Love comes softly

Topesatin2001,arestaurantinNewhall.Justinhadaskedthattheymeetthere.Itwas

twodaysaftertheymetandtheyhavebeentalkingsteady.Shelookedatherwatch.She

wasearly.Shesmiled.Hehadbeenonhermindallday.Shecouldn'twaitforher

lecturestobeover.Justthen,hewalkedin.Shewasnotfarfromtheentrance.She

waved,tryingtogethisattention.Hesightedher.Hesmiledandwalkedovertoher.He

waswearingglasses.Hegottowhereshewassitting.

"HeysorryIkeptyouwaiting."Hesaid.

Shesmiled."Actually,you'rerightontime."

"Iam?"

Shenodded.Heremovedtheglasses.Helookedather.

"Youlooknice."Justintoldher.Topetriedherbesttonottomakehimknowthatshe

blushed.

"Wow.You'renowsobig."Shesaid."IrememberbacktheninschoolIthinkIwaseven

tallerthanyou."

Hechuckled."Weallgottagrowoneday."Helookedaround."Wanttogetsomething?"

"Onlyifyou'regetting."Topefeltlikeshewasflirting.Shesmiledinwardly.Hestoodup

andwenttooneofthecounters.Justthen,herphonerang.ItwasMercy.Shepickedit

up.

"Heybabewhereareyou?"Mercyasked.

"Onadate."Topesmiled."WithJustin."

Mercylaughed.Itwasascornfullaugh.

"What'sfunny?"

"Nothing.Enjoyyourself.I'mgoingoutside.IwanttogetsomethingatYaba."

"Okay.I'llcallyoulater."ShelookeduptoseethatJustinhadcomebackwithaplateof

jollofrice,salad,turkeyandabottleofcoke.

"Ipresumeyoulikecoke."

"Yeah.It'smyfavorite."Sherepliedandsmiled.

"I'llberightback."Hesaidandleft.Probablytogethisfood.

Woah.Topethought.Thisshouldcostlikealot.Theturkeyhereshouldcostabout#600.

Shestartedeating.Justincameback.Healsoboughtthesamething.Buthebought

fantainstead.Hesatinfrontofher.

"Heythanksforthefood."Topestarted.

"Shhh,eat.Talkafter."Hereplied.

Topesmiled.Shecontinuedeating.Afterawhile,shewasdone.Shewasaquickeater.

Justinwasstilleating.Sherelaxedandwatchhimeat.Topestartedwonderinghowshe

gottolikehimallofasudden.Shelikedhimbacktheninsecondaryschool.Butitdied

downwhenhelefttheirschool.Buthereshewas,fallingforhimalloveragain.He

finallyfinishedhisfoodandpushedtheplateaway.

"So,how'sitgoing?"Heasked.

"Prettygreat.Imean,I'vebeenhavingagoodtimehereinUnilag."Shereplied.She

leanedcloser."WeneverheardfromyoueversinceyouleftCaleb."(Caleb,thenameof

thesecondaryschool.)

"Yeah.Mydadmovesalot.Thattime,wemovedtoAbujacusofhisbusinessand

stuff."Hesippedhisfanta."Whenhisbusinessgotstrongandcouldcopewithouthim,

wemovedbacktoLagosandIchoseUnilagasmyfirstchoice.IwasluckyandIgotin."

"Nice."

"HowcomeI'mjustmeetingyou?"

"Icameinasadirectentrystudent.Icouldn'tgetinwhenItried.SoIhadtodo

diploma."Sheexplained.

"Oh,that'sprobablywhyI'venotseenyouuntilnow."Justinpickedhisglassesandput

themonhisface.

Topelookedaround."IhopebaeisnotangrythatI'mwithyou."

Justinlaughed."Bae?Iwish.I'msingle."Heplayedwiththecoverofthefantabottle.

"Whyareyoustillsingle?"

"Idon'tknow.IguessI'venotseenwhoIwantyet."

Topesmiled.I'mgonnabetheone.You'llsee.

"Issomethingfunny?"Heasked.

"Nonothing.Nothingreally."

"Doyouhaveanywhereyouhavetobe?"

"Nowhereinparticular.Why?"Topewascurious.

"Myfacultyisorganizingasportscompetition.Todayisthesemi-finals.Iwantedtosee

thematch.Iwasthinkingyou'dcomewithme."

"Sure.Areyouready?"

"Ofcourse.Wemightevenbelate."Hegrinned.Hestoodup.Shedidthesame.They

lefttherestaurant.Astheywalkeddownthestairs,Justinmetoneofhisfriends.

"Ah,bosshowfarna?"Hisfriend.

