RESTLESS
Restless-Episode 56
Story By
Oyin Oluwatosin Emmanuel
March 7, 2016
Time: 17:12PM
Time: 17:12PM
“Hey guys!” Henry greeted as he walked into the living room.
The other four members of the team were sitting in the living room and saw the man who entered with Henry. They knew without being told that the man was the doctor Henry had told them about some days ago.
Cole and Dave were sitting on the ground, close to the television with game pads in their hands, Jennifer was also sitting on the floor but beside Cole and was watching their game. Samantha on the other hand was laying on the three seater sofa with her legs crossed and placed on an armrest while her head was on the other armrest. She had her android phone in her hand and was busy with it.
They had their attention all turned to Henry as he walked in.
“This is Doctor Alan, he’s an old trusted pal and he’s here with us. Please treat him nicely,” Henry said in a cheerful tone
“Good evening everyone,” Doctor Alan greeted with a broad smile.
“Good evening Doctor,” they answered him in unison.
Henry proceeded straight towards the hallway after beckoning Cole to come with him. Samantha also followed without being called.
“Cole, any response to our request yet?” Henry asked as Cole drew nearer.
They both stepped into the hallway before Cole could respond. Doctor Alan and Samantha followed behind, talking and exchanging pleasantries in low tones.
“None yet, I checked the server few minutes ago.” Cole answered Henry’s question.
“Please keep checking, we need to plan our next step quickly.” Henry said to him.
“Sure boss, I’m on it.” Cole replied and turned back after Henry dismissed him with a shrug.
Samantha stepped closer to him. “Boss, we’re running low on funds.”
“Yeah, I checked. We’ve got less than a million left,” Henry replied.
“Yeah, depending on how we use it. It could last a month or more.”
“No, the budget we’re drawing currently would eat it up.” Henry disagreed with a smile. “But we’d need to help ourselves by getting some things from the store and other people who have it without necessarily buying. I also have other plans to raise more money.”
“When do I see this budget?”
“As soon as I finish drawing it nup with Dave, we’d give you to edit him” Henry said and stopped in front of a door.
“Okay boss,” Samantha said. She waited a moment, nodded her head slightly to Henry and the Doctor before leaving.
Henry watched Samantha as she walked away. She had done a good job in helping the team manage the funds in the past few weeks. He had borrowed a huge sum of money from Sheila and promised to return after the mission. He knew the money he borrowed would not have taken them through the mission but he had decided to take it one after the other. Now that he had chosen to cut communication with Sheila for a while, he needed to raise the money through other sources and he already had his plans.
“Here’s our laboratory Doc,” Henry finally said to the doctor as he opened the door. He allowed for the doctor to step in first before he followed.
___.
El Deols, Anthanna
May 20, 2016
May 20, 2016
“Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby welcome you once again to Class 2007 Reunion Party. I declare the floor open and I do hope we all have a wonderful evening…”
A round of applause followed the conclusion of the young man’s speech. Loud hip-hop music followed the round of applause as he stepped down the podium. He was the governor of the class during their years in high school, and was so loved by every of his class mate. He was greeted with smiles, handshakes and hugs as he walked back to the table where he was previously sitting. A stand up comedian climbed up the stage after the governor stepped down. He was the Master of the night’s ceremony and was also an ex student of the class.
There was nothing less than fifty people in the hall. There were several tables neatly and arranged orderly, with three to four seats surrounding them. Very few tables were empty and some had just one or two persons on them.
At The Verandah Of The Hall
“Come on, let’s go in.” Victoria urged Sheila who seemed to hesitate a bit as they got to the entrance.
Sheila was dressed in a perfect blue coloured dinner gown, flowing down to her feet. She looked elegant and classy as she took each step. Her small handbag was of golden colour and her high heeled shoes were also golden. She looked as beautiful and graceful as a goddess.
Victoria was also looking beautiful that night. She had on a pink gown which stopped shortly below her knees, her handbag was also pink and her shoes were of a dark color.
