Quiet Reflections

“Obinna and I have been very close friends and business partners for so long. I wouldn't want anything to jeopardize the solid relationship we've built together that's why I accepted his proposal. He rarely asks me for any favors and now that he has asked for one, I can't refuse him.”

The woman let out a little sigh.

“Well, it might turn out alright, who knows?...let's sha hope for the best”, she said and they continued watching the news.

It was already afternoon. I had been writing for some hours now. I stopped to ease myself in the restroom. I was putting on my underwear when my phone rang. I quickly dressed up and went to pick up the call. It was from one of my uncles. I answered.

“Hello uncle, good afternoon sir”

“Sweetheart m, good afternoon, how are you?” he said.

“I'm fine sir. How is work?”, I asked.

“Work is fine o, we dey manage am.

How school? I hope say you no dey waka with those boys wey dey dat school? Maka ula m ga ma gi o”.

“Uncle, I'm not walking with any boy and school is fine”, I said amidst laughter.

“Make e jus dey like dat o make I no disown you…ehn, anyways, I just said let me hear your voice na…you know say e don teh since you call me last.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir.”

“Oya na, I dey market now. I go call you later.” he said.

“Ok sir, have a nice day sir.” I said and ended the call after we had said our goodbyes.

I flopped back on the bed and continued my writing. While I wrote, I also thought about other necessary things and I realized my mum was right about me thinking too much. I shook my head and smiled.

“Who is that man that is making you smile?”, my roommate asked.

I was a little startled. I didn't know I had her attention.

“I just thought about something jare no mind me.” I said with a quick smile and concentrated on my work.

THREE

My alarm had just rung for 6am. I quickly prepared myself and in no time, I was on my way to school. I walked briskly in my departmental wear; sky blue long sleeved shirt, black trousers and black shoes. I had thirty minutes to trek to my faculty so I increased my pace. I got to the school gate where there was a little crowd of students and okada riders and a long line of students who were going to their respective faculties on foot. I immediately joined the line and in no time, I had reached my destination. I got into class and settled down for the day's lecture.

Finally, the lectures for the day had come to an end with a quiz as the last lecturer's parting gift. I looked around for my friends and walked over to them after sighting them. We greeted and shook each other casually.

“How was the quiz?”, Anthonia asked while munching her snack of eggrolls and NutriMilk.

“It was ok sha, I tried my best.” I said.

“Come and join us”, said Uju as she raised her own bottle of NutriMilk towards me.

I shook my head in declination and thanked them for offering.

“But you guys should eat fast so we can start going. Uju are you still going to pay for GS today?” I asked.

“Omo, I have to go and pay for that thing o before I go chop the money finish.” she said and we all laughed.

All the while, Dominic was in a business call as usual. His call had just ended when we laughed and so he joined in.

“What is making you people to laugh? Ehn? Elizabeth how far now? How was your quiz? I hope you wrote well? You did not even say let you come and greet me sef you just came to greet your girls naw abi? I know you read fire last night so your result will be okay. How are you na?”, he asked and finally paused in his speech.

All the while, I was thinking about how a human being would talk that long without pausing for at least a short intake of breath. This guy is something else, I thought.

“The quiz was fine and I'm fine, how are you naw?”, I asked ignoring all his other questions. The truth was that I only answered the ones I could remember him asking and it was probably because my brain had put them on a scale and weighed out those two questions as the important ones I should answer to.

He answered me in the affirmative and continued his chit-chatting with the others while I looked at him in wonder, all the while, not being able to assimilate a single thing he was saying.

The girls finally finished their lunch and we started our journey for the GS registration. We got to the cyber cafe and were hit with a news that we would not be able to pay for GS until we pay for the school's fees. We turned back towards home while we lamented on the new change. Luckily for us, Dominic was on another business call so we each had our peace and quiet as we walked home.