Facade (Romola 1)

52: Curious Dami

"Curiosity kills the cat."
-popular saying

Romola eyes opened. She stretched her legs, twisting her body to the other side but he wasn't there. She tossed and turned under the warm reach of the duvet for serveral minutes before she flung it off her body and stood on her feet.

Her eyes rested on the shopping bags at the foot of the bed. She was yet to go through the items that had been delivered. The others were unavailable because some of them took a longer time to process and some of them were out of stock but she had a reserved order on those items. She couldn't wait to clothe herself in the red rose pattern high low dress Olumide picked.

Her eyes caught a disturbing screech of someone attempting to sing.

"Wo wo wo Victoria, said I wil be your man everyday."

She abadnoned the shopping bags and traced the source of the voice. Outside the house, Dami busied himself with dancing and singing off key to the song from the bluetooth speaker while he washed his courier bike.

A wide smile claimed Romola's lips as she watched Dami's attempt to rotate his hips and whine like a girl. Her gigggle frothed into laughter. His eyes opened and he froze mid squat before standing like an army man on the field of war. He cleared his throat while his fingers scratched the back of his head. "When did you wake up?"

"At the right time."

His lips broadened and the sides of his cheeks rose. He looked like a mischevious kid with his wide smile and wet clothes plastered to his body.

"I bet you were looking for Mide?"

"Not really. I was listening to the sound of your beautiful voice. It would work well for an alarm clock."

"Singing? I don't even listen to music!" He turned, pressed a key on his phone and the upbeat instrumental ceased.

"No. You don't have to turn it off. It wasn't that bad."

"The song?" Dami raised a scanty brow.

"No. Your singing."

"Which singing? I don't sing."

Dami poured some water on the wheels of his bike and used a brush to scrub, pushing away dirt with soapy water and revealing shiny black wheels.

"Indeed." Romola folded her arms.

She suryved the part of the house where they stood.  Flower plants lined the house, growing behind a small cement hedge painted in stripes of white, black and grey. On Dami's right was the backdoor that led to the kitchen.

"Romola," Dami picked up his washing implements. "You and Olumide. What are you guys?"

Her lips twisted at him. What kind of ridiculous question was that? Couldn't he see all that had happened between herself and Olumide. They were in love. "We are something."

"What kind of thing exactly?"

Water dripped from the bike to join the water om the floor streaming towards the drain at the back of the house.

"I don't know." Romola drawled, "but we are definitely something."

Dami remained quiet. She stared at the road behind her, wishing she had stayed in bed. Why had she come downstairs? Could she forget that anything that just happened had happened?

She turned to him, "Why'd you ask?"

"Nothin. I was just curious. You should go eat and get dressed. Olumide mentioned that he wants to take you somewhere."

"Where?" Her lips spread beyond her control. It had to be the beach.

"I don't know oh. But you two should get married quickly. It's been long since I attended a wedding party." Dami walked around her and made his way into the house.

"You forgot your-"

"Yes, I realized." Dami turned back and picked his phone off the mutlicoloured hedge.

She followed him closlely, while his question about her relationsip with Olumide still hovered in her head.

"Dami," She held his hand.

He blessed her with his quick attempt to raise a brow.

She continued, "I don't think you asked that question because you were curious. There is more to it."

Dami pressed his lips together in a thin firm line, shutting his eyes and opening them quickly. He lowered his voice.

"See, I don't know if Olumide would like me telling you this but, you know, I see you the same way that I see my sister and even if Yetunde was the one in this situation, my view would not change.

"I'm advising you because I know a lot more about Olumide than you. If anythig happens, you'll be the one to lose not Mide-"

She cut in with a scowl. "Can you get to the point please?"

He sighed, letting his shoulder drop. "In a few weeks, Olumide will leave this country and you still have your school to attend to. Mind you, neither Yetunde nor I have been able to find your house or family."

Romola's brow knitted together, forming waves of muscles above her eye. So he didn't like her relationship with Olumide? Her minde raced back to Yetunde's words.

Irritation fueled a glow in her eyes as she raised her head. "Can you stop beating around the bush?"

"It's quite simple really. It's like you've put your life on hold. I know it doesn't seem like it because you don't remember much but I'm advising you as a friend. Stay away from all of this. From Olumide at least, until you know a bit more about yourself. Yetunde-"

"Yetunde?" Romola cried. "I'm sure your sister sent you. Like brother. Like sister."

"If Yetunde had said the same thing for whatever reasons, it is probably because it is true." Dami turned away from her, pausing. "I'm not saying this because Yetunde is my sister. You like him. He likes you too. There is nothing I want more than my friend to be happy but a relationship like this can't last."

Romola didn't know when her hands met with Dami's face until she felt her palm sting from the slap. His hand flew to his cheeks while she stared up at him with simmering anger. "You don't have a right to say anything about this relationship."