Chapter 11: Chapter 11

"You foolish man. Stop pestering me! I am not interested! What part of that don't you understand?" She turned furiously to look at him, her eyes blazing.

"Wait. Please hear me out." Effiong pleaded, he had never felt so desperate. She wouldn't even give him a listening ear, she always erupted like this any time she heard his voice. It irked him that she wasn't even giving him a chance.

"I don't like you! In fact I'm beginning to hate you if I see you one more time. And please take that thing away from me." She shrunk back in disgust from the red hibiscus flower he held; this one had even wrinkled owing to the fact that .amidst his pursuit he had unconsciously squeezed it with hands. He always brought a fresh one every time he came to see her and every time she had refused it, looking at it with disdain. But he was resilient, he never missed a day. Today was the last; the last chance he had to pour out his heart content, but how could he? She pushed him at every turn.

"Please just hear me out, at least this once, I promise I'll be out of your hair." His voice cracked with emotion as he pleaded. He knew how unkept he looked with his hair disheveled and his beard bushy. Even the new shirt, his favourite red shirt, which he had never worn, was drenched with sweat. The shirt no longer looked appealing. He had worn his best today but now he felt and looked like he had worn his worst.

Affiong was so sick of the sight of the young man. She didn't know his name, and she was not interested. How many times had she refused him, still he was persistent she had to give him credit for that.

Still she didn't care, the sight of him appalled her. She wasn't interested in anyone but her Edem, but she couldn't tell him she was taken given Edem hadn't engaged her. But she had high hopes, she couldn't wait for when he'll go down on one knee asking her to marry him. The thought sent bolts of pleasure down her spine.

"I love you!" He yelled when he couldn't contain it any longer. He just needed her to look at him, just once at least see the truth in his eyes.

She froze. And that was enough reaction he needed. Now all he needed was for her to listen.

"What?" She turned to him and pierced him with a look; that of unbelief.

"What did you just say?"

"I-I said I love you." His voice became stronger with emotion.

"What do you mean by you love me? You don't even know me." She shook her head, her face pulled in a frown.

Effiong wanted to retort 'You barely knew Edem but that didn't stop you from thinking you're in love with him did it?' Instead he kept mute. Unlike her he had known her right from secondary school. She was not the brightest, but he had admired her for long. Back then he would have said it was merely a crush. They've never crossed part, but silently he had followed her when she partook in the school dance and always had watched from afar admiring her beauty and grace as she swayed to the beat of the drums.

"You know what? Never mind I don't care, I don't want to talk to you..."

"Why not? Is it so bad for you to hear what I have to say? If you don't like it, you can go ahead and walk away, I won't stop you. So can you please indulge me for a few minute."

"Let's hear it." She huffed.

"C-Could we find some place to seat. I-I don't want to keep you standing."

"I'm okay. Just. Talk." she said with gritted teeth. Frankly she was not in the mood to listen to whatever he was going to say. She...

"O-Okay I-I j-just want to..." Damn it! He didn't know what to say. Just a few seconds ago he was ready to pour out his heart's content. Now here he was tongue tied and a stuttering mess. He probably looked like a fool to her.

"You know what? This was not a good idea. This is such a waste of time. You can't even say anything. I'm leaving." She hissed and made to leave.

"Wait. Please wait." His voice broke.

"Wait. Wait. Wait. Really? I should wait? You aren't even saying anything for goodness sake! What the hell do you want from me?" she exclaimed heatedly.

"I love you!" He yelled.

"God! Would you just quit with that. Is that all you can say? You love me? Goodness!" She threw her hands up exasperated. "I don't even understand you. You don't know me. So how can you love me?"

"I-I just do."

"Well, you can't expect me to love you back. I don't even know your name!"

"It's Effiong." He said.

Affiong didn't know if that purely coincidental, that their names rhymed, or it was just a ploy to impress her by making their names match. If at all that was his intention, well, he had failed 'cause she was thoroughly displeased. And of course he noticed it in the way her face changed. It was not a happy one. So, out of the goodness of her heart, she ignored it.

"Which family do you hail from?" She asked instead.

