" When did you return " Emmanuel asked, ignoring her behaviour. " Of Recent " She replied, still keeping her nonchalant expression. Her behaviour really annoyed Emmanuel seriously, and he was currently trying his best to keep his cool. He was unwilling to remain the same boy she continuously treated like he was a pest, but just like before, his body and action seemed to have gone out of his control. As much as within his mind, he was currently screaming to himself to just ignore her and leave, but his body and heart didn't seem to be in the same line of thought.
" So how have you been " Emmanuel said after a short while of courage mustering. More than his annoyance, there was also other feeling and emotions his body was going through. Feelings like being shy, anxiousness, feeling awkward and also quite the bit of anger due to her behaviour.
" Do I look like I have been doing well " Peace asked with a tone screaming stop wasting my time. But Emmanuel still unwilling to just leave, had no choice but to suppressed the embarrassment he was currently feeling and instead choose to stick to acting shameless. " Of course you do, You are getting prettier and prettier every time we meet " He said in a sincere tone. " Same for you, Okay what do you want " Peace cut him off with a harsh tone. She currently had an annoyed look on her face which only served to piss Emmanuel off.
" Why are you like this " Emmanuel suddenly asked. His tone carried a sense of pain within them. " Why do you always treat me like this " He further asked, his tone still carrying the hint of pain. " Am I really that bad, not even worthy of being just being friends with you. Yes I used to be extremely childish, but then I have grown. I used to be very ugly but for reasons even I don't know, I have become nothing close to being ugly and can even be considered a handsome young man. So what's the problem, where have I gone wrong. You still avoid looking at my face like I am some sort of plague. Can you at least tell me why. " Emmanuel said, ranting in a low voice that only he and her could hear as he didn't want the others in the market to catch a clue on whatever was happening.
Peace mind was currently in extreme chaos after hearing the things Emmanuel said. The truth was that even her didn't know what her real problem was. Actually, at first she first looked down on Emmanuel due to his cowardice. He hated that he couldn't muster the courage to walk up to her and chat with her. Instead he kept throwing gazes filled with adoration at her. At some point she felt he was a lecher and was only looking at her body. This thought was what actually brought about her disdainful behaviour towards him. It was later when he finally began to gain courage, and was able to approach her from time to time that she got to know that Emmanuel truly just lost in his likeness or maybe even love for her. Usually knowing the truth should have made her stop treating him like that, alas, it was the complete opposite. She did not change her behaviour, but even made it worst. And a funny thing was that even she did not know the actual reason why she kept on behaving like that. Maybe it was because she didn't really believe him or because she had already got accustomed for her disdain for him, but everyday that passed by with the drama still going on only made her disdain grow bigger and bigger.
" Don't bore me with those sentiments, if you are not accepted somewhere, why not just leave and avoid the whole drama. Why do you always like to play victim. See, I don't have time for this. If you want to be friends, we could be friends. But as for those fuss about you wanting to marry me when we are ready and those stuff, better forget about those nonsense. Just like you, I am currently not interested in those things. And even if a time comes when I am, I doubt you would be on the top twenty of my list. If you are still interested, take my number" Peace gave a long speech. Though the speech was harsher, but her face expression and tone had reduced a lot less annoying and disdainful than it was previously.
Emmanuel stood still where he was not immediately asking for the number. He didn't really know whether he should. Although he felt it would be good to take the number and then chat her up, then from there, they could become friends. But then he didn't like her tone. He felt like she was behaving like she was being forced to do it. And Emmanuel knowing that he was one that a lot of opposite genders admired his good looks to an extreme extent felt that he didn't deserve to be treated like that. He felt he deserved better than this. But then he couldn't bring himself to decline her. Even though they were currently at loggerhead, but then Emmanuel felt that such a thing could actually be healed with time. There would always be a chance to change her mind about as long as they kept in touch.
" Do you want the number or not " Peace seeing Emmanuel behaviour felt annoyed. ' Humph, I finally gave you a way out, and you are behaving like this, how dare you "
Emmanuel who was still thinking was interrupted by her words. Hearing her words, he was neither angry nor restless. ' Sigh..., Fine then. I would just take it
then. As much she had hurt me, since I can't forget her, I would just have to bear with it ". With that, he took her number and then left the shop.
Emmanuel proceeded to go to the remaining shops, and then greeted people he needed to greet before returning to the little store outside to help Favour. The day went by as normal for the rest of it's time. And soon the time for trading was elapsed, and so Favour and Emmanuel packed all the goods into their store which was inside, and once they were done with that, A journey to their home began.