,,A THIRD TIME.

Chapter Four

It's a hectic Tuesday for me. I've been in class from 8:00am to 4:00pm. I'm heading to my dorm room to take a nap so I can read at night.
I sleep till 8:00pm and I wake up to Bruno's call. I could really use his voice right now.
"hello Pamela"
"Bruno "
"I'm in school to see an old classmate, can I see you too? "
"I'll be out in ten minutes"
I'm seeing Bruno everyday now and it's not a problem, for now at least.
I don't apply anything to my face. I pack a few things that I need for night prep and stroll to meet Bruno in his car. I smile at him as I enter in. He is smiling back at me and his smiles sends a message to my soul. His smile awakens my soul.
We start to talk about music and I tell him my favourite artiste,i explain that I like the artiste because he's good with words, because he loves his wife.
"Are You a romantic type"? He asks still looking at me.
"I guess so" I tell him and he nods. I tell him I want play the songs in my phone through his car speakers and he immediately connects the appropriate cords. I play him songs and he knows every song in my phone so I decide to play him a country music because I think he's some Pop, Hip-Pop and the likes kind of guy. I play "Islands in the Stream" by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Bruno doesn't sing along because he doesn't know the song. Yes. I begin to feel like a winner except he's humming along, he's singing the chorus. He knows the song. This guy is versatile. This guy is interesting. This guys is fun. I like this guy.
We're listening to the song and laughing when he holds my face and turns it to look at his.
He's looking at me in the eye and
My conscious self flies away. The dumb me takes over. I'm so lost looking at his eyes. His face is fair and his eyes are indescribable. I can feel his nose colliding with mine. I'm looking at his lips now, they call me by my name, they draw me closer. He holds me by my arm and his touch takes me to paradise. His touch, oh God, his touch; Almighty.
I'm in a place I don't know, my body builds up feelings. Looking at his eyes I have no words. He is holding me as I burn with desire. My body doesn't know where to concentrate on. I look down at my arm to see where this feeling I'm getting comes from, my face is barely down when he puts his finger on my chin and lifts my face up. He bends over and places his lips on mine. He's kissing me, with passion.
No. He's kissing me beyond passion. I can smell his breath. His breath is breathtaking. I close my eyes and allow him to take me to the place of no return.
I pull back immediately. Realising that I'm letting down my guard. Realising that I'm letting myself feel something, something real. I get hold of my phone  and he tries to hold me back but I break loose from him and scurry out of the car. I walk so fast I think I will fall.
I'm inside the classroom staring at the message he just sent me. I'm not replying because I'm thinking. Thinking of his lips. Thinking of how fast it happened. Hating myself but loving the occurrence.
I'm unable to read for hours so I text him back because he's still online by 1:00am. "Why are you still awake? ".
"Is that why you're replying my text now?" He answers with a question. "why did you leave the car the way you did" he attacks.
"Mission one accomplished,right?" I accuse him.
"What do you mean?" He sounds shocked. "Don't do what you're doing, I'm not like that".
I'm touched because he implies he's different. I don't know if he's genuine but, he's shown me a part of him that I'm sure even his family is not aware of. Could he actually be real?
Oh, no. This isn't happening. I'm into him. I don't even care about the car anymore.
I want this man.
     
