LOVE & FLAWS | A NIGERIAN ROMANCE |

Chapter 29: Banging heads and broken bones.

Ken Drove Clint silently from the mall, under the dark sky. Clint groaned whenever the car galloped. His shoulder ached. "Sorry, bro," Ken said on such occasions. He reduced his driving speed, but it did Clint only a little good since the road was full of portholes. He groaned continuously, with only Ken's repeated sorry message to comfort him.
A pounding headache forced him back to his relaxed position when he attempted to sit up. "That guy is a mad bull," he groaned.
Ken turned to him. "Definitely, there is no other explanation to this."
"I feel better." Clint deadpanned.

Ken drove into a clinic. "We are here," he announced.
Ken spent the night at the hospital with Clint. He was administered first aid by the hospital and also went through different diagnostic tests, which the results were made available by morning.
"The scan showed no result of internal injuries. Your bones and joints are in good shape. The pain is the result of your impact on the ground," the young medical professional explained.
"It will subside soon. The headache may linger a bit longer, but it's nothing to worry about. I have written down your prescriptions, you will get them before leaving."
Clint looked on from the bed. He was wearing only the black joggers he wore to the boutique the previous day. His head and shoulders were wrapped in bandages. He tried to adjust from the bed, but his shoulder hurts with the movement. He kissed his teeth.
"Remember, you are on bed rest. Three days. I will monitor your condition for some more hours. At best results, you will be discharged today."
"Thanks, Doc!" Ken said.

Iyke walked in with Anna at the end of their discussion. She went on to sit beside Clint on the bed. He moved his leg to give room for her to sit. "Thanks," she muttered.
"I have to go now," the Doctor announced.
Iyke came closer to the bed. "How are you, Man?"
"I'm not fine, as you can see." Clint responded with a low voice.
They laughed at his response.

Smiling, "How do you feel this morning?" Iyke rephrased.
Clint adjusted in the bed. "No difference."
They went on another round of laughter.
"How did you end up in a fight with that Pete guy?"
"I was attacked by that marauding bull."
"That explains a lot because you look like you survived a stampede," Iyke exposed his set of bold white dentition.
They went on another round of laughter.
"Poor you. What happened to our fitness class?" Anna asked.
Iyke leaned on the wall for support while Ken held tight to the hand rest of his seat; his head hung back in laughter.
It annoyed Clint. "I feel better. Thanks for your concern," he said.
She winked at him with a wide grin. He groaned in discomfort.

Anna wore a straight face, "guys, that's unfair. This doesn't call for laughter," she said, "well, dear," she rubbed his legs, "how hard was his punch? I heard you were on the ground; that's not true, right?" She threw her fists in the air in a feminine fashion, to demonstrate the punch.
The boys stifled laughter from their positions.
"Iyke!" Clint called, "I beg you in the name of God, doesn't she have a show to host or something? Anything, just take her away or something. " He pleaded.
Anna's lips parted in laughter, "don't worry, dear, you're gonna miss me immediately I'm gone."
"Please, start going already. I swear I'm not going to miss you."

"If you don't mind, Clint," her countenance changed, "when he punched you, what was he saying? You don't mess with my sister?" She winked with a bold smirk on her face.
The boys laughed at her joke. Clint mildly swung his feet at Anna, but she made a quick escape from the bed. Slowly, she retraced her steps towards the door. He tried to adjust but ended up groaning in pain. "I won't let this slide."
"See you. Enjoy your karma."
Clint raised his middle finger for her. "F**k you!" He mouthed.
She pulled out her tongue. "Time and venue, please!"
"I will be back in a minute, bro, so you could go freshen up," Iyke said from the door.
"No probs," Ken replied.

Though dizzy, Clint felt better with the friendly banter. He closed his eyes to reduce the effect.

