EPISODE SIX PR2
That semi-k!ssprobably sums up everything. I blamed myself for leading her on when I know it won’t lead anywhere meaningful. Even if we’ll p@rt after camp, I still felt it’s very wrong. Ladies heart is not like that of guys, I think it’s more delicate. Not something to be toying or pla-ying with.
Ifunaya: Otondo, you weren’t picking my calls
Me: I did not even know it rang; it has been on silence since the time for morning parade.
Ifunaya: I thought you are with your girlfriend
Me: Which girlfriend?
Ifunaya: That h0t babe now
Me: (Laughing) h0t babe? You mean Uche right?
Ifunaya: She’s Igbo? I’ve never heard her speak it before.
Me: You are not her friend now, besides everyb©dy speaks English here.
Ifunaya: Not you and Temmy. You guys speak Yoru-ba like your life depends on it. Sometimes, it makes me feel somehow.
Me: Oh oh, we can’t be speaking it when you are around now.
Temmy: Ifunayamo! Don’t feel somehow ee, we can’t sell you en. How are you doing?
Ifunaya: Sorry Temmy, my mind way actually greeting you
Temmy: And my mind was answering too (We all laughed). Don’t worry you are not for sell
Ifunaya: For where, sell me kwa, you can’t! I’m too sharp than that. Just don’t speak it again.
Temmy: Of course when you are around we won’t.
Ifunaya: Better, because if you do I’ll break your head (she pla-yfully tilts my head). By the way I want to learn the language.
Me: Really? But you’ve been to Lagos several times now
Ifunaya: Yes but my uncles’ compound is mainly Igbo speaking. Even the three Yoru-ba families there speak Igbo fluently.
Me: That’s cool; I’ll love to learn Igbo too. I’m tired of saying just “biko” and “oginin” every time.
Ifunaya: Go and re-ad that manual they gave you
Temmy: Why didn’t you use the manual to learn Yoru-ba? That manual is the best language learning tool you can have; only it will confuse you rather than teach you.
Ifunaya: (laughs) Will you guys come to the social night this evening?
Me: What’s happening there?
Ifunaya: Dancing competition between platoons. I’ll be dancing for my platoon.
Temmy; Really, I’ll love to see you dance.
Ifunaya: You think I can’t dance (She started showing us different skills and moves while she sings and drum with her hand)
Temmy: (cl@pping) Well done! Will, let’s go there tonight.
Me: What about the NCCF programme?
Temmy: Oh, that’s true
Ifunaya: You want to join executives?
Temmy: Executives of what?
Ifunaya: NCCF now, if you go there too often, they’ll make you executive.
Temmy: (Temmy and I look at each other) But they can’t f0rç£ me if I don’t want to
Ifunaya: Of course they can’t f0rç£ you, but you won’t be able to reject it.
Me: I’ll reject it if called. I’ve not led myself properly as a Christian, now you are saying I should be leading people? I’ll pas-s. I don’t think the programmes will disturb each other anyway. NCCF is 6:30 while social night is 8pm.
Ifunaya: Meaning you are coming?
Me: Yeah, but after we are done at NCCF
Temmy: Why don’t you want to become exco self
Me: Same reason you don’t want to. Bro, I’ll pas-s.
Ifunaya: Will, I want to get something in mami
Me: What’s that?
Ifunaya: When we get there, you’ll know.
Me: We?
Ifunaya: Yes now, aren’t you following me?
Me: I’ll prefer to stay on the field here; I’m enjoying the breeze and the view.
Ifunaya: Which breeze? Common let’s go
Me: I’m trying to avoid mami, that place has been eating my money ha-rd .
Ifunaya: You won’t buy anything, except are you waiting for Uche here?
Before I could defend myself, the rain started pouring without notice and in few minutes it bec@m£ so heavy we had to take cover inside the registration hall and that automatically cancel her proposed tour of mami market as nob©dy loves to go inside mami immediately after a rainfall.
We did go to the social night after the NCCF programme and no, we were not asked to become executives. It was a great time in the pres£nce of God, life imp@rting to which I’m not planning to miss any till the camp close. Am I becoming religious? Far from it, but one nee-d the spiritual food so our spiritual person don’t get lean while we sto-re fat in the mortal b©dy.
It was our first time in the said social night and I was patiently waiting for Ifunaya’s platoon to perform because that was the reason I was there. Her platoon did perform and I must confess, she’s a great dancer and I almost got carried away by her dancing prowess if not for Uche that tapped me.
Uche: I don’t know you do come here, and you are so engrossed.
Me: (Smile) This is my first time here. How are you?
Uche: I’m fine. I asked you to wait for me the other time but you left
Me: I thought you said we’ll see later.
Uche: No, I was registering for platoon’s volley ball team
Me: Oh, you can pla-y?
Uche: I pla-yed it in secondary school.
Me: Cool, I’ll love to see you pla-y
Uche: We have practice tomorrow; you can come to watch us
Me: I hope it’ll be fun
Uche: It will. Are you not going to pl@yfootball for our platoon?
