With The Devil

Episode 9

“So,long time?” I found myself saying out loud.

Silence.
“I guess you are not in the mood to talk about the past?” I said.
“Not really.” She replied.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“I just don’t see the purpose nor the need!” She replied.
“You are right!” I conclusively admitted.
“So how are your people?” I asked.
She started laughing at me, which you would see as awkward,but which is not.
“And by my people,you mean my elder sister?” She inquired.
“Hian! Is she the only family you have?” I asked,not surprised cuz I know exactly where she was leading our little talk.
She looked at me and smiled and then used her right hand to stroke my chin playfully. I kept calm and enjoyed it.

“I will be getting married!” She finally let out what’s been bothering her.
Silence.

In that moment, my mind started playing tricks on me again.Its as if it has been looking for something to trigger its ever-peering head to manifest its daunting haunting of my troubled mind with the the thoughts of Pretty.
I saw Pretty standing at the edge of the entrance of that door,smiling at me,as if it was happy that one of the greatest comforts in my life was departing from me.I could see her smiling with ecstasy and one will be right to assert that she just wants me to be alone..
Well,it makes sense then.I have not really thought about it up till that moment that Pretty came into my life when I was literally getting to be alone: school has closed for the semester, all my friends has travelled,I don’t do street dudes except for some footballing and street talks.I simply would prefer to now stay indoors and watch movies all day or play games if it so permits me.
And this period of time,was the period Pretty decided to come into my life..Does she want to fill a vacuum or is she creating the vacuum to fill it herself? D–n!

Your mind is really being haunted bro,and guess who is the chief antagonist? Myself!
“Odii!” I heard myself being called again by Jane.

“Yap!” I answered.
” what were u thinking? ” she asked.
“When we were still kids.” I answered.
She smiled.

“What if we had done it then?” I asked her.
“Well,thank God we didn’t.” She replied.
“Hahahaha.You should be thanking me,not God.

You were so angry at me that I loved Amara,and in order to prove it is you I truly will marry in the future,you wanted us to do a covenant!” I reminded her.
“End this topic Odii!” She ordered.
“Yes ma’am” I replied and went silent.
My mind wanted to slip away into its place of haunting solace again when I heard her say:
“I want you to know that you will always have a place in my heart Odii.Always!”.
Tears started flowing from my eyes uncontrollably.

“Are you……” she didn’t finish the statement as she sat up and made me lay my head on her laps as she started consoling me.
“You have passed this now” she said.
I still didn’t talk as I allowed the tears roll down to my cheeks by themselves as wished that I would go back to my sweet childhood and never grow up to the point where I would lose my own Jane!
:

We remained in that manner for sometime with Jane not knowing exactly what to or what not to say.
“I couldn’t help it you know?” I rhetorically said after sometimes.
“I know my dear.Its okay” she calmly replied me.

I never intended it that I was gonna cry that day nor even let such exhibition of unguarded emotions interfere with what was supposed to be a great moment between us that day,but,things happen!

I didn’t want the final memory Jane will have of me being that of her old lover crying like a kid when he heard she was getting married.No! I wanted us to go out with a bang! But d–n,I was just going to turn 21 by August of that year and she was going to turn 24 or probably 25 as I would rather correctly align; I didn’t know how to feel at that moment nor the emotion to show,so I guess my being did the only thing it knew how to do best…….cry!

---

We ended up having more rounds of s*x when I apologised to Jane for my inadvertent poor emotions ( to which she admonished by the way,telling me I had every right to cry).
After we were through with everything, with our talks,she reached for her bag and gave me an envelop(the contents of which are personal and contained cash).I rejected it initially, but she insisted I take it,making this comment that I have never forgotten:
“I might be getting married,but it still doesn’t change what we had,what we have.My body is still mine!”
After a little more chat,I escorted her to the park and waited till her bus was full before I started going home.

I went home that day with dejectedness written all over my face.Only my heart could really truly explain what it has lost cuz I lacked the words to explain it myself.
I,that is so good in masking my emotions and feelings and state of being,I couldn’t hide this one.

I simply went inside the room I shared with my immediate Junior brother,lay down on the bed and beckoned on sleep to lift me out of my sorry state…..And help did it render to me.
No sooner had I closed my eyes to escape my earthly misery did Pretty’s now unPretty face show up again.

Well,unPretty cuz I could see that it kinda felt for me.

What exactly was she feeling for me? Or is my mind using my own emotions against me in my own perceived dream?

Whatever,Pretty last told me she was coming to tell me something the last time around,so,I guess this is it then!