The Let Off

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The sun rested on my skin with an intensity like a broken woman's fury. It's raya shimmered mockingly before my eyes as I raised my palm into a shade. It was another day to feel the wrath of nature in its attempt to retaliate all the injustices we've subjected it to over time. But still, I and Ken grudgingly left the house for lectures.

I and Ken had been friends since our freshman year. He was a cute nice dude who seemed to have cheated all of us out of nature's best features and traits. He was handsome, smart, intelligent, tall, with a voice that resonated melody even without trying. He could even draw and he could also dance.

We all envied him and always wished that we had just half his traits and we would be giving thanks to the powers that be for their kindness. But it wasn't to be and we (especially I who staid with him), had to make do with living as his afterthought.

Being such a complete package of a human being, he was also a magnet for the fair gender. Day after day, night after night, they would flock at him like ants to sugar. It was a constant battle trying to keep up with the names, shapes and sizes of these ladies. At some point I thought trying to keep up with the count and sorts helped improve my mathematical skills.

But Ken was grounded, always finding a fault or getting easily tired of each one that came around and using it as an excuse not to get down with any of them. It was a big let down for his friends, who saw it as an opportunity for him to ramp up his body count; a thing of pride amongst the masculine fold and a proof of 'manhood'.

As we stepped through the school gate, we were greeted by uniformed frail looking men, sweating profusely and looking like they would have been better served as kindergarten bouncers than university security, some residues of human odor dancing loosely in the air as students scrambled up and down trying to get to lecture venues.

But one thing stood out in the whole exhausting scenario that was unfolding, it was Ken. He looked star struck and I was surprised at first. Yes, I was surprised because Ken is never star struck. He is the star, he makes people star struck and not the other way round.

That was when I followed his gaze, and what I beheld held me dumbstruck. It was slender but not thin, tall but not gigantic, curvy but not voluptuous, and perfectly melanin tanned. It was a she. She walked with the grace of a ballet dancer without applying any effort, her chins were nicely chiseled, she had a bouncy, heaving bosom and a smile that reflected the sun's brightness, but in a warm and comforting way.

She was beautiful, she was physically near perfect, but she wasn't an angel. I was dumbstruck because I'm not used to having girls with half her beauty around me, not to mention those in her 'beauty class'. But for Ken? He's seen alot, so he shouldn't have been star struck, I thought.

"Dude" I nudged at him "what's up bro" I added sounding bewildered

"I like that babe" he blurted out with childish enthusiasm

"C'mon bro, you've got enough of them, what's so special there?" I asked stealing another glance at the girl.

"Yeah, I know" he stuttered "but there's something about her though.... I dunno, but I like her" he added flashing one of his attractive smiles

"Yeaaah... Whatever man, let's go for class" I retorted disappointingly

But that experience wasn't just a one off, it had sparked something in Ken and it was as if a new star was born in his life who's light dwarfed all the moon hanging around him combined. He kept mumbling every now and then about seeing the mystery girl, how she was beautiful, how she smiled back at him and how he's so looking forward to really getting to know her.

He became so engrossed in it that it started sounding cranky and annoying. Our star had decided to make a mystery woman, who perhaps doesn't deserve it, the star of his life and all our gatherings. Well, we became used to it and would even tease him about it sometimes - which he actually loved.

Then one beautiful afternoon, our beautiful damsel, favored by the gods over every other woman in our scope graced our view as she walked by with her friends.

"Hey Ken" I whispered *"see your babe" I added as he turned around

"Abeg abeg abeg abeg (please please please please)" he replied, his voice overshadowed by disappointment

"Ah ah, wetin happen (what happened)?" I asked, surprised

"Omo, I talked to her last night, she no get sense" he answered

After pressing on for a breakdown of what transpired, he recounted how he ran into her the previous night and tried to start a conversation, but all the girl could muster up in the conversation was single word replies like "yes", "no", "really", "thanks", and that just turned him off.

That was how he got back to his sane state and lost his fairytale, shortlived Juliet and we got back our nice, composed guy. For him it was a loss of a prospective companion, to us it was a win, we won back our brother.

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