl of his dreams. He looked into every car driving out in case she'd come with someone. People wondered what was wrong with him as he behaved like a cocaine sniffer eager for his next dose. He kept mute to girls trying to chat him up as he stood there but however shook hands with and spoke to guys. He didn't have the time nor the patience for his old flames.

A huge smile crossed his handsome face when he saw her walking towards the dwindling crowd pushing themselves out of the compound. Oh, such rare beauty. He took a step towards her, forgetting to tell his friend who was standing at the other side of the gate that their quest was over.

Just as he drew close to the girl, his mother's nosy friend from h.ell saw him and came closer.

"Felixi, uweh suwa? (Felix, you came home?)" The woman inquired.

Oh, God, how this old bat take see me na. Felix's distress however didn't show on his face. He smiled disarmingly in case his innocent angel was looking at him. No need to burn his bridges this early.

"Yes ma. Na ojie. (Good morning)" He smiled.

"Wheh whele? (Have you slept?)" The woman went on with the customary greeting in the village.

No, I no sleep. Your owl cry no lemme sleep for night.

"Yes ma." Still all smiles

"Wheh horhaa? (Have you taken your bath?)"

No, come baf me na make you see wetin you dey look for since.

"Yes ma." Still all smiles.

"Wheh leh ebie? (Have you eaten?)"

No, I dey wait make you cook your potty first. Oh, God, who ever invented such a greeting that asked one stupid questions?

"Yes ma." His smile was reducing in intensity.

"Edia Wheh vhare? (When did you come?)" The woman asked on.

Oooooh! Which one concern you? Wetin be dis woman own na? Dem send you come? Which kain thing be dis?

"Nodeh ma. (yesterday)" He almost shouted the reply as he saw from the corner of his eye, his girl was almost at the gate.

"Boshan (welcome). Oni schooli? (How's school?)" The woman asked on.

Which kain thing be dis? Na dis woman dey write questions for jamb? Why she dey worry my life with questions like dis?

"Fine ma. Please ma, I need to see the catechist to book mass for tomorrow," He lied through his teeth but unfortunately for him, the woman was going that way as well. That was how he found himself booking mass to thank God for journey mercies from Abraka to Ubiaja.

His friends laughed him to scorn when he resurfaced. They eventually gave him the good news. Ose and Kenneth had delivered the goods. Leading one of the girls aside who'd been walking with the angel, they'd questioned her about her new friend. They could practically open a file on her. Felix clamped his hands on their shoulders, congratulating them for a job well done. Indeed, a small house will hold a hundred friends.

Ivie, here I come, Felix said to himself.

"Felixi, Felixi, mudia. (wait)" Felix heard behind him as he moved out of the compund with his friends. That woman again!

"Oh, Jesus please have mercy on me," the exhausted guy moaned.



It takes a whole village to raise a child.



*To be continued*

**********

Nkiru waved Gio good night in front of the female hostels and walked slowly into the brown four-storey building, ignoring the eyes of disgust that followed her. She walked slowly up the stairs and returned the greetings of students who greeted her. It was comforting to note that not all the girls in the school despised her. She got to her room and went directly to her well-made bed. She laid on it and stared at the white ceiling. Turning on her side with a smile lighting her face, she placed a hand on her flushed cheek.

Gosh! She was gradually falling in love Gio, falling like a brick from the top of a high building, her feelings rushing faster and faster as she headed for sure and certain devastation when she hit the ground. Who could have thought the ice man wasn't all ice after all? After she had thought about his proposal and informed Hassana who had eagerly told her to agree, she had decided to say yes to him. It had been awkward at first, walking, eating and reading with him but with time she had found it easy. Gio was an easy guy to get along with once you got to know him. He never really talked about himself but from his silence and snippets, she began to understand him. She knew first hand that Gio had psychological problems. He wasn't crazy but he unconsciously talked to himself sometimes and that endeared him to her. He was so handsome! She hadn't been moved by his masculine beauty at first but looking at him and being with him everyday made her realize how gorgeous he really was. He was perfection personified. She'd looked for faults in his physique but surprisingly didn't find any, well, except for his dentition which were unevenly shaped, though she wasn't bothered about it. Hassana however didn't like them when she noticed their imperfection as she got talking with him. Whenever he grinned, she felt tension break out all over her like porcupine quills. God had blessed him with brains also. What a combination! Nkiru had however asked Tosin what he knew his friends flaws to be. Tosin had grudgingly replied that Gio was an arrogant snob and was quite untidy. He never returned things back to the where he took them. He wasn't dirty; he had good personal hygiene, did his laundry, washed the bathroom and all that but when he wasn't in the mood of arranging his stuff, his side of the room always looked as if a hurricane passed through it. After several snide remarks from his friend, Tosin however stopped cleaning up after him. Gio never appreciated it and had told Tosin it made him feel like a kid. At such times, Gio would get up himself and tidy everywhere. No perfect human in this world.

She'd been at the receiving end of malicious gossip and treatment by some losers but she had taken it in her stride. They felt she was poor, unbeautiful and not in Gio's class. Those three facts were like three big extra nails being hammered into her coffin. The powers-that-be had decided that she was an unfit girlfriend and would soon be dumped by Gio when he came to his senses. She was beginning to get used to the name calling and side talks whenever she passed a group of bitter girls. She loved it though 'cause she knew her silence and refusal to reply them really got them mad and the fact that she alone had Gio's attention. Their facial expressions whenever she and Gio passed by or entered somewhere together holding hands was priceless. Their disapproval always made her hold back laughter and she knew Gio did the same too. A cat may look at a king.

Nkiru was enjoying the arrangement thus far except for Gio's sister, Fiorella. Fi saw her as a gold digger despite the fact that she'd not gotten a single dime from Gio. He didn't even pay for her meals not to talk of buying her something. Fi always looked at her like something nasty that just crawled out from under a rock. It hurt her because she wanted to be friends with the beautiful girl. She didn't mind the fact that Gio never paid her bills nor buy her anything since they started their pretend dating two months back. She didn't know why but she accepted it long ago even though Hassana wasn't comfortable with it.

