I woke up the following morning feeling like someone that was knocked down by a train.
I felt my body aching all over coupled with the fact that I couldn’t sleep through the night.
The clarion sounded when it was like I just closed my eyes to sleep.
The headache that accompanied the body ache was head splitting. I knew all that was a sign of a restless night.
After the parade that morning, we had all gathered and headed to Mami market for our breakfast without Pascaline.
Everybody noticed that I wasn’t myself as I was ordinarily cold. Sandra had pulled me aside and asked me if I was okay to which I had replied in affirmation telling her that I just had a bad night.
At the SAED lecture, I slept throughout. Sandra became extremely worried but since she didn’t know what was wrong with me, there was nothing she could do.
After the lecture, I didn’t have the appetite for lunch so I told them to go on ahead that I wasn’t feeling hungry.
While I headed to the hostel to sleep. Sandra understood that I was really having a bad day so she just allowed me to be.
Yamani on his part haven’t seen this part of me before, so after trying to get me to flow with his discussion without success, he surrendered and allowed me be.
I don’t know for how long I slept, but I woke up to see some people relaxing and gisting about football.
Pulling my phone from under the pillow, I saw it was already 6pm. I don’t know how, but my phone was on flight mode. Turning off the flight mode, messages started coming in.
The first message was from an unsaved number, another from Pascaline and some Whatsapp messages too.
The message from the unsaved number read “Mr Man where are you?.......Come to the parade ground right now before I count three” I a light smile crept on my face after reading the message. I know it was from my platoon commander.
Pascaline's message confirmed it. Hers read.
“where are you? Commander is looking for you” After looking through the Whatsapp messages I decided to call my commander.
“Good evening sir”........I greeted politely as he answered.
“Ozuor, what is your problem? Why weren’t you at the parade ground this evening?”..........he barked.
“Sir I was sleeping and didn’t hear the clarion”.........I replied.
“Mumu, you think this is your father’s house where you can sleep as long as you like abi?........Don’t worry, you will meet me tomorrow morning”........he retorted.
“Sir please I’m sorry, it won't happen again”.........I apologized.
“Is sorry a name of person abi na una village head name? Sorry Kee you”.........he snapped.
I continued apologizing for some time until he instructed me to report to the platoon leader and provide my complete details, as they were compiling the list of members in each platoon, before ending the call.
I called Sandra afterwards, while we discussed, she told me she was glad I was back to my usual cheerful self.
I asked for her location and she told me that some guys took her, Daisy and some of their friends to Mami market, to which I told her to have fun.
I had my bath, changed to another set of white outfit and went out. I called Yamani twice but got no reply.
I was heading to the pavilion when I saw Evelyn with some of her friends.
I called out for her but she didn't hear me, so I dialed her number.
“Where are you headed?”........I asked as she picked the call. She turned looking around for me “I’m going to the volley ball court, where are you?”........she asked.
“Behind you”........I replied.
“Behind me where? Abeg tell me where are you joor?”.........she retorted.
I raised my hand and waved at her. She saw me and dropped the call, while I walked down to where she stood with her friends.
“So you have learnt to play hide and seek with me abi?”.........she asked, when I got to them.
We exchanged pleasantries and started walking down to the volley ball court.
“Are you playing volley ball?”........I asked curiously as we walked down, ignoring her first question.
“No oh, I don’t have that kinda strength......Just going to watch my platoon girls train”.......she replied.
“Is there ever anything you have strength for, lazy girl”........I teased.
“Ehnnn! What did you just say? You said I don't have strength for anything? Really?
Should I remind you of something? Do you want us to go down that lane?”..........She bombarded me with questions, staring at me intently while a mischievous smile on her face.
“Come on Evelyn, I was only joking.......you don't have to cook me with questions”..…....I muttered.
“The fact that I had the strength to ride that heavy duty between your legs for three years, believe me there is nothing I can’t do”........She said boastfully.
That was the least line I expected her to use. I looked at the other girls with her, as all of them were giggling and stealing glances at me.
I felt like the earth should open and engulf me immediately. As if to make matters worse one of her friends asked.
“Wait a minute, don’t tell me you guys were once......”........she made a sign signalling intimacy.
I was mute, so as Evelyn. But the look on Evelyn's face, said it all, that we were once sêx mates.
“So Evelyn, you mean this handsome nigga here drilled your kitty while in school?”........Her friend asked again.
