WOUNDED ? ?
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BY RUTHIE LEE ? ?
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EPISODE 8
“Uh… I feel uncomfortable doing this” Samuel laughed.
“Uncomfortable means it’s working” I crossed my hand over my chest.
“It’s not” Samuel shook his head.
“It is”.
“It’s not”
“Should I go deeper then?” I asked.
“Deep… Deeper.? Deep what?” Samuel stuttered.
“Not deeper, I meant go more into the acting of being flirtatious and stop overreacting!” I laughed. “You’re seriously shaking” I stated looking at his tense hands.
“You know what, I’ll stop” I said and got on the bed and grabbed my book and place it on my thigh.
“Sorry” Samuel apologized.
“Why are you apologizing?” I smiled.
“I’m being… Juvenile aren’t i?” he asked.
“You’re not, you’re just you! And it’s okay to be a panda when everyone else is a snake.” I shrugged.
“Huh?” he looked at me, befuddled.
Oh right, that is a phrase I use for my self.
“You know I said all guys are snakes, and how they’re good with being flirts, well while all guys are snakes you’re a panda, you’re bad at flirting and you get uncomfortable when a girl flirts with you, you’re different!” I expound.
He sighed. “Does it sound weird when I say I don’t want to be different!”
I looked at him. “yes it does!”
“Being different is the best, just live your life and don’t try to be a snake.” I smiled.
“Calling all guys snakes is really weird” Samuel laughed.
“It’s not” I added.
We both remained quiet again but he broke the silence again.
“Can you try again?” he asked.
“Try what again?” I looked at him.
“The acting… The..
“You want me to flirt with you again?” I asked.
He sure is funny.
Samuel nodded and I laughed.
“I don’t want to tense up and at the same time, I don’t want to budge at your gestures or words” Samuel stated wearing the most serious look ever.
“Hmm okay!” I smiled and scoot closer to him.
I almost laughed seeing how serious he had posed his face. Oh christ, it’s like I’m taming a little child.
I suddenly feel so guilty.
I buried my laugh in my stomach and continued with the act.
“This time, we know each other and I’m just being a fl1rty friend” I tell him the content of the fl1rt and he nodded.
He is so innocent, I want to laugh and cry at the same time.
I moved my face closer to his ear and in a whisper I called. “Samuel”.
I felt him flinch. And I gagged a little while trying to refrain myself from laughing. Look at him trying not to budge and is Flinching already.
Still in a whisper I said. “So my parents aren’t home and I was wondering if you’d like to come home with me…
I paused and slowly brushed his template with my index finger and he quickly stood up.
“I… I…
“You what? ” I burst out laughing.
“I… I think forgot something at home” he stuttered.
“You were definitely getting swayed by me.” I smiled standing up too.
“I…I.. Wasn’t!” he stuttered.
“You keep stuttering which proves I’m right, you did get swayed by me” I laughed. “You see you’re no different, you’re still different though, you’re a snake but with hands and feet”.
The door suddenly opened and Tochi walked in.
She paused seeing us.
“Sammy?.. You’re here And the others were looking for you!”
“And you are…?” Samuel looked at her narrowing his eyes.
“Tochi A friend of Cynthia” Tochi replied.
“Oh, okay” Samuel nodded.
“Tochi… Is the party over?” I asked.
“No, not yet, the party is still ongoing, I just wanted to take something with me, and the party’s not that far from our hostel” Tochi explained.
“Oh okay” I nodded.
Good. She’s going back.
“And Sammy would you like to come with me, so the others will know you’re still around.” Tochi explained.
Samuel walked up to the door. “No just tell them I went home and Bridget” he turned to me. “Good night and… Thanks for letting me stay here for a while” he said and I smiled.
“You’re welcome”.
Samuel left and after taking what she needed, Tochi left too.
I got on my bed laughed to myself. Oh Samuel. I fell asleep that night thinking of what just happened. It was too funny to let go.
I woke up the next morning. And breathed out a happy, sigh, it’s Saturday.
