The Sting - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sunday had just two classes that day and they ran concurrently. One was a 3 unit course while the other one was a 2 unit course which meant he had to sit down in class for 5 hours straight, the first course was Thermodynamics while the second was Fluid mechanics. Both were real serious courses which demanded concentration from the lecturers and the students. 

He was particularly happy about this because it helped him keep him mind busy  but even then he had flash backs of the Royals gunned down without mercy and how one was shot when they discovered that he was still alive. The thoughts that he was close to losing his life also got into his head and occasionally he had to bring himself back to class forcefully.

The hours went by slowly and he heaved a sigh of relief as he carried his back pack and made his way to the door at the end of class.

”Guy, how are you?” Tayo called out.

Sunday stopped and waited for Tayo to catch up before answering him.

“I am fine. How are you doing bro?”

They exchanged handshakes and Tayo looked at him funny.

“Dude, are you sure you are fine? I was watching you throughout class and you looked distant/ like you were caught up in a world far away from here mate. What’s up?”

“Seriously, I am fine. I was just studying last night and did not get enough sleep that’s all”

Tayo shrugged, “If you say so, I have no problem with it bro”.

Sunday nodded his head and answered “I say so”.

They walked side by side until they were walking on they own away from listening range of everyone else when Tayo said something that shook Sunday to the bones.

“Did you hear about the clash night? I heard it was one between the Royals and the Skulls”.

Sunday tried to sound and look as uninterested and surprised as possible.

“Really? I noticed that the security at the gate today was sort of tight and we were all searched but I did not know they had a clash. Where did it happen? Was it on campus?

“No not on campus, I heard that it was at a party in town”

”But yesterday was a Wednesday na, who throws a party on a Wednesday? Some people are just insane” was the reply Sunday could give.

“Well, Wednesday or not, they said a fight broke out because of a girl and a lot of people were killed”

Now Sunday was interested.

“They fought over a girl? That’s something else. Something very silly”

Now it was obvious that Tayo was excited either because he felt he was the one who knows the story itself, Sunday could not tell.

““The girl was said to have come to the party with a Skull member but a member of the Royals wanted to dance with her and trouble started”.

The both got under a tree and they took a seat on one of the benches available for students to sit down and take shade from the sun.

“It happened that both fraternities had already had beef before and so when they saw a fight had broken out, the members joined in and it turned into a free for all. I heard the guns and other weapons were used and about 20 people died”.

Sunday still tried to sound as uninterested as possible.

“20 people died? Where was the police?”

“It happened and ended so fast, the police did not have enough time to react”.

Sunday managed a wow.

Although the story was flawed, it had some elements of truth in it as the death toll might be near that number and the thought that 20 people died scared him more but he calmed down and just tried to relax. But another thought passed through his mind, even though the story was not totally, true, somebody might have seen something and might talk too and that will be the end of him.

Well he had to know who fed Tayo with the news so he’d know what to do so he asked.

“And why is it that you know so much about this incident? You talk as though you were there when it all went down. Or were you?”

Tayo looked back with a serious face.

 “I wish I was but I was not, Sandra’s neighbor was at the party and she told us everything. She was invited by a friend of hers and they both got home separately. She got back around 1:30 this morning and was screaming like she was being chased like the devil.

A thought passed through Sunday’s mind, “Yeah the devil. He got that one right”.

Then Sunday was drawn to something Tayo said and he ignored.

“Wait Tayo, you said the girl who told you all this came back around 1:30 am and she is a neighbour of Sandra right?”

Tayo answered “Yes”

“Well what were you doing in Sandra’s house at 1:30 dude?"

A grin appeared on his face as they both knew the point they were trying to make and suddenly, they forgot the whole gunfight issue and started laughing.

Sunday broke the laughter, “So did you sleep with her last night or the screaming girl stopped you?”

The answer to the question was simple enough but Tayo did not want to let it slide out easily.

”A gentleman does not kiss and tell”.

“Dude, since when did you become a gentleman? Guy, give me the gist jorh”

Tayo settled down well and started his tale.

“When you left yesterday, we talked for a while and then that witch Anita said she was bored and wanted to go home so we left. Then at their house, they had some assignments which they found difficult so I offered to help out with but I had to go home because wanted to sort out my course form.

“I went back around 8pm and I met Sandra and another friend there and I helped them solve the questions. When we finished, she saw them off and we spoke for a bit before she asked if I was hungry. actually, I was not hungry but I thought what the heck, I might as well eat and then leave later so I waited for her to cook and by the time she was done cooking, the time was almost past 11 so I suggested I spend the night with her and the rest my friend is history”.

Sunday had sat down and listened to this jealously not because he wanted Sandra but because he was jealous of what she and Tayo shared. He wished he had someone to share the same thing with but the only girl he had developed enough courage to talk to did not like him one bit, treated him like he did not exist and insulted him at the slightest chance. That bothered him but he shrugged shook Tayo’s hand.

“I am hungry, will you get me something to eat or do I start going home?”

“Let’s go get a bite. I am supposed to meet my baby very soon at her place too, you want to come along?

As much as he enjoyed the company of Tayo and Sandra, he was sure Anita will be there and he was not in the mood to be insulted by anyone and there was also the issue of the girl who was at the party and his face might be recognized.

“I think I will simply go home and sleep a bit and then try to solve that Fluid Mechanics assignment”.

At the mention of that Tayo’s face brightened. “Can you please help me copy it out and write my name on it?”

“No I can’t help you do it as my writing will show on both. Tomorrow is lecture free and I will be it to school so you can copy it yourself and we can submit it together. That will be the only thing I will be doing in school tomorrow in fact”.

“That is also a great idea but please come a bit early since we are submitting by 10am, I don’t want to start writing fast because time is running fast!”

Sunday gave him a warm smile.

”When have you ever came to school before me? I will be around by 8am and that should be enough time to copy the whole thing and still submit it in time”.

Suddenly, Tayo had a crazy idea.

“Why not spend the night at my place and I can copy as you solve it. That way, it will be easy on both of us you would not have to waste money to come to school tomorrow”

It sounded like a great idea but with the tension in school he would rather spend the night in his room where he know if anything happens, he has a gun hidden in the television he can use.

“The textbooks I want to use are at home dude, don’t worry, I will come early”.

He walked to the car park and was about boarding a bus when his phone rang, he checked who was calling and it was no other than Wale AKA Bear.

(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)