"Are you a lesbian or something?"

I froze.

It was like all the blood in my body got drained out, leaving my plain shell there. I didn't know why, but I was very scared. I paused in my tracks, turning to where the voice had come from.

On turning, relief rushed over my body as I let out a hiss, blood flowing as a prickly feeling swirled around my body. It was the guy from the other day. He had a frown on, as he stood not too far from me. "Chineke, ogini? (Jesus, What is it?)"

"I've been watching you," he said, causing me to frown. "Well, more like observing you, for a while. And…"

"Don't you feel like a creep? Ehn? As you're saying what you're saying?" I asked him, standing akimbo.

"And don't you?" he crossed his arm across his chest. "You think I don't see how you look at Fareedah ehn?"

Oh, so that's her name? Hmmmm. It does have a nice feel to it, a really attractive feel to be honest. Hmmm, Fareedah.

But, I frowned, feigning obliviousness. "And Fareedah is who?"

"The fair girl with freckles, who you come here to watch."

"You sound silly. I come here to relax," I told him, trying not to give away the panic I had begun to feel.

He shook his head, making his jerry curl move from side to side. "You…" He pointed at me "...come here to watch her."

And then, I dawned on me. Why was I even denying what it was? So, I nodded. "Yes. I come to watch her, she's Intriguing. And, I want to be her friend." I shrugged.

He laughed, laughed out and caused people to look at us. I didn't care about the attention, so I stood there, waiting for him to spill the next possible trash that was going to come out of his mouth. "You reject me, but want someone else. Ironic."

Okay, maybe not complete trash.

I sighed. "You obviously wanted something more, so…don't tell me that," I said with a frown, turning to leave him. I wasn't ready to stand there and have him talk aimless things to me.

"Well, why don't you give me a damn chance? I really just want to be friends," he said after me, following me.

I groaned, ignoring him, thinking he was going to leave me out of embarrassment. But, he didn't. "I really just want to be your fri-"

"Oh please, who the hell do you think you're shitting?" I asked, cutting him off and turning back, as he almost bumped into me at my abrupt stop. "Come off it? Why do you really like me? Ah ahn? Isn't no no again?"

He became speechless at my abruptness and angered response.

I sighed. "Please, I have a boyfriend and do not need another man complicating my life." I sighed again, an idea slipping into my mind "It is for your own good," I told him, letting my shoulders fall. "Nobody apart from the person I've been betrothed to can have me. Or, their destiny is at risk." I stood straight, looking at his face. "It's all this traditional stuff," I lied to his face. "It's not like I'm trying to be a hard guy or something, it's more like a warning from me to you. But, if you don't believe me, you can try your luck. Collect my number, let's meet up." I stretched my right arm forward to ask for his phone, but he shook his head.

He was trying to keep his calm, but it was obvious he had become scared. "I didn't know, sorry," he apologized. "You're just a very fine girl, wallahi (I swear). And, I couldn't handle being rejected ehn, no one rejects me."

"Chai, it is true. See fine boy like you," I agreed with, whining him. "If only, I definitely will say yes to a guy like you."

He chuckled, looking a way as he itched at his bare elbow. "You're funny," he commented. "Okay naw, I guess I'll see you around."

I nodded, waving. "Take care of yourself ehn."

He nodded. "You too." He waved and then began to walk away, giving me space to snicker.

I was super duper close to letting out a serious laugh. Laugh till I couldn't no more. Guys of nowaway, fooling themselves and saying that rejection this and rejection that. They are just clowns, fooling themselves that they are pretty boys. Believing that every girl wants them. "Chai, you're too good," I told myself as I began to walk under the dim light of the evening sky, smiling to myself

Fareedah, he had called her. My smile widened at my heart began to beat at the mere thought of her. She had smiled to me on that day, she had been friendly with me and didn't shuu me away. I swinged my arms happily as I walked, moving my head from left to right. "Fareedah," I murmured to myself, giggling at how sweet it sounded as it slipped out of my mouth. "Fareedah," I tried again, giggling more I began to presume people around presumed me mad. I didn't care anyways, as I began to sing a 'Fareedah' song as I matched to my hostel.

***
Inoma was lying on my down-bunk bed, busy with her phone when I walked into our small room. The room was a little scanty, as some of our roommates and their squatters were out already. "Hello, everyone," I greeted our roommates. They all replied except Inoma. She had her earphone on, blocking the entire room out. She was fond of that, she said she did it to not interfere in any room matter when I wasn't there, so she wouldn't enter any trouble. That, she wasn't a bona-fide, she no get complete mouth.

