Chapter 18: chapter 18
The next day, Richard came in the evening around 3 O'clock. Rebecca was sitting with Amira on the bench they usually sit. Amira was helping Rebecca to loose her plaited hair. When they saw Richard approaching them, they both quickly stood up. "Hey, you are here already," Rebecca said.
"Oh yes I am," Richard smiled.
"Good evening Richard," Amira greeted him. "Good evening, how are you doing?" Richard asked.
"I'm doing okay, you left my friend very worried for not coming the day before yesterday," Amira revealed.
"Stop it Amira," Rebecca shouted at her angrily and she started to laugh out seriously.
"Come on Richard, let's leave this girl, she has gone crazy," Rebecca said as she headed to the house.
"She has every reason to be worried, her favourite Mathematics teacher didn't come," Richard replied.
"Yes, I wish you could transform me like you transformed her. You know everyone is surprised at school, even our principal," Amira explained.
"Hey, I said we should get going, didn't I?" Rebecca asked while she was some distance away from them.
"Don't worry, we have plenty of time, I will come when I'm done talking to her," Richard smiled and continued talking to Amira.
Before he knew it, Rebecca came and held his hand and started pulling him along.
She dragged him all the way to the entrance of her home.
"Why don't you want me to talk to your friend?" Richard laughed.
"You know she is crazy, she can say all sorts of ridiculous things to you," Rebecca replied.
"I think she is so sweet," Richard replied. "Well, you can go and continue talking to her if you wish," Rebecca said and walked in looking angry.
Richard went after her and found her sitting on one of the sofas in the living room.
"You've got a really long hair," Richard said. "Oh yes I know," she replied without looking up.
"Why do you seem to be angry with me lately for no reason?" Richard asked.
"Who told you I am angry with you?" Rebecca asked.
"Well, your face says so," Richard replied. "Don't you want me to talk to your friend?" Richard asked and she nodded her head. "Can I know why?" Richard asked.
She suddenly started laughing.
"I can't believe you fell for it," she said after she stopped laughing.
"I'm relieved that you are not really angry," Richard said.
"My mum has travelled, are you aware of that?" she asked.
"No I'm not. Do you mean she travelled and left you alone in this house?" Richard asked. "Yes of course," Rebecca responded.
"And you mean you will sleep alone in this house alone with no one to protect you?" Richard asked.
"Actually not, I am sleeping at Amira's place," Rebecca laughed.
"But do you think I can't sleep alone in this house?" Rebecca asked.
"Yes of course, it is very risky. People nowadays are evil, anything can happen," Richard replied.
"There are a lot of security men around here in the night, we are really safer than you think," Rebecca smiled.
"Will you please sit down?" She offered.
Richard went to the sofa opposite to her and sat down.
"Where is Emmanuel?" Richard asked.
"He had gone out to play," she informed. "That's cool, he always reminds me of my niece," Richard said.
"Oh really? How old is your niece?" Rebecca asked.
"She is 6 years old," Richard answered.
"I Know she must be very cute," Rebecca commented.
"Very cute indeed, let me show you a picture of her," Richard said and brought out his phone from his pocket.
He opened the picture and walked to her and handed her the phone.
"Wow! She looks so beautiful," Rebecca complimented.
"Thank you," Richard replied.
"She is Emmanuel's age mate, but she looks much bigger than him," Rebecca commented. "Maybe he is not someone who grows fast," Richard replied.
"I love her hairstyle," Rebecca said as she gave Richard back his phone.
"I plaited it for her actually," Richard announced.
"You don't even know how to lie," Rebecca disbelieved.
"I am serious; I learnt how to plait on my younger sister. I have been plaiting her hair since when we were kids," Richard revealed. "Do you really mean what you are saying?" Rebecca asked.
"Of course I mean it," he replied.
"The good thing is that my hair is loosed, you can prove what you are saying by plaiting my hair," Rebecca said.
"No I can't actually do that, I can only plait my siblings' hair," Richard replied.
"You made that up because you aren't telling the truth from the beginning," Rebecca said. "Okay I will show," Richard said.
"Good," Rebecca smiled.
Rebecca ran to her room and came back with comb and everything he will need for plaiting. "Here," she said as she handed him the items. "Sit here," she pointed at the smallest sofa in the living room.
He sat on the sofa and Rebecca went and sat on the carpet in front him facing the same direction as he. She lowered her head towards him in such a way that he could easily access it.
Hair was very long and very dark. Suddenly, Richard's heart started beating faster. He began to think of what Prof. Grace will think of him when she comes in and finds him with her daughter like that.
What scared him more was the fact that he had never touched any girl's hair other than that of his siblings.
"What are you waiting for?" Rebecca asked when she noticed that he was hesitating. "Nothing actually," he answered.
