Her

On getting to the night club, I headed to the V.I.P lounge as I waited for Victor to arrive and he did in Thirty minutes time, walking in with all swagger like he hadn’t kept me waiting. When he finally sat down opposite me, he apologize. 

“Sorry man, you know how Lagos traffic dey be.” 

“I do and that is the only reason why I am still sitting here. Let’s order…”

“No, let’s hear your story on how there is trouble in thy kingdom first besides, I want to be able to still drink later when I am dancing.”

“okay.” I took in a deep breathe. “I like Tomi more than a friend.” 

“I thought you were supposed to tell me the things I didn’t already know.” Victor frowned at me as I stared in shock at him.

“What do you mean that you already know?” 

“Guy, I was practically living in your room for two years, no guy will stay awake studying for a course he is not offering only to teach a girl later and she is not paying him in cash or kind. You did that multiple times for Tomi. Heck! Most of our circle knew that she controlled your mumu button. Your saving grace was that she was not aware of it.” Victor explained.

“Jesus, I thought I hid it well.” I groaned as I buried my head in my hands, it was clear that Femi noticed because it was my fault, I didn’t hide it well at all.

“You did your best.” Victor said placating. “Oya, wetin happen.” 

“My brother noticed, so he told Tomi to reduce the time she spends with me and she told me and threatened to do that if I don’t get a girlfriend.”

“Wait, she was trying to force a girl on you?” Victor asked sitting up.

“Nor give me attitude about you not liking her.” I said tiredly.

“the reason why I don’t is because she is selfish. She went after your brother while you were still friends and now she is looking for a way to keep both of you, what did you do instead?” 

“I made the decision for her and walked out. I haven’t spoken to her or my brother in ten days.” I replied as Victor nodded his head in approval.

“Good choice, it’s about time you let go of your likeness of her she is toxic to you.” 

“Victor.” I snapped at him with a warning tone in my voice, he knows better than talking trash about her in my presence. 

“It’s the truth brother, you know I say things as it is. Or do you want me to start listing so many occasions where your life would be so much better if you had not held on to the friendship you had with her and the first chance of things becoming hard for her, she wants you to take the fall so she doesn’t get to do something she isn’t comfortable with.” Victor snaps too as I cracked my neck to release some of the tension I was feeling.

“What I had a problem with was her plainly choosing my brother over me. You know how that thing dey do me for body na.” I tell Victor moving the talk away from Tomi Selfish streak which I thought has always looked cute on her, examining it from Victor point of view was not something which I was comfortable with.

“I do, most of your close friends know and she clearly knows and yet she still did it, what does that tell you Kola.” Victor asked me.

“That I need to create some distance between us.” I mumbled as victor hit my back.

“Attaboy, you already know what to do and to arrive at the right decision, you just wanted someone to approve of it and that is what I did. You never needed help to realize the right thing to do.” Victor smiled as I shrugged his hand off me.

“You should have studies psychology in school.” I told him as he snorted.

“So that I will listen to people like you bitch about things they already figured out by their selves, no thank you.” He snorted. “I am very fine with my Investment agent work.”

“That reminds me, I have another 500k for you to take off my hands.” I tell him as he smiled. 

“Good, you know, your money with me is enough to start something more, try and visit our office one of these days.”  He said as I smiled.

“Should I transfer the money to your account?”  I asked him.

“I will just transfer it back to you until you come to the office, it’s high time that you take the front seat in your investments. I don tire to dey make the choices by myself.” 

“But you are good with it, and I am involved, I do ask you if I am making profit or loss and you always say profit and also you give me a sum I am pleased of quarterly, that’s enough for me.”

“You are not escaping this oh. Either you come and we discussed your money or you can send the rest to some new agent.” Victor threatened me.

“Fine, I will fix it into my schedule.” I said.

“And correct that schedule, remove all the times you have to spend to Tomi, replace them with something else unless you have a girl who can replace those time frame.” Victor said as I shook my head.

“I don’t think that I will be involved with another girl soon.”

“You were never involved with Tomi, so don’t use the word another and why will you not be?”

“Because I don’t think love exists.” I replied as he shook his head.

“Oh God, Classic heartbroken guy words. Love exists, you just chose the wrong girl to give yours to and a girl who already has a boyfriend who is your brother. What were you even thing sef. Eh! Now did you nor know that your heat will be broken at the end of the day. Love exists, Because Tomi played Seaway with your heart doesn’t mean love doesn’t exist. 

“So what do you suggest I do, get under another girl… like you.” I scoffed.

“Yes! exactly!” victor cried. “Not like me though, mine are girls but yours should be girl, you always have that family man look down to a pat.” When I turned away from him and stood up, he also stood up with me too. “Okay sorry, you don’t have to get under her, sideways work just as fine or you can stay on top.”  Victor said as I shook my head.

