AN ESCAPE FROM THE FRIENDZONE (2)

CHAPTER FIVE

Dr Martin sat in his Bmw 3 series parked besides Perculiar Spot waiting for Eva Essien to come out. He had spotted her walking into the snacks bar located opposite the mini stadium. From his investigation this was her favourite hangout. The time was about 6pm and the campus was gradually emptying out as staff and students were homeward bound.

Two days of tracking down Eva had yielded results. He had traced her academic records and found them to be near perfect. The girl was cruising at a cgpa of 3.8. By next academic year she will be in his class where he hoped to fully influence her. Currently he could only rely on impressing her with his vivacious personality and using the academic mentoring trick.

After a fifteen minutes interval, the view from his side mirror showed her approaching his direction. He winded down the glass and honked the car horn to draw her attention. He removed his shades, opened the door and came out dangling the car key with his fore finger.

“Good evening sir” Eva greeted him recognizing him as one of the lecturers in her department.

“Good evening Eva, how are you?

“I am fine sir”.

“Eva I was just going through departmental results the other day and I found out that you have one of the highest Gpa in your level, I am really impressed” he said.

 “Oh wow thank you sir”.

“There’s no need to thank me, you are a brilliant and beautiful girl. You will go places if you keep up the current effort” he stressed the word “beautiful” while looking into her eyes. She looked flustered with the compliment and kept her eyes down.

“Eva …look, let’s drop this sir thing, it is too formal, just call me Martin. He moved closer to her.

“Sir i am not comfortable with relating with you on first name basis, I prefer to stick with “sir”. Eva said cautiously while keeping a little space between them.

Dr Martins shrugged off her reply and went further.

“Eva I was wondering if you will be free tomorrow…say by 5pm……let’s hangout at Monty suites. It’s a cool place with good wine, I hear their chicken tastes nice and there’s a karaoke bar where you can sing along to any song you want. He appealed putting up a seductive smile.

“Men! Always hitting up on her, always asking her out….don’t they ever get tired?” Eva thought in her mind.

“Well it sure sounds like fun but sir i am not interested, sorry I have to leave now” she said firmly.

“Okay Eva there’s no problem there’s always another time, have a nice evening”.

He winked at her as she walked on by. He watched her as she turned round the corner and headed towards Convocation park. Staring lustily at her, he observed her curvaceous body and swaying hips. She was definitely a catch and getting her will be the pinnacle of his playboy career.

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CHAPTER SIX

Gaining entry into the university library was a matter of routine if you were a regular user. The library attendants would be familiar with your face and won’t request for your library card. The library attendants wield great power. They request your ID, order you to leave, confiscate prohibited items, tell you to switch off your mobile phone and sometimes help you to find a book on the shelf.

Ken heaved a sigh of despair when he sighted the attendant on duty, an unfriendly old lady that every student always avoided. He had forgotten his library card at home due to his haste in rushing to submit Dr Chukwueka Eze’s assignment on time earlier on in the day.

He dropped his school bag on the shelf outside and proceeded to make a quick dash into the library but the eagle eyes of the attendant had already caught him.

She drew him, hissed and with an outstretched hand rudely demanded for his library card.

 Ken studied her facial features. Her face was shaped like that of an owl, a thin nose with small fiery eyes, her thin rimmed glasses perched precariously on her nose giving her a witchlike appearance.

“Sorry ma, I forgot it at home”.

“How do I even know you are a student? You can’t get into this library without your library card, so get out!” she said harshly pointing her fingers to the exit door.

“Aunty please let him go in, I know him, he is a student” . A voice sounded over his shoulder. Ken instantly turned and was surprised to see Eva standing behind him, she had a bulky looking notebook tucked under her arms.

The attendant stared at both of them for some seconds, shook her head and mumbled some incoherent words to herself and waved Ken in.

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“Thank you Eva that woman is a nut case” Ken said with gratitude written all over his face as he followed her in.

“You are welcome, nobody likes that woman.’ Eva responded, “I have had a similar experience with her”.

As they walked close to the history shelf she paused and asked;

“Ken are you stalking me?”, “You seem to pop up everywhere I am”.

“No! it is just coincidence and maybe it is fate that keeps bringing us together.”

She chuckled and walked to a cubicle and pulled a seat. Ken followed her and took the seat next to her. He pretended to read while his heart pounded. He was searching for a good conversation topic.

“Would she be annoyed if he interrupted her reading or would she be glad to have a little talk, what could be the best approach to use in getting her phone number? the library was nearly empty there were no distractions. He had to get her phone number today! His train of thoughts raced on.

