RELATIONSHIPS

"My mother met with my dad in Greenland. She had gone there for her midwifery course and she took in during her final year period. " he paused then stared at me and continued. "She had to come back of course. She wanted my father to come home with her in Numan and acknowledge his child but... But... " he was stammering now. "But what? " I asked slowly. "That he wasn't ready. " replied Trevor. "Wasn't ready? " I asked again. "Yea that he needed to sort himself, he wasn't ready to father a child then. He wanted my mom to stay back with him and..... " he stopped. "She wasn't going to remain in Greenland raising a baby without her parents consent. " I replied. "Exactly. " he quickly replied. "So why are you on this bus to meet a man that wasn't even prepared to have you or is he prepared now? " I further asked. He said nothing. "Am sorry I don't mean it that way just that I feel he should be the one running to you not the other way round. " I said. "

Actually we've been communicating lately. He contacted me through F******k seven months back and we exchanged contacts and have been talking but my mom wouldn't say a word to him. " he say. "Oh! " I exclaimed. "So he made atonement for his sins then. " I said. "Ehmm I guess the circumstance at hand guarantees my actions." he replied. "Speak plainly. " I said to him. "My father is ailing and seeing him is a wish I am obliged to fufill" Trevor said. The bus stopped. I looked around the window and saw we were at a bus stand.

It was almost 1pm. "Time for lunch. " screamed the driver. "Hurry eh!  We don't have time. " he added. The passengers were soon getting down. They must have been hungry just as I had been. There were eateries scattered around the place. "What are we having? " asked Trevor. "Noodles will do. " I replied. "No way. " he replied pulling my arm towards the eatery painted blue. It had an inscription. "GALAXY DISHES. "We went into the restaurant and sat. It was quite small. "Listen. Never have noodles when you are undertaking a long journey. " said Trevor. "The next bus stand is obviously far and you don't want to get hungry. " he added. "We will have some rice and pepper sauce. With two chilled soda? " he asked looking at me. "Get me a botle of coke instead. " I said and soon, our lunch was served. "This meal tastes delicious. " I proclaimed with my mouth full of rice. "You gotta trust my pick henceforth. I felt a sudden connection to the eatery. " he said.

 We ate and just when I wanted to pay for my meal,  the waiter said "The young man settled it already. When I tried to thank Trevor, he siad "You are on the run. You'll need to save some money. I then used the rest room and went back into the bus. The sun was shining brightly now. I tied my jacket around my waist. Trevor was still outside. "Time to go" screamed the driver. "We would have gone without you. " said a short man in his late thirties from the front seat after Trevor jumped into the bus. "His girlfriend wouldn't let that happen. " replied the elderly lady who had assited in the delivery earlier. 

"I  am not his girlfriend. " I quickly replied while Trevor was trying to sit. The bus was moving now. The short man laughed. "Don't be too quick to pass a judgement. " countered Trevor. "Man I can never date you. " I retorted. "Why? Am not your spec? Am too loud heh!? " he said swinging his head from side to side. "Exactly. You are too loud. " I replied. "So tell me what your spec is like. " he said. "Well I don't know maybe someone I really like. Someone who would never judge me. Someone dashing. You know. " I said with a smile. "Wooh! " exclaimed Trevor while nodding his head. "So all the guys you've dated and the one you are dating fits this criteria? " he asked. "Well to be honest.... I've never really dated anyone yet. " I said with my head lowered. "You are lying. " he screamed. "Shhh!  you are shouting. " I told him. "So you are telling me that a beautiful girl like you with such a beautiful hair, dashing stature and attractive face never really dated anyone? 