Me: Those guys are organized and I’m not with my soccer booth
Uche: Lazy boy (She pinches me by the side)
Me: Uche, soldiers are here o, I don’t want to do frog jump I beg.
Uche: Temmy how now?
Temmy: I’m fine Uche, how are you?
Uche: I’m okay; you are not pla-ying football too?
Temmy: I’m not interested jor
Uche: How are you guys even enjoying the camp? You don’t do anything.
Temmy: You people doing something will be employed I guess
Uche: Funny, without these activities, the camp will be too dull.
Temmy received a call and excused himself out of the hall.
Uche: So why are you here?
Me: You are the one that said I don’t do anything; therefore I’m here to do something.
Uche: Hmm, you think I don’t know you are here to watch your crush?
Me: Which crush did you give me?
She pointed to Ifunaya on the stage that was now having a solo performance after her fellow dancer had left the stage. She displa-yed some of the dance steps she showed us earlier as both Uche and I watch in awe.
Uche; She’s actually good.
Me: You notice it too? I’m surprise she can dance this much
Uche: I wish I’m the one you are engrossed watching like this
Me: Uche!
Uche: Is it wrong to watch me?
Me: I’ll be watching you tomorrow
Uche: That’s a mere practice Will, not performance and I’m sure you won’t be focus like this
Me: You are sounding jealous
Uche: Why won’t I be? We were always together but you never even gave me a chance. You always see me as a bad girl and I don’t blame you.
Me: Uche!
Uche: You know what, don’t bother. I’m leaving; your girlfriend is looking for you.
Me: Common Uche!
She left in an angry manner while Ifunaya did come to sit by my side. “How do I explain what just happen? Has Uche developed something real for me? I always see her as the pla-yful and disturbing type but I’ve never seen her emotional before. And why am I suddenly concerned about Uche’s feeling? I think I’m losing my mind. What the damn is wrong with me?”
Ifunaya: What? (I did speak out without knowing)
Me: What?
Ifunaya: You are asking what is wrong with you
Me: I did? I must have thought out
Ifunaya: What’s on your mind?
Me: Many things, but I’m okay. Nice performance you had out there.
Ifunaya: Thanks, but I did not see you cl@p
Me: I did cl@p
Ifunaya: No you did not; you were talking with that girl
Me: Maybe you did not see me when I cl@pped
Ifunaya: I think we nee-d to talk, let’s go outside.
Me: Yeah, we should talk, but not tonight. I’ll love to go and sleep now.
Ifunaya: Something is wrong but you aren’t sharing it. No problem, we’ll talk tomorrow, but at least see me off to my hostel before going to sleep.
Me: Alright, let me call Temmy.
Ifunaya: He’s outside with a lady
Me: Okay let’s go then.
We left the hall while I signal to Temmy who was busy chatting with Fola. I saw Ifunaya off to her hostel while I headed to my hostel to meet a rather empty and quiet dormitory. I went to the bathroom, took a shower and la-id myself down on the mattress being elevated by the old style designed iron be-d. I l@ythere looking up with the mattress covered with mosquito net as I got lost in thought. Funmi’s call c@m£ throu-gh into my phone and I was more than happy to receive it because I’m sure hearing from her will change my mood to a better one.
Me: Hello dear, I’m happy to hear your voice
Funmi: What’s the problem? Where are you?
Me: I’m on my be-d
Funmi: At this time? If you are happy to hear my voice, why didn’t you call me?
Me: I was going to call you but. . .
Funmi: But you did not! You know what Will; I think we nee-d to talk for real. I’m not feeling this anymore
Me: Common Funmi, what are you talking about?
Funmi: Before the camp, you call me like five times in a day, you s£nd lovely and as-suring messages. You are always missing me and wishing to be with me, but since the last two weeks, you don’t even chat as often again.
Me: Dear, I’m sure you’ll un-derstand we don’t have most time to ourselves on camp and can’t be operating phone during training except I want to be in trouble.
Funmi: Am I not on camp here too? Yet I still call you
Me: Baby your call is not as before too, and I guess its same reason. I do call you Funmi, just not as before. Everything will change once we are out of the camp, just one more week.
Funmi: Really? Change to good or worse?
Me: Common baby, you know I’m missing you, I just don’t have options.
Funmi: You have options Will. You chose that state just to avoid me.
Me: Common, don’t say that.
Funmi: You know what? I think I nee-d a break
Me: A break from what?
Funmi: A break from us, until you are re-ady.
Me: Common how can you say that. You don’t cut the head off to cure headache now. We can only resolve issues when we stay together, not when we are ap@rt.
Funmi: I’m the only one trying here, you don’t even feel it. Let’s just have a break till maybe later.
Me: Just like that? You are breaking up with me on phone ba-rely after two weeks we last saw each other, even while we were not fighting? Okay I don’t want a break and I’m not permitting it. We’ll stick together and solve every issue we have.
Funmi: I’m not asking for your permission Will. Good night and don’t bother to call me.
Me: Come on Funmi! (She cut the phone)
I dialed her number immediately but she ignored it showing “user busy”. I tried again but this time it was switched off. My night just got from bad to worse.