***********************************I'm over being under your spellIt keeps blinding meWas too blind to see, yeahI'm not the only one that you tellThat I'm the only one - Zendaya (Butterflies) ************************************ 1It was a hectic day and it was her first time in Lagos. Toriola stepped down from the cab she boarded at the car park to the address James gave her. She doesn't have much stuffs to unload. Just a black luggage filled with some of her clothes along with some documents and a big blue polythene bag which consists of a few pairs of her shoes. After getting her stuffs down from the trunk of the car she paid the driver the agreed pay. 'Hello' The driver of the cab called back as she had her back turned in an attempt to carry her load. 'You forgot your phone' He said handing her a black iphone which Tori was quite sure wasn't hers but her response was caught between coughing out the dust left behind by the cab. Great. Her first time in Lagos has to be with a phone belonging to God-knows-who in a God-knows-where part of the city. That being one of the least worries she has, Tori tried calling James once again murmuring a silent prayer as she did. Her heart had raced a mile when she tried calling his number this evening and her call got disconnected each time. It wasn't like she knows anyone else here so where the hell was she supposed to stay the night considering the fact that it was already past her bedtime' With a frustrated sigh which followed the beep sound she heard to signal a disconnected call, Toriola paced in panic and restlessness. She had heard so much about this place regarding serial killers, robbers and serial rapists too. She was freaking out thinking about all the terrible things that could happen to her if she stayed another minute on this lonely street. She noticed there wasn't even an insect passing through and the narrow road was surrounded by tall trees, shrubs and grasses. Anything could be lurking behind those tress. She looked around checking if anyone was coming and somehow she was glad no one was coming but at the same time she was frightened she was alone. It was like she was alone in the whole word and that made her shiver in fear. She could feel goosebumps form on her arms. The number one thing she needs to do is flush negative thoughts out of her mind. Still pacing, she thought about seeing Richard again. It would be quite nice. If she should recall vividly, it had been almost a year since she last saw him Then returning her pacing to the other side of the road, she saw a shadow coming towards her. It was the shadow of an hefty man with quite an height and the strides he was taking was quite amazing. It was as though it was thrice an average person's stride. Taking a few steps backwards, Tori dialed James number but she got the beeping sound. Just when she was trying his number once again, she felt a fat palm on her shoulder and her eyes went wide with fright. She closed her eyes almost immediately. 'Please don't kill me... I have no money but you can take my stuffs.''Wooh wooh wooh... Chill girl...' James' She wouldn't miss that accent for anything. It was quite unique. Letting that thought sink in, she carefully opened her eyes one after the other as though if she didn't do that, she was going to be betrayed by her ears and the proclaimed James might turn to a serial killer. It was James alright but why was he looking this fat' His features looked as though he had been blown by some big bicycle pump if she would compare him with the James she had always known. Somebody wasn't watching what he had been eating... 'James''What were you thinking. Why didn't you call me...''I did call you but my call got disconnected each time.... By the way, how did you know I'd be here since the last time we talked was when I got to the park here' ''After waiting for you for so long and you decided not to show up for a ride which normally takes thirty minutes, I decided to come check you up since I know whichever cab you take is gonna drop you off here.' 'Oh really... ''By the way, it was hard recognizing you from a distance. You've grown!' He said with a glint in his eyesYeah and you've grown too. Fat though. Tori smiled back her thoughts'It was the luggage beside you and when you pulled out your phone the moment I approached that made me conclude it was you.''I see.''Anyways, it's getting late, let's get you home.' With that statement, he dragged her luggage down the street with one hand and the polythene bag with the other hand leaving her with only her handbag. He was quite a gentle man. 'So, when was the last time you saw Richard'' Toriola started. 'A month or two ago. He moved out all of a sudden a week after we got here leaving only the address of the new place. He had never been home whenever I tried visiting. I bumped into him at the mall and he was with... ' Tori could feel the hesitation in his eyes. She could see his thick palm encircle the luggage handle the more. '...qqHe was in a hurry. ' He finally said'So that was it. I tried calling his number too and it had always been switched off. I wonder what went wrong with him.'Richard was her boyfriend. They had been dating for close to two years now back then in the university. He was two years ahead of her and they were the perfect couple until he moved down to Lagos to search for greener pastures a few years after graduating. What really attracted him to her was the fact that he was quite a funny dude who was brilliant as well. She knows distance was supposed to change some things. Things about him but she never knew it was going to make him a complete stranger. She wasn't quite sure she knows the new Richard anymore. He seldom contacts her and she had never been able to reach him for a couple of months. Whichever way it is, she was bent on not giving up on them just yet. 