BOLAPE:
DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES : FATE!

Olayinka Olaboye was a final year Agric-economics student in the University of Ibadan when I got admission into the institution. I was the typical jambite, savoring the sweetness of freedom for the first time in my life and was a regular student in class. I had my fair share of admirers and was bouncing through the campus without a care in the world until I stumbled over the first hitch. I failed a mid-semester GNS test and I was shocked! How could that be? How can I fail GNS of all courses? I fumed inwardly as I matched straight to the lecturer’s office after receiving my test script. A female student was coming out of his office, rubbing a stray tear from her face when I got there but I only gave her a fleeting thought, wondering what could be wrong with her before I knocked the door briefly and walked in.

“Olajumoke Davies, you finally find your way to my office. How are you?” He smiled at me, his eyes crinkling at the corner in amusement. “I am fine sir. How are you too?” I bowed my head slightly in curtsey, even though I was surprised he noticed me enough to know my full name among the sea of faces in his class. “I am fine. Have your seat. How may I be of help to you?” He leaned forward and I thought I saw his gaze rested on my breasts briefly but assigned it to figment of my imagination. “Sir, I came to complain about my test result. I don’t think this belong to me because I am quite sure I did quite well in your test.” I sat down and waved the paper in the air. “If you did so well, why did you fail then?” He asked coolly. “I don’t know. That is why I came to see you. Probably there is an error or mix-up somewhere sir.” I said quietly and he laughed softly. “You sound like a confident lady and I like that. I have been watching you for sometimes and I knew this is the only way to get you to my office.” He got up and came round to sit on the desk beside me. “What do you mean sir?” I asked nervously as I looked up at him and tried to move my chair away. Dear God! Don’t let it be what I am thinking. I can’t take this again, I prayed desperately in my mind. “I like you a lot and will like us to be an item. You are a beautiful girl.” He grinned at me as he caressed my cheek and I slapped his hand away as I got to my feet in anger. “Sir, I am old enough to be your daughter and I am new in school. You are supposed to be a father figure to me. ”I said coldly and watched him roar with laughter. “Do I look like your father or you have forgotten you left him at home when you are coming here? You are new and fresh and that is why I want to lay first claim to your special accessories before those young boys start chasing you around. My dear, this is not the private secondary school you are coming from and you will still fail your exam if care is not taken.” He said with a small smile as he lay his palm on my left breast and squeezed. I saw red and spat in his face. “Take your filthy hand off me, you old fool.” I pushed him away and walked out of his office.

The anger drained out of me on my way to the hostel to be replaced by despair and misery and tears filled my eyes. I got to my room and climbed into bed without undressing. My bunk mate, Eniola Olaboye came in shortly after I got into bed. She was a final year Agric-economy student and was few years older than I was. She tapped me on the back gently. “Jummy, what is wrong? Turn around and let me see your face.” She said firmly. I turned to face her and promptly burst into tears again. I told her what transpired between me and the lecturer and she listened with an angry look on her face. “He is an idiot. He needs to be taught a lesson. Go and wash your face and we will go and see a cousin of mine in the male hostel.” She said quietly. I did as I was told and that was how I met Yinka.

The attraction between us was instantaneous and mutual. He listened and he was empathic and he took action. He involved his friends and I was persuaded to go back to the lecturer with a tape recorder and drew him out. I brought out the naughty part of me and went to work. He was caught red-handed and subsequently relieved of his job. Yinka persuaded me to press charge against him in addition to the fact that the school was suing him on so many charges, some female students came out to testify against him but I refused. Olayinka didn’t know he just helped me close the door to a dark part of my life that I have been carrying with me for so long. I was relieved and I was grateful and the relationship blossomed between the two of us. We become inseparable in the school and almost anyone that knew both of us knew we were dating exclusively. He was the first man I ever slept with and the memory of it lingered in my mind for a long time.

He was not in his room when I got there after the day’s lectures that late afternoon but I was so tired that I just dropped my bag on the floor and got into bed. I slept off almost immediately and when I opened my eyes, the room was in darkness. The temperature had also dropped and I realized that it was raining. I rolled over to get out of bed and his arm came round me. “Welcome back to the land of the living! I didn’t want to wake you up when I came in.”He chuckled against my neck. I stretched and purred like a cat. “Welcome back. I truly enjoy this nap.it was a life saver.” I grinned into the darkness, hugging his arm to me and nestled deeper into him. “Jummy, have mercy. You are killing me here.”He groaned as his fingers traced patterns over my right breast and my heart picked up speed. He turned me around and kissed my eye lids, my nose and finally my lips. I breathed a sigh of relieve and deepened the kiss. He explored every part of my mouth thoroughly as his hands found its way underneath my t-shirt and unclipped my bra at the back. It was a new and welcome sensation as fire seemed to pool in my groin. I moaned involuntarily as his mouth and hands played havoc with my senses. He put a stop to the kiss briefly and sent my top and bra flying over my head and engulfed me in his embrace. “I love your boobs. They are so soft and firm” He crooned sweet words as he squeezed my breasts softly and licked the nipples with tongues. I moaned and brought his head back to my mouth.” You are so sweet, my baby” He crooned against my lips and kissed me deeply. He inserted his leg between my thighs and hiked up my short skirt. His hand skimmed down my body in a light caress, pulled aside my thong and slipped his finger in. I stiffened involuntarily and my body jerked as I struggled to be set free. “Easy, baby. I am not going to hurt you, I promise.” He broke the kiss and looked deep into my eyes. I gulped and tried to relax my body. His finger moved gently and softly in me and I grew very wet. “Jummy, Are you a virgin?” He asked in awe and I nodded mutely. “Oh my baby! I can stop if you want me to, though it is not going to be easy but I will.” He engulfed me in a warm passionate hug and I smiled, holding him tight. “I know but I want you.’ I murmured against his chest. I lost my virginity and my heart to him that night.

