THE CAMP. Chapter 6-8

 THE CAMP. Chapter  6-8.

3 days went by without hearing from Britney, I thought my being in camp would be jeopardised if I kept wallowing in her thoughts so I broke free from the thought of her and mingled with others. 

I wasn't attached to anyone, I claimed no class nor standard, I just wanted to go to camp to have fun. 

I was a lone guy.

It was time for registration, although people had started their registration from day 1 but it was a place that almost 5k people would be on the queue under the scorching turn waiting for their turn. I coukdnt afford to waste such time under he sun when I still have 21 days to myself.

When almost everyone had finished their registration,  it remained very few of us then I went for mine,  that was on my 5th day in camp. I was on the queue  when the coordinator separated us from foreign students. 

People started pulling out of the queue and joining the foreign student queue,  there was a lady that stood infront of me, fair With average height.

She leaned back when she was trying to pave way for the foreign students and stepped on my white shoe and left a big stain on it. She turned immediately and started apologising.

I was lost in staring at her as she applogised and tries to clean my shoe, I raised her up and told her not to worry, she kept apologising till she finished her registration and left, I kept looking around to see if I can find her and I couldn't leave because it was my turn.

That very evening, each platoon had started planning about the tasks and activities given to us ncluding football, dance, drama and so on.

I remember sitting on the field staring at people as they assign roles and positions to themselves. Some people still came to the camp with the political minded they had back in school .

I wasn't interested in that I just wanted to have fun. So I agreed to join the dance and drama group. I was still sitting on the field when someone squatted beside me, looking at me, I saw this same lady with her beautiful smile.

"You didn't tell me you are in my platoon,  my name is Yetunde, what's yours. She said as she stretched forth her hand for a shake.  I accepted her handshake and she sat beside me, we started talking. She was a good conversation starter, we got connected easily and I guess I found a replacement for Britney since I didn't know what was going on with her.

Ben, on the other hand won't stop showing up where I am when I am with Yetunde but I didn't see it as a big deal. He still behave childishly and I wasn't interested in that act.

It was the Tuesday of the second week, after our skill acquisition and entrepreneurship program, I and yetunde strolled to the mammy market to adjust the big khaki trouser they gave me, we were on our way back  to the hostel when I sighted Britney standing in front of her hostel staring at me.

I was shocked.

Just as if I was seeing a ghost. 

I used my hand to wipe my face to be sure whom i was seeing  as I moved closer to her. In front of her hostel were ladies shouting on oneanother because a lady defecated inside polythene bad and dumbed it inside the bin.

The noise was much that my voice couldn't reach Britney as she walked inside. I almost entered their hostel before I know I wasn't mean to go in.

Yetunde came to ask what happened but I didn't have what to tell her. I walked her to her hostel and headed to mine. 

I laid on my bed and started thinking about when she came back and why did she give me a frown face?

What could have happened  or am I mistaking someone else for her?

To be continued. ..

THE CAMP.  Episode 7.

I laid on my bed thinking what could have happened, was it because she saw me with Yetunde or maybe she thought I didn't ask after her health. 

Alot ruminate in my mind. 

Yetunde's call came in, I picked and she told me she was outside my hostel, I went out to meet her, she had gone to mammy market to get suya and drinks, she brought mine. It was already some minutes to 7pm but the light of the day could still made someone's  face obvious. 

I was with Yetunde talking when I saw Britney and Ben walking towards the gym. Britney held his gym bag while he wrapped a white towel around his neck.

The gym was just by the soldiers Lodge, corp members  were allowed to go there to gym especially those that wanted to contest for Mr Mancho in the camp.

I was lost staring at them when Yetunde's voicetapped me back to consciousness. Her displeasure was obvious on her face as she stared at me. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" I apologised.

She touched my hands and bid me good bye, I wanted to escort her back to her hostel but she insisted I shouldn't. I felt really bad and stupid because I was lost staring at Britney when I had someone before me.

I go back to my bed and started wondering what came over me, I began to analyse the relationship between me and Britney. I was just a friend and nothing attached.

Why would I be worried because she decided to chose another guy over me afterall its her choice but on the other hand I was curious about what happened, if she could spare me a few seconds to tell me what I've done wrong maybe I could just apologise and we could go our separate ways.

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I was lost in these thoughts when Yetunde's message came in.

" Ade, you matter too. Goodnight" 

I read the message up to 20 times and kept wondering what she meant and what brought about that message. The day went by and i slept.

After the beagle blared the following morning, we rushed to the parade ground for drilling as usual and to my surprise, i saw Britney in my platoon, beside her was Ben standing like her bodyguard. Yetunde was there st6ating at me with a pretty smile as i descended the sloppy landscape to the parade ground.

I went to meet Yetunde and she buried herself in my arms. A heartfelt hug that shows how much she was dying to hug me or a hug to complement the message of the night.

I held her yoo, the music came up and the drilling started.

