₦airaland Forum

M so sorry guys for not keeping my word, I am so busy I hardly have time to even update my diary and m always on the road except at night and I find it hard to keep up at night so please manage this ehn things will go back to normal soon.

Thank you all.

Love you

***************

Ife sat on the window seal counting the cars passing below their window, she had bathed and went to bed and now she couldn't sleep for the night. It was still cold due to the rain that had just stopped pouring. Her room mate rolled from her bed to look at her. Ife had meant to tell Malaika everything about Peejay but she wasn't around when she got home and was asleep when Malaika got home.

“What are you still doing up?” Malaika asked sheepishly, sitting up on the bed. Ife trudged to Malaika's bed and sat beside her.

“I couldn't sleep.”

“What's worrying you girl?”

“Well I met Peejay.”

Malaika peeped into Ife's face. “You mean thee Peejay?” Ife nodded, she didn't know how to react, the guy kissed her and she responded, he didn't even ask for her numbers. “You don't look thrilled about it though, what happened?”

“I couldn't find a sit in the library so I decided to go to the back, I saw him and there was a empty desk on the table he occupied and sat down. We didn't talk that much, the next thing we were driving in circles till he pulled at our gate.”

“Our gate? Does he live in this flat?”

“I don't know, and he held me, we kissed....”

“You kissed?”

“Yea, after a while he left.”

“Did he ask for you numbers?” Ife shook her head.“Hmmmm, it looks like your so into this guy hey.”

“Its obvious isn't it?”

“Yeah but I salute you girl, power to you for kissing him in the rain. Was he in pyjamas?”

“Your such a party pooper, he wasn't in pyjamas joor.”

“Stop sulking, we will find him.”

“His name is Maru by the way.”

“Yeah right, so how did the kiss feel like?”

“I can't even talk about it.” Ife doubled over holding onto her tummy. “The butterflies are giving me a hard time.”

Malaika raised her hands up above her head....“Lord please help us find Maru amen.”

“Your stupid joor.” They roared in laughter. She felt at ease after talking to her bestie and prayed that she will see Maru once again. Her phone rang after switching off the light, it was an unfamiliar number.

“Hello.” She picked up the called absent mindedly.

“Hi miss.”

“Hi, who is this?”

“The person you kissed this afternoon?” Ife's heartbeat accelerated, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

“Who's that?” Malaika whispered, their room illuminated by the streetlights.

“Maru!” Ife whispered back.

“I thought he didn't have your numbers?”

“Shhhh, same here.” She removed her hand from the phone. “How did you get my numbers?”

“I have my ways, I will tell you only if you agree to have dinner with me.”

“And if I said 'no'? What then?”

“I am a patient man...look I will call you later, just thought I could say hi before I hit the sack. Night ma'am.” With that he hung up. Ife remembered then that her phone did fall in the library and Maru had picked it up, she paid no attention as he lazingly, ever so slowly picked it up. It might be then that he had taken her contacts.

“Well?” Asked Malaika her head on her pillows.

“He asked me out on a date.”

“Are you going to go?”

“Yea.”

“No, your not!”

“Why?”

“Because your so into him and its obvious, play hard to get sweety.”

Ife looked at her friend, “They say if you teach a monkey to dance its gonna dance better than you and your just better at this. Ok, I will not go, happy?”

Malaika threw a pillow at her, “damn right I am. Pillow fight!”

***************


There were two of them at the table, and they watched rain slick the sides of the broad library windows. Crystal beads were forming on the exterior, dribbling away the muddy excess clinging on to the glass; the sky roiled and churned in restraint as its clouds swept back. There was a moment's pause before the foggy miasma gave way to a small beam of light that eventually ate its way to Earth.

Ife had spend her days fantasising about the guy she had seen at Mug&Bean, his deep dark coffee complexion appearing almost like shadows in the bright sunlight, in her thoughts. The only hair she could remember were the charcoal flat curly hair on his head.

And then, there she was in the library, sitting across the same guy. She had entered in a rush, and could find a seat at the front so she had to walk around until luck strucked and she found an empty seat next to him. Malaika had nicknamed him 'Peejay' because of his dressing the day Malaika and Ife saw him.