Our love waxed stronger .Final exams and project came in the second semester and it was time for him to leave the school for another phase of his life. It was a bitter-sweet events for both of us and we tried to spend all our waking moments together as much as possible. The real blow came when he called me during the session break and told me he had to leave the country because his father wanted him to go and continue his education over-seas almost immediately. I sneaked out of the house the day he was leaving and went to meet him at the airport. His parent were not too happy when they saw me but I didn’t care and begged him not to leave. I sat beside him as we waited for his flight to be called and watched him went through immigration with tears streaming down my face. I left the airport that night with a heavy heart and that was the last time I saw Olayinka Olaboye.

He communicated with me regularly for a few weeks but it stopped after a while and all my effort to reach him was in vain. Another session began in school and I was glad to go back. I was so immersed in my misery and longing for him that I didn’t noticed that my monthly period hadn’t come for over two months. Lectures had started and school activities had commenced fully. I started feeling feverish on and off and bouts of dizziness assailed me. I eventually went to the hospital to see the doctor and the doctor confirmed I was pregnant after asking a few questions. I went to take a pregnancy test in obvious denial and the truth stared in the face as it came out positive!

I went back to the hostel like a zombie and stayed there for 3 days, feeling hopeless, helpless and wondering what next to do. My mother would kill me, was the only I could think of until I brought myself out of my shell and took my life in hand. I went back to the hospital and scheduled an appointment for a D and C procedure. The doctor tried to persuade me out of it but when I threatened to go elsewhere, he finally agreed and I emptied my bank account to get it done. It was painful and I screamed the whole hospital down in the process. I was on admission at the hospital for two weeks, recuperating as I bled profusely after the operation. When I came out of the hospital, I was a shadow of myself and I was a new person inside of me.I left the naïve girl at the hospital and never looked back!

“Olayinka Olaboye, it was great meeting you again and welcome to my family. Do feel at home.” I enthused with a fake smile and he gave me a confused look. “Adenike, take care of yourself. We will see and talk later. I need to get somewhere very urgently.” I said breezily as I hurried out of the house and three pairs of eyes followed me in confusion. I went for a long walk and didn’t come back until very late in the night. I crept into my bedroom and went straight to sleep.

A strange number called me during lunchbreak the following week in the office and immediately, I picked the call, I knew there was trouble. “Jummy, don’t bother to reject that call unless you want me to come into your office. Come out and let’s talk. ”Yinka said firmly and I sighed heavily. “I am coming.” I said in a resigned voice and rolled my eyes skyward as I walked out of the office. He was standing beside his car right in front of my office building and the old feelings I thought were buried came rushing back in unexpected waves. I paused and closed my eyes in despair. Help me, Dear God, He is no longer mine, I thought miserably and when I opened my eyes, he was staring at me as if he could see straight into my soul. “The feeling is mutual, Jummy and I am not going to deny it.”He confirmed my suspicion as he moved forward and engulfed me in a warm hug. “I miss you so much, baby” He breathed me in and I stood rigidly in his embrace. “Let’s go for lunch and talk.” He led me to his car and I got in without a word. I stared out through the window on our way to the restaurant and wasn’t surprised he still remembered my favorite food. We ate in companionable silence.

“Why did you stop calling?” I blurted out suddenly and he sighed heavily as he pushed his plates away. “I am sorry, baby. I got mixed up with the wrong gang in school and was thrown into the jail. I was denied all forms of contact with the outside world and only selected member of my family were allowed to visit. I won’t bored you with the sordid detail but it took my dad three years and lots of connection to get me out. I called your number immediately I got back home but it wasn’t available and I got in contact with Eniola. She gave me the numbers of some of your friends she knew when you were in school but none of them knew your whereabouts. I was devastated and came back to Nigeria at the first available opportunity. I searched for you, Love, I truly do.” He said quietly. “Fate is a bastard. I moved on when you stopped communicating with me.” I smiled grimly and dashed a tear away. “The first day I saw Adenike in the shopping mall, I thought you were the one until she faced me and I realized I was wrong. I want you back, Jummy. I am not going to let you go again. ”He said with quiet determination. “It is too late, Yinka. Adenike is my only sister and you are already engaged to her. I can’t do that to her .Let just forget the past and moved on.” I said urgently and he signaled for the bill. “You are joking, Jumoke. I will drop you in your office and will pick you up at the closing hour.” He said with quiet determination as he got to his feet and led me out with his hand possessively on my waist. I left the office before closing hour and refused to pick his calls.

Adenike’s call woke me up on Saturday morning and when I picked up, she was sobbing on the phone. “Sister Jummy, He broke up with me. He said he is no longer interested in our relationship any longer. What should I do?” She cried bitterly and my heart dropped in dread. What is this, dear God?

You write really well.
Each which, you always stop the story in a way to keep your readers anticipating the next lines.
Well done!