,,A THIRD TIME.

Chapter Three

It's Monday and I'm trying to get my hair fixed. Bruno asks if he can See me today and I don't have a problem with that. He asks me to come over to  his estate and I tell him no. I stop the conversation and tell him I have to get busy. I'm making my hair but it's nothing special. Just a little something to keep me smart for a while. It's getting to the middle of the semester and I'm broke,it happens to every student. I'm on my bed when he calls to tell me he's with friends and would like to come and See Me. I tell him okay. I don't know why, but I'm really happy. I'm seeing him again. This time, I'll take the time to look at his face. I put on a black leggings and a peach blouse that makes me feel 16. I'm not too old though, I just turned 17 some months ago. I apply powder to my face, draw my brows and put on a little lip gloss. I don't want to make any effort to impress him. He calls me and I go out to meet him but he's not there. I don't get it. Where is he? I see his car at another hostel, I guess he mistook it to be mine. I walk over to meet him. Two of his friends are in the car. I'm not happy, but why? He's not even my boyfriend. Regardless though, why does he want me to come and chill with him and the boys? I enter the back and sit with one of his friends. He says his friend wants to meet somebody upfront. I don't agree or disagree. He drives to the hostel. One of the boys makes a call and a girl comes out. Aged 20 or 21. She has lots of make-up on and it's 7:30pm. Where are they going to? She stands by the front door to talk to Bruno's friend who's in front. They talk and talk and talk and she just keeps acting out because apparently, Bruno is a fine man. She claims she has something to do, so she can't go out with the boys but she's still here. Talking to Bruno's friend but flirting with Bruno who is barely looking. God, this man is admirable. I feel something for him but I don't want to know what it is. I smile because this girl is still making a fool of herself. She keeps saying she has a lot to do but she's been here for what,twenty minutes? Pretender. Flirt.
As we're leaving , one of the boys say something that makes me sick, "Let's go find another bitch". I want to ask to leave the car but I keep my calm. I tell myself,these boys are probably old friends he may or may not have grown up with and since he just got back, he's trying to chill with them. He's educated, I tell myself. He's not like them, I console myself.
Bruno drives out of school. The police stop us at a checkpoint and start asking for some papers. I don't really hear them because I'm at the back. But Bruno is just sitting back with one hand on the stirring,not prepared to say anything. What is he doing?I don't want to get arrested tonight. Another policeman warns the one talking to us and informs him in pidgin "That man na barrister o" Bruno says "leave him alone, I'm just watching him."
The police man immediately moves back and smiles,"ah  oga, sorry o, you for tell me now". Bruno replies sounding sarcastic "I had to watch you do your job". The policeman laughs and tells him to carry on. Boss man, I say to myself. He must be feeling like a king especially with a girl in the car. He drops his friends off at their house or where ever. Someplace I don't even care about. I dislike them.
Bruno asks me to come to the front seat and I obey. He doesn't say anything as he drives to his estate but he doesn't go in. A man is waiting at the gate, questioning him. They talk for almost ten minutes. He goes in and comes back out with a gallon. He wants to buy fuel I guess. "My brother" he tells me as he enters the car and I don't say anything. I'm getting really bored so I pick up my phone and text Beulah " I'm with Bruno in case I don't come back, arrest him" she replies with a smiley. "I'm getting bored" I tell her, "doesn't this guy know how to make a conversation?"
She sends a laughing emoji and tells me to say something.
I tell her no way and she says she'll call him right away. Minutes later, Bruno's phone beeps, he looks at it and asks me if I told his cousin I was with him.  I don't deny it. He drives into a Hotel and parks In the premises. We go in together. Within me,my heart hurts, I'm disappointed. He just wants to sleep with me and I'd already started liking him. I don't believe this. I'm still lost thinking. We're still walking and I'm beginning to wonder where he's going to. We've passed all the rooms in the corridor. We turn left and there's a pool in here. There are paintings on the wall. It's beautiful in here. We keep walking and as we turn right, there are three guys and a girl sitting at a table. They're Bruno's friends. Something inside me jumps in ecstasy and relief. He didn't bring me here to have sex. I'm rolling on cloud 9. We get there and I say hello to them. The lady is fair and beautiful. She has my kind of hair but a darker version. She's chubby. She has bags beneath her eyes and they're really dark. Her lips are black and she looks exhausted. She's smoking. They all are. I sit next to her. "This is my friend,Pamela."Bruno introduces me.
"Your girlfriend?" The girl asks
" I told you she's my friend" he answers quickly,sounding defensive.
