Princess walked into her room without greeting Chuks, she locked her door and lay on her bed. He had just put her through more stress, if this was how her first day in Lagos turned out, she dreaded what the remaining days of her holiday would be like.

Chuks smiled, his intention was to knock on her door and plead for her forgiveness but he knew she would get over it by tomorrow. He had been worried about his phone but seeing it with her when she came back had eliminated the worry.

He had not been surprised when he saw the way she was dressed, it would have been a greater surprise for him had she been wearing feminine clothes, he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off.

He could make use of a cold shower now, he said to himself while heading to the bathroom.

——————–

Sandra hugged Fola, they had gone out for dinner. She had suggested they have dinner at her place but Fola had refused to oblige her request.

She was going to miss him, what she did not quite understand was why Fola acted emotionally cold towards her, she consoled herself with the fact that his mother’s surgery was the obvious reason.

“I’m going to miss you baby,” she said while still holding him in a tight embrace.

“Me too,” Fola replied while stroking her hair, he had a rough day packing his stuff and he wanted to rest well before his journey tomorrow.

They stepped out of the restaurant holding hands, when they got to the bus-stop, they were fortunate to find a taxi parked by the corner.

They boarded the taxi with Sandra alighting at her place first, Fola had then given her a lingering kiss, one which Sandra had interpreted as ‘I’ll miss you kiss’ whereas Fola had spelt it out as ‘a goodbye kiss’.

——————-

“Hey sweety, did you miss me?”
The first statement she had heard kept replaying in her head, the number was a private one but that was not her problem at the moment.

When the caller had said that to her, she had asked who the caller was, but the caller had simply said, “Dami, just know that I love you and will always love you.”

She knew that voice, she had heard it before but what scared her was the fact that she thought that voice would only exist in her past but it appeared history was about to repeat itself.

She shook with fear as she recalled what this voice had put her through in the past, her problem was not the fact that the person still claimed to love her.

Her problem was the fact that the caller was a woman.

“Maami, I’m fine o,”
“So you eventually chased Gbenga out abii?” Femi’s mother queried him on the phone.

“Haba maami, he got a better job and as such he had to relocate,” he defended, “so maami, you mean to tell me you left Daddy alone at home so you could pamper Titi in Ilorin, I thought you were suppose to leave on friday, why wednesday?”

“Is somebody jealous?” Maami laughed, “and besides your father isn’t alone, Dare is with him.”

Femi overheard Titi singing and laughing in the background, “Maami, is she mocking me?” he asked.

“Mock ke? She is simply singing,” maami laughed and joined Titi in singing. That was when Femi heard the wordings of the song properly, they were singing ‘some people jealous me, some people jealous me, some people jealous me because I am pampered…’

Femi simply laughed and shook his head, “Jealous indeed, maami put the phone on speaker, let me face Titi.”

“The phone has been on speaker all the while.”
“Ehen,” Femi nodded, “so she has been into the conersation all the while, Titi I’ll forgive you because I don’t do fighting.

“If I hear, na you fight pass sef,” Titi finally spoke while maami’s laughter increased its tempo. They spoke for about three more minutes discussing various family issues.

After Femi ended the call, he changed into a brown t-shirt and black jeans trousers. There was a football match between real madrid and Barcelona that night, he despised Barcelona and although he was not a fan of Real madrid, he hoped Barcelona would lose the game.

Watching the match alone in his sitting room was not an option and that was what had prompted his decision to dress. He was going to watch the match in a viewing centre across the street.

The time was currently ten minutes past seven, thirty five more minutes and the match would begin. He realised he had to hurry if he was to get a good seat.

He came out of his flat and saw his neighbour, he had spoken to the guy in the past on few occasions. He could not recall his name though he was sure it was an igbo name.

“Chairman,” he greeted with his hands raised to his head in the form of a salutation.

“Bros , long time.” Chuks replied.
“Abi ooo”
“Did you travel? For a while I only saw your brother although I haven’t seen him in a while”

“Gbenga moved out and I’ve been around, just been busy with work and stuff…” Femi sighed, “sorry, remind me your name again.”

“Chuks, its no problem but I remember yours, Femi right?” Chuks replied with a tone of confidence.

Femi laughed feeling embarrassed, “Yes,” he replied.

Chuks was wearing a Real madrid jersey, he was obviously going to see the game. Femi could not help but admire Chuks, the guy was an adonis to all respect from his good looking face to his muscular and well built body.

Femi was sure the guy had a ripped body and six pack abs which was hidden by the jersery he wore. Femi had never taken activities at the gym seriously, he knew he was not a handsome bloke like Chuks, all that mattered was that he had cash with which he survived.

Guys like Chuks had girls drooling over them, guys like him on the other hand simply had to equip their pockets and train their tongues to do the talking.

“Up Barca,” he teased Chuks who had been tieing his shoe lace.
Chuks wore a grimace, “If I hear, up Gallacticos, better don’t raise your hopes ooo, we go finish una today.” Chuks concluded.

Femi quickly raised his hands in mock surrender, “Please oh, na Madrid I dey support.”
Chuks had then smiled, “God save you. Where are you going to watch the match sef?” he questioned.

“That place across the street, the building beside that secondary school.”
“That’s where I’m headed as well,” Chuks replied.

“Lets go together now, I’m sure that place will be crowded already.” Femi suggested.

“Barcelona is going down.” Chuks had concluded while demonstrating with his hands.

——————

Dami walked back into her hostel, she could not tell if she her being tired was due to school stress or if it had to do with that terrifying phone call.

She had just gone to meet Ore outside her hostel, the boy had a good rapport with the lab attendants. He had claimed to be discussing with Miss Funke one of the lab attendants, Funke had disclosed to him that the lecturers had given them the same substance howbeit it had been contaminated with different impurities.

Dami had heaved a sigh of relief at that point, little wonder different groups arrived at different answers.

She opened her door to find two of her roommates asleep, Chinaza was not in the room, the girl had probably gone out for chicken and chips or sharwama runs. Chinaza was the crazy one among them.

She picked up her phone and decided to check facebook. She had a friend request, on a normal day she would just accept it. But she had to be cautious, she clicked on the name to view the profile.

That was when she realised she was in deep trouble.