THE GIRL IN BELLO HOSTEL

“Why though?” Kelechi asks.

“I just don’t want you anymore,” I answer.

The look of hurt in her eyes makes me want to be anywhere but around her. Luckily, she turns and quickly walks away from me. I sigh and turn my attention to the book in my hand. I soon realize that I can’t focus on the book. My heart hurts and I just want to curl up in my bed and cry. But I can’t go back to the hostel now.

I didn’t think Kelechi and I would break up so soon. It has only been four days since she asked me to be her girlfriend.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions because of Kelechi. Why did I ever respond to that first “hello” from her? She’d asked if she could walk with me to SUB because she also needed to get something from there. I’d meant to say no, but sometimes, I get tongue-tied around pretty girls, so she took whatever nonsense I mumbled as a yes.

As we walked, she kept asking me questions about myself, occasionally offering bits of information about her without my asking. She told me she was in some of my classes, doesn’t stay in Bello Hostel but frequents enough to know I stay there. Somehow, I didn’t get the creep vibe from her. She seemed nice, even offered to pay for the things I bought.

So when she politely asked to be my friend, I accepted. And then, we exchanged numbers when we got back to the hostel.

When I saw her two days later though, she walked past me like a total stranger. I’d already made to stop when we made eye contact, but she just kept walking without so much as a smile in my direction.

In the three weeks I’ve known her, this event occurred six times with four very public embarrassments. I hate being snubbed. When I asked her about this behaviour of hers yesterday, she looked at me with obvious confusion which abruptly turned to amusement. Then she laughed and changed the subject.

I thought she at least understood that I didn’t appreciate being treated like that. How wrong I was. She did it again this morning. That was the last straw and the reason I broke up with her. I can’t be with a girl who continuously disregards me, even after I’ve called her out on it.

She didn’t always behave this way though. She can be so sweet without seeming to try. One time, I’d offhandedly mentioned that I would like to taste the Roban Bread much hyped by my roommates, and she’d said, “I’ll go to Enugu on Saturday and get it for you.”

We argued over this for awhile before finally deciding to go to Enugu together. After getting what we came for, plus a few other things, we went to Roots for lunch. Halfway through her meal, she stopped and reached across the table for my hand. Then she said, “Rachel, will you be my girlfriend?”

I couldn’t have said no if I wanted. And I didn’t. Once we boarded a bus that would take us back to Nsukka, she placed her head on my shoulder, joined our hands and fell asleep. She slept all way to Nsukka. I guess she wore herself out from giving me the perfect tour of Enugu; pointing out with excitement the primary and secondary schools she went to.

I remember when she went to her friend’s birthday party, and we’d been texting while she was there. She mentioned that the celebrant brought chocolate cake and I gushed about how much I loved chocolate cake and wished I was there. She showed up in my hostel that night with chocolate cake.

I know she likes me. I like her too. But I can’t just look past her odd behavior. I sigh and stand up, deciding to leave. My next class is starting in a few minutes and I need to get going if I want a seat. During the class, it occurs to me that Kelechi still has my ATM card. I’d given it to her last week to help me make a withdrawal. I will have to call her, because I need to make a payment tomorrow morning and I need the card to withdraw the cash.

After class, I call her and she tells me she is in Bello Hostel and will meet me when I get there. For some reason, she is always in Bello Hostel even though she lives in a lodge in Odenigwe. Most times, when we run into each other, she’d carry on with whatever she was doing like she didn’t know me. Other times, she would happily engage me, even offering to bring food to my room if I hadn’t eaten.

I shake my head. At least, I don’t have to deal with that drama anymore. As I approach the hostel, I see Kelechi standing alone outside. I figure she is waiting for me, so I walk up to her.

“Hi. Sorry if you have been waiting for long. Can I have my card?” I say, cringing inwardly over how blunt I sound.

She turns and looks at me with an exasperated expression that seems to say “You again?” Then she says, “Do I know you?”

That was it! I have had enough of this shenanigan. I am about to give her a piece of my mind when a voice behind me says, “Rachel? You two know each other?”

I turn around to see another Kelechi.

TWINS??!!!

Written by Jen