He stretched his arms slowly to her hair.
It was softer than he had imagined. He started plaiting her with anxiousness. He felt like any moment her mother will come in and see them. But after a while, his mind was set at ease.
"You plait like an expert," Rebecca said.
"How do you know that? I'm not even through yet," Richard answered.
"The way you laid your hand makes you seem like an expert," Rebecca said.
"Don't be fast at complimenting me, wait until I'm done," Richard replied.
After about an hour, Richard was done plaiting her hair. She stood up and ran to her room in order to look at herself in the mirror. "Oh my God Richard," Rebecca shouted from her room.
"It looks terrible, right?" Richard asked.
"No, it looks beautiful. I can't believe it is done by you," Rebecca answered.
"come and look at it," Rebecca called.
"Do you mean I should come to your room?" Richard asked.
"Yes of course," Rebecca replied.
"No I can't do that," Richard replied. "Why can't you?" she asked Richard.
"I'm not supposed to go to your room," Richard answered.
"Okay, if you insist," Rebecca said and walked out.
"You really plait good, you know I wouldn't have believed you if you didn't prove it to me," Rebecca said.
"I have never plaited any girl's hair outside my family," Richard revealed.
"No boy has ever touched my hair, you are the first," Rebecca smiled.
"Really?" Richard asked.
"Yes Richard, although I will get punished for not plaiting the weekly hairstyle given by our teacher, I really like it," Rebecca responded. "Were you given a hairstyle? Why didn't you tell me?" Richard asked.
"I thought you couldn't do it, but it I love this style," Rebecca announced.
"I am happy you like it, why don't you go and get your books so that we will start our lesson?" Richard suggested.
"That will be a good idea," she replied and walked back to her room.
She went to her room and got her books. As soon as they started the lesson, Amira walked into the house.
"Hey guys," she said as she walked to them. "Hey Amira," Rebecca replied.
"I thought we loosed your hair some moments ago," Amira said when she noticed that Rebecca's hair was plaited.
"Guess who plaited it for me," Rebecca smiled.
"Don't mean Richard, do you?" Amira asked in surprised.
"He plaited my hair," Rebecca smiled. "Wow! It looks so beautiful. No one will ever believe that this was done by a boy," Amira commented.
"You know, in some places, boys do plait hair, and that's what they do earn a living," Richard said.
"We are taking about our place right now, no boy can ever do what you did," Amira explained.
"Do you want something?" Rebecca asked Amira.
"I got bored sitting alone outside, that's why I came in," Amira replied.
"Okay, why don't you join us in our lesson?" Richard asked.
"Oh that will be great," Amira responded and sat next to Rebecca.
"You guys have really gone far," Amira said when she noticed what Richard was teaching Rebecca.
"Yes we have," Rebecca smiled at Amira.
"I wish I could have a teacher like this too," Amira responded.
"Will you please keep quiet? We are busy here," Rebecca said to Amira.
"Alright, I will be quiet," Amira assured.
After about an hour, Richard ended the lesson and gave Rebecca some exercise to solve in the night.
"I hope you do study other subjects too," Richard asked.
"Of course I do," Rebecca explained.
"Is already late, I think I will be going," Richard announced.
"Why don't you stay and eat before you leave?" Rebecca asked.
"I will eat when I go back to my room," Richard replied.
"I can't believe you rejected my food," Rebecca said.
"No I'm just in hurry," Richard responded. "Okay you can go," she said angrily and tried to go to her room.
"Okay I will eat," Richard smiled. "That's good," she said and went to the kitchen.
"I don't why your friend easily get angry, is she always like this?" Richard asked Amira. "No she is only like this around you," Amira smiled.
"Then why is always behaving like this around me?" Richard asked.
"I don't know too," Amirah smiled.
"Are you in the same class with her?" Richard asked.
"Yes I am," Amira announced.
"I hope she is performing better now?" Richard asked.
"Didn't she show you test? She was the best in the class, everyone was surprised at how she transformed," Amira answered.
About five minutes later, Rebecca returned with some pounded yam on a plate.
"Did you cook it yourself?" Richard asked.
"Of course, do you think I can't cook?" She asked.
"No that's not what I mean, you know pounded yam is so tiring to prepare, do you mean you prepared it alone?" Richard asked. "Yes of course, it is my favourite food, so I don't get tired when cooking it," Rebecca announced.
"I will go and check on something, I will be back," Amira said and stood up and walked out.
Richard started eating while Rebecca sat down opposite to him and watched him.
"You know, you are full of amazements," Richard said.
"Really? She asked. "Yes of course, I wish I could marry a wife that can cook like you," Richard answered.
"You may get someone better than me," Rebecca smiled.
"I don't think so. I have never met a girl that can cook like you," Richard complimented.