'The last time I talked to him was when he called and I told him I chose LUTH for my internship. He was quite happy about it and he told me he would find me a place to stay here... But ever since, I had not been able to reach him.''Oh... ''He called me frequently to update me about how everything was going. There was this time he said he got a place for 140k and told me all he has was a 100k. He was bent on finding the rest of the money but I was scared the place might get taken by someone else so I sent him the rest of the money.' Tori paused and weighed the magnitude of what she was about to say. 'Do you think I'm being played by Richard. He probably got no place and just used that as an excuse to extort money from me.''Why would you think that'' The look on James eyes made her take back her words. 'I know it is crazy right.' She smiled back her worries. 'Richard can't do that.' She really doesn't know who she was trying to convince. James or her but one thing she was sure of was she had a bad feeling about this. About finding out her worst nightmare was about to come true. She knows things wouldn't be as rosy as it was with Richard like it was in the past but she was scared of the extent he must have changed. With that she sealed her lips and they continued their awkward walk down the road. 'Well, How have you been''She was quite surprised about how obvious James made it that he wants to change the topic. His personality hasn't changed a bit. He was still the shy and introverted James she had known. James was Richard's best friend back then in College of Health Science as both studied Anatomy. They traveled down here to Lagos together. It was amazing things had changed this much between the duos. When she was unable to reach Richard. She had called James and told him about her plight. He urged her to come and told her he has a place for her. 'Here we are.' James announced as he slanted her luggage against the wall of a a medium sized apartment. Tori watched as he nervously plugged a key inside the key hole and dragged her stuffs in immediately he opened the door. Tori stepped in cautiously. With a glance here and there across the well lighted apartment, she concluded James had been living well. The house wasn't the least bad for a single graduate 'Richard and I used to stay here. Over there was his room and right here was my room. His room is going to be yours now.' He said pointing to doors leading to opposite sides of the room. Tori nodded her comprehension. She was going to stay here until she was able to secure her own place. It was just for the meantime. She hates being a pain in the neck to anybody. The room wasn't at all bad. There was a kitchenette and a little bathroom adjacent to the entrance. A single mattress was lying on the tiled floor. Over the mattress was a clean blue duvet. The walls of the room were painted Yellow and the ceiling fan was rotating at a very high speed. She switched that off first and started putting down her stuffs. Satisfied with the outcome of her arrangement. She stepped inside the bathroom and had a cold shower after which changed into her pajamas. 'I hope you are Okay. ' It was more like a question than a statement. James voice emanated from behind the door. She got up from the bed and opened the door for him. ' Yeah. It's all thanks to you. You are really a lifesaver.''If you need anything just let me know okay' ''Sure, I promise I won't hold a thing back.' Tori beamed. 'And I am making dinner. In a few minutes it would be ready.''No wonder my stomach kept rumbling. It should be great.'He gave a soft smile then walked away from the door. Tori walked back to the mattress and was about settling in when Her phone started to vibrate. She picked her bag and searched through for her phone. There it is. She picked it up but it wasn't vibrating even though her bag still vibrated a bit violently. She fished out the iphone just in time. 'Hello' she said into the phone. 'Yes. This is great. I think you have my phone. ' It was a male voice. 'It appears so. You obviously forgot it inside a cab and the driver thought it was mine.' 'Thanks for explaining that to me. But the thing is I'm not really in Lagos, as at now but I would be in a few days time. I would be glad if you'd keep that for me till I get back.Alright. Thanks. Bye.' With that, she heard a beep which signalled the call ended. He wasn't even taking his time talking to her. It was like he was in a hurry. She bet that was how he forgot his phone in the first place and it was as though he had little concern for the phone as well. Tori dropped the phone in the bag and lay flat on the bed thinking about her grandma. The woman had gone through a lot for her. She never knew her mum. She heard died during childbirth. She wished she could achieve her aim in time and give her the good life they deserved. As beautiful thoughts crossed her mind, she drifted off to sleep.
Click here to read full news..
