A cloudy day is no match for sunny
disposition...this season you can’t just wake up one day claiming to
be a fortune teller, predicting your first event with a weather forecast. Not
in this part of the world where its cold in the morning, and you're left to
deal with the heat and dust at noon.
“Welcome back Arthur” Yinka said to himself prideful,
cleaning his newly acquired tuxedo outside his always-busy hostel which now
seem dead silent.
He stood with his shorts almost
falling off his waist and exposing the better half of his boxers.
With sound busting out of the
speaker of his Samsung S4, he didn’t waste time as he struck the
Michael Jackson move to the popular song by Justin Timberlake, 'take back the
night.' He kept wowing to the song
waving the small towel on his right hand consistently. He tried to tuck his
shoes on his left hand between his thighs, and then slid backward in
demonstration of the popular dance step by the 'king of pop.'
“I would make a good dancer” he muffled to himself.. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come
back to school, too many enemies” he said as he continued with the
cleaning.
Yinka had been given a second
chance back in school as a result of his father’s influence. He had never wanted to
come to school, always been dreaming of having one of the best studios in
the country, prior to his love for photography and graphic design, hence
ditching school, ...well, not until he got caught cheating in an examination
with a mysterious piece of paper he thought he had chewed though.
His playlist changed quickly to one
of his favourite alternative rock songs. 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragon. He
roared to the song several times, showcasing his imaginary guitar… with the last
pair of shoe in his hand. Just as he was being carried away with his mini
performance…
“Hello, Mr yinka Bernard”
a sharp and clear voice in mockery of him called out from behind him.
Wondering who that might be, he
turned very quickly in embarrassment.
“Oh! Look who's here?” he said giving a sly grin... “Miss Rhoda and wife!”
The two girls stared at each other in disgust.
“We came to see you, are you going to welcome us in or are you just
gonna continue with your mini concert?” Rhoda said with her commanding
tone.
He gave an heavy shrug, tilted his neck in
pity, prior to the insult he just received.
“You could come in, but no snogging in ma room please...” he said
reciprocally, hoping they flare up and leave.
Sheila who had been silent all
along watching and listening to the swirl rising popped in.
“That’s quite humiliating” she muttered
“obviously yes” he responded, leading them to his room, carrying with him the
small bucket and brush he was using for his cleaning job.
__________________________
“Nice room...” She said as she picked up the magazine beside her and sat in one
of the most comfortable chairs…
Sheila noticed the matching colour
of his room's window blind and rug as she tried peeping through to see the
other part of his room. His bed was well laid and his toilet door was closed.
“Clean
room, neat boy”
she thought
“You have any roommate?” Rhoda asked flipping through the
magazine.
“nope just me, and several housemates” he answered, wondering the reason
for the question
“hmmmm… loottsss of privacyyy…” she drawled flaunting her sheepish
smile
He kept mute, pretending he didn’t hear and hoping
she goes straight to whatever she came for. He sighed as he rest his back on
the wall close to her.
“Why are you back in school? You are not meant to be here” she swayed whilst detest sounded in every of
her word.
He cocked his head in frustration,
hoping it ended soonest... “My dad insisted”
“You are a big boy, you should tell him you don’t wanna come back
to school, at least not the same one,” she persisted.
“... but i'm back now, so you all should get over yourself” he said looking
at both girls.
“We don’t want you here, you should pack your stuffs and leave!” She yelled at
him with her eye balls bulging.
Amused, Yinka hutched forward like
he didn’t hear her clearly, he twitched his brows in annoyance finding the exact words to say
to her.
“What is your problem, young lady?” He questioned, still very amused
with utmost feeling of irritation.
“Calm down Yinka…” Sheila halted her “ we aint asking you not to come to
school,” she said rolling her eyes up and down, staring at Rhoda who was
boiling with anger..
“...all I'm asking you is, where are the pictures? Do you have them
here in school?” she said calmly, looking straight at the manly figure clinged to
the wall.
“What picture? I already gave it to her last year before I left
school when she kept threatening me with Biggy” he tried explaining.
Gobsmacked, Sheila turned her gaze
to silent Rhoda.. “Is that true?” she questioned astounded. Pretending at first like she didn’t hear that and
later replying casually “...yeah, collected it already”
“...And you never thought of letting me know about it? It’s not just you in
that picture. It's the two of us in a compromising position” Sheila yelled.
“What do you need it for? I already have it … please stop
yelling,” she shrieked.
She looked at Sheila, and then
yinka in annoyance before standing from her chair
“Really, did you guys plan this?” she simmered in anger. “Ok, I wonder why
I came here in the first place,” she carried her bag and walked towards the front door in attempt
to escape the already opening turbulence.
Yinka lifted his hands forward with
his palms up, tilted up his head and eye brows, alongside his eyeballs that
gave away the expression on his face.
“You should go after your girl anyways” he suggested, dropping
his hands
Sheila lifted herself from the
cushion she was sitting almost all comfortable. She gave a light shrug, looking
for the right word to say. She adjusted the bag strap on her shoulder.
“She’s not my girl… ” She exhaled. “See, this is one out of the million of things I want to ask you”
He nodded his head mumbling a
go-ahead tone.
“How many people know about this?” she questioned
“No
one, precisely..”
“precisely?”
“No one” he smiled .
“Then you ain't as bad as Rhoda painted you” gazing at his
biceps, broad chest, six 'packs' …and the edge of his almost
fallen-off short, she blinked. "...we should find time to talk”
She walked out of the room quickly
before he could respond.
-------------------
She bumped into one of the resident of the
house.
“easy girl!” he yelled.
“sorry,
sorry” walking quickly towards the
gate.
she looked around for Rhoda but
later saw her sitting on a bench in front of a shop.
The anger in her brew up as she walked across
the road to the other side.
“What is the meaning of that, that prank you displayed in there!” Sheila yelled
pointing towards the building.
“what prank? Obviously, it’s the other way round… that, that was
sneaky”
“ sneaky you think? How about the way you spec things, you make
things happen your own way...” her anger barely contained. “How about the picture with you? Did
you tell me anything about it?” she took a breath of frustration, “really, I'm done talking here...”
Rhoda stood up from the bench with the bottle
of drink she was holding.
“You are against me now?” she gave a creepy smile.
“I'm not against you… all I need you to do is, go home
now to get the pictures for me... 'cos I need to see the damn thing!” she shrieked and
looked round to see if she had attracted attention. The woman who was in the
shop rushed out to see what’s going on within her space.
Rhoda pulled her away quickly with
her right hand clinged to her elbow, and succeeding in rumbling the edge of her
dress.
“You were yelling” she whispered, as she pulled her further down the road quickly.
Sheila gave her a cold shoulder,
tugged her hands away from hers, adjusted her cloth and bag strap. She
whispered back to her.
“Get me the pictures, that’s what am interested in.”
She flagged down the next bike that
moved towards her, got on it while the motorcyclist sped off as she described
her destination to him.
Rhoda stood beside the road trying
to get over what had just happened... she looked at her hands, saw the bottle
of light Coke, and with annoyance steaming inside of her threw the bottle away
as far as she could, expressing a frenzy.
.... to b continued
Written by: Debby Oni
( ... also read preceding episodes and stay tuned for new episodes)
your comments would be appreciated..
XoXo... <3
Debby....
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XoXo <3 ....Debby