CHAPTER FOUR
Carl found himself staring at the fullness of her lips. God had definitely blessed this woman with some other country's lips. A shame though, that the rest of her was covered up. This was the other problem with England, being so cold - women always bundle themselves up. Just as he was about to say something to that effect, he started coughing.
"Here, Sonia reached for a glass of water. " I'm sorry; our food is spicy, isn't it? But before she could respond, another uproar of voices burst upon the room.
"Oh goodness! Here's the Dean. Will you excuse me for a moment, Carl?"
Sonia put down her plate and gently touched his arm, telling him she would be back. Once the Dean had left, Sonia berated her friends.
"Cool down Sonia! Noise never hurt anyone", Richard replied, dismissively.
Sonia shook her head, mildly irritated. She looked for Carl and found him buttoning his coat.
"You're not leaving, are you? I was just beginning to enjoy our conversation".
"Just beginning?" He smiled.
"well, yes. "She laughed".
" I was clinging to your every word, even as you coughed, so you must at least allow me walk you back to your college. As a believer in feelings, I'm sure you wouldn't want to hurt mine, would you?".
"No", he smiled, "but I've got my car so I don't think feelings come into this".
"Then I'll take you to the porter's lodge. This is a dangerous college full of crazy Marxists, including our Master". She was keen to make a good impression, but seemed incapable at that moment of anything but a silly grin as she extended her arm and guided him out of the door.
They stepped out into the still damp and foggy evening, and crossed the main quad, passing in front of the dimly lit junior Common Room where a student band was playing dreadful music to a drunken audience of freshers.
"Well at least that should keep the Marxists out". Carl laughed.
"Terrible". Sonia winced. They walked from the old building, past the porter's lodge and onto the broad street, where Carl had parked his car.
"It was nice talking to you, Carl - I hope you come back". He started the ignition of the car and reversed while she waved goodbye, watching for a moment as he drove off. "Sonia! Sonia! Sonia! Whitney grinned when Sonia returned. "Quite a stunning young man you found there".
"And a white man, too", Richard added.
"Anything wrong with that?" Sonia asked.
"Yes, so what's wrong with white men?" Maxwell asked. "I want to know too".
Everyone else had gone and four of them were tidying up.
" I didn't say anything was wrong", Richard replied.
"But you implied it", Maxwell added.
"Well", Whitney laughed, "I certainly think something's wrong with women always going for the so-called English honey."
"Hey. I was just doing my job talking to new members", Sonia replied.
"But Richard, I think you need to explain what's wrong with English men".
They had finished straightening the furniture and were around the film projector. Sonia was putting away the reels.
" I never said anything was wrong with English men, I just don't understand why you women always fall for them, that's all. When do you ever see a white woman coming for a black man?"
"So you want a white woman?" Sonia asked.
"No", he snapped, glaring at her. "Not everyone's like you, Sonia."
"Ohhhhhhh!" "Maxwell whistled.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Sonia persisted, ignoring the laughter from the others.
"Well, you obviously noticed him".
"Meaning what? That you never notice other women?"
"Look", Whitney insisted, placing a hand on Richard's shoulder. "Let's carry these plates outside. We don't want to get locked out of college".
"Sonia", Richard called, lingering after Maxwell and Whitney had left. "Why don't you come to my place for some coffee and we can talk".
"That sounds nice. A happy threesome - you, me, and Whitney?"
"Are you jealous?"
"What's there to be jealous of?"
"Your choice", he shrugged. "And for your information, Whitney won't be there. So maybe I'll see you later.
Whenever she stepped into Richard's flat, Sonia thought of home, never quite knowing why. Perhaps it was the smell of Richard's cooking that reminded her of her mom, or the fact that he frequently played highlife music. Perhaps it was now simply nostalgia for what used to be. Whatever it was, she had missed it, and by the time she arrived, Richard had put the kettle on, and the flat felt invitingly warm after the cold and damp of outside. They exchanged news of their summers and while Richard got the mugs and the milk, she stared aimlessly around the room.
"You can sit if you like". Richard waved at the table.
She sat and picked up one of his books.
"I think you might enjoy that one, "He said, watching as she flipped through it.
"And I suppose this Lonely Londoners will tell me why I shouldn't look at English men?"
"Oh don't be silly. He laughed, handing her a mug and sitting down at the other end of the table.
"So why I'm I here, Richard? Why me and not Whitney?'
"I wanted to talk to you, Sonia".
"Why can't you talk to Whitney?"
"Well, it looks like you and her are…..
"Are what?"
"Are some sort of couple".
"And if we are?"
