I'M NOBODY BUT ME

Can We Be Friends?

"I'm sorry" she said as her bag falls to the ground emptying half of its contents.
"No, I'm sorry. I should have watched where I was going" I said bending down to help put them back in her bag. She is so beautiful, more of a black skin girl. Chubby but average height.
"Hello mister man, are you going to help me or you're just going to keep on staring at me like I'm covered in poop?" She said as she waves her hand in front of my face, trying to bring me back to reality I guess.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I don't get the chance to bump into beautiful women everyday" I said putting her last belonging in her bag.

"ATTENTION! THIS IS ARIK AIRLINE, FLIGHT 5N-JID, LEAVING FROM ABUJA TO LAGOS IN THE NEXT TWENTY MINUTES, THANK YOU." The airport announces.

"Oh my! I have to be quick" she said to herself as she gets up quickly after hearing the announcement.
"I'll assume though it's obvious that you're running late. How may I be of help?" I said, giving her my best smile. She gives me an unsure look but it seems time isn't on her side today.
"I beg of you, don't steal my luggage. Help me get my luggage weighed and checked while I go get my flight ticket, thanks" she said before leaving.

I did the needful and within five minutes, I am waiting for her where we bumped into each other. "Thank you so much, you actually owed me that for bumping into me" she said as she approaches me with a smile, her voice a little bit thick yet sweet and endearing. Damn, her smile is heavenly, maybe she's an angel.
"Then what do I get for you bumping into me?" I asked.
"Fine! I'll figure that out" she said rolling her eyes as she gets her luggage from me.
"Nice meeting you miss woman. Have a safe trip" I said before turning my back against her.

"Wait!" She beckoned as I turn to leave. "Forgive my manners, thanks for paying for excess weight. I was in haste so it skipped my mind but you didn't remind me either" she said taking out money from her wallet to give me.
"Don't bother" I said, returning her hands.
"I insist, it's yours" she pleaded. "Okey, let's take it as you owing me" I said leaving a smile.
"So now I owe you twice?!" "Exactly!" I responded.
"Now I'm regretting this" she said playfully as her lower lip protrudes into a pout causing me to let out a light laughter. "Bye Mister man".
"Bye Miss woman."

I read my plane card to know which seat is mine "six B" I said repeatedly as I pass each seat. Reaching my seat, I put my hand luggage in the luggage compartment before sitting down. Turning to my seat mate, I greet, "Good morning".
"Good morning to you too", a familiar voice replies only for us to freeze when we both realize that we are seat mates.
"Miss woman!"
"Mister man!" We said in unison. "It's Mikey".
"It's Miracle", we said in unison again. For a while, we were silence before she spoke.
"I'm Miracle Igwe, Igbo" she said stretching her hands towards me. "I'm Mikey Nonso, Igbo" I replied as I take her palms in mine, giving her a hand shake. A shake that left a feeling that lingers for a while. Before long, we are chatting like we're friends.

"...and he was like, I guess it's because you're my eyes perfect. It was so sorrowfully romantic" Miracle said.
"Well, as for me, I love......" I hesitated, trying to remember something.
"Is it sunshine?" She asked.
"No."
"Okey, is it shadow of my heart?" She asked again.
"Yes", I said agreeing this time. "I can't imagine being in her shoes, you know, suffering from such a disorder and trying to find love. I actually don't blame the guy for running away, but still, he would have gotten her help or something." I said, opening my own part of the small eating table so the plane attendant can place my snacks. I watch Miracle as she puts hers inside her bag.
"Please can I have a cup of black Lipton tea?" She asked the plane attendant.
"Yes ma'am, I'll be with you shortly" the plane attendant said before leaving.

"So what kinda music do you listen to?" I asked.
"Well, I'm not selective. I listen to anything and everything, then from there, I know what I like. But there's this guy, I'll say in his late teens, he's new in the music industry but I love most of his songs."
"Songs?" I asked.
"Yes, he's released about twenty already" she says smiling.
"wow! That's nice. So what do you like about his songs?"
"Well, first, they're funny. I don't know if it's just in my head but it has a sense of humor. Second, it's all about the wordings, that's all I can say for now. I haven't given up on listening to his songs yet, so that's something to me" she said in amusement.
"What's his name, I'll love to also listen to how good his songs are" I said as she opens her small eating table before getting the cup of tea she asked for.

"Thank you" she greets the plane attendant before answering me, "Splendid, that's his music name. Well, I didn't say his songs are better than Joe boy or Chike, but it's not bad either. One man's chewing stick is another man's tooth brush" she said, causing me to burst out in laughter.
"You're sick" I said in-between laughs.
"Thank you" she said with a smile before sipping her tea.
"So what brings you to Lagos?" I asked.
"Well, nothing really. I'm based here" she replies as she watches me for a while as I try my very best to open your sachet sweet which turned out futile.
"Let me help you with that" she said stretching her hands to accept my sweet.
"okay, so what took you to Abuja?" I asked.
"Well, I'm a Doctor and I went to submit my report base on the COVID 19 case" she said giving me back my sachet sweet but opened. "Thanks" I said watching her pick up my snack pack from my small eating table to her small eating table and opening every snack in a sachet.

"Ohw! So was it a positive report or a negative one?" I said sounding serious as I try to hid the embarrassment on my face that caused me to blush a little.
"Don't be embarrassed, take this as one of my debt being paid" she said, giving me a smile that never seems to fade.
"Well, I'd say it was both a positive and negative report" she concluded as she hands you your snack pack.

After chatting for a while, the plane attendant came collecting waste from every table.
"LADIES AND GENT, WE HAVE REACHED MURTALA MUHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LAGOS STATE. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR SEATS WHILE WE COME TO A STOP. THANK YOU."

Fifteen minutes later, The plane stops and one of the plane attendants stands at the front aisle while another stands at the middle aisle of the plane saying
"THANK YOU FOR USING ARIK AIRLINE, HOPE YOU HAD A COMFORTABLE TRAVEL. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, TILL NEXT TIME."

I removed my hand luggage from the luggage compartment above me before heading out of the plane. Miracle was way in front of me finding her way into the airport.
"Miss woman!" I yelled, not sure she'll respond but she did with a stop. Without turning to know who called her. Obviously she knows it's me, she waited till I reached were she stood.
"Not so fast. Have you forgotten you owe me one" I said as we both resume walking.
"How can I, that would have been so impolite of me" she said smiling. I know she's lying.
"But you were leaving without saying goodbye" I responded. "Ohw! I actually had hope we'd see again since I still owe you one, that's why I didn't bother saying goodbye. Or I'm I free from you?" She asked as we came to a stop at the baggage claim area
"No you're not" I said playfully as I hung my hand luggage on my shoulder.

"Okay?" She said with a questioning look as she faced me. "Can we be friends? I'd love to have your number, that will settle your debt" I said praying deep down that she doesn't decline. Without saying anything to me, she spots her luggage, waits till it reaches where we stand, takes it, digs into her bag, then gives me her card. I was glad because for a while I thought she'd refuse.
"My main number is at the back of the card, don't call me before nine in the morning and after nine at night. It was nice meeting you Mikey, have a lovely day." She said will a smile before leaving me all to myself.