10 Like a moth to a flame
SALIM
I couldn’t believe it. How could she have lied to me like that? A few hours ago, she was nothing to me and then she had become a girl that lied to me. I was so angry at her even though I knew I shouldn’t be.
I wanted to see her again, I had no idea why. Even with the fact that she had lied to me. I should have nothing to do with her, yet I found myself asking the driver to drive back to the restaurant. I had to see her again. I wrote a note to her and sent the driver with it.
We parked on the side of the road, until I saw leave the restaurant and begin to walk.
"follow her, and make sure she doesn't notice."
She looked lost as she walked the streets of Lagos. She dragged her feet and was oblivious to her surrounding. Oblivious to the man that stared at her when she walked and the women that stared at her with envy. It was as if she couldn't hear all the cat calling and whistling. I wanted to protect her, to make sure no pervert ever looked at her that way again.
She straightened her back and started to walk faster, as my driver drove faster.
I thought about why I was following her and what I wanted from her. I had no answers, yet like a moth to a flame, I found that I wanted to know everything about her. I wanted to know why she lied, where she was from, what her favourite food was and what she liked to do in her spare time. I wanted to tell her everything about myself as well. I had neve felt this way before. I had never met any woman who made me curious until this woman.
She walked for a long distance before making a turn. It was then that I noticed that she was being followed by a man other than myself. He looked dangerous. His eyes were set on her and he was careful not to get seen. I needed to protect her. She took another turn, one where my car couldn't go through, quiet and lone enough for a predator to attack.
"stop here" I all but yelled, quickly unbuckling the seat belts and jumping out of the car. I was just behind the man following her, and he was just behind her.
"Hadizat," I called her name for the first time ever I realised, but she didn't answer. The man turned and saw, panicked and began to walk past Hadiza.
"Hadizat" I called again before she stopped in her tracks and turned back.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, eyed wide with shock.
"come with me," I held her hand and started to pull her when she pulled away.
"what is wrong with you? You think you can just order me around? Insult me and still order me around?"
"what I'm doing Is saving you, from that man over there," I said pointing at a now empty pathway, "from all the predators on the street and from yourself. Why would you walk alone on such a path? Are you stupid"
"you're a psycho. You stalk me and now you're acting like my savior. Leave me alone. Don't ever show your face in front of me," She was fuming, yet never had I wanted to kiss a woman more.
So I kissed her. My hands found the back of her waist and her hands, as my lips found hers. I kissed her. I was kissing her and she was kissing me back. I wanted, no, I needed this woman, so much, too much.