Vagrants

Chapter 48

Seyi started paying visits to me from time to time but mostly on weekends. We began to know things about eachother. Something Damba and I never got to do. Every time I asked, I always got the "When the time is right, I'll tell you" reply.

I figured Seyi was a business man and he runs his own company which of course, was transferred by his Father. According to him, he couldn't have built such a big company at such a young age. I didn't ask him for his age but I could tell that he was around Damba's age.

Everything he did reminded me of Damba. He was body built just like him, he had the deep sweet voice Damba had, he was just as nice as Damba was and unlike Damba, he was rich.

I didn't know about Damba's status because I mostly thought he was a Yahoo boy because of the way he was extravagant with me on money related issues. But as far as I knew, Damba wasn't rich enough to own a car so Seyi was definitely the boss here.

Something deep down told me that the familiarity between them wasn't just a coincidence so I decided to ask one day.

"Do you know Damba?"

"What is that? Is it a place?"

I laughed. "No, it is someone."

"I see. Who?"

My smile faded. "The Father of my child."

"Oh. I'm sorry I don't."

I looked away from him. "Okay."

"No, no, no. You don't have to be sad. I've just not heard the name before."

"It's okay." Doubt started growing in my mind. Nobody seemed to know Damba. Did he ever exist? Or was he just a wind that blew past me, ripping happiness off me.

"Adeola!" Seyi called.

"Hmm?"

"What are you thinking?"

"N-Nothing."

"Your Damba." He smiled. "Wait, Is he Igbo?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"You don't?"

I actually didn't know. Damba was fluent in few languages but I didn't know which tribe he belonged to.

I shook my head. "No."

"You literally know nothing about this guy." Seyi was trying to hide his laughter.

"What?"

"I find it astonishing that you allowed a complete stranger come between your legs so easy and get away with it."

I laughed. "I know. I'm stupid."

"No, you're not." He sighed. "You might have been at that time. Stupid in love, I'd say."

"I was stupid and I still am because I'm unable to find him and have him punished for all he did." I laughed hard till I eventually broke down to tears.

Seyi got up from where he was sitting opposite me. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's not you."

He knelt in front of my helpless self and wiped my tears. "Keep this tears for when you'd find him. Bottle them up, get angry and pour it out on him!"

I laughed. "I will. But will I be able to face him?"

"Yes! You can do it, anytime!" He grasped my face.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"You're..." Seyi stared into my eyes. "...welcome."

He brought his lips close to mine and kissed me softly. For a moment, I thought and felt it was Damba so I closed my eyes and enjoyed it.

I couldn't tell what sparked my brain but I pushed Seyi off. "I...We can't do this."

"Why?"

"We just can't."

He got up and stared at me. "Don't tell me."

"Don't tell you what?"

"You're being loyal to that bastard!" He turned around and punched the wall.

"What are you saying?"

"You still love him, don't you?"

I kept quiet.

"Goodness! So staying here and living a miserable life isn't enough of a lesson for you?"

"Says who? I'm just going to confront him and I..."

"Why did you stop me from kissing you?"

"I'm pregnant and..."

"That's not it! You still love him!"

"I don't get why you're angry. I'm carrying his baby."

"So what? Where is he to fulfill his responsibilities to you?"

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

"You need an eye opener. Something to shake you up. All this isn't enough at all." Seyi hissed and left.

I looked into my trembling hands and cried into them after I was sure Seyi had driven away.

I was a loser and I knew it. Mother was right. Aunty Kemi was. Cassandra was too. Seyi was right and definitely those Students who mocked me. Everyone was right.

I was carrying a Fatherless child in my womb and I couldn't do anything about it. I could hear music playing downstairs. The men were having fun downstairs, chilling with few ladies and they were playing music.

As if my heartache weren't enough, I could hear "Promises" by Boy Xander. I cried even more. Damba made false promises to me. I allowed myself to be used by him over and over again. And after everything, my heart still wants him and can't get over him. Then there is my mind, which stores every misfortune I've had to face after Damba left and was yearning to avenge everything.

My mind and heart were not in synchronization with eachother and I was feeling suffocated even when I was receiving a lot of fresh air from sitting at the balcony.