"Your feeling is absolutely correct."
I looked at him carefully. He had discarded his clothes and was now in shorts, and as usual, shirtless. He smelt like he just had his bath. It was awesome. Maybe that was the reason he went to his room first.
The look on his face wasn't surprised. It was rather like he expected it. He moved closer to me and cleaned my tears with the tip of his fingers, I watched him carefully as he did this, thinking of how he had been able to survive without actually recognizing people faces.
"I feel like all I do is make you cry," he said, staring at me with a look of pain on his face. I wanted to let him know that it wasn't true, but let's not lie. All I do is cry nowadays. He sat there for some time doing nothing but watching my face with care, then he smiled nervously and said, "You asked me not to stare at you, sorry."
"No, it's okay," I said, pulling his face towards mine again. He looked quite surprised as I said this, "It's absolutely fine, you can stare all you want."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry about this morning, I behaved in the most horrible way," he said in a remorseful tone. I was quite surprised he apologized for what he did this morning. It made me glad he actually did.
"It's alright," I said with a smile.
"You don't seem to hate me so much again, so are you ready to let me know what I did?" He smiled.
A feeling of dread passed through me at first, I didn't know how I would let tell him that the reason I had been throwing those tantrums was because I thought his sister was his girlfriend, shit, I feel so stupid. I thought about how I'm going to place down the subject without making it sound stupid.
"Who's contact do you have saved as Mi love on your phone?" I asked in a very quiet voice. Although I could already tell that it was his sister, I needed confirmation from him, at least now have realized that assumptions just aren't the thing.
He looked quite shocked by my question but answered me all the same, "its that one woman who has the worst timing ever. She somehow always ends up calling at the wrong time." He smiled lovingly. It was obvious she was someone he held dearly, "it's my mum."
"Your mum?" I asked, mouth agape.
"Yep, why do you ask?"
"Ehm, it's just..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say, like I was the worst conversation starter in the world.
He looked at my face curiously like he was trying to search out information, then a look of eureka showed on his face, like he had it all figured out, "Wait. That day she called me, you thought... you thought she was my girlfriend."
I nodded my head sheepishly, dropping my head low immediately, I just couldn't bear the embarrassment that washed through me.
He raised my head up by the chin and looked into my eyes, "why?"
"Well, because the contact picture was the same girl I saw sitting on your laps some days earlier." I said, finally letting it all out.
"Shit!" He bent his head over his hand, then raised it up again, "you must have felt so horrible, but why didn't you just ask me? She's my sister."
"I just couldn't bring myself to," I said, confirming how idiotic I am.
He took my hands into his, igniting that familiar feeling in me, and said, looking into my eyes intently, "you have to know this Mary, its only you, there's no one else. I'm not such a douche that I would do such a thing to you."
"I know," I said in a quiet tone, "and I'm sorry."
"No, you have nothing to be sorry about, I should have told you all this, gosh, why do I have to be so clueless?" He exclaimed in a bewildered tone. He pulled me closer to him in a hug, I went willingly into his arms, wrapping my arms around him.
Cocooned in his arms, I felt the happiest and safest, I moaned in relief and satisfaction, thinking of where this was actually leading us. As we all know, this kinda moments never last, I was soon jerked back to life as I felt something vibrating close to my legs
I pulled away from him to see Ademide bring out his phone from his pockets. He smiled and showed the screen to me, I saw the name Mi love flashing on it.
"Told you she has the worst timing ever," he said and picked up the call. "How about thanks, Mum, for greeting." He said in a voice that sounded annoyed, but you could definitely hear the playfulness underneath it. "Thanks for almost ruining my relationship. My girlfriend was on the verge of breaking up with me because of you." I listened to him as he talked, watching his face, I was confused when he mentioned me as his girlfriend. I know I'm the one he's talking about, but the question is, when did I become his girlfriend? "Yes..." He answered this time with an eye roll, "for what?"
He looked as though he was arguing with her or something, I wondered what she was saying, I questioned no more when he handed the phone to me, "For what?" I asked in a bewildered voice.
"She wants to speak with you," he deadpanned.
I collected the phone with shaky hands and said in the most polite voice I could muster, "Hello."
"It's a girl!" The woman on the other end squealed, more like screamed, I scrunched my face up at how loud her voice was. Now I've realized how annoying it is whenever I scream. "Hello, the one with the pretty voice. Are you really Ademide's girlfriend?"
"Yes," I answered in an unsure voice, I still haven't figured out when I became his girlfriend, but I guess I am if he says so.
"Really, he isn't paying you to pretend while he dates some guy, is he?" She asked in a careful voice. It sounded as though she was trying not to offend me.
"No, he isn't."
"Thank God!" She exclaimed happily, she sounded so happy, I wondered how long he's actually been without a girlfriend. "Femi, your son finally has a girlfriend, wedding bells oo."
