Fiction: Chances

This would be your first appearance at the club. An organisation your friend, Kosi swore was for the elites. She said that it was a kind of fraternity and sorority organisation, "Brotherhood and Sisterhood", she called it. You were skeptic, "Which one is fraternity abi Sorority again? In Nigeria ke?" These names were out of place in Nigeria, but she insisted, "Them get plenty guys ooo, rich ones sef. Better people through and through."

That seemed to move you. At the point you were in your life, you needed that kind of association, with people of the upper echelon of the society. You asked of the intent of the association, and she replied that it's a circle of the rich, to network and mingle among themselves. She had become a member by proxy on the virtue of being married to a member, so it's wise to say, that she had become a member by association.

Your first appearance was the dinner night of the inauguration of a member into the Nation's senate. You arrived to look your best, Heavens forbid you dress raggedly to these gentry's club.

Still, you felt shabby on attendance. The price exuded money, you could smell it off them. You felt like an imposter and wannabe, hanging onto Kosi and her husband, Femi. Try as they might to make you comfortable, you just did not belong there. You felt like an outsider, no, you are an outsider.

It did not help that you have social anxiety, starting up a conversation was a herculean task, one that scares you. However, even if you were able to muster up courage to, you find it daunting to converse in the language and topics which they might canvass in, when you are only engrossed with research on academia and sourcing for scholarships to futher your education in the discipline of Science and Laboratory Technology.

You think of melting away, your head is feeling queasy courtesy of your inability to stick to social events. Your feet is wobbly, thanks to the cheap okirika shoes that you managed to find the day before. You curse yourself for picking the hideous heels.

You glance around, hoping that you see anyone who feels as lost as you do, but find none. Kosi has long disappeared into the boisterous crowd. You help yourself with a drink at the happy, elated that you have found some sort of solace. A gentleman slides into the booth next to you, looking as forlorn as you are. 

You strike a conversation with him. He is an erudite and you sense that you vibe with him, have a couple of laughs. The drink is settling in, soon you're flirting with him. He suggests that you both get out of there. A little tipsy but with consciousness and the thrill to be daring, you agree.

Both of you are lost in the passion, you succumb to your carnal pleasures. There's no harm in being audacious, it's all part of life. Your night was switched between coitus and conversations. In your drunken mind, you can start a thing with this man.

You wake up in the morning, groggy and woozy, he is still asleep . You remember your actions and a blush creeps up to your face. You stand to freshen up in the washroom, and kick his trousers on the floor. A shiny ring falls out, You pick it up to examine and see an engravement signifying committment. 

You messed around with a married man. His relationship might be what made him so miserable at the club. You wonder why it never came up in the conversation, probably because you never thought of him being married, he looked young. You clear the trace of guilt sliding through your mind, 'You didn't know that he was another's. You clarify yourself, not another's, he belonged to himself. Besides, was on accord with your actions. You abandon freshening up and you depart.

A few hours later, he calls and is appreciative of your time today. You say nothing of your discovery. He wants a date and you acquiesce. Your decision might be pushing it, but at this point in your life, you do not care. You have a goal, and he's the link to it.