MEET AKIN

“Hello, you seem lost”, Chioma was startled by the voice behind her. She wasn’t expecting anyone in particular to approach her that early. Truth is, the whole campus ground confused her. She looked around and felt so lost. On her first day, she found difficulties locating her department.

She stood in front of a lecture hall with the initials MK32, and couldn’t figure out what to make of it. The acronym was no doubt Mount Kenya in full, but where were the other classes? The tall guy who stood so close to her smelled like the morning dew. He was neatly shaved and had a straight cut that was artistically shaped to reveal two cute sideburns. His clothes were well pressed, and judging from his suspender Chioma concluded that he was a fashionista. When he smiled revealing his milk-colored teeth, something within Chioma shifted. Her stomach twisted into knots, and she felt strength deserting her. He resembled Ramsey Noah one of the Nigerian actors who Chioma found to be fascinating. He was strikingly handsome, and she couldn’t resist the smile that displayed on her lips.

I’m more confused. I’m having trouble locating MK 55”

“Come, I’ll show you”

Chioma followed stealthily behind the dark guy who hadn’t told her his name yet, and who she assumed to be a student at campus. They went up three floors, and with a satisfied look, the guy ‘student’ pointed to his left ,and on top of the door was written in bold MK55.

She was grateful, and before she could think of leaving his presence, the guy mentioned his name.

“They call me Akin, What’s your name?”

“My parents named me Chioma”

“Such a beautiful name Chioma, I’ll see you around. I don’t want you getting any more later than you already are.” Akin said and stretched his hand to shake Chioma’s and before she could utter ‘thanks, the guy had already disappeared.

“You know Chioma, when we first met I had the impression that you were never going to look my way twice, and now look at us deeply in love”. Akin said squeezing Chioma’s little fingers lovingly.

“I love you my gentle one”, Chioma said blinking away the tears of joy that filled her eyes.

After their first encounter with each other, the two didn’t meet until one Saturday afternoon when their paths crossed at the entertainment hall. Chioma was on her way to the female wing when he saw her and recognized her face in an instant. The kind of delight that followed afterward was infinite. He walked her to the dormitory and stood outside the gigantic hallway for a whooping hour just telling her stories that barely made sense. She laughed at everything he said, and this exhilarated him to keep on chattering.

That night Chioma could hardly sleep. She turned in her freshly lapped and fragranced bed covers thinking of Akin and how he made her feel.

The moment she had drifted off to sleep she found herself hand in hand, face to face with Akin again. He had taken her for a hike in some cool local park. They walked around the park feeling cozy around each other letting the cool tropical breeze brush past their jovial faces. It wasn’t just her finding happiness in Akin, he seemed to really enjoy her company too. They passed by local couples who had also visited this beautiful park. Some sat making stories and laughing while others played around chasing after each other like kids which was just adorable.

They came by another couple that was made of some thin guy and a really voluminous lady. The irony in their physique was open even to a blind person but love itself is blind anyway. The heart wants what it wants. This particular slim guy defied his body and was now trying to lift the voluptuous woman into his arms. They had to stop and make sure they caught every detail of this interesting show. She believed that everything was possible in this world the moment this bonny dude managed to lift the lady into his arms. But then his thin legs gave in to the weight and they went crashing onto the ground with a thud. The lady landed first then the dude followed. The lady was so fat that she was having trouble trying to sit and the guy was screaming because his leg had been trapped under the lady’s weight. Damn. They laughed so hard that by the time they walked away, tears were freely rolling down their cheeks and they couldn’t walk upright because the ribs ached.

They went on walking around the park but stopped often to remind each other and laugh a little bit more. They came by a swimming pool and here too lovers were all over. Some just sat at the edge of the pool watching those who were swimming. Those in the sky-blue waters played around splashing water at each other. The men were just in their shorts whereas the ladies were in some skimpy bikinis which created a sight that could make any man an expert swimmer even the closest he had come to swimming was in a huge basin filled with water.

There was a couple on the shallow end of the pool. The lady seemed to be an expert at swimming and so she was teaching her man how to flap like a barracuda. The man must have been a devoted slow learner because he didn’t just seem to get the hang of it. He was getting the instructions all the time. She’d show him how to go about it and then he’d nod his heavy head like someone who had understood. The moment she let go of him he started drowning immediately and calling for her help. Dumbass.

Chioma's eyes had been itching for that all day. She had been trying so hard to restrain them but their determination was a mule’s. Akin's too had been stealing glances and so this chance wasn’t just for her but he craved it too. They got in their seats and the thing was made to rotate. Akin had her delicate hands in his and they just sat drinking in each other’s beauty. The diamonds in his eyes were shining brighter than anything she had ever seen before. He had that signature smile on his face that was making saliva roll down her throat involuntarily.

She turned to look where he was pointing. She tried looking for the butterfly that he had mentioned but wasn’t finding any because Akin hadn’t seen any himself. He had just been pointing at the air. He took the time that she was looking away to remove a red rose that he had bought and stashed in his jacket’s inner pocket. After failing to spot the butterfly she turned around to ask Akin where he had seen it only to be met by a flower several inches from her face. Her lips curled into an even bigger smile.

“I love you Chioma. You are so pretty that I can’t help it fall in love with you. The moment I saw you I fell in love and whenever I look at you every other time I fall in love harder. Te quiero mucho.”

Krrrrrrrrrrring! Krrrrrrrrrrring! Krrrrrrrrrrring!

Chioma woke up with a start at the sound of the ringing phone. Sure enough, her phone was ringing on the bedside table. She lunged at it hoping it was Akin.