“Yes he did, and for three good years, I was taking in the gigantic machine in between his legs”.........Evelyn replied, and her friends started laughing.
“Three what? Omooorr”........the same girl asked again with mock seriousness.
“I rode this guy for three good years before he dumped me for a fresh K!tty, he say my own don too wide”.........she said sternly, making a sad face.
“Come on Evelyn…..”........I started, before she cut me off.
“Come on what? Am I lying? You were tired of the old meat, because it has lost its sweetness according to you, so you went for a fresh one”.........she blasted.
The other girls kept watching us and were giggling. They were enjoying the display between Evelyn and I. I needed some private time with Evelyn, so we could discuss like adults.
“Ladies, do you mind if I take her away for a while? She will be right back”.........I asked the girls.
“Sure, go on ahead, so long as you bring her back without getting her pregnant”........the one who seemed like their spokesperson said, and everyone laughed.
Dragging Evelyn by the hand gently, I led her away from her friends.
“Must you say all those things there? That wasn't necessary na”........I asked her as we walked down to the Pavilion.
“Did I tell lies?”.........she asked rudely.
“Typical Nigerian, answering question with question”.........I said sternly.
“Yes, no doubt, I am one”.........she replied, forcing a smile on her face.
We got to the Pavilion and settled down on two seats. At first we stared at each other before she asked, “This is about last night right?”
“Thought we settled this thing before now Evelyn?”........I asked.
“Settled what exactly? Pascal you played me for a fool........Okay, fine let me ask you again, did you ever give us a chance or you just got tired and used the single opportunity you had to get me off your back?”........She inquired.
“Come on, Precious , you know I tried developing feelings for you, I tried but it wasn’t just coming”........I replied.
“You tried when you already had another girl that followed you home and got introduced to your people......Is that the definition of trying? Is she the girl you told me you were trying to build something with?”..........she asked apprehensively.
“No it’s not her. I found out things couldn’t work between that person and I. I started with Sandra not long ago. We are not even up to two months into this relationship”..........I said sincerely.
“Oh this sounds more interesting and you want me to believe this hogwash? Ok fine, assuming I believe that you guys just started this thing recently, so what were you guys doing back then in school? Just making out?”.........she said sarcastically.
“Yea, it was something that happened just a couple of times. Why are you being like this?
Are you trying to tell me that back then in school you didn’t have other guys you were doing things with? Why am I the one being questioned here?”..........I inquired, trying to get to the bottom of something.
“Pascal let me tell you, you are the only guy I ever had something to do with sexually, in my entire life. Yes I know what will be going on in your mind but I just told you the gospel truth”..........She clarified, with a gloomy expression on her face.
It sounded funny to me, how could she say that? She wasn’t a virgin when I first had intercourse with her, though as I could still remember, she was very tight during our first time, but I know a virgin when I see one.
“I am the only guy you ever had something to do with sexually? How? What happened?”.........I inquired, in a state of confusion.
“Pascal, that will be a story for another day, but I feel used by you.....You are the only guy I ever had a bonding with......The only guy I ever came to truly love and adore is you. After I realized that you were trying to cut ties with me by avoiding me, I decided to let you be”
“But when I got posted here, I saw a flicker of hope that maybe since you said you will be working your posting here that we could revive things in a new environment, but see how my hopes got shattered”
“At some point, I do think that I am over you, but I always find out that I am not over you yet.......Maybe I need to work more on myself”........she lamented bitterly, as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry for acting like a kid with you. Believe me I treasured what we had, it meant a whole lot to me.......You feel I used you, but I also feel the same......I felt you were using me, and I was afraid of what the future will turn out to be”..........I explained to her.
She looked up at me after I said that, her eyes were very red. I tried to hold her hands but she took them away before I could get to her.
“I know you expect that I would have moved on, but it’s not as easy as you think. I understand the fact that moving on was so easy for you, yes because I was just not that girl for you, I was only that girl that was good for the bed......Pascal I disobeyed my parents thinking that we belong together”
“Do you know that I am still not in good terms with my parents? I risked everything but what did I get in return? Nothing”.........She lamented again.
Another round of tears freely streamed down from her eyes. I pulled out my handkerchief and handed it over to her. I couldn’t understand why she was saying all those things.
From everything I recall, Evelyn and I had resolved our differences in a calm and understanding manner, and not once did she bring up any of these issues afterward.
So why is this coming up now? Could it have something to do with Sandra? After she managed to gather herself and regain her composure, I continued speaking.
To be continued...........
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