Not less than sixty people were present at the venue. The hall was neatly decorated, it was designed to look like an airplane, there was also a customized bar by a side of the
hall which was built up by the event planners Bola had employed. The music was played by a Well known DJ Jimmy Jazz and the Mc was the well known comedian Bucketmouth.
Ama sat quitely nodding to the sound of the beat occasionally humming some of the songs she loved as she watched others dance. She was left alone when Ini had gone to assist Bola attend to some guests. She was surprised when she first got into the hall, she never thought someone could spend so much decorating the hall for a birthday party.
"Hi Amarachi" Someone greeted her.
"Hi" she replied
"You don't remember me? Its Frank"
"Oh Frank, its nice to see you again"
"I've been looking for you since I came in"
"Looking for me? How did you know I was here?"
"Never mind. I am a prophet, I see so many things, especially the whereabouts of Beautiful girls like you" He joked making Amarachi laugh
"Hahaha, you are not serious"
"I am" Frank replied and paused " you know you look prettier when you smile"
"Thank you" She replied letting out another smile.
"You're welcome, I... "
The MC's voice interrupted, "Attention everyone, It's time to make a toast to the celebrant"
Everyone looked towards the centre where the stage was set.
"I will call on the celebrant's best friend Miss Ini to take over this segment"
The crowd was enthralled as beautiful Ini stepped up, she was donned in a tight pink dress which clearly revealed her endowed figure eight. The hall was dead quiet as she spoke as everyone was bewitched by the smooth texture of her voice and her intonation.
By the time Frank looked back, Amarachi was out of sight. He looked around the hall to see if he could find traces of her, he didn't but saw Kelvin who had been searching for him.
"Frank, where have you been? Why did you leave where we were seated?"
"I had to search for Amarachi and now she has left again. I guess she went to use the restroom and she'll be back soon"
"So, how far have you gone with the wooing?"
"What wooing? Well, I just started talking to her some few minutes ago"
"You can wait for her, for me I want to enjoy this party" he replied and faced the stage "Can't you see Ini is beautiful, she wasn't as beautiful as this when we met last weekend".
"Yeah, but she's not as beautiful as Amarachi is"
"I bet she's more beautiful" Kelvin argued
"No! Are you a fool? How can you say that? Don't you have eyes to see?" They were beginning to raise their voices unconsciously.
"Don't call me a fool. Don't,for anything. How can you say that 'yellow pawpaw' is more beautiful than that fresh African looking girl?"
"Are you sick? Why would you call her 'yellow pawpaw'? Be careful Kelvin"
Kelvin was about to reply when he realized that part of the crowd was already watching their drama. He walked out of the hall quickly to avoid further embarrassment. Frank stayed back hoping for Amarachi's return.
"So is that why you returned without him? Bode
queried Kelvin.
"No, I waited outside for sometime, when I went
back to check him, he was nowhere to be found. I
thought I would meet him at home"
"That's serious, its 11.30 already and he's not
picking his calls. I know he doesn't like staying
out late or even sleeping out, I hope everything is
fine with him"
"I don't think there's anything wrong with him,
the guy is crazy about Amarachi and there's
nothing his craziness cannot lead him to. He'll be
alright"
"I just hope so"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Frank opened his eyes to find himself in a strange
large bed in a room which was not his. He picked
up his phone and saw twenty five missed calls,
ten from Kelvin and fifteen from Bode. He tried to
get up but was resisted by a terrible headache.
He noticed he had only his boxers on, he
struggled to remember what happened the last
night but couldn't until Bola walked into the
room.
"Hey Honey, you are awake. How was your night?
She asked placing a kiss on his left cheek
"How did I get here? He asked in a confused tone
"How you got here? Lastnight, you said you
wanted to follow me home."
Frank got more confused, he wanted to speak but
no words came out.
"But Honey, you didn't take more than a bottle,
how come you got knocked off so easily?" Bola
continued
That explained his dilemma and at that moment,
his brain came alive. Pictures of his argument
with Kelvin came back to him. He also
remembered how he fruitlessly waited for
Amarachi for hours after which he went to the
bar and took alcohol for the second time in his
life. Though he was twenty three, the only time
he tasted alcohol was in secondary school when
he was invited for a Friend's sister's birthday
party. He only tasted a bottle cover full of Guilder
that day. Last night, he did gulp down a bottle of
Macdowell within few minutes, that was all he
remembered.