She couldn't concentrate, and was tapping her finger softly on the table, fidgeting with her phone, it fell, right under his chair and he picked it up in slow motion. He seemed too occuppied to notice Ife's irritable tapping as he was picking up her phone and as soon as he saw the sun quiver into sight, he dropped the library books, tossed Ife her phone and gathered his things.

He was tall, about 7.5 feet, well build. His lips could make a girl go crazy, they looked soft and juicy as he kept licking them now and then. Ife could see his musculine shoulders when he breathed, he was one in a million. She pictured him in a basketball court shooting hoops and her cheering him on.

He had on blue denim trousers and an RT green golf shirt. He flashed a smile to Ife who sat across the table, she returned it in earnest.

They ran out of the library into the brief shine of light. Already everything was beginning to close up again, the universe settling into grayness that bounced and wavered along the tops of buildings and houses. Quickly they got into their cars, Peejay leading, Ife following him.

They rode and rode and rode. Time tipped into a standstill, blurring lines and borders as the rain lapped at their window screens. They drove for hours around town, going in circles until Peejay signalled Ife to stop. He parked his car at the gate of the flat Ife lived. She was confused, how did the guy knew where she lived, was he stalking her? She halted in the middle of the road bewildered.

It was a busy road, cars honking and screeching and cursing at the adolescent amid the crush of traffic. At last she veered off the road and parked near Peejay's car to avoid being trampled by an angry mob of motorcyclists.

The rain was spilling onto the ground now, oozing into sewers and drenching people bare of coats and umbrellas. It was a barrage of water-arrows piercing skin and flesh, only it was needles of cold instead of pain.

“Are you okay?” Peejay cupped Ife's wet face with his hands the minute she stepped out of her car. She was shivering and scared, he tried to wipe the dripping water from her hair, which was blinding her.

“Umhuh.” She nodded, she couldn't speak, there was a rift in the air as the gap was shut between the pair, and suddenly Ife was staring into the strange guy's glazed eyes, nose to nose and in such proximity that she noticed a cresent moon shape of a birth mark on his forehead, when their eyes met for the second time, there was an emotional agreement between the two and their lips locked for a moment, both indulging the tingle sensation when their blood circulate, in hunger for something more.

She broke off the kiss, feeling ashamed but anxious of what would happen if she dodged from his embrace. Her head lowered to his chest, the front of his shirt was dripping wet but she found solace in his chest, inhaling the sweet muscular scent coming from his shirt. She wasn't sure if it was his lotion, perfume or body spray, but whatever it was felt like the only oxygen to keep one breathing and she held on tight.

“If we don't leave now, I am afraid we are going to catch a cold.” Suddenly everything was real, and Ife wanted out. “I am Maru by the way, you are?”

“Urm, Ife-Oluwa.” She was backing off, what the hell was she thinking?

“Nice name, are you South African?” He was straightening his shirt.

“No, Nigerian.”

“I am Portugese, mom is tswana and dad portugese.” He opened the drivers door and hopped in. “See you around madam Nigeria.” He drove off.

“My numbers?” Ife whispered to herself. Did she just kiss a guy in the rain? Will they ever meet again? The latter was a million dollar question and only time would tell.

****************

The golden rays of the setting sun were visible on the entrance glass double door, adults and their young ones were settling down for an early dinner at kfc, mug&bean, MacDonald's and some other eateries.

Ife and Malaika still haven't found the right present for Mike and they seemed to be engrossed into an unplanned shopping spree for themselves. They just didn't know what to pick, perfume or a wrist watch? At last they opted for both.

After paying for the items, Ife was hungry. “Let's go to mug and bean and grab something joor, I am starving.” She pushed Malaika forward, and dripped, a landed on the floor first with her behind.

The scene was embarrassing so she sat there until the laughing public had passed by. “What on earth were you thinking?” Malaika hissed, lending a helping hand to Ife who was laughing herself silly.

“You didn't fall na, so save it.”

“You are embarrassing yourself.”

“Poo! This shoes are killing me.” Ife took off her shoes and walked barefoot.

“I will pretend I don't know you.”

“Suit yourself, while your at it, please order something for us, I am going to say hello to that guy.” Ife's eyes were on a handsome fellow who sat alone at a table in mug&bean, few papers lay on the table and a notebook. He was in his pyjamas and slippers and seemed not to mind the stares people were giving him.

“You are not going anywhere!” Malaika pulled Ife down on a chair. “What's wrong with you? You don't even know the guy.”

