Love, Lust And Lost - Season 1 Episode 66

8 years ago

Love, Lust And Lost - Season 1 Episode 66

Later that day, they had all sat for the English class, – still in the art class. Fatimah sat in the midst of Lazarus and Adefemi while her friends also took their seat at different places.

It was obvious something was wrong but the class going on then didn’t give much opportunity to chatters. Miss Iton could be playful oft but she never joked when she was teaching topics she felt was of absolutely relevance to the knowledge of her students.

Although she knew the 3 girls right from the Junior school and had never seen them sit separately yet she thought the demanding height of facing ones studies in the Senior school might have suddenly given room to separation, – them sitting apart.

Fatimah maintained her gaze at just a 90 degree. She avoided shifting gazes to the right side which was equally the first row in the classroom where her friends were seated in different positions. She only looked down on her book and raised her head up to glance at the blackboard; she went on copying the notes on the board.

Once the bell had went off for Lunch break, Miss Iton warned.

“Make sure I don’t have to wait for you all after the break. Anyone who comes 5minutes later than 12 o’clock should consider staying away from the doors of this classroom.”

She picked up her teacher materials and started walking out of the front aisle, then to the first aisle on the right; she turned. She stared at the floor at interval, facing front again – with her glasses at the top edge of her nose. Her lesson-note and the Senior English project Book 1 held to her chest. Her hands were `chalk-dust’ (remnant) powdered.

Soon as she had exit the door, many students kept their notebooks and rushed out of the class.

Mariam was among those who left in such a hurry. When Zainab had kept her books back into her school bag, she cat-walked, head facing the ceiling; butt0ckz shot out and chest pointed upwards; she also left the classroom.

“Fatimah, wetin do your friends wey dem leave you go break?” Laz asked stretching a hand across her shoulder which touched Adefemi a little, as though he wanted to prevent their body contact.

“See Laz, I don’t want to talk about it,” she responded and put the last full-stop at the end of the last sentences she copied on her notebook. She covered her pen and placed it in her chest/bre’ast pocket.

“Aren’t you finished yet?” She directed her question to Adefemi as Laz stood up and joined his colleagues that were heading for the door.

“I’m almost through dear,” he answered as she shifted a little – to give herself comfort from the sq££ze she had managed between the two friends; Laz and Adefemi.

“Are you not going for lunch?” Fatimah asked facing him, her body turned slightly.

“Yap I am. Are you?” He closed his notebook and placed it under his locker.

“Let’s go together. I don’t want to be lonely.”

“Okay then,” he rose up, adjusted his trousers.

She in turn stood and walked backwards. They met at the door and held hands. As they passed the commercial class, Adefemi heard his name.

“Please a minute Fatimah,” he released her hand and look through the fancy blocks.

“What’s up na?” Came the question from Zainob, the girl that had just responded to his request.

It was because of her he had come early today but Miss Yemisi had taken much of his time in the morning, he didn’t even remember Zainob.

“I’m fine. Aren’t you going for lunch?”

“Ermm!!!” She pasued. Pouted her lips and shook her head sideways, in the negative.

“But wht?” He was surprised. May be she didn’t have money anyway.

“Nothing joor,” she displayed her Yoruba colour. A sentence without that `joor’ was no speech.

“Why don’t you come along, we are heading to the field. It won’t be bad, you know!”

She stood up and jumped out of the door. They proceeded up to the field, Adefemi holding hands with Fatimah again.

“Eh ehn! I wanted to ask may be you sent any text to my phone yesterday but I had no airtime to call back when your credit got finished.”

“No I didn’t o!” Zainob smiled as though Adefemi had been all the smiles she wanted in her life.

All she wanted and had not given in all the while he had been pestering her for a relationship? Almost 8weeks. People had told her what she stands to gain from him, that was why she had finally accepted his request.

Now, they were no longer brothers and sisters as they used to be, they were more than a friend.

“What was in the message?” She asked but Adefemi quickly reasoned Fatimah was present and decided not to expose the content of the message.

