"You know if you are really coming to class, you shouldn't be coming to class late. We already had a lecture this morning. Though, the lecture was very short, I learnt something."
"I know"...she said calmly
"I live in Iwaro and you know it's far a little. I have been awake since 5am and was already ready for the lecture before 7am; it took me a while before I was able to get a bike."
"Oh! I understand. I said with a little smile
"But why rent an apartment at such a far distance. I mean, there are lots of available rooms in Akungba, precisely at Small gate, Medoline areas, Cele, and even Permanent site for that matter."
"I had no one to look for a house for me against my admission. More so, my admission was late. So, all I did was contact an agent whom I saw his number online and since I was also desperate to resume to school, he just got a place for me at any place. And since it is a neighboring village to Akungba, I thought it wasn't a bad idea after all. I would secure another place by next session. What's your name by the way?"
"Oh! Me? My name is Damilare but most my friends call me Funky."
"Funky? What sort of name is that one bayi? She began to laugh, I kept looking at her magnificent face
"What's your name too?"
"Benita"
"Hmmm... Benita... your name is as beautiful as your face. You have the name of a beautiful queen and the beautiful face of a goddess. Do you mind if I have the WhatsApp line of this princess?" I gave her my phone to input the numbers while I kept on looking her face. I was about talking when a student like the rest of us walked to the front of the lecture theater and announced that the lecturer in charge of Nigerian people and culture will not be coming and almost immediately, everyone started leaving the hall. I looked her Benita and said;
"I guess I will catch you up later. As you can see, I have to run." - And that was how I met Benita and with a happy face that I have accomplished my mission for the day, I went to my other lectures for the day which was to start by 12noon until 5pm consecutively.
After all lectures for the day, I took bike from small gate down to FCT villa where I live. I got home very tired and the first thing I could do was to fell on my bed and spread flat widely like the Atlantic Ocean. While resting, I thought about Benita and how I have collected her number. I began to contemplate if she had given me a wrong number. How can she give me a wrong number, "I mean my approach wasn't rude was it? We even laughed together. If na wrong number yawa go gas o. I go trace this girl... wait! how I go trace her I no even sabi her department. Let me even call the number." I stretched my hand into my pocket and brought out my phone dialing her number.
"The number you are trying to call does not exist, please check the number and try again." Ah! See gobe! Weytin be this? Wrong number? E no fit be! Make I check the number for WhatsApp first cos e be wan be like Sango wan kill this girl laslas. Wait, this number dey for whatsApp o. she even dey online. Make I chat her up.
"Hello dear, its Funky, I have tried your number but it says your number do not exist."
"its etisalat o. I can't find an etisalat network here and I can't even call out or be called. Even my parent can't reach me directly. They have to call my landlord to give their phone to me. I am fed up. Even now, I am chatting with a wi-fi."
Oh! Get 'ZTL' it is everywhere you go. ZTL is the best network around here, Air works well too, 'Blo' doesn't work well if you are a browsing type. Only that ZTL is not cheap when it comes to browsing."
"That's what everyone is saying jare I think I will just have to get ZLT tomorrow or, day after tomorrow. Let's chat later... I need to cook, I am hungry.
"Oh! Okay" it wasn't long to this time I became sleepy and slept off completely."
Several weeks had pass and Benita and myself had gotten along so well. It was a new week and a presentation was to be conducted in my class to make the matter worse, I had invited Benita. The reason why I invited her, I don't even know myself. Ah! the presentation that I didn't even prepare for. What if I am called to represent my group ah! 'temi bami laslas, awon iya get me'
The lecturer Prof. Bamidele asked us to line up at the front of the class gave us 30min to defend our topic, I escaped being called. Ah! my heart was dropping like a bomb ready to be donated and if I had been called, I was going to explode in total failure and maybe the entire group will have to kill me. After the presentation, Benita and I had met under the tree next to my lecture theater.
"You know Funky, your group really tried today but, I bet you were panicking. I can notice you were dropping in your panties."
"hahaha... Benzo, I almost died o. I didn't study na, I thought all these na play-play o."
"Enough of that anyway, my name is not really Benita, Benita is just a name given to me be my friends; they say because I carry a lot. My real name is Fa'idah- it means benefit, advantage. I am from Niger state and this tells you I am Hausa and a Muslim."
All Benita was saying, I no dey kuku hear, who send her story for the gods? E be like say person dey rap for my hear. How I go get under her skirt na em be d matter. I looked into her eye persistently until she began to feel timid.
"You see Benita, right from the very first day I saw you, you enchanted me and I am attracted to you. Whatever I see, do, whenever I eat, sleep all I see is you, you and you alone. See, You are like the diamond hidden in the cave that every man searches to have. What I desire was not to be friends with you, I want something more, something bigger than friendship. Someone I can look unto and confidently call mine. Someone I can confide in and reveal everything concerning me, my confidant. You see Benita, you are my mirror and without you how can I see myself? I know this period might not have been the best time to reveal this truth but... I can't wait any longer."
"hmmm...what do you expect me to say Dammy?"
"Just say yes and make me the happiest on earth. Let me jubilate and sound the trumpet of my joy. Let me fantasize about our garden of love and how perfectly I will make it beautiful."
"hmmm...Dammy, are you sure you will make me happy?"
"I cross my heart sweetheart. Everything I want to know is you. Just you babe!"
"okay... it's a yes"
"Sweetheart, you don't know anything. You just made me the happiest man on earth. Later that night Benita and I log on to each other's website. I mean, we must make hay while the sun shine right? I mean, Benita and I were racing a relay race until our tire went flat. And this was how we were till the end of my 100level days until my 200level when Kemi came to the picture.
Glossary
Oloriburuku - unfortunate being
He go spoil my mission- make me not achieve my intention
Shey this man is okay Sha? -- is this man okay?
Yansh/bakasi -- buttocks
Chai - exclamation
Weytin-- what
Sabi - know
Gobe- Trouble
E no fit be-can't happen
Sango- a god
Wan- want
Laslas- finally
Awon iya- The witches
Temi bami- I am doomed
Dey- is
Log on to each other's website- sex
Relay race until our tire went flat- sex