I heard her saying to someone else, definitely Ademide's father, the mention of wedding bells shocked me to my bone marrow, a look of horror filled my face as I turned to Ademide.
"What the hell did my mum say to scare you?" He took the phone from my hand placed back on his ear, "Mum...she hung up!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "What did she say to you?"
"It's nothing to worry about," I said, smiling at him, and then I asked the most important question. "Am I your girlfriend?"
"So, are you my boyfriend?" He asked instead, rolling his eyes.
I hit him on his arm, "You know what I mean."
"Well, yes, you are. Don't you want to be my girlfriend?" There was a coy smile on his lips as he said this. This guy clearly knew what he was doing.
"You didn't ask me to be your girlfriend!" I yelled.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked in the most casual tone I have ever heard him use. I gave out a frustrated sigh and stood up from the couch, ready to leave for my room, but he pulled me back, having me seat facing him on his laps. He placed his hands on my waist, running it over my waist. "Sorry, short screamer, I just didn't see the need in asking you that, I just figured you were my girlfriend."
"Well, I see the need." I stated.
"So, do you want to be my girlfriend?" He asked quite sincerely this time, with that smile of his that I love so much. My heart swelled with joy. If anyone had told me this morning that this would happen, I would have bet my eyelash it wouldn't.
"Why didn't you tell me about your eye defect?" I asked instead. And it was the most stupid thing ever because his face got drained of all smiles, his hands dropped from my waist, and I instantly regretted my stupid question. "I'm sorry, I really..."
"It's okay, its just that only my family and then your brother knows about, but I figured he told you."
"I'm sorry." I didn't want him to feel like I was imposing on him, and I also didn't want him to feel like he couldn't trust Samuel, I'm sure the guy told me because he noticed how stupid I'd been acting.
"It's okay." He smiled again, his hands went across my waist, pulling my closer to him. I breathed in his scent and tried not to drown in it. "It's not exactly eye defect. It's a neuro..."
"...logical disorder." I completed for him. He gave me a surprised stare, "I searched about it."
"You did?"
"Yeah, I needed to know fully well about what was troubling my boyfriend." I bent closer to him and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
"Your boyfriend, am I your boyfriend?" He asked with a smirk.
"So, are you my girlfriend?" I deadpanned. He laughed so hard at this that I listened as his chest rumbled underneath me. It was a very beautiful sound and feeling. "Why my face?"
"I really can't say." He answered in a quiet tone. "My therapist said that it's probably because I listened to Samuel talk about you, and I mean he does that a lot. So, I kinda was anticipating meeting you, and when I did, I could recognize your face, shocking, I must admit."
"Samuel talks about me?" I asked. This was the greatest surprise ever, I thought he was the most uncaring brother ever. My heart swelled with happiness before I figured that he could just be stating bad things about me.
"Yes, he is very fond of you. There is no single day he doesn't talk about you."
"That's hard to believe," I squealed.
"It will be for you. All you guys do at home is argue and fight, and I'm always wondering where the loving brother went to."
"I wonder also." I said.
I rested my head on his chest and listened as his heart beat beneath my ear. It was thrilling and amazing, the fact that he was my boyfriend. I can't wait to let Isha know. She will be so surprised.
"Mary," he called my name, raising me up to look at him. "If there is ever a time you feel that I've done anything to hurt you, please let me know, I'm kinda the most clueless person in this world. If you don't tell me, I won't know."
"I promise." I smiled. He pulled me flushed against him, kissing me slowly. I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his waist as I opened my mouth up to him. His roaming hands found their way underneath my shirt, tinkling my waist beads, his love for those beads. I moaned as I felt the familiar feeling of awareness surge through me. It was confirmed this guy would be the death of me.
"Uh huh, ekale oo, (good evening oo.)" A voice said from behind us, coughing.
I jumped off his laps, landing butt down on the floor, I looked up towards the door to see my mum standing there with the most condescending smile ever. A lump formed in my throat as I found it difficult to breathe.
"Mummy, good...evening." I stuttered.
"Evening ma." I heard Ademide say in a voice that didn't seem to be sacred. I couldn't afford to look at him, so I didn't know what his expressions said. My gaze was fixated on my mum he just looked at us one more time and went into her room.
I placed my hands on my head and said the only true thing about me at the moment, "mogbe, moku, modaran! (I'm doomed, dead, and in trouble!)"
"Calm down, you're not dead." My head turned sharply to Ademide, I threw him a glare, I couldn't figure out if the guy is oblivious to what just happened because he looked passive as though nothing happened. I ignored him and thought about my fast approaching death. The only song on my mind was.
Mogbe, moku, modaran!
What do ya think is gonna happen to Mary?
Yay, or nay?
© Mary Aden.