Too Good to Be Real

Chapter 46

A sound.

A low irritating sound; a growl from someone's throat precisely threatened Oma's dreamy sleep. She just wanted to shoot whomever it was.
Asa never snored although she was a heavy sleeper, so who else could it be? It couldn't possibly be all the way from another dorm; that one would require serious medical attention.

Getting up meant she had to face life, and life for her meant talking with Asher. Sure she looked forward to getting back with him; she missed him so very much, but it was the actual 'talk' that scared her. What if it didn't go well, what if he just wanted to straighten out the fact that they were done?
She also didn't want to 'read' with Obi and therefore Nathi. Hanging out with  both of them at once meant listening to them titter and act all lovey dovey with each other and pretend to be happy for them while battling her own feelings which seemed to be getting clearer and clearer...
And then there was the third problem right in front of her, the harbinger of the loud snores which had woken her up and forced her to face reality.

After her long chat with Nathi the day before, she'd been welcomed with a sight much worse than the one in front of her. Femi the snorer was practically face to face with Asa who was equally asleep, snoring the remainder of their consciousness away. If Asa hadn't been such a deep sleeper that even an explosion couldn't wake her up until she was ready, Femi would either have been at her own dorm or sleeping out in the hallway. Oma could have agreed with either.

Her mind went places she didn't want it to go. So Asher had been right about her after all?...
But it'd be wrong to just judge based on what she'd seen... and heard; one of them had definitely told the other one "I love you.", But Asa had said that to her before as well so it couldn't count right?
She groaned. All of this was weird. She'd rather bear breaking up with Asher and even spending a whole day watching Obi and Nathi smooch than stay here till they were awake.

There were other much less awkward realities to face.

***

"You're going to be fine. Just talk to him, tell him exactly how you feel, don't let your insecurities ruin your relationship, okay."

"Okay." Oma replied "And you're a hundred percent sure he doesn't want to break up with me?"

"He's told me everything. You guys should stop being big babies and work your issues out. " Nathi yelled into her phone at Oma. While Oma was fidgeting over meeting Asher, she and her boo were all alone, finally.

"I'm trying." Oma said into the receiver after a faint laugh. "I really don't think I can actually handle a breakup."

"That's the last thing that can ever happen today." Nathi assured her. After a short while, she added, "let me tell you a little secret."

"What?" Oma asked impatiently, angling her head to catch a glimpse of Asher who was sure taking his time.

"You're the only girl after "mystery girl" I've ever seen him so worked up over and that's a good thing. You should have seen his face when he was talking about you. I'm completely sure he's twice more nervous than you are." She said as she massaged Obi's head on her chest. He was on his phone and for some reason, he wasn't reacting to her touch.

"Okay." Oma said as she caught sight of Asher. "I'll call you back."

Although his head was bent, she could still tell it was him. From his frame to his clothes to his walking step, she could tell him apart from millions of miles away. Her heart was beating fast in her chest. 'keep it low' she told her herself over and over again but did the direct opposite. Her legs began to shake, her fingers drummed her thighs and her lips quivered. Within the last minute, one part of her was screaming for her to leave as he probably hadn't seen her while the other part of her was too stunned to move.

"Hi." He said and flashed that perfect smile of his as he took the garden seat in front of her. Suddenly, she felt watched. His eyes were on her, expecting her to say something in return but she was tongue-tied.

"How was your weekend?" He asked, still smiling. She believed it was meant to calm her, and luckily, it did.
He looked so calm and collected and so sure of himself, she knew Nathi was mistaken when she'd said he was the more nervous one.

"It was great, and yours?" She finally managed, thanking God her voice didn't come out as a croak.

"We're not texting." He said and she smiled back.

"I've really missed you." He said in a serious tone and cupped her hands. She gulped.

"Me too."

"I'm really really sorry. I should have asked you about the baby or the father or how you managed but I just chased you away and that wasn't very nice from me and..."

"It's okay." She squeezed his hand and blushed. "I know the information was overwhelming for you. Asa made me understand."

"She knows about the baby?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah... ."

" Why?"

" I was afraid you'd freak out. It's not exactly something I just throw around, only you two know!"

There was silence, both were lost in their own thoughts. Oma couldn't possibly tell him how the next two weeks after their breakup had been when she thought she was pregnant, he'd just think it was something she did occasionally.

"So how is the baby? Is he with the father or..."

"He's dead." She said. "And the father is completely out of the picture."

He looked scared.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Was he stillborn?"

She shut her eyes as Phil's face came into view. She wasn't ready to talk about this.

"No. He was a carrier and he was two..." She hiccupped as a tear threatened to escape. The guilty side of her beguiled her for only crying about him now to get pity.
Asher was by her side at once.

"Don't cry. It's alright. Just talk to me." He said, rubbing her shoulders.

"I really don't want to." She said as more tears began to Pool at the corners of her eyes.

"Sshh. Let's go to my place. We'll talk about it there." He said getting up. She hadn't seen him come with his car.

"I really don't want to." She said again, as she hopelessly tried to stop the tears from free falling.

He pulled her up and started to walk in the direction he'd come from. She saw his car.
She got in and inhaled the peculiar whiff of the car she'd become so accustomed to and missed.

"We have to." He said as he started the engine. " I just realised I don't know a lot about you."

The car vibrated under her as it revved to life.

" Me too." She said, looking straight at his sideburns. He'd just stated what she'd concluded a few weeks ago.
"Me too."

***