1 THE DUDE?

THE DUDE?

It's been a terrible day for me. Classes here and there and to augment it, my roommates are making it so unbearable.

'No, no please Zainab.'

'What?' In a ratherish soft tone.

'Pick that up, please. I can't think straight if ya both keep trashing the place.'

'It's just a thousand words essay, stop beating yourself about it. You've written way better essays that are good and interesting without all this fuss you know.'

'Thanks, Jemzy.'

'Anytime babe.'

'Um, before I forget, did you guys notice a dude?' I said.

'Han?'

'Tall...dark-skinned, kinda curly-haired. He wore a red shirt today.'

'Lots of people wore red today. Even the guy volunteering for the cleaners' job.'

'I agree with Zainab. I hear he is kinda cute(♥‿♥｡). Han, a "dude" '. Jemzy said with her mouth quirked.

'Please be serious.' I said that frankly.

'Nope, I didn't. Did you Zainab?'

'No, don't think so.'

'So what's up with you and this "dude"?

'Nothing. Just asking cos...I don't know. He seems kinda off, you know.'

'Okay, if you say so.'

Zainab knows every guy on campus, but she not knowing this guy is...well, maybe he's new. I concluded.

The next day in school was just dim. It's just like the teachers meant us.

'Yeah, I thought so too.'

Startled by the voice I heard, I moved back unconsciously almost knocking a piece of artwork gifted to the school behind me.

'Han?'

'I said the lecturers are getting us worked up.' He said in a higher tone than his previous words.

I was still looking lost.

'Remember miss?...what you said about the lecturers?'

'Oh, yeah. But I thought I said that in my...didn't know I was thinking out loud.' I replied curtly.

'Happens sometimes.'

'I guess.'

Awkwardly standing there staring at him. We looked at each other for quite some time. Then I cut away from the look. Then it clicked, the guy from yesterday...han...yes!

'You new?' Trying to break the silence.

'Yeah, joined the week before.'

'Nice to meet you...?'

'Adams.'

'Nice to meet you, Adams. I have got to go. See ya'. I hurried.

'You didn't tell me...your name.'

Before he could complete his sentence, I was out of sight.

Later that night, I checked his Facebook and Instagram account after seeing the handle on the ID he wore around his neck. It was put on his bare chest but as he bent down a little, I captured it to heart immediately.

'Hmm.'

"Now that I think about it..." I say in my mind. "It's weird." There was this logo on it. I saw it abruptly but it's still like a flash of lightning streaming within my neurons any moment I have the flashbacks.

(Muaha hahaha, these days I sound like a professor).

Before looking it up...

I was stretching and yawning at the same time.

'Food.' I smiled.

With rice and stew in my mouth, I say out loud...

'For a guy that handsome, his social media accounts must have lots of activities but it doesn't. I mean even if he isn't the social type as he might have claimed to be, there should be a level of flow but there wasn't.' I almost stuttered cos of what I was seeing.

I made my eyes trail to where my friends sat. The noise their noses oozed gave them away. It's barely past seven (7) but they're already fast asleep. Aren't night owls supposed...

I shook my head uttering words without meaning. As I turned to take in my mouth a spoonful, a message popped in.

'Hey there. Can I have some?'

"What's this creepy message from an unknown number in my DM?"

'Wtf.' I was in awe as I read what followed.

'Or shouldn't I taste your wonderful cooking, rice and stew😏? '

"It isn't night yet but I receive messages from these jokers."

'Oh God..., stop this home. It isn't working!' I yelled wanting to reach my friends cos they play these types of pranks yearly.

One time they were right in front of me and I got messages, creepy ones, I was startled at first but later got to find out that it was scheduled. 'What fools they are!'

'I replied to the unknown messenger: Give it up dear💓, it isn't working. Thanks to you I have got immunity to all of this😉😋.

However, now that all of this is happening, various thoughts run through my head. They've done it this year...yes, they have. I am certain of it. Or have Jemimah and Zainab decided on twice annually.

I think all of this while scratching through my invisible beards.

I blurt out. 'Enough of all this bad omen. Let's go to sleep.'

But still unsure, I checked their phones. It didn't seem like the mobile data icon was in use nor Wifi. Or has our neighbor's data been exhausted? I shook my head chasing all bad omens.

'Oh s***' The next thing my eyes trailed too made my body shiver.

'Hair raising creeps next door☠️❎' True caller identified the number as that.

'Maybe it is a prank he's pulling up his sleeves for his neighbor'.

I picked the phone up swiping the left icon. I am waiting for the person to speak so I don't get teleported. Seconds pass, minutes went by until I summoned the courage to say something.

'Yeobeoseyo?'

I could tell someone was on the line due to the heavy breathing the receiver gave away.

'What was that?'

A message then popped in.

'You Korean?'

I didn't have the chance to reply before another message popped up.

'You didn't seem Korean at all this afternoon. Or am I wrong?'

I became confused. 'Who is this and what is this person talking about?'

'Their features are...you didn't have....oh well you did have a slender body. But Asian eyes?...did you do a double eyelid surgery? Or are you cross?'

I became even more confused. To answer my questions and all of my wanderings in my head, I sent the person a reply.

'Who is this? Please do I know you because I don't seem to remember.'

The person deleted his penultimate message immediately and said:

'Wrong number!'

'Pfft.' I blurt out. 'What's this? And when I say the world isn't full of sane people, I get nasty looks.' Anyways I replied.

'Are you sure?'

There wasn't any reply. I tilted my head to the left swiftly. 'Hmm. Okay.' I say softly.

'Hey there. You still there?'

I waited for quite some time for a reply but there wasn't. As I wanted to click on the exit button, a notification came in that the person was typing.

'O..k..a..y? let's see who this is.'

Replying to my "hey there" , the person sent a "hello".

'Oh hi, long time ooh.' Trying to sound sarcastic.

'We met not quite long ago. So, I don't see the reason for your saying "long time". '

I was racking my brain trying to digest the information after I sent "ooh".

'Yes, miss. Good evening. Do you now remember me?'

'Nope. Not a clue. We met when and how please?'

'This afternoon, try to recall miss.'

I was racking my brain for all people I met this afternoon apart from my meeting with Professor Jade immediately after his class, the last class. I just don't know why he always requests to see me all the time. He asked for my presence today to ask how I was fairing and also for the weekly report. I am no class captain and don't hope to be one. Modupe is there, why call me?

Then another message came in. 'Alright, I guess you'd never know. Have a nice day. And for the record, block me cos I'd also block you, Miss.'

Still, on the subject of who I saw this afternoon, my mind wandered why this person seldom puts "miss" in his words. I think I have heard that word somewhere today.

'Oh s***t. The dude?'