WHERE ARE YOU?

11:15 pm.

My alarm goes off. I am awake making several attempts to reach for my blackberry phone and scroll the track pad all the way to the snooze icon. Giving up the struggle because I can barely see where my hand is going. Its not like I have forgotten that there is some one next to me, but the realisation hits me as soon as our hands touch.

“Who the hell is calling you at this time of the night, trying to disturb my peace.”

No, I am not married, I am not even engaged. our parents are not even aware that such a relationship exists, well my girl friends are aware, they have all the free food and drinks to show for it, i am not even twenty yet. I am seventeen.

That’s my boyfriend.

"who is calling you at this time?”
‘
its not a phone call its my alarm I need to study for a test’

“it had better be oh ,because I will look into this tomorrow morning”. He mumbles his way back into his deep sleep and of course continues his loud snoring.

I ask my self this question from time to time, ‘do you know how much better you can do for yourself? where are you?’ but still day after day i never come up with any replies. I tell myself its rhetorical and I do not need to bother myself with such trivial issues.

I am after-all in love.
…

11:25 pm

My alarm automatically goes off again and before I can reach for my blackberry phone there’s a slap on my back. The air conditioner is on but the heat of the slap doesn’t go so well with my soft skin.

‘oh buge please I promise its my alarm look at it, see, its not a phone call, no one is calling me, please buge buge, oshiobuge please’ I cant even hear myself anymore its just slaps and blows am getting from all angles. My alarm is still blaring and the air conditioner is on full blast, stylishly burying my yelling and screaming.

…

7:30am

Oh yes my alarm, goes off again with the caption ‘WAKE UP’ I open my eyes but its still very dark. I am wrapped up in the duvet on the floor. I can hear footsteps.

‘What time is your test going to hold?’

Attempting to give Houdini a run for his fame, i struggle and finally get up. I dump the duvet on the floor, pick up my jeans and shirt, I pack my hair while I brush my teeth with the help of my tongue. I wear my wrist watch and actually sprint to the door. I am extremely late. There are bruises all over my neck but I absolutely have to get to class. I missed the first test, the test scheduled for this morning is a make-up test, the only make-up test.

‘I will drop you give me a second’

I stop and turn around as the tears well up in my eyes. I cant even describe how i feel. it just hurts all over physically and mentally. I keep standing there trying so hard to make the words come out of my mouth, the words required to politely refuse his ‘kind gesture’.

‘baby am sorry I was really stressed last night I just wanted to sleep in peace’ I am sorry?’
He starts touching me, then he starts kissing me, he wipes my tears before they reach my cheekbone on my left cheek.

‘baby I don’t want to ever see you cry, I promise i’m going to make it up to you. I promise’
There’s this tiny hole in the middle of my chest, i can feel it, he can’t see it. its a void, but the minute I start to kiss back it starts filling up, he kisses my neck unties my hair, grabs my ass, unbuttons my jeans.
…
5:30 pm ‘MALARIA DRUGS& IBRUPROFEN’

My alarm goes off again.

‘Do you really have to set an alarm for everything you do in your life? use your brain sometimes.’

I’m naked on the bed, i’ve been in this same position since my back touched the bed at about 8am, i am stoned. I don’t even try to reach for my blackberry phone this time. I just let it ring out. He is naked also. He passes me a blunt,

‘finish this one I will roll another one’
He gets off the bed grabs my phone to probably snooze the alarm or better still dismiss it.

‘hahahaha you are on malaria drugs?.thought you were off that,you should add postinor to that reminder.’ And you should call your friends or an efficient classmate to find out if the test held’

My blackberry phone lands with a thud on my forehead barely scraping my nose. Daniela’s number is switched off. Kayode picks up,

‘Oga efficient’ I hail him lazily, ‘please did that mr salau’s make up test hold today?

‘yes it did…’

‘where were you?’