It was already past 7pm and Amsey wasn't back home.
They had resumed lectures a week ago and he had been coming home late most times. The University of Lagos, Akoka was quite far from his place in Iyana Ipaja and when I asked why he wasn't staying on the campus or got an apartment close to Akoka, he just said he liked it here because of his job.
Amsey was in control of his life and decisions. He paid his bills and fended for himself perfectly well on his own.
I once asked him about his family but he responded with a cold stare that screamed: "Don't you dare ask me about that ever again."
After that, I decided to never ask him about his family again and so far, I haven't asked him although I felt it was unfair though.
How was it unfair? You may ask.
Well, I had told him everything about myself and I felt like I had the right to know all about him too.
Although if we're being fair, I hadn't been entirely honest about my life to him. And yes, I'm talking about my sex incident with John, Mr Grumpy and the useless fool of a Reverend.
Ooooof! I hated remembering that.
Those memories were so saddening and brought down my esteem to level zero.
I wished most times to have those memories taken away because whenever I took a trip down memory lane and saw the images of those three disgusting idiots, I feel weakened and broken and torn and useless!!
Those were incidents I hadn't shared with anyone.... Anyone but Pastor James and I had told him because I was bitter and enraged at that point in time and I was glad that he had decided to keep it a secret from Amsey and the world.
It wasn't something I was proud of. That's why I couldn't tell Amsey. Probably, he was ashamed of his past too and that's why he couldn't tell me.
But come on... 5 weeks of living together and he couldn't trust me enough to spill whatever had befallen him and his family? I knew he was hiding something. I knew something was eating him up behind that cheerful charade he upheld.
The same way I felt about Rita. No one could entirely be good and smile always without ever being annoyed just like that. No one's life was perfect. Whenever she smiled, there'd be still something that feels unreal about her. I just wished I knew what it was and how I could help.
But then again... I may just be wrong and there may be nothing going badly in neither Amsey nor Rita's lives.
I dipped my hand in the plate without looking but could only feel chips.
I looked down at the plate. Seriously? No... Seriously, Cassandra, you ate eight pieces of chicken already??
I just didn't get myself these days. I've been eating like a wild pig. Always being hungry.
I didn't even know when and how I had eaten up the whole thing. I took it out for myself and Amsey hoping Amsey would join me when he came home but here I was, with a few slices of chips left in my plate and bones of chicken.
Wow! Cassandra!! You sure did great.
Now, the buyer would have nothing to eat. Good thing I had prepared spaghetti and boiled eggs.
Wait a minute! I had gotten home around 6, freshened up and cooked the spaghetti and I had dished out mine and had eaten it with a bottle of Fanta, so why had I eaten the chicken and chips again?
Cassandra, something is definitely wrong with you.
To think that I'm not even a fan of chicken. I'm a fish fan. Does that even make sense? Whatever! All I do know is I love fish.
God! I didn't want to get fat. I prayed to God to save me from any eating disorder as soon as he possibly could.
"Stop lying!" I heard a teary voice say and I looked up.
Ohhhh. It came from the television.
Preeta was such a fool. She's a major character in the "This is Fate" series. I hated people that couldn't defend themselves and were weak and always taken for a ride.
Tch.
If you were watching the soap opera, you'd also be annoyed.
How would anyone in the right senses make a major character so stupid? I feel the writer of the series should learn from the writer of "Lies of the heart." That's another soap opera on zee world and the lead character, Urmi is amazing and stands up for her rights. She doesn't let people bring her down.
Preeta should learn from Urmi. I hissed.
A knock sounded on the door.
Yay! Amsey... I was already missing him. Surprising, right?
"I'm coming." I sang.
Oh no! The plate. He'd find out later but not now. I wasn't ready to listen to his taunts.
I stood up, took the plate and went to the kitchen and emptied the contents in the bin and dumped it in the sink.
The knock came again.
"Be patient for once in your life." I retorted as I skipped to the door and unlocked it, opening it to reveal who I wasn't expecting.
"Hey Sandra." Ken said.
He doesn't need an introduction, does he? I've mentioned him a few times now.
Anyways, for clarification sakes, Ken is the guy who works with Amsey.
"Hi. What are you doing here?" I replied, feeling worried.
Why was he here this late and when wasn't Amsey back yet?
"I came for a visit." He replied.
"But Amsey isn't around." I told him.
"I know. I called him before coming." He explained.
"Ohh. Did he say when he'd be back?" I asked.
"He said he's caught up in a traffic but he'd be home soon." Ken responded.
"Okay then. He sent you here?" I asked.
"No. I told you I came for a visit." He responded.
