The Woman I Cherish 6

Angel stood like a log of wood,
staring at Jewel’s retreating figure.
she couldn’t believe what just
happened. it was not like she was
coming to apologize. she only
wanted to tell him that Dr. Femi
wants to see him. she stood at the
garden for close to 3 minutes
without leaving. After a while of
standing, she left the garden.
*****************************************
*
Francis sat alone in an empty class.
he seemed to be lost in his thought.
A lot seemed to be on his mind. he
hasn’t been himself for a while now,
and that’s because of the lady he
saw in class. He has been thinking
about her from the first day he saw
her. He couldn’t explain the kind of
feelings he was having. There was
something special about that lady he
can’t seemed to explain. Or has he
fallen in love with her. He can’t
possibly fall in love with someone he
was just meeting for the first time.
He knew nothing about her. how can
he just be thinking about a lady he
has never spoken to. he really don’t
understand what is going on. he was
lost in thought that he didn’t know
when someone walked into the class.
‘hey you’ he heard behind him.
He quickly turned to see Lucy
standing behind him. Her face was
curved in a smile. He froze
immediately he saw her. That was
the same lady he was thinking about,
and here she was, standing beside
him. He couldn’t do much to hide the
surprise look on his face.
Lucy walked to him and sat beside
him.
“why are you sitting here alone? what
are you thinking?” she asked.
“erm……. erm…..” he stammered.
He seemed not to have recovered
from the shock of seeing her beside
him.
Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder
and stared into his eyes.
“are you okay? what’s the problem?”
she asked, feeling concerned.
“not…..no…..nothing” Francis
stammered.
Lucy presence is making him
uncomfortable. he never expected to
see her there.
“are you sure?” she asked.
“ye… yes” he answered.
“okay if you say so” Lucy said.
There was a deafening silence for a
why before Lucy spoke.
“you must be Jewel’s friend. I saw
you together today in class.” Lucy
said.
“yeah, he is my friend. my childhood
friend” Francis responded.
“wow! you have been friends with
jewel from childhood” she said.
“yeah” Francis responded.
“that means you will know a lot about
him” Lucy said.
“yeah” Francis responded.
“actually, my friend misunderstood
him and had to say some bad words
to him. can you give me his number
so that I can call him and apologize
on her behalf.” Lucy said.
“that won’t be a problem” Francis
responded.
Lucy gave Francis her phone and he
typed Jewel’s number. he returned
the phone when he was done.
“thank you” Lucy said
“you are welcome” Francis
responded.
“when are you leaving this place?”
she asked.
“I’m about leaving” Francis
responded.
“let’s leave together then” Lucy said.
“okay” he responded.
They stood up and left the class
together.
****************************************
Jewel entered his room to see Henry
already in the room. Henry was lying
on his bed. He sat up immediately
he saw.
“you are back. what took you so
long. the class ended some hours
ago” Henry said
“I went to the faculty garden to get
some fresh air” Jewel responded.
“okay” Henry said.
Jewel walked to his bed and sat on
the edge.
“I have talked to Angel already” Jewel
said.
“really!” Henry said and rushed to sit
beside Jewel on his bed.
“what did you tell her?” Henry asked,
curiously.
“I told her to stay away from me. I
told her that we should pretend like
we have never met and avoid each
other whenever we see each other”
Jewel responded.
Henry stared at Jewel confused.
Jewel noticed the looked on Henry’s
face.
“what’s wrong. why are you staring at
me that way?” Jewel asked.
“I thought you wanted to end the
quarrel with her” Henry said.
“yes, that was what i did” Jewel
responded.
“how can you say you ended the
quarrel with what you said to her.”
Henry said.
“what’s wrong with what I said? isn’t
it better that we avoid each other”
Jewel said.
“I thought you want to make peace
with her” Henry said.
“I think this is the best way to make
peace. I really don’t want to start
having problem with someone you
plan to date” Jewel responded.
“okay if you say so” Henry said.
“have you told her that you like her?”
Jewel asked.
“no” Henry responded.
“why?” Jewel asked.
“I’m waiting for the right time” Henry
responded.
“when is the right time? you better
make the move now or you might
regret it later. Angel is a very
beautiful lady. do you know the
number of guys that might be
admiring her. if you waste any time,
you might lose her to someone else”
Jewel advised.
Henry thought for a while.
“thanks Jewel. I will do exactly that. I
will approach her and tell her how I
feel” Henry said.
“that’s what you should do” Jewel
responded.
A knock sounded on the door and
they turned their attention to the
door. the door opened almost
immediately and Francis walked in.
he went straight to Jewel’s bed and
sat down.
He wasn’t looking too happy.
“what’s wrong?” Jewel asked.
“nothing” Francis responded.
“you haven’t gone to your hostel?”
Jewel asked.
“my roommate wouldn’t have
returned. I will be alone in the room,
that’s why I came here instead”
Francis responded.
“okay” Jewel said.
There was a deafening silence in the
room for a while before Francis
spoke.
“how do you know when you are in
love?” he asked.
Jewel and Henry turned to face him
immediately. they stared at him
suspiciously.
“who are you in love with?” Jewel
asked.
“not me. someone asked me this
same question, but I couldn’t give
him a reasonable response, that’s
why I decided to ask you” he
responded and look away
immediately.
He took a side glance at Jewel and
Henry to see if they believed him.
“when you are in love, you will know.
you won’t need anyone to tell you”
Henry responded.
“just like that?” Francis asked.
“yeah, just like that” Henry
responded.
Francis didn’t ask anymore question.
he just accepted Henry’s response.
He stayed with them for a while, and
when it was getting dark, he left for
his hostel.
*****************************************
****
Jewel and Henry left the hostel very
early for lecture. The class was
almost filled when they got to the
lecture hall. they went to the far-left
and sat down.