"Did anything happen between us?" He asked
soberly even though he was sure of what the
answer was.
"Come on baby, everything happened and I must
really commend you, you were so sweet. I've
never had a more pleasant experience in my life."
She replied excitedly, " But one thing I don't get is
you kept calling me Amarachi, who is Amarachi?"
"Oh, I need to get home and go to church now"
He said in almost in tears. "Is anyone else aware
that I'm here?
"No, why do you ask?"
"I thought my friend knew. I have to leave
immediately"
"Come on, you should stay a little with me? Then
we can go to my church together for the third
service"
"No, I'm an usher in my church" He lied as he got
up to wear his clothes, "I need to get there early"
"Alright Hun, I will drop you in my car"
"No" , he quickly objected the idea, he didn't want
to see her again talk less of letting her know his
place of abode. He cursed himself and alcohol for
all that happened, he was grateful he couldn't
really remember the experience, it must have been
a terrible one."
"Why won't you let me?"
"I don't want anyone to know where I'm coming
from"
"Okay, would you at least take breakfast before
you leave?"
"No, I have to get home quickly," He said and
rushed out of the room.
"Alright honey, take care. I'll call you later" She
followed him to the gate and watched him board
a bike.
Back at Frank's house, Kelvin and Bode already
started calling some of their other friends to ask if
Frank had spent the night at their place but they
didn't get a positive response.
It was about 8am when Frank walked into the
house, he walked straight into his room without
acknowledging the presence of his flat mates in
the living room. They walked in after him
demanding he told them where he spent the
night.
"Guys, I'm not in the mood for any kind of
questions and answers now. I'll talk to you later"
He replied and laid faced down in his bed without
taking a look at them
"How can you talk like that? You didn't tell us
that you won't be coming home, we've been
worried about you all night and you just walked in
this morning without an explanation" Kelvin flared
up.
"Are you crazy?" Frank stood up from the bed
and faced Kelvin ready to give him a fight.
"What's the matter with you? You've been acting
insane lately" Kelvin continued, this time in a
more serious tone "why should a girl turn your
head upside down?"
"Be careful Kelvin, don't let me do something you
wouldn't like"
"Come on guys, what's the matter with both of
you? You want to pick a quarrel with yourselves
on this little issue?" Bode quickly intercepted,
stepping in between both of them. "Kelvin, let's
go dress up and go to Church. Frank should have
calmed down when we return"
" Just warn him Bode, he should not interfere in
matters that do not concern him" Frank shouted
as Bode and Kelvin walked out.
"What's wrong with both of you? You were on
good terms before you left for the party." Bode
inquired from Kelvin as soon they got to the living
room.
"That question should be directed to him and not
me" Kelvin replied and walked into his room .
Frank in his room wondered why he acted like he
did to his friends, he wondered why he vented his
anger on them when they weren't the cause of
his trouble, he had only himself to blame for his
mistakes. He decided to apologise to them when
they returned from Church.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As Amarachi and Ini walked into the house from
Church, her phone rang for the third time. She
checked the screen, it was an unsaved number,
the number had called twice already during the
church service, she picked the call
"Hello Amarachi"
"Hello"
"Sorry, I just wanted to find out how you are
doing today" the voice continued
"Is this Frank?"
"Yes"
"Okay, I'm doing fine"
"I didn't know when you left ..."
"Frank, how can I help you?" She cuts in
"I was saying I didn't know..."
"Please, if you don't have any reasonable thing to
say, don't call me"
"Why are you sounding like this? Did I offend you
last night?"
"I think you don't have anything to say, I don't
want any trouble with your girlfriend. Please don't
call my line again"
Frank was left confused, who was she referring to
as his girlfriend? He didn't remember telling her
he had one or did she see him with Bola? No, she
said no one else was aware about his stay in her
house. He got more confused as he thought
about all that happened to him within the last
twenty four hours.
TBC AT 2PM.
