LIFE AS HE KNOWS IT (Chapter 5)
Tunde kept trying to call Dele the next day and the day after that. Every hour. But the phone line kept going dead without it ringing. Dele must have blocked him. Each time Tunde thought about how dumb he had been, he’d get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and have the urge to hit his head over and over again on a wall.
A week went by, and when nothing was heard from Dele, he began to visit the mall he had seen him at frequently with the faint hope that he’d run into him somehow. It was during one of such visits that he sat in the car and realised how dumb and desperate he must seem. He was getting attached and making a mistake he had sworn to never make. He was letting someone else’s involvement (or lack of) start to drive him to do things that were stupid. There he was, visiting the mall the third time in a week just so he could hopefully see some guy who didn’t think twice about deleting him.
He couldn’t entirely blame the guy, he after all did call him a fag. His stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch at that recollection. Still, that deletion was so swift, and Dele cutting off all forms of communication with him had happened too fast. How could the gay community move forward if every instance of homophobia had its people bristling, and then shutting out the homophobic person without even first trying to make the person understand what being gay was about.
Still, Tunde felt he shouldn’t have been so brazen. For someone whose best friend had taken his coming out so badly, he should have understood what a delicate situation it was.
He gave a sigh and scanned through the people moving in and out of the mall, some laughing, some walking briskly, all of them in the heat of the afternoon sunshine. No Dele.
It was time to let this one go. Maybe it was for the better. He was after all getting attached and nothing good could come from that. Nothing good had ever come from that. He started his car engine and drove out of the parking lot.
***
“Earth to Tunde…” he heard a voice say.
Tunde realised he had zoned off. His fingers hovered above the keyboard and he had been staring into space at where Nneoma was supposed to be sitting. He was glad she hadn’t been there to receive one of his dreamy stares.
“What, Kola…” he said as he resumed typing, not bothering to look at his colleague.
“You and your zoning out sef,” Kola said as he dragged a seat and sat beside him. “Are you sure you don’t have attention deficit disorder?”
Tunde had honestly been thinking of checking if he had that problem. However, he merely grunted in response and asked Kola what he wanted.
“It’s my birthday on Saturday,” Kola said.
“Oh?” Tunde stopped typing to look at him.
“Yes. I’ll be twenty seven. I’m holding a small get together and was hoping you’d come.”
“Is anyone else from the office coming?” Tunde asked, wondering if this was just a ruse for Kola to get Tunde to meet this so-called gay brother of his.
“Yes,” Kola replied. “Shalom and Sade… I told them they could bring a friend. You could too. Maybe this person you’ve been talking to on the phone?” Kola winked at him.
Tunde resisted the urge to hit him.
“It’s a weekend. You have no excuse,” Kola added, reading his mind.
“Fine,” Tunde said.
Kola chuckled. “You say it like I asked you to come help me clean up the house. It’s a party! You really need to socialize a bit more freely.” He got up and returned to his cubicle.
Tunde bristled a bit at the last comment. He hated social gatherings that involved people he didn’t know. He just felt uncomfortable and out of place most times, and it got worse when they started to talk about football or women. Sure enough, the house would be full of straight males oozing testosterone and holding their female friends. Tunde was quite sure he’d be the only gay fellow there, except Kola’s brother maybe. This was definitely a ruse to get the two of them together.
Or perhaps, Kola was just trying to be a really good friend, he admonished himself. Besides, it would be nice to have a straight fiend who didn’t think gay people were of the devil.
Tunde realised he was zoning out again. He forced himself back to earth and typed away at his computer.
***
Saturday came and Tunde really didn’t want to go out. His bed was ever so comfortable and the sun outside was maddening. He’d give anything for a bit of rain. He toyed with the idea of telling Kola he was sick, but the guy was really making a try of being friends, and Tunde didn’t want to be an asshole. So by midday, he got ready to go out. He dressed casually without trying to be too casual, since Kola had called it a small get-together and he still wanted to look good.
