Under the moonlight

Chapter 23

Kojo's pov

"I never want to lose you, Kojo. "

Those are the only word that kept playing in my mind very and over again. I could not think of anything else. But can you blame me?  It took me a lot to win Dembe's heart and the fact that she had admitted to loving me was a dream in itself.
It beats logic that I could afford to think of a girl under the circumstances that we were in, but it was not just any girl. Dembe is The only girl that I have ever genuinely loved.

Growing up, falling in love had never crossed my mind. It was something I had never thought of, or rather, no man ever talked about. We were taught about marriage but no one ever mentioned love, but the moment I met D, I knew that that strange but great feeling I kept on having was love and I loved it.

"Kojo! Kojo! What is wrong with you, man? "

I was so lost in thoughts of Dembe that I had not realized that someone was calling me.

"I can bet that you are thinking of my sister right now. "

Oh! It was Amare.
I had never met and talked to him in person since I started seeing Dembe and truthfully, I did not want to.
I was not scared of him, it is just that I wanted to be ready before I did it.
My mouth surprises me at times and I did not want to take that chance.

"Oh! Amare, so it's you."

"Of course it is me. Or were you expecting to hear Dembe's voice singing you an old lovers' song? "

He was smirking stupidly and for the first time ever, I felt beaten at my own game.
I did not know what to say to him to divert his attention because I was not ready to talk about my relationship with Dembe just yet.

"Um-um... I just came out here to catch a little bit of fresh air and look at the stars, because I'm on duty tomorrow and I might never get a chance to enjoy all this again. "

"Come on, Kojo. You do not have to sound so corny around me. And who said you are not going to be here tomorrow? "

He was right. Why did I suddenly sound so corny and sentimental?
Is that what coming face to face with death did to someone?

"It is just that... "

"It is just you are worried about my sister. "

I thought that I was going to get away from this conversation but it did not seem like it.
Amare was as determined as ever to get me to talk about it.
I guess I had to be ready after all.

"You are right. I am worried about Dembe, and the rest of the village of course. "

Why did I suddenly sound so defensive?
Amare was just a young man like me.
I could talk to him without feeling so insecure. I was sure he could get me.

"Kojo, I know that this is not the best of times, but we have to talk about my sister. We need to do it right now, in case we do not have tomorrow, Just like you pointed out earlier on. "