The forlorn girl closed her eyes. Why not get out now before it was too late? From her conversations with Gio, it was obvious there was not a stroke of chance of him making her his real girlfriend. Her feelings were all over the place. Could she renege on her promise? They had about a month or so before the end of the semester. Could she continue falling like a sky-diver from a plane without a parachute, not knowing what the ground had in store for her with a guy who had bricks for a heart? Oh. God, how had she gotten herself in this mess? Hassana, having told her to agree to help Gio had also warned her not to fall in love with him. She'd been annoyed with her friend for saying such a sacrilegious thing, pushing back the thought of that night at the stone bench from her mind. Who had she been kidding? That night had shown her that shockingly, she was attracted to Gio. Maybe because he was so gorgeous. After reading about quick-fire, electrifying attraction in the novels she enjoyed reading, she still couldn't believe she was experiencing it. Was Gio experiencing it too? Did the volts which went up her body anytime they bumped into each accidentally also go through his as well? Did he feel the tingles whenever they held hands? It had been his idea holding hands when he noticed with enjoyment the stares they got wherever they went. Maybe it was all a sick joke to him. Maybe she was just making a classic fool of herself.

Oh, love, why are you knocking on my door with the wrong person at the other side of it? She sadly asked the greatest thing in life.

**********

Gio made his way to his room. He unlocked his door with the keys he'd brought out of his pocket and closed it behind him. After he'd dropped his bag on the bed and removed his shoes, he went to bathroom to wash his hands. His mind went over his whole day and he found himself smiling. His heart was definitely softening towards Nkiru. She wasn't only brilliant, she was witty and funny as well. He had to remind himself most times that their relationship wasn't real and would end soon. Dano had told him a million times to make it real. The said ghost appeared by the tiled wall beside him and stared at him. Gio ignored him. He had noticed that Dano was never around whenever Nkiru was with him. He had asked him countless times why he disappeared whenever Nkiru was nearby and the latter had told him to figure it out himself. Gio had assumed he didn't want him talking to him so as to not look insane before Nkiru. He didn't care though because he knew she must have noticed him doing that sometimes since he still spoke to the absent Dano out of habit. 

The young man wondered how long he would continue to hold himself back from showering her with gifts. He so wanted to buy her the world but he knew he would be playing into the hands of their enemies if he did that. He'd heard of the malicious talk that she was a gold digger. His female cousins had made it their point of duty to tell him but it had only made his heart soften towards Nkiru the more because she took it in her stride and never showed nor complained to him about it. Fi on the other hand was a problem. He'd tried his best to get her to get to know Nkiru but his little sister had been adamant that she and Nkiru had nothing in common. Gio had pointed out the fact that Nkiru could hold a decent conversation with all the rich snobs in the school owing to the fact that she'd once been a rich snob too but Fi had called them fabricated stories. He knew it was jealousy eating Fi up but decided to give her time to get over it. Girls! They had so much issues!

Dano drew closer with a stupid smile on his face while his brother wiped his hands on the red towel on the hangar and of course he left the towel in the sink instead of putting it back on the steel-plated hangar. Dano was seated on his bed still smiling so Gio made for his chair. He sat on it and stared at his twin. Dano was grinning like a ninny now. Gio forced his mouth not to open to say anything to his twin brother. He knew why the idio.t was smiling. He knew Dano could feel the walls around his heart falling piece by piece with just a word written on his heart-- Nkiru. He closed his eyes tightly and visioned Nkiru as he'd seen her that day. Gosh! She could talk a dumb guy into talking. She was so gay and carefree. She made him smile and laugh a lot. His face had naturally softened because of her. Nkiru Chikwendu was something else!

He had built a barrier of ice against any possible threat. The cold place he had constructed had protected him until now, but he knew that somewhere inside him the thaw had begun. The sunlight Nkiru had brought into his life was having an insidious effect. Gio craved her warmth, yet he feared it. He knew there was a very real possibility that if the ice inside him was completely destroyed he might discover that there was nothing at all left to fill up the empty space because they were only dating under false pretenses. Yet even as he feared the dark nothingness that might be waiting where the cold was now, he ached to know what Nkiru was feeling for him. He needed to know if she was drawn to him by anything deeper than mutual interests and arrangement.

Were all those smiles and slight touches just pretense as well? He was scared he was just like a stray dog or cat to her. She had a good heart and he'd seen it so many times when she helped others out of difficulty, often going out of her way to do it and even at her own inconvenience. Did she view him as a lost and lonely boy who needed a girl in his life? How embarrassing that would be! Dano had told him countless times that she truly liked him but he'd like to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. An acid test was what he'd use to determine if her friendship was genuine or not. He was prepared to explore all avenues in trying to decipher if she felt for him what he felt for her.

He came back to earth to hear a soft knock on the door. He groaned and his gaze moved to Dano who gave him a light shrug. Gio rose and walked slowly to the door. Tosin, with his bag and baggage stood at the other side of the door with an uncertain smile on his face.

*Continuation of Episode 9*


Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
—Oprah Winfrey


Nkiru's eyes widened and she swallowed but for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. When Gio continued to stare at her, she knew he was waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"What...what is it?" Nkiru queried, the words slurring together on a tongue that suddenly felt too clumsy to vocalise words.

Gio smiled.

Her heartbeat quickened, her chest tightened, her mouth ran dry, symptoms that always assailed her when Gio was in view or even within hearing these days. Oh, God, this guy fine sha! Nkiru allowed her gaze to wander to the students seated around them.

He touched her lightly on the arm to gain her attention. She willed her eyes to direct its gaze to him.

"I want you to be my girlfriend. A pretend girlfriend...or like an arm candy. Ahh...not really arm candy since you're not..." Gio paused and looked at her textbook on the table. He frowned a little before fixing his gaze on her again.

"Let me make myself crystal clear. You must have heard the rumors making the rounds about me. I'm not insane, neither am I gay. My bro..I mean I thought about it and decided that such malicious rumor could affect my future. So I need to have it dispelled. Just for this semester. I need a sane and heterosexual person around me, preferably a female to help dispel those rumors."

"I'd sooner be dead!" was almost what Nkiru blurted out.

Whatever she might have expected it had not been that. Not in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Gio would make such an outrageous demand and actually ask her to be his girlfriend. Astounded by his request and conscious of his hard scrutiny, she concentrated fiercely on keeping her face bland and uninformative. But her heart was pounding crazily in her eardrums and shock was reverberating through her in waves.

Wow! What was she going to do? This was practically every girl's dream on campus. Well, excluding her obviously. They would kill to be in her shoes right now. She hadn't bargained for this. She had come to have her problem solved not solve his.

She cleared her throat again. 

"Why didn't you choose one of the numerous girls stalking you?"