Come on girl didn't they see your skin?  It's  like milk. " he confessed while I chuckled. "Actually the problem is not really from anyone but me. I feel like am not ready for the dating zone. " I revealed. "How old are you? " he asked me. "Twenty. " I quickly replied. "Damn girl you look twenty five. " he said. "Hey! " I screamed. "Okay that's a joke. " he replied. We both laughed. "So you are scared. " he said. "Scared of what? " I asked. "Of falling in love. " he replied. "Am not scared. Am just not ready or maybe am both scared and not ready. " I said. "So you are single. " he said. "Yea and not ready to mingle. " I quickly replied. "Hey am not asking you out. " he said making a face like a child. I laughed and said "Now tell me about your relationship life. "

"I know you are a casonova. " I told him. He smiled and said "Well I've been with lots of women. " he boasted. "A rake you are. " I stated. He laughed and said "I was. " "Don't act too saintly. Tell me every damn thing. Your secrets are fine with me. Whatever happens on this bus, stays in this bus. " I said. "I am being honest. " he began. "I moved from a play boy to a committed fellow. " he declared. "Why? " I asked. "I got tired. I was tired of the kinds of me though I've met quite different girls in the University but at the end of the day there's always this emptiness. We hook up, go on dates but still It was more like a ritual not a relationship. " he said. "So you still haven't found your spec right? " I asked him. "What's she like? " I asked again. "If I told you my spec is a feeling not a person would you believe me? " he said. "What do you mean? " I retorted. "I know it sounds strange Ella but I've been in hell of  relationships and at the moment I don't want to attract. I want to be attracted. " he said. "You still don't get it do you? " he asked after noticing my confusion. 

"This time around, I want something different. Far from the ordinary. " he maintained. "So if your spec is a feeling, what should the feeling be like? " I asked him. He bent over facing me, staring into my eyes so much so that I felt uncomfortable. "I want a feeling that is genuine. A girl whose natural qualities, faults and aspirations appeal to me. Someone I can be myself with. " he said. I lowered my eyes after feeling a tingling in my eye balls. He continued. "The feeling should attract me and make me go crazy. " he said. "Ooh! " you are something else." I declared.  He smiled and said nothing. "So currently you are single. " I said. "Not too sure about that. " he said with a wink. "Better be straight up with me. " I told him. "Actually, the current person am seeing, I broke up with her but she is unwilling to let go. " he said. "Or maybe you are the one unwilling to let go. Better not be lying to me. " I said pointing at his chest. "You think it's easy to let go of this gentleman?  Strong, Handsome, and more. " he boasted. "And an idiot too. " I added. We bursted out laughing. "Sarah deserves better. She needs someone who would love her to the core not some random guy who would he with her because he has to keep up his dating history. " he said. "Sarah surely deserves better. " I said nodding. "Hey am not as bad as you think. " he said making the baby face. 

Trevor's phone suddenly began to ring. "That's my mom calling. " he said pointing to the phone. I nodded. "Hey mother! " he said and continued talking. He then explained to her how eventful the journey turned out to be. For me, it was annoying though. "We will spend more than twenty four hours mother. It will take a day and half. " I heard him say to her. 'I made a new friend. Talk to her. Her name is Ella. ' he was telling his mother on the phone. I was stunned and kept shaking my head in disapproval but Trevor wouldn't listen. He then placed the phone on my left ear. "Good afternoon dear. " came her voice which instantly reminded me of Mrs. Moore. "Afternoon Ma'am. " I replied. "How are you doing and how has the journey been so far? " she asked. "Well today's journey turned out to be quite unexpected but we are moving fine. " I said to her. "Am sure Trevor is keeping you company. " she said. I chuckled. "Pay no attention to him. He is always like that but he is a sweet soul. " she said. I chuckled again without a word. "Ok have a great day. " she said. "Thank You ma. " I replied and passed the phone to Trevor who continued speaking to his mother. 

I adjusted my legs, bent a little, curled up and was soon lost in thoughts with my eyes shut. 'This child will flee one day. And it will be on you. ' my mother once said to my father. 'Ella You are my world. ' she would tell me. 'Your father is a hard man but trust me he cares about you. Sometimes he doesn't have to show it. ' she would proclaim if I told her how much my father hates me. All my life, my mother's love and care kept me going. Sometimes, I wonder what life would be without her. While running away earlier today, I imagined the agony I must have inflicted on her. My father was panting heavily while I ran but I wasn't sure whether he would make it. I got scared and without second thoughts, left home. "Are You Okay. " said Trevor while placing his hand on my thigh. He took it off immediately. 24 hours later, Our bus caught fire. But  before then,  police officers  had stopped our bus soughting for a a girl who committed a murder. They were  soughting for me.