The Life of a Nigerian Youth

 

Episode two

The sound of Sonya’s laughter woke me up. What was she laughing at?

Sonya: “That guy na mumu, he think say I be fool”.

Bec: “Asin eeh. But babe you strong o, you no give am chance”.

Sonya: “Cha gini, no o. You wan make him use me?”

“Hi” I said, lazily.

Bec: “Hello dear”.

Sonya: “Sleepy head, how are you?”

Me: “Am cool, still tired though. Have to shower”.

“Alright then, we got to go” she said, standing up.

We thanked Bec for her hospitality and left. When we got to our room, I took my shower. Sonya was on call, seem angry. Hmm who was making her angry? I unpacked my handbag and arranged my stuff. Sonya hissed after she threw her phone on the bed. “Ahah this her iphone she wants to wreck with anger”, I thought. I didn’t want to her ask her yet what was wrong. I believe she needed sometime or space, that if she really wants to share her grief, she will talk to me. There was silence for about 10 minutes, it was kinda awkward. Then….

“Can you imagine??” she asked, angrily.

Me: “What?” I asked, startled.

Sonya: “I just got the information that i failed a course last semester. The most annoying part is that I sorted this stupid lecturer with a lot of money, now am hearing rumours that we have to sort in kind for him to pass us”.

“E yaa, sorry o. but in kind how?” I asked, confused.  

“Ahah na Kaima, don’t be naïve. In kind na as per you know what’s up na” she said, looking at me like a kid.

I had an idea of what she meant but didn’t want to rush into conclusion, I needed to hear it from her.

Me: “I don’t know what’s up o”.

Sonya: “Nyaa o, Kaima. That we should sleep with him, you have heard it now”.

Me: “Haa! What are you going to do? But the guys that failed the course nko? Abi the uncle lecturer is a bisexual”.

Sonya laughed hard. I laughed too.

Sonya: “I don’t know o, but it’s a nice question o. Probably they will brings girls to represent them….hahahaha”.

Me: “Abi? nawa o. but what are you personally going to do about the situation”.

Sonya: “My dear I don’t know. Am considering it but I know it’s a bad and wrong decision”.

Me: “No na, you can’t consider such. Worse scenario is to write the course again next semester. The course is not worth your body, you may even go ahead with this and he still fails you. You know people……”

“Abeg Abeq, don’t start preaching like you are a saint. You have no idea how hard that course is. I will contact my fellow people to know their plans sha”.

I didn’t know what to say again, I let the matter die. We changed topic…..till we fell asleep.

 

Alfred still hasn’t called, what’s happening? Am getting a little worried, i thought as a man trying to convince us to buy his “How to get rich fast” book but why doesn’t he read the book and get rich! The class was noisy, nobody seem to pay attention to the man. I felt pity for him though. I refreshed my call logs to make sure I didn’t miss any call especially the one from Alfred. I think I know what he’s doing, trying to make me yearn for him. And it’s working.

“Good morning all” said a different man.

He looked refined and well kept. But his shoes were something else. Who wears that??

“Good morning” answered some students while some cared less.

“My name is Mr. Bright Ubaka”. He’s igbo, that’s nice. Could be of a benefit to me, I thought.

Then there was silence. Everybody’s attention was on him. The turns his back on us to write something on the white board. Oh! The course and course code. Introduction to Geology and Gly101 respectively. He began to give us a lecture for like two hours or so….

Mr. Bright: “We are going to meet on….uhm course rep do you have any lectures on Thursday?”

Course rep: “Yes sir”.

Mr. Bright: “What time?”

Course rep: “uhmm” he searches the pages of his book. “12 to 3pm, sir”.

Mr. Bright: “Then we are going to meet by 3:30pm on Thursday”.

There was protest in the class.

“Ahah sir, it’s late na. We would be tired by that time” someone called out.

Mr. Bright: “What are you in school for? Is to read and study hard. Good bye class”.

The protest continued as he left. I wasn’t really bothered by the man’s decision. Forgot to mention, I made a few friends in my department before the lecture commenced. Having only one unannounced lecture today, we left the class to the famous school eatery to drench the fire of hunger in us. On my way out I received a text message on my phone, to my greatest surprise it was Alfred. The text message said If I was less busy I should meet him at “Jimbass” on the first floor, that’s the popular name for the faculty of engineering building. Ofcourse I was less busy! I bade goodbye to my new friends and headed to the “jimbazz”. The side of the campus is filled with guys of different colour, size and height. I was shy to walk pass lots of guys, some calling me while some were whispering something about me. Yes, it’s about me. I trust my instincts. I climbed the stairs and got to the first classroom, was shy to enter then I decided to call him on the phone.

