ALL FOR NOTHING
Episode Ten
“Ayo are you sure you are not keeping me in the dark about you and Toyin? Two of you are becoming closer than I thought.” Timi said as we both sat down in the school cafeteria. I trust Timi to always come out honest with his feelings and thoughts.
“What are you saying? Toyin is just my friend.” I replied.
“This kind of friendship. I smell something fishy.” He replied causing us to laugh.
“Tell me, is she your date for the prom?” He asked causing my heart to miss a beat.
“No she isn’t.” I replied.
“What do you mean by that? Is it that she turned you down or what?”
“Well, the thing is I won’t be attending the prom so there is no need asking anyone to be my date.” I replied.
“Is that a joke? How can you say you won’t be attending the prom?” Timi asked me leaning forward like a woman who was ready for some gossips.
“You see, I don’t belong to such places. Everyone will be looking great that day and I can’t just come out and appear so poor before every one. So I’m not attending.” I replied taking a sip from the zobo drink which Timi had bought for me.
“Am I dreaming or what? Since when did Ayo begin to pay attention to how he looks or what sort of clothes he wears. The Ayo I grew up knowing will never feel inferior because he doesn’t have expensive clothes like other boys in the class.” Timi said as one who knew me like I know myself.
I could tell that Timi was already seeing through me. Since Toyin became my friend, I’ve become so conscious of my looks, how I dressed to school and other things which were never really important to me.
“If I were you, I would ask her out now before somebody else outsmarts you.” He said with all seriousness.
“Outsmart me? I’m not in a competition with anyone for Toyin and besides I’m not even attending the prom. So she is free to go with anyone that she deems worthy to be her date for the prom.” I replied. I was already getting irritated with the whole Toyin stuff but I trust Timi not to stop as there was some where he was driving to and not until he gets there, the conversation won’t end.
“Alright Ayo, since you are not attending the prom is it okay if I ask her out?” Timi asked with a wide grin.
“Of course you can. Why do you have to take permission from me. It’s not as if she is my girlfriend or something.” I said trying to make the conversation end.
“I never said she was your girl friend. Tell me Ayo, do you like Toyin? I mean do you have feelings for her?” Timi asked almost making the zobo drink go through my trachea instead of my oesophagus. I coughed so hard that my eyes turned red. Timi was forced to end the conversation and I was grateful that the couch came though it made me uncomfortable.
After school that day, I wasn’t my usual self. “Why did Toyin have to come when I needed to be more serious with school? She was always in my mind and I didn’t know how to get her off. If only I was rich like Seun or Timi or any other boy in the class I wouldn’t have thought twice before asking Toyin to be my date for the prom.” I thought to myself.
During the evening service in church that day, I wasn’t myself. While the priest was giving his sermon, I was busy hallucinating. I was beginning to imagine how it would be to have Toyin as my date for the prom. I created a beautiful picture of her in my mind. I imagined how graceful she would be looking in the dress which she would be wearing to the prom. How it would feel to hold her hand and walk with her along the pathway to the centre of the stage. I was still in my thoughts when I heard “let’s share the grace.” I couldn’t believe I was present in the service but not able to take anything home. “It would have been better if I just stayed at home instead.” I thought.
The reason I came to church that evening was because I wanted to charge my phone so I could chat with Toyin as I had already promised to come online just for her sake and I made sure that the phone was fully charged. I also made sure I finished all I had to finish before 9pm because it was the time we had both agreed on.
At exactly 9pm, I logged in and dropped a message for her. She came about five minutes later with an apology.
We chatted about her family and how her dad is planning to send her abroad after her final exams.
“Dad wants to send me overseas after our final exams but I don’t really want to go.” She texted me.
She explained to me that her family will be relocating there permanently and that she was tired of moving up and down with no close friends.
“You are the first male friend I’ve ever had and I really like it when you are with me. I’m much more comfortable with you than any guy I’ve ever been with. I am going to miss you if dad pushes through with his plans.”
I was speechless and heartbroken at thesame time. I didn’t know what to say. Though she hadn’t left, I was already missing her.
I tried to encourage her and to tell her not to worry that everything will be fine. I was able to make her feel better.
“So who is your date for the prom?” She asked me.
I lost a breath immediately.
“I don’t know yet.” I replied.
“What do you mean you don’t know yet? It’s next week Friday and everyone is busy looking for a date and here you are saying you don’t Know.”
There was no point in lying so I told her the truth that I had no plans of attending the prom.
I guess she was disappointed but then it was time to log out as it was getting late and I still had chemistry to study before going to bed.
The following day at school, I noticed Timi was ready to ask Toyin to be his date for the prom.
“Do you think I stand a chance with her?” Timi asked.
“I don’t know. Why not give it a try? Who knows you might be lucky.” I replied.
I hadn’t been able to tell Toyin the reason why I won’t be attending the prom and I felt it was not necessary anymore. Classes that day were not interesting as I was still pondering over my decision not to attend the prom. I was beginning to have a change of heart but it was too late as Timi was already making a move and I was the one who asked him to go ahead.
“Why won’t you be attending the prom?” Toyin asked me after classes that day.
“I’m not the type who likes parties and besides exams are around the corner and …”
“And you want to study because one night at the prom will make you feel” she interrupted.
“Ayo I really don’t understand you. I think you need to know that being an A student does not really mean you should be antisocial. Come on, too much of everything is bad.” She said and turned her back to leave.
“Is that why you are leaving?” I asked.
“Do I have any reason to stay behind? Since you are not attending because you want to study and get 100% who am I to stop you?” She added.
“Assuming I asked you to be my date for the prom would you have agreed?” I asked without minding if I was already crossing the line. She didn’t say anything so I had to ask her again.
“If I asked you to be my date for the prom would you have agreed?”
“If only you could muster the courage to do that then I’ll be happy to be your date for the prom.” She said.
At first I didn’t understand what she meant but after she had left, I figured out exactly what she was passing across to me.
I didn’t know what to do because I already told Timi that I won’t be attending the prom and that he was free to ask Toyin out. Going back to ask Toyin to be my date will mean I betrayed him and I didn’t want that. I was left with no option but to forfeit going for the prom so that Timi could have Toyin as his date. I just had to do that….
Vicky’s stories….
Touching lives….
Changing people….
All rights reserved: Ayodawha Ejaeta Victory…..
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TO BE CONTINUED
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