Chapter 14 Mike begs Brian to back off

Brian arrived at Beckwise stores later than Mike. Mike had been there for over an hour waiting for him. He was almost giving up when Brian walked in. 

Brian looked in different directions and saw Mike waving at him from a secluded corner. He walked towards him and sat on a chair.

"What's up?" Mike asked stretching forth his hand for a handshake. Brian gave him a curt shake.

"It's almost 6:PM, so you need to be snappy. Gabrielle is alone in the house." 

"Did she know you were coming to see me?" Mike asked. 

"Of course, you reminded me in her presence before leaving her house yesterday. She is aware." Brian responded. 

"She has told me everything and I decided I must see you. 

Her sister is my friend even though we did not go beyond friendship. I promise her that I will take care of Gabrielle. 

You are a man and I'm going to be honest with you. I love that girl and seeing you around her makes me uneasy. 

I want to politely ask you to stay away from her. I can protect her." 

"She told you everything?" Brian asked.

"Yes, she did." 

"Now I know who told her lodge mates that we are faking it. I don't trust you. If you really loved her, you would have played along." 

"You and the caretaker made her believe you are gay and I'm playing along. I know what you did to her sister. It is still fresh in my memory like it happened yesterday. 

She is not safe with you and I'm going to ask you for the last time, please stop going to her lodge. She would never date you!" Mike said and Brian laughed. 

"Who is talking about dates? If you want to help her, take her to another lodge. If I had the money, I would have done it since and focused on my work. Mike, take her out of that lodge," Brian said and stood up to take his leave. 

"If I take her out of that lodge, would you stay away from her?" Mike asked. 

"I see no reason why I shouldn't?" Brian responded. 

"One more question, and I just need an honest answer from you. Are you sleeping with her?" Mike asked. Brian looked at him for some seconds, sighed, and walked out of the store. 

There was a shelter at the bus stop beside the University's second gate. Brian's friend gathered there every Sunday evening to smoke and drink. They sighted him when he came out of the store and began to hail him. He grinned and walked towards them. 

Brian began to shake hands with his friends. When he got to the last person, he took a wrap of weed he was smoking and continued from where he stopped. 

"Manga, you have been scarce these days, what is going on? Your sisters came to my house the other day, looking for you," his best friend known as Warlick asked. 

"I'm here now," Brian responded. 

"I also heard you are now putting soul and body together with one babe like that," Warlick said and his friends burst into laughter. Brian sat down with his friends and soon forgot Gabrielle was waiting for him. 

Mike left the store and walked down to Bangkok lodge. Gabrielle was happy when a soft knock came on her door. She was expecting Brian however, she was surprised to see Mike standing on the doorway with smiles on his face. She shrugged and gestured to him. She looked at her wall clock, it was 7:30pm already. 

"Where is Brian?" Gabrielle asked, still standing beside the door.

"I don't know," Mike responded. 

"He said he was going to the Beckwise store to see you. Did you see him?" Gabrielle asked. 

"Yes, but he left the store about an hour ago. He should probably be with his useless friends at the gate now," Mike said. Gabrielle shut the door and sat down on her bed. She was very sad.

"Smallie, don't worry, I'm going to stay with you tonight," Mike grinned. 

"No, I…I...mean you can't." 

"I can, but if you are not comfortable with me staying with you, you can come over to my lodge," Mike said. 

"Mike, please I'm not comfortable with you staying with me, and you know your lodge would be the last lodge I would like to spend the night in. If Brian doesn't show up, I will go to the hostel and stay with my friend," Gabrielle said. 

"Why are you more comfortable with a smoker, an illiterate that once tried to abuse…never mind," Mike said. 

"Abuse what?" Gabrielle asked. Mike lowered his head and rubbed his fingers on his head. 

"Mike, Brian doesn't look at me the way you do. I can comfortably change my clothes in his presence because he doesn't care if I'm naked or not. The way you stare at me makes me nervous. Honestly, I can't stay here alone with you." 

"Smallie, I stare at you because I'm in love with you. Each time I look at you, I feel like having you in my arms. I crave for your hug every day. Don't compare me with Manga, he is not feeling what I feel for you. Let me stay with you, I promise to take my eyes off you," Mike said. 

Gabrielle looked at him for a few minutes, he was quite handsome but she had not really taken out time to notice how handsome he looked. 

Gabrielle sat on the floor of her room, Mike sat beside her and entertained her with funny jokes. Gabrielle continued laughing until she began to feel heaviness in her eyes. Mike helped her up and lay beside her. 

He promised he would never look at her again, however when he saw she had slept off, Mike turned and fixed his gaze at her. 

He began to fantasize about a beautiful life with her. He imagined himself holding her hands as they walked through the departmental blocks. People would be staring at them. 

He imagined being the first and only man in her life. He would pamper her and handle her like raw egg.

Mike made up his mind to meet Jane and ask for money. He needed to take her out of that lodge so Brian would never be seen around her again. 

Jane was the only daughter in the family of five. Three of her brothers were Reverend fathers. They gave her any amount of money she asks for without trying to know what she does with the money. 

She had been the one paying Mike's rent and school fees. She needed just one thing from Mike; his love. She wanted to be his only girlfriend.