Wild West of the Heart
FIFTY ONE

They were apart, for the first time that time they weren't wrapped in each other's arms warmingly gliding to slow christmas music. Now it was a famous Mac DeMarco song that played and they were dancing away from each other. The people in question, being Ola and Fi. It was close to midnight and the people that still stuck around waited for the ultimate countdown to christmas. You see it's meant to be new year's to have a countdown but most people spent it at cross over services. So the closest thing to that surreal experience for these teenagers was now.

The lights exhaustingly flashed and the music went low with people slouched at each corner of the room, wasted. Towards the end of the corridor however, was a much different place. With people all over another person, tongues down each other's throats and arms holding tightly to each other. Ola's eyes went there, and then back at Fi.

He wanted to hold her, but he wasn't sure she'd like it. He knew she wouldn't like it. He cleared his throat as Deb walked up to them.

"Want to hang outside?" She asked, nudging Fi's arm a bit and the way she scrunched her brows showed she wasn't even feeling the party anymore but at least she turned to Ola to give her a go ahead. I mean, they weren't dancing anymore. He gestured that she could leave, and he watched her go away, with any hope he had of kissing her that midnight. Like i said, it was the same tradition as new year's. It didn't take long for Ab to walk up to him though with a glass in his hand. "Hey" He stressed, obviously to some level of drunk. And Ola looked to him. "What's good?"

"Nice play" He nodded. They hadn't seen each other since the drama where he played a wise man.

At least he later showed up, though half drunk. It wasn't news that he missed Obi as much as he did. "Thanks bro"

There was an awkward silence before Ola piped up. "He'll show up. Ab" He said and Ab scoffed.

"I don't care. You should hold unto what you have though" He lied, pointing his bottle to where Fi had walked through. "What?" Ola asked.

"If i were you, i'd keep my eye on Deb" He smirked before walking towards the back door.

"Ten minutes till christmas" Someone yelled from the top of the counter. Ola arched his brows, gazing out of the windows.

Of course he had no clue Deb might have already begun to feel those things that Fiyin felt. It was why she took her outside, where the winds blew in their favor. They sat on this swing, with Fi adjusting her gown.

Deb was in a pant suit which she changed into after the play. A pant suit and a manager's shirt. It was what they called it. Anyways, she did her best to minimize the tension between them.

Fiyin began to hum a slow song, moving her shoulders slowly to the left. She wrapped her arms around themselves, shivering a little. Deb didn't have a suit, although she wished that she did.

"Are you cold?" She asked, not taking her eyes of the distant roads on which cars still ran, this close to christmas. It was weird that some people wouldn't get to spend such time with their loved ones as they rushed back from the traffic earlier. "Not really."

Her eyes then moved to her, and her messy hair. And her lips shaped perfectly in a pout, Fiyin was perfect and Deb wished for a second that she saw that perfect through her own eyes.

"You're perfect" She softly said and Fi looked to her, taking aback. "What?" She asked. "Shit" Deb muttered, shyly looking away. It was rare for her to feel that way but there she was, getting flustered by the infamous Fiyin Bamidele.

"I don't know. It's just one of those thoughts that you mutter out accidentally" She replied, letting out a soft chuckle. But then their eyes met, just to the music from the manic horns.

But in that second that it did, it was as if everything suspended around them. Time, traffic, christmas. Not a single thought behind Deborah's eyes as she leaned closer to Fiyin.

Slowly, but intentionally. And Fi froze. Until she moved away, slightly tilting her head to the side.

"Oh" She exclaimed as Deb's were left open.

"Shit" Deb cussed, hopping off the bench. "Wrong, wrong. I'm so sorry i read that wrong" She said, slamming her palms into her face. "Shit"

Fiyin jumped off, letting her dress slide to the ground. She walked close to Deb. "No, at all. It's not you. It's not that "

"No, Fi. You don't have to slowly let me down. I'm such an idiot" Deb interrupted. "That's the thing" Fiyin reached for her palms. "I'm not "

"I'm not slowly letting you down. I'm just not there yet, for anything. Or anyone. Like, it's not that i don't want to. It's not that i don't like you or it's not like i'm letting you off easy or slowly" She shook her hands. "I'm just telling you to wait. I'm telling the world to wait, while i heal-"

"And become a better version of myself. The one i think will be able to love, and love right" Tears welled in her eyes as Deb held her arms back. A smile crept to her lips. "I will, Fi" And her eyes went down to her bruised arms that had healed. Of course, Fi still hid a few things from her. But she was willing to wait for her to open up.

And then there was Ola. As they held each other close, Fi leaning against Deb and tears falling down her cheeks, he was by the door, watching.

And all that echoed in his ears were Ab's words and how right they might have been. He pushed a lump down his sore throat before another shot.

"Five minutes till christmas" That lousy fellow echoed the reminder as glassed chimed behind.

"Want to ditch this party?" Deb eyed her and she just smirked. "Actually, i just want to go home. I feel kind of sick because of the alcohol i think" She said and Deb just held out of her arms

"I'll walk you home" She offered and Fi looked back, contemplating whether or not to go back at Ola. And some part of him, hoped that she would.

But alas, he watched from above as they rode towards the roads. She made a choice that night even though she had no idea. And Ola felt a sting in his heart, knowing he risked it all to be here. And there she went, in the arms of another girl.

It was not a happy ending, definitely not a fitting one for such night. But who says we were done

"Where's Abdul?"

Someone ran up the front porch and headed into the building, his heart pounding in his hands. He didn't think he'd make it in time. But there he was. "Where's Abdul?" Obi yelled, staring at the clock. It was just four minutes till christmas. And he needed to see Ab because there was something he needed to get off his chest.