Gio actually rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Those desperadoes?" He sneered with disdain. "My cover wouldn't be convincing seeing that they'd do anything to get me to date them."

"Well, I'd be accused of being a gold digger. I'm not exactly rolling in money," Nkiru spelt out thickly.

He smiled. "I assure you, no one will think such. You haven't done anything whatsoever to indicate that you're a gold digger. You haven't been seen with any of the wealthy guys in school. You wear..." His gaze flickered to the black blouse and faded blue denim skirt covering her body and amended his statement. "You dress as if you don't care what people say about you. You even have tutorials to make money which I admire a lot about you. You're not afraid to work hard just to make it in life." His voice was tinged with admiration.

Nkiru was dazed. Stalker alert!

"I bet you have a dossier on me," she teased.

He laughed. "Ahh...I must confess that after that first time you asked a question in Professor Laroche's class, my interest in you was piqued."

Her face brightened with a smile.

"So what do you say? It would probably be for this second semester only or might lead to first semester in our final year, depending on the state of the rumor then and I'm prepared to help you with your studies."

Uncertainty reflected in Nkiru's hazel eyes.

"I'll pay you of course," Gio inserted.

"Don't insult me." Anger replaced uncertainty.

Gio was amazed to notice that her eyes glowed when she was angry. Wow! It actually made her look...pretty.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. I'm kinda desperate."

Nkiru maintained silence at that. She stared at her teeth-bitten nails. Could she? Could she, really? She was tempted. Very tempted. She was still trying to decide when Gio whispered passionately,

"Please."

That broke her. For such an arrogant guy to beg, she knew she had to do it. Her parents had always told her to offer help whenever someone was in need especially if it was within her power. Besides, she had a personal motto. WWJD- What Would Jesus Do? Not that she followed it all the time but it came in handy sometimes. But she really had to think of the pros and cons involved with such an offer. She'd maintained a low profile in the school so far and wouldn't want to have it smeared. She'd be at the receiving end of mean innuendoes by the desperate girls Gio had shunned over the years. Hassana! She'd to inform Hassana about it. It wouldn't be fair on her friend to hear the rumor that she was dating her crush outside.

Woah! Wasn't she getting ahead of herself here? She hadn't even agreed, yet she was making plans. 

"Can I think of it?" She pleaded with her eyes.

Relief flooded his face. His tightened features softened. "Yeah, sure. I'll work on your assignment in my room tonight. When will I have my answer?"

"When I come here for my assignment tomorrow."

"Sounds fair." He smiled.

Nkiru rose sluggishly and made to leave after carrying her hand bag but she stopped and looked at him. The question just had to be asked.

"If you aren't insane or gay, why did your roommate change rooms?"

Gio smiled again. "I pranked him. I made him think I could see and talk to my brother's ghost because of how he set me up with you."

Nkiru nodded slowly as if she understood when she clearly didn't. "Your brother's ghost?"

"Story for another day."

"Alright. See ya."

"Bye."

Nkiru walked out into the hot afternoon sun outside the hall, oblivious of the fact that Gio's eyes were trailing her.


**********


At the end of that semester, everyone knew something was going on between Gio and Nkiru. Jaws literally dropped when the rumour went round. Gio would wait for Nkiru outside the female hostels and they'd walk to their lecture halls together. After their lectures, they'd go for lunch together in the cafeteria Nkiru favoured before retiring to Gio's favorite reading hall to read. After reading, they'd have dinner before saying goodnight to each other. That wasn't really what amazed people. What amazed them was the fact that they held hands while walking, were forever talking and more scary was the fact that Gio was always smiling. He still shunned girls but was more opened to guys. Everyone attributed that miracle to Nkiru's presence in his life. Whenever they passed by, students would turn back to look at them. It was like a lamborghini and a bicycle to them. Beautiful girls who had been chasing Gio felt betrayed that of all the beautiful girls in the school, Gio had to pick the plain, church rat, scholarship student to date. They were however satisfied with the fact that Nkiru didn't dress better. She still wore cheap clothes and continued her tutorials. Maybe Gio was a stingy a**.

**********

The handsome guy pushed away the book he was solving algebraic equations in. He was tired of studying. His eyes flickered closed. He missed Tosin terribly. The latter had a way of encouraging him. It was just two weeks after his departure but it felt like two months. The one guy he had allowed to get close to him had failed him woefully and now he was branded insane and gay. A close friend can become a close enemy. Despite the fact that the therapist's evaluation had put him in the clear, the rumor had stuck. It however didn't stop shameless girls from trying to talk to him but guys avoided him like a plague. He really didn't care but Dano kept pestering him to do something about it. He felt the rumor might affect him in future. Gio wasn't bothered but he was beginning to get lonely for the first time in four years. Dano wanted him to get close to Nkiru to dispel the rumors since she was the only girl he liked but he didn't want that kind of complication.

He was still pondering on what to do when he heard a gentle knock on the door. He was amazed. No one visited his room these days, besides it was pretty late in the day for visiting. The person opened the door and quickly entered the room. Gio had seen the guy around once or twice but he didn't really know him. The guy was short, slim and fair-skinned. He sat beside the owner of the room on his bed and admitted he just came to say hello. Gio rose and went to offer the guy a drink from the mini fridge. He sat beside him with his own drink and they got talking. They talked for about thirty minutes on the school, politics and football. Gio was glad he had made a friend. Silence fell between them at last. 

Gio wondered if it was his eyes or had Nonso just moved closer to him? He knew he wasn't dreaming when his visitor placed a hand on his exposed thigh and lightly caressed it. He had only a white singlet and grey silk boxers on. Nonso worked his hand under his boxers while he was still thinking he was hallucinating.

WTF!

Gio shot up immediately! His eyes narrowed to slits as they settled on the guy who looked as if the ground should open and swallow him.

"Your'e barking up the wrong tree, Mister. I'm not gay. It was just a distasteful rumor." Gio moved away from him.

Nonso didn't know what to do. He kept looking all over the room. He felt like dying. He quietly got up and faced Gio. 

"Please," he gulped. "Please don't tell anybody. Please."

Gio nodded. "I'm not homophobic but please don't come back here again."

"I understand. I'm sorry. I thought..." He shrugged and sadly left the room.

"Jesus!" Gio muttered when the door closed. He urgently needed to do something about his status. This was the last straw. He angrily eyed Dano who was laughing hysterically.

