THE EX FACTOR #3
It’s
not officially a federal offence to drink and drive… well, except you’re caught.
But one offence you can never be scared of getting caught is to think and
drive.
It
was like Titi and I had exhausted our vocal creativity in the pub. Hence, we
kind of found it very difficult to talk. She commented about “Passenger - Let
her go” playing on the radio, I commended her for the maintenance of her ride
and that was it.
It couldn’t possibly be uneasiness. Could it? We just finished talking almost like we used to, some five-ten minutes ago and the flow was smooth.
It couldn’t possibly be uneasiness. Could it? We just finished talking almost like we used to, some five-ten minutes ago and the flow was smooth.
Probably it was the change of… environment?... Was inside the car any
different from inside the pub?
Well,
probably the devil wanted to come home early for dinner. In the absence of
things to say, I involuntarily allowed myself to drift off in thought and in
split seconds, I was strolling down memory lane.
-----------
4 years ago -------------
I
was always doing my evening exercise with two of my hommies in our estate. This
estate where you see the same set of strangers every day for years unending. I
grew up here and can proudly boast to know the place more than most of these
newbies forming Porsche. I was here when the estate was just one developing
thing with excavated grounds here and there. For a very long time, I had always
seen this almost completed building. Other’s foundations were laid, building
constructed and finished for use while this one stood like a patient old lady
waiting for the said ‘God’s time’ which is the best.
On
this particular evening, what brought an early end to my regular routine was
the activity going on around the house. I never noticed the house had been
completed and the occupants were moving in. I was surprised… And that was the first
time ever I saw this chocolate skinned, slightly tall and very attractive young
lady. I had the ability of guessing people’s age but this seemed tricky as I
couldn’t just place it. Probably I was too far off. Arms at akimbo, sweat
dripping from my body and my earpiece plugged to my ears, the song was playing
but I just wasn’t listening.
The
dad, the mum and two other kids I guess were her younger ones. A boy around
fourteen and a little girl around seven, sitting with their elder sis, all
watched the movers going in with loads and coming out to fetch more.
“Let
me go and assist them”
Only
God knows where that thought came from, and like a zombie with no ability for
thought processing, I walked back and began jogging towards their direction. I
didn’t know what exactly I was doing but I got to the spot, greeted everyone,
smiled like the king’s fool, congratulated the parents, and offered to assist
the movers.
They
welcomed me like they had been waiting for me and in no time I was on my fifth
round of load carrying. My joints were burning and my arms were shivering but I
was smiling and never complained because for some unknown reasons, I felt like
I was showing off or performing my responsibility and at the end of the day,
after the movers had gone, the Mum offered me a glass of chilled water, and
some change which I refused. All through, I was just stealing peeks at her and
I made sure I did it so well, no one, including her would have the slightest
idea.
I
was on my way back home when I heard “Hey!” afar off. Not belonging to the group
of those that throw attentions at “Psss!”, “Hey!” and the likes I kept on moving.
The “Hey” was getting closer and closer and I just had to stop and look back.
I
looked back!
There’s
always a story for those who looked back in the bible right? And I can say it
kind of pretty much applied cos locking this same young lady’s gaze for the
first time was like an invisible bucket of ice was out poured over me. I
literally froze! Lips couldn’t move, eyes couldn’t blink, arms were stiff.
“You
forgot your music player” she said in the sweetest and best pitched voice I’ve
ever heard from any opposite sex, stretching my iPod and earpiece towards me.
She had to raise it since I was taller.
Without
exaggeration, it took me around a minute or two to collect the iPod, blink and
mutter any words of appreciation.
Gosh!
This girl is beautiful
Eclipse
shaped face with a fantastic hairline, perfectly placed questioning eyes like
they were resting on her slightly pointing nose, dark and artistically curved
lips and a nice a slim rounded neck. Nice curves and a rather big breasts for
her stature. I stood, oblivious to the fact that I was just gaping.
“Isn’t
it yours or was it for one of those guys?”
“Auhmmm…
yea?... Yes it’s mine. Thanks. I…I... would really have being hurt had I lost
it”
“Oh…
Thank God you didn’t then”
“Yep.
Thanks to you too”
Was
I really stuttering?!... Me?!... Ok now, this is strange cos I never and I mean
NEVER! Stutter in front a girl. First meeting, tenth meeting, hundredth
meeting, I never stutter.
“Can
I… hum… Can I know… your name?”
