How My Carelessness Brought The Devil into The Details
While I was in college, I made a lot of friends and most of them were females, I find relating with them more fun than with the males. I don't know why it is so but I think it could be traced to the fact that while growing up, I was the only boy among three girls in my home.
One of those days in college, after a general English class on a Tuesday, I and my friends were walking down to the next lecture hall when I saw this familiar face. I tried walking away but my mind kept telling me "You know this person". So, I stopped walking, "I think I know that face", I told Ella, my favorite female friend. She looked at me and laughed, "Emreal, you and ladies, where do you know her from?" She asked
"Facebook, of course, let me show you some pictures if you think I am lying", I replied, as I brought out my phone and started showing her pictures. "She really looks like her but how are you sure that it's not just a resemblance?" Ella responded. "Hmm! You might be right, I know there are so many people who look alike in the world but for this one, I am certain it's her", I replied.
"Fine, you win, it's her, so can we go for the next lecture now?" Ella agreed in order to shorten the conversation but I wouldn't take that. "No, I want to really prove myself right", I replied. "Wow! This is getting interesting, so, what are you up to now?" Ella asked.
"I am going to call her, if she picks, it's her but if she doesn't. We will go for our lecture, deal or no deal?" I replied to Ella, leaving her with no choice. "Fine, you are the boss." She replied.
I didn't hesitate, I dialed the number and the lady I saw sitting on a chair under the mango tree put her hand into her purse, brought her phone out, and received my call. "Hello, Emreal, you sound so excited, what's the secret?" she asked.
I smiled and said, "Turn around towards the road, when she did, she screamed, don't tell me that you?" She asked. "Oh yeah, that's me, and am coming over," I replied as I hung up the call. I and The lady haven't met before, but we chat very well on Facebook.
Ella couldn't believe her eyes, she kept laughing. I know she has already concluded that I am a womanizer in her heart. We crossed to the other side and met Hauwa. She gave me one of the hugs I can't forget in my life. We spoke for a while and I bade her goodbye because I was having lectures.
After that day, my friendship with Hauwa became so strong. We communicated almost every day but we barely met because we were in different facilities. One fateful Sunday, I was so bored, when my phone began ringing, I didn't want to pick the call up at first but when I saw that it was Hauwa, I didn't hesitate to do so.
"Hello dear, how are you?" The soft voice on the phone asked, immediately my boredom went off like darkness whenever light was turned on. "I am fine, this call is a savior", I teased her. "Hey, how is your schedule on Monday morning?" She asked. "Em, what time precisely?" I inquired.
"Anytime, provided it's in the morning", she replied. "I'll be free from 8-9, why did you ask?" My curiosity pushed me to verify. "I wanted us to see, I really missed you and Monday is the only day I will be free" she replied. "It's my pleasure, let's see by Monday morning", I responded.
I was so excited. Early the next morning, my friend Zaks called and asked if I was ready so that he could come and pick me up, I told him I was set. My smartphone was low when Zaks came, so I gave it to my younger sister to help me charge it and i collected her button phone. From my house, we went and picked Ella up.
As soon as we got to school, I discovered that I was already having a Missed call from Hauwa. I quickly returned the call and when she picked up, she said "Meet me at hall 10, my phone will go off any moment". "okay dear I'll be there in some minutes", I replied.
I pleaded with Zaks to take me to the hall on his bike because the place was a bit far. Ella, was like, "You and girls even while writing examinations?" "Come on, don't make me feel guilty" I replied to her as I climbed the the bike.
When I got there, it was already some minutes past 8 in the morning. When I dropped off the bike, l told Zaks "Please call me as soon as the invigilator comes", and he said, "Don't worry, I will do just that". I walked into the hall and she was right there waiting for me.
After talking for a long time, I asked, "Please what is it by the time?" "Time? let me see if my phone will be on", she replied as she made an effort to turn on the phone to no avail. When I saw that she was going through much stress trying to boot the phone, I told her to forget about it.
I forgot to set Time on the phone I was carrying when I slotted my SIM in it. I tried to calm myself but something was telling me that "all is not well." So I excused myself. I went outside and asked a random guy I stumbled on for time and guess what he told me, 10:30 am.
I couldn't believe my ears, I ran inside, and told her "Babe, I am leaving, I am so late for examinations" "Sorry for keeping you", she replied feeling bad. "Come on, it's nothing, I will call you as soon as I am done", I responded and quickly ran out of the hall.
When I got to my Examination venue, I saw some of my mates already coming out. Out of curiosity, I asked, "Why are you outside?" One of them replied, "We are done". What? I was shocked. I ran inside and met the invigilator.
"Good afternoon morning sir", I greeted him, "yes, how may I help you" he responded. I thought it should be obvious that I was there for the examination because I had my pen, my student Identity Card, and some receipts with me. "Sir, I am here for the exams", I replied. "By this time?" He answered with an aggressive tone.
"Sorry sir", I quickly apologized. He looked at me as if he was going to beat me and said "30 minutes, pick up a booklet and a question paper and go."
On a normal day, he was not supposed to even allow me inside because the rule said "No student should be late to exams more than thirty minutes" but I was like 40 minutes late, So he showed me mercy.
"Thank you, sir," I replied, while I did as he bidded. When I sat down, I was so confused, I didn't know where to start. The thirty minutes he said kept ringing in my head. I rushed the exams in order to meet up with time. It was after I submitted my answer booklet that I saw that I answered the question I was putting all my hopes in wrongly because I didn't read it properly. My mood changed after that discovery.
When I came out of the hall, I expressed my grievance to Zaks, but he said "I and Ella have been trying to reach you when the exams started but it was not connecting." It was then I realized I left my other SIM card at home. So, I apologized to them for being so harsh.
Ella then asked, "how was the exams," i told her "terrible", she looked at me being surprise with her mouth opened, "terrible"? She inquired, "yes terrible, the devil was in the detail. I answered some questions wrongly because i didn't read them properly." I replied.
"Oops, sorry about that", she comforted me. "Thanks dear", i replied. Zaks loves laughing, but he couldn't laugh on this occasion because he felt sorry for me too.
When our results came out, I had a pass (D) in that course when others were having distinction. I felt so bad but I have no one to blame but myself for being that careless.
Meanwhile, Hauwa Never called, since I left her that day, not even to know how the exams went, maybe it was because I told her I was going to call her after my Examination but even if that was the case, at least if she was caring enough, she would have called. That was how our friendship went cold to date.