He knew what he had to do. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

**********

Nkiru wondered for the umpteenth time if she was doing the right thing. She kept hitting her fingers together in nervousness as she approached the darkly handsome guy. Well, it was said that if you wanted to be successful in life, you had to be willing to go the extra mile, the whole nine yards. Doing this was the right thing. Thirty marks were at stake here. Her eyes moved around the small hall to see if anyone was watching her but they all had their heads bent in rapt attention in their books. She made sure her steps were light and noiseless. She peered over his shoulder and saw him rapidly solving sums from a textbook. His handwriting was quite legible with light strokes.

Gio felt a presence behind him and turned. Lo and behold, it was Miss Hazel Eyes. The girl who'd never left his thought since the incident with Nonso in his room and the girl he was too cowardly to approach.

She bit her bottom lip and then the finger nails of her right hand and allowed her gaze to fall everywhere but him.

"Can I help you?" Gio finally questioned.

"I...please I need your help," she blurted out.

His facial expression showed that of amazement before breaking out in a smile.

"I..." Nkiru quickly sat beside him to the left on the wooden bench. She dropped her brown bag which had lost its original color of coffee brown beside her and brought out a text book. Gio dropped his pen, put an elbow on the table and lent his face on it, studying her. She put on her glasses and smiled nervously at him like a shy bride on her wedding night.

"I'm having problems proving this equation and we have to submit the assignment tomorrow. The assignment is our test and is worth thirty marks. No one has been able to solve it so far. While trying my best not to look like an eager beaver, I can't afford to lose thirty marks. I heard you're very good in your field and..." Nkiru suddenly realised that she had been rambling. She gave him an apologetic smile.

"And also that I'm insane and gay." Gio lazily concluded her statement.

Nkiru's eyebrows almost hit her hairline. She focused her gaze on her textbook instead of his handsome face with a sardonic smile on it. She swallowed deeply. What was she going to do now? She'd heard the rumors which weren't true of course. She could testify to that. She had felt something at his touch that night and knew he had felt something too. Hassana had been bummed to hear the rumor. Her roommate had come to their room with a drawn face and had narrated the rumour to her. She, of course had brushed it aside without telling her roommate why she didn't believe the story. Constantly pushing the thought of that night to the dark recesses of her mind always gave her peace. There was no way she was going to analyze what transpired between her and this handsome devil. She'd even developed the act of changing courses whenever she saw him coming her way.

She swallowed deeply and opened her mouth to say something.

"I..." She began but Gio cut her off by pulling her textbook closer to him. 

"What page?"

Eager eyes studied him. "Sixty-four. Question number four." 

Gio lazily flipped through the pages. He looked at the examples given and studied them.

Nkiru couldn't help staring at Gio who behaved as if she wasn't there. He raised his head all of a sudden and looked to his right and then to his left, past her. He searched behind him also before muttering. He muttered again but this time, his words were laced with anger.

"Goddammit, where are you?" Gio whispered fiercely, the faintest crease drawing his ebony brows together. Dano who had been seated beside him before Nkiru's presence was nowhere to be found.

"You're fond of disappearing when you're needed." he muttered in anger again.

Nkiru grew alarmed. Ah! This guy dey true true kolo o! She wondered if she should tell him to forget about it. She scratched her head. But he was the only one who could help her. She had met some of his course mates and they had all referred him to her. And here he was muttering to himself like a madman in a market place. Was this why he had been tagged crazy? Or was it that he was solving the maths in his head and unconsciously muttering it. Maybe. She decided to go with that logic else she'd pick up her bag and run out of the silent hall screaming like a banshee. She relaxed as her brain accepted that simple reasoning.

"Piece of cake." He finally lifted his head from the book and his eyes roamed her face. Nkiru lowered her eyes at the direct gaze. He took his former stance with his elbow on the table, his face in one hand and watched her steadily.

"I was actually coming to look for you but I chickened out."

Nkiru's hazel eyes met his black ones in bewilderment. The question was in her eyes but she didn't ask.

"I have a proposition for you or to be aptly put, trade by barter."

*To be continued*

**********

Gio wandered around the school trying to put his thoughts in order. What just happened? What were the things that moved all over his body while he held and stared at Nkiru. He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. No! He knew he felt attracted to her but not this strongly. He couldn't afford to have anything to do with any female. She had felt it too 'cause her eyes had widened also. He sighed. He really needed to start avoiding her again. What was it with her anyway? She wasn't beautiful, she dressed horribly and was actually beneath his status. He shook his head again. He needed to get even with Tosin for setting him up. His friend needed to be taught a lesson for trying to play Cupid. How would he do that, he pondered. He was close to the microbiology lab and it gave him an idea. He walked towards the back of the lab to look for a spider. Tosin was scared of spiders. That would be the perfect revenge. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the couple making out at the back of the building. He was almost upon them before he noticed their presence. The guy quickly withdrew and drew up his trouser while the girl who was bent over with her hands on the wall, brought down her mini skirt and straightened her body. He would have walked away without caring had the girl not turned to face him, causing the moonlight to illuminate her face. He came face to face with Fiorella's best friend. What was her name again? He didn't even know.

He retraced his steps without uttering a word. Jessica ran after him.

"Gio please. Please don't tell Fi," she pleaded as she walked with him. "She doesn't know anything about this. Please don't tell her. Please."

She stopped walking when Gio continued to ignore her and walk rapidly.

D.amn! What was she going to do? Jessica kicked sand off the ground with her heeled shoe. She couldn't lose Fi as her friend, having invested so much in their relationship. She couldn't lose the things she gained from her. And then again, there was Gio and her plans to marry him. D.amn! Hope she hadn't missed the boat of snagging him with this action. She hit her hand on her head in self recrimination. What had he been doing there anyway? Well, she shrugged, she might as well go back and finish what she'd started. After all, she was unsatiated and still had to pay Chris. Tomorrow would take care of itself.

Gio resumed his quest for a spider behind the physics lab and got a big one. He put it in his breast pocket and watched it carefully, making sure it didn't escape. He pinged Fi and asked her to see him after lectures the following day. He got to his hostel room and smiled. Tosin was already asleep on his bed. He probably intended waking up later in the night to hit his books. Gio turned off the lights and put on the flash light. He brought out the spider and approached Tosin's bed. He sat down beside his friend and gently tapped him awake. Tosin who had been lying on his side turned to face Gio. The light from the torch captured the big, black spider and Tosin's eyes bulged out of its sockets.

"You set me up with Nkiru, right?" Gio smirked.