***   ***    ***    ***   ***

I'm exhausted from chained lectures but I'm glad I have Bruno to talk to. There's a message from him but I want to make my bed first. I drop my phone on the mattress and start folding the clothes I left scattered in the morning. I'm making the bed when my phone falls. I pick it up and the screen is cracked,real bad. I'm so pissed and sad. I'm sad because all I want to do right now is talk to Bruno, but I guess not anymore. I'm pissed because it's going to cost a lot of  money to fix it and I don't have it. I'm pacing back and forth.
Ah ha. Somebody's owing me. I quickly  take the phone to a phone shop for repairs.
Two days later,my phone is fixed and I can't wait to talk to Bruno. There's nobody around so I put the light off and climb my bed. "Bruno" I text him.
"Yeah?" He replies. That feels cold and strange. I know he's upset about something. I know he's been trying to call me.
"How are you?" I ask him,ignoring his mood .
He answers, "I'm fine". Wow, this is serious. He's counting his words. I'm beginning to get tired of this.
"what are you doing?" I ask, trying to make a conversation.
"I'm out with friends". He's doing it again. That's it. I'm done trying.
"OK. Enjoy." I end the conversation. Minutes later, he texts me again. "why do you like these game you play, why do you ignore my messages and reply them when you feel like? "
I knew it. He thinks I'm playing with him. But I've missed him more than he missed me. "My phone had a problem",I tell him.
"What happened?" he asks.
Concerned now, huh?  I tell him how it cracked.
"oh,I'm sorry about that" He says. Apologetic now,huh? Thought you wanted to eat me alive some minutes ago.
Two days later, Bruno calls me in the evening and says he's coming to my school. He's here in ten minutes,must have been around somewhere close. I come out to meet him and as I lean on the car, I perceive cigeratte "Been smoking today? "I ask him. He smiles and pulls me closer "you talk too much" I smile back at him."so, this is your face" he adds. He said that because it's been days we saw each other. I tell him yes. He asks if I'll go with him and I tell him no. I want to but two of his friends are in the car. Again. Why is he fond of coming to See Me with his friends? Different ones all the time. He tells me he wants to drop them off. I guess he knows they're the reason I don't want to go, so I finally agree. I enter the car and he drives to the main campus where the boys want to buy food. There's a roasted chicken stand and he parks beside it. Bruno comes down and asks me to come out too. I come out with my head held high and as I get closer to him, he pulls me to himself and says "You are so proud, you came out like you own the car, you are just so proud" He pinches me as he says this. I smile at him but I don't say anything,he's not too wrong after all. My mother tells me never to feel or act small,poor or inferior because I'm not. I guess I'm just obeying her. His friends come back and I maintain the front seat.  At about 7:00pm,we arrive at a compound. His friends go in and he asks to go in with them and I tell him no because I feel he wants to sleep with me but when I tell him no, he doesn't insist,he sits back with me in the car. Urrrgh, I feel so guilty. Thank God he doesn't know I've been misjudging him since day one. Why do I always think that. "It's my friend's house, he goes to your school" he informs me. I haven't met that one yet I say to myself  and nod. I like to be free so I raise my legs up and keep it on top the glove compartment. Bruno leans closer to bend my seat so I'm comfortable. He smells so nice. He's touching my stomach and I'm not stopping him. He's looking at me and touching my face. He's kissing me. I push him off but he holds me back and kisses me again. I'm in heaven. Right now. With Bruno and his soft lips locked with mine, we are exchanging emotions packed with fire. We are burning. I pull back realising that we're going deeper...I take my hands to my hair to put them in order. I grunt "erm, so there's this dinner my faculty will be hosting soon, will you come? " I ask him trying to go back to the initial plan. "do you want me to come? " He replies  with a question and I don't answer for a while.
"tell me" he touches my hair and I turn to him and say "I guess so ".
"When is it? "he asks me.
"Between July and August, but we're not sure of the date yet" I answer.
"OK. If I'm still around then because I'll be going back to Lagos between that period and October to do some clearance in school, I'm not sure of the actual date either." He says,holding my palm and looking at my face and I nod.
"Do you like me? " he asks me again and he seems serious. I can tell because I'm seeing his face now. The last time he asked me, it was in a chat. I smile and touch his face. His soft,smooth face. His nose with a special shape. His eyes are sleepy and they're begging me to say yes. I look away immediately because if I continue to look at them, I'll be more than lost. But I look somewhere else this time, somewhere more enticing. I'm trapped in his face. I'm looking at his lips. I want his lips. There's no escaping this because already as it is now, I don't remember my name anymore. All I know is that he's kissing me and I'm responding. My body is. Everything in me is responding. Suddenly, like the usual, I pull myself away  and he holds me back and looks at me in the eye "you know what's funny? " he asks me and I shake my head in the negative. "You keep fighting me but we always end up kissing"
I slap him.
Gently.
I don't want to hurt his beautiful face although somehow, he's right. He touches his face in shock. "Did you just..., why did you slap?" He asks still unable to believe I slapped him.
"Should I do it again? " I ask him raising my hand and he gets hold of it immediately. "No. Don't do that again. Nobody slaps me, ever".
I just sit there and look at him. I mellow. He feels sorry immediately  and touches my face. He sighs and asks me "why do you like fighting? "
I look away. "You haven't told me you like me, why? "He asks again.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't " I finally say.
"Stop playing smart Ella, I know you are" He says,touching my hair. I smile at him but I don't say anything.
His friends come out alongside the one who lives here. The one that  goes to my school. I've  been seeing him around.  Bruno drives off and we're  at the gate of my school in few minutes. "The tally" he says as he presses the button of the side of my windscreen and it comes down. I begin to search for the tally in the car. I'm looking everywhere but it's not here. Where could it be?  Bruno's laughing quietly, I'm the only one who's seeing him and I'm confused. I question him with my eyes and he points the direction of the gateman with his eyes.
Urrrgh, crap. I'm supposed to get the tally from the gateman. "Oh man" I say quietly to myself as I collect it. I really can be obtuse. Most of the time.
I cover my face with my right hand in shame. The people at the back are talking. I don't think they noticed and I begin to thank my stars but Bruno holds my left hand  and leans a bit close to me "I'll  tell them" he says, smiling.
I squeeze his hand immediately "please".I smile  as I beg him
"I'll tell them what a village girl you are,unless you tell me you like me" he is so happy right now.
"Bruno" I beg, still smiling.
"You are proud, do you agree? "
I don't say anything, I'm still smiling.
"Hey,  guys.... "he begins as if to tell them.
"yes, I am" I cut in and laugh out loud as I try to cover his mouth with my hand. "Don't tell them" I whisper. "I'm proud"
He laughs and lifts my hand up to the level of his lips. He kisses my hand softly and drops it back down but doesn't leave it  even though he's driving. I'm falling for Bruno. He is the best person I've ever met. He is everything a woman wants. He knows how and when to play,When and how to be romantic. He knows how to make me smile. He's my desire. I desire him.
We're at my hostel now and I'm about to leave the car but Bruno holds me and I turn back. He kisses me quickly and I don't fight or frown. I let him because His friends are there. I bid him goodbye and I hear them tease him as I close the door.
I've taken my bath and I'm on my bed. I open a message Bruno sent some minutes ago. It is an animated picture of a boy holding a girl so tight to himself because it seems like the girl was trying to escape. He is kissing her. It is captioned "COME HERE AND SHUT UP"
I'm smiling and laughing at the same time.
That is us.
I am that girl.
Oh, Bruno.