Chapter 7. Let it loose

That was not the first time anyone or Panmun would complain of Akwa's free loosed hair. She had a long virgin hair, which she not for once since she started schooling in Jos plaited using an artificial attachment. Her hair was at times tied back in a long thick plait, or packed and tied up. She just cherished maintaining it natural, as well, one of the qualities Jason admire most of her. 

"I was thinking, how about I take you to my sister, she will plait your hair just fine," Panmun suggested as they were taking a walk. "And don't worry about the attachment, I will buy it for you."

"Thanks so much, Pan," Akwa said. "But I don't use that, I naturally plait it within the jurisdiction of my hair and hair alone."

"But look at you, you're a pretty girl and with that attachment you'd look exquisite," he persuaded. 

At that moment, from a distance, Akwa sighted Jason with his mates. He as well saw her but she took an alternative route away from his direction, and Panmun followed, ignorant of her intentions. 

She physically bailed from him, but his image flashed through her mind and it got her thinking of his love for nature. How he appreciates her hair, make up free face and simple dressing. At a point she smiled as she remembered how she would at times call him 'Coleridge' and make mockeries of him as a romantist. She wondered how a young person of his age would be old school, so acquitted to natural beauty and everything concerning it. His type of songs, places he loves and things he wish to do, all old fashioned. But having another thought of the present lacklustre situation at hand between them, the smile wiped clean from her face, replacing with a woebegone one. 

"Is everything alright, Akwa?" Panmun softly shook her. 

"Yeah, just thinking of something. But I'm fine," she assured, faking a smile. 

Later in the evening, while Akwa was in the hostel cooking, Nanklin barged in, waving a plastic container in the air. Akwa seemed to have an idea what it contained, however, she seemed not to get why she would have it, it just was unusual. 

"Guess what!?" Nanklin in ecstasy raised. 

"Yeah I know," Akwa said raising a side smile, which formed a diagonal lips. "Sandwich are in."

"Yes. . ." Nanklin slowly danced to her. "But that's not it, Jason personally delivered it to me as mine alone."

"Wow! Congratulations, you got yourself an admirer."

How selfish the mind can be, Akwa hastily narrowed it to a deliberate action of Jason trying to get to her by switching the treatment she enjoyed to her friend. She scoffed in challenge, which read that Jason must be real stupid to think that would get her jealous. 

"Gotcha!" Nanklin rushed at her. "It's for you, here," she stretched. "Jason met me a few minutes ago and gave me this to give to you, and also tell you that he completely understand why you're avoiding him. The exams, he wouldn't want to invade your concentration. That you should take your time, and he will be Just where you left him when you feel better."

This somehow got her feeling emotional, and not just that but guilty as well, for quickly misjudging his intentions and instincts. But on another thought, he succeeded in making her feel bad anyway, whether through jealousy or not, either way, she felt bad. She however slowly stretched and collected the sandwich and slowly sat on the bed, quiet. 

"What's it again?" Nanklin reluctantly asked. 

She lifted her face up and replied, "Everything."

Nanklin sat beside her and she continued. "Haven't spoken to Olie in a while. My brother and mom, they keep asking me if am eating stones for survival," she stopped and laughed. "I would always tell them not to worry, but I'm getting a feeling soon they'll start suspecting me of immorality."

"Prostitution, why na? Because you never call to ask for anything?" Nanklin unpleasantly intercepted. 

"Yes," Akwa went on. "Especially my cousin brother, I remember on my birthday, he accused me of going to a man's house. He completely ruined my day, the day that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, he ruined it. I cried fa."

"Eyaa. . . So unfair. May flies and mosquitoes pee on him all day," Nanklin jokingly lamented. 

"They just don't know I'm the lucky one. Olie have always been there, I can't believe it, he even buys handouts for me. With the condition with them and everything, I feel it will be greedy and selfish of me to disturb them. And I don't want to be a burden to anyone, not even Olie. I just sometimes think he cares too much."

"Don't say that, you didn't ask for any of these, you're just blessed. You find favor wherever you go. See Jason's friends, they're so nice to you, me, Panmun and hell lots of others. Just be willing to let people help you where you can't reach, but still, not from everyone," Nanklin urged. 

"So, are we still going to eat the package or what?" Akwa switched.

"Yeah, you mean the plastic, sure you're going to eat that one. While I go for what's in it."

"I didn't say the plastic, I said the package," Akwa clarified, almost looking serious. 

"No difference. Pac-kage," Nanklin demonstrated using her hands.

Akwa sat staring at her for a while and suddenly stood up with the plastic, held against her stomach and ran outside, Nanklin however, chased after. 

The following day, however, the last day for Akwa as she dropped her pen, being done with her examination. She had just left the heat from the examination hall and Panmun immediately congratulated on her arrival to him. It was already evening as they had walked about and then rested on one of the high corridors, conversing. 

"And that reminds me, how long will you be sticking around before you go home?" Panmun asked. 

"So sad," she said moving on and back her leg playfully. "I was informed this morning that my mom is sick, plus I've missed her so much, so I resolved I will be off tomorrow morning."

"Can't you at least hold on a little?"

"I gotta go take care of her, not forgetting the fact that she has been begging to see me. So, I shall and must go tomorrow."

