Wasted Years (Episode One)

Episode ten

Wasted Years
(Episode 11)

Inyene's wedding came fast. My heart had longed that she stayed a bit longer before Tami comes for her introduction. But he couldn't just wait. Their wedding was exactly two months after the engagement.

They had a bachelor eve party. It was the first day I met Olamide, he was staring at me right from the moment I walked into the colorful beaming party hall. His eyes followed me everywhere. He didn't look like a high roller. His jeans and the faded denim shirt he wore didn't sport any designer labels. His watch had a plain black leather strap. Yet everything about him hinted power, if not wealth.

More than a hundred people got lost to the dreamy salsa swayed cheek-to-cheek on the parquet floor of the famous Priston hotel.

"Hello?" A masculine voice came from my behind as I gulped down fanta drink from a tumbler.

He was the one. "Olamide is my name, you?" He asked in american English.

"Ifure" I said with a smile.

"I didn't get the name." He said confusingly.

"Ifure" I repeated willingly.

"From where?"

"Akwa Ibom, Abak to be precise."

"Ohhh! You must be related to the bride huh? Friend? sister?"

"Cousin."

"Oh great! She never told me she had a beautiful cousin like you. Nice to meet you. Well, I will be the best man tomorrow, I am excited, it's going to be my first time. I'm nervous too." He said excitedly.

"Wow! I am her maid of honor, and it won't be my first time. I have done this for a few friends in the past."

"Aw..."

"Yeah.

I was already tired of standing there and talking to a stranger I'd met for the first time. I didn't find him quite interesting at first, until he held my hands, "Let's find ourselves a seat." He said, as he dragged me to a space by a corner.

He acted like we'd known ourselves long before then.

" Nigerian girls are beautiful." He commended as he stared at me delightfully.

"Oh well, you haven't seen Asians and Mexicans girls just yet. I see them in movies and they're adorable."

"Ahhh, I was in a school where we has lots of Caucasians. Trust me, I have seen all those girls, and I will keep saying Nigerian girls are the most beautiful."

I laughed, "Don't be a racist jor."

"No, no. I am not a racist. I'm not saying this out of sentiments either. My sister thinks I'm just too in love with Nigerian girls, yet, I have never dated one."

"You haven't?" I asked smilingly, he nodded.

"Yeah, not for once. I had a crush on one of my sister's friend. I was still crushing on her when she got married to someone else..."

I giggled, "aw, you missed that one huh?"

"Yeah, j didn't have the courage to speak up. I was too shy."

"You? Shy? You don't look like a shy dude, see now, we just met and you talked to me."

"That's because I was younger then, that was eight years ago."

"Oh..."

Our conversation ended when Tami came, "Guy what's up? What are you doing here? Let's go have a drink." He said as he winked, smiling at me. I understand what the wink meant.

"I am okay here, you know I'm not a dancing person." Olamide said.

Tami turned to me, "Ifu, dance with him. You two should cheer up, it's my last night as a single guy abeg." He said as he danced away. I nodded absently as I gave a easy smile.

I smiled again when my eyes caught Inyene twerking in the midst of some guys. Her friends cheering her up in unison, "Go baby! Go baby! Go baby!" Tami joined in the dance and the yelling became more boisterous.

"They are having fun." Olamide said.

"They ought to. Tomorrow they will be getting married." I retorted.

The music swelled to an angry crescendo, pulling them across the parquet floor.

Eyes wild, heart hammering, I had just realized at that moment that Inyene was a perfect dancer.

************

The wedding was unusual. Inyene didn't want the normal Church wedding.

She wanted something simple, yet classy and exclusive. It was on a field, the decorator had created a aisle and stocked beautiful colorful flowers by the side. And while on each side, there were seats for the invitees.

I smiled when I met with Olamide at the podium. He smiled back at me and nodded willfully.

"next it will be the both of us." He whispered.

I giggled at his jokes, he chuckled and took away his face as the white bearded minister began the solemnization process.

He preached on love for like a few minutes, and I felt it was far away from me. Love wasn't near me and I was sad about it.

I could see the look in mama's face when our eyes from the crowd. She had wished I was getting married soon too.

She had always wanted me to marry earlier than she did.

And as soon as the wedding party was over, Olamide walked up to me. "Heeey, that your name again," I scrunched my forehead as if trying to remember his name.

"Olamide Teniola." He said with a soft tone. "You forgot my name, but I didn't forget yours." He said.

"I am sorry, so many thoughts in my head."

"What are you thinking of? You're still young."

"So many things."

"Oh okay. Let me have your number, so that I can call you." He said.

"Okay, let me type it in there." I said, as I pointed at his phone.

"You're really gorgeous." he said. I smiled as I handed him the phone.

©Vicky Bon
September 2018