“Nothing, seriously! But since you said you didn’t send it, no problem.” He concluded.

He felt Fatimah’s grip a little. Her palms were wet, he could feel his hands watery. What reason had made her grip her holds on him that moment? He thought.

He returned the gesture and rubbed his thumb against the back of her hands. They gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment, chuckled and walked on – leaving Zainob clueless.

“Fatimah, you know I eat from Mrs Smalls, don’t you?”

“Mmmmmmmm! You said?” She didn’t hear what he said. She was so engrossed in her thoughts.

“What are you thinking about?” He furrowed his brows.

“Nothing really!” She smiled, trying to dismiss him from wondering far.

Zainob had momentarily become unimportant. She felt embarrassed and uncomfortable but she managed to keep it to herself. Wasn’t he supposed to be mindful of me after saying yes to him yesterday? She asked her thought.

Those were things she should be ready to face dating Adefemi.

They entered Mrs. Smalls cafeteria and sat on the only bench remaining for butt0ckz to occupy. There were about 12 other students sitting inside while about 15 or more lobbied outside the large window opening etched at the corner of the cafeteria. They stretched their hands; some were trying to grab what sales in the nylon that wasn’t meant for them.

“Wait na, no be your own. Abi na two egg-roll you want?” Mrs smalls handed the nylon to the rightful owner.

“Ohhhooooooo! But I don stand here since na?” The guy grumbled.

“No vex my husband. Wetin you wan buy?”

“Now you are talking,” he laughed “two fish-pies and 3 doughnuts,” he concluded.

When the numbers outside had reduced, she turned to answer those seated inside.

“Oh! Teacher’s husband” she exclaimed seeing Adefemi.

“Hey, you two! Don’t let teacher catch you o. Na teacher husband him be o,” may be she was joking. Only her knew but Fatimah saw her to be funny, she laughed with her nose.

Zainob on her part wasn’t moved. She stoned her face and looked pale, disoriented and disappointed. She was first jealous Fatimah was intruding on her first relationship hang-out with her boyfriend and now, Mrs Smalls had made everything worst.

“Mrs Smalls, abeg o!” He tried to restrain her.

“Shey you no see as she dey look you? No woman dey look man like that if something no dey her mind for you. Abi shey I lie?” She turned to the girls, becoming extremely serious with her speech. Fatimah replied the funny woman with a bout of laughter.

“Okay ma, I hear. Abeg give us meat-pie and mountain dew,” he requested trying to divert Mrs. Smalls attention, rather, it seemed she was going to exaggerate further.

“You think say I no see una when una go that place!?” She pointed towards the direction they had gone truly that morning.

Adefemi was startled. What more had Mrs Smalls seen? Him cleaning Miss Yemisi’s tears? The pats and all? He was dumbfounded. He wanted to give her a wink so that she might stop saying all she had seen but Zainob and Fatimah were looking straight into his eyes, disbelieved.

Adefemi with the new NYSC teacher at where Mrs Smalls pointed was a clue something might be going on between them.

Zainob had noted it down in her mind and was waiting for the moment the witch Fatimah would leave them both, together. She would inform him plainly she was no longer interested.
At least, to break up with him before it all starts would be less heartbreaking.

“Wetin small pikin go climb tree to see, elders wey si-don for the bottom go don already see am. I know say that teacher love you.” Mrs. Smalls completed and turned to serve them after she had almost finished crucifying Adefemi.

If someone had told Adefemi that day was the day the world was going to come to an end for him in particular, he would have argued and fought.

That moment the same girl that had ran the other day to inform Peter and Zainab her friends had been kidnapped rushed in. May be the girl was a town-crier or someone employed by the school to pass messages across couldn’t be ascertained. She surely wouldn’t need to seek job for too long before BBC or CNN employs her.

“George, Miss Yemisi asked me to look for you. She said she brought some snacks and drink for you for lunch.” She delivered her message panting and ran out of the cafeteria.
[ads4]
A jaw dropping look hung on Fatimah and Zainob’s face like eyelashes. They stared at him totally astoned.