****This is another story from my collection. Was one of the first stories i started out with. Over time I got better at writing so I've made some changes from the original draft.****
*****
The thunder rumbled loudly; the clouds let their burden loose and the rain kept falling. It had been like that all day and Deji had had no other option than to stay indoors. Not that he had anywhere to go anyways. With the midterms he had next week, he had planned to lock himself in his room and do a lot of reading, now that Tunde, his roommate was out of town for the weekend and not in bed with one of his numerous girlfriends.
There were some weekends when he would want to spend some time indoors and would meet another girl in bed with Tunde and would be forced to leave the room. The last time this happened, he had finally had it and was going to talk it out with him this weekend, but Tunde had received a call from home that his older brother had arrived from the UK. A brother Tunde really looked up to and had constantly yakked lovingly to him about. He had therefore left for the weekend. Sweet bliss for Deji.
He had gone to the market opposite campus to buy some food stuff. His plan was to stay indoors throughout the whole weekend studying. What he had not thought about was PHCN (the erratic power company in Nigeria) being their usual self during the unforeseen rain and once there was the hint of lightning and thunder, the electricity went off. So as the evening wore on, he had to rely on his battery-powered lamp and when that one died as well, he had no choice but to use his kerosene lantern.
He sat at his desk near the window and stretched. He had been reading, sleeping, and resume reading all day and it was now 6pm. He looked outside at the rain which had by now subsided a bit, probably taking a break itself. A few cars drove by in the pouring rain. He stared out the window, deep in his thoughts. His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a figure walking towards the hostel gates.
"Which right thinking person would risk his health in this kind of weather?" he thought. He looked on and saw it was a young lady. From his 2nd floor window, he saw the girl was soaked to the bone.
"Poor girl" he thought "I don't envy the guy who she came to see." He decided it was a good time to stop reading for the day and packed his books aside, dismissing the girl from his thoughts.
He had just put some water on the stove to prepare some eba when he heard a soft knock on the door. At first he thought it was the rumbling of the thunder but the person knocked again. Thinking it was one of his hostel neighbors wanting to borrow the usual two cups of garri or one small bowl of soup, he grumbled and locked his cupboard. He went to the door and opened it slightly. To his surprise, it was the lady he saw in the rain about ten minutes earlier.
"Hello." He greeted her.
"Hello. Please is this Tunde's room?"
"Depends on which Tunde you're asking."
"I mean Tunde Olanipekun."
"Yes this is his room. I'm his roommate."
"Oh. You must be Deji then."
"Yeah I'm Deji."
"Please is he in?"
"Unfortunately he is not. He left for Lagos on Thursday. He won't be back till Monday."
Deji heard her swear quietly under her breath. "But I told him I was coming today and he said he'll be in. Why did he have to do this to me?"
"I'm sorry. Tunde doesn't really think straight that much. You're not the only person he has disappointed. Please do come in."
The poor, shivering girl stepped into the room. Deji found Tunde's towel hanging on the bathroom door and handed it to her. She gratefully took it and wiped her wet face and arms. Her clothes were so wet and stuck to her body. He could see her nipples pushing out through the fabric of her native Ankara.
"So where are you coming from that you would risk yourself in this heavy rain?" he asked. It had started up again, hammering hard on the roof.
"I'm coming all the way from Ilorin oh. He told me he would be around and that I should come down. I told him I couldn't make it but he pleaded. I had to cancel my plans in school, all for nothing. "
"Hey take it easy, like I said you are not the only one he has disappointed. I know Tunde very well."
He stared at his watch. "There is no way you can go back to Ilorin tonight. Maybe if the rain dies down a bit, we could get you a place to stay for the night. I hope you brought a change of clothes because you surely look miserable."
"No, I didn't. My plan was to see him and then later on head to my sister's. I didn't know it was going to rain so badly."
"Well, you need to dry those clothes up a bit. You'll definitely get a flu or something if you remain in them. Let me get you something hot to drink while you take care of yourself."
"Thank you very much. I...I really don't know how to thank you."
"Just promise you will not go running after a man in the rain next time."
The girl laughed. Deji walked to his wardrobe and handed her one of his flannel tops and sweatpants.
"I hope you don't mind. They may be a bit big for you, but they should keep you warm."