Jezebel

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

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” Precious ” I gasped as I opened the gate and found her outside, beside the gate waiting for me.

She smiled as she stared at me weirdly.

” you’re late ” she said as she took a swift glance at the wristwatch on her wrist.

” since when have you been waiting here ” I asked her trying to avoid eye contact with her.

“Since 7:27 ” she replied with a smile.

” why didn’t you call me ” I asked her as we both wait for a bike tho I didn’t wish to take one together with her but I’ve got no choice.

We don’t normally go to campus together but when we do, we always go, sitting together on the same bike

” I’ve been messaging you since yesterday on WhatsApp but you’ve been ignoring my messages, so I thought the best thing to do is block you ” she said staring at me but I was looking at the opposite direction.

” really ” I said trying to sound surprised.

” I slept off early and didn’t notice the message ” I added still staring at the opposite direction.

I was ashamed of myself to look at her in the eye even tho she’s the main orchestrator of the act.

” okada ” I swiftly flag down an oncoming bike.

I wasn’t ready for the conversation she’s trying to brew.

” main campus, meji ” I told the bike man in yoruba language.

” hundred naira ni oo ” he replied but as I was negotiating for price, Precious was already sitted on the bike, feigning to be operating her phone.

” this girl ” I muttered under my breath as I had no choice but to sit behind her but God suddenly performed a last minute miracle as the gate suddenly open and Lekan rushed out combing his hair.

” so you’re still here, looks like you’re not in haste ” he said as he shouldered me aside and sat behind Precious.

” oya get down like that before I kill you ” Precious threatened humorously but Lekan was unyielding as the bike man started the bike and motioned the bike forward. I could see their gestures on the bike depicting they’re both performing a sort of drama on the bike

” Jesus you love me too much ooo, too much ooo, excess love ooo ” was the song that crept into my mind as I waved them bye.

I was extremely happy as I stopped another bike that conveyed me to the campus.

I got to the campus four minute passed 8.

I had to run to the lecture room praying that lecturer Kasali wouldn’t have gotten to the lecture room yet tho that will be a miracle because he’s the kinda person that get to the lecture room at least ten minutes before he’s to start Lecture.

And only five minutes grace is allowed for his students to be late as he start lecture exactly at 8:06. After the commencement of his lecture, no student is allowed to enter into his lecture room again, failure to obey and enter his lecture room will lead to deduction of mark as he had already warned us against it. And failure to be inside his lecture room also have disciplinary action by him meant for it.

I was lucky to get into the lecture room exactly 8:05.

He shook his head as he saw me entering as he checked the time on his wristwatch.

Usman waved at me to get my attention, he’s already gotten a seat reserved for me.

I smiled as I walked down to meet him.

Precious and Lekan were sitting beside themselves three roles behind Usman.

” what’s smelling so bad like this ” I said teasingly as I sat down.

” na me do mistake helping you to reserve seat, I should have allow you to go and sit at the back ” he said almost in a whisper, fuming up.

And I knew the reason he got angry by the innocent joke , it was because of a beautiful girl sitting next to us but I wasn’t fast enough to notice her.

” it’s just a play na, sha pele ” I said to him smiling mischievously but he didn’t reply.

” now, let’s begin ” lecturer Kasali said.

That’s his habitual cue to starting his lecture and that signal 8:06.

I don’t like sitting at the back because I’m not the type who jot during classes, all I do is listen and take complicated words in my phone.

After lectures, when I’m home, I form my own note on my laptop from all I’ve listened to, then save it to my Gmail account in order not to lose it.

” rep, I have seventy six students here, I want their attendance list in my office before ten minute ” lecturer Kasali said after the completion of the two hours lecture before he exited the lecture room.

Then there goes the rush as everyone, mostly girls, rushed to meet Dandy, our class rep who was already standing at the front with the attendance list in his hand.

Tade and Femi swiftly stood up to stand at the entrance of the lecture room so that anyone wouldn’t enter and mark himself of herself present.