"Gi...Gi...Gio" Tosin stammered and swallowed heavily. He was visibly shaking.

Dano suddenly materialized beside Gio.

"Gio, stop it. You're scaring him."

"No, Dano. He started it. This would teach him to meddle in my affairs." 

Tosin looked in the direction that Gio was looking and talking. There was only darkness.

"Who are you talking to, Gio?"

"Who says I'm Gio? I'm Dano and I'm talking to Gio. And no, I don't conjure him in my mind to talk to him. He's actually standing beside us right now. Gio, show yourself," His roommate said with relish.

Tosin fearfully looked into the darkness again and gulped heavily. The grip of fear released him and with a shout, he leapt from the bed in his boxers.

"Blood of Jesus! Blood of Jesus!" He stumbled and fell but picked himself again and rushed out of the room still trying to conjure the blood of his savior from heaven.

Gio laughed uncontrollably. He put on the light and laid on his bed with his hands beneath his head, staring at the ceiling. Dano stood beside him.

"That was very naughty of you, Gio. You've just put yourself into trouble by employing that old trick we used back in the days," Dano castigated, knowing his twin had bitten more than he could chew.

Gio shook his head. "Nah! He'll come back. It was the spider that scared him."

Dano stared at his living twin. "Gio, haven't you ever wondered why I'm still here? Why you can still see me and talk to me after four years of my demise?"

Gio moved his head to look at him and smiled. "Are you dead?" 

Dano shook his head in sorrow. "I'm here for a reason. You have to..."

Gio cut in. "That reminds me. Why weren't you there when I was with Nkiru?"

Dano shook his head sorrowfully again. "You still don't get it."

"Get what?"

Dano was about replying when the door burst open and some students rushed into the room. Gio calmly surveyed them. He heard Tosin's voice from outside the door telling the students to help him with his T-shirt and beddings.

"Is it true, Gio? Are you losing it?" One of the students boldly questioned. Gio gave him a bright smile. 

One of the other students took the beddings and shirt and they all walked out of the room without a single sound. Gio smiled but Dano shook his head. 

Gio woke up early the following day and prepared for lectures. Tosin was still not back. He tried calling him but the latter kept rejecting his calls. Resigned, Gio sent him a message apologizing for what he did the previous night and that it had been a crude joke on his part. Tosin didn't reply. 

Gio noticed the weird looks he got when he went for his first lectures but ignored them. He also ignored the whispers but couldn't ignore the sad look on Dano's face. By mid-day, the secretary to the dean of student affairs for males came to his class. He was being summoned for a meeting. He got to the richly furnished office and met Tosin and the students who came to his room the night before already there. 

Mr. Obiora, the dean of student affairs for the male students with his grey hair and pot belly motioned for him to sit beside Tosin on one of the empty wooden chairs before him. Tosin rapidly stood when Gio came closer. Gio was alarmed inwardly but his face was a cold mask. He shrugged and sat down while Tosin remained standing.

Mr. Obiora, known for his shrewdness, placed his spectacles on his large nose and peered at Gio.

"I'm not going to patronize you so I'll go straight to the point. Did you or did you not scare your roommate with a spider and your late twin last night?"

"I did," was the solemn reply he got.

Mr. Obiora relaxed back in his swivel black leather chair and studied Gio. 

"Why did you do that?"

"It was a joke. More like a pay-back prank."

"Payback?" The dean's bushy eyebrow lifted.

Gio stared at the numerous files on the table. He really didn't want to be here. Tosin had taken things too far.

"He set me up on a date with a girl without my knowledge. I found out and decided to play a prank on him. There was nothing to it. It was harmless."

"Harmless enough for him to want to change rooms desperately?"

Gio was shocked but didn't show it.

The elderly man surveyed his student for a moment. 

"I went through your file. It appears you've been under psychological evaluation before. So instead of informing your father which I should rightly do, I've decided to let it go seeing that boys will be boys but I don't want a repeat of this incidence. Ever." 

His words landed with a thud.

Gio nodded slowly.

"In the mean time, I've booked an appointment for you with the school's therapist. Go to her after your lectures today. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir." 

"You've lost yourself a roommate but another will be assigned to your room soon. You're free to go."

Gio got up, carried his bag and left the office. "Thanks sir." He didn't spare the remaining occupants in the room a glance. Tosin, with sad eyes watched him leave the office.

Tosin moved towards the dean.

"Sir, please I don't want to change rooms again. I understand why he did what he did. I caused it," he eagerly pleaded with the bearded man.

The dean didn't conceed. "No. Not until he has been evaluated by the therapist. I've also heard rumors that he's gay."

"He's not!" Tosin defended vehemently.

Mr. Obiora smiled. "That will be all for now. Go and meet your porter and have him assign a room to you and document it."

Tosin with his head bowed, walked out of the room. He felt like a betrayer, a back-stabber. He knew now that Gio had been kidding. He hadn't wanted to report him but the other students had feared for their safety and had gone to report the incident to Mr. Obiora with him mentioned as their witness. What a mess! He should have thought of another way of bringing Gio and Nkiru together. Now Gio would never trust him again or anyone else for that matter. He'd learnt his lesson. It is the fool’s sheep that breaks loose twice. It was time to go back to the drawing board. Dialing his ex-roommate's number immediately he left the office, he prayed Gio would listen to him but his line was unavailable.

By evening, the rumor had gone round the whole school that not only was Gio mentally unbalanced, he was gay as well. That was why his roommate, Tosin had left his room. Tosin had tried to tell them it wasn't true but no one believed him. Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight. Fiorella wept like a baby in the arms of a smug-looking Jessica. No way was Gio going to tell on her now. 

He who earns calamity, eats it with his family.

CHAPTER FOUR

Episode 9

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.
—Steve Maraboli

Six Months Later...

2010

TOSIN scratched his head as he searched his brain for a perfect plan. He watched his friend talk to himself as usual. He was trying to play Cupid. It was so obvious to him that Gio liked that Nkiru girl. Gio had done everything possible to avoid her. He stopped attending the same lectures with her before they had gone for their IT for six months. 

They were back now and preparing to defend their Siwes report. He had thought in the six months of their abscence in school, Gio would have forgotten her but that wasn't the case. While telling him the juicy stories of his IT, he'd noticed Gio's attention had been captured elsewhere. He'd watched with astonishment and faint amusement as Gio had followed Nkiru's movement with those dark eyes of his when she passed by. The same thing had happened some days later when they were having lunch in their favorite restaurant and Nkiru had passed by again with that beautiful Hausa friend of hers. Neither lacking perception or native wit, he'd made friends with Hassana and gotten Nkiru's mobile phone number from her.