"The family of Ifiok. My father is Chief Ifiok, the village firewood supplier." Was it her? Or his voice had gotten stronger, bolder. The funny truth was she had no idea how his father's occupation made him bold. In fact right now, he looked like a proud peacock, with the way his chest puffed like some...

"Chief Ifiok. Okay."

Effiong frowned. Well that was not the reaction he expected. He had especially added that bit of information to impress her, maybe she could tell from it just how wealthy he was, definitely wealthier than that Edem. But of course like her sister Uyai, until recent, she had no clue who his father was.

He was happy and at the same time not. It was her ignorance that attracted him to her in the first place. While girls flocked to him back in school, she never spared him a glance. In fact in her eyes he never existed and that was the more reason he fell madly for her.

Effiong sighed. Right now, he didn't think it was such a good idea for her to be ignorant of his wealth.

That was the only card he had left. What in the world was he going to do, especially if she still acted indifferent when she finally knows of his wealth.

There was only one way to find out.

Now how does he tell a woman he's wealthy without coming off as conceited. 'Come on Effiong, put your thinking cap on'.

"So Effiong, or whatever you're name is, I'm not interested. Find someone else who deserves your time." She said arrogantly.

"I am rich!" He exclaimed.

"What?"

What had he done, it wasn't supposed to come out that way. Ah! curse his stupid mouth. "I mean...I-I am richly blessed I could talk to you." He smiled nervously.

Affiong looked at the young man. What was he up to? Didn't he hear her reject him? Or maybe she should do it again. Perhaps make it more dramatic so he'll understand that she was not in anyway interested in him.

"Whatever." She hissed and turned away from him.

Effiong just stood there while she took a step away from him, then another. God! He was tired. He was tired of the endless pursuit that achieved him nothing. Now as he watched her walk away from him, all he felt was resolve.

His shoulders sagged. It was indeed pointl...

"Oh for goodness sake! you're hopeless!" They both turned at once at the voice.

"Uyai?" They said in unison. And turned to look at each other. The other, with his eyes sad, while the other, her eyes questioning.

"You know her?" Her bewildered expression spoke loudly and her gaze shifted between the two.

Effiong nodded.

But Uyai was not in any mood for any realization. Who cared about who knew who when they were more important matters to address like...

"Uyai you know him?" Uyai sighed. Apparently that bit of information was important to sister.

"Yes. Yes I know him. He's one of the wealthiest man in the village, who wouldn't?" She shrugged indifferently. Uyai had purposefully included that last bit of information to arouse her interest. Money always got the attention.

"Wealthiest man in the village?" She frowned. But her mind was not there. "How does he know you then?"

Er...Okay that was totally unexpected. That was certainly not the reaction she had hoped for. What happened to the fake giggles and the battling eyelashes. Why wasn't she phased by that information. Shouldn't she be gallivanting towards him by now? What in the world had happened to her sister?

"My father is the village firewood supplier and she had been coming to fetch firewood, and we had some opportunities to talk..."

"So you talk? To her?" Her nose scrunched up.

Now what was that supposed to mean? Uyai frowned.

"Er..yes? We do. Is there any problem." Effiong asked confused as he looked between the two. Guess he didn't know that their sibling relationship was an interesting story on its own with lots of animosity written on it.

"Why would you talk to her? She's, she's..."

"I'm sorry, is there something I'm not getting here?" He looked between the two. "Do you have an infectious disease or something?" He turned to Uyai.

"No!" She replied aghast.

"Yeah twig disease." Affiong muttered lowly beneath her breath, but Uyai heard it. Effiong didn't.

"Er?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "So what do you guys talk about?"

"You." Effiong said.

Uyai internally rolled her eyes feed her ego will you.

"You talk about me to a stranger? You dare gossip me?" She hissed, turning to Uyai, her eyes blazing furiously.

"Oh please. I don't gossip you. And he's not a stranger." Unlike Edem. She wanted to add.

"What does she tell you about me?"

"Er...we talk about my interest concerning you?" He said uncertainly. "I have a question?" He pulled his brows together.

