She Didn't Reply his message last night. "Thought we were good. Funny," Clint muttered to himself.
Whatever be the case, Clint decided not to make conclusions. He had always maintained a position against quick conclusions — not after the other time at the party, which left him feeling guilty. After all, her life doesn't revolve around him, he thought.
Whether she had gotten over the incident at the party or not still remained unknown to him, but He still felt a bit guilty about the whole incident.
Or maybe… She saw him as a flirt, which he really was.
"I tall, come fine, I fresh, come get money. Normally, I be every girl's dream," he said in a loud whisper, flashing his dimples in a smile.
"Overhauling!" The sound from the television caught him in its direction. Unfortunately, it was nothing he was interested in.
He picked his smartphone from the table and began attending to his messages. There was a message from Ken on Instagram, a continuation of a previous conversation. Ken was teasing him about an embarrassing encounter he had with a lady. He replied to him with a double middle finger emoji. Ken countered with three laughing emojis.
Clint: I want the new article uploaded tmoro morning.
This was directed to his media manager on Instagram. He continued his chat with Ken.
OlaofNaija: Yes, Boss.
Buzz.
"OlaofNaija has a new tweet," X notified Clint.
"9:24 pm, you still dey message me for work.
Boss, no be soo!
#Boss #work"
@ClintEnyinnaya replying @OlaofNaija
"@PrincessJane, I need your help for a sack letter,
@OlaofNaija"
@OlaofNaija replying @ClintEnyinnaya
"Make una help me beg my Boss,
@ClintEnyinnaya. I no wan lose my job oo [praying hands emoji]"
"Clown," he laughed at the proxy fight that ensued between him and his media manager.
After attending to his chats, reacting and replying to comments on his post on Instagram, he opened his WhatsApp.
TINA BUSIED HERSELF with her phone on bed when Clint's message buzzed her phone. She responded his greetings and proceeded to apologize to him.
Tina: Everything
Sorry, I didn't reply you yester night
Was very tired [Tired face emoji]
Clint: No probs
Hope you're better today?
Tina: Yeah
Clint: Good. I'm leaving you now
Get enough rest tonight
Tina: Not aware you double as a therapist
Clint: [Laughing emojis] Savage
1-0
Tina: [Laughing emojis]
When is your come back lemme know?
Clint: Expect it anytime soon
Tina: My amours are always on [Laughing emojis]
Clint: Time will tell
Tina: Tell me about your day
Clint: Where do I start?
Tina: Anywhere
Work, your staffs, even people you flirted with today, anywhere
Clint: Ok
Clint thumbs swiftly moving around his phone's screen, he narrated his activity for the day to her in short texts; from his time at his office to his visit to his factory.
Tina: What a busy day for you
Clint: Then dealing with my crazy friends
They are extra work for me [Angry face emoji]
Tina: [Laughing emoji]
Thought I'm alone on this crazy friend thing
Girl can be annoyingly kinda hilarious
Clint: It's the adjectives for me. Lols.
Tina: That best qualifies her
Except for that, she's a whole vibe on her own
Clint: Same here. My guys are a whole new level of cruise
How's your Dad?
Tina: He's fine
Your parents?
Clint: They are good
Except for Mum who is bugging my life
Tina: Mothers and their sons.
You live with them?
Clint: No. I'm a full time bachelor
Tina: Congratulations
Clint: Lols
I haven't met your Mum before. Will like to meet her on a good day
Tina: I'm sure you will
Clint: Tell me about yourself
Tina: Like what?
Clint: Your interests, music, movies, school live, relationships, anything
Tina: Hmm
Nothing interesting though
Clint: Your school life
Tina: I'm not going to talk abt it
Clint: Why
Tina: Nothing. It's just boring
Maybe I will tell you someday but not now
Clint: I understand
Movies and Music?
Tina: Hollywood and Nollywood movies are my favs
K-drama and Bollywood too
Clint: Gun Junpio and Mehek
Tina: [Laughing emojis]
Clint: If e pass Hollywood and Nollywood, I no watch again.
Tina: Oh, you watch movies?
Clint: Hian, that shouldn't be a surprise.
Tina: Once, I came across somebody's son who doesn't watch movies.
Clint: Who doesn't watch movies?
