Naya and Vince

42

"So. . ."

I actually agreed to 'walk'. I know a short apology and watching random clips together for a day may not be a good enough reason for strolling with Vincent but I had a very pathetic idea.  If I could still be friends with Chijioke and make Vincent hate me not, then maybe I wouldn't mind Stephen's enmity. After making sure Constance was really sleeping, I and Vincent left the house. Vincent gave some orders to Timi before we left.

We were already out of Adebayo close with an almost six feet gap between us and heading to wherever Vincent was leading us when Vincent decided to start a conversation.

". . .you and CJ are really close?" Great conversation starter, Vincent. Where was he even heading with the question?

"He is my friend."

"Right. How did you get his jacket though?" He asked eyeing my outfit.

I drew the jacket tighter around me and narrowed my eyes to slits. "What are you driving at?"

Vincent backed off a bit raising his hands in something akin to surrender. "Ok chill guy. I couldn't think of anything to talk about and I was tired of us walking like couples who are fighting."

I stared at him for a while then continued walking. Vincent joined me.

"Chijioke. . .he took me out-"

"On a date?!" Vincent's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"No-"

"When did he do that?!"

"Chijioke did not take me out on a 'date'," I clarified making air quotes. "He just showed up at my house two days after Christmas and said he wanted to take me out because he missed me."

Okay now that I said it out loud it sounded. . .so grossly cheesy.

"That criminal," Vincent only chuckled. "Where do you stay?"

"So why did you suggest a stroll?" I asked. I don't know why I panicked but my voice came out louder than I intended. Sure, Abuleoshun, or Satellite town in general wasn't a bad place. It wasn't for the rich of the richest like Ikeja reserved area where regal high was located and some estates in Maryland where I figured some school mates stay, like Chijioke. And it was very segregated. The almost rich had where they dwelt and the poor had their own place. Yet I still couldn't tell him I stayed there. I felt a bit insecure about that. The fact every  being knew I was a scholarship student was disturbing enough. I think I made a mistake letting Stephen know and now Chijioke knew my exact shack. There was no way on earth any other person was going to know where I stayed. They were permitted to make wild guesses.

"Honestly, I don't even know. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing," Vincent answered me.

I eyed him the boy. Was he being real right now?

"Nairobi." Hearing Vincent call my name always sounded weird. I responded with a hum. "I'm sorry."

The apology almost made me lose my footing. I was lucky enough not to fall face flat on the tarred road. Yep, his statement totally caught me off guard.

"Ehn?"

Did he really apologize or was I beginning to hear things?

"You're making this harder by looking at me like that," Vincent frowned at me.

"Making what harder?" I had to ask.

"Apologizing."

I stopped walking. "Who told you to? Chijioke right?" Vincent ever apologizing to me felt like a farfetched dream. It is true that he sent a short apology after the mess that day but a part of me believed Chijioke actually used his phone to send me the message. Because, well, I don't know.