"Well are you?"
"What do you think?"
"I really don't care".
"Then why do you keep asking?"
"Because Whitney has nothing to do with this. I just thought I could talk to you as a friend".
Sonia waited for him to finish speaking, watching as she stared blankly across the room.
"I feel scared", he said. "I'm scared about my next tutorial, I'm scared about exams, I'm scared about what my parents will think if I don't do well". She stood up and went to sit in the chair next to his.
"Richard, you're going to do fine. You'll do fine in all of those things, and you've always done well".
"But that's the point, Sonia". He glanced at her. "I've always done well, which means that everyone now expects me to continue doing well, but what if I don't?"
"You will"
"But I won't", he said, shaking his head. "It's just luck, Sonia, and everyone else is so much brighter than I am. It's only because I study so hard..."
"Please don't cry, Richard". She moved her chair back so she could reach the hold of his arms. "And just look at these tears - they're soaking up my shirt!" She said, trying to make light of it. He lifted his head and because she didn't know what else to say, she started wiping the tears awkwardly with her thumbs. He smiled a little and she pulled his face to hers and, without intending to, he started to kiss her. It seemed the only thing, the best thing to do under the circumstances. She felt his fingers run and slowly message in between her thighs and the kiss heated up, he reached out and moved his hands down her waist and carried her over his lap. With his hands on her waist, he also helped her grind him. While enjoying the moment they heard a knock on the door. It was Whitney, she had brought cookies for Richard as usual.
"But you said we were going to be alone and not even Whitney was going to be here". Sonia whispered.
"Yeah, she wasn't supposed to be here"
"I'm such a fool. My guess was right. A happy threesome it is".
"Will you stop? She came uninvited. You might want to dress up before she comes in."
"I'll be there babe, give me a second". Richard said as he left for the door.
Whitney kissed him after he had opened the door for her and started feeling uncomfortable after coming in to see Sonia sitting on the sofa..
"Why is it so quite in here and what did I miss" Whitney asked turning to look at Richard who now headed for the kitchen.
"Every thing my love". Sonia replied
"You should have seen the way Richard kept arguing about African culture and how he disagreed completely with Carl's point of view at the meeting.
"Did he?". But he said nothing to what Carl said the other day, why now".
"Exactly the same question I asked".
"Let's just say I didn't want to create a scene". Richard said handing Whitney a mug of coffee.
"I was beginning to get a little jealous seeing you both together you know, but I'm actually relieved it wasn't what I was thinking".
"And what was that?".. Sonia interrupted
"Oh, please Whitney, what do you take me for. You know I can never be as stupid as sleeping with your man. I agree he's my ex and what ever we had died already. We're just friends now, nothing more. I only came because I was working on an article that reads 'THE TROUBLE WITH MEN' and I needed help with it".
"Oh, I see, you could have spoken to me about it and I would have helped.
"Since when have you become a man. I needed an answer from a man."
"And of all the many men here at Oxford, you choose Richard?"
"What are you trying to say Whitney."
"Okay, that's enough ladies, let's not get it twisted here" Richard interrupted. "Whitney babe, Sonia told me about her article some few days back and I invited her over today so we'll discuss about it. There's nothing to fight about."
"And there's nothing to get jealous about." Sonia added.
"Alright, I'm sorry I was kind of rude to you my friend.
"I think I should leave you two love birds together." Sonia said standing up from the sofa.
The feeling of jealousy and anger ran through Sonia seeing the both of them together and to have that she actually explained why she was meeting Richard to Whitney.
"Oh, it was nice having you over, Sonia. I hope your article comes out well". Richard said as he walked her to the door.
"Still close to your ex huh?"
"Whitney she already explained why she was here. When will you ever believe anything anyone tells you? besides we both know I don't love her anymore, I have no feelings for her, all I think about is you babe".
"Are you sure?.
"Look at me, what I had for Sonia was nothing compared to what we share now, I want to spend every minute with you, you want to know why? It's because I feel complete whenever I'm with you and babe, you don't have to be scared. I can never cheat on you.
She smiled and after a moment she went straight in to his kitchen to make lunch for him.
Reaching her hostel Sonia felt used and being cheated on. She felt Richard only wanted her to come over so they would have sex. She was surprised how she managed to come up with such an excuse only to save Richard's ass. She felt irritated that she had to explain to Whitney and ruining her chances of making Richard her's again.
"mtchewwwwww". She hissed while in thoughts.
Has Richard really stopped caring about her?
What about Carl, what if she actually likes Carl?
Does Carl like her too?
" Ahhh! To many questions". She mumbled.