We
exchanged further pleasantries, she told me her name and I told her mine. I
ended up walking her back home and felt like very happy on my way back home
We
kept in touch and became close friends after that and since my house was just a
ten minutes which always seemed like two minutes’ walk to her place, I often
told various lies at home to go to her place and see her. At home, I’ve either
gone to visit sick Daniel or Joe wants me to help him repair a gadget. Weekends
were easy- I’ve gone to watch ball. Everyoneat her place liked me, especially
her mum but I never really got to know her ‘always travelling’ dad. Whenever
her dad was around, she’ll always tell me to postpone my appearance. I
challenged the idea though but I never crossed the “Pop-is-around” boundary.
She
invited me to parties, even family occasions which sometimes really got me
washed up in embarrassments ‘cos I sometimes felt like an outcast especially
when she, the only familiar face wasn’t around to keep me company. She always
was busy with serving food, supervisions and the likes, Really hardworking. I
never really had anything to invite her to except a few shows and one or two
friend’s birthday bash. And every time she was always turning heads and I felt
like a celebrity even though we were just friends. The mere fact that she has
no bf, neither me a gf was all the security I needed at the time.
I
was so comfortable around my friend and we got closer with every passing day.
At a time, she could proudly boast to know more about me than any of my friends
and even my childhood friend who we grew up together. She just had this
dominating and commanding aura about her, my friends just take a chill pill
anytime she was around. She isn’t shy to go into an argument with anyone. Guy
or girl. Arguing with a girl automatically gave her the upper hand and one
thing that always keep me coming to Titi was the fact that she was very
unpredictable. I really loved that about her and most times I was guessing
wrong about what she was gonna do next. She’s always hitting you from the
direction you weren’t even thinking. Also, she was so driven and determined,
I’ve almost never seen that kind of determination in any female. She never
takes “NO” for an answer… except every option has been exploited and no other
option was physically or fictionally available.
By
the time I met Titi, she was in 100L in Bowen University and we got so close,
people thought we were dating even before we were. We both couldn’t wait for
the holidays to see each other and gist about what happened during the semester
and how many guys in total asked her out. We talked, we laughed and the
laughable thing about us laughing is that sometimes, we don’t need to talk.
Something happens; we’ll look at each other and just burst out laughing. She also
had a funny way of talking and laughing at the same time.
One
Saturday evening when coming back from the cinema, she Had offered to see me
off to my place and walk back to hers and I knew better than to try convince
her otherwise.
At
the front of my gate we both had said our goodbyes but nobody turned to leave. Spontaneously,
my mouth moved towards hers and hers towards mine. We met halfway in the most
passionate kiss anyone could ever imagine. It lasted a while and we stoped.
“Uhmm…
I’m sorry” we both said, almost together like it had been practiced.
She
hurried off, I hurried in and headed straight for my room. I flew on my bed and
cried. Till today, I can’t really say if it was tears of joy, love, pain,
sorrow or broken friendship. And that was it. We started dating. she later told me that she cried when she got home that night. I never told her I did too though.
I
dated Titi throughout her university days. We were both adventurous and we never
got tired of doing things out of anyone’s wildest dreams. We were crazy
about each other and we both kept things on the low in our estate. We both feared
our parents. Although we both knew it was just a matter of time before the
speaker busted, we were determined to enjoy our relationship while it lasted.
I
visited her in school and she did the same but our hoovey-Joovey was soon to
end just before her NYSC when one night she called me and told me her dad took
her phone and exploited everything from the wallpaper which was me to the
texts, the pings, even the call logs. I was sad and I cried. She said she
couldn’t see me no more. And I understood. I really don’t know who she feared
more… God or Her dad.
“What
about our memories, hanging out at the pub, watching ball together, sneaking
into each other’s houses, our future plans and all the promises” I could
remember asking tearfully.
“If
God says we’ll be, no man can stop it” she replied with tear chocked voice.
We
talked, we wept and we said our goodbyes.
“I’ll
always put you in a special place in my heart”. That was the last sentence she
said before hanging up.
Titi
went for her service and I never saw her until the day Dave was going to force
me to meet his girlfriend and I was staring straight at Titi.
Memories
I
remembered the day Titi won the company’s promo. She was drunk and I had to
smuggle her through the back door to my room, not knowing I had injured her
knee in the process. The scar was permanent and although I felt sorry at the moment,
I also had the ambivalent feeling of putting a mark on my property.
My
eyes were misty and I decided to take a quick glance at the scar on her knee
I
saw it and just as I was about smiling….
….I
heard the loudest car honk ever. It was a trailer with full head lights
straight opposite us and that was the moment I remembered I was driving.
My
heart sunk in my stomach.
“WATCH
OUT!!!” Titi screamed.
Mature
Minds Talk.
quite nice... a very good story line
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