THE STORY: in love and in war (5)

new!!!

Present day

Akinola and Dele were in Dele’s car- blasting the stereo with the windows tightly wound up, showing that the air-conditioner was on- on their way to school. They drove into the school compound and the car was just going round the bend to the car park when Akinola caught sight of Susan, walking with her head bowed as usual. She looked deep in thought.

      Once the car was properly parked, akin leapt out, said his goodbyes and went after Susan.  Dele had a good laugh at his friend as he watched him leave. “He is learning faster than I thought.” He thought chuckling to himself.

     Akin caught sight of Susan just around a bend, walking with her head bowed. He ran. He was by her side in a matter of minutes. "hi." he said trying to catch his breath and holding her left elbow at the same time to slow her pace down a notch. Unfortunately, that action only managed to startle her out of her wits. 

"My God! Dele, u scared me! Don’t do that again, please." She clutched at her chest with one hand and the other was clutching her knee trying to hold herself from falling. She was almost yelling at him. Dele just stood there apologetically, watching the drama in front of him unfold. He was stunned because he'd never seen her that way before. She always looked so much in control of everything but right then, all he could read on her face was vulnerability. It sort of scared him. She looked like she could burst into tears any moment she was left alone. And he wasn't about to do that anytime soon.

Akinola kept his eyes on her face trying hard to read the cause of her worry on Susan’s face. He noted that she looked darker than usual which could only have happened if she’d been in the sun too long.  “Are you okay? You look shaken and it seems you’ve been walking in this sun all morning.”

       “I’m fine.” She said between clenched teeth. She couldn’t even bring herself to pretend to smile. It was too hard a task; if she dared try, she’d break down in tears.

     “U honestly don’t look it. Why don’t you let me buy you a cold drink? It’d do u well to leave this sun. You’re roasting already.” He said pulling her at her elbow to maneuver her into one of the shops in front of them. He sat her down and took a seat opposite hers, his eyes never leaving her face. He ordered for cold soft drinks, set them down on the table before them and poured hers in a glass.

     “So, what is it? You look like a rat caught in a trap. Are you going to tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?” he said trying hard to coax her into talking to him.

     “I really am fine, Akin, I got burgled over the night. Fortunately, I slept in Vivian and Tola’s room. I found out just this morning.” Susan said, smiling for the first time in spite of herself.

    “Hope they didn’t take too many things?” he asked.

  “U know, that’s the most interesting part of the story. They didn’t take anything- at least nothing of much value. The burglar must have been very quiet. No where else was disturbed but my apartment.” she said, sipping her drink.  “It sounds weird. Not your everyday burglar. Maybe he was looking for something precisely. The point right now is that you’re not safe. Have you contacted the authorities?” he asked with the concern in his eyes reflecting in his voice.   “No, no, I haven’t.” she said, shaking visibly again. Akin touched her hand lightly; it felt cold to the touch and held it in his own, patting it with the other hand to calm her nerves.

  “And why haven’t you? With a brain as yours one would expect that that’s the first thing you’d do.” He said angrily. How could she take something like this for granted? He thought to himself.  “I am not just a fan of the police. They are just a bunch of hyenas waiting for the next victim to fry. They are so so reliable!”. She burst out sarcastically.

   “You sound like you’d had a showdown with the police before.”

 “That’s beside the point. You very well know how they could be.” She replied evasively.  “Okay then. So let’s hear what plans you have, or don’t you have any plans where your safety is concerned?”  “I have a strong feeling that there’s more to this than you’re letting on but I don’t want to pry. I just wish you could tell me of your own accord, because I care a lot about you. I just don’t want o be a nuisance. I guess I’d be asking too much if I asked you to trust me. I just want to help in any little way I can.”   

 

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