Vagrants

Chapter 16

I could hear the shower running and Damba was humming a song I didn't care to know at that moment. I was patiently waiting for him to get out so we can eat. For the first time, my jobless self did not aimlessly scroll through social media.

Then, I heard the shower stop running. Damba is coming. What should I do? How should I sit? Should I cross my leg? Where is my phone?

I was fumbling and scattering the bed looking for my phone when Damba came out. Oh God!

"What are you doing?"

"I...I..." I turned around to meet his face and swallowed. Good lord! I'm not used to this.

Damba was so body built and seeing him standing in front of me with just a towel tied around his waist was enough to make me restless.

"I'm sorry, Did I startle you?" He asked.

"I...What was I looking for?" I arranged the pillows. "I'll order dinner."

*

Damba and I were eating Rice and Salad. He allowed me to decide the dinner we should both eat but refused when I chose beef over chicken because of the expense.

"So how do you like Abuja?"

"I've not really seen anywhere but it feels okay." I could feel him staring at me but I didn't dare look up or I'd choke. We were both sitting on one side of the bed with the tray of food holding our plates sitting between us.

"Hmm..." He sighed. "Maybe you really need to see everywhere."

I smiled and continued with the food.

"I'm serious oh. You really don't know anywhere besides Lagos and Oyo." He laughed.

He is laughing at me. He is sha laughing, so that's fair.

"So who will take me to see everywhere?" I asked.

"Me."

I felt a lump in my throat. "You?"

"Yes. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. I just felt that since we just finished service, shouldn't you be thinking of working instead of spending money and wasting time to show me Abuja that I could come visit later?"

He laughed. This one wasn't his regular laughter that I admired. This one sounded like he was mocking me. It sounded like a 'You don't know anything' kind of laughter.

"What?" I was stupid for asking that. But what did I say that's funny?

"I'm spending money and wasting time?" He shook his head. "I'm money and time itself so I don't need to look for a job."

"So you're actually doing yahoo?"

"This girl ehn." He sighed. "I'm not a yahoo boy. Do I look like one ni?"

I put away the plates. "They don't write it on the face."

"I'm not sha one. I make real money and I'm..."

"What kind of money? Money ritual?"

He laughed again. I was actually serious.

"I do real business and I'm going to tell you everything about it once the time is right."

"Okay."

"So like I was saying. I'm going to take you to see places..."

I was almost blushing when he said...

"...I'm going to take you to travel the world."

My expression changed. This guy is playing with me.

"What?"

"Do I look like those girls that you can fool with your lines?" I got up, almost angry.

"Why don't you believe me?" He pulled me back down. "Okay, let's pretend like I don't have money now..."

"You actually don't."

"I can afford this fancy hotel."

"So you're boasting?"

He waved his hands in the air. "No, not at all."

"I've heard you." I gave him a 'I don't believe you' look.

"So if I don't have money now, can't I have money later?"

"You can." I shrugged.

"So can't I take you anywhere I want?"

"It is you who knows." I went to the bathroom, rinsed my face and hands and returned to the room.

"You're not bathing ni?" Damba asked.

"I'm tired jare."

"Ole." Lazy girl.

"Let me just go and sleep." I yawned.

"Yes. Let's go to bed." He got up, stretching.

Ehn?! How will we sleep? He is going to be touching me. Should I put pillow in between us?

My panicking came to an end when I saw Damba walk away from the bed and lie down on the couch.

And my heart sank. What's my problem?

Seeing Damba on the chair made me feel a bit strange. I know I wasn't going to be comfortable if we slept on the same bed but I felt worse seeing him there.

"What are you waiting for?" Damba asked. He probably had seen me gawking at him.

"Hmm?"

"Go to sleep."

"Yes, Goodnight."

"Goodnight."