"I think he went out the back door" Bade said, tapping him on his shoulders and he sped through the door only to replace him leaning against the rails with a glass of wine in his hand. He'd forsaken his coat, leaving only a silk tshirt around his chest.

One whose buttons hung open to the middle.

Obi paused, panting heavily. "Abdul" He called and the other looked back with shock in his eyes.

"Obi?" He said, unable to hide the doubt. "What are you doing he―"

"Listen to me. Just listen, because i'm the one that has a lot to say, Abdul" Of course he did, it's been three weeks since either said a word to each other.

"I'm sorry" There was a crack in his voice. "I'm so sorry for everything. But i want you to know that nothing has changed over the past weeks and if anything, i'm sure more than ever how i feel" He professed as Abdul took a step closer to him. He just stood there, the winds filling his shirt and drying the tears in his eyes. "Sometime, i was so much different than i am now. There's still alot of things i'm still trying to figure out and oh, i met Hassan Madu today and it was just the best day of my entire life and i wanted so badly to tell you about it. I wanted so badly to talk to you, but it was stupid. Stupid, stupid pride and maybe fear, that you'd snub me or something" He scoffed, wiping his eyes. "It's been hell, without you Ab" "And it's all my fault"

"No, it isn't O-" He tried to speak but Obi inched closer to him, closer than they've ever been. "I may have my doubts, but i'm sure of one thing Ab, it's you. It's always been you and in that moment i got shaken, i got scared because this type of love scares me. I've never seen it. I've never felt it. I love you" Tears fell down his face.

"I love you, Abdul. I always have" He repeated, and Abdul breathed into his lips as his arms held Obi close. It was intimate, the amount of seconds they spent apart longing for each other.

And then Abdul leaned in, stealing not one, but two kisses. Time had stopped when his lips met his. Obi's heart pounded as their tongues fought for dominance. Abdul's arms wrapped tighter around Obi as the sound of drums came from below them. They had started to count-

"Five."

"Four"

He pulled away, still biting his lips and savoring the taste from Ab's lips. "Two-"

"One" And the fireworks lit the skies above them, as everyone yelled. "Merry christmas" Obi whispered to him, before going again for another kiss. It still wasn't clear if he dreamed this moment to life, but there was raw emotion in the way his arms curled around his neck.

There was familiarity in the taste of his lips. Like he'd known those lips forever.

His heart had completely melted and his guards were down for the first time. "Merry Christmas" Ab said back to him with a smirk. "I love you "

What did that make them? Neither knew, but did Obi say it this time, without hesitation? Yes.

Yes, he did. "I love you too, Abdul" He whispered.

-

How bad could things really get before it becomes okay? How bad could life really test you and how much could you really take?

How much is fair?

Ola walked up his front porch, bracing himself for whatever his father had to say. He pocketed his arms as the cab drove away and he heaved air into his lungs. It was a terrible night, well it wasn't that bad but it wasn't his best either. He just wished he knew what Fi was doing.

Well, she as well had just gotten home, removing her heels off her feet and falling into her bed. She let out a sigh of relief, thinking of the whole night with Deb and their magical walk home. She had no idea of this strange feeling in her, because she was sure that at least she liked Ola.

But what was this was Deborah?

All her life, she was quick to fall in love with the men that gave her attention. And it was like her own sexuality was linear. It was definite, but with Collins, alot of things had changed.

And it was just the very beginning. She stood, making her way to the closet, she let the dress slip down her ankles as she stepped out of it. Once she opened the closet, her eyes were met the stained uniform she had kept there. Red stained and dried hard. And for the first time, she held it in her hands, remembering and acknowledging for the first what had happened that night. She accessed the memories she had locked away in the back of her head and once those memories flooded back to her, she felt peace.

She was at peace, so much peace that she held the clothes to her chest while tears fell down her cheeks. It was like the hundredth time she had cried that night. But then suddenly, with those memories came a daunting realization for her. She stopped, and so did her heart.

Olamide's hands reached for the door and he slowly opened it to see his mother by the side. There was a suitcase just beside her, and a smaller bag and Akin was by the kitchen counter.

His eyes went around the silent room and it was not what he'd expected. "Mum?" He called, closing the door behind him. "Ola" She inched closer to him, holding his chin in her frail hands. "We're leaving. Ola, we're leaving" She said, and he furrowed his brows. "What?" His voice cracked and she looked back.

"I'm leaving. I'm leaving your father." She replied, her arms holding unto the suitcase. While he received such life changing news, there was Obi, running down the streets with Abdul in his arms. He wasn't sure how long this would last, since he knew nothing good ever did. But he was willing to just remain in the moment. To just stay there, with the love of his life. Abdul Faruq— Meanwhile, Fiyin would want the exact opposite of that as she let go of the dress. Her eyes zeroed on the full packet of sanitary pads on her closet.

And it all made sense to her, while she felt sick.

She gasped in horror, wiping her eyes. "Shit"

"Shit" She muttered, on the verge of a panic attack as she so badly wanted to let a scream out.

"Where are we going mum?" Ola asked.

"I love you" Obi whispered.

"Shit"

"Shit" Fiyin cussed.

"I love you too" Abdul held him closer. "Shit"

The question really was how bad could things really get before it becomes okay? How bad could life really test you and how much could you really take? How much is fair? Very bad.

Very, very bad will be your answer and most times, it isn't even fair.

But there's nothing we can do except blame fate and whatever cosmic shit was out there. It was an early christmas morning, but it didn't feel like it.

Expect excitement associated with love and passion, they said. Because the moon was joining mars or something. But it was a lie

-because if anything, it felt like "Shit."

To be continued...