The Foreigner

Confession

It's been two weeks since Samantha and the Carmichaels started staying with the Olakiras. Samantha's Dad was still recuperating in the hospital and their home was undergoing renovation. Samantha was still struggling to handle the turmoil of emotions raging within her. She was mostly mad though, she was annoyed at any and everyone. She was angry with her dad for promising something as important as her future without telling her about it. She was angry that he still would have kept it from her had Mrs Olakira not spilled the beans on the whole issue. She was angry that her mom wasn't around to handle the whole situation with her. She was annoyed at Mrs Olakira for feeling so smug all these days. Samantha wanted to wipe the stupid grin she always carried off her face. She was fed up with Mr Carmichael for trying so hard to comfort her everyday, couldn't he see that it was working in the opposite direction? She was annoyed at Troy for avoiding her, she was angry that she even cared about that. She knew full well that whatever mutual infatuation between them both had been actively put on hold. She was sure that the whole marriage thing was more than he bargained for. It was obvious he was staying away.

'Unghhhhh' she groaned.

Why did she care about that? Surely, the situation at hand was more important than a stupid crush that thinking hard on it now, they had never really cleared the air on it. They had never really spoken about it. Not that they had had much time but still she wasn't even sure of whatever it was she was feeling.

-Knock-

Someone was knocking on the door of the room. It must be one of the helps living with the Olakiras, they always came around every few hours to make sure she was comfortable. Samantha didn't always answer them and she wasn't about to this time either.

-knock-

That was odd, usually the helps left after knocking once if she didn't answer. They had come to quickly note that her responses to them  was largely based on her emotional wavelength. She had even once lobbed her slides at the door. She'd wait and see what would happen if she still didn't answer. Again came the knock.

"Samantha...it's me. Will you let me in?" A male voice with a foreign accent asked. That wasn't Mr Carmichael so it definitely must be.......

"Troy" Samantha gasped as she opened the door.

"Hey there, can I come in?" He asked. He wasn't smiling.

Samantha crossed her arms and stood at the doorway.

"Why? Got tired of staying away?" She sneered

"Ah, you caught me. That's actually one of the things I'm here to talk about, if you'll just let me in" He replied. He still did not smile.

Samantha left the door and went on to sit on one of the chairs in the big room she was staying.

"This house is really something." Troy said a few minutes later after he had sat down. He was trying to break the tension.

"Yeah, I've noticed" Samantha replied. She didn't really know why but she really was hurt that he abandoned her when even his father was always coming to check on her, since she wouldn't leave the room. She thought they had started to connect.

Troy took a deep breath as if preparing himself for something. Then he let off a torrent of words that Samantha didn't quite understand.

"Sorry?" Samantha said "I didn't get that."

Troy spoke but slower.

"Okay, but please wait till I'm done before you day anything. I'm sorry for not checking up on you the past two weeks. I know this hasn't been a very comfortable situation. I'm not even going to pretend I understand your customs or traditions here and I don't think I can fully understand how you must be feeling. I know you needed a friend you could talk to and I'm sorry for not being there. I also know this probably isn't the best time for what I'm about to say but I don't think there's any point in waiting, I was confused at first but now I'm sure.

He paused. Then he took a big breath again.

"Samantha, I like you. Like, a lot and this whole situation caught me by surprise. My thoughts at the beginning was to be your first boyfriend and that is still my aim. I'm sorry but I just don't think I want to think about marriage now. Not that you wouldn't make a great wife but.... I'm sorry but I'm not ready to make that decision yet. We're young, we should have fun while we're young and take days a day as they come. Realizing that took me two weeks, I'm sorry.

Samantha couldn't speak for a while. She was shocked speechless as she heard all what Troy said. She wanted to tell him she felt the same way about him. About everything. He said he liked her and that seemed more  normal than anything else happening around her in a while. She liked normal. She wanted normal.

"You want to be my boyfriend." Samantha said "what about the marriage issue? Doesn't it bother you?"

"That was what took me so long to decide whether to tell you or not, I do not understand if this is common here in Nigeria. I wouldn't want to mess with something important. But then I felt, why should I let you put up with something you obviously do not like without showing you another option. A very ephemeral option to be sure, but an option nonetheless.....it s why I'm here."

Samantha had already started sobbing while Troy was still talking.

"Yes" she croaked "I like you too."

Troy stood and walked to her. He lifted her up to stand on her feet and hugged her close to his chest.

"I didn't know the things that describe a teenager are so different from the United States, back home to Nigeria here. It's kinda more difficult here." Troy said as he kept stroking her hair and calming her down.

" 'Snot so difficult...run away and everyone calms down a bit" Akin said as he walked in munching on a bag of chips

"You game?"

********
Sorry for the long delay...this chapter gave me a little issue..but it's here now, hope you like it.
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