Because, It's you.

CHAPTER SEVEN

If we concentrate on the present, happiness is sure to come because

Life is the moment we are living right now.

~Oluwatoyosi

Darasimi’s POV

I had always wondered how my life would have turned out if, just if my parents were not the way they were. If we could have been a loving family, would I be happy? Would I have had to work at such a young age?

We had just finished Trade union law class again and I didn’t even know when I zoned out, the class was boring like that. It’s been a week since I last spoke to Adeyemi, and let’s just say I have been avoiding him. I didn’t like confrontations especially when it was about me. He had texted my phone off, just telling me that he doesn’t expect me to explain and that he doesn’t judge me and that there is a reason for everything and all that but I never could reply mostly because I didn’t know what to say.

“I’m going to meet my supervisor. I just hope she is eating this time” I was snapped out of my zone when I heard what Praise said with a solemn look on her face showing that she didn’t want to go.

“Why do you want her to be eating?” I asked confused and surprised at how she was so tired, she had slept all through the night for 10 hours straight.

“So, she would take it easy with me and maybe share her food, I’m hungry but I know if I don’t go straight to her office, I’d be late and she won’t want to see me again” I laughed at her explanation but understood. Some supervisors were wolves in sheep clothing, they looked so nice and gentle on the outside but they were wicked sets of breeds.

“Oh okay, I have to go buy some materials for the dresses I want to sow, and hopefully complete chapter 2 of my project. I can’t wait to finish school” She tiredly nodded at my words.

“Okay, I’ll see you at home. If you get home before me, just know that the lion has taken over and cooked” I laugh at her dramatic behavior and wave my goodbye.

Taking out my earpiece, I played the music ‘Stand by you’ by Rascal Flatts. Since where I was going to get the material was at the school gate, I decide to walk and then take a bike straight to my shop. When Adeyemi’s texts got so much that he even called me to which I didn’t answer, I went online and searched about him, and just as Praise had said, they only have a handful of information on him meaning he values his privacy however I did see that he has been singing since he was 18, that is so cool. I didn’t see myself as a worker in the church, I just wanted to do my thing with God but lately, I’ve been feeling like it’s not enough like I’m missing out on a huge part of me. Still, in my thoughts, I didn’t see a car pull up in front of me until I hit it.

“Oow” I gasped out holding my knee that hit the car. I rubbed it and then raised my head to see if anyone had noticed that only to connect my head with someone’s jaw, when did this person bend down?

“Ahh, my head” I screamed out lightly while rubbing my forehead, still startled that someone was close to me and I didn’t notice. I stepped back and looked up again still holding my forehead in pain to see none other than Adeyemi, holding his jaw with a pained look.

“Are you okay?” He asked but I was still looking at him. He was wearing black trousers and a white shirt of which its arms were folded up to his elbow and his hair was neatly packed to the back with a few stands falling. I snapped out of my one-second admiration.

“Yeah, I’m fine, are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t see you or the car” I responded putting my hands inside my pockets once the pain had reduced. I was wearing a white round-necked top tucked into a green flare skirt that had pockets on each side and paired with black sandals. Why was I suddenly nervous?

“I’m fine. I was calling out your name but you looked zoned out so I parked in front of you, I didn’t know you’d walk into the car, I’m sorry” he explained.

“Oh sorry, I was just thinking and with the earpiece, I couldn’t hear you. How are you? What are you doing here?” I asked looking at him while adjusting my bag on my shoulders making him nod with a smile. I tried to sound casual like nothing happened. I hope he doesn’t bring it up.

“I’m fine thanks and I came for a class but I’m done now. What about you, how are you and where are you going?” he offered his hand for me to shake and I hesitantly shook it.

“I’m fine too, I’m on my way to get some materials I would need to sow some clothes today and I didn’t want to take a cab to the gate and then to the shop so I decided to walk” I explained relieved that he was playing along.

“Oh okay, where is the place, let me take you there” whoa, free ride? I wanted to say yes immediately but then my careful side came on.

“No, thank you don’t worry about it. It’s not that far from the school gate” I said with a small smile but he just folded his hands and shook his head.

