Different Worlds

Chapter Twenty one

Here you go, guys
Enjoy
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Ijeoma

I pulled out my bag from my locker in the staff locker room. It had been a really long day and everyone was getting ready to go back to their respective homes. Noah was still working so I had to find my own way home and I was rushing to get to Fola, my friend's house to pick Zozo.

I couldn't leave her with Mrs. Okachi, my neighbor today because she was attending a night vigil, so I had to keep her with my friend. I was packing my stuff into my bag when Tayo, one of the busboys in the cafeteria walked up to me. He is a dark, tall, and lanky young man. The kind that kept you wondering if he would fall with a small blow or impact, although he had this cute boyish look that made him quite easy to talk to.

"Hey, Ijeoma"

"Yeah, what's up?" I said looking up from my bag

"Uhm, so today's my birthday and a couple of us are going out for drinks" he said scratching the side of his head. "Would you like to join us?"

"Oh my God. Happy birthday, I'm so sorry that it's coming late. I didn't know today was your birthday" I said

"Thank you, it's no problem" he said with a shy smile on his lips. "So ... are you interested in joining us?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I have someone watching my daughter and I need to rush over there to pick her up. I won't be able to make it" I said apologetically.

"Oh, okay"

There was a tone of disappointment in his voice which made me feel bad a little but there was no compromising here. I couldn't leave my daughter at my friend's place to go party and have drinks, especially when Noah isn't available and I have to take the bus.

"I'm so sorry"

"It's okay. Maybe some other time" he said a little dejected before walking away.

I tried to shake off the awkward feeling that ensued after he walked away but I heard a snarky comment that made me halt in my movement.

"Why would she come with us, when she feels like she's better than us?"

It was Alero who made this comment from across the room. She is one of the girls that works at the counter like me, she's fair-skinned, tall, and beautiful with light brown eyes that announced itself and a cute gap tooth that appeared when she smiled. Her beauty was only on the outside though because on the inside was a proud, loud-mouthed, obnoxious lady who derived joy in gossiping about and intimidating people. Therefore nobody wanted to get on her bad side rather they sucked up to her in order to be friends with her.

I stayed in my halted position for a couple of seconds contemplating what my reaction should be, I decided to just ignore her because I just didn't have the energy to waste on her. I returned to packing my stuff into my bag.

"She'll be acting like she can't hear oo because that rich doctor managed to show her interest, she's now feeling like she's bigger than all of us" she said in a loud voice.

There was an awkward silence that ensued after she spoke and all eyes were on me, waiting to see what my reaction would be but I continued to go about my business like I didn't hear anything.

"If you like, act like you can't hear me oo" she said clearly aggravated. "Rubbish"

I could tell that my silence was putting her off, the fact that she was making obnoxious statements and was getting zero response was getting her angrier.

"Alero, leave her now. Pesin wey you dey follow talk, no dey even answer you sef" someone said. (The person you're talking to, isn't even replying)