David entered the room like a sheep
being led to the slaughter house. All of a sudden, he felt his palm getting wet
with sweat and felt a sharp urge to use the washroom. His voice began to sound squeakier
and he wished he had stayed at home. “David, you better man up and face this
panel of interviewers, they are mere mortals just like yourself”, David encouraged
himself. As he walked into the room, he greeted the panel politely and waited
to be told to sit down. Soon, the interviewers started throwing questions at him. in the beginning, he was nervous and shook like a leaf in the ‘hot’ seat
but with time, he felt more comfortable and more relaxed. The interview lasted
approximately forty-five minutes. David walked out of the room with smiles as
Fred was about to meet the panel. Fred’s eyes met with David’s who gave him a
wink and thumbs up to encourage him. In about an hour the interview was over
and David and Fred headed home. After a week, David and Fred received separate
calls from the British High Commission of their successful entry into Lancaster
University in the United Kingdom. They were to go to the school in three months
time. They had their tuition fully covered but they had to cater for their own
upkeep while in the country. The whole of that week, there were joyous
celebrations in both houses. Fred’s parents tried the best they could to throw
a party for Fred. David, whose sisters were all abroad had to celebrate alone
with his dad because his mum had gone to visit his sisters. On one of the joyous
days, Fred and David visited a popular night club in town to have fun with a
few of their university friends. It was at the night club that David met Erica
for the first time. David was known to be an introvert and always kept to
himself most of the time. He was only himself around Fred and no one else. Erica
was wearing a red mini-skirt with a cowl neck top. As she approached David, the
different lights in the night club kept reflecting on the mini-skirt so much so
that David could not tell its actual color until she was standing right in
front of him. It was also in that very moment that David got a good look at her
bodily features. Erica had medium-sized breasts and sported a perm cut. She had
well-outlined hips and drop dead ‘diva’ legs. Her face was smooth and made brighter
by her makeup. She used eyeliners to outline her hairy eyebrows and had on red
lipstick to match with her mini-skirt. At first, David thought she had come to
get another drink since the bottle of coke she was drinking was almost empty. “Would
you be my date for tonight?”, Erica asked David. David was amazed that he was
the one Erica chose to speak to, looking at the number of guys in the night
club. David was spell-bound and captivated by her beauty that he refused to
believe that Erica was referring to him. “Say that again, please”, David asked
politely. “I am asking you to be my boyfriend for one night”, Erica repeated. “Wow,
I don’t know what to say”. “I thought guys were the only ones with pick-up line
rights, I never imagined a pretty lady like yourself to ever be in need of a
date”, David said. David wanted to behave properly so as not to get the lady
angry so he said, “Never mind, my name is David and I am here with a friend of
mine who should be somewhere on the dance floor or already drunk”, David added.
Erica smiled at the joke and said, “My name is Erica and I mind”. “I didn't mean
to upset you or anything Erica, it is just that I was surprised that you
approached me”. Erica ordered another drink and sat close to David. “I decided
to speak to you because I realized you were different and I like the way you
looked composed and collected and I also noticed you were not drinking any
alcohol”. “You see those guys over there”; pointing to the corner of the dimly-lit
night club, “I came here with them and they are all getting wasted, so I decided
to find someone who was not getting intoxicated and I spotted you so I decided
to come over for a chat. David and Erica started off with the usual ‘knowing-me-knowing-you’
line of conversation and soon they were getting comfortable around each other. “The
music is getting loud in here, why don’t we take a stroll to a quieter place?”,
David suggested. “That is fine but we should be back in time before my friends
leave me behind”, Erica said. “Don’t worry, I will be a gentleman”, David said.
They took a stroll and sat at a bus-stop close to the night club. They chatted
for a while and David decided to kiss Erica. As David moved in to kiss her,
Erica pulled back and said, “This is not a real date, David and even if it was,
I don’t kiss on first dates, I am sorry”. David, who was already feeling embarrassed,
was scratching the back of his neck and spoke under his breath, “I thought….”.
Erica felt bad about her action and decided to make up for it, I am sorry
David, I didn't mean to do that”. “I really like you”. “This is my number, you
can call me anytime”, Erica said, gave her number to David and hurried back
into the night club. David walked back into the night club and met Fred waiting
at the entrance, “Where have you been?”, Fred quizzed. “I thought you had been
kidnapped by the ugly looking men in the night club”, Fred teased. “I met a
girl, Fred and I blew it”, David said, looking embarrassed. “You what?” “I hope
you didn't tell her that you were a spoiled brat who got everything you wanted
since childhood”, Fred teased him some more. “Come on, Fred, I really liked her
and this is not the time for you silly comments”, David said. The next day,
David called the number Erica gave to him several times but there was no
response. “Maybe she didn't like me or she thinks I just want to sleep with her”,
David concluded. “But she doesn't even have my number so why am I so worried?”.
David waited the whole day for Erica to return her call but it was still not
coming. At 7:30pm that night, David received a call from a strange number. “Hello,
this is Erica, I have missed a number of calls on my other number from this number,
and may I know who this is please?” David heaved a sigh of relief when he heard
Erica’s voice and said, “Erica, this is David, the guy from last night at the
night club”. “Yeah, I remember you, David, sorry, I had to do some stuff in
town that is why I could not pick up your calls”. “Hope you are doing well”,
Erica asked. The conversation went on and on and soon, David and Erica had
become close friends. David got to find out from their friendship that Erica
was a twenty-one year old senior high school leaver who has been trying year
after year since her completion from senior high school to enter into the
university by rewriting some of the papers she failed when she was in school.
David had also told Erica of his impending trip to the United Kingdom to study.
They talked about everything. Like life would normally have it, David’s
friendship with Erica began to affect his friendship with Fred. They spent less
and less time together but Fred was not too worried. David felt bad about the
incident and tried apologizing to Fred, “Freddie, I am sorry for ignoring you; I
will make it up to you, I promise”. Fred responded in the usual manner, “You
need to chill; I knew a day like this was coming and I had to prepare for it”. “This
is your chance so enjoy it while it lasts”. “My luck might shine when we get to
UK”. They both laughed off the incident and parted ways. Soon, David and Erica
started getting intimate and they both enjoyed every bit of it. David felt
confident as a man and could not get enough of the sweet affection he was
getting from Erica. A month to their trip to the UK, David and Fred were being
given a shopping treat by David’s father for their impending trip. When they
got home, Erica was waiting in front of David’s house. David, after locking his
gate after his father had driven in ushered Erica into his room. She looked
moody and David tried to console her. “I know you are worried because I am
about to go abroad”. “The distance won’t mean anything, just trust me”. Erica didn't
budge. “Come on, Erica, what is wrong with you”?, David asked. Erica looked
away from David’s direction and spoke softly with a trembling voice. “David, I
have missed my period and it means only one thing”. David suddenly dropped the bags he was holding. “I just hope that my fears
are not confirmed”. “David, I am scared”, Erica added…..more soon. MY NAME IS
EDWIN OKO LAMPTEY AND THIS IS ANOTHER RANDOM AFRICAN THOUGHT© PRODUCTION. MORE
@ randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com
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