" Long time " Emmanuel said. A hint of sad emotions hid beneath the nonchalant expression he currently put on. No one but him knew how weird he felt at that moment. The history between he and Peace was quite the weird one. This was a girl he grew up with. But then they weren't really that close at first, it was as they grew up things change. Alas, not for the better, but for the worst. Peace grew up into an average-height beauty. One which Emmanuel couldn't help but spare a few glances at her whenever they met. And then he would end up rendering yells at himself after, for not having self control. He didn't like the way he would immediately turn into a fool whenever he came in close contact with her. He was hundred percent sure that she would have noticed it and was currently seeing him as a loser.
Things developed in a fast pace to a point where they started acting worst than strangers would act to each other. Whenever they came in contact, both their faces would expression would immediately be replaced with a frown or an extremely ignorant and nonchalant expression. And this happened to be a time when Emmanuel had yet to get a job and was still helping Favour out at her business. This was also the same for Peace. Having no choice in the situation, they were forced to put up with each other everyday. It wasn't that Emmanuel's likeness for Peace had turn into hatred or anything of that sort. The reason for his behaviour towards her was actually a very simple but deep feeling, shame.
It was all because of shame. Except when in his position, you would probably never be able to understand him completely, how it felt to always lose your cool completely whenever in front of a girl, and then the girl treats you like you don't really exist, or so he thought. Actually he never really knew who the problem could have been said to be from, he or the girl. A part of him felt he was the problem, while some other parts felt the girl was. The rest just felt both of them were and they were just acting childish.
Actually, it wasn't that Emmanuel wanted to date Peace. As a guy who grew up in a Christian home, having a mother who was the assistant woman leader of THE LORD CHOSEN CHURCH. A church which was well known for its pursuit of ultimate holiness in Nigeria. One of the biggest and fastest growing churches in Nigeria. And she wasn't someone who was just all show and no action. She always made sure to keep the rules of the church, and tried her best to make Emmanuel keep to them to. And so Emmanuel couldn't just overlook them. Even though he didn't keep to them completely, he still followed them to a certain extent. His views as a Christian were, if you liked a girl, or at least you think you do, ask to be friends with her. He felt that you should at least be friends with her for a while, and then if you see she is truly to your liking and then there is a very high chance of marriage, you can now date her.
He had made his views known to Peace, and back then, he could vividly remember how anxious he was on what her response would be. A part of him felt proud for being a man and speaking out his mind, while another part felt bad thinking she was just going to see him as a little boy who still had childish thought.
His reason for thinking like that was that the current generation he belonged to was truly one of a kind. They called themselves the genzy generation. One where almost all if not all sense of self and body responsibility had been outcasted. It wasn't like the time where you did be insulted for dressing anyhow or even kissing or cuddling in public. Instead you did be cheered and to some extent be congratulated for such things. It was a generation where a fully developed girl would wear a bra that covers only the top of her breast and undies almost as thin as thread in the name of going to the beach, a public beach.
At times, Emmanuel would stare at the starry night sky through the window and then mutter " Are you still there ".
It wasn't that he was questioning God for allowing such things, instead he was asking whether God was still there at all. He wondered whether God had abandoned humanity due to the extremes disappointment in what they have become. It is said that God disdains evil. If so then he should probably disdain humans to as currently, what could be more evil than the heart of a human if not the devil himself and probably demons.
Emmanuel did feel like a hypocrite feeling like this as he to had done his share of bad things, but then his disgust wasn't throne at just the masses, but also himself.
Peace stared as the handsome looking slightly muscular young man standing tall at her front. As soon as his face came into her view, her heart skipped a bit. She couldn't help it. But she made sure to not show any heavy emotions outside, and so apart from the surprise she showed when she first saw him, no other active expression came to her face, not even a smile nor a frown. Nothing. Emmanuel's heart sank.
" Yeh long time " She replied. Her face still having it's nonchalant expression. Though it was that way outside, within her was currently a mess. She was completely nervous and was just trying her best to not show it as she didn't want to be looked down on. ' Why did he come here again ' She thought inwardly. Emmanuel would definitely have been shocked if he knew the real thought going through her head, especially because the action she was outputting was completely opposite to the thoughts. Women.