The Best Of Them (Ongoing)

One

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"How much more can i bear before she acknowledges me?"  Directing the question at no one in particular, he flopped on the swivel chair with a sigh. He left his office earlier and rescheduled both his important meetings to go see her. He has liked her since the day he ran into them at the mall. When her friend, his cousin, introduced them, it was love at first smile. That smile he thought, is what did it for him. It's been a year now and he's been seeking her attention with little to no victory. He will not falter in his efforts. He will get her. Fatima Suhana Bahago shall be his, God willing. He will be more patient. More adamant. He will try more. He is goal oriented. And his goal is to make Suhana Bahago his wife.

"Zu, where do you suppose i can find your friend at the moment?" He asked his cousin over the phone. When Zulaiha confirmed Suhana's whereabouts, she texted her cousin the address.

"You owe me another one" he texted back. Putting his car in reverse, he backed out of the parking lot and drove away. Upon arrival at the office building complex, he sighted her car driving out of the exit gate. He had just missed her 'cause by the time he drove out of the exit gate too, her sleek black Mercedes was nowhere in sight. Frustrated, he decided to stop for takeouts at his favorite bistro. Immediately he walked into the double glass doors of the bistro, he sighed out of relief. He hasn't canceled both his meetings for nothing after all. He thought of approaching her but decided against it. He took a table on the other side of the bistro away from her and calling the attention of a waitress, ordered his usual.

"Have a good day Ma" the waiter said while placing a takeout bag on the table in front of her. She called the attention of the waiter. He must be so busy as to leave without collecting the bill, she thought. So she called his attention steps away from her table. "Busy day? You forgot to take the pay" She said smiling. The waiter however told her that it's been paid for. When she demanded to know who took care of her bill, the waiter pointed across the room to an all too familiar face she couldn't place. She adjusted her veil and slung her bag over her shoulder. With her free hand, she took the takeout bag and approached him.

He busied himself with a game on his cell when he saw her walk in his direction. "Hi" He looked up at her. His heart becoming frantic. He has never been one to feel nervous around a girl. He has never been one to become tongue tied in anybody's presence. This girl standing before him successfully do that to him without even knowing it.

"Stop staring, i'm no ghost" her voice reached his ears. He composed himself as soon as her words formed a meaning in his head. And that took a bit longer than should have.

"Sorry, hi" She shook her head and gave him a weird once over as if assessing his complete sanity. "Sorry" he apologized for the second time. "How may i help you?" She widened her eyes in disbelief and huffed. "You've helped alright, but i don't need it" He blinked. "Yes Mr...never mind, thanks for taking care of the bill but i would have done that alright, else i wouldn't have come here in the first place" He looked at her bewildered. "Since i've lost my appetite, you can have mine too. Have a good day" She dropped the takeout bag on his table and stormed out almost bumping into a waitress on her course.

"It's Mr Mustapha. No it's Mustapha Usman Umar" he whispered to himself.  He wished he had told her. The waitress who had been watching them and wishing the bachelor noticed her instead, came up to him with his order. He paid for both bills and gave the takeout bags to the waitress who thanked him. He has lost his appetite too. He took in the sunny atmosphere outside of the bistro before getting into his car and heading to his uncle's house. He needed to talk to Zulaiha else he's going nuts.

Suhana went back to the office on an empty stomach. And mad. She really had no appetite after her encounter with that man. A hungry man is an angry man. Apparently an angry Suhana is a not so hungry one. How can a man that appears to be so gentlemanly behave in such a way. What is with these Abuja men buying her lunch or offering to take care of her bills. There's the orphanage if they really did want to give out their money. And that goes with folds of rewards too. Perhaps she looked like a girl in need of help. Even though she hates it, she would ask her father for some money to change her wardrobe to more matured clothing since there's nothing she could do about her petite stature. Her bank balance wouldn't be enough for that. Maybe then men would stop flaunting their money in attempt to help pay her bills. The man had completely ruined her day. She fished her cell from her bag and dialed her best friend's number.