Chapter Sixteen

SIXTEEN

‘’ Don’t move,’’ he says.

Hearing that voice makes me automatically move and turn around. ‘’What the fuck!’’

He lowers his eyes and puts his knife back in his boots. I also return mine to my belt holder and veil it with my shirt then pick my food from the ground.

‘’ Dwayne, why are you following me?’’

Now, he readjusts his stance. ‘’This is not the way back to the house.’’

‘’ What?’’ I ask, blinking rapidly. ‘’ I am not allowed to have a personal business?’’

Dwayne scoffs. "I really don't understand the game you are playing, Imani. If that's even your name, but whatever you do, do not touch Zuri."

I roll my eyes with my head. " You have said that before."

" It's actually dangerous to use a dark alley alone." His tone has gone softer.

He starts to walk back and I fall into step with him. " Zuri left me at the shop. I don't know where she went."

"I know," he said. " Do you need me to walk you to where you are going?"

A bodyguard sounded so cool but I shake my head. "If you are going to the house we could go together."

We walk in silence like civilized people, like he did not want to gut me out. I don't know why he does not trust me. Oh, I know. I don't trust myself either.

"I promise I'm harmless," I say just as we walked into light.

He sighed. " Imani, Zuri is my only family. She's all I got, so you better be harmless for your own good."

" Fair enough."

It is unsettling knowing that someone is somewhere watching me. It is also very harmful that I'm hiding from the windows by letting Dwayne's tall body cover me.

When we reach the lantern shop, he stops and checks the locks then he nods a silent approval my way.

"Let's get some food," he said.

I show him the paperbag in my hand. "I got food earlier."

He says nothing, but continues walking down the road to the canteen. I follow him like a child, submitting to his dominating character. The only thing I care about right now is to get home and eat. It has been a strange day and I easily forgot to be hungry.

We get to the restaurant - a different one from the one Zuri and I go to. This one is constructed with a fine texture of wood and has a line of artificial flowers all around it's four corners. There is a bright source of illumination on the ceiling making the night look like day.

Dwayne walks to the counter and talks with people there. He even laughs as the man there points at me. I wonder what they're saying. My hair was growing out unevenly. I wonder if I look funny.

I keep standing where he left me. He walks into an inner room and takes his time coming out. There are seven people here. Two are eating while the rest are talking. One man has been looking at me. I smoothen my hair with my palm and look away.

The temptation to go seeking Dwayne is almost propelling my feet forward. My eyes keep moving all about the place until it lands on the man again. He gradually sips his water and drops the bottle, never breaking eye contact with me.

My feet immediately start moving towards the room Dwayne entered. My heart is dangling in between my feet. Will it happen in an open restaurant? Will Dwayne lift my body off to bury me?

He is standing in front of an old woman who is telling him something while holding his hand. I know these grannies love young men, but not today.

"Dwayne, I have been waiting for you," I say. I am both angry and scared. I hope it does not show in my voice.

He turns and brings me forward holding my hand. "I'm sorry," he says to me then to the others he says, " This is my friend, Imani."

There are two young girls cutting vegetables on a table. They wave at me with smiling faces. I wave back, trying to smile. The granny takes my hand, looks at it, then looks at my face.

"He's a good man," she says.

I nod before Dwayne starts walking to sit. I take my hand back from the old woman without a word and rush to him. "We should go home please."

He taps his laps and looks at me. "Sit, Imani."

It was like I was served spoiled or very bitter food. My face contoured with irritation. Dwayne laughs and gets up. He walks to the girls and tells them to package our food then he walks back to me.

"You look tired," he says, towering over me. His hands reach mine and he extracts the bag from it still looking at me.

"It's actually food, not guns," I say.

He smiles. "I know. Sit, we would soon leave."

He takes my food and returns to the other end of the room where the granny was seated. I could not sit. I lean on the wall cross-legged to wait.

Soon the food is ready. Everything is packaged in one big polythene bag and he carries it as we begin to walk home.

"Thank you," I say. It's so heavy and strange coming from me.

Dwayne tilts his head. "What for?"

"Food," I say. "For buying me food."

"I just want you to be indebted to me."

A low laugh escapes me before I can stop it. He also laughs. I knew he intended to be funny.

"If you have any money, be alert. Pickpockets are more active at night," he says.

I nod, discreetly running a hand on my trouser to feel the money I made from the strange woman earlier.

"This place does not pity thieves," I say.

"Yeah, that's why they are smarter."

I am conscious of everything and everyone around me as we walk down the street. People are still selling under large umbrella shades, two girls are busking while people drop money into their plate.

Dwayne walks so fast that I hurry to meet up with him. I can not tell the time by the movements on the streets. It seems the streets are more bubbly at night.

We use the longer road, not Zuri's window. I don't know if he knows about that route. I'm tempted to tell him, but I don't, even though I am tired and famished.

We get to the house quickly, probably because we were walking too fast. The door is still latched outside.

"Zuri is not coming home tonight?" I ask as Dwayne lifts the first latch.

" She's staying with her girlfriend tonight."

I nod. "Are you bi too?"

He spares me a glance before returning to the door. "Zuri is not bi; she's into girls."

It was either he did not know his sister goes to that brothel to pleasure men for money or he just did not want to talk about it.

Inside the house is unlit. I reach for the socket and turn it on. He quickly bolts the door, connects the chain and other security measures. I walk to the kitchen and wait for him to bring our food.

I expected him to carry his food out, but he sits at the other side of the table while I rush my first plate of food. I notice his eyes on me so I pause and look up. "I have not eaten almost all day."

He smiles and brings out another plate of food. " It's okay."

"This is the first time you are being civil towards me," I say, opening the second plate.

He grabs a bottle of water and gulps down while his eyes twinkle with amusement. "I'm actually never ill-mannered."

"That's news to me," I say with a snort.

"Look, I didn't mean it when I likened you to a prostitute."

Dwayne is making me not to concentrate on my food, so I close the plate and shrug. "I'm a prostitute."

There's a hard line I am noticing around his jaw line as he tightens it. It makes him look dangerously handsome. I wonder why I have never paid attention to his features.

I tilt my head. "Would you like to have sex with me again?"

A lazy smile sits at the side of his lips as he leans forward with two fingers casually caressing his chin. "I want that very much, Imani."