Serendipity

Chapter 9: Salsa

The hall was beautiful. After the church service, they had gone to the hall for the reception. Derin had tagged along with Nonso. Since it was a table for two couples.

She still hadn't seen Lola. In her mind she plotted three ways which she could kill Lola without people noticing. She looked around and caught sight of her. Seated with her brother. Step brother Dike. She wasn't sure what to make of seeing them together. She shrugged the thought away and focused on the couples first dance.

Mimi Orji's light skin glowed in her floor length silver gown. The gown glittered under the yellow illuminated lights. The groom was not so tall, but he was taller than Mimi. He had his hair shaved bald and kept the beards on his jaw mildly. They both held on to each other, happy grins and locked gazes as they danced.

"Are you alright?" Nonso suddenly asked. Derin turned to him. His eyes were clear and she read worry in it. It made her heart swell knowing that he cared a great deal about her. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to think so much about his eyes.

"I'm not a baby. I'm fine." she snapped and turned away. From her peripheral vision, she saw him exhale harshly. He glanced at her briefly then stood up and walked out.

She stared after him, watching as he made his way outside. The music that played in the background filled her ears as she watched walk out angrily. Feeling a pang of guilt, she stood up grudgingly and went after him.

He was still in the hallway when she got there. He walked straight down the narrow hallway and walked through the threshold by the left. Derin walked after him, trying to prevent her heels from resonating clicking sounds in the hallway. As she got closer, she peeked through the little space left open. The door was slightly ajar and she saw a little garden. Flowers she couldn't recognize were scattered all around, in a beautiful unkept way. By the left, where certain green leaves with little red ones at the tip were planted. He held on to the railing that demarcated the flowers from the tiled floor. He paced after a while, huffing and scrunching his face. His steps seemed to be angry or frustrated. She couldn't decide. She just wanted to make sure he was ok. She didn't plan on sharing a word or two with him. She sighed in relief when he stopped pacing and rested his elbow on the railing. She moved further and looked into the garden fully.

He wasn't breaking anything so it was fine. He was fine. She turned to go.

Just as she did, her right hand hit the door knob forcefully. Her wrists stung at the forceful contact, sending a scathing sensation through her bones and she shrieked.

Nonso turned back and saw her there, standing beside the door and massaging her wrists furiously. From her peripheral gaze, she watched him stare at her in puzzlement.

"Derin? " he made his way over to her and stood beside her. A small smile spread on his lips as he spoke. "Definitely not a child I see."

He used her own words against her. She glared at him, which only made him chuckle. He took her hand in his and examined it. "Nothing bad. The pain will fade eventually."

She nodded once and slipped her hands out of his. She stared down at her shoes. Not knowing where else to look. She had only wanted to stop reminiscing about their time together. About him and about them. She hadn't meant to snap at him.

But she had.

"Join me here. The wedding is almost done anyways." He smiled.

"Ehm.. No.. I'd just head back in-"

He pleaded. "Derin come on."

She looked up at him. His smile was replaced by an irresistible smirk. His eyes were pleading and then, she decided she wanted to stand there with him. She nodded once and joined him. He didn't seem so angry again. It was so hard but she felt the need to do it, to apologize so he'd know she wasn't that bad a person.