The cold wind blew against my face, it was about to rain I hastened up my steps as I approached the bus stop. Mom has sent me to deposit some money we gathered from debtors the day before. It was almost month end and the business credit card balance was due. I wonder why Mom opted for a credit card in the first place. I hate debts. I don't even want to know how to manipulate it for arbitrary gains. Banks are crooks on a normal day. Why should one deliberately owe them?
I step out of Franklin Plaza to the east and west road. The clouds were dark and the weather was changing rapidly. It's just a 20-minute walk to Silver Bank anyway, from there I would head home. If it starts to rain, business is over. Mom had advised me to carry an umbrella but I had refused. Umbrella would spoil my drip, with this my expensive palm slippers, Çasio MTP-VD new wrist watch and original Nigerian Jersey, Umbrella ke?, Am I a girl, I will just rush and come back. Helping Mom out in the shop during semester breaks has been a norm for Anita and me, after all, we are all she had. She has managed to put us in a private university so that strikes won't affect our years of graduation so that we could help out with Obinna, Obiora, and Obioma, those rascals she gave birth to 2 years before Dad passed about 5 years ago.
I get to East/West road, Woah! the bus stop was full, no taxis, and people were dragging themselves to enter 2 available ones that stopped by. I am sure pickpockets would have their fill today. Worse still, It's about to rain heavily, reason for the rush. What a mess! I proceed to walk to the bank. Just a few steps ahead, My eye catches a hot girl standing away from the crowd. She looked like a butty (fragile). I observed as she got pushed away as people tried to hustle for taxis. The rain had started drizzling a bit. A proper damsel in distress. Maybe I can help, I mean she's hot, and what's the worst that could happen. I crossed the express over to her
Sankay, my roommate, and my school friends have always jabbed me about not having a girlfriend, He was about my age, younger by some months and he bragged constantly about having 2, one at home, the other in school, this may be an opportunity to have one, now not that I am not fresh enough, I am the regular 6ft, 6pacs fair skinned guy. I know I am hot and all, I get a lot of passes from girls in my hostel but after Dumebi broke my heart in SS3, I decided to just focus on my studies till it was necessary. "Well it is necessary now, Yes oh it is very necessary, what 200-level engineering student is without one, abeg, Amaobi this is your time to shine.. go get it! my egoistic side urged on
"Amaobi, mommy said you should..."
"shut up", I shushed my sense of reason
"Hi, Good day!" I say as I approach her. She ignored me. Classic hot girl behavior. I move closer.
"Hey, I can see you are trying to hustle a taxi" She turned slightly,
"Yes oh, I'm going to Rumuokoro" Wow, she replied, hope she didn't think I had a car oh, LOL! Amaobi, mummy said you should just head to Silver Bank, you can even see it from here.
"There is Silver bank in Rumuokoro too. We'll just use 1 stone to kill 3 birds" I shushed my reasoning once again. Outside my head, I chuckled at her saying
"You won't get a bus just standing there. You have to hustle, you know... it's not this butty behavior oh..."
She laughed, Wow see those dimples and perfect white teeth... Okay, Now I don't just want to help, I really want her number. She interrupted my thoughts
"You ma, where are you headed? Same Rumuokoro?" I nodded at the half-baked truth, she continued
"Ahh Okay na, you think it is easy, let's see how you hustle a taxi with these tyrants here" She laughed again, music to my ears, her eyes glistened with excitement as if ready to watch an interesting show. I am up for a challenge
"Oya na, let's move to where the people are..."
"no", she declined, "I rather stay here. Don't worry about me go on ahead. I know what's meant for me will not make me hustle for it!"
"Yinmu," I thought but nodded as if saying, Uhhh, nice, wise, I proceeded towards a taxi, but the way two women overtook me, I had to check my bag to ensure, everything was still intact. I stopped and looked at her, she was laughing. Just head on on your journey it's just 15mins my sense of reasoning urged, Oh God leave me, I shushed it once again. Amaobi this bae is challenging you. Was that quote meant for you or for the taxi? Be a man. Stay with her, do small talk and all then collect her number... it's really that simple!" My Ego urged me on. My good judgment was not having any of this anymore. Silver Bank is just there, just go and deposit. I challenged it once again, Ohh God rest reminder, just rest.
"Okay if you say so..." I shrugged as I walked back to her, and just then a taxi pulled up. I hastened my steps to catch up as it didn't stop where the mass of people were. It rode on even as the people scampered to stop just right in front of me, with just 2 seats remaining at the back. I entered and beckoned for her to enter before someone else got in. She entered the taxi quickly, giving me a knowing smile.
"you were right", I said!
She smiled, "I am always right..."
The taxi's interior was dimly lit, the streetlights casting fleeting shadows through the windows as it sped down the express road.
"So I did not get your name, I continued
She smiled, "It's Sandra!," she blushed, I know I have that effect on girls, She's totally feeling you, my ego urged on
"I am a lover of native names, what's yours?" She smiled again.
If looks could kill, I should have been a dead man, damn This girl is so fine, caramel chocolate with those deep dimples on that oval face, Her eyes, from the glasses, I could notice were light brown, which gave her Chinese slated eyelids, a cat eye look. At this point, I am in Love already, and she is so soft-spoken and curvy. I don't think I will join Sankay in his 2 girlfriend's way, If I get this girl, it's for life. "Not "if" my dear "when" you get her" my egoistic side corrected, I agreed internally
The car has slowed thankfully, little traffic
"You don't want to tell me?" She blushed shyly.
"I don't think it's necessary, I don't think you would be able to pronounce it" Sensing she was shy, maybe it's because of the other occupants, a man sat beside me, there was one passenger in front, that's weird, with this rush hour, most taxis would carry 2 passengers in front, The guy was on shades, he must have paid double to be this comfortable.
"Okay, then I'll work with Sandra for now, do you mind.. Can I have your digits?" She nodded, I gave her my phone to input the digits, smooth smooth, sure boy, wait till Sankay hears this, even his two girlfriends no reach, This one is Ego Oyibo"my ego cheered on, "You don get girlfriend like this oh, hot one for that matter, wey dem.. hateerrrrs". Surprisingly voice of reason was notably silent. I suddenly felt something icy on my tummy... I looked to see the guy behind me, with one finger on his hand signaling me to keep shut
"If you cooperate, We won't hurt you, Mr. Lova Lova!"
I turned to look at Sandra to signal her to push the door open but... Sandra chuckled, I immediately felt a gun on my head, wait, I thought she was bringing out her phone to save my number as I had dialed hers.
Written by Rosemary Ugwuogo aka Dauntless
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