BETROTHAL

CHAPTER 15

Few weeks after resumption, Fola saw Iremide in front of the Kashim Ibrahim Library. He was sitting with a lady and they were going through some handouts.

Fola wanted to ignore him but her conscience wouldn't let her.

He coincidentally raised his head up as she was still debating on whether to go meet him or not. Their eyes met and she waved at him clumsily.

He smilled and she strutted to his side despite the wild hammering at her heart.

She wondered within her on what excuse to give for not calling nor picking any of his calls.

"Hi Ire, good morning", she greeted with a smile.

"Folake, good morning", he replied.

Fola said hello to the girl beside him and fell silent. She felt awkward standing there without saying anything.

Finally, she asked, "May I know your friend's name?"

The lady in question was surprised at Fola's request and she jerked her head up in suprise.

"Oh sorry, forgive my manners. Fola meet Tope my friend, Tope meet Fola", he introduced.

"Nice to meet you", the two girls said to each other at the same time.

Fola watched as Tope inspected her from head to toe.

"Erhmm... Ire, can we talk privately", she demanded stuttering.

"Fola as you can see, I am very busy at the moment, maybe later", he said raising his head up.

"Ok", she replied feeling embarrassed.

She turned to go when he called to her. "Folake", she looked back.

"Give me 10 minutes, I will join you soon."

Fola smilled at him but his face was expressionless. 'I must have hurt him alot', she mummured to herself as she moved away to look for a seat elsewhere.

Fola waited with anxiety and few minutes later, Tope left and Ire went to join Fola.

"How have you been doing?", he asked her sitting beside her.

"I've been strong enough to face what life throws at me", she answered him and he furrowed his brows at her.

"I thought we won't see each other again or even talk to each other", he declared.

"Why would you think such a thing?", she asked him.

"Because I have never met a woman like you in my entire life", he answered with an angry tone. "How can you be so unpredictable? You are here this minute and you are gone the next minute and you expect me to act like everything is fine?"

"Ire you have no idea what I have been through. Don't judge me", she uttered calmly.

"I will because it is obvious you are taking my feelings for granted. You think I don't know you were going out with that guy? I called you severally but what did you do? Sometimes you ignore, sometimes you cut the call on me. All because of what? Is it because he has money or because his father has political power? Why Fola? I really want to know", he yelled at her.

"You should know me better. You should know I can never choose a man because of his money or power or whatever", Fola replied guiltily.

"I thought so too not until you proved me wrong by going out with him and doing all sorts of rubbish", he replied in the same tone.

"What do you mean by that?", she questioned.

"I saw you together and you were expensively dressed. What then do you expect me to think of you? You aren't even giving me a chance to know who you really are."