sitting on the stairs, juma reached for his phone.
It had been ringing consecutively for far too long and he was annoyed. it was his nature to ignore phone calls but this caller had been so persistent that it became annoying.
He placed his laptop aside and paused the game he was playing on it. The game was at a critical moment and any single mistake would result to a lose and he hated losing...
He cursed at the caller. Now looking at the screen, a new number was displayed clearing. "who would this be?" juma wondered. He hesitated again, waiting for the ringing to stop and sure it did. He sighed and was about to place it down when it begun ringing again. Damn! which devil was this! so persistent
He pressed the receiver. " This is Juma, right?" A cute, soft and warming female voice was heard from the other side.
'yeap' Juma responded simply as his heartbeat increased. How now? which girl would call him at all ? was it a wrong number? but no, the other party knew his name already. He was certain it was not wrong number.
'May i know whom am talking to please?" He asked, Trying to act cool.
"Am scarlet. I got your number from a friend. I think we are in the same discussion group of mathematics. I heard that you are the group leader so I was calling to tell you that I may not be able to attend today's meeting. please inform the other group members for me..."
"ok" Juma replied simply and the call ended.
As he placed his phone down, a wicked half smile appeared on his dull face. He was certain that it was wrong number because he was no student of mathematics let alone a group leader. He pondered. How would there be a mistake with so much coincidence. He was juma yeah, but not a group leader. He was a student yeah, but not a mathematical student.
Juma was a literature student but he hardly attended lectures. Not that he didn't find time to come to school, no. He was always in school compound playing video games. He was always too focused in games that he had became an introvert or would I say an antisocial. so when scarlet called him this time , he didn't bother to tell her it was wrong number. He mused, everyman for himself and God for us all. It was scarlet's mistake for not being too careful and on juma's dreamy face a smile appeared. To him it was a new practical type of a game. He would always play with her mind until she found out herself that it was a mistake and by then she could be in trouble.
He would imagine her face of terror as he realized her mistakes later. How unfortune of her...Juma smiled broadly and placed the 'continue' button on his game
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After ending the call, scarlet looked up and sighed. A quick half smile appeared on her face and disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Looking across the room as if talking to someone she said 'i told your he would receive the call, I told you' But the room was empty. She was the only one in it.
She chuckled. She was happy. More happier than she would rather show on her face. In her mind she was convinced it was gonna be thrilling more than she had imagined. Suddenly she rose and made to the door. ' I must go see her now ' she said to herself
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Juma had been gaming for far too long and he felt exhausted. It was unusual for him to feel that way when he was actually gaming. Damnit, how now! He rose and decided to go to his room to look for something to eat. It was sunny and he would feel the heat. He walked on as his mind was lost in a Maze.
Scarlet's voice seemed familiar, way too familiar, but how? That girl had been gone for the past three years. She had ceased to exist. It would never be her. It was not to be her.
Juma was facing complicits against logic and all reasonable reasons seemed to act on his favor. To begin with, that girl had died and he was sure of that. Again even if she was alive she would never find him. He had cut ties with all those who knew her and him so it was against logic for her to have his number.
Maybe she was a ghost? Juma fevered at the thought.
He remembered somehow what she had told him sometimes back
"If I were to disappear, would you come looking for me?"
"Of course I would, I would go to the end of the world to find you. I would look everywhere and never stop until I find you"
"Promise ?"
"I promise I would find you, but then you'll never get lost . Just hang out with me and I'll make you safe"
"I want an assurance that you'll never stop looking. Pinky promise maybe?"
Juma had laughed. Pinky promise was for kids, but he did stretch out his little finger and she seemed so happy.
But wait, did she knew she would disappear? So she was not dead?? Juma shivered at the thought and somehow his mind wavered. What if she knew she would disappear. What if she had came to haunt him. what if??
Another thought struck him. "If you would stop looking then I'll come back to haunt you. This my promise too"
Her promise? Was she back to fulfill her promise?? Was she really dead? Only one person would somehow answer him." I must go see her now" he said to himself
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