"Ideyjare."Hereplied."Wetindeysupna?"

"Iwangochopjare."ThedudenoticedTopebesidehim."Iseeseyyoudeyenjoyna.Na

thebabebethisabi?"

Topeblushed.

"Abina."Justinreplied.

"Nayouooo."Theguysaidandwalkedup."Laterna.Wegochill."

"Okayna."

TheywalkedoutofNewHall.

"Whatwasthatabout?"Topepretendedshedidknow.

"Ah,it'snothingmuch.Justnormaldudestuff."Hereplied.

Shenodded.TheywalkedsidebysidetowardsSportscenter.TheygotinandJustin

tookhertowherehisfacultywasplaying.Itwasfootball.Theygotthereandacoupleof

Justin'sfriendscameovertothem.

"Geee!"Oneofthemexclaimed.

"Wedonthinkseyyounogoshow."Anothersaid.

"Ahnona.ItoldKingthatI'llbearound."Hesaid."Sowhat'supna?Whenareyouguys

playing?"

Thefirstfriendlookedatthepeopleonthefield.

"We'vequalified.Butwestillhavetofaceyear4."Hesaid.HeglancedatTope."Who's

thechick?"Heasked.

JustinlookedatTope."OhhernameisTope.Mysecondaryschoolpadi."

"HeyTope,mynameisChristopher.CallmeChris."Thefirstguysaidwaving.

"Hi."Suddenly,Topefeltshy.

"AndthisisSamuel."Justinpattedtheotherguyonhisshoulder.Hewaswatchingthe

game.

"HeyTope.Nicetomeetyou."Samuelsaidwithoutlookingback."PASSTHEBALL!"

Justinchuckled."Don'tmindhim.That'sjusthowheis.Footballfreak."

Topesaidnothing.Shejustkeptonsmiling.Thematchwasover.Justin'sclassgot

readyandthefootballersgotintothefield.Topewatchedthemastheylinedupintheir

formation.Shesawthelookofdeterminationontheirfaces.Ohthisniggasarewinning.

Shethought.ShesawthatJustinstoodbesideher.Hewasn'twearinghisfootballkit.

"You'renotplaying?"Sheasked.

"Ohno.Footballisnotmything.AlthoughIlikethesport"

Shenodded.JustthenJustin'sclassscored.Thewholefielderupted.Topewas

beaming.ShesawJustin'sfriendsjumpingupanddowninjubilation.Sheglancedat

Justin.Hejustshookhisfistwithalookofsatisfactiononhisface.

"Thatwasfast."Shesaid.

"Iknowright?Theboysarereallygood."Hereplied."Comeonboys,youcantrash

them."

ThematchwentonwithJustin'sclassdominating.Topesecretlylikedfootball.Her

brotherswerebigfans.Sobasicallyshewatcheditwiththem.Justin'sclassadvanced

intotheopponentpenaltyboxareaandTopeunconsciouslygrippedJustin'sarm.

Unfortunately,theylosttheirchanceandtheballwentout.Sherealizedshewasholding

hisarm.

"Sorry."Shesmiled.

"Nobiggie.Ineverimaginedyou'dlikefootball."

"It'smyfavoritesport."

"Okay."Hesaid."RonaldoorMessi?"

"Messialltheway!"Shereplied.

"Ohyeah.AnotherMessifan."Justinraisedhishandforahighfive.Topejumpedup

andsmackedhishand.

"He'sthebest.Nofurtherargument."Shecontinued.Thefielderuptedagain.300lvlhad

scored!

"Awman,wemissedthegoal"Justinlamented.

"Shoot.Yourteamisreallygood.Thisistotaltrashing"

"Yeah.Theytrainregularly.Themembersoftheteamarequitefamiliarwitheachother."

Theycontinueddiscussingthematchandotherfootballstuff.Thematchendedand

300lvlwon3tonil.Thefinalfixturewas300lvlvs100lvl.Theywalkedtowardstheexit

ofSportscenter.

"So,tomorrowforthefinal?"Justinasked.

"Sure.Wouldn'tmissit."

"Great.I'llwalkyoutoyourhostel."

TopestayedinQueenAminahall.Theywalkedsidebysidetoherhostelandwhenthey

gotthere,Justinhuggedher.ShewentintoherhostelandJustin,feelinglazytowalkto

hishostel,decidedtotakeacab......

Justinsatinclass.Hewaswatchingamovieonhisphone.Hewasreallyengrossedin

whathewasdoingthathepracticallyshutouttherestofhiscoursemates.Suddenly,

hefeltsomeoneyankhisleftairpodfromhisear.Alarmed,hepausedthemovieand

lookedsideways.Hesawthebeautifulfaceofhiscoursemate,Silviastaringathim,

smilingwiththeairpodinherhand.