After the drilling, everyone converged at their various groups of activities. I was in Dance and Drama, Yetunde was in handball because of her height, Ben joined the football team while Britney joined the drama group. The same group I was.

Then i had the chance to speak to her without her bodyguard which was Ben. We were waiting for others when i moved closer to her. 

"Britney, we need to talk" i said and dragged her to oneside. She was being repulsive, i tried to make her stay calm and talk to me but she kept snapping her hand off mine and walking away.

"Britney,  see you don't have to be my friend,  just tell me what I have done wrong then l'll apologise and leave you afterwards instead of you giving me attitudes and silent treatment"i said.

She stopped and heaved a deep breathe, she was about talking when Ben showed from the shadow.

He seemed running from where ever he was to where we were, he kept panting like a savannah dog.

"Leave the girl alone, why are you trying to force words out of her mouth, she is not interested in talking to you, leave her alone" he said. 

I was bemused as I stared at him quizzically. 

"Oh, now I understand, I thought as much, you have fed her with lies and that's the reasons for her action, I think I have gotten the answers I want." I said and walked away.

I could see guilt in her eyes.

"Ade please wait....Ade...Ade wait..." she called out but I closed the doors to my ears already.

To be continued. ..

THE CAMP.  Episode 8.

Britney called out and I stopped.  

"What do you mean by Ben fed me with lies?" She asked, I really wasn't in the mood to talk, not even when Ben was standing right behind us staring at me like a hungry lion. I told her we would talk when she feels like talking to me and not when she needs answers. 

I said and left for the dance group.  Others joined us and a delta lady came with dance steps and how we would creatively put the dance together. Being the only Yoruba boy in the dance group,  it was kinda weird but I fit it and stood infront to lead the dance.

We were rehearsing when I saw Britney  staring at me from afar. The rehearsal was under the scorching sun so I was sweating profusely. She held a cold bottled water and walked towards me, she handed it over to me without a word and had a step back. 

"Thank you " I said with a faint smile and returned to the rehearsal.  She stood there looking at me and laughing at our dance steps.  

We had a break and I sat on one of the big rocks around the place, she moved closer and stood infront of me. I drank from the bottled water she gave me.

"Ade, is it true?" She asked.

"That what?" I asked without looking at her.

"Is it true that you almost caused trouble in the clinic when I was in pain?" She asked.

"Well, I don't know who told you that but I did that because I was scared, you were in pain and no one was doing anything, I had to shout on them  before the doctor came out and did something...and who told you that? " I asked.

"Ben told me, he told me everything" she said.

"What else did he tell you that makes you feel I am not fit to be your friend anymore?" I asked.

She started stuttering,  she couldn't say a word. I stood up and looked into her eyes.

"Britney, tell me what he told you now" 

"Ade, can we just forget about what he told me please, he was just trying to protect me" she said.

"He was protecting you from what? Tell me, he was protecting you from me? Oh wow, now I see, so why are you here with me? Why are you moving to an acclaimed threat?" I queried.

"Ade please calm down, I am just recuperating,  don't make me go through this tough time please, I need you to understand that I am not happy that things turned out to be like this between you and I, I also don't want him to tell my parent that...." she stopped.

I searched her face for answers.

"That what? Britney, that what?" I asked anxiously.

She covered her mouth with her hand and sobbed. She couldn't say a word. 

"Talk to me Britney,  that what?!" I exclaimed.

"Ade I am a sickle cell patient, my genotype is SC that was why I fell sick when the stress was too much on me, Ben was the one communicating with my parents and unknown to me he already told them that I was moving with a stranger and you were the reasons why I was punished because I was out with you talking when the soldiers caught us after light out" she explained.

"What?! What did you just say? He said so?..." I exclaimed.  

" I couldn't debunk it because I was on the hospital bed and they believed him ....Ade I'm sorry, it was all my fault" 

I held my head and fury, I starred at him on the football pitch and walked briskly to go and meet him when someone grabbed me from behind as I was about entering the pitch.

It was Yetunde. She hugged me and patted my back.  

"Ade please let this slide, you know what'll happen if you go in there to fight, you will be sent off the camp, please Ade, let's settle this amicably. Britney ran to me and also held me. 

 "Ade please, i'm so sorry, please, this is all my fault, I shouldn't have let him get the bigger part of me, I'm sorry" she apologised.

She turned to Yetunde and thanked her for helping her grab me, it made me realise she went to call yetunde where she was practicing to come to her rescue.

I had the intention to knock him out without thinking about the repercussions.  

What a blatant liar.

I was calmed so I walked to the pavilion to sit at the edge, I panted angrily. Some of my platoon mates came to ask what happened but I was too angry to talk, Yetunde replied them.

Yetunde sat at my right side while Britney sat at my left.

Yetunde held my hand and fondled it, she whispered naughty words into my ears.

"Sebi if not that we are in camp, I would just twerk for you and give you a nice BJ to calm you down" 

I didn't have any choice than to laugh out loud.

She got me on that one. 

To be continued...