Obiageli - Episode 17

Uche's POV

"I've not been seeing Nonso lately, does anyone know where he is"Kalu asked, they were at the stream and it was busy as usual, they just finished playing in the water, now they were observing people washing, especially the girls and children playing

"Since when do you get concerned about Nonso" Uche asked " he's a man"

"Because he's my friend and am caring"

"You can go to his house and stay then"

" Nonso is with his girl now...Chidinma"Kelechi said

"Ezioku..since when, you mean you all now have women and I don't have"Kalu said arms akimbo

"I don't have a woman, besides you can't have a woman when you keep chasing women all around the village" Kelechi said Uche was not interested in their conversation, he was busy gazing at Obiageli across the stream, she was washing as usual with her friends, the boys hit each other and gestured to him, tracing his gaze

"Eow..Ego must hear this, at least now she will agree for me"Kalu said

"Wish you luck" Uche said

"How come she's not at the stream, I had hoped I would see her"

Uche met Obi's gaze again and smiled at her.

Obiageli's POV

She looked away from him again smiling as her friends caught this time...

"Hmm....Okay now, you and Uche, you have not been telling us anything Obiageli, when did this one start?" Chidinma asked

"Since you started your own with Nonso" Obiageli retorted pounding her cloth

"Chei...how did you know?"

"We all have eyes, after pretending you hate him"

"Nonso is annoying" they had grown up fighting, guess that was usually how love started, Chidinma kept washing then said "he's coming to see my parents "

"Ezioku..so soon..that's nice o, so you would soon be married" Chiamaka exclaimed

"Yes.." Chidinma smiled then "what about Ifeanyi now?"she asked Amaka, who got downcast, she glanced at Obiageli

'"He..doesn't like me"she said 

"Ifeanyi is a pig, don't worry Chiamaka, a man of your fitting would come to you soon, you're too good for Ifeanyi" Obiageli said

Chiamaka nodded but still felt down, her friends had found lovers and would soon be married, she didn't know why  Ifeanyi didn't like her, wasn't she pretty enough, maybe if she waited a while he would marry her after he married Obiageli, She didn't think she would ever like any other man....but now that Obiageli had her eyes on Uche, she feared trouble was coming, she looked at them exchanging gazes again....Ego would not like this.

That night after Obiageli succeeded in sneaking out, Uche was waiting for her. She smiled as she went close, he was leaned against the tree

"You are late again"he said

" sorry, my mother doesn't sleep deep, how do you sneak out anyway?"she backed the tree so she was closer to him 

"Easy, I don't sleep till two ,my father sleeps at Nine sharp, Onyeka sleeps like a log" she laughed, and pointed at his hand

"What is that?"

"A gift for you" he placed the crown of grass on her head

"Hey its gross" she said

"Don't remove it" he said firmly

"I would" and she did then looked at it, it was made with different grasses, with wild flowers in between, it was clear he had taken his time to make it...

"Its beautiful "she said and put it on again, then looked at him

" So?"she began

" so what?"he asked

"What do we talk about?"

"Nothing, you rejected my gift, I'm angry"

"Hey I'm sorry I.."she was saying when he kissed her on the lips, silencing her

" Fell for it"he said , there was silence as he sliced a blade a grass, Obi touched her lips, then smiled...

"My initiation would start tomorrow" he said

"I know" .

The men were usually initiated into manhood before they were free to marry, at 21 years of age.

"How do you know?" he asked her.

She shrugged "I know many things about you..like how old you are" she said with a duh

He chuckled "They say after then I can get married" he said

"And you are telling me because?" She asked

"Because I want you to know that I can get married now"

She burst into laughter as he took up her bead and twisted it

"I'm not supposed to be with any girl after tomorrow" he said

She stared at him "So?"

"So..I ll have to kiss you some more" he said, as he drew her closer and took her lips in his.

*OK na, Uche playing games and getting closer to the fire that would burn him

Comments*

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/obiageli

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Read " Brothers " by the same author ( Funmi Anita Adesina )