"Wait. You came to visit me?" I was really surprised.
"Apparently. You ask too many questions, Sandra." He said.
I chuckled.
"Sorry about that, Ken." I said.
"So are you gonna let me in or am I mosquito's food tonight?" He responded, smiling.
He shouldn't smile, really. He had a bad dentition. First of all, his teeth were big, brown and mishaped. He needed to see a dentist. His teeth reminded me of one animal but I couldn't quite place the teeth with the animal I had seen with this kind of teeth.
I laughed.
"What's funny?" He asked.
"Oh, nothing important. Come on in." I said as I opened the door wider to let him in.
"Thanks." He said as he stepped in.
At least, he didn't have mouth odour. But why were his teeth brown? He was a good looking guy though with well trimmed beards and a nice hair cut. Girls would love to be around him but Amsey was way cuter and looked better than him in every area.
I should stop this comparison of a thing.
"Sit down." I told him and he sat.
"Ohh... Zee world." He said.
"Yeah. What's wrong?" I asked, sitting beside him.
"Nothing. It's just girls are funny watching this stuff. You know these things don't happen in reality and are just a waste of time."
"So?" I pressed.
"Stop watching it, it's an advice." He said.
"Why do you watch football?" I inquired.
"For fun. Besides, it's realistic unlike your Zee world and Telemundo programs." He responded.
"True. But the key thing there is you watch it for fun, isn't it?" I inquired.
He smirked, knowing where I was headed.
"Sorry for belittling what you find pleasure in." He apologized immediately.
"It's fine." I said.
"So you're not going to offer me anything?" He asked, smiling.
Someone should tell this dude to freaking stop smiling. Like he has an ugly smile.
Dude, I wasn't even expecting you and you want me to offer you something. Offer you what exactly? Imagine the guts.
I simply smiled and went to the refrigerator where I got him a can of Amstel malt and served it to him on the table.
"No tray? No saucer?" He questioned, with a smile.
I knew he was only trying to be funny but hey! He chose the wrong joke.
You came uninvited and you're still selecting. If I slap this one.... Mtcheeeeew.
He opened the can and took a sip. "Not cold." He muttered, but I heard him.
"Thanks." He said in an audible tone.
I never knew Ken was that disgusting.
I smiled. "So I was meaning to ask you. What's your full name? Kenneth or Kennedy?" I asked.
"You were meaning to. That means you were thinking of me and you have been longing to talk to me. Guess you couldn't summon up the courage to talk to me. I made the right decision coming to see you." He said triumphantly.
Jeez! I nearly burst into laughter. This one was just deceiving himself. Anyways, who wouldn't feel proud if he thinks a beautiful lady like me wants to talk to me?
Talking to me is like talking to a celebrity. Yes! Call me boastful if you like. I'm just confident and that isn't a bad thing.
I just chuckled. "Yeah. So what's your full name?" I asked.
"I'm not proud of it." He told me.
"Just spill it. It's your name after all." I urged.
What could be so bad?
"Kennel." He said.
"What's that?" I asked.
He rolled his eyes. "My full name."
The laughter came before I could control it. "Wait. You mean your full name is Kennel? As in, the house of a dog." I said, still laughing.
"That's why I didn't want to tell you. I'm not proud of it" He said.
"No wonder." I said, still laughing.
"No wonder what?" He asked.
No wonder you have the teeth of a dog. My head responded. I got what his teeth looked like now. They were like those of a bull dog. No! I feel bull dogs dentition were even better.
Oh God, have mercy!!
"Never mind." I finally responded after my laughter ceased.
He stared at me.
"I'm sorry." I apologized sincerely.
I shouldn't have laughed. It was funny though. But still, I shouldn't have laughed.
"I'm really really sorry." I told him.
I hated hurting people's feelings. Look what staying with a butthead like Amsey had caused.
Bad company really took a toll on oneself.
"It's fine." He replied, in a very cool tone.
"You're sure?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Forgive me?"
"I'll forgive you on one condition." He said.
"Ummm... What's the condition?" I asked.
"Say you'd do it." He said.
"I can't say that. I don't know what you have in mind." I retorted.
"Be rest assured I won't harm you. Just say you'd do it." He pleaded.
I didn't say a word. I was just confused. What could he have in mind?
"You hurt my feelings, remember?" He took the emotional way of pleading.
What could possibly go wrong?
He was a nice guy.
"Okay. I'd do whatever you say." I said.
"Good. You know, you're very beautiful." He said.
Stale news. Who doesn't know??
Amsey doesn't. My head replied.
Piss off. I inwardly replied.
