Part Thirty-Eight

DAVID'S POV

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By the time I arrived home, I was done thinking over what played out between Nnenna and I. Yes I was angry, angry that Nnenna found it difficult to get out of the friend zone with me.

She'd finally accepted my proposal and now she's my girlfriend, but I feel she's still finding it hard to let herself get close enough. I can't remember experiencing such resistance in my previous relationships. Girls were always the ones to force themselves on me, it has never been the other way around until Nnenna came.

I admit to myself that when I first crossed paths with her, I never liked her. Her very presence irked me, and I didn't like it at all when she became the leader of my project team. But after spending and getting to know her, I realized I made a really big mistake. She's actually a very nice person and I enjoy spending time with her.

I suddenly began to regret acting the way I did when I said goodbye to her. Instead of being understanding and supportive, I was selfish and more concerned about myself, I never bade her a proper goodbye before I left in anger.

I brought out my Techno spark 5 Android from my duffel bag and dialed her number. It was switched off. I remembered she told me that the number belongs to her neighbor, perhaps this wasn't the right time to talk to her. I decided that I'll let her be for now, we'll just talk in school when we have the next paper. The thought made me take a look at my exam timetable, the next paper would be next week Tuesday, that was too long for me to wait.

Tomorrow I would go to her house, I have to talk to her and settle things between us. Having decided that, I walked towards the direction of my room with Ikenna. Thankfully, he is not back from school, I can get some moment of peace.

I connect my phone to the charger and leave it to charge, then I started peeling the uniform from my body. Tossing them in the laundry basket, I went in search of comfortable clothes to wear at home. I chose my black shorts and a white sleeveless polo - the polo hugged my biceps showing my packs - one of my favorite clothes.

After I've eaten and filled the water drums in the house, I picked up my English textbook to read through. I know that Tuesday was five days from today, but I needed to have a reason to see Nnenna tomorrow. I don't think she's the type of girl who would be happy that I decided to visit for no reason at all. So, pretending that I have a question that's bugging me would work on her, and probably, her mother too.

I was swiping through the pages of the book when a knock sounded on the main door. The sound was faint, if I was not awake I wouldn't have heard it. I've mentioned to mother to have the doorbell fixed, but she isn't one to listen to issues like this until they affect her personally.

There are only two houses in my small compound. Actually, the are duplexes; ours and that of our neighbour. The two were built of same design and standard, but right now, our neighbour's house is looking newer than ours because they painted theirs just last year. I can't remember when my parents took any house maintenance measure, whatever damages, remains the same until a careless money is available.

Musing to myself, I slowly walked to the door. I peeked through the eyehole to see whoever was knocking, because he or she definitely wasn't my mother, brother or father, I know how they knocked. I saw Wade standing before the door, rocking on his heels. He has a habit of doing that whenever he's nervous, I wondered what he came for this time.

I unlocked the door and opened before he knocked again. Wade is one of the sons of our neighbour and the last child actually, he's just two years older than I, but he acts immature most times. So, a lot of people always take him for granted, all the time.

"Ehh, how far David?" He started.

"I dey, you?" I asked him in turn.

"I'm good. I say make I come see as you dey do naa..." He ran a hand over his head.

Immediately I knew that wasn't all, he didn't come here just to know how I'm doing. This is not the first time he's returned from school and didn't bother to see me before leaving for the next semester. My instincts are telling me that something's amiss, but I'll let him land.

"Come in please," I try to be civil "would you like anything?" I asked when he came in.

"Uhh not really, thanks." He replied.

I nodded in defeat and went back to my book, he'll talk about what he wants when he's ready.
After we stayed awkwardly quiet for a while, he spoke up, as I expected him to.

"So... I can see that you are preparing for your exams na?"

"Yes, it's not easy though." I continued turning the pages, as I don't understand a single thing my eye was looking at.

"I know, in my set, it was tug of war. Even sef, the number of people that passed all their subjects, were equal to the number that had a problem in one paper or another. Thank God say me, I no get problem." He boasted, like I cared to hear.

"Ehn David, will you sit for JAMB?" He continued.

"Yes," that was a certainty for me. I had a scholarship to take care of my educational expenses, so I might as well, use them to the fullest.

"Okay, incase you're interested, I have JAMB past questions that you might want to check out. It'll help you in preparing very well."

I hadn't even thought that far, all these exam past questions were beginning to get into my head and I don't like it. But when I thought of Nnenna, I knew I had to agree to get some from him, she'll definitely appreciate those.

"Yes, I would like to have the ones you own."

"Okay. See ehh, can you give me that latest season of the King's Daughter, I know you have it." He assumed more than even requesting.

A movie was a small price to pay to have something that will surely bring me closer to my girl. I smirked at the thought.

"Why not? Let me get it for you, but first go and bring all the past questions." I'm aware that if I give him that movie now, collecting the questions in return, would be war.

He immediately left to get them, I smiled to myself. He can decide not to return the movie after watching it, I wouldn't care less.

....

"I'm telling you my mom's been acting weird," I said to Nnenna, while the two of us took a stroll around her street the next day.

She shrieked in laughter, did she think I was making a joke, I was serious. My mother's been acting unusual lately, especially yesterday.

Mom came home yesterday, some minutes before Wade left. She asked after Ikenna, because he hadn't returned home as at five-thirty pm. I covered for him, I told her that he was probably caught up in extra mural class or in a football match, but in truth, I had no idea what was still keeping him in school.

After she looked at the kitchen and outside the windows to her satisfaction, she came back to the parlour and stood at akimbo, totally lost in thought. She asked me if someone came here asking after her, I said no, she asked same thing to Wade which he gave same reply as mine.
But she wasn't calm at that, she continued fidgeting, jumping each time someone knocked on the door. I'm certain that she didn't get enough sleep last night because she was watching guard. I am worried for her, I've never known my mother to be this anxious and jumpy.

By the time I was through narrating everything to Nnenna, I saw same worried expression reflected on her face. I had no idea why she was that concerned for me, and thinking about it now has made me fall for her more. I gave her the JAMB past questions I got from Wade, mostly English and Biology.

Wade had older siblings who also wrote the exams, so he gave me eight different subjects. I want to go into building and real estate in the future, so, I'm thinking I have to include Economics in the four subjects I'm to write.

"What would you like to study in the university?" I asked her.

She was putting on a short gown with various coloured flowers imprinted on it, her long cornrows gave her a very simple and innocent look. She perked her brows at my question.

"I haven't thought it through, I'm thinking between Pharmacology, Nursing or even Microbiology... You?"

"To be honest I just want to go into something that has to do with structures and building."

"I like that. Well, everything's something nowadays." She agreed with me. She's just a sweet soul.

"We can browse about it, what do you say?"

"About what?" I asked, confused at what she meant.

"About courses that has to do with building and structures."

"Yeah yeah, let me switch on my data." I pulled my phone from my back pocket and activated my data.

I gave the phone to her, watching as she slowly and gently typed in the words. She was such a baby at these things. I still wonder how a girl of the 21st century found it difficult to access Internet and technology. But what surprised me most is that I wasn't repulsed at that knowledge, instead it made me fond of her, and grew my need to get closer to her and teach her all she should learn. Because, she had a lot to learn.

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