Something had changed in Gio. He was still as cold as ice but there was something different about him. It was as if one of the masks he wore had melted off his face. Had he done his IT in the sunny terrain of any of the South American countries, it would have been plausible but he'd worked in London, a naturally cold place. Something must have happened there. He was still trying to get his head around it. Tosin wasn't a fan of foreign countries. He'd only gone abroad once in his entire life and that had been at the insistence of his father to see if anything could be done about his limp. He felt there were a lot of places to explore in Nigeria and wasn't attracted to foreign girls one bit. He stayed away from them.

As a good friend, he had to do something to get Gio together with his crush. He would not let the grass grow under his feet concerning this. It was time to put on his thinking cap. An idea unexpectedly popped in his brain like a light bulb being switched on.

"Gio, please borrow me your phone. I'm out of air time," he said quietly to his friend who was surfing the net with his laptop.

"Knock yourself out." Gio passed him the phone without looking up.

Tosin smiled as he took the phone. He searched his own phone for Nkiru's number and sent her a text message through Gio's phone. it read,

"Hi Nkiru. It's Giovanni Ekwe. Please, I'd love for us to meet at my reading section inside Mary Slessor's hall tomorrow afternoon after lectures. I have something to discuss with you. Please be there. Ciao."

He made sure the message showed delivered before deleting it. He quickly flashed the number in order for her to check her phone in case she intended replying. When she didn't send a reply after he'd waited ten minutes, he returned the phone to its owner.

"You didn't make the call?" Gio asked him when he placed the phone beside his laptop.

"Unavailable," Tosin fielded as he went back to his reading table.

Gio shook his head with a smile etched on his face. "Ruined plans for tonight, huh?"

Tosin grinned. "Nope. The appointment is for tomorrow afternoon," he informed him and under his breath murmured, "And it's yours."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Go ahead and continue talking to yourself or your imaginary late twin. I'm off to dinner." Tosin took brisk steps to the door.

Gio's eyes narrowed as he watched his friend leave the room. Dano came to sit beside him on the bed.

"That your friend is very mischievous." He grinned.

"I wonder how mischievous he'd be when he discovers you're real," Gio commented, smiling mischeivously.

"Probably run out of the room naked," Dano inserted drily.

Gio burst out laughing.

"Please show yourself to him even if it's just your finger. Please."

Dano grimaced. "You know I can't do that. I don't want you bombarded by psychologists again. This time around, I believe Dad will have you committed for life."

Gio's mouth tightened at the reminder of what he had gone through.

Dano stood up ."You can't continue hating him, Gio. He's still our father."

"I don't want to talk about it." His twin stressed in an undertone and kept his eyes on the screen of his laptop.

"You always don't want to talk about it," Dano complained as he stood before him, right through the mattress.

"Knock it off," His living twin warned sternly.

"We have to talk about it sometime." Dano pressed.

"Let it go, Dano," Gio coldly remarked.

"Gio, I..."

".ammit Dano! I said let it go." Gio rose from the bed angrily. He went to his wardrobe to put on a Marks and Spencer shirt and Levi jeans. His feet were slotted hurriedly into his palm slippers.

"Where are you off to?"

"Outside. With people; where I don't have to see or listen to you," he informed his brother surly.

Dano chuckled. "You know you can't hide from me. We're always together. I'm you and you're me."

Gio hissed and left the room after buttoning his shirt.

He left the hostel environment and continued walking. He ignored the fact that his twin was walking right beside him; albeit silently. He continued walking amidst the busy school. It was dinner time and the best time for males and females to intermingle before 9pm when they would part company. They usually made the most of the little time they had to spend together. The restaurants were bustling with students and hit songs blared from speakers. Suya joints were crowded. The beer joints were equally filled. He passed by students discussing the soon-to-held world cup in South Africa and placing bets on the country that would carry the day. Had he been a gambler, he would have placed his bet on Spain. That was the country currently with bragging rights. Some were planning on getting tickets to go watch the final. He loved football but he wasn't that crazy as to leave school and head to South Africa just to watch whichever country lift the prestigious cup. He'd however do anything to go and watch his favourite club, Barcelona do their thing.

Gio walked past them to a lonely place. It was a place filled with stone benches were people came to relax and escape from the noisy atmosphere of the school whenever they wanted peace and quiet to think. It was dimly lit with ancient chinese lamps. He sat on one of the benches. He however got irritated and had to change seats when the guy beside him lit a cigarette. He moved again when a girl kept humming the lyrics of 'Young Forever' by Jay Z featuring Mr. Hudson which she was listening on her phone. Finally, he found a secluded place and sat down at the edge of the next stone bench, a few feet away from someone.

He was just getting lost in thoughts when he heard a gasp and a sweet voice say,

"Are you stalking me now?"


WTF! He scrutinized the person's face in the dim light and of course who would be there besides his Achilles heel, Nkiru Chiwendu?

"Why are you stalking me?" she questioned again.

Gio shot her a look of comical confusion.

"Stalking you? What the h.ell are you talking about?"

"Please stop playing games. Ever since you came back from your IT, I've been seeing you everywhere. I keep finding you wherever I am," Nkiru accussed curtly.

Gio craned his neck sideways and backwards to see if she was talking to someone else. There was no one there. He looked at her hands to see of she was holding a phone and talking on it through an ear piece or blue tooth but her lovely hands were bare.

His lack of understanding reflected on his face. "Excuse me. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please don't play dumb with me," Nkiru retorted sharply.

Gio was dumbfounded. No one had ever used that tone of voice with him except his late mother.

"You want to deny you didn't send a message to me requesting we meet tomorrow in Mary Slessor's hall?"

Gio closed his eyes. This was a dream. After arguing with Dano, he had probably fallen asleep. 

He opened his eyes again and saw those deep hazel eyes staring at him angrily.

"Dano, is this your doing?"

"What did you say?" Nkiru demanded.

He turned around looking for his twin but didn't see him. He pulled himself together. There was definitely a mistake made somewhere. His brilliant gaze had narrowed to piercing pin-points of light, arrowing over her shabbily-dressed figure and the hazel eyes dominating her round face.

"Please, may I see the message?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you pretending you didn't send it to me?" Her hazel eyes glowed in anger. Gio got mesmerized by the beautiful sight but hastily shook himself off it.