"WhydidyoudothatSilvia?"Heasked.

"I'vebeencallingyou.Thisthingisgonnadamageyourears."Shesatbesidehim.

"Ijustwantedtowatchthismovie.It'sagoodone."Hesaidandsatwell."So,what's

up?"Hestretchedouthishandforhisairpod.Shedroppedthedeviceinhishand.

"Nothingmuch.Ijustwantedtotalkabout,youknowus."

"Whataboutus?"Justthen,acallfromTopecamein.HerpictureshowedandSilvia's

eyesfollowedit."SorryIhavetotakethis."Justinsaid.

"Sure."

"HeyTemitope.What'sup?"

"Nothingmuch."Topereplied."Iwantedtoknowthetimeforthematch."

"Ohit'sby5pm."

"Okay.Can'twait."Therewas

excitementinhervoice.

"Iknowright?Seeyouby4:30.I'llcometoyourfaculty."JustinglancedatSilvia.She

wasusingherphone.

"Okay.That'llbecool.Seeyouthen."

"Bye."Thecallended

Whowasthat?"SilviaaskedassoonasJustinputhisphonedown.

"Ohthat'sTope.She'smyfriendfromsecondaryschool."Hereplied.

"Okaythen."ShetypedsomethingonherphoneandJustin'sphonestartedringing.It

wasacallfromSilvia.Justinwassurprised.

"Whydidyoucallme?"

"Howcomemypicturedoesn'tshowwhenIcallyou?"

"That'saweirdquestion.Ididn'tsetitthatway."Justinrealizedwhereshewasheaded.

"Butherpictureisclearlyshowingwhenshecallsyou."

"Doesitreallymatter?"JustinwastiredofSilvia.

"JustinyouknowIlikeyoualot.Butyou'redenyingthefactthatIdo.Idon'twanttolose

youtoanyone."

"Silviawe'vebeenthroughthisalready."Hesatwellandfacedher.Shelookedsober.He

feltsorryforher."Thethingis,I'mactuallynotyetreadyforcommitment."

Silviasighed."Soyoudon'tlikeme?"

"Ididn'tsaythat."

"Soyoulikeme?"

"Ididn'tsaythateither."Justinreplied.

Silvialookedathimblankly.

"Thiswasuseless."Shesaidandleft.

Justinsighed......

"Girl,youandthisJustinguyarehittingoffprettyfast."Mercysaidtoherfriend.They

werewaitingfortheirnextlecturertocome.

"Yeah.Babe,Ilikehimalot."Topereplied."I'mhangingoutwithhimagainthisevening."

"Woah.Yourock."Herfriendsaid."Youknow,I'venotactuallyseenthedude."

"Don'tworry,you'llmeethim.

"You'resurehe'sstillsingleright?CusI'msurehe'scute.Imean,isn'titrareforcute

guystobesingle?"

"Iaskedhim.Hesaidhe'ssingle.He'shonest.I'veknownhimsincesecondaryschool."

Mercyglaredather."Easybabe.Don'tyouthinkyou'refallingtoohard?"

"AmI?"

"Ifeelyouare."Mercyopenedhernote."Ihopeyou'venotgivenhimhintsthatyoulike

him."

"Ishouldn't?"Topeasked,surprised.

"No.Heshouldn'tknowyoulikehimyet."

Why?Sheaskedherself."Why?"SheaskedMercy.

"Youknow,soitdoesn'tgetintohisheadtoomuch."

"Oh."

"Yeah.Yousee,whenguysrealizethataparticulargirllikesthem,boom!Theystartto

messup."Mercytouchedhershoulder."Soifyouwanttokeepthisdude,makehimfall

foryou.Nottheotherwayaround."

Woah,thatactuallymakessense.Shethought.CanIactuallydothat?

Thelecturercameinforthelecture.

"Oh,he'scomingheretogetmesoyou'llprobablyseehim."Topewhisperedtoher

friend.

"Great.Ihopehe'scute.Ifhe'snot,it'satotalNO!"

"Ican'tbelieveI'venotshownyouhispicture."

"Idon'tevenwanttoseenow.Iwanttobesurprised."Mercyreplied.

Thelectureraskedforhisassignmentsthathegavethepreviousweek.Thetwofriends

submitted.Whentherestoftheclasshadsubmitted,thelecturestarted.Abouttwo

hourslater,thelectureendedandthelecturerleft.Mercywaspressed.Sheranoutto

thetoilet.Topesat,revisingwhatthelecturerlectured.

Someonetappedhershoulder.Shelookedback.ItwasDamian.Oneofhercours