Short Story: "The Confession"...Episode 3

“Ah! Wey chick too this?” Siisi asked audibly after reading the message. “Ei!...Mr. Lover boy. You di33 I dey envy you paaaa oo” Donald quipped. He asked to see the picture of the lady Siisi complained about, but was fast enough to read the content of some of the messages sent. “My guy, gye wo two w’ati? Hair on chest and things. My guy, you do the distin finish, wey you dey ask say ‘wey chick that’? This guy paaa…”. Siisi looked on dumbfounded as Donald showered ‘praises’ on him. “But the chick fine oo…she no get best friend?” Donald added amidst laughter, which resulted in Siisi walking out on him.

“Who is this, please, and how did you get to see the hair on my chest?” Siisi asked in response to the message as he walked home. It had only one tick, signifying non-delivery. A reply didn’t come through until 2:38 am the following day. Siisi did see the message but was too sleepy to gather any coherent meaning from its content. He slept again.

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Reporting to work the following day, to Siisi, was like going to work the day after a holiday – very painful. He wished he had asked for the rest of the week off although he knew it would have been denied anyway. The second quarter had ended and the team in the finance department was feverishly preparing the quarterly report. The quarterly board meeting had been moved forward and consequently, the team, if need be, had to stay back and ensure those timelines was met. And as the second-in-command in the department, a lot depended on his skill and speed.

Mike broke the silence in the office with loud uncontrollable laughter, drawing the attention of his colleagues. “Oh charley, you no dey see say we make busy for here?”, Mark asked. Mike continued laughing. “I go send something put the group page top make you guys watch. You go laugh saaa”, Mike responded. Mark steupsed. Seconds later, Kojo also burst out laughing; and then Sani.

Siisi hit the Whatsapp icon on his phone to also see whatever it was that drew laughter from his colleagues. “Herh! People mess up oo”, he said after a long, loud bout of laughter. Something caught his attention before he could exit the application. He found it queer that he had ‘read’ a message from the ‘unknown’ number and could not remember the contents. He hit the number to read the contents of the message again. His eyes widened.

“It hurts that you didn’t save my number when I ‘flashed’ you                                after you gave me yours. I’m terribly hurt. It gives an indication of                               how you possibly treat new friends. You have to make it up to me oo…                        I’m sure you’d know how, considering how fine you are…”

“I’m sorry again, but you still haven’t disclosed your identity….and how you saw the hair on my chest…” Siisi replied after he had recovered from the temporal shock. Thankfully, the number was online and a response came not too long after – “Philipp. The hair? The first two buttons of your short-sleeved shirt were unbuttoned yesterday, and I saw the curly hair on that broad chest. OMG!...It was beautiful sight to behold!”. Siisi shook his head whilst walking to the washroom. “Do I look gay?”, Siisi wondered as he stared at his reflection in the mirror after he had finished using the pot.

             “I’m not usually this upfront, but I really like you, Siisi. 

               If you don’t mind, maybe we can hang out later in the 

                                evening and see where this leads”.

After reading the message that came through in his absence, Siisi blocked Philipp’s number. “What nonsense!” he thought, angrily.

As fate would have it, their paths crossed later that evening when Siisi heard a familiar voice from behind him trying to catch his attention as he walked back home from the shop where he had gone to buy a mobile recharge card. “Did you block my number?” Philipp asked when he had reached Siisi. “Yes, I did” Siisi shot back. “Oh! That’s uncool, you know? That’s not how to treat someone who wants to know you better and explore the possibility of ….”

“What makes you think I’m gay?” Siisi calmly asked before Philipp could finish his submission. Philipp swallowed some saliva as he considered the trick question and smiled wryly. “Dude, really?" Philipp also asked in response. “You bite you lips when talking to me, bro - even now… and you frequently lick your lips too” he added, to the uttermost surprise of Siisi. “It doesn’t mean anything” Siisi began to answer with all the composure he could garner. “I’ve been biting my lower lip since I escaped from the womb. Has it occurred to you that maybe I lick my lips because they are always dry? Appearances can be really deceptive, and just to rub it in, it feels really good that I’m considered attractive even by a guy. But I’m as straight as the yellow 30 centimeter rule you used back in primary school.”

“Wow, Siisi. I’m really sorry…I guess I picked up the wrong signals then. And this is a cue to keep my foot out of my mouth henceforth. I feel awkward now. I’m really sorry, once again. Good night.” Philipp apologized, and walked on. 

Save for the occasional ‘hellos’ when they met, Philipp tried to avoid meeting Siisi due to the discomfit. Fortunately for him, Siisi travelled to the UK for his postgraduate education some two months later.

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Back at the pub, Agyeiwaa, having seen Philipp’s incessant blinks to Siisi when they were being introduced early on, told Tina about her suspicion when Philipp had gone to the gents. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Siisi asked me out sometime ago, I told you about him, didn’t I? Maybe, he was too stunned to say anything, as I probably would have done if I were in his shoes” Tina answered. “Tina, it’s either they have some chequered history or our Dr. Phil is hiding something from you. I’ll ask him if you don’t, in my capacity as ur bff. Abi you know me dada?” Agyeiwaa threatened some few seconds before Philipp resumed his seat. He felt like he had walked into a trap specifically set for him, as he sensed the tension between the two ladies, who hitherto had been laughing heartily just before he left them some few minutes ago.

Sensing ‘trouble’, he had to act very fast before it got more awkward. “Can we go now?” he asked, but in a tone reminiscent of a demanding one. He was already on his feet, reaching for his wallet. "I'm on duty this afternoon".

To be continued…

PS: If you missed the first two episodes, kindly click here to read.