Vagrants

Chapter 1

My life, one would say was indeed a roller coaster, marking all the series of events taking place with my poor existence.

It all began on a rainy Thursday evening. I was in my NYSC (National youth service corps) orientation camp in Oyo state with other members. I had taken shelter from the rain under a small shed while other corpers had gone to their hostels or taken refuge under a tent. Alone and shivering from the cold, I jolted at every thunder clap I heard. Suddenly, I felt a shadow hover over mine, big warm hands placed a jacket on me and I looked up to see and behold, it was the most handsome of all the men I've ever seen.

"Th-Thank you." I said, through gritted teeth.

He smiled at me. "Can I sit with you?"

"Sure." I moved a little so he could sit on the bench, the space between us as small as where a child could sit. I felt comfortable sitting here now, with him by my side, his lovely fragrance attracting my poor nostrils. I wanted to take it all in, the smell, his touch...Oh God! Someone tell this man to close the gap between us. As much as I wanted him to, I felt rather awkward sitting with him, his beauty making me gawk at him.

"Thank you." Bringing me back to reality, he asked. "So, what's your name?"

"Adeola Taiwo."

"Oh, you're a twin?" In Nigeria, twins of the Yoruba tribe are named Taiwo and Kehinde.

I nodded.

"Not bad. I like twins." He grinned and then put on a sad expression. "I would have had twin siblings, but one of them was born prematurely."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about it."

"No, it's fine. Thank you."

"And the other?"

"He is still in secondary school." He let out a loud sigh, changing the topic. "So which state are you from?"

"Lagos state, you?"

"Abuja."

"Wow! And they posted you here?" Being posted to Oyo all the way from Abuja is something I find shocking, being that the distance between the two cities is about 570km.

He shrugged. "That's how things are."

"Sorry. It must be quite difficult for you."

He raised a brow. "Why do you keep apologizing?"

I smiled a bit. "I... It's just sympathy."

"If you keep doing that, you'll capture my heart soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Damba! Damba!!" Voices called from a distance.

He got up and smiled. "I've got to go now."

"Sorry, I didn't get your name."

"You heard them calling."

"Damba?"

He chuckled. "Yes, that's me."

"Okay. Nice meeting you."

"Oh okay. Nice meeting you."

"Don't be so formal. I'll make you mine soon." With that, he walked away.

His words made my heart thump so I stared after him until he was out of sight.

"Adeola! Adeola!!"

"Taiwo!"

Someone snapped their finger right in front of my face before reality hit me. I looked up to see my friends, Remi and Tola.

"Y-Yes." I stuttered and sat upright on the bench.

Remi looked in the direction where Damba had walked through. "What were you looking at there?"

"N-Nothing."

"Did you know? Facts have proven that ninety percent of the people who stutter are hiding something." Tola said and I laughed.

"Is that true?" Remi asked.

"No, I'm just joking." Tola chuckled. "But it's obvious that she's hiding something."

"I'm not hiding anything."

Remi sniffed the air around me.

"What?" I said.

Tola joined her in sniffing.

They passed each other a look. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" A confused look was plastered on my face.

Remi turned to me. "What's that nice fragrance?"

"I...I don't know." I shrugged.

Tola continued sniffing and then snatched Damba's jacket. "This is it! When did you start using men's cologne?"

Remi collected the clothe. "This isn't yours."

"No, It's not." I shook my head.

"Whose?" Tola asked.

"I...I..." I stuttered. "Never mind."

They both poked me in the sides. "C'mon, tell us. Who owns the jacket?"

I laughed whilst wriggling on the bench. "Okaaaay, stop. It's for Damba."

They passed eachother a look. "Damba?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"The same Damba?" Remi asked.

"Yes."

"The one in this camp." Tola asked.

"Yes."

"How did you do it?" Remi asked.

"Do what?"

"That guy is everybody's crush. You're lucky to have caught him." Remi said.

"You better return the jacket on time before his girlfriends attack you," Tola advised.

"Girlfriends?" My heart sank. Here I was, already day-dreaming about Damba and a beautiful future together after his last few words before leaving.

"You didn't know? Damba has a lot of girlfriends." Just by saying that, Remi dashed the fantasies whirling through my mind. Why then did he say those things to me? Is he a player?

I rose from the bench. "I...I'll return the jacket tomorrow."

"Are you going to bed?" Remi asked in yoruba.

I didn't say a word. I just nodded and left.