Healings

chapter four.

                                                                 

                                                                      CHAPTER FOUR.
It was Lekan who waylaid her in the living room has she made her way back home from church service on Sunday. It had taken her inner resolve to finally decide on attending the service. She was still a bit emotionally drained, and after overhearing the gossips girls from last night , she felt ill in her stomach. And here is Lekan giving her a quizzical look. She felt ashamed about the way she made entrance yesterday, and she knows nothing gets by him.
“So, do you care explaining what happened here last night, that doesn’t ever seem like you” he said, still scrutinizing her.
She almost glared at him, but decides on a sigh so she won’t be quizzed more than her taste.
“Nothing happened, I just got worked up on an issue” she shrugs “Final year stresses you know” he nods, obviously in disbelief
“I guess so” he moves out of the way, granting her access towards her room.
When she was about to unlock her room, He said.
“That sounded lame, but whatever it is, be good to yourself.”
She was shocked at his statement, but all she did, was nod, and entered her room.
After force feeding herself a bowl of noodles for lunch, because she has already skipped breakfast. A ping on her phone indicated a message dropping. She hurriedly picked it up, curious about who it was. The number wasn’t a known one, and the message sounds as confusing.
“Can we meet at the faculty building tomorrow, so we can proof read some of the journals I found together
                                                                                                                                                          ------ Adedimeji.
The content, gave her raised brows, if ‘journals hasn’t been mentioned in the text, she wouldn’t have known it was her project partner.’ how did the Guy get her contact? She thought. And she wasn’t expecting that he was going to contribute at all to the assigned work.
She texted back.
“Yes, I’m free from the hours of 12pm to 2pm. And can you please enlighten me about how you got hold of my contact.”
Two minutes after, another Ping sounded.
“I will be there”
She was bit surprised by his instant response, but disappointed  with him ignoring her question. She pushed off her phone and dragged her school bag towards herself, withdrawing her laptop, to prepare for what the new week has in store for her.