"Well, not bad," he jumped down. "I was looking forward for this day."

She displayed it bit of confusion. 

"To celebrate a successful exams and send off, as well, for being the first to congratulate you, I will take you out tonight and celebrate, just us, or maybe Nanklin can join. Even Westlife said 'If tomorrow never comes', so let me take my chance."

She nodded, smiling as she observed her mobile phone that was silent all along, at the entrance of the examination. 

"Yes!" She hyped.

This however gave Panmun the impression that it had a thing to do with his celebration plans. Waiting for it, she turned over her mobile phone's screen for him to look into. 

"I don't think you're the first to congratulate me," she said. "This text was sent just immediately I stepped out of the hall, 5:11pm. I checked my wrist watch when I was about submitting and it was 5:9pm. So you see?"

He looked slightly disappointed, but didn't let it overwhelmed him, he only shrugged his shoulders and feigned a smile. 

"And you're right," She acknowledged, jumping down as well. "If tomorrow never comes."

"Okay, what does that mean?" He smiled nervously. 

"I'm sorry Pan," she placed a palm on his hand. "I can't hangout with you tonight, I got another place I need to be, because tomorrow might be too late."

She immediately ran away from him, smiling, he voiced out to her but to no avail. 

Forty minutes later, Jason opened his door from a knock and of course, behold, Akwa stood, hanging a grin. It was just as she usually smiles, but there was something more to this particular one. He howbeit, was arrested with shock, didn't expect to see her at that hour, moment or day. 

"Belle," he muttered, gazing desperately. 

"Olie, I got your text, you indeed kept to your promise. You were the first to congratulate me," She said moving an inch closer to him. "Olie, I love you, that I want you to know, cus tomorrow might never come."

Once again, but more than before, he was totally taken aback, flabbergasted. His thoughts were running so fast that the only one he could barely get a glimpse of was her face and lips overly saying that to him. The sound of the three letter words kept echoing in his head. And with each thought of it at that instance, topped his enthusiasm.

"I, I, I don't know what to say," he stammered nervously. 

"Jus, just say anything, just say you love me too."

"I can't say that."

The glamour on her face began to recede instantly. 

"I love you more, Belle."

He deftly gripped her to himself, getting a stiff hold of her soft pinkish lips, closing their eyes, they kissed passionately, with hunger that they'd starved each other of their affections for long. People passed and watched them kissing on the door step, with looks like they longed for the same thing, such love. 

Whereas, Panmun called Nanklin on the phone asking if Akwa was there, because Akwa's line wasn't connecting. 

"Last I saw her with you," Nanklin replied. 

"Yes, until she decided to use my words against me about 'what if tomorrow never comes'?" And then she took off like wind."

Nanklin briefly laughed, almost like she scoffed. 

"Since she's not here I think I know exactly where she is," she replied. 

"Where, and why?" He restlessly asked. 

"Hey Panmun," she sounded serious and urgent. "You're a nice guy, really you are. But believe me, Akwa is not for you, she's in love with someone else. A word of advice, just let her go, the sooner the wiser. Bye," she hung up. 

The next morning at Benue Links park, the bus was just moving off the premises and Akwa gently rested her head back against the seat, just after putting back her hand in from waving Nanklin and Jason, who were seeing her off. As further the bus hit the road, she looked nostalgically on the moments of last night with Jason. She savoured every moment bit by bit, beginning from after the kiss on the door steps, and when they went in, they prepared dinner together and with the sweat rushing upon them, she first entered in the bathroom, taking her bath. A few minutes later, while the shower was running down her face, eyes closed, she could hear the door creak, so she quickly dashed her head from the water fall and wiping her face with her palms in curiosity, there was Jason, standing with a red towel underneath. She froze, her hands too short to cover herself up, especially admitting within her that he indeed had seen her naked already. Her body slightly trembled as she watched the towel on his waist drastically falling, she contemplated on looking away, but at the same time she was anxious, being observing his pectoral muscles before then. Before the towel completely went off, he went to her and held her waist and she quivered immediately his fingers touched her. She was however quiet, she could feel her skin turning rough from the tiny cold rashes. She as well ran her fingers from his hard, waved, formed belly to his chest and further to his cheeks. Once again, they began kissing, with the shower pouring on them. The feeling was extraordinary, hormones rising, especially as he licked her starting from the neck to her pectoral area. She held his head tight to her skin and as he kissed her further. She soon couldn't keep it low, the sound of her voice influenced from within, she moaned softly, rubbing his back with her nails. He grimaced, yet, he kept at it. He rubbed her thighs, out and within, and she would eagerly moan at each new part of her body he'd touch. Feeling like no other, especially with one you love. So she randomly stated within her.

Further thinking on how deeply romantic the rest of the night went, she skipped the part and revolved over that morning. Around the early hours of the morning, he brought breakfast to her in bed and the sweet sound of his voice that morning. He said 'good morning Aphrodite, how was Olympus?' The smile which stroke her face that morning, however was expressed on her face at the instance of her thoughts in the bus also. 

Soon, she went blank as her eyes shut out, and memories turned into dreams. She slept off, lost in her nostalgic memories.