Chapter 2

I love her. She’s beautiful. Just two weeks I already felt like I knew her for five years.

“So what’s the story?” she said, eating her food. “You like her or she’s the one liking you?”

“She said she’s Happiness,” I said. “I sometimes work with my boss anytime I feel like and somehow she said I have helped her.”

“But you gave her your phone number.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

She remain silent. I was watching her eating her food. She bought me some kind of mixing. I am not specific. So I joined her and started eating. No point worrying about what she thought. She’s not my girlfriend yet. I only met her about two weeks ago, so she can go fuck herself if she didn’t like me.

“Do you have another girlfriend?” she asked.

“I’m not sure if I have girlfriends,” I replied. “You all make relationship complicated.”

“What are you trying to say?”

I tested the meat. It was okay.

“I’m not interested in talking about philosophy,” I said. “That’s what I’m trying to say.”

There was silence. We both stayed like that for five minutes. Then we finished our food without talking to each other. She waved one staff over and requested for POS machine. She paid and stood up.

“Thanks for the time,” she said and walked out. I smiled and keep sitting down. I figured I could wait thirty minutes and then varnished into thin air.

I ordered for one Fearless energy drink. There was no alcohol. I couldn’t blame them. A organization in their right senses wouldn’t add heavy load of alcohol where they’re offering fast-food. That is stupidity. People would eat and drink and cause all kinds of trouble after, once the alcohol started kicking in.

My phone beeped.

Actually I already guessed she’s the one. But I was wrong. It was a WhatsApp message from the girl before, Happiness.

Her text read: “Can I have a date with you now? I am still around.”

Assess and evaluate. Not bad, I thought.

I texted back: “It’s okay. Come in.”

She reacted with love emoji and showed up within two minutes. I smiled.

She sat down exactly where Oluwasikemi just left behind and grinned at me.

“Surprised?” she said.

I shrugged. “Nope.”

“Why was that?”

“It is obvious,” I said. “Why would you text me some minutes after she left?”

“Hmm,” she murmured. “You do this regularly? Predicting a woman’s move.”

I sipped the Fearless energy drink.

“Depending on the situation,” I said. “I do if I have to.”

She waved her hand. As if saying Nah, don’t give me that shit. I ignored her and keep on sipping my caffeinated sugar inducing and can kill you and damage your liver kind of soft drink.

“Well?” she was looking at me.

I stared back at her.

“I mean, won’t you buy me anything?” she said.

“What year is this?” I asked.

“2019.”

“And you want me to pay for a date you initiated?”

She looked confused. Then worry. Then eagerness. Then some kind of pride.

“Okay,” she nodded and stood up. She left her bag on the table, to indicate she wasn’t leaving. But I care less. She came back with Coke in her hand. And some snacks.

“You happy now?” she said.

“That you’re buying yourself Coke and snacks?”

She shook her head.

“That I’m paying for myself,” she said.

“I’d be happy if you’re adding one more Fearless energy drink for me,” I said. “Apart from that I don’t really care.”

She opened her eyes wide. Like she was suddenly staring at an alien.

“Are you drinking two of this thing per day?” she pointed at the Fearless container.

“You want to lecture me on that?” I asked back.

“Shit!” she said. “Shit! Shit! Shit! You are killing yourself. This thing is bad for your kidney.”

I looked at her like she’s an idiot. I am sitting down here and you think a drink is killing me? How come I haven’t die? You idiot!

“So what do you read in school?” I said.

“I’m here for my master degree,” she said.

“I didn’t ask you for that.”

“Okay. I’m a doctor.”

“Doctor or a nurse?”

“Doctor.”

“Okay,” I said.

Then I concentrated on studying her. She’s a beautiful woman. Maybe I should consider making her a girlfriend.

“You live at hostel or get an apartment in the city?” I asked.

“I live at hostel. Why?” she was looking at me.

“I could pay you a visit. The same way you did when my girlfriend left.”

She didn’t finish her drink. She said her hostel wasn’t that far and we can just take a walk. We did. And that happened to caused me another trouble.

We walked side by side. Not talking much. But occasionally she pointed here and there. And some guys greeted her on the road.

Her apartment was dope. It seem reasonable enough. No sitting room. A bed and wardrobe. A kitchen and a bathroom, side by side. I sat down on the bed.

“You don’t even ask if you should sit down there,” she said half-heartedly.

“I’m not used to asking such question,” I replied.

She was standing still. I was looking at her. Then she was lost in thought. Eventually she came back to her senses.

“I want to change,” she said.

“It’s your home,” I said. “You’re free to do anything.”

“You want to keep looking at me?”

“Except you want me to help you in the process.”

She laughed. “So you’re not even scared?”

I stood up. “Why would I? I am staring at an attractive woman here.”

I was staring at her. She was staring back. I stretched my hand. “You want to?”

She hesitated. Then she stretched her left hand back to me. I pulled her in and placed my hand on her back to steady her.

“Don’t be the one getting scared now, okay?” I whispered. “I am not a vampire.”

She laughed. “You’re bad.”

I was with her throughout the evening. She cooked for me. I left and promised her I’ll be checking on her some other time. Although she offered to escort me, but I declined, politely, because I already know some guys are out there waiting for me.

And I saw them exactly where she first greeted them. Or to make it proper, where they first greeted her.