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

Her morning  lectures were concluded as early as 10:00am on monday. As the class dismisses, she made a beeline for the door, because she spotted Evelyn in the crowd of the student making her way towards her, she must be coming for help on the Assignment that its submission was due this afternoon. She doesn’t hate Evelyn, nor the thought of having her has a friend sounds disgusting, but she constantly wonder how she feels comfortable about doing  her assignment on due dates, and seek help with them when its almost late. It was a stroke of luck that made it possible for her to be able to submit her assignment the previous week. Chills run down Ifeoluwa’s spine, when she thought of the possibility of Evelyn being her partner for the final year Project. She mentally sent Prayer up to God for her current one, who is at least doing something, and she hopes Things will not change anytime soon.
There was still about one hour, forty five minute to her appointment time. She found a lecture free classroom in the faculty, where she sat to study, while waiting for Adedimeji, her Project partner who she only found out his name through a text. She’s still confused on how he got her number to contact him. While waiting and studying, Ifeoluwa wondered how good his paper will be, she greatly feared her alone doing most of the Work, while they both take the Glory. She only prays he will be good as much as he looks. She mentally rolled her eyes, wondering why she thought about his looks.
After studying for some time, she placed her head on the desk, intending to take a short Nap. Students were already filling up the lecture room, probably coming back from classes and they needed to relax a bit before their next class. So she wasn’t aware about any presence around her, until there was a gentle tap on the desk her head was placed.
She woke up drowsy, and a bit disoriented, she rubbed at the eyes to see who interrupted her Nap. It was Adedimeji with an apologetic eyes looking down at her.  Suddenly, she felt self-conscious, and hoped she hasn’t drooled while asleep. Which she discreetly checked by rubbing the back of her hands against her cheeks.
“I’m sorry I had to disturb you, I would have left you to your Nap, but I wanted you to know I made it here. I can always go and do this whenever we have time”
He even wears Glasses, she thoughts, she cautioned herself before she starts gawking stupidly. She checked her wristwatch and discovered it was five minutes to their agreed time. She was deeply impressed
“Lets hope it goes on this way.” She muttered to herself.
“what was that?” he asked.
She smiles up at him. “I meant to let’s do this”
He gave her a long quizzical look before he sat down.  They kicked off by exchanging whatever they gathered. Ifeoluwa list of surprises was getting more as she read through his papers. They were beyond her imaginations. It was obviously drawn up by an intelligent individual, who was him. It doesn’t seems he only gathered his fact from the internet, but also from a standard library. She wondered again what to be proof read here, she was deeply immersed in it, when she felt another Presence beside her. When she looked up she almost cried when she saw Evelyn staring down at her Grinning.
“I didn’t  realize I will find you busy, I’ve been looking for you all around” She said, nodding at Adedimeji  in Greetings.
Ifeoluwa slammed her face into her hands and sighs. “I’m not helping out with an overdue assignment today.” She said, frustration written over her face.
Evelyn was taken aback, but nonetheless, she smiled in response. “ooh… I okay, guess I will be going.” Ifeoluwa didn’t bother to gauge
her reaction as she exited.
Silence ensued as Ifeoluwa went back to  studying Adeimeji’s Papers, before he broke it.
“You realize that was rude right?”
She looked up at him and blinked in disbelief.
“You don’t know me, neither do I think you know her too, so I don’t think you have the right to judge the situation in any way”
He smiles. “ I know you enough to know you are uptight, hardly smiles at anyone, avoid groups of People, gets punctual with Assignment, you don’t dialogue on class group chat: that’s where I got your number by the way, and your eyes gets bright only when you find a good book, just like it did, when you were going through my journal, and hardly trust your fellow student with group works  and assignments.”
She sat there gaping at him, short of words and getting uncomfortable with how much truth he has gotten to know about her. “I don’t know you, but how come you got to know me that much?”
He shrugs, “That’s about how much everyone knows you in class.”
“Have you always been a member of our class?” she asked confused.
He nod “Yeah, a low profiled one for some reasons”  he smiled “You know what, I get your reasons. You probably think she’s sloppy and not making enough effort. You might be right, but you won’t lose a dime helping her out. You only turn to a source of blessing to her. She’d only respect you more and probably start emulating you. People don’t change overnight its gradual.”
She has started to get enraged “ What’s there more Mr. life coach” she asked
“You didn’t smile back at her too. I think you should smile back at anyone who smiles at you, you never know how much energy they put behind it, not everyone has been having a good day because they just smiled at you.”
Ifeoluwa felt like a chastised Child afterward, so she avoided his Gaze and talks with him, until they were done.
When they wrapped up, Adedimeji stood up and said. “you are welcome, I know you were meant to thank me” Before she could reply, he was already making his way out of the lecture theatre.
She left early, so she could prepare for her next class and probably help Evelyn with her assignment. In repentance of the guilt she was bestowed with by her project partner. As she walked down towards her lecture theatre, she felt a wave of paranoia again, and she decided to ignore it, it was broad daylight after all.
She keeps pondering on What Adedimeji said, and found several iota of truth in them. She looked up  and sighed.
“That’s what you want me to do lord, to love through and through isn’t it? I’m going to apologize to Evelyn, just like you want. But, Sometimes, I wonder if you understand the reason I don’t want too much people with me on my lane. But guess what? I’m stupid for thinking that way, because you had them there for reason best known to you. I promise to stop repelling those people lord, I’m just scared, because scars are still healing”
Students walking by her, stared at her at least twice, wandering why she was talking to herself. If they could only know the best form of Therapy is right there with them.
She found Evelyn already seated in the Lecture Theatre, she walked sheepishly up to her.
When Evelyn saw her, she waved her over.
“I’m sorry for snapping and being rude earlier” She blurted immediately she got to Evelyn.
She broke into a smile again. “I wasn’t angry, I presumed you’re were tired and probably having a bad day”
“I’d still help with your assignment, if you don’t mind.”
“Oooh Thanks, I think I need to start getting serious myself”
“She might start emulating you” Adedimeji”s word came back at her.
“And you can come for a sleep over at my hostel on Saturday, if you like” she said suddenly, not even thinking about it before she invited her.
Evelyn Gasped, ”who would turn that down, I’m going to be there.” She broke into a big grin, and this time, Ifeoluwa joined her. They were done with the assignment in no time. As she returns back to her customary seat, Evelyn keeps gawking at her back, as if  grew an extra head.
She wondered, if she has made a mistake by inviting Evelyn over, but  she hopes it can make up for her rude behaviors, she also made note to check for Adedimeji in class afterward. Which she only did when the class dispersed, and he was out of the class Again before she could catch up with him. She went back home wondering who he was, and not an iota of Saturday’s strategy nor her newfound paranoia crossed her mind.