BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL

Everybody knows M.M

I don't know how I slept that night, I kept tossing and turning. The joy I felt was unquantifiable. The feeling was all so surreal and unbelievable.

Imagine my crush actually wanting me too. Wow! It was the best feeling in the world.

These kinds of things always happened in romance movies/novels but definitely not to a girl from the belly of the ghetto like me.

I had to pinch myself.

As I lay down that night, sleep was the last thing on my mind, If not for the fact that we were all cramped in one room and that Ette Idara would have my head, I swear I would have done the victory dance.

Nothing in the world could compare to this. Even winning the world cup didn't hold a torch to it.

The next morning broke a little too late but I was ready.

I woke up way earlier than everyone else in the house even Eka Idara who was always the first to wake up every morning, did my chores hastily and rushed out of the house not minding breakfast.

The only thing that mattered that morning was getting to work.

At the gate of the office, my heart did a thousand takes. I just couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of Emem, if not for anything else at least to convince myself that yesterday wasn't something I made up in my head.

Hardly, had I settled in for the day's work when I heard his voice behind me..'hello beautiful, good morning to you' I couldn't believe it, he was really here?

Haa, so yesterday actually happened and it wasn't a figment of my overstretched imagination? Whoop!!!

I smiled to myself but when I turned around all the smiles had gone from my face. I pretended like i wasn't overjoyed to see him. 'good morning, you are early today' I said curtly.

He smiled and winked: ' I couldn't sleep because an angel promised to teach me pidgin English' i giggled. ' this angel must be something special for you to lose sleep over' I said. 'you have no idea' he replied.

I rolled my eyes and went back to sorting out papers for the secretary.

My way of saying we can't talk now, I'm busy. But he didn't even care..'so when should I return for that pidgin English lesson you promised me?'

Again, I pretended I didn't know what he was talking about, I was very weary for fear someone would overhear us.

So, I lowered my voice. 'stop screaming, we are in the office!'

So?he said, but we ain't doing anything wrong'

When it looked like he wasn't going anywhere, I had to pretend I was angry, he shoved hjm towards the door.

Promising I'll see him during the break.

By this time, the rest of the newsroom had noticed us and I could hear sounds like 'awww' 'see love' everywhere.

I didn't even bother to respond. Sonayon came to my seat and demanded to know what all the hullabaloo was about.

I told her to shush, that I'll tell her everything after the news production.

Soon enough, it was production time and nothing else mattered. After the news, everything else was in slow motion, especially time, I wish I could fast forward it to break time.

All I could think about was EMEM.

As soon as it was break time, I practically dragged Sonayon to the office canteen.

As soon as we got in, my heart flipped.

There he was sitting with his friends at one corner of the table, the most handsome man I have ever seen. I could feel the constriction.

Sonayon gave me a conspiratory wink and pointed to their seat but I didn't let her finish what she had in mind to say, I squeezed her arm hard and dragged her to the opposite direction.

She screamed: ' Ahan, hanty do you want to injure me?

'Shut up, you should be glad I didn't tear your skin, why were you leading us to where the boys were seated?'

She gave me the eye, 'like seriously, isn't that why you practically dragged me here'

'Just stop shouting please, you know it's a small place and everyone can hear you' I begged my friend.

I think she got the memo, because the next question came in a whisper. ' so, tell me my dear friend; are you guys an item now?'

' Item ko, commodity ni… I don't know about any of that , all I know is that this guy entered the bus with me yesterday, paid my fare, got to my bus stop and made me promise to teach him pidgin English!

'now I don't even know how to wriggle out of the promise'

Sonayon was beside herself: ' wait , you mean Emem, our very own 'aje butter' Emem follow you to Ajegunle?'

I nodded.

She screamed and when people start turning to our table, she checked herself.

' that means he really likes you' he has never done that for any girl here'

We hadn't sat there for long when I noticed Sonayon looking above my head , excitedly, smiling sheepishly.

I didn't need to ask what the matter was because all the hairs on my arms stood at attention, his familiar perfume was did all all the introduction.

I gripped the sides of the table hard to hide my nervousness, bit my bottom lips hard, wondering how much longer I'll keep feeling like this when he's around?

Everybody knows I am a tough girl, I have weathered much tougher situations, things like this a guy standing behind me shouldn't be happening to me, like how!

'Well, well, well…look who we have here; you girls came around and hid here.

'Anyways, thank God for Sonayon my PADI for life and her loud screams, we would never have known… He winked at her and she giggled like a silly school girl.

Since I didn't bother to turn around from my sitting position, He came in from of me, 'so madam, you weren't going to say hello to us?'

I lifted my head to deny that we weren't hiding, that the canteen was too crowded that why we chose this secluded spot but surprisingly, the words couldn't form. I stammered instead..'er, errrr…. I shut my mouth suddenly and shook my head.

I was embarrassed to my very core. Believe me, if I was Caucasian, I would have blushed red.

I'm sure he saw how unsettled I was because the next thing he said was…'anyways, I just came to say hello to you beautiful ladies afterall like they say, if Muhammad won't go to the mountain, at least the mountain will come to him; I'll see you ladies after work' with a smile on his face he headed back to where his friends were seated.

I felt like the ground should open and swallow me up. Why do I always feel so tongue tied when I'm around him!!