I fell on the bed with a little force, so Inoma could recognize I was back. I was happy, and I wanted her to know that.

Like she knew what's up, she looked up at me. Her lips spread into a wide smile as she pulled her earphone out and dropped her phone, sitting up. "How'd it go?" she asked with a smile as she tucked her legs beneath her.

I smiled, pulling in, so I could rest on the wall on the bed but also not get my feet to touch the bedspread. "Fine." I couldn't wash off my smile.

"I can see that-uuu my friend." She chuckled, playfully touching my left forearm. "See how you are grinning like a fool."

I chuckled. "Tah, meh suonu gi. (Come on, keep shut.)"

She laughed, wiggling her brows as she leaned in. "Oya, gimme the gist naw."

"What gist? I asked her?" Acting like I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Ah, this our smile, it looks like we have finally gotten a rich boyfriend oh," Natasha - one of my roommates - said with a smile, standing in the middle of the room, directly under the single ceiling fan.

That was all she needed to say, to get everyone in the room on my case. "Eh ehn. So, we are finally rich like this," Abebah - another - commented, causing me to blush.

"There is nobody oh," I quickly protested before someone else could comment. "I am still single and have no man in my life. Well, except for my best friend, brothers, dad and relatives."

"Eh ehn?" Natasha replied.

I nodded, pulling out my phone and acting like I was busy with it.

"So, Did you hear what happened today at Mariere?" Christiana - another of my roommates - asked, changing the topic and drawing everyone's attention.

But, I slipped out. I didn't really care. I took that time out to save Fareedah's number, smiling to myself. I added a purple heart to her name, since purple was my favourite color. I was so tempted to message her on WhatsApp, but I held myself back. I didn't want to push too hard.

"So, the tea," Inoma suddenly whispered in my ear, causing goosebumps to rise on my body.

I chuckled, turning to her. "Which do you want?" I replied her quietly, trying not to win the attention of our roommates.

She giggled. "From beginning to end."

I sighed, smiling. "Okay."

She nodded.

I began, "I first saw her when I was going for elective. And I was just drawn to her. She like, so pretty-"

"Actually," Inoma cut me off "You get eye o."

I blushed, nudging her. "Shut up-uuuu."

She chuckled, I continued. "Sha, I didn't pay attention to it. Until, I couldn't anymore. She's like so Intriguing, she just makes me so curious. She sits and draws flowers for hours, and then goes home. And then, her drawing, so perfect. Most times, I just want to sit and watch her. So, one day, I talked to her sha. After watching her for a long long time."

"Wait. All those times you've been disappearing, you've been going to watch her?"

I nodded, slowly, looking away from Inoma.

"Chineke, that is very creepy Cee. Chai, I can't imagine how uncomfortable the girl must have felt."

"She didn't notice me naw, I kept a safe distance," I explained in a baby-like tone, looking at her shyly.

She chuckled. "Doesn't change the fact that it is creepy."

Not willing to accept, I quickly rode on with the story. "Sha, one day I just told her to 'Paint Me' -"

Inoma didn't let me finish before she said, "Paint me? Just like that? Chineke, Cee-"

I quickly cut her off, not letting her finish her sentence too. "Tah, let me finish before you drop comments. Anu (silly)," I insulted her, causing her to pout. I chuckled, but continued. "Sha, she said she don't do body art. I naw explained to her that, it was on paper. She said no, she doesn't do pained art, but her classmates do. I told her I wanted her, she rejected me. When I started being moody and down, was when I approached her and she told me to leave her, she even begged me. I was hurt mehn, I can't explain. Maybe it is because I have never really been interested in someone like I am in her, but it hurt like hell. Broke me for days. Until I saw her today, and she was cool sha. Got her number." I wiggle my phone in front of her face.

She wasn't pouting anymore, but was smiling. "If someone tells me that you like someone like this ehn, I will just laugh. All these years, curving and saying 'not interested', see how you are."

"Don't make me regret telling you, Ewu (Goat)," I abused her again, causing her to pout once more.

"I am not Ewu." she crossed her arm across her chest and rested on the wall, pouting.

I chuckled. "But you are stubborn."

She shook her head. "Mba (No), I am not. Infact, I am way more obedient than you are," she pointed out, causing me to giggle.

"Eh ehn, let's not-" My phone rang, cutting me off.