I glanced at Tochi’s bed to see her fast asleep with Cynthia on her bed too.
Hmm?
I brushed my teeth and after taking my bath and changing into some clean clothes, I decided to go do laundry and believe me when I say the bathroom’s running water was running like crazy and it made the washing fun.
I walked back inside my room to see Cynthia and Tochi awake, Cynthia drinking something and Tochi just laying on her bed but awake.
“Good morning” Tochi said when I walked into the room.
“Good morning” I said to her.
“Morning” Cynthia said and I replied the same thing.
“Thank you for letting me sleep here Tochi, i literally couldn’t handle that much of alcohol” Cynthia shook her head.
“I’m sober now, I do get sober each time I sleep and wake up, but I can’t still remember how the alcohol was messing with my head, it was fun, the party was really fun” Tochi added and Cynthia nodded.
“You should have come too Bridget, you missed out a lot” Cynthia said looking at me through her eyebrows as she drank whatever it was that was in her cup.
“No, I was okay, I’ve gone to better patties.” I shrugged.
“No seriously this one was a blast” Cynthia added.
“Oh just leave Bridget alone, she had her reason for staying and besides Sammy was keeping her company” Tochi said and looked away when I glance at her.
“Sammy? But I thought you said he went home.” Cynthia said.
“He told me to tell you that because I actually met him here last night” Tochi said.
“Here? What was he doing here?” Cynthia turned to Tochi.
“I don’t know, he was just talking to Bridget.” Tochi shrugged and Cynthia glanced at me. It feels like she wanted to say something to me but stopped.
“So Tochi what’s on the menu today?” I asked dressing my bed.
“I don’t know, what are you craving for?” Tochi threw the question.
Good question.
“Fried rice” I replied.
“Okay then, no problem” Tochi shrugged.
“I’ll have to get the ingredients outside campus” she stated and I nodded.
“I should probably send you some cash right?” I asked and she nodded.
I was done with making my bed look so fine, and I took Tochi’s number and then told her to send me her account details and then sent a sum of five thousand naira to her.
Cynthia was quiet the whole time, lost in the liquid she was drinking. And seconds later she suddenly stood up.
“I have to go” she said.
“Okay then, good day, I’ll call you later” Tochi Said and Cynthia nodded and walked out of the room.
~ SAMUEL’S POV ~
Waking up that morning was rough, I didn’t know why my head starts to hurt when I didn’t even drink much, what I did drink was just a sip, maybe I can’t hold my alcohol, then I’ll be done for if I drink too much… Or maybe it’s because its my first time drinking.
I washed up and got dressed that morning and cleaned the room, Kingsley woke up immediately I prepared breakfast for us.
“That smells so nice” was the first thing he said immediately he woke up.
“If you die I think food will bring you back to life” I tell him.
“Exactly so tell my family not to Bury me too quickly” Kingsley said grabbing my spoon and about eating.
“You just woke up, you haven’t even brushed your teeth” I took the spoon from me.
“everyday, I am sick and tired of you lecturing me, you’re not my mother you know.” Kingsley scoffed grabbing his toothbrush and walking away.
He came back later and joins me eating, but I was already full so I left the food for him and went to study on my bed.
A knock suddenly came at the door and despite Kingsley being close to the door, he gave me a look to go answer it. I sighed and went to answer the door.
“Cynthia” I called and opened the door wider letting her come in.
I closed the door and turned to see her sitting on my bed.
She and Kingsley exchanged greetings, but she didn’t say anything to me. She just asked.
“I heard you went to meet Bridget in her room last night.”
Suddenly the memory of being in Bridget’s room flood in and I cringed from the moment.
“Yes I did” I replied.
Cynthia shut her eyes and opened them back up again.
What’s wrong with her. She looked kind of angry.
“Wait, he ditched the party and went to meet Bridget?” Kingsley asked, a smile creeping up his face.
“That’s what Tochi said, she said she caught them together.” Cynthia yelled.
Caught?
“I think she meant saw us together.” I said to Cynthia.
