6

Nnamdi

Early the next morning,my phone buzzed with notifications, I reached for it, i noticed that a new number has just messaged me up on my chatting app, my body was excited when my heart suspected that it might be Danny.

Unknown number; "Come over to my house, let's go to the field together"

Me: "who is this?", I messaged back, he wasn't even telling me who he was, what if he was a kidnapper?. the three dots which shows he was still typing appeared for a long while, and I wondered what was taking him so long.

Unknown number; "Never mind". I finally heard from him, he was not being serious, he wanted a favor from me, and won't even do the proper thing. I hissed, but i kept it easy with him.

Me: "i can't be hanging around with you every time, am still an employee, my boss is strict and I don't want to be sacked"

It took him quite a while to reply.

Daniel: "okay man"

But I think I was the one that wanted to see him more than ever, Me: let's see on Wednesday, in the evening"

He didn't read it and didn't answer, so I didn't dwell on it and prepared for work instead. I worked at a local paint studio, it was a small place with native and natural paints scattered neatly all over the place, we were three coworkers with my Boss, he was a lean muscled man with four eyes, who came whenever he wanted, and always pissed over one issue or the other, I preferred his wife, she was overweight and pregnant but still try her best to appear nice to us, she brought snacks some of the days and shares them with us. Whenever she comes we could chat for a whole day as we paint for the customers or paint for shop keeping.

After a hectic working hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I still tried my best to see Daniel, I had promised him that, although he hasn't replied my last message, it was nothing to me, maybe he hasn't gotten the chance to do that.

Mrs Felicia was around when I came today, she was so excited, I couldn't breathe when she wrapped her arms around me,

"Ezinne told me you came on Sunday "

"Yes Mah. I did"

" Heya. I wasn't around. Thanks for coming"

"No problem Mah"

" have dinner with us" she insisted

" don't worry, I ate so much when coming " I answered " is Danny around?"I didn't see him anywhere

"He is inside his room "

"Okay, let me check on him"she directed me to his room, my heart did a crazy flip but I forced my feet into his room.

He wore the same navy blue shorts and white singlets, he was on his phone and the music played moderately from his speaker, lying carelessly around his room. The room wasn't dirty but it had clothes dumped messily by the corner and some beer bottles by the corner, it was a spacious room but those torn wallpapers needed to be removed.

His face hardened on seeing me, I thought he was expecting me?, if he was, he didn't show it, maybe he has forgotten easily what he had done the last time, perhaps he had thought things over and realized that it wasn't appropriate.

"What's up, man" I greeted wanting to light up the room,

" wait a minute, let me get dressed" he mumbled

He changed quickly into black shorts and a grey hoodie, and we walked down to the field. I was so excited for the football, I shook hands with other players and joined the party, Daniel joined later.

We roughly attacked each other for the ball, whenever Daniel came for the ball, he ruthlessly snatched them from my legs, I kept surrendering the ball to him every time, when he tackled the ball again, he kicked me, I fell to the floor and my knees scraped sharp stones on the grass.

He was frightened and hesitant to help me up, before some team mates appeared instantly helping me up, my left knee was injured and blood dripped from it. Basil, a cheerful lanky guy, who cracks all the funny joke had to escort me to the old Mercedes Benz far away from the football field,

" don't worry Man, am okay, thanks" I shook him,

He nodded "You are welcome " he dashed into the field.

I stood there angrily nursing my leg, it was a big reddish opening, I cleaned the blood with my shorts, making sure to avoid the opening in order not to contaminate it. When am done with this, I will be going home, since am not welcomed yet. I hissed, I felt like an idiot for thinking that I had a good chance with him, I thought I was getting closer, but "new flash" I wasn't, he was still a psycho.

Some minutes later I saw him running towards me, he was definitely coming for more troubles again, I ignored him when he drew close, his height was intimidating but I didn't allow myself to be intimidated again, I glared at him, curious to know what he wants. When he was hesitant to speak, I fumed the more "what is wrong with you?" I flared

I hate loosing temper but I have had enough " if you won't behave yourself with me, then I will stop, you can't be doing this all the time"

His brow furrowed and I recognized guilt and sadness, but he didn't say a thing

" I will be on my way" I spoke up again

" Am sorry" it was quick, I couldn't believed my eyes when I saw his pleading face, it didn't only looked like he was sorry, but it also looked really true. " wait for me, I will walk you home".

My heart simply melted at that, I simply agreed, he left the field and I struggled to sit on the trunk of the car, to wait for him. It was dark already and the team mates said their goodbyes leaving quickly.

Daniel came back later, he dropped the nylon bag he had with him on the trunk of the car where I was sitting on, he brought out food, bottled water and some pain relieve medicine, "Eat, so you can take the drug" he said, i was surprised and didn't know if I should take it, he forced the food into my palm at my hesitation. I was hungry and didn't have any choice than to accept it,

" you didn't buy your own?" As I ate I noticed that there wasn't any remaining food,

" I wasn't hungry and I was already wasting a lot of time"

I nodded and said " Eat with me, I can't eat everything " i didn't want to be greedy. It was only one spoon and I gave it to me, he scooped a spoonful into his mouth, he took a second spoon and gave it back to me,

" you said you are working. What job is that?" He leaned on his side to the trunk of the car,

I shrugged. "It's just a painting studio, down the road"

" oh! you know how to paint?"

" what can I do, I try" I smiled at him, this time he smiled back, I couldn't breathe, my heart wrenched and I swallowed hard. His eyes glittered in the dark and He was so perfect like that.

" so you could draw me?" It was a question everyone asks each time I tell them that I paint.

"Yes" I snatched the bottle and drank deeply from it, I felt his stare on my throat, I was done with the food, he gave me the pain reliever, I threw it inside my mouth and swallowed it with the water. He reached for the water poured it on my injury, he stooped suddenly when I groaned at the coldness of the water, took out the cotton wool and in the bag, cleaned and plastered it. It wasn't perfect but it was okay.