"Please," he firmly said. "Let me see it."

She glared at him for a few minutes before picking the hand bag beside her and rummaging through it. She brought out a Nokia phone and operated it. She thrust the phone at him.

Geez, did such phones still exist? It was among the first set of Nokia phones to flood Nigeria at the inception of GSM in the country. He couldn't even remember the model.

Gio's dark eyes widened. It was his number alright. But how?

"That damn meddler!" he furiously whispered when he remembered Tosin had collected his phone earlier.

He heaved a sigh of disappointmemt.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't send you this message. My roommate did. He's a meddler and an apprentice matchmaker."

Nkiru didn't believe him. "Why would he do that?"

"You're the first female I've spoke to apart from my sister and cousins in a long time. Naturally, he assumed something was going on."

"But I've only spoken to you once when you came to ask me for my notebook."

"Twice," he corrected with a quirk in his mouth.

"Yeah, I remember, twice. The second being when you rudely walked away from me while I was still talking," Nkiru concurred with a pointed glance.

Gio opened his mouth to defend himself but thought against it and closed it. He lifted one broad shoulder in a slight fluid shrug that was the very essence of supreme cool.

"Well, I'm not interested!" Nkiru held her phone and started playing with it.

"I'm not also!" he stated firmly and made to stand up when she murmured, "well, we all know why you're not interested."

Gio froze. What did she mean?

"Kindly tell me why I'm not interested in a relationship with you."

Nkiru shrugged. "You play for the other team."

"Play for..." Gio was repeating her words, before the meaning dawned on him. He flung his head back and laughter bubbled from his chest.

Nkiru, with surprise in her eyes watched the wonderful picture of Gio laughing. Gio laughing? It was a mirage! His laughter was quite deep and rich.

"While I don't care what you or anyone think of me, I can assure you that I'm not gay," The handsome guy countered with hilarity.

Nkiru shrugged again. "That's your business. Please stop stalking me and do you mind moving to another bench? I really would like to be alone."

Just for a moment she thought she saw a flash of anger deep in the unrevealing coal-black eyes, but then it was gone, or perhaps it had never been, she decided as his habitually bland expression gazed straight back at her.

Gio felt as if he had been slapped. She was quite haughty yet he couldn't stop the attraction that drew him to her.

"Nope. Go and find yourself another seat." He stretched his legs before him and smiled, his tone one of casual dismissal.

Nkiru stood up. "I can see your mother raised a gentleman."

In response to that scornful comment, Gio shot her a seething appraisal, his dark eyes flaming like hot coals. He quickly got up and held her hand firmly. "Don't you ever talk about my mother again!"

Time stood still as they stared into each other's eyes. Gio felt a stirring in his loins and his eyes widened. He hastily dropped her hand as if it had caught fire and rushed out of the place. Nkiru stood there, numb. She couldn't explain the bolts of electricity that had passed through her body when she and Gio had engaged in a staring contest. Her stomach felt as if fluttering things were moving all over it. She sat down heavily on the stone bench. What just happened?

**********

The amused guy on the bed watched with enjoyment the two ladies quarreling heatedly in his room at his hostel, Our Saviour's Meridian. This was the same reason he'd left his former lodges, Uncle Sam and St. Georges. Now the same thing was happening again. His hostel mates had already come and gone to find out what was going on in his room. Some of them had even put off their deafening music just to hear the words being exchanged by the shameless girls. Busybodies!

The two girls didn't even realize they were making spectacles of themselves. They blistered each other's ears with insults that would shock even a dockyard LovePeddler. They also washed their dirty linens in his presence. He got to know who had an abortion last month, who slept with her lecturer and who stole underwear from a boutique.

This was definitely the end of his association with them. He didn't however mind having a one-off night with one of them. One of the ladies he'd been eyeing before the strike action. The first runner up in the school's beauty pageant- Miss Delsu. The girl had a body to die for. Creamy skin, svelte shape, long legs and a poise befitting a queen.

After finally succeeding in getting her to his room and wooing her with a honey-coated tongue, her dang ugly best friend had happened on them. He hadn't even known they were friends let alone best of friends. What business hath light with darkness? The said best friend was nothing to write home about. She'd been chasing him all over campus since they resumed after the long strike was over.

He felt it was an insult that an ugly person would chase him. What the heck? Fine boy, no pimples like him being seen around an ugly bird. A girl so ugly that ugliness had gone on retirement when she was born. To add insult to injury, she was dark skinned. He wasn't attracted to dark-skinned girls being dark skinned himself. How would their children look? Like roasted corn?

He was always flattered when beautiful girls hung around him. As a rule he never dated anyone. He kept them as friends and bedmates. Why tie yourself to one girl when you weren't ready for marriage? Why start eating egusi soup at such a young age when there were varieties of soups with enough garnishing to make one salivate? He could even manage okro soup once in a while than having to eat egusi soup everyday. Rubbish! There was no girl who would tie him down before he was ready.

Felix removed his gaze from the girls throwing saliva at each other and focused it on his wall clock. He had a lecture by 2pm and these ladies looked as if they'd keep having a go at each other till the following day. It was time to end the show.

He cleared his throat loudly and sat up. He cleared it again but since the quarrel was still heated, the ladies who'd graduated into abusing each other's parents didn't hear him.

"Ladies! Ladies!" The disgusted guy yelled at the top of his voice. Almost-beauty queen paused to cast beautiful eyes at him while Miss Uglitude continued talking. Indeed, empty vessels made the most noise.

"Shut up, B*tch!" Felix curtly demanded. That got her attention. She frowned heavily and worsened her facial features by that act.

Felix quickly moved his gaze to the beautiful girl staring at him with hurt in her eyes.

"I have to be in Campus Three for a lecture. You two should leave," He delivered bluntly.

Of course it was the ugly girl who retaliated while the beautiful one only dealt him an incredulous look.

"Are you asking me to leave your room?" she echoed in ringing disbelief.

Felix felt a sudden upsurge of rage.

"You see question mark for my talk? Who dey ask you? My friend, gerrout of my room!" He was on his feet by now with a murderous look in his eyes.

She confounded things by suddenly bursting into tears. "Felix, what you're doing isn't fair. Remember what goes around comes around. How dare you treat me like this? After everything I've bought for you. Why did you approach my best friend? Is it because she's finer than me? But I didn't create myself, did I? Am I God?"

Of course you no be God. God no ugly. Na devil you be. Felix said within himself.

