Hangover
651 Words
7
Stella woke up with a harsh headache. She felt sour and her fingers were going numb. She concentrated her eyes on the things around her. She was studying her vicinity.
She was on a small bed in a spacious room. She wondered where she was. She became agitated. Was she kidn*pped? She wondered.
Stella rushed to the doorknob to make a stealthy escape but someone got to it before her.
John opened the door and saw his visitor standing by it. He was carrying a tray of breakfast. Then, he flashed an assuring smile at Stella and went ahead to set the tray down on the table by the bedside.
"Why am I here?" Stella queried as she turned to look at him.
"You... uh... slept off at work"
Stella's head ached more as she struggled to recount the events that happened yesterday. The memories of them hit her like a blow.
"Thank... Thank you. I... I... mu... must have caused you so... some... uh... inconvenience" Stella stuttered embarrassed.
"Nah, it's fine. Uh, are you still going to work today?" John asked.
"s**t" Stella muttered as it occurred to her that it was a workday"
"I... huh... should probably get a bath or something"
"The shower is over there but I don't have a spare towel" John informed as he pointed at a door behind her.
"Oh... That's fine. Thanks"
An hour later, the duo was in a commercial bus that was taking them to work. There was an awkward silence between them as neither of them was ready to discuss yesterday's episode.
Stella fetched her phone from her breast pocket. She tried to switch it on but it had a flat battery."s**t!" She exclaimed.
"What?" John asked distracted from his thoughts.
"Oh, it's my phone. It's dead"
"It was probably tired of the calls"
"What calls?"
"Several people called your phone"
"Did... did you pick any of them?" Stella asked frantically.
"Yeah, Halima's. She said your dad was worried about you"
"Oh no," Stella said as she bit her upper lip.
"Can I ask u a personal question?"
"What is that?"
"Are you okay on the inside?"What do you mean?"
"Yesterday, you talked about how you don't have a life of your own"
"Oh!" Stella interjected as she broke into a nervous chuckle.
"That's just the drunk in me talking. It's nothing" She added.
John muttered an 'Okay' and silence ensued between them. She was so strong and beautiful. John never knew what is like to be the breadwinner of a family. He only had to cater to his mother and that was never a problem. His mother sold snacks at a high school and can easily fend for herself"
"I feel so burdened sometimes" Stella divulged after a short while.
"There are always bills and debts to pay and I have to pay it all by myself" She added in a shaky tone as tears threaten to leave her eyes.
"I work for my family, you know. I don't even get to spend half of my earnings" Stella continued when John didn't comment.
"No one deserves to go through that" John muttered.
Stella looked at him with new eyes. He was no longer the weird guy to her, he was the guy that understands and cares about her. She smiled gracefully.
"You are a woman and you deserve to be treated like a queen" John added.
"Shut up, will you?" Stella chided playfully and they both laughed.
"What about you, John? Who are you?" Stella asked after letting some minutes pass.
"I..." He sighed. "I am John Ayoola. I'm the only son of my mother who raised me alone"
"Alone? What about daddy?"
"He... He's deceased. Died a few years after I was born."
"Oh, I'm sorry"
"Don't be. Never really knew him anyway."
"Victoria Island!" The driver of the commercial bus called.
"That's our stop," Stella said.
- Writer