"I've liked you since you came to the cafe and I was sure I really liked you when you mistakenly pecked me last week when you came in to the house and I was just leaving and we collided....."
"Wait! I accidentally pecked you?" I didn't even notice.
"Yeah. I avoided scrubbing my cheek for the rest of the week. You give me goose pumps, Cassandra and I know we've only seen a few times but I really like you and I know this feeling isn't just mere infatuation." He said, emotions showing all over him.
I hated having to deal with this. He wasn't my type and he never would be. If it was Amsey now that was....
"Are you listening?" He asked.
"Sure. Carry on." I said.
"You seem bored. Let me go straight to the point then. The condition I have for you in order for you to be forgiven is that you have to kiss me." He blurted out.
"What?" I hadn't seen that coming.
Me kiss who?? This bull dog? God forbid!!
"Kiss me." He repeated.
This guy had guts ohh.
My good God! See what I have been reduced to.
"I can't. I'm sorry." I said politely.
"I know you may not like me now but we could make this work. Some people start having feelings after a kiss with the guy and you won't regret it. I can assure you that." He said.
"I'm not some people. And this thing is disgusting. I wouldn't like you to be in my bad books." I told him with clenched teeth.
He held my thighs with both arms and a tingling sensation spun in my chest.
"Stop this rubbish." I said, removing his hands.
"What rubbish?" He asked, placing his hands on my cheek.
"Get out." I said, as I stood to my feet.
He yanked me by my hand and pulled me down, back unto the couch.
"Why? Don't you want it?" He asked with a deep scary voice, his eyes staring at me fiercely.
"Leave me alone." I simply said.
"Or what?" He asked.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and I fought to wriggle my way out of his tight grip.
"Let me go. What the hell are you doing?" I asked.
His lips came tight on my neck as he pulled me closer to him , my breasts tightening against his chest.
He fondled my breasts roughly and I cried out loud.
"Let me go." I screamed.
He was way stronger than I was and my struggles couldn't get me out of his tight hold.
Not in this life though!
I bit his chin hard and the next thing I knew, he yelled out in pain and I jumped out of the couch planning my escape but he caught me by the waist and yanked my hair tight.
I soon heard a thud and as I turned to see what had happened, there laid Ken, the bull dog on the floor and I looked up to see Amsey who had apparently cut him off guard and thrown him on the floor.
I ran and hugged him, crying so hard.
He shoved me to one side, picked Kennel up and dealt him with blows.
I never knew Amsey could fight.
"Is this your way of getting revenge?" Amsey yelled.
"You said I could do whatever I wanted." Ken yelled back.
They were both panting heavily and I couldn't understand what they meant.
"Why do you care so much? You said nothing would affect you." Ken shouted as Amsey slapped him tight on the face.
"I didn't know you'd stoop so low. It was a freaking mistake." Amsey yelled hard.
" I loved her." Ken retorted.
"Yes, you loved her but the feelings weren't reciprocated. That bitch was never yours. It was a mistake and I apologized but you've messed with the wrong person. If you wanted to avenge, you should've done that with me but not with Cas. Definitely not with my CAS!!" Amsey screamed.
His Cas? I was his Cas??
"You asshole. You're fucking your cousin now?" Ken asked, in a scoff.
"She's no god-damned cousin. She's mine. She's freaking mine, you bastard." Amsey replied.
I didn't understand a single thing of what was happening. I had no idea on anything happening between them.
"She's not your cousin? Even better. I'd do shit with your girlfriend right in your presence. I'd...." Amsey cut him off with another tight slap.
Amsey dragged him by his right ear and threw him out of his house. "Son of a bitch." He said as he slammed the door in his face.
He stayed there, panting hard.
He had saved my life. And I meant more than just a housemate to him.
I thought I'd be raped again. Amsey saved my life.
I took slow steps towards him and hugged him from behind, sobbing hard.
"What would I do without you? What?" I asked rhetorically, with tears rushing from my eyes in torrents.
We stayed like that for a while.
He pulled me from behind and stared at me.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault." He whispered.
"I don't care. You saved me. That's all that matters." I said.
He held my cheek and I felt his warm breath on me.
He finally spoke up after what seemed like ages.
"Please, Cas, don't ever ask me what happened that made him want to avenge this way." He begged.
"I wouldn't if that's what you want. Just know I'll always be here for you if you need someone to talk to." I said.
"Of course. Come here." He said and drew me to him, hugging me tightly.
I wrapped my arms around him and he rested his chin on my head.
"Hope he didn't hurt you." He said.
"I'll be fine." I told him.
"Sure?"
"Yeah." I responded.
I was sure that I'll be fine.
With him, I knew I'd be fine。