 “I will not be staying here for a long while, Eva finally said after 15 minutes had elapsed, it is getting dark. I need to be on my way home.

“Where is home?

“Home is where the heart is” she replied and rose up.

He stood up…..“Let me see you off then”.

“hey don’t bother yourself”.

“No I insist” He grabbed his book and followed her, there was no point staying if she was leaving.

He was tongue tied as they walked out of the library, he knew she was expecting him to say something…..anything.

Please can I have your phone number? He asked at last.

A short pause ensued. Her perfect lips curved into a smile.

“I don’t give out my number to guys” she replied ”but today seems to be your lucky day, so I’ll make an exception for you”. Give me your phone let me type”.

A short panic gripped Ken. One side of the screen of his Nokia X3 had a black smudge and some letters on the keypad had peeled off. He had planned getting a new phone at the beginning of the semester but was restrained by limited financial resources. Would she rate him based on the appearance of his phone? She was using a high tech phone. He had seen her dropping an Apple iphone 5s into her bag at the library bag stand.

To his relief Eva typed her number without examining his phone and handed the phone over to him.

“Is that your car?  He inquired as he spotted the Honda fit parked under the almond tree at the front of CBN auditorium the same spot she had parked in the previous week.

“Yes its mine. Sometimes I drive it, but most times its my driver who drives me, do you want to take a ride? She asked casually.

“Wow!” Ken thought in his mind it was clear that Eva was from a very rich home, she was chauffeured driven. Much as the temptation to say “yes” was overwhelming he had to decline the offer.

“No thanks, my friends are waiting for me at Student care cyber café.

“Alright then goodbye”.

“Bye!”

 He watched her as she drove off.

She was a nice girl, didn’t have the rude attitude he always saw from most girls. She even offered him a ride which meant he had made a good impression on her! He had gotten her phone number at last!!!

 Ken was in upbeat mood as he walked happily towards Student care cyber café to meet up with Odiong and Emma.

His love for Eva had skyrocketed. Things were shaping up fine, life was good!

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Idara Etuk sat on her bunk inside Prefab hostel hall 2B gisting with Ndidi and Agatha her friends from Hall 3B who had come visiting. A half filled bottle of Margenta juice and two enamel cups was on top of the side-stool close to the cupboard. They were discussing relationship issues while listening to tracks from Beyonce’s I am Sasha fierce album playing on her dvd music player. The discussion shifted from the latest rumours making the rounds on campus to their personal issues.

She couldn’t keep it to herself that she was in love with Ken and was infuriated by his unresponsive nature. It was funny how she had been relating with him for two years as a colleague without any romantic feeling only to fall in love in the third year. Ken had volunteered to help her out with some difficult assignments, she got close to him and found something in him that she was looking for, something she couldn’t explain but she knew he had it in him.

Ken was very intelligent and was said to be on second class upper grade point level with a high possibility of graduating with a first class certification. He had bright prospects. This was the type of man she wanted.

“Ndidi can you imagine this guy no even send me upon all wetin i dey do? he acts totally disinterested.

”Do you think he has a girlfriend?” Agatha inquired.

 “Nope, I would have known if he has one, he is just a little too bookish” she replied.

“You see he is a nerd. Nerds are shy guys, you have to go in for the kill” Ndidi advised and continued   “I once dated a guy like that, the guy bin give me too much wahala. Such guys need a major push to express their feelings, he wants to be overwhelmed by you before loosening up. You need to loosen him up”.

“Ndidi what exactly are you suggesting?” Idara asked.

“Well….Step it up….seduce him”.  

You ain’t serious” Idara exclaimed looking at her friend,” that will be cheapening myself”.

“Look babe na the way be that, you wan spend this coming valentine alone? You better take the bull by the horns”.

Seduce him……

Idara drew a pillow to herself, placed it behind her back and leaned on it. She rolled her eyes……seduce him……

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“Look guys i am serious o, you guys are experienced in this dating thing. Where is the best place to take a girl out for a date in this town?”  Ken threw the question that was burning in his mind open to the guys in the room; Odiong, Emma, Rooney boy and Terry. They were sitting on the floor in Emma’s one room apartment all of them engrossed in a Fifa 2013 Ps3 game.

“Take her to Food affairs and make sure you carry enough cash in your wallet or else na plate and spoon una go wash before dem allow una leave” Rooney boy said and they all burst into laughter.

