Stakes 4a & 4b

PLAGIARISM

This is a big problem for me right now. You would work hard to create a story and someone would just copy and paste it on their blog.  It is unacceptable. I’m working on a solution to this. I hope it works because if it doesn’t, I’m going to cease the posts. Just so you know, this is more painful for me.

Chapter four

“Tell me, tell me, tell me!” It was Monday morning at the office. Tunmise had just walked into her office when Melody barged in. “What happened? How did it go? Did you dance with him? Tell me!” 

“What game is it this time?” Melody raised her eyebrows. “Are we playing twenty questions?” Melody shook her head. Tunmise enjoyed taunting Melody. It had been like that with them for years. Melody was her work buddy and her friend of four years. “‘Cause we played hide and seek yesterday where you called me like seventy times even though I didn’t pick up. Didn’t you know my Sundays are my sabbath days” Tunmise dropped her purse, hung her coat and sat in her chair.

“Sabbath days. Which part? The rest or the keeping it holy?” She remarked snidely, rolling eyes set in a pretty fair head with perfectly arched brow. Melody sat at the other side of the table.

“Both. Please leave me. Some of us have work to do.”

“After I went through that crazy shopping with you, you want to hold out on me? You had better start talking.” She retorted, petulantly.

“Nope.”

Melody started jumping up and down in her tiny long heels. Tunmise didn’t know how she could do that. She was worried. “Please don’t make a hole in my carpet” What? She had just gotten the carpet fitted into her office barely a month ago. What was a girl to do? “Please take your jiggling elsewhere.”

Melody continued, ignoring her.

“Okay! Sit down. I will tell you. You are thirty years old, woman.”

“I’m twenty two”

“You’re thirty.”

“Twenty six.”

“Thirty” 

“Twenty eight. Deal” Melody said like she had just brokered a huge business deal. Tunmise rolled her eyes. “So how was the partay?”

“I was wet.” 

“The devil is a liar!” Melody’s face was a display of shock.

“Oh no, Melody. When I said wet, I didn’t mean that I had drink spilled on me or there was tears in my eyes but was I wet?” She looked down with meaning.

“Oh! Oh oh. You are impossible.” Melody laughed. “I wouldn’t expect less. I googled him out. I didn’t know Judge Williams had such a fine son. I still shiver from the pictures I saw. Did you know he races?”

“Wait who?”

“Akinola?

“Oh” Akinola. She totally forgot him. She was supposed to see him before leaving. Melody was looking at her expectantly. Worry written all over her face. Maybe she was scared her heart got broken. “We just didn’t click.”

“Really? Just like that?” Melody was confused. Tunmise nodded. “So you don’t mind if I go after him?” Melody asked, grinning mischievously.

“I hate to disappoint you but he is engaged”

“Awww. Now I see.” Melody stood up and went to Tunmise’s side of the table. “Come here.” Melody enveloped her in a big hug. “That son of a…”

“Please don’t.” Tunmise pushed melody’s arms away. “How do I drive it in that we didn’t feel anything for each other. At least I know I didn’t. I’m sure he didn’t too. I’m just embarassed about the week.” Melody went back to her seat.

“So all our ‘prepping’ went to waste?”

“Not exactly. I met someone else”

“Really? Who?” Melody dragged her seat nearer.

“I promise I will tell you everything. I have carry overs from last week’s folly”

“Okay.” Melody agreed, a bit sad.

” thanks sugar”

“I will call you for lunch break. See ya!”

~**~

Oladipupo thought back to Saturday night. It was everything and more. He still couldn’t believe it. He knew she enjoyed herself as much as he did but he also knew she got angry at something. He just couldn’t place it. He knew he should have just used the opportunity as a way out for himself. Forget the whole episode but his body was doing the total opposite of what his brain was telling him throughout that night. It was like he was under some spell. When she had to leave, he felt like someone pulled out his gut and twisted it then placed it back in him. He felt like he swallowed rocks. He was suddenly depressed. It was true what they said. If you haven’t experienced sorrow, you wouldn’t appreciate joy and vice versa. He wanted very much to be with her. He had never felt like that. He knew he was falling. He already couldn’t control himself around her. When he remembered he hadn’t collected her numbers, several emotions passed through him. He felt uncertain because he wasn’t sure if collecting her number was what he needed. Worry because he felt they both didn’t deserve what he had to put in a relationship. Fear of the unknown. Fear that maybe she didn’t really like him as much as he did her. Fear that she would leave him alone when he was in too deeply and she found out about the real him. He was scared of everything. Then he looked into her eyes and all those fear disappeared. All that came to mind was that she was worth the risk. Then came the firm resolve. He was going to do this. He asked for her number and watched her barely concealed joyful face. He felt a flutter in his heart. He was glad he made that choice. He would be the luckiest man on earth if she felt half of what he was feeling. All that happened Saturday night. This was Monday morning and he was feeling all those emotions again. It was like a bittersweet cycle. He knew he shouldn’t want to be with her but what could he do when he was thinking of her every minute of the day. How could this be happening? He should be able to control this. Focus, Oladipupo. Focus! He should call her. He hadn’t called her since Saturday. This was Monday. He patted his back for his control though he was losing it gradually with each passing day. His phone rang.

“Hello”

“Hello. You want to hang out?”

“Akinola? How did you get my number?” Oladipupo asked, perplexed.

“The receptionist. You know how it is when I turn on my charm.”

It was a pity that lady was soon going to be out of a job. She knew better than to give anyone his number. She knew that number was for days when he was MIA. He always left the line open so they could reach him from the hospital if there was an emergency or an hospital situation. Was she clueless or just plain stupid? “I’m so busy.”

“You are not. Your schedule for today is nil.” She let him check his schedule? Ohohoh. “If you don’t want to hang out with me, just say it. Don’t give me false excuses.”

Akinola wasn’t perfect but hey no one was and besides, he wasn’t the devil. Moreover, maybe it will help put his mind off Tunmise for a while. “Alright. Give me a minute.”

“Yeah!” 

Wassup with this dude?

 Oladipupo called human resources.