"If that's the case, then I will be cooking for you every day," Rebecca smiled.
"I wish," Richard smiled. "So, what's your favourite food?" Rebecca asked. "Anything yummy," Richard replied.
"That means you can eat anything," Rebecca said.
"Of course, as far as it pleases my mind," Richard replied.
"That's great, let me allow you to eat," Rebecca replied.
After Richard was done eating, she walked him to the door of the house. When they got out, they noticed that the place was already dark.
"Wow! Look how time has really moved fast," Richard said.
"Well, I heard that if you spend time with the people you love, the time will seem to be frozen to you," Rebecca smiled.
"Oh really? Where did you hear that?" Richard asked.
"At school," Rebecca answered.
"Do you enjoy being with me?" Richard asked. She became quiet and that very moment and could say a word.
"I am sorry for asking such a stupid question, good night Rebecca," Richard said and started to walk away.
"I enjoy every second with you Richard," Rebecca said.
The instant Richard heard that, he turned and looked at her.
Her face was so pretty with her long hair packed at the side of her head close to her right eye.
She was so pretty that Richard felt like no boy could resist her beauty. But when he remembered about her and Janet, he quickly changed his mind.
"Good night Rebecca," he said and started walking back to dormitory.
Rebecca was so confused at how Richard acted. She couldn't tell whether he was interested in her he was just being nice to her. She went to Amira's home and sat beside Amira on the sofa.
***
Richard went to back to his room to get his book to study for the night. More than ever, he thought about Rebecca. For the first time, he started to think of her in a different way.
Her beauty, her smile and her hair are things that could go off his mind. Somehow, he felt happier when he is around her than when he is with Janet .
But the fact that Prof. Grace had trusted enough to allow him to teach her daughter won't allow him to think of her as anything more than a student. He took his books and went out his room to the usual place he usually studied in the night. Five minutes after he had started studying, Janet called him.
Richard: Hello
Janet : How was your lesson?
Richard: Okay I guess
Janet : good to hear that. Where are you right now?
Richard: my usual place of the night of course, what about you?
Janet : I'm in my room, why don't you come and pick me up?
Richard: You mean right now?
Janet : Yes of course.
Richard became quiet after that, and couldn't think of what to reply with.
He had been telling her that he is busy and definitely knew how she would react of he tells her he is busy again.
Janet : You have been studying very hard lately, why don't we have some fun just for today?
Richard: Okay I will be coming to pick you.
After the phone call, Richard reluctantly stood up and walked out of the hall he was. He took a taxi that dropped him close to Janet 's campus.
When he got there, he found her sitting on a bench under a canopy in front of her dormitory.
"My dear Richard, always busy like the bee," Janet said when she saw Richard approaching her.
"My dear Janet , always relaxing like the princess," Richard smiled.
"I'm not like a princess, I'm a princess. Don't you know?" she asked.
"I know that more than anyone," Richard smiled as he sat beside her.
"So, how has been your day?" Janet asked.
"It pretty hectic as usual," Richard replied. "You know, it's been said that all works with no play makes Jack..." before Janet could complete her statement, Richard interrupted her.
"Yes I know, that why I'm here," Richard responded.
"No, you need to have fun in your life," Janet replied.
"I don't think there will be anything that will be more fun than been with you," Richard replied.
"Thank you," Janet smiled.
"Let me take you somewhere so that will have a real fun," Janet said.
"Okay, that sounds like a good idea," Richard answered.
"Do you care for a walk?" Janet asked as she stood up.
"I would love to, it's been long since I last walked," Richard answered.
They took main road with will lead to the gate of the university.
There were tall flowers planted on the two sides of the road. There were blue street lights placed in the flowers that make the place looks so unique and beautiful. As they were walking, Janet stretched her arm and held Richard's arm.
"You look so beautiful," Richard complimented.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"I made my hair today; do you want to see it?" Janet asked.
"Definitely," Richard replied and Janet removed the scarf from her to reveal her beautifully plaited hair.
Instead of Richard to impress by its beauty, Rebecca suddenly came to his mind.
"What do you think?" she asked when she noticed that Richard was lost in thoughts.
"It looks wonderful," Richard complimented. "What were you thinking about?" Richard asked.
"Nothing, I was reminded of my sister seeing how beautiful your hair is," Richard answered. "We all miss our family," Janet replied.
"Is quite strange, I've never asked you about your family," Richard replied.
"Wow! Really?" Janet asked.
"Yes of course, so tell me about them," Richard continued.
"Okay, we are 7 in my family including my mum and dad," Janet announced.
"I have two elder brothers, a younger brother and two younger sisters," Janet continued. "Wow! How old is your eldest brother?" Richard asked.
"He is 32 years old, he is a doctor in Abuja," Janet explained.
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