I'm a little sad to hear that. They're talking about me and I'm right there. I try not to take it personal. Besides, I'm just an acquaintance. I'm shocked to see that Bruno picks up a cigarette and a matchbox and gets ready to smoke. He's not worried that I'm there. He lights it up and starts smoking. I'm not disappointed and I'm not even judging him. I'm happy. I can't tell what I feel but this guy, this Bruno, is the realest person I've ever met. Right here, right now, I want to tell him 'yes I like you. I like the fact that you're a reality TV show yourself. I like it that you don't hide you from me. I like it that whatever you want from me, you're not showing me a different you to get it. I like you so much I want to kiss you right here, with the smoke in your mouth, with its smell around you, with your realness this moment,' but I don't.
"What would you like to take?" He interrupts my imagination.
"Nothing" I answer softly.
They all look at each other, surprised.
"Come and sit next to me" Bruno tells me and I obey. I have been obeying Bruno through out the evening. The girl is staring at me and I'm shy but I keep a straight face. I'm sure she's wondering why I'm acting little miss perfect who doesn't drink or smoke. I don't blame her. I'm doing the same. When she's not looking, I look at her. Trying to understand why she's this pretty and smoking along with guys. I feel she's suffering and she doesn't even know it.
"baby,"she calls out to the guy sitting beside her,"pass me the matches". It is now that I realise that she's here with her boyfriend. A guy who's age I'm really unable to estimate. He looks sick. His lips are blacker than the girl's. She's probably smoking because her boo is, I conclude. These things we do. The things we do for love,right?
Bruno let's down his hand and holds mine. I feel calm. My heart smiles. How does he know when to touch me? The other guys try to make a conversation with me and I respond. Bruno tells them I'm acting and I laugh for the first time. How well does he even know me? He's wrong. I don't like my table manners so I don't display it outside especially with people I just met, even though it's just a drink. After a while, I ask him to take me back and he doesn't hesitate.
He's not that boring after all, I've had a wonderful evening; I say to myself. As he drives me back to school, he still can't stop talking about me acting. "I know these little games you're playing" he says. I ask him "what?"
He says "you know it, you know what you're doing". I smile and look away,not prepared to argue or acquit myself of his allegations.
We're in  my school and it's twenty minutes to ten, the hostel will be locked soon. We sit in his car and he looks at me and I become dumb. His eyes are sleepy and soft. I ask him"Do you ever get serious? " I don't know where that came from, but I really don't want to give him the impression that I'm already planning our marriage. I think I asked because I think he's a player. I think he thinks I'm one of these girls who's desperate for a handsome man or a relationship. He bends his seat backward and crosses his hand over my body to bend mine so we can just lay on it and talk.  When he's done bending my seat, I quickly take his hands off and he smiles. He answers with a question"why do you ask?.
"I don't know, "I reply, touching my lips with my fingers."I just feel you're not a serious person, what do you do?, I know this is your dad or mom's car."
He laughs in surprise. Even I am surprised that I said that. Still unable to believe that I asked him that, he sits up and says "No" stressing the "O"."This is my car" I don't even let him finish as I cut in and ask,"If It's your car, why is the NBA sticker on the windshield?" I ask because the last I checked, he was a performing arts graduate and not a Lawyer. He's still unable to believe my audacity. "This is my car, it was bought in my name,every car in my house has the NBA sticker on it" he answers.
I'm beginning to feel stupid for questioning him like this but he's not upset, he's smiling.
"so, who's the lawyer in your house" I ask. Again.
"My father and brother" he replies, smiling."I'm enjoying the interview, anymore questions? " he asks me,still smiling. I shake my head in the negative. "and yes, I've been serious before. I was serious two years ago with
My ex who cheated on me" he adds,looking at me in the eye "when I'm set out to date, I give it my all. I'm a hundred percent guy, I just don't understand why you'd see me and conclude that I'm a player ". Guilt strikes me but I don't let it show, I'm still looking at him because I'm lost in his eyes. His eyes that travels me a distance in seconds. He puts his hand in the pocket of his ripped jeans and brings out a complimentary card.
"I work, this is my card, I'm not idle"
I really don't believe this. I mean,I really didn't expect this but I'm more than impressed. This card is printed in a black hard paper. His name is written in gold. 'BRUNO ANDERSON -----PROFESSIONAL ACTOR, EVENTS PLANNER.....
There's a symbol on the card and below it is written "FP".The address is foreign.
I'm still lost in admiration of the card when he touches my knee and tells me, "You can keep it" I look up and he's smiling.
Urrrgh.... He's so annoying.
And sweet.
I smile and I keep the card anyway. He points to notify me that one of the doors of my hostel has been closed. I tell him good night and runoff to the door. I enter my room, climb my bunk, removing only my bra. I smell of cigarette and I don't care if my roommates think I've started smoking.
I wanna sleep in these clothes tonight.
I want Bruno to be a part of me tonight.
I want to smell of his reality tonight.