“Guys i am talking about a rich girl here not anyhow local chick”

“Your babe na rich girl?” Terry interjected, “na the girl suppose take you out na, wetin you fit give am?” Another dose of laughter followed.

Ken hissed and looked away. The first call he made to Eva wasn’t eventful, it barely lasted for one minute. He had to talk to her in a relaxed environment about his feelings. His second call would be to fix a date. Where will he even take her to? Would she turn down his offer or accept to go out with him?”

He was worried about Idara’s romantic overtures. At first her actions intrigued him. Seeing a girl struggling for his attention and affection somehow boosted his ego but now it was becoming ridiculous. She had stepped up her antics and from all indication wanted an affair. She was insisting on seating with him in lecture halls, reserving seats for him, looking for any opportunities to make body contact, she had even gone to the point of buying food for him. He will have to let her know that he wasn’t interested.

His love interest was in Eva! He will have to get out of Eva’s friend zone and enter her romantic zone maybe then Idara will leave him alone.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

“Insulin is a peptide hormone, produced by beta cells of the pancreas, and is central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. It causes cells in the liver, skeletal muscles, and fat tissue to absorb glucose from the blood…”

Prof Udoka lectured while looking at the faces of the students in the lecture room. The elevated platform gave him a good view of the whole class. He noticed Ken sitting in the middle row with his hands on his chin, staring through the window with a disinterested look in his eyes. It was obvious the boy’s mind wasn’t in the class.

“What was the last statement I made Ken?” he asked with an authoritative voice.

Ken was jolted into reality and stood up with a confused look on his face.

‘I am sorry sir, I didn’t quite get you”.

A short peal of laughter rang out from the back row.

“How will you hear me when you are not paying attention? This is quite unlike you. What are you thinking about? Is it money or a girl? Cos that is all what you young men care about. You’ve got to concentrate boy! This is not the time to start chasing after girls”.

Ken bowed down his head. The Prof was right he had been thinking about Eva. It was time to make that second call to fix the date.

Ken promptly left the class at the end of the lecture to avoid a few jeers that was certain to come his way.

“Hey Ken wait!!

That was the voice of Idara as she hurried towards him. He quickened his steps but she caught up with him and blocked his passage.

“You were thinking about me, weren’t you? She asked with a sly smile.

He shoved her aside and moved on.

“Hey boy stop pretending that you don’t want me, when are you going to come out of your shell?” she raised her voice in exasperation.

Ken gave her an angry look.

“Idara I am not in a good mood to talk now, just stay away from me! He shook his head and moved on.

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“Hello Eva”

“Hi Ken”

“Eva will you be free tomorrow by 7pm…..let’s hangout at Pepperoni fast food joint at Aka road.

“Ken is this a date?…are you asking me out?

“Erm…..not really…well….Yes, I guess so”.

“Sorry I don’t do dates”.

“Don’t call it a date…..let’s say its an informal occasion to talk”

“Talk about what?”

“We are talking about feelings Eva”

“Ken it is too early to catch feelings….you are just a friend to me and I can’t go out on date with a friend”.

“Eva i mean, getting to each other better”

“Stop pushing your luck too far, Ken…..talk to you later” Her line dropped.

“Oh my God she dropped my call!”. Ken wanted to scream, he wanted to hold her, he wanted to pour out his soul to her, he couldn’t keep it within himself anymore.

Every time I see you and I look into your eyes/There's a feeling that I get
And it's way down deep inside, girl

I know why you're scared of love/Cos you think it just won't last long
There ain't nobody else in life/That can take the place of you
I just hope you realize what my heart is going through

How long, must this feeling go on/How long, must I stand the pain and
How long, must this feeling go on/Waiting for the night/Waiting for the right time to come”.
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Dr Martin hit on his desk in frustration. Eva was proving to be a hard nut to crack, she had turned him down on three separate occasions. The 22 years old girl saw through all his overtures and subtle moves and had been able to stay out of his clutches. Although he had made subtle threats of victimization to her, he knew he couldn’t act on his words. She was more connected than he thought.

He had discovered that the Vice chancellor was a family friend to her father. If she decides to take the matter to the Vc his job will be in jeopardy. He had barely escaped the last sexual harassment case brought against him two months ago by Victoria a 400 level student by the skin of his teeth. The case was hushed up by the Head of department after he signed an undertaking to stay clear of students in the faculty. A new accusation will see him being thrown under the bus.

He will have to lay low and bide his time. When she enters into 300 level he will use another method on her; the love angle. He wasn’t called the playboy for nothing.