The six left together. As they were heading down, Iejei asked about their classes. When it turned out she and Uuzhit had three of the same classes, she acted like it was a coincidence. Inerzhas complained about her choices and Ornest just commented, neither realizing that it wasn't an actual coincidence. At ground floor, they parted ways. Inerzhas wondered why they were splitting up, even Iejei was leaving. Uuzhit explained that they had some business at the administration building. Iejei said it was her duty to escort the newcomers and since she had the same classes, she would accompany Inyoninko. Inerzhas and Ornest accepted it and waved them away.
As they were crossing the bridge to the campus, Asakay began prattling about earrings, shifting between Iejei and Inyoninko, forcing Iejei to shift closer to Uuzhit. They bumped elbows. Iejei and Asakay talked on and on about accessories. Inyoninko read her book. When she almost walked into a pole, Asakay pulled her shirt, steering her away. Somehow, from accessories, the conversation switched to Asakay's taste in women. When Iejei heard that Asakay liked full-bodied, middle-aged women, her mouth hung open. She stopped and stared at him. Her orange-colored lips moved to form a word but nothing came out.
Uuzhit covered his mouth. He was grinning. "Asakay. You did the impossible."
Inyoninko looked up and over at Iejei. She hit Asakay on the arm. "What did you say?"
He rubbed his arm. "I just said. I like Ashir."
She frowned. "Who's Ashir?" She looked to Uuzhit who was laughing behind his hand and holding his gut. The name sounded familiar, so she looked to Iejei who had clamped her mouth shut.
Blank-faced, Iejei gazed back at her. Then she registered Inyoninko's question. She pointed ahead of them. "She's uh." She struggled. "She's. One of the administrators. She does the registration of new students."
Inyoninko looked to Uuzhit. "That's the woman yesterday morning." Uuzhit nodded. When Inyoninko turned her attention to Asakay, she stared at him and he stared back. Then she struck him up the side of his head. He pursed his lips and put a hand on the spot. "Don't. You. Dare."
He whined. "Not even a little?"
Inyoninko looked to Iejei and Uuzhit. "Is she married or taken?"
Iejei raised a finger to her lips and thought about it. "Not. That. I. Know of." She started nodding. "She's single."
Asakay spun to Inyoninko. Before he could speak, "No." His dark eyes pleaded with her but he was too big and tall to be cute, especially with his messy bleached white tawny-tipped mop, the shaved sides, and all the accessories he wore. Inyoninko walked away. Though only having been there twice, she easily navigated past the buildings on ground level. From behind her, she heard Asakay grumbling, calling out complaints at her back, so Iejei distracted him, asking him what he would do to appeal to an older woman. When Asakay said he would just ask her on a date, even Inyoninko laughed under her breath. "What," Asakay cried out, looking between Iejei and Uuzhit who were enjoying themselves. "It works!"
Figuring Asakay might be hitting his threshold of self-humiliation, Inyoninko called over her shoulder. "It does work. He's dated eleven women in the last two months." She peered back over her shoulder. "Four of whom were still waiting for his call last week."
Iejei's mouth dropped. "Who," she screamed and looked to Asakay, looking him up and down, "I haven't. Why didn't I. What!" She spun on Uuzhit. He shrugged. She spun back to Asakay, grabbing his arm and pointed in his face. "You're telling me who you dated, when, how much, what you did. Spill."
"I ain't tellin' the gossip queen."
Iejei's eyes flashed. "Oh," she sang, "this ain't gossip. This is national pride!" She grabbed him by the collar, even as they kept walking. "Every. Itty. Bitty. Detail."
Inyoninko stole a glance back. Asakay was nodding furiously but Iejei did not release him. "Continue." All the way to the administration building, Asakay walked, hunched over, collar and arm gripped by Iejei, recounting for her the eleven women he dated.
Comments (0)
See all