Street001: Do My sister anyhow, collect wotowoto. [laughing emojis]"
Clinton Eze: As if he never break person sister heart before. Rubbish [Bored emojis]"
Ella Rukky: Correct gee. Make him collect small. [laughing emojis]"
Emma Abbas: Boy's should stand up for their sisters this way. This will teach him a big lesson."
Kate Omori: Could remember my brother beating the hell off my ex. Me wey dem break my heart come dey beg am to forgive.
Fuññy Ben: Girls should fight for the brothers this way too.
Tola Ajayi: The ones you don break their heart, how many of them don carry their brother come fight you.
Comment Reader: From the President Comment Readers Association (CRA): Pls make your comment brief and interesting, so we can read and move to the next comment. Thanks.
DMacho Man: I will do same for my Sis. All this Nigga's who makes fake promises to ladies needs to be taught lessons.
Loveth Akpor: Nah big Bro wey fight for us go collect bride price. Hehehe!
Bidemi Akinola: I'm an artist and I wish to be followed.
Shauty comics: Continue scrolling, this is not the comment you are looking for. I'm looking for that comment too.
Grace Purity: Wasted generation. Unah wehdone.
Itzurboy Cutie: Red alert. Abeg make unah show us the girl picture, make we avoid am. My face dey too precious for dis kin punch. #ItzurboyCutie.
Ebu ka: As e no concern me, make I waka pass [Walking emojis].

Tina cringed. The comments on the video tagged "big boys fight" which has gathered thousands of likes and comments across blogs were mostly comical. Some were happy, others were unconcerned, some defended Clint, but most made fun out of it. Tina tightened her hands around her smart phone. The video was very embarrassing for her. She didn't need to ask the cause of the fight or who started it. She knew Pete enough to decipher. Pete had no business fighting him. She was not taking Pete's side on this. She left for his room.
She knocked severally on his door without response. Angrily, she marched to the sitting but only her parents were there. She went back to her room, angry.
"Where are you?" She messaged him.
Just then, a familiar step in the hallway made her fling her door open. She stood by the door, hands folded, and waiting for him to come closer.

Pete stopped moving when he saw Tina in the middle of the hallway with folded hands. He observed her for seconds before speaking. "Angry?" he avoided her gaze. "He deserved that. He needed to be taught a lesson." He walked past her, carefully avoiding her shoulders.

Tina followed him to his room, shutting the door after her. She rested on the wall, returned her hands to its former position and continued with her glares.
Pete avoided her gaze. He sat on the bed and began to pull his shoes. "Stop that." He pleaded, and for the first time he looked her in the face.
Tina's anger dropped when she saw his face. The sight of it forced her to go closer. His right eye and cheek were swollen. She reached for his face, but he moved it.
"He needed to be taught a lesson," he repeated.
"You didn't have to." she signalled. "It's not worth it."
"I was annoyed. I couldn't let him go like that," he paused to watch her reaction, "not after running that his smart mouth. I warned him."
She occupied the seat in the room. "It's embarrassing," she expressed, "I can handle myself. I won't hesitate to ask for help when I need one," she communicated to him.

Tina left him in the room and returned later with a first aid kit box and a pack of ice. She tended to his face and bruised fingers.

Later That Night when she returned to her room, she came across the video again, from a different blog and a different tag. She went through the comment section which not so different from the former, reading controversial comments from the viewers. She would have laughed past them, had it not involved her elder brother and herself at the center of it all. Some comments were so judgemental, even when the authors knew nothing about their story.

Chidi's message popped up. She had lots of unread messages from Chidi and a few others.
Chidi: Are you okay, Tee?
Tina: I am.
It doesn't feel right.
Chidi: I think your brother is cool.
Tina: I made my choices.
He didn't have to fight him.
Chidi: He deserved it.
Tina: Just like himself.
Chidi: It's a different scenario Tee
Tina: Now you sound like my parents.
Why is it different?
Because he is my brother or because I can't talk?
Chidi: No Tee, that's not what I mean.
Tina: Then what?
Chidi: (Voice note) See, Tee, let me be sincere. When it happened, I was very mad, but it wasn't as bad as what that guy did to you. That Clint was a d**khead. He toyed with you. I was so angry to watch you go through that pain. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way.
Tina: It's ok. I totally understand.
It's just that you guys forget that I'm an adult and can handle myself.
Chidi: (Voice note) I'm sorry, Tee. Don't be angry. You hear?
Tina: I will check on him.
Chidi: You mean Clint?
Tina: Yes.
Chidi: That's ok. I mean if it's okay with you...
What of Pete?
Tina: He's fine.
He has some bruises
Chidi: Okay. Good night.
Tina: Sleep tight.

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