Naya and Vince

33

CONFESSIONS

Vincent from his corner of the class stole a glance in Nairobi's direction. She was looking so seriously at the board, probably trying to figure out the solution to the classwork. He sighed and looked back into his blank note.

He missed her.

He was surprised at himself that he could admit it. He didn't miss her in that he liked her in a cheesy way. He just missed her presence in the house. Nairobi made Saturdays in the house more bearable for him. He wouldn't trade their sometimes childish and stupid ramblings to a silent huge house, meant to be home, that threatened to shred his sanity. Coupled with the fact that Constance was just. . .there, he felt himself slowly going back to that fifteen year old traumatised boy who couldn't get over the guilt and pain that dragged him into their depths, in hopes of drowning him in grief and self hate.

Vincent mentally slapped himself. He was supposed to hate Nairobi not wish they were still going to spend Saturdays together being Tom and Jerry.

Constance was still a shadow of her former self since her godforsaken birthday about three weeks ago. He had tried everything to bring her back to her bubbly radiant self but none had any effect. It was like that star in her had just disappeared. He had been thinking of therapy but the mere image of Constance sitting in a plain white office with an old doctor mortified him for unknown reasons. Maybe because he was scared it would do more harm than good. He sighed. He had long stopped going for therapy. He just strolled around the estate or hid in a gym watching those working out when he was supposed to be discussing the twisted things going on in his head and nightmares with a fellow who probably didn't care.

Israel turned back. "Bro are you done?"

Vincent stared at the empty page of the note book. He hadn't started the classwork since he had been wondering how things went so wrong under some minutes.

Just few minutes with her.

They've spent hours together and secrets weren't spilled and ties ruptured so how? How did things go so south? He and Nairobi spent Saturdays together, why was the last different? It was Ms. Daniels fault.

Pointing fingers as usual, his subconscious accused.

"Mister man, are you even listening to me?" He heard Israel ask. He looked up to see a frown on the fair boy's face. He knew he heard been hearing someone talking.

"Are you done?" Vincent asked him.

"Nope. The third and fifth questions are giving me a tough time."

"How can I be done then if you aren't? You are brainier than I am."

"The pretty new girl tutors you. You did well in the test. You got a B in mathematics. Guy, that's something y'know," Israel said, his light brown eyes teasing him silently.

He did do well in his test-a B in mathematics and physics and a C in chemistry was enough proof that Nairobi's session was profitable. Vincent fought the urge to smile at Israel's choice of words. Nairobi was pretty alright -even he had to admit it.

And the thing was this.

She wasn't that kind of beauty that made you pause and exclaim God dey create!

No.

Nairobi wasn't like his friend Olamide and unfortunately friend-not Jessica. Nairobi didn't have the flawless skin he admired in ladies - in fact her skin was dullish kind off and she had this eczema-like patch on her nose and under her eyes but either ways, he still thought she was still pretty. Maybe it was her eyes.