Tina: My ex
Clint: Interesting,
But he had a TV set
Tina: Its sports or nothing
Football majorly
Clint: He must be diehard football fan
Tina: As if you ain't one
Clint: Not really a diehard fan
I mean, I'm a big fan of football, but I'm not all that out and crazy about it.
Tina: Like seriously
Clint: That's it
Tina: Do you watch animes?
Clint: That's the new religion in town
Tina: [Laughing emojis] Nah dem
Later you go dey form hard guy
Clint: Hei gawwd! Another one. [Laughing emojis]
Tina: Tell me about your relationships.
Clint: Nothing interesting
Haven't been in any recently
Tina: Really? [Eyes emoji]
Clint: Have had sidekicks shaa
Tina: Just say you have been playing around
Clint: I won't call it that bcos, I don't actually feed on their emotions.
I don't attach emotional strings.
Tina: What difference does it make?
Clint: A lot
Saves everyone the stress of emotional investment
Tina: Crazy.
But, I'm not buying the idea.
Clint: Lol
That's left for you
The chat continued for what seemed like a short time, catching up on their lives, then boom! It was past midnight, Tina discovered.
Tina: Got to go. It's fun chatting with you.
Good night
Clint: Same here
Sweet dreams.
On his side, Clint cleared the couch of everything, including his laptop and a throw-pillow. Using his remote, the television and the satellite dish decoder went off. He lay on the couch and adjusted himself into a comfortable position. He is giving his mattress a break for the night
"Want a company?" Clint replied Tina's status after he saw Tina's WhatsApp status which read "Bored" with yawning emoji. At the moment, their chat the previous night crossed his mind. They really had a long chat. Who knew they could easily click. Who would have thought that she can be fun to chat with, open-minded, and free. He got to know this side of her just last night.
Tina: Ain't interested in chatting. Need a company.
Clint: Can I?
Tina: If you can
Clint: Your location?
Tina: At the site
Clint: Distance?
Tina: Nearby
Coming?
Clint: Yes
His decision to keep her company was rather impulsive; he didn't think it over. If it wasn't an after effect of their chats the previous night, then maybe there was a growing connection with her. Knowing she was Ózó's daughter made him feel kind of free with her, which he didn't notice at first. Besides that, so many things remained unchanged about her — how he saw her and what he thought about her. He just felt freer with her.
Tina: Expecting you
I will send the direction in a jiffy
Clint: Okay
Tina: Get some snacks while coming?
Clint: Like
Tina: Pie
Beef or chicken
Clint: Got that covered
Tina: Thanks
He shut down the desktop computer and stood up, pocketed his smart phone and made for the door.
"Uhmm, Jane. I will be back before closure. Ask Jonathan to Email those pictures. Errmm . . . , tell Ola to finalize the arrangement with those X clients and brief me by morning tomorrow," he stopped at Jane's desk to inform and instruct her.
"Yes Sir. But Sir . . ."
"Ma!" He turned to Jane who had a mock frown on her face, "what is it, Jane? I don't have time for that." He made reference to her countenance.
"It's about the leave."
"Put it in writing."
"It's on your desk already, sir."
"I will attend to it by tomorrow, remind me. Any other thing?" He asked.
"No Sir."
He left Jane for the stairs, scanning the showroom on the ground floor on his way out. Few staff scampered while others quickly adjusted or pretentiously busied themselves on noticing him. He played blind to their gimmicks.
A Flock Of Waxbill bird flew past and perched on a Spindle palm nearby, chirping nonstop. Loud sounds of cracking scaffolds and whistling workers filled the air from a nearby building site. Soft sounds of tiling hammer hitting against the tiles and chattering from the tile technicians contributed their quota in the disruption of the near perfect serene environment of the building site. Truck engines roared past and faded into the background in no distant time.
Clint could perceive the smell of fresh earth mixed with cement, couple with that of spilled paint from the labourers who offloaded the buckets from the nearby van
"You know, people think designing these tiles are easy," he moved closer to a young technician fixing a tile on the wall, keenly observing his work, while talking to Tina.
Standing a few steps back, Tina watched as he advanced towards the technician.
"They don't know how much work the designers put into designing these pieces of artworks," he walked back to Tina, "I would like to see the interior," He requested, now very close to her.
Tina waved a go ahead to him.
"You take the lead while I follow," Clint Suggested.
They walked into the building, visiting different compartments of the building, one after another.