Sheila stopped as she got into the hall and took in a deep breath of the nice fragrance of the hall. She felt excited immediately on seeing the number of people that had turned on for the event. Most of them were people she had not seen in more than six years past and it felt great reuniting with them again. She had heard stories of how some of them were faring, some good, some fairly and very few bad. Some she had kept as friends on facebook, but rarely communicated with them.
With the population of attendees, the evening looked promising.
The ladies walked together to an empty table they spotted by the left. They were yet to settle down when they heard the MC making a joke about Sheila for coming late and also referring to her as one of the youngest CEOs in the nation and one of the largest employers of labour in the country.
Sheila felt a bit awkward as all eyes in the hall turned towards their direction. She kept her head high and eyes straight amidst all the stares. The MC had succeeded in attracting to her the attention which she was trying to avoid. She knew some of them had already heard about the things she does and it would not be coming as a surprise to them.
The MC continued the show with some jokes and flashbacks to major events that happened during their time in school. He then began inviting people to mention specific events which happened in school which they could never forget.
The class governor was the first to get up. He was hailed and cheered loudly as he took the microphone. He recalled how he became the class governor and what some people did to fight him, he also mentioned all the specific things he achieved as the class governor at each stage in their journey. After him, a lady spoke and after the lady, someone who Sheila had been trying to avoid climbed up the stage and took the microphone, she had not seen him since they got in.
“Good evening everyone,” Adrian greeted the gathering. “I know you all remember me, your favourite actor and dancer in school, the one who had the attention of all the girls in the class and who was the envy of other guys.”
The gathering laughed at his remarks. Adrian had not changed a bit, he still spoke the same way he used to speak several years ago, boastfully.
Sheila smiled where she was. Adrian had said the pure truth. Almost every girl in class then had a thing for Adrian. he was handsome, jovial, intelligent and a smooth talker. He was also very talented in arts and this made almost everyone in the class and in the school like him. Adrian was always flaunting this. He knew he was popular and well loved and he wasted no opportunity in reminding people this. It was one of the reasons Sheila had never gotten along with him.
“Hey guys!” Adrian called in a less boastful tone. “I’ve changed, I was just joking with that.” he paused and laughed. “I was popular in school and well loved but today, we are in the real world and nobody even knows me anywhere, not even on my street.”
The people laughed at his remark again, some smiled and others chuckled.
“Well… I guess that’s how life is but the good thing is that we are now all in the real world and I’m glad that most of us are doing very well.” Adrian stopped as they began to clap. He cleared his throat and began again after the round of applause. “I’ve forgotten most of my mischievous deeds in school but there’s one day I’ve never forgotten. All through my years of living outside Anthanna, it kept coming to my mind and even as I tried forgetting it, the memory appeared to keep growing stronger.”
Adrian stopped again and looked at their faces, especially those close to the stage. He saw their reactions and could tell that they were eager to hear the event he was about to narrate. He took a long look in the right direction before he continued his speech.
“It was the last time I played the husband role in any of the drama in school,” Adrian continued with a cheerful smile on his face. “I was the husband while Miss Sheila Jack was the wife,” he said and looked in Sheila’s direction again. Some of the people who remembered the incident, especially the men began to laugh. “During the final rehearsals, I was supposed to give a side hug to Miss Sheila but the Drama Master looked away and I took the opportunity to kiss her on the lips.”
Almost half of the hall laughed at that point. Some of them had been in the drama rehearsal room that day while a lot others had heard about it from eyewitnesses.
Sheila also remembered the incident, it was one of the most embarrassing moments she had in high school and even now, she still felt slightly embarrassed. Adrian was meant to hug her slightly but had taken advantage of the teacher’s distraction to kiss her on the lips. Of course, she had pushed him away immediately and reported to the teacher immediately and Adrian faced disciplinary measure including a two-weeks suspension for it. She got to find out later that Adrian had done it to win a bet among he and his friends nd felt no remorse whatsoever for it.
