UYAI ✔️

Uyai (eleven)

"You foolish man. Stop pestering me! I am not interested! What part of that don't you understand?" She turned furiously to look at him, her eyes blazing.

"Wait. Please hear me out." Effiong pleaded, he had never felt so desperate. She wouldn't even give him a listening ear, she always erupted like this any time she heard his voice. It irked him that she wasn't even giving him a chance.

"I don't like you! In fact I'm beginning to hate you if I see you one more time.  And please take that thing away from me." She shrunk back in disgust from the red hibiscus flower he held; this one had even wrinkled owing to the fact that .amidst his pursuit he had unconsciously squeezed it with hands.  He always brought a fresh one every time he came to see her and every time she had refused it, looking at it with disdain. But he was resilient, he never missed a day. Today was the last; the last chance he had to pour out his heart content, but how could he? She pushed him at every turn.

"Please just hear me out, at least this once, I promise I'll be out of your hair." His voice cracked with emotion as he pleaded. He knew how unkept he looked with his hair disheveled and his  beard bushy. Even the new shirt, his favourite red shirt, which he had never worn, was drenched with sweat. The shirt no longer looked appealing. He had worn his best today but now he felt and looked like he had worn his worst.

Affiong was so sick of the sight of the young man. She didn't know his name, and she was not interested. How many times had she refused him, still he was persistent she had to give him credit for that.
Still she didn't care, the sight of him appalled her. She wasn't interested in anyone but her Edem, but she couldn't tell him she was taken given Edem hadn't engaged her. But she had high hopes, she couldn't wait for when he'll go down on one knee asking her to marry him. The thought sent bolts of pleasure down her spine.

"I love you!" He yelled when he couldn't contain it any longer. He just needed her to look at him, just once at least see the truth in his eyes.

She froze. And that was enough reaction he needed. Now all he needed was for her to listen.

"What?" She turned to him and pierced him with a look; that of unbelief.
"What did you just say?"

"I-I said I love you." His voice became stronger with emotion.

"What do you mean by you love me? You don't even know me." She shook her head, her face pulled in a frown.

Effiong wanted to retort 'You barely knew Edem but that didn't stop you from thinking you're in love with him did it?' Instead he kept mute. Unlike her he had known her right from secondary school. She was not the brightest, but he had admired her for long. Back then he would have said it was merely a crush. They've never crossed part, but silently he had followed her when she partook in the school dance and always had watched from afar admiring her beauty and grace as she swayed to the beat of the drums.

"You know what? Never mind I don't care, I don't want to talk to you..."

"Why not? Is it so bad for you to hear what I have to say? If you don't like it, you can go ahead and walk away, I won't stop you. So can you please indulge me for a few minute."

"Let's hear it." She huffed.

"C-Could we find some place to seat. I-I don't want to keep you standing."

"I'm okay. Just. Talk." she said with gritted teeth. Frankly she was not in the mood to listen to whatever he was going to say. She...

"O-Okay I-I j-just want to..." Damn it! He didn't know what to say. Just a few seconds ago he was ready to pour out his heart's content. Now here he was tongue tied and a stuttering mess. He probably looked like a fool to her.