Free falling

I was bored stiff. Tunji was still out of town, Onyeka was swamped with client meetings and Tosin had fallen off the surface of the earth…as usual. I couldn’t wait for the wedding to be over so I could figure out the next phase of my life. I was reading a book in the garden when my phone rang. It was Chigozie, I was so excited to have someone to talk to, that I instantly forget my resolution to stay away from him and picked the call on the second ring.

Me: Hi Chigozie.
Chigozie: Hi Ma’am
Me: What’s up?
Chigozie: So I remember one of our conversations where you mentioned how much you loved John Travolta in Grease and Saturday Night Fever.
Me: Ok?

Chigozie: Ok so there’s an outdoor screening of Grease somewhere in Ikoyi later today and I was wondering if you would like to go.
Outdoor screening of Grease…it was the perfect solution to my boredom. I was excited.

Me: Awesome! Please send me the address. I definitely want to go. My friends are busy today but its fine don’t mind going alone.
Chigozie: Errrmmm would you like me to pick you up? Cos I actually planned to go myself.

He sort of stammered when he was asking and I paused for a few seconds. This was very dangerous territory but I wanted to get out of the house. I also wanted to watch Grease on a big screen and I wanted to see Chigozie. But on the flipside, I wanted to have peace in my relationship. I didn’t want Tunji finding out that I had gone on another “date” with Chigozie and so I decided to work around it.

Me: No its fine I’ll meet you there. Just send me the address and time.
The way I saw it, it was a win-win situation. After all, I could have innocently run into Chigozie and his friends at a movie screening and I won’t be expected to ignore them.

Later that evening, I picked out my outfit carefully. A black shirt dress and a pair of sneakers. It was casual and classy and perfect for the occasion.
Chigozie was already there when I got there and he had already picked out a cosy spot for us. I was surprised to find him alone.

“Where are your friends?” I asked
“”I am here alone. My friends aren’t exactly the type to watch movies like this and neither am I”. He explained as we settled into the cosy spot.

“So why did you come”? I asked
He flashed me a dimpled smile and then said “First of all, I think I know you well enough to know that you would never come here if you didn’t know at least one person you know would be here. Secondly, movies like this don’t appeal to me, but I hear the excitement in your voice when you talk about them and so I decided to come see if I could be converted. And thirdly, I just wanted to gist with you”.

I blushed at his third reason for coming. I had come because I wanted to gist with him too.
I enjoyed the movie and Chigozie laughed as I sang along and mimicked John Travolta’s voice in some of the dialogues. After the movie it was time to go and I had to admit I hadn’t had that much fun in a while.

“So I don’t have to ask. You obviously had a nice time”. He said as we packed up to leave.
“Yes I did”! I exclaimed giggling like a school girl.
“Where did you park”? He asked as we walked towards the exit.

“I didn’t drive. Didn’t want to get lost as usual and miss most of the movie. So I just had one of the drivers drop me off. Didn’t want him waiting so I asked him to go back home. I’ll just call him to come back now the house is just a few minutes away”. I explained.

“Don’t bother calling him, I’ll just drop you off”. He said
‘Is it on your way, I don’t want to be a bother”. He responded.

“You can never be a bother”. He said taking my hand and leading me towards his car.
My heart started racing. Why was he holding my hand? Why was my heart racing? Why was I intentionally trying to prolong the date? The truth was the driver was waiting I knew he’d offer to drop me off and so I lied because I didn’t want the date to end. As soon as we drove out of the parking lot, I sent the driver a text asking him to go home without me. It was childish and silly but it was also very exciting.

As he pulled up in front of my house he flashed me yet another dimpled smile.
“You know I saw your car in the parking lot right? You should have just told me you wanted me to drop you off. I wanted to drop you off too”. He said.

I was so embarrassed, I covered my face with the palm of my hand.
“It’s ok” He said pulling my hand away from my face. He kissed my palm.

I was shocked, yet excited.
His face was leaning closer to mine, I knew I should move away to let him know I didn’t want him to kiss me but I didn’t. His lips were just inches away from mine and I could hear my heart pounding away in my chest.

“This is wrong Adesewa. You are engaged to my boss”. He said.
“I know”. I pulled away and reached out to grab my purse. “I think we should stop seeing each other”. I said as I opened the car door.

He nodded and then said “Goodnight Adesewa”.
“Goodnight Chigozie”. I said as I got out of the car.

I knew he was watching me as I walked away and it took all of my self resolve not to look back. I poured myself a glass of red wine and called Tunji my fiancé. We talked for a long time and he fell asleep on the phone, I knew he was very busy where he was and when I heard his light snoring coming through the phone, I ended the call and sent him a good night text.

I tried to sleep and I eventually did only to wake up to a text from Chigozie it read:

“I can’t stop thinking about you. Help me”!
It was funny, because I felt exactly the same way.