How lecturer Kasali always get the actual number of students in his class during his lecture was an unsolved mystery but when he mention an actual number before leaving and Dandy submit above it, the list is nulified and that means we’re all absent during the lecture.

Within six minutes, we’ve all marked the attendance.

I made sure to exit the lecture room without Precious seeing me.

I knew she’s gonna talk about what happened yesterday to tease me, especially when my friends are there with me.

She knew they’re gonna add more salt to it and tease the hell outta my life.

The next lecture, tho same lecture room was gonna start at twelve noon so I decided to return home to form my note for the just concluded lecture. As I got to the segment where the commercial bikes were parked, I walked up to one of the bikes .

” kolapo es ” I couldn’t add the “(tate) that was supposed to end the word when I saw a girl walked passed me to one of the bike men next to the one I was about to board.

I tilted my eyeglasses up so as to have clear view, to be sure if she’s really the one or not.

It’s not like I’ve got sight problem but my mom insisted on getting one for me and made me promise her to always wear it.

She said it’s gonna make me look like a nerd and cultist won’t be able to try and intimidate me that join their gang.

The eyeglasses wasn’t a recommended one but the rope attached to its handle which always hang down at the back of my neck plus how bulgy it is made it look like a recommended eyeglass.

She’s really the girl that attended the service.

She was wearing a black fitted trouser, blue top which had the inscription “hello bitches ” on it and blue sneakers .

” please excuse me” I said to the bike man I was talking to as I excuse myself to go and meet her but before I could get to her, she had already sat on the bike and the bike man had already embarked on the journey she had instructed him.

I swiftly return to my bike man

” follow that bike ” I instructed the bike man as I swiftly hop on it.

My bike man swung into action at once as the pursuit began.

I didn’t think twice about what I was doing as I was only keen on catching up with her.

We’ve almost gotten closer to her bike when she suddenly spotted me.

She said something to the man riding the bike she’s on and the man suddenly increase the bike speed.

” should I still follow them ” the man riding the bike I was on asked me.

” yes na ” I said as I peeped my head out watching her bike as it was accelerating forward, maneuvering its way through vehicles.

” hope say you get money ” the bike man said feeling reluctant to engage in the pursuit.

I took out my wallet from my pocket, took out two thousand naira out of it and gave it to him.

He grinned wildly as he received it and check its value.

He increased his speed at once as he pursued After her bike which was almost out of sight.

I must commend the bike man riding the bike she’s on , he was really good as he wasn’t giving it to us easy on catching up with them but my bike man was also rogue.

After almost fifteen minutes of pursuing, we’re finally catching up with them.

I was already lost to where we could be because I’ve not gotten to the places we’re riding through before.

Her bike man suddenly cut to an intersection by the left side, my bike man had to swiftly hold the brake tightly in order for us not to bypass it, he swiftly turn towards the intersection and we’re back in the game.

There were many people in the street they cut to and almost all of them looked rugged.

The bike suddenly parked and the mumu us was still riding towards them.

I was happy as we approached them until the girl started screaming at the top of her voice.

” kidnappers, kidnappers ” pointing towards our direction.

As if it had been planned before, uproar suddenly developed as everyone was running towards us, picking any weapon their hands could get hold of.

Only God know what my bike man did to his bike as it suddenly nosed itself upward and without a forewarning, I fell down from the bike hitting my buttock hard on the ground. It was extremely painful but it was too swift to feel the pain.

My bike man, swiftly turned his bike and accelerated out of sight leaving me to my fate.

I wanted to get up and run away but it was too late as they all surrounded me and started hitting me with everything in their hands.

I remembered the warning of my mom against strange beautiful girls at once.

” petrol and tyre, petrol and tyre ” I heard someone screamed among the mob and before I could know what was happening, I already saw some guys dragging two tyres towards me.

” Jesus ” I screamed on seeing them expecting a miracle to happen.