Chapter 7 Seven

CALEB

If I don't beat that rubbish newbie today, I might live to regret it. The thought sat comfortably in my head, like a plan waiting for execution. I straightened my shirt in the mirror before leaving the house, adjusting my collar until it was perfect so I didn't look angry. I looked put together. Respectable. That mattered. Men like me didn't lose control in public. We managed situations. The drive to work was longer than usual. Traffic. Horns. Noise. Food sellers. Even the gala people had started running around this early morning. Everyone in Lagos moved like they had somewhere important to be. I was cramped up at the back sitting in between two fat women that smelled like they had not taken their bath in two days.... It was early morning for Christ sake, the least they could do was BATH, jaw tight,I started replaying the last couple of events that had happened in my head. My girl is laughing. Not with me. With him. That girl is beginning to lose respect for me. Abi is it because I don't have a car yet, and that small boy does? I quickly removed my mind from the whole event and noticed I had passed my normal bus stop "DRIVER"!!!!!!!!! I screamed The bus came to a stop abruptly pushing a few people out of their seats. I couldn't even offer an apology because those two women suffocated life out of me. And now I have to trek back to my office. stepping into the office building, I greeted musa the security man with a nod. No one needed to know what was running through my mind. Then I saw him. Mike. He was already there. Of course he was. Standing too straight. Too tall.very masculine. He has very broad shoulders too, compared to mine. I looked like an SS3 senior. Oh my God this man was built differently. like he belonged somewhere better than this office. Men like that always arrived early. They liked being seen. I watched from a distance. People noticed him. I noticed them noticing him. The glances. The whispers. He soaked it in quietly, pretending he wasn't aware. That annoyed me more than confidence ever could. I quickly gathered myself, walked towards where he sat, gave him a very stern look and walked to my desk. Aida was yet to come. She has been quite different lately I clenched my fist. No weapon fashioned against my relationship will prosper. She is mine and mine alone I picked up my phone to call her and just then I smelt her familiar perfume. She was smiling as she walked in, but not at me. AT HIM. She didn't smile at him the way she smiled at me before. It was smaller. Controlled. But it was there. That same softness she claimed she didn't have energy for anymore. I made it my life's mission to watch both of them like a hawk throughout the day. I watched her walk towards her cubicle. She has a higher position at the office which made her have her own cubicle while we with the lower positions shared a center table that has been divided into 6. I stood up and followed her to her office. " we need to talk" "And good morning to you too," she said sarcastically. Why the sudden change of attitude, wasn't she the one who was begging me the other day. But then she didn't actually return my texts on Sunday. Was she with him? "Babe," I said casually. She looked up. Just for a second. "What." No pet name. No warmth. I noticed Mike glanced up too through the glass. I held his gaze. He didn't look away. That was mistake number one. I smiled. Slow. Polite. The kind of smile that showed my intentions to kill very clearly. Men like him thought silence was strength. Though being calm made them untouchable. They always forget one thing. This was my territory. And nobody took what belonged to me and walked away clean. Not today. Not ever. I dragged out a chair and sat down opposite her. I was just about to speak. When the door swung open. "Ah-Aida!" Mercy. Of course. She barged in like she owned the place, heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor, with half of her breasts pouring into our eyes, why didn't she just come naked. And yet Biodun allowed it. "I've been looking for you," she said briskly. "I need help with something ." I turned slowly, irritation flashing across my face. "Can't you not see we're in the middle of a conversation?" I asked, voice calm but edged.I was already pissed and I didn't need anyone to add to it. Mercy blinked once. Then laughed, short and dismissive. "Oh please," she said. "You people should stop bringing relationship issues into the office. This is not your living room." The words landed like a slap. Aida's shoulders stiffened. I could swear I heard her laugh. Mercy didn't even look at me again. She turned fully to Aida. "Abeg, help me show Mike around properly," she continued. "Teach him the ropes. Mr. Biodun said you should handle it." "You and I both know that that is a lie, you this deceptive daughter of jezebel" I watched them in silence while they bantered. My chest tightened. Mike. Mercy gestured toward the glass partition. I followed her hand without meaning to. Mike was standing there. Watching. Aida hesitated. She looked at me. Then at Mercy. Then back at Mike. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll do it, but you owe me one." That was it. Just like that. She walked past me, not meeting my eyes, grabbing her notepad as she went. Mike stepped aside to let her pass. As he did, his eyes met mine again. And this time, I didn't hold it, I looked away . I waited in the office as I watched the both of them walk away.

This was getting out of hand.