“You will never change, I am going to have a drink then leave.”

“Me too, but I will dance first, with more than one girl and then leave with the one that tickle my fancy.”

“Thank you for coming out with me. Whatever you drink will be on my tab.” I tell him absentminded.

“Oshey baddest guy, Thank you oh. Your boy is loyal. Rich kid extraordinaire.” Victor hails.

“Abi, you nor want?” I asked him but he laughs.

“Person nor fit play with you. Take care man.” He said as he moved towards the dance floor while I moved to the bar, I started a tab for Victor and settled in with a tumbler of vodka, and turned to watch the crowd. That was when I saw her. 

The girl in a red top and black jeans. What drew my attention to her was the annoyance on her face but what kept it was the rest of her body. I thought Tomi shape was sinful, this girl shape was the meaning of that word and based on her dressing she knew it too. She was well covered but it still didn’t hide her. When she stomped to seat at the opposite end of the bar area, I signaled a waiter.

“Sir?” the waiter asked, it wasn’t even up to a minute I raised my hand, I guess money really do talk. 

“That girl in the red top. Send her a Sminoff ice. Courtesy of me but don’t tell her.” I told him still not taking my eyes off the girl. 

“Yes sir.” He replied and took off to do what I had just ordered. I watched as the waiter gave the girl the drink but she shook her head and when the waiter insisted, he nodded and smiled. As soon as the waiter back was turned, she got up and left her drink at the table she was sitting on and moved into the dance floor, I followed her until we were in the middle of the crowd then I reached out to her.

At my touch, she quickly turned around and although the lightning system were lower here, I could still see her scowling face. “Hi, my name is Kola. What’s yours?” I asked her.

She scanned me with her gaze and whatever she saw must not have impressed her because she drawled. “not interested.” Before she flung her hand off her and continued on her way. 

I have never experienced the kind of reaction I got from her and her rudeness rubbed me the wrong way. “That’s a very bad attitude you got there.” I said hurrying after her.

“Thanks, I love it.” She returns not bothering to look at me.

“Oh yeah? What do your parents think of it.” I retorted as she actually laughed at me. 

“Who did you think cultivated it for me. Abeg dude, just because say I dey this kind of place nor mean say I be your type.” 

“And wetin make you think say I nor be your type.” I ask her in pidgin but she just smile and looked at me shrewdly.

“Because you can’t afford me.” she said as she continued walking. I stopped to stare at her causing a guy to bump into me, after some annoying comments, he moved on but I still stared at the place she was standing before. Hmmmm. Color me intrigued. 

I went after her and stopped at a scene where she was dragging a girl to the door, one of the guys who was dancing with the girl was extremely aggressive with trying to tug the girl to his side but he wasn’t having much luck since he was drunk. I followed the three outside because with the way the guy was moving, he spelled out trouble for the girl.

I left the club after paying the tab only to hear the drunk girl shouting, I rounded the corner of the club to see the drunk guy slapping the girl that was in red. Before the guy could make another move I was in front of him. “this is not your business, get away from here.” He slurs as I shook my head at him.

“you leave, if you make a move against her again, I will give you the beating of your life.” I told him dead serious, he looked as if he was contemplating going against my words but decided against it and walked back into the club. I turned to face the girl only to see her assisting the other girl who looked like she would soon fall out of her clothes. 

“You can’t afford her too.” The girl snarled.

“I don’t want her, I want you.” I tell her plainly.

“And I prefer the drunk guy over you but since we can’t get what we want, how about you leave me the hell alone.” She responded as I smiled. I love her fire.

“At least, let me carry you girls home…” 

“so you will know our house, not a chance.”

“Then fine. A bus stop.” I said “Or would you prefer a cab.” The girl was so infuriating, questioning every word I said.

“No, Bus stop is nice.” She replied as she held her friend by the arm and followed me. I took her to my car and opened the door for her, after mumbling a barely heard thanks, she moved in and settled with her friend there.

I got into the car and started driving, trying to make small talks but she refused to give me much answers.  When we got to the bus park and she was about to get off, I stopped her. “Please, at least let’s exchange contacts.” 

She sighed but gave me her phone to input my number, I did and on an impulsive decision, I used her phone to call me. 

“Why will you do that?” she barked.

“Because I think you would have given me a fake contact.” I replied and when she didn’t say anything, I knew that I was right. 

“What should I save your number as?” 

“Sexy girl 40 or maybe damsel in distress.” She returns.

“Your sass is getting too much oh.” I told her seriously but she just rolled her eyes at me. 

“Stella.” She replied before she took her cousin away. 

I grinned as I went back into my car. I never had such a hard time collecting a girl number before, I also never had to deal with the disinterest she is showing. Maybe she will be a worthy challenge.