“There is no harm in saying hello to a guy is there?” Ife challenged her friend. Malaika came reserved from home, she wasn't the same girl Ife met a year ago, she acted like mother hen to all of them and at times it bored her stiff. A waitress took their order though Ife hardly paid attention to the waitress, whatever Malaika ordered would be fine with her.

“Seriously Ife? What happened to the girl who told me she won't date until she graduates?”

“Maybe that girl has outgrown her decisions.”

“Yeah and ready to throw herself at any tom d.ick and harry that she fancy?”

“I can't believe you just said that.”

“I didn't mean it like that, but just look at the guy?” Malaika glared at the guy. “Who would come to a mall like this in Pyjamas? At this time of the day?”

“Forget his dressing, power to him for coming to the mall in Pyjamas.”

“Your kidding right?”

“No, I am serious, I am tripping joor.” They roared in laughter, Malaika gave in and they started complementing the guy. He left as they were busy admiring him.


“Now he is gone, your such a party pooper Angie!” Ife groaned gathering her stuff. “I don't want to eat anymore, let's go.”

Malaika obeyed and they left, Ife wasn't worried about the food they ordered and had left without getting them, she was worried about the guy who had just left. He was a catch, if she was a witch she would have turned herself into a pen so that he would put her into his bag and carry her home.

⌣»̶·̵̭̌·̵✽̤̈ CHAPTER10✽̤̈·̵·̵̭̌«̶⌣

The adage that says 'all good things in life are free' seemed to be doing the trick in Ife's life. She was thankful for a gift of life, a loving mother, adorable sister, a beautiful soul of a friend and above all her father.

He might be dead, but to her, he had left a beautiful gift and a reminder. Mike's daughter was spending so much time with them, and Ife had learned that the girl possess some of Kenny's features but what could be done?

Since Nneka denied being their mother they stopped looking. Kenny had asked her to move on from the love she will never ever find.

“What's eating you girlfriend?” Malaika asked concerned. They were going to buy Mike a birthday present, and Malaika had asked her best friend to go with her.

Malaika's life was a bowl of cherries according to Ife, after Femi had pressed her down, she came up recharged and had sprang back to life. Who would have thought that the Masaai maiden would be so blessed? Mike adored her, Dineo worshipped her and Mike's daughters Mitch and Nia were like her own daughters.

Ife sighed watching her friend drive, the car was still new. It was a gift from Mike to Malaika, had it delivered to her with an engagement ring. With a note which said;

'A person I would love more than the four ladies in my life would be our son.'

Right there Malaika had asked Ife to sign off the delivery papers as she to where the car was parked in pyjamas to Mike's place. The girl was crazy about the guy.

“And now she is smiling, mind sharing?”

“Urm, was just thinking about the day you got this car.”

“Oh, it still feels like yesterday you know. Who would have thought?”

“Yea, I must admit I envy you girl. Your so full of life, top of your class now, you have met your knight in shining armour, his girls loves you and your mother is your mother.”

“Hey, its ok. Your top of your class too, you have a loving mother, your beautiful sister and a new found brother.” She teased grinning.

“Wetin be your own sef? What kind of nonsense is this? Femi is not my brother. End of story!” Ife was hurt by the comment and didn't laugh when Malaika laughed her joke off adding;

“It was a joke.”

Femi was the last person on her mind, she couldn't just let go the search foe her mother. Eventhough she had promised her family that she will not bother anymore about her biological mother, she couldn't sit back and relax when everything was so clear.

“Its fine, just that....” Ife wasn't so sure if she should ask but it was worth the stress. “Have you seen the resemblance between Kenny and Nia?”

“I thought I was the only one who see this things. I talked to Mike about it and he said the same thing.”

“There is an only way to find out if ya'll are related you know?”

“You mean by DNA test?”

“Yea, I will help you get Nia's toothbrush, you get Kenny's and we
are set to go.”

“Thanks.”

“Don't thank me yet, now let's go inside.” They got out of the car and made their way to the mall. Ife was happy, atleast they will know the truth after all. The DNA test would put them all out of their misery.

Neduzze5: Yes boyfriend and girlfriend things
The above bolded means?

'let's stay together.'

So Blessing and her man are staying together?

'Mashlalisane tings' smh