"What." She rolled her eyes heavenwards and kept her hands akimbo. Uyai gritted her teeth at her attitude. So annoyingly haughty.

"Er- What are your reasons for refusing me?" Effiong asked. To Uyai this was just pointless, he was just giving sister more room to bruise his ego and further shatter his heart.

"Reasons?" She chuckled. Then she frowned. "One, I don't like you, as in I'm not physically attracted to you..."

One blow.

Uyai shook her head exasperated. She looked at Effiong to gauge his reaction.

He had noticeably stiffened. And her stupid sister oblivious to his reaction went on.

"Frankly, you're not my type. You can't even tell me how you feel without stuttering..."

Another blow.

Now, he was blinking rapidly. His hands were balled into fists.

"Okay that's enough." Uyai said trying to stop her from continuing with her speech.

"...I mean who in the world does that..."

"Oh for goodness sake shut up!" Uyai yelled tired of her ramblings. She was so furious that it took her few seconds to notice that the whole place had become quiet.

Uyai looked at them in surprise.

Affiong's eyes was wide with her mouth agape. Effiong was equally surprised.

What had she done? She took a quick look at sister again. Did she just yell at her sister?

Yes she did. Her sister's facial expression told her. Her face had been transformed from surprise, to disbelief to anger.

Uyai flinched.

"Y-You..." She started.

"Oh please. You're so conceited." Uyai stopped her. Oh my God is wrong with me? Why was her mouth running so. "Just because he has managed to confess to you, you're feeling like Jesus. He's this he's that, what are you? Or is it Edem who you know nothing about great?"

"What? I-I..."

"He hasn't even asked father for your hand..."

"He will!" She interrupted with a yell.

"Would he really?" She raised one daring eyebrow. Uyai didn't know why she was this bold. Internally she felt anything but.

"Yes, he will. He will marry me."

"Did he tell you that?" Uyai asked her and watched as her face fell in uncertainty

Pity. That was what she felt for her. She had no clue.

Uyai shook her head.

"I-I don't care. He will marry me."

"Well, you can't force him to." She taunted.

"Just shut up! Shut up okay! I don't care what you say, I know he'll marry me damn you!" She yelled and turned away from them, but after shooting Uyai a glare.

Uyai turned to look at Effiong whose mouth was agape all this while.

"What just happened?" He said.

Uyai rolled her eyes.

"She's just so unbelievable."

"And yet you still want me to continue with my pursuit."

"Frankly, I think you should give up. There's just no point."

"Really?" He said sarcastically. Uyai bit her lower lip guiltily.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble. I didn't know she'll be this difficult. I sincerely think Edem had bewitched her." She frowned.

"I think it's love."

"That's definitely out of the question." She shook her head, then looked at him. Really looked at him. "What do you see in her?"

"I'm beginning to ask myself the same thing. But despite all her flaws, I can't help but be drawn to her. Maybe its the way she carries herself and the fact that she doesn't care I'm rich."

"Ha! Hilarious. You must be so lucky. 'Cause that woman that just left is definitely not my sister. If there's anything she cares about, is your wealth. So when I say she's been bewitched, believe me."

"Oh! She's was that superficial?"

"Yes."

"Well, the week is over. Edem would be back." He sighed

"Unfortunately." Uyai folded her arms.

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know. I'm tired. Aren't you?"

"Overly." He exhaled. "Guess this is it."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be. We've tried all we could. Your sister is in love."

"Please, Its not love, its lust." Uyai rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say." He chuckled dryly. "I should be going."

"Yes you should. Sorry again. Goodbye."

"Bye." He said and turned his back to her. His shoulders sagged as he dragged his feet on the floor like a scolded child.

And that was it. Affiong had succeeded in pushing Effiong away. Uyai already was tired. She pitied Effiong the most. The young man didn't even have a chance.

Uyai frowned.

She had to tell grand mother that she couldn't watch over her sister again. She had tried her best, and had failed. Let whatever hits her, hit her. It wasn't her business anymore.

Uyai just had to wait and see the outcome of their relationship. Who knows maybe it might work out.

Yes, who knows?