Me: “Hey…uhmm am on the second floor now”.

Alfred: “Hi, alright. Come into the class, I see you now”.

Me: “Okay”.

I breathed in and out then walked into the class. Few guys were there but it took me a while to find the handsome face of Alfred. I walked to where he was seating and sat down.

Alfred: “Hi”

“Hi” I said, shyly.

“You look extremely pretty today” he said, smilling.

“Aww thanks” I replied, blushing.

Alfred: “Don’t tell me you are shy o…eh fine girl”.

Me: “I can be shy sometimes. Please stop with the compliments”.

Alfred: “Why?”

Me: “I don’t like compliments”.

“Who doesn’t like compliments??” he said, chuckling.

“Well I don’t” I said, getting a bit angry.

Noticing my anger….

Alfred: “Come on! Chill, don’t get pissed. Alright am sorry, smile for me na”.

Trying to force myself not to smile, I laughed. My sub conscious gives me a straight face and I was like “what?” I couldn’t hold it anymore, he’s irresistible.

“That’s better. So, let’s go eat” he said, trying to stand up”.

Me: “I already ate”

“Without me?” he asked, making a cute puppy face.

“Yes, without you” I said, laughing.

Alfred: “Well, you still have to accompany me”.

Me: “No p”.

When we got to the eatery, he ordered and we sat a table at a corner. Why does he like tables at corners? I thought with an eyebrow up. We chatted while he ate. I wasn’t paying full attention to what he was saying, I was imagining what it would be like to date Alfred. Like come on, who wouldn’t date this guy? Imagine stepping into the campus with my arm around his, kissing in public, clubbing together, rocking matching t-shirts. Awwww! We would look so cute. Looking at him while he eats and talk, noticing his smile, how his lips moves. Mehn! I would kill to kiss those lips, the feeling of his lips on my neck…….

Alfred: “Kaima!!”

Me: “Huh, yeah”.

Alfred: “Have you been listening to me?”

Me: “Oh yeah. You were saying something about how the government did something blah blah blah”

“Really? Kaima? You were not listening?” he asked, laughing.

“I was joor” I said, laughing.

Alfred: “What were you thinking?”

He wouldn’t believe even if I told him.

Me: “Nothing jawe”.

Alfred: “Hm hm hm”.

He shook his head and smiled. Gosh! That smile. He also has the habit of biting his lower lip. That’s something sexual, trust me.

Me: “Can we go now?”

“Yeah sure, just give me a minute to settle my bill” he said, standing up.

Me: “Okay”.

As he was paying, I went through my whatsapp messages replied those that needed reply and ignored some especially persistent dudes that am not interested in. Checked my facebook, saw a friend request from Alfred. How did he get my username? Your username is your real name duhh, my subconscious reminded me. Oh! I see. I opened his profile, nice pictures he has here I thought.

Alfred: “Alright am done”.

Me: “I just saw your friend request on facebook…that was fast”.

Alfred: “Oh, nah it wasn’t”.

Me: “Okay o if you say so”.

Alfred: “Can we go to my place?”

“Uhm….” I said, thinking of what to say.

Alfred: “Come on! I won’t hurt you”.

Hmmm, why was he thinking that way? Does he want to hurt me? Has there been series of assault on campus am not aware of? Or am I just being paranoid? Yes you’re being paranoid, said my subconscious as she rolled her eyes. Alfred can’t hurt me na, he loves me. My subconscious rolled her eyes again.

Me: “Okay”.

“Good let’s go” he said, pulling me up.

We boarded a cab. We got to his hostel and I found out we live very close like a “Stone’s throw”. How come I have never seen him around? I showed him my hostel and he was amazed. He said it’s God’s will, that everything happens for a reason……huh! Uncle I just showed you my hostel o and you going spiritual on me. Hmmm he’s spiritual too, I thought. Well, his place was cool and comfortable, the wall painted with different shades of green. Also a matching bedspread to go with. He had a LCD screen television with a home theater. Impressive…

“Make yourself comfortable” he said, with a grin on his face.

“Thanks” I said, smiling.

He undressed. Come on! What are you thinking? He was wearing his singlet and boxers joor. I sat down at a corner of the bed cautiously to avoid any body contact because I wasn’t ready for anything, that’s a story for another day. As he was trying to say something to me, someone knocked on his door.

Alfred: “Yeah, who’s there?”

Male voice: “Guy open this door”.

Alfred: “Abeg who dey there?”

Male voice: “I say open this door my friend!”

Haaa! This voice doesn’t sound friendly. What have I entered? Was this his plan? To gang rape me? Maybe an armed robbery? Oh my God! What have I put myself into? I hope am overreacting, I thought as my heart pounded.