The beautiful girl with a hand on her waist and a sassy look on her face decided to concur with her friend. "Felix, I does not like what you did too. Why didn't you told me that you have speak to Gina? Now it looks as if I want to thief you from her. I never knows you...is...are the one she always said about. Why Felix? Fine boy like you does this bad thing."

Someone, please shoot me in the head. Jesu! Now he knew why Efe--the beautiful lady--always replied him in monosyllables. No wonder she'd replied all her friend's insults in pidgin English. In the heat of the moment, she must have forgotten to speak her trademark pidgin english. A final year student of pyschology! Moses sandals! How had she answered her questions during the pageant? She probably knew the questions she was going to be asked and had crammed the answers before hand. Fake a** pageant! Imagine introducing such a girl to his friends. She would drown him in a sea of shame.

What to do now? He pondered. Omo, na to put on his legendary charm. Having to listen to such bad grammar again might cause him to suffer a bout of migraine.

Getting them to leave his room peacefully and quietly was going to be like herding cats but he had to try. He turned on his world class charm.

"Ladies, I'm so sorry about the way things turned out. I promise you we will sort things out when I come back from lectures. I'll call both of you to come over. But please do me a favour; stop quarelling. Sensational ladies like you shouldn't quarrel. Have you ever heard of African queens quarreling?" He purred, tongue in cheek.

Efe smiled shyly but Gina wasn't moved. Her big eyes narrowed to pinpoints. Felix had always treated her like garbage. Why was he being sweet all of a sudden?

Wetin dey worry dis ojuju sef? Felix demanded inwardly when he noticed his charm had failed to work on her.

Fortunately for him, his friend, Oghenero burst into his room just then like a vampire trying to hide from the sun. His eyes were bloodshot and his countenance that of one ready to fight the devil in the deepest of seas. The girls got the message when he cast a look of pure irritation at them. They quietly headed for the door but not before Gina had made a gesture with her little finger and fore finger against her ear indicating that Felix should call her. The poor thing had no idea that the handsome philanderer didn't save her number in his phone. There was not a dog's chance of him calling her.

Felix watched as Oghenero paced his room, back and forth. He'd obviously had another fight with his father. They were like fuel and fire. The old man refused renting a place for his son away from home yet taunted the poor boy at every turn in his house. Felix had done his best to calm his friend down whenever he was like this but he knew something was different. Even his friend's disheveled appearance showed more than a quarrel had taken place in that battlefield he called his home.

"Guy, abeg eye don dey turn me with this your movement. What happened again?" Felix asked when he couldn't take the suspense anymore.

Oghenero stilled and faced his friend.

"My father is in the hospital," he quietly said.

Felix's jaw dropped. The man always looked as fit as a fiddle to him. Indeed the saying, even though the old man is strong and hearty, he will not live forever was true.

"Eiya. What happened? Na stroke?" Felix queried, still finding it hard to believe that a man who looked as healthy as a horse and didn't joke with his health was in the hospital

"Save your pity. I put him there," Oghenero slotted in drily.

Felix's jaw dropped again. His friend went on to recount what transpired between them. He'd never told Felix before that his father always hit his mother at the slightest provocation. He was ashamed of such an act. His father had hit her again that afternoon over something as trivial as her not putting his shirt in the right place. Totally frustrated, he'd confronted his father and a quarrel had ensued. Before he knew what he was doing, he'd decked the old man a blow so forceful, his father had landed on the floor in a dead faint. They'd rushed him to the hospital, afraid the worst had happened but the doctor had assured them that he would be alright.

"The most painful thing is that my mother accussed me of trying to kill her husband. With her bottom lip still bleeding from his blow, she told me to mind my business. Imagine!"

Felix couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst into a fit of laughter. The tale sounded hilarious to him. The shock the man must have felt at such a blow. And Oghenero was left-handed! What a blow it must have been! Dare he ask his friend what part of his father's body the blow had landed on? Oh, how he'd love to see the once sturdy man on his hospital bed, probably with a black eye. He still didn't understand why men beat up women. They were such delicate creatures. Granted, they could drive one mad with their tongues but better to leave the house or place for them like his father always did whenever his mother was on the warpath than to use them for wrestling practice. It was quite unfair.

"But guy, you shouldn't have punched him na. Do you know there's every likelihood that your son might do the same thing to you in future?"

Oghenero waved a hand in anger. "I don't care. I have never hit a girl in my life and I never will, not after seeing the pain and humiliation my mother has endured in the hands of my wicked father. I was just sick and tired of watching her cry and try to hide her bruises from us. It so shameful. How can a man prefer talking with his fist than his mouth? Did God make fists for talking?"

Felix nodded in agreement. "That one dey sha. But your mother didn't thank you for it na."

Oghenero hissed. "I don't blame her though. I believe she just didn't want our village people to accuse her of killing her husband. I saw her smiling a little when I stood up for her. It was just the fear that I'd killed my father and would probably end up in jail that frightened her."

Felix went through the scene in his mind's eye and wondered if he'd ever raise a hand to his father. Granted, his father could be the most annoying man on earth at times and he always felt like knocking his blocks off but he knew he'd never hit the man. Ingrained respect would not let him. He'd feel he'd committed a sacrilege and would have to make sacrifices with outrageous things such as the toe nail of a chicken born blind, the left eye of an octopus, the very first poo of a frog, whiskers of a six-month-old puppy and all that.

His gaze fell on his friend who'd taken a seat at his reading table and brought out a wrap, and was now in search of a match box on the table.

"Guy, wetin be that? You wan high? Na helicopter be this abi na skyscraper? Abeg go smoke that thing for another place jor," Felix told him squarely.

"Dude, please understand. I need to cool down," His friend pleaded.

"Then go look for deep freezer make you sleep inside," Felix slammed back.

Oghenero hissed. "You don't get it. You don't understand what weed can do for you. You don't know what you're missing."

Felix wasn't convinced. "I know. The first time I tried it out of curiosity in my first year here, I slept naked inside the boot of a car. I no do again. If to say everybody be like me, all these weed dealers, breweries, Benson and Hedges them, they for don close down by now. Na only c.ondom factory for they exist. That's the way I roll."

Oghenero grinned and respected his friend's wishes by tucking the wrap into his trouser pocket.

"Guy, come do movement. I get lecture for Campus Three." Felix moved to his wooden hanger on the wall and started looking for a shirt to put on.

"Me too. Let's go together."

"No problemo."

*To be continued*