“I know I was wrong that day, I was a blockhead, I was a dummy, an idiot, assh**e, call me whatever, ” Adrian continued with a serious tone and a serious look on his face. “But you see, I have never forgotten that day, it keeps coming back to my mind every time again.” he paused again and took a long deep breath. He then looked in Sheila’s direction again. “I have never forgotten that day, and I have never forgotten that girl, even though she’s now a woman.”
Adrian paused again and looked around briefly. “I know I said nasty things even after being punished in school because I was too proud and did not want to disappoint my guys, but I did apologize secretly and privately to her several times.” he sniffed in. “Today, I’ll like to say to her openly that I’m sorry for what happened.”
Some people began to murmur in the hall and some stylishly looked in Sheila’s direction.
“I know you guys think this is childish or unnecessary but I guess I’ve got to follow what my heart tells me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you something interesting like you all expected,” he paused and laughed briefly. “Please do enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Only few of the people in the audience clapped while some others continued to murmur. Adrian handed the microphone to the Master Of Ceremony and he continued with the other activities lined up.
Victoria’s eyes followed Adrian as he climbed down the stage to the table he was previously seated. She watched him pick a glass of wine and gulped it down immediately. She looked at Sheila’s face and saw Sheila still holding the cup of wine she had held to her mouth before Adrian finished talking.
Victoria smiled at her friend. “Don’t mind that guy, he’s still a jerk like he’s always been.”
“I know him too well,” Sheila rolled her eyes and then gulped down her drink. “I’m not gonna let him spoil my night.”
They soon got their attention fixed on another speaker who was recounting another event, a funny one this time that had almost everybody in the class involved. They didn’t notice that Adrian was approaching them until he got so close.
“Oh no!’ Victoria was the first to notice him and she exclaimed.
Sheila turned her gaze to Victoria and saw she was looking at Adrian who was only a few steps away. Sheila sighed. She knew he was probably coming to ask request for a hangout again.
“I do hope you’re not here to talk about more embarrassing events,” Sheila said to Adrian as he settled in the empty chair.
Adrian smiled at her. “Good evening Vic,” he greeted before he turned to Sheila. “Good evening Sheila.”
“Adrian, that wasn’t necessary,” Sheila responded coldly to his greeting.
“You mean what I did up there?”
“Yes,” Sheila answered.
“I just thought I had to get it off my chest,” Adrian replied.
“But you already apologized on whatsapp and I told you I had long forgotten it,” Sheila raised her brows at him.
“Yea, but you never forgot completely, I thought I had to do the apology openly because it should be the only thing left.”
“Oh!” Victoria cut in. She had a surprised look on her face and she was staring at Sheila. “So you guys already talk on whatsapp?” She asked with a giggle. She got no reply from Sheila and then looked at Adrian, he also didn’t answer her. “Well,” she chuckled and smiled mischievously. “I think I got to stay out of this then,” she said and consciously turned away from them.
“Adrian. there’s nothing left, I forgot everything completely and forgave you since High School.” Sheila said some seconds after Victoria looked away.
“But you haven’t proven it,” Adrian argued. “I’ve been asking for us to hang out but you don’t even want to see me.”
“You don’t understand Adrian, I’m quite busy and don’t really have such time to spare.” Sheila answered.
Victoria turned at that moment and stared at her with questioning eyes. Sheila could hear her ask “Really?” silently.
Sheila ignored and looked at Adrian’s face. Adrian was also looking at Victoria’s face and seemed to be calculating what else to say.
“Can’t you spare just one hour?” Adrian asked.
“No Adrian, I got…”
Victoria interrupted by clearing her throat. Sheila squinted at her.
“Adrian, I’ll call you when…”
Victoria cleared her throat again, louder this time. Sheila sighed.
“You’ve been saying that for over a month now Sheila,” Adrian let out a breath.
Sheila looked at Victoria’s face again.
“Well, maybe one of these weekends, I’ll tell you if I’m chanced.” She finally said, shaking her head slowly.
“This coming weekend?” he questioned with a bright smile on his face.
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