Chapter 38
Becky’s phone rang beside her on the bed, bringing her to full wakefulness hours later. She was dozing on and off while reading her novel. She reached for the phone and swiped across the screen. Her sister’s face popped up on the screen for a video call.
“Hi, sis,” Becky said lazily and yawned.
“Hi,” Betty returned her sister’s greetings. “Are you sleeping? Where is Colin?”
Becky yawned, “he’s in New York for a meeting. He’ll be back soon.”
“Okay, I hope you are not feeling bored?”
“Not really.” She held up the novel she’d been reading. “I have been reading this. It’s so interesting.”
“Good for you, maybe I will read it too when you come back.” Betty moved back a bit and raised two dresses on hangers up in both hands. “Which one should I wear?”
It was her class dinner night. She was done with school now.
“I will go with the yellow one,” Becky said.
“Oh yeah,” Betty dropped both dresses on the bed. “That’s exactly what I think.”
“Okay,” she looked back into the camera. “What color of accessories should I use?”
“Black or gray or both.”
“Can I borrow your new gray purse?” Betty made a puppy face at her sister. Colin just gave it to her recently.
“Of course.” Becky sat upright on the bed with her back against the headboard. “You can borrow anything you want,” she smiled back.
“Thank you,” she beamed. “You are the best sister in the whole wide world!”
“What are you going to do with your hair?” Becky asked, seeing that she had not styled already”
“Olivia is going to style it for me when she comes.”
“Okay, have fun,” Becky waved at her sister.
“Yes I will,” she waved back and went off the phone.
Three hours later, when the dinner party was in full swing, Kevin, who was sitting beside her, said, “so it’s goodbye now.”
He didn’t care to hide his disappointment from his face. “Right?”
“It’s not…,” Betty set her palms on the table. She didn’t want to say it was not a goodbye. “We have each other’s phone number. We’ll be talking from time to time.” She smiled.
“I don’t want to be talking to you from time to time,” he shook his head. My desire to talk to you is insatiable, and I want to be in constant communication with you. “I love you Betty and I want to be with you.”
“I’m sorry about how you feel, Kevin,” Betty studied his face. “I don’t feel the same about you. That is the truth. I can’t do it.”
“Love grows, you know.” He took a swing of his drink. “You just didn’t want to try.”
“Kevin,” she placed a hand on his arm. “That’s not true. You can’t say I have not tried. You deserve someone who loves you, not someone trying to force herself to love you.”
“I suppose so,” he shrugged and looked so sad. Betty felt like leaning over to hug him and assure him that everything would be fine. But she thought it wouldn’t be a good idea. So she stayed put. They both fell into an awkward silence for some moments.
She sipped her drink slowly as she studied his face. Of course, he was a very handsome man with a body to die for and he had a wonderful personality, too. But she didn’t want to force herself into loving someone. She tried severally to open up her heart to him. But the feelings didn’t just develop.
“Kevin,” she called out his name in a whisper, breaking the silence between them. “You are a great person with the little I know of you,” she smiled into his eyes. A deserving girl is going to find you one of these days and make you happy.”
“Are you trying to stop me from crying?” His mouth curved by the side. “You are a great person, too.” He laughed now. “I know I can’t kiss you,” he sighed deeply and kissed the back of her hands, one after the other.
“Thank…” She tried to swallow the knot which had formed in her throat. “Thank you.”
“I will miss you,” Kevin grimaced, finding it difficult to accept that he couldn’t have her.
“I’m going to miss you too,” she said before one of their classmates, a lady, came to sit beside Becky.
Asking her to send the pictures they took together with Betty’s phone to her through WhatsApp.
Kevin had been obsessed with her from the moment he set his eyes on her two years ago. He was always hanging around her, always coming up with reasons they should be together. He pursued her with so much tenacity. Now he knew he had to face reality and move on.
The class representative’s voice announcing on the PAS that they should all come out for a group photograph pulled him out of his reverie.
They all stood up and went outside to take pictures. As soon as they finished that, Betty went and use the bathroom. When she came out of the stall she used, another classmate of theirs, Ellen, was standing by the sink, refreshing her makeup.
“Oh, you are the one in there,” she returned her lipstick back into her purse. “I saw you and Kevin having a moment.” She giggled, “are you guys finally kick-starting the ‘ship’ already?”
Betty just smiled as she rinsed her hands. Ellen burst into a self-conscious laughter and left when Betty just gave her a tight smile.
Tolani lingered at the sink to wash her hands and fix her hair. She checked her makeup, and it was still okay. When she walked back into the hall, she saw Kevin walking toward her. He stopped when he got to where she was.
“I’m leaving,” he said and reached out for her hand as if he wanted her to come with him.
“Okay,” she simply said and allowed him to take her hand.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
“Goodbye, Betty,” he said and released her hand. He hurried away before she could make any response.
She had wanted to promise him that she would stay in touch. She shrugged and let it be.