[Story] Love, Lust And Lost

8 years ago

[Story] Love, Lust And Lost

She felt shy as they sat beside each other. She didn’t want to draw close to him before but when the bar owner had tried to give them some privacy, he asked that Zainab draw close to peter.

It was as if he would do something wrong to her. Perhaps rape her in the presence of the bar owner, with the bar very open – both windows and door. She was afraid and it hung on her body like leprosy.

Yes, she might have had some impression about boys in general but Peter would be different with just the little chat they’ve had.
She hadn’t had the opportunity of staring into his eyes. She rather had a dodgy eyes. He might swallow her up, she felt. Timidity of the mind was more required in such cases than of the body. She hoped she’ll get used to him as time goes on.

“Zainab, look at me na! Why are you staring into space. Not as if I’m a ghost or someone whose eyes had been plucked out by a vulture.” He laughed, thinking she would too but she rather scratched her neck. She felt uncomfortable but she managed a smile afterwards.

“I’m sorry Peter,” she paused to take a deep breath, then she spoke on.

“You know, it feels so strange!” She looked towards the door. Away from where she was talking to him.

In her heart, she had what her plans were. She knew she doesn’t have to make everything go too easy so he wouldn’t later see her as someone who is cheap. Someone he could take for granted in the future. But it feels she was taking it too far. She would rather had not come than displaying some shroud attitude.

Peter stood up and put his two hands in his side pockets. He sighed heavily. In his mind, he thought extensively of what to do. This might be a wrong move he had taken. F^ck it!!! He shouldn’t have stoop so low. Zainab wasn’t of his standard.
No, she was, but she was trying to make life hard for him. He couldn’t stand this test if she meant it that way, yet – he wasn’t sure if she even likes him.

“Okay then! I think you shouldn’t have responded than come here,……………….. Goodbye,”

He was about leaving the door when Zainab grabbed his hand and he turned back. That was a scene. She was seated and he, standing. They both looked into each other’s eyes for long. No one could break the silence. Two people lost in thought. Only heaven knew what they might be thinking about.

Peter’s face was lashed at every point with surprises. He didn’t know what that meant but he was hopeful, joyous in his heart. He might have scored a point with trying to walk out on her.

Zainab on the other hand was so ashamed of her courage. She stared at him with mixed feelings. Though she was starting to love Peter’s manliness but didn’t want to let it appear to him as such.

Then it changed. She shouldn’t have held him back. It impeded on her own pride as a woman. Her dignity was slapped in the face by herself – like she used her own hands to hurt herself. It felt as though she would be the one to toast him, the one to be the director of affairs if they eventually became friends.

Beads of sweat were starting to form across her forehead. Then it drooled down a path that had been made without her consent by her nose. She wanted to swipe at it but she let it flow. As if it were flowing the words in her heart. The longing to be this guy’s boyfriend.

“I’m sorry for trying to walk out on you. It’s just that,…………. See Zainab, I’ve been stuck in thought about you. I had discusssed about you every single day of my life with my friends since the first time I saw you! I’ve had countless – sleepless night since then. I started thinking absurdly. And now, when I could find the time to express my thought to you,” he paused.

It seemed he had been talking for long. 4hours all in all. His mouth was dry now and bitter. His tongue were starting to long for water but it wasn’t available. He didn’t even care if it were. He was determined to use all the saliva in his mouth today, only if it would yield result – and make Zainab be his.

“I love you Zainab” he finally said the words that made her big eyeballs (crayfish eyes) glow. They bulged out of their socket like when Tom and Jerry had a nail-eyes because they saw the other person doing what wasn’t expected of him. However, hers wasn’t much of less expectant but it met her unaware.

She looked up to him now. The fears and shyness had crept away and there was certain thing that was starting to locate their way into her mind. It was hurrying with enormous speed. Bringing along with it what would be the deadliest thing she might ever say, ever had said in her life. She felt it now and it nulged her with great displeasure. Should she let it out of her in a lash?

Then, her tears gland wanted to betray her – as they were starting to work in their factory when they should be having an off day or a rest. This betrayal would make her forsake her tears gland and she would never shed tears again in her life. Not even the scold of a teacher, parents or infliction of pain would make her shed a single tears again.

Before it finally burst out, she let out what she felt about what he had said.

“I love you too Peter,” then her body was trying to find a balance between hysteria and shyness.

Peter’s face lightened up. He wasn’t expecting a quick reply. He had also given it a shot, expecting anything that was coming – good or bad reply. He had heard girls giving boys slap when they tried to woo them and he had been expecting worst if it should come to it. Perhaps he was a lucky dude who had met Zainab’s head at home. Because she wasn’t all that okay when it comes to `disgracing’ males.

Surely, he was `Goodluck’ today. Hadn’t Zainab left her friends cause of him?

“Thank you so much. God! I’m one of the happiest human on earth today!” He went back to sit.

So, his friends had been right all along – Zainab was not taken. He was definitely going to be a king in their midst the next day.

“Bros, abeg show o!” Peter called out with honey plattered on his tongues and in his voice.

Zainab wasn’t sure how Peter felt, yet she saw in his face like someone who had just been given a new bride.

“Yes, na me be this. Hmmmmmm! Pero pero!!! I trust you my guy! See as your face dey shine. Sure say the babe don bless you this afternoon,” the bar owner teased and Peter winked back.

“Abeg, serve us Ice-cream.” Peter requested.

The man went towards the Ice-cream freezer and started scooping it into a cup.

“I sure say na Strawberry she dey take. Her face resemble am well well.”

Zainab giggled. She was happy. Her heart were filled with some joy and here was a clown in their presence – who knew her flavour. She wondered if Peter might know too. That would be an added advantage as she would always ask him to guess almost every time.

Suddenly, a girl ran into the bar. Nobody knew how she had the knowledge Zainab was there. Anyway, there was nowhere in the world that gossip weren’t. They always know about you, in and out and would trail your whereabouts no matter how far you went. May be they worked for secret agents underworld.

“Zainab Zainab Zainab!” She panted.

Zainab scurried off the seat. Her demeanor had changed in no time. What news was this one bringing and why was she in such a hurry. She looked out of the door may be anything was in her pursuit. Or it was just a normal game they played called `Catch and play.’

“Your friends,……..” She chuffed again.

Peter and the bar owner had turned to face the intruder now. What does she have to say about her friends that she couldn’t just say once. Men don’t love suspense the way women do – so they hurried her up.

“What had happened?”

“They, they,……….Kidnappers! `Area-boys’” she couldn’t just stop the whiff.

“Ehn” Zainab exclaimed. “What Area-boys? Are they alright? Where are they?” Zainab system had been disorganized with that statement.

The girl didn’t wait to say more, she ran off. Zainab fell back to her seat. Her head rested against the wooden. Was she to run out like a man person chasing ghost? She was numb.

“What have I done? What have I done?”

Peter looked at her. He was inquisitive. His gaze were foul as though he derided her for what she might have done – that he thought was bad. The bar owner was now lost. The last english or statement he could understand was `Kidnappers.’ Now, the remaining english were unclear to understand. Only thing he heard now was `done, done, done!!!’

“What do you mean what you’ve done?” Peter asked.

She didn’t reply as she stood up and scuttled out of the bar. Peter was surprised. Had this girl planned bad for her friends? Kidnappers?

`no girl is a saint’ he thought.

“I must know wetin dey happen!” He finally said to no one in particular as he ran after her.

The bar owner just stared at them with `wetin dey happen’ look on his face.[

To Be Continued….
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