“I insist besides it's so hot outside, I have never felt so hot until I came to Lagos, it’s like we are been under a rock that keeps getting heated. So please let me just take you there, it’s not like we are strangers” I just laughed at his words. He hasn’t seen anything yet; the sun is way hotter than this.

“The sun is usually way hotter than this, today must just be a good day” he laughed with me again.

“That’s why you should take my offer, who knows maybe it’s because of me, the sun is still lenient,” he said with a big smile while dramatically extending his hands making me chuckle.

“Alright, because of the sun,” I said but we both knew it was a joke. He smiled and opened the door of his beautiful car, a 2012 Toyota Camry. He shut the door once I entered and walked to the driver’s side and we were off.

“How were lectures today?” he asked making me look at him to see he was focused on the road, I smiled.

“It was fine and boring at some point. Praise to this day still dislikes Trade union law class. she says the lecturer is wasting his saliva and we are getting nothing” I said while laughing because I remembered the day Praise said this, and the whole class laughed.

“Praise? Is she the lady I saw in church, the one that shouted your name?” he asked and I nodded.

“Yes, she is my roommate” I responded taking out my phone to end my music since the radio was on.

“So, do you agree with her?” he asked looking at me briefly before focusing on the road again.

“Yes of course. I usually don’t complain because we are still going to do the course whether we like it or not so I don’t see a point in insulting the man” I said shrugging my shoulders. The lecturer might be annoying but I don’t see a point in insulting him when I would still get nothing from it.

“You’re right, you just have to endure it and pray God softens his exam questions” I chuckled at his words making him smile.

“Take a right turn here” I directed him since we already passed the school gate.

“What about you? How is studying at LASU going?” I asked curious about what he will say, I mean studying in England, would be different from the way things are done here.

“It’s better than I expected, there are a few annoying lecturers but they are tolerable. It’s different from England that’s for sure but I don’t mind the change except people keep looking at me and getting into my business. I’m just thankful that only a handful of the press know I’m here” he explains and I suddenly remember he is like a huge celebrity.

“Oh yeah, you are the CEO of Apping Inc, of course, people would want to get into your business” I shook my head, thankful that I don’t have to keep worrying about what the news would say about me but worried about how he had endured that all this time.

“But not you. As I said, I have never met someone who is least interested in me like you. It’s a breath of fresh air” he said while smiling at me. I gave him another direction instruction.

“Is that why you came back to Nigeria? Because of the press?’ I asked suddenly curious.

“It’s partly why. I mean the press would do anything to get a story but I’m also here because I instructed to” he explained, making me even more curious, seeing my confusion he chuckles.

“God instructed me to come here, he says there is someone I’m to meet and an assignment for me to do” oh, wow. Now I was a little bit jealous because I have always wanted that kind of relationship with God where he could speak to me.

“Have you found the person?” I asked shrugging the jealousy away. I was curious and excited about this kind of assignment.

“I have but it isn’t what I expected. God surprised me” he replied vaguely like he didn’t know whether to tell me or not so I didn’t push it.

“Wow, I would love it if God could talk to me like that. Oh, you can stop here. Thank you so much” I said to change the topic and also because we have gotten to my drop. He parked by the side of a shop and we got out of the car.

“Thank you so much for bringing me here,” I said sincerely with a smile.

“C’mon let’s go, lead the way,” he motioned or me to lead the way but I just stared at him confused.

“You aren’t leaving?” I waited for him to enter the car but he just shook his head and still motioned for me to lead the way.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you carry all those materials on your own, did you?” I was surprised. I didn’t know what to say or what to do so I just nodded and walked away with him on my trail.

“Do you still have a lot of clothes to sow?” he broke the silence for about five minutes.

“Yeah, it’s like they keep pouring in every week. I started when I entered 100 level so I have a lot of customers and it’s also final year so I sow almost half of my department’s dresses” I relaxed a little from my awkwardness and enter the first shop I wanted to get a material from.

“One time, my mum wanted to mend my uniform in high school and she ended up using a purple thread on my white shirt and then finally washed it with colored clothes so on Monday I had to wear my gym clothes since my shirt was dyed pink” I burst out laughing and all my awkwardness left me. We continued talking and shopping and he finally took me to my shop where he spent a few minutes before leaving.

For once I felt free with the male gender.