“Either ways, did anything happened between you too?” Kingsley smirked.
I paused as last night memory came flooding in. Bridget was flirting with me and I couldn’t stand it anymore. And I think it’s the first time I’d lie about something, I told her I wasn’t swayed but she got me real good.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Which means something did happen!” kingsley said and bursted out laughing.
“What?” Cynthia screamed.
“Nothing happened… We just talked.” I stated.
“Talk? Talk about what?” Cynthia asked.
“Things..” I couldn’t bring myself to actually tell her what we’re talking about. It will be so embarrassing for me.
“Things? Things like what?” she pressed.
“Hey, don’t ask stupid questions Cynthia, Sammy is not a child, whatever he did. Whatever he didn’t do its none of your business” kingsley said.
“It’s our business and not yours, stay out of our conversation.” Cynthia snarled.
“No, it’s none of our business both you and me. Do not ask him questions he doesn’t want to answer, he went to visit a girl and you’re suddenly flaring up and asking him questions like an interrogator.” Kingsley seemed mad cause he slammed his spoon on his desk.
“He visits a girl what if Bridget is dangerous.” Cynthia yelled.
“Like she has dangerous written on her forehead.! You know it’s kind of nice seeing Sammy hang around a girl that isn’t you!” Kingsley stated.
“He can hang out with whoever he wants to but I’m just looking out for him!”
Kingsley laughed bitterly. “Looking out for him, I get it, I’ve heard the story dozen of times, you’re both childhood friends who manged to get Into the same university, lucky for you both but I think both of your friendship should end here, and Sammy is supposed to be the one looking out for you not the other around, he’s not dumb and can tell what blue and red is. He is not a child and he knows what dangerous and safe is, just because you’ve been a friend of his for so long doesn’t mean you should act like an annoying fairy godmother when he talk to other girls, you’re being a nuisance, Sammy doesn’t say it but I see it and I’m speaking for Sammy, so get lost!”
“Kingsley… Its okay” I suddenly chimed in.
Cynthia Turned to me angrily.
“Just stay away from briget!” she stated.
I don’t want to fight with her. I’ve never fought with her before, and I don’t want to and don’t plan to, but Bridget did nothing wrong.
“If you give me a reason to stay away from her then I will” I stated and Cynthia glowered at me.
“Just stay away from her, she seen dangerous” Cynthia stated angrily.
“Okay then tell us how she is dangerous” Kingsley added.
“Shut up” Cynthia snapped at him.
“I recall this girl from Sammy’s course Aisha, talking to Sammy one time and you suddenly let them cut ties, you’re the dangerous one and don’t bring Bridget into this” Kingsley yelled.
According to how I was feeling that moment, I wanted to tell Cynthia that she should stop telling me what do to and what not to do, okay I get that she’s looking after me but she shouldn’t refrain me from who to hang out with. I wanted to say all that, but I know who Cynthia is, she’ll turn it into an argument, ends up crying and that’s the end us talking.
I sighed.
“Cynthia, I think you should go” I said standing up and towering over her. she’s a short girl.
“Not until you promise me you’ll stay away from Bridget” she stood still crossing her hand over her shirt.
“I can’t promise that, because we’re both partners in our project” I tell her and Kingsley let’s out a joyous laugh.
“But don’t worry, I don’t know what you’re scared of but I will BE careful with her” I said to Cynthia and she sighed. “that’s enough”.
She glared at Kingsley one more time before walking out.
“I don’t like her” Kingsley said immediately Cynthia left.
“I can tell” I said sitting back on my bed.
“Hang out with whoever you like, kiss whoever you like, Cynthia should go to hell for all I care.” Kingsley scoffed.
“stop it” I sighed at him.
“And try to tell people how you feel okay, minutes ago, you look like you wanted to give Cynthia an earful but you just kept quiet, that is not cool bro” Kingsley shook his head and grabbed his spoon.
I’m trying my best.
Cause to be honest, I hate being this way.
But that is how I grew up.
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