Gone Bad (Nigerian Novel) -Editing

Chapter 25: Can't Stay Mad at You

Nimi

The sounds of dull chatter mixes with the tunes coming from the piano.

I pause to watch the pianist practicsing african tracks popular in the mainstream gospel industry.

While our youth ministry's effort to keep up with the times had lacked in the music dppartment, the bright strobe lights, with cinema like seats and fancy gadgets was characteristic of Nigerian megachurches.

"Excuse me." a voice says.

I step aside from the doorway as the irritated girl walks straigt past me to her supposed friend group

Jemima or something -I couldn't really remember her name, but I had seen her around.

My foot keeps moving and as I near the seats I spot Demilade in his usual row, watching the clock go by.

For a moment our eyes meet, before I turn away and stop right in the front seats.

"This will have to do," I tell myself as I choose the corner most chair where I best chance of going unnoticed.

Service was always the usual drag of bible trivia's and a slightly advanced kids church -nothing I didn't already know or hear from those teen devotionals my mom made me read everyday.

"Mind if I take a seat."

My heart does a tiny flip and I force myself to keep my eyes glued to my phone.

"It's a free world," I say.

"Okay." he drags out, and I feel his body heat creep near the arm of my chair.

Time is moving majestically slow and I sigh as I see we still had 30 minutes before service would start.

A special service was taking place in the adults church so we left home earlier than usual just so we could get a good parking spot.

He on the other hand came early to church come rain or shine, perhaps it was his mysterious parents that had something to do with it as well.

"Can I have five minutes?" he asks.

I lift my head to look at the boy himself. "Of what Demilade?"

"Your time. Just five minutes," he says trying to convince me.

"I wouldn't want to stain your image in church."

His eyes narrow and his nose twitches slightly. "Don't be ridiculous, everyone sees you as one of the puritans."

"What if word gets out? How scandalous would it be then that you're associated with." I say with a mirthless smile.

"I don't even know why I'm arguing this, I don't care!" he exclaims, drawing a few eyes from nosy teens.

"Out with it then," I say, turning off my phone after I've set an alarm for 5.

"I overreacted and sad things I didn't mean." he begins, tearing his eyes from my phone screen.

"Out of the abundance of the heart..." I hum.

"I'm serious, I may know nothing of the guy, but it was never my intention to insult you in the process."

I stare at him not feeling the least bit inclined to drop my malice.

He laughs sadly and shakes his head. "That's it?"

"Did you expect me to fall at your feet for that lousy apology?"

"You do remember you were the one who dumped me like a sack of potatoes right?" he says looking at me.