Sonayon told me so almost as soon as the thought left my head. 'But, why are you always shy when you see him , when we know you are a chatterbox for real. She teased.

'will you shut up there before I splash stew in your face. I retorted.

'See?!! You always have power when it's me! I playfully lifted my spoon to hit her and she dodged.

At the close of work, Emem was waiting for me at the door of the newsroom. I guess the other interns understood what was up because they all dispersed without waiting for me as usual.

Sonayon just hugged me and told Emem to take care of her friend before she ran off.

'this girl'!! I laughed .. 'she's the best' Emem added quickly. I nodded and smiled knowingly. 'Yea, naughty and the best, she's a blessing to me here' we both agreed.

We were walking towards to gate when I observed that different people were greeting Emem in this 'i told you so' manner.

I looked at him and he was just acting like a peacock that was told it was the most beautiful in the animal kingdom..I stopped in my tracks and asked him what all of that that was all about.

He responded by saying 'nothing' and kept walking, the grin never leaving his face.

'Hian, E be like this guy never sabi who I be'.

I waited, watching him as he sprinted off thinking I was on his heels. I guess he was speaking and when I didn't respond , he turned around to see and there I was many meters behind him.

He rushed back to where I was standing… 'what's wrong? 'are you okay; Why did you suddenly stop?'

I shrugged and responded by mimicking him 'nothing'. There was confusion written all over his face at this point: 'common now, it can't be nothing that made you stop in the middle of the road. It's almost dark and this place is not safe, please let's keep walking'.

'oga, if you want to go, please be my guest but I'm not following you until you tell me exactly why almost everyone in the office premises were greeting you like you won the dome sort of jackpot?'

He was dumbfounded: 'oh, that? Is that why you stopped?'

'wait, is that not enough reason?

'okay, I'll tell you but you really need to pick up your pace, it's past 7pm'.

I looked behind us, nobody else was on the narrow path…i did exactly as I was told. Afterall, who wan die? ( Laffs)

Once we left the narrow path: I stopped again. 'oya, you have to tell me why people were hailing you, even security men'.

He smiled: ' haba, this girl, you are stubborn o! He laughed. I kept a straight face, arms akimbo.

'They said I'll marry you' he whispered.

But I needed to be sure I heard him correctly; so I asked again. 'sorry, I didn't hear you, can you repeat what you just said sir?'

He shook his head, raise his voice a notch higher and repeated himself; ' they said I'll marry you, and seeing us together tonight for them was confirmation of it'

I jumped like they poured hot coal on my skin.,.'marry who and why?, Please o, I didn't come here to marry, I came for I.T'.

He just kept laughing at my little outburst. 'and who told you I came to marry too, they are just trying to get into your head because we are from the same state, don't let them get to you, hmm?' He smiled at me.

Gosh, this smile could melt even the stoniest of hearts. I shook myself… 'better o, because as you see me so, marriage no dey my agenda laikdis'

Emem sighed and pulled me along, we kept moving. On the walk we had small talks , we spoke on just about anything under the sun.

I laughed till my face hurt. I didn't know he had it in him to be this funny. No wonder everyone at work were drawn to him.

At my bus stop, he wanted to enter the bus with me but I stopped him. 'where do you think you are going to mister?'

'To escort you home of course' 'hian, so all the one you have been doing from the office till now is what abeg?'

'I choose to do it, it's nothing really' he said.

I rolled my eyes… ' bros, I hear you but I can find my way home, thank you very much'. He laughed. 'Has anyone told you , you are a very stubborn girl' '

I wiggled my nose: 'lemme see… many people dey tell me but for today, na only you don tell me!' I responded in pidgin English.

At this juncture, he bursted into rolls of laughter that made people milling around the bus stop turned around to see if we were okay.

Despite all my entreaties, begging him to go back, that I'll be fine. Emem entered the bus with me.

In my wildest dreams, I wouldn't believe anyone would risk their safety for me like that. It felt good but at the same time I had my misgivings.

We continued this routine for the next two weeks.

He would see me off , get into the bus with me and leave me only when I got to my final bus stop in Ajegunle, and this was only because I insisted he would never follow me home.

The bus stop was where I drew the line. Even though, it didn't make sense to him in the least bit, he respected it.

We were the envy of everyone in NTA. Both staff and interns were buoyed over with how close we had become.

At the office, we went almost everywhere together, he was always happy to show me off.

At that point, I only let it end in the office. His mother had a shop at the popular Tejuosho market at the time which was just a few metres from the office but I wouldn't hear of visiting her.

For me it was making things official between us and I didn't think I was ready for it.

As it were things were already moving too fast and I didn't I was ready for it; besides I would soon go back to school. There was really no reason nurturing something that was bound to end one way or the other.

Predictions for our future came like an avalanche. It was like nobody had anything to do anymore but see visions and predictions for us.

On the stress, at work we got messages from both pastors, Alfas and even ordinary people on the street; anybody who saw us together would say: ' you guys are meant to be together for life. Don't miss each other'

It was really annoying and I felt jaded by all it because I didn't believe in such things but because Emem was a believer in stuff like that, he was always giddy with excitement.

On my part, I would just 'yinmu' and say in my heart, ' make una wait make this I.T finish, marry kor, Martha ni!'

However, towards the end of my internship, something really strange happened.

'Me, I don't know about like sha, but that's what happened, can we eat now, amebo madam.

We both laughed.