The lecturer was not yet in class.
They waited silently for the lecturer.
Few minutes later, The course rep
walked into the class. he went
straight to meet Jewel.
“Dr. Femi wants to see you.” the
course rep said.
“now?” jewel asked.
“yes, now” he responded.
“can’t you see lecture is about to
begin” Jewel said.
“I’m just here to deliver Dr. Femi
message. he wants you in his office
now” the course rep said and left
Jewel’s presence.
“why is Dr. Femi looking for you?”
Henry asked immediately the course
rep left.
“I don’t know. I will have to go and
find out.” Jewel responded.
He stood up and left the class
immediately.
The lecturer walked into the class
immediately Jewel left. He went
straight to the board and began the
business of the day.
*****************************************
**
Jewel stood in front of Dr. Femi’s
door. He tried to think of what might
make Dr. Femi wants to see him, but
couldn’t think of anything
reasonable.
After a while of standing at the door,
he knocked softly on it.
“come in” Dr. Femi’s voice sounded
from inside.
He slowly entered to see Dr. Femi
sitting behind his desk. he was
reading the morning newspaper.
Jewel locked the door behind him.
“good morning sir” Jewel greeted.
There was no response from Dr.
Femi. he didn’t even take his gaze
off the newspaper he was reading.
Jewel stood beside the door without
saying anything else. he waited
silently for Dr. Femi to round up with
what he was doing.
30 minutes later, Dr. Femi was still
reading the same newspaper. he
didn’t even take a glance at Jewel’s
direction. Jewel looked at his watch
and realized that he was 30 minutes
late for his lecture. He was becoming
impatient, just standing there.
“sir you sent for me” he said.
Dr. Femi didn’t respond. instead he
drop the newspaper he was reading
and picked another one, and started
reading it.
Jewel’s eyes widen in surprise. he
stared at the lecturer who just
completely ignored him.
*****************************************
**
The lecturer ended his lecture and
left the class. every other students
left the class also. Henry didn’t leave
the class. He was waiting for Jewel.
jewel hasn’t returned since he went
to Dr. Femi’s office.
“I wonder what Jewel will still be
doing in Dr. Femi’s office up till
now.” he said to himself.
He turned to his left to see Jessica
also in the class. her gaze was fixed
on the book on her desk. They were
the only ones left in the class.
He suddenly remember what Jewel
said to him.
‘I think this will be the best way for
me to get close to Angel. I have to
get close to her friend. that will be
the easiest way to get close to her.’
he thought.
He stood up and walked to meet her.
he sat beside her.
“what are you still doing in class”
Henry asked.
Jessica looked up from her desk to
see Henry sitting beside her.
“I’m revising what we learned” she
responded.
“okay” Henry said.
“did you understand what was
thought in class?” Jessica asked.
“yes” Henry please.
“please can you explain it to me. I
don’t seem to understand it” Jessica
requested.
“now” he asked.
“yes” she responded.
“I can’t explain it to you now. I have
to be somewhere. come to the faculty
garden this evening. I will explain it
to you there.” he said
“okay no problem. I will be there” she
responded.
Henry heaved a sigh of relief. he
couldn’t imagine explaining the topic
to her right there in the class,
because he don’t know a thing about
that topic. the didn’t pay attention
when the lecturer was teaching. he
has to go and learn it properly.
“are you not leaving yet?” Henry
asked.
“I’m leaving. let’s leave together.” she
responded.
she stood up and they left the class
together.
****************************************
Jewel was still standing in Dr. Femi’s
office. he has been standing there
for close to two hours. Dr. Femi
hasn’t said a word to him. all he had
been doing was reading newspaper.
that was the fourth newspaper he
was reading. Jewel was already very
tired standing in his office. He has
missed his first lecture for the day.
he couldn’t understand why Dr. Femi
called him to his office and
completely ignored him. ‘at least he
should have offered me a sit’ he
thought. he watched the lecturer
silently.
Dr. Femi dropped the fourth paper he
was reading and was about picking
the fifth one.
“sir” Jewel called.
“will you shut up” Dr. Femi barked.
Jewel froze immediately. he didn’t
see that coming. he stared at Dr.
Femi in shock.
“now tell me, how does it feel to be
ignored. you didn’t know why I was
calling you and you ignored it. that’s
how some of you miss out on
opportunities.” Dr. Femi said angrily.
Jewel stared at the lecturer,
confused. He didn’t understand what
he was talking about.
“tell me how you feel now” Dr Femi
said.
“I asked Angel to call you, and you
sent her back to tell me that you are
not coming”
Jewel’s eyes widen in shock. Angel
never said anything to him. why
would he refuse to answer Dr. Femi.
Angel has lied against him.
“you didn’t even know why I asked to
see you” Dr. Femi continued.
“but sir…………”
“shut up” Dr. Femi barked.
“get out of my office”
“sir I…………”
“I say get out”
Jewel rushed out of his office
immediately. He never expected such
from Dr. Femi. what could Angel
have said to him that made him this
angry.
“I must confront Angel. I need to
know what she said to Dr. Femi.” he
said and left Dr. Femi’s office to look
for Angel.
*****************************************
*
Jewel rushed to the faculty garden to
look for Angel. He saw her coming
out of the garden when he got there.
he approached her immediately and
blocked her way. He glared at her.
“why did you lie to Dr. Femi. when
did you tell me that Dr. Femi wanted
to see me?” he asked.
Angel didn’t respond. she just stared
silently at Jewel.
“what did you say to Dr. Femi?” he
asked.
“I thought you said we should start
avoiding each other. why are you
approaching me now. please let’s
stay away from each other.” Angel
responded and walked out on Jewel.
Jewel stared at the retreating figure
of Angel until she was out of sight.
He let the garden immediately also