Elizabeth had excused herself to receive a call while Lola was eating in the school's cafeteria. She hadn't expected Elizabeth to leave her, she kept on glancing around, waiting for her roomie to pop up. After a while, she gave up the wait as she continued with her food. Suddenly, her hand froze mid air when she saw Elizabeth returning with a familiar face.
Mathew.
She placed down her stainless spoon, brushing her hair backwards as her heart began to pound, "Oh my God! not again!" She exclaimed as she fidgeted, standing up and sitting back at once.
She must leave! She told herself, and she found herself picking up her handbag to leave the cafeteria. She began to walk through the bustle of people, bumping into one or two as she made for the other door which was in the other side of the cafeteria.
What was Matthew doing in their school anyway? She hated herself for trying to hide from him, she was only being a coward from running away from him. She heaved a sigh of relief immediately she was out through the door, stopped to buy some snacks for herself and paid for them. She was still very much hungry, and she was darn pained for wasting her food all because she was running away.
"What is wrong, why the gloomy face?" a face popped in front of her, it was Joseph, her course mate.
Although, she really didn't like to be around him, he was intelligent and cool to be with. So, she rather be with Joseph than with Matthew.
Lola shrugged, "I just left my meal back there for some wacky snack," she showed him the snack which was in her hand.
A laughter rumbled in his throat as they both began to trek under the shade of a mango tree, "Really? now, why will you do that?" he asked her.
She scoffed, "I....I really don't know," she met his questionable eyes.
He smiled warmly at her, accepting that for an answer. He stretched out a can malt towards her and she collected it from him.
"Yeah, thanks. I think I need this," she laughed again, and he watched her opened the can drink and gulping down its content, "Tell me, Joseph. Will you really be stupid enough to leave your food to avoid seeing someone you clearly don't want to see?" she asked him.
"Nah! I wouldn't think I would do such a thing. I would rather take my food with me," he said.
She laughed again when she saw the facial expression which was on his face, "That is what I just did," she shut her eyes briefly, trying to stifle a bubbling laughter.
He watched her keeningly, he did like her. Lola was care free, and she wasn't shy around him like one of those girls he knew from way back. She was who he would love to be around with.
********
Ella watched Johnson as he stood up. He was dressed in a pale top and cream trousers, his hair trimmed low unlike unsual which brought out his unique features. He turned to look at her, hands in his pockets.
"So, you are really travelling?" she repeated the question.
"Yes," he nodded.
She didn't like it, one tiny bit. He was leaving her again like he did in the time past, for some ... business.
"But I can always come with you," she stood up, inching closer to him.
"Ella, we already discussed that. You know that you can't come with me, I would love the idea though but you can't," he explained again.
"So, I'm going to wait for you, again?"
The place was strikened with deafening silence. She turned to go, he was good at making her look stupid. Johnson grabbed her hand and pulled her to himself.
Her yellow dress flew up midway as she swirled round and bumped into his arms, her short bob hair swayed with the air. Johnson's hand went behind her head, pushing her head to his.
He breathed in deeply, looking into her eyes, "You can always stay here, my parents will always welcome you. They know you already," he told her.
"And sit here like a princess waiting for prince Charming's chariot to come home?" She flared, pushing herself out of his arms.
"Oh, Ella, don't be like this. Don't be mad at me. I can't sit around here, doing nothing. I have to get busy, I have to work for our future. We have talked about this over and over and over again. Please, don't make this so hard for me than it already is."
"I understand that you have to work. But what I don't understand is why I can't come with you."
"Ella, I'll be living at my new place of work and I don't want that for you, I don't want that for us. I don't want us to be living like a married couple until I am married to you. I have sorted all my plans, just give me some time, please," he begged.
"What?" She shook her head, dazed by what he had just said, "Why can't we live as a couple, what is wrong with that?" She asked him.
"Ella, please understand where I am coming from,"
"Oh, there is another lady asides me cause I see no point why we can't live together," her brows twitched.
"You have a life here, Ella. You can't just dump everything and come to live with me under the same roof. I will surely do the unthinkable with you and before you know it, I would tire out. You can wait for me here, I'll make plans. You will visit me some time to time, then we can get married and live together. See, I have it all worked out."
She laughed, "You don't trust yourself that I would tire you out?" she came towards him, dabbing a finger into his left shoulder.
He was quiet, he tried not to say anything to that.
"I'm not a lazy person, I will find something to do myself. But, I won't wait for you. If you perhaps return, you will be the one waiting," she told him.
He grabbed both hands of hers as she tried to turn away, "Don't try to make this difficult than it's already is," he pleaded.
Slowly, she reached for him. Her hands wounding up around his neck, her head rested on his chest and she began to sob. Johnson didn't understand a thing that she was doing.
"I'm sorry,... please, forgive me..," she cried. His hands slowly reached around her slender back while she wept on.