For his potentially hot brother, abi? a voice in Tunde’s head said.
Yea, right, he snorted in response.
The drive to Kola’s apartment was short, and it easy to find, what with the concise directions he’d been given. Kola would have had to answer to the gods if he got stuck in a traffic jam. The compound gate was open and a few cars were parked in already. Tunde recognised Shalom’s car. At least, he could tick out a kito situation from his mind.
He parked as best as he could before making his way into the apartment, holding a card and a bottle of wine he had bought for Kola as a birthday present. He strode into the living room. It was filled with people. But they all faded from view, and Tunde almost dropped the bottle of wine as his eyes locked unto the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
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27 Comments
Jace
October 17, 04:09I’m guessing those eyes belong to Kola’s brother and wouldn’t be so surprised if that still happens to be Dele.
Can’t wait for next episode and the wait is seemingly too long
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 04:20Lol. Just a difference of 7days. The children of Israelites tarried in the desert for much longer. 🙂
Dimkpa
October 17, 05:03Kai! This story left me high and dry. I’ve been looking forward to this all week and still no release. When the romance go start kwanu?
tinocompadre
October 17, 05:10Pinky you sure know how to keep one in suspense. You just took me up and hung me there. Can’t wait to know if those beautiful eyes belong to Dele
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 06:39Not me o. James is responsible for this crime if suspense
gad
October 17, 05:48Kpatakpata in 7 days the story continues.u can create more suspense,we are here,we
#TeamKizito
October 17, 06:24Duh! Who’s got the most beautiful eyes Tunde’s ever seen? Dele of course.
king
October 17, 06:48For sure…”it better be DELE” or else…..grrrrr James u will see pschewwww!!!!
Dennis Macauley
October 17, 07:29Dele won’t be kola’s brother! It will be too blase’ and cliche’d!
Waiting for the next episode tho!
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 07:43Sometimes life is really more about clichés and less about twists. 🙂 #justsaying
Brian Collins
October 17, 08:07Really Dennis i wouldn’t mind a cliché. We already got the twist and turn. Pls let’s get to the romance.
Peak
October 17, 07:35Seriously pinky!!! Just when it was about 2 get juicy!
Hmmm. The feeling when a nigga you fancy just cuts you off or start acting super fly
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 07:38*frustrated sob* Why is everyone on my case? I’m not the culprit here. I’m just the conduit.
Colossus
October 17, 12:10You’re just the conduit?
*snickers*
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 12:32I’m not talking to u Colossus. Hmmph.
chestnut
October 17, 07:39*sigh* these cliffhangers aren’t cute anymore o! James dear, pls can u send d whole story to my email? I won’t show anyone, I promise…
Brian Collins
October 17, 08:11Haba, chestnut Ojoro master. James no gree o.
Just incase he sends it chestnut, can we be best friends and have lots of tea parties. We’ll invite khaleesi. *provided her dragons don’t gate crash*
Ruby
October 17, 08:40I can bet those eyes would belong to Dele…
Pinky where is this week’s Love and Sex in the City?
pinkpanthertb
October 17, 09:33*looking guiltily away* *not knowing what to say*
victor
October 17, 09:26I can’t wait to read what happens next,please james make it tomorrow cos the wait is killing
kylie
October 17, 10:18aaarrghhh!
HermioneGranger
October 17, 10:23Everyone needs a bit of cliché once in a while. And as for khaleesi’s dragons gate crashing, i know a thing or two about use of dragon blood 😀
JustJames
October 17, 12:55I know all 12 uses.. so there.
Brian Collins
October 17, 20:06Miss Grange and James just got an invite to the tea party. Would make for good gossip time. I wanna know what and what dragon blood can be used for.
*tiptoes out before khaleesi comes to set fire to our tea rain*
courtsofdomasiobo
October 17, 15:28Too short
GB_show!
October 17, 16:39Dele!!!
king leonidas
October 17, 19:00Someone call nora roberts….shit just got kinda cute but cliche’………?