My Encounter With Kate - Episode 7

 

We were seated in a circles eating rice when we started discussing the event of the previous night,  Felix the Corper whom we travelled together in the same bus assisted me in conveying my luggage to the hostel and Biodun the Corper who was next to my bunk said positive comment about the welcome party. 

I just remained silent occasionally I spoke, more about the comedians who thrilled us with their jokes. 

Kunle: "We didn't see you at the end off the program, Did you go somewhere?"

Biodun : "yes, it is true?"

Me: "I got tired, so i came back to the hostel to sleep" 

Kunle: "Okay"

Just as we ate,  we heard the sound of whistles blown from a distance, it was the soldiers, they alerted us about the commencement of any activity about to begin  in camp. 

The rest of the boys rushed their meals, wore their clothes and prepared for the lectures that was about to commence in few minutes.

 I was calm, i didn't mind the consequence of being late; punishment from the soldiers.

Read " Tales of Nene " by the same author ( Osazuwa Omorodion )

. I still had a large portion of meal yet to be touched. 

The sound of the whistle was now becoming louder, people hastened up with noises of hastiness everywhere

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/my-encounter-with-kate

. I just surrender and took my time knowing fully well that i would be punished. 

I gazed searching for both Ada and the guy whom she sat on his leg.

 I was furious, i had it in mind to confront Ada in a polite manner and asked her why she didn't keep her promise last night. As i walked through her platoon, i searched but i didn't find her and the guy who was with her though i wasn't sure if i recognized him that much.

No sooner had the lecture stared when i got a seat. I jotted some points, it was a lecture on drug abuse.  At a time i became bored and uninterested, i played game on my phone, i took a nap in between, i tried to manoeuvre the soldiers so I could go to the hostel but i was unsuccessful, we still had over an hour to go. 

A number of people who were sitting outside the pavilion came to take a shade from the scorching sun that shone. We adjusted so that the pavilion would accommodate them. The noise from the crowd became loud suggesting the poor lecture  environment to the camp officials.

 It was evident that the everyone was tired and wanted to leave,  i stopped pressing my phone because there wasn't anywhere to charge except for the high cost of charging phones in the Camp. 

I scented a nice perfume that i couldn't ignore, I traced  the source, i discovered it was from the girl that sat by my left. She noticed i stared at her. She was one of the most beautiful lady i had ever seen in my life

Me: "Hello dear" 

Her: "hi"

Me: "I love your perfume, it really smells nice, what's is the name?"

Her: "smart"

Me: "cool"

Her: "Thanks"

Me: "it seems you are tired of this lecture?"

Her: "exactly, not just the lecture, but everything in camp"

Me: *** giggle***   "just endure it's a lifetime experience, i am sure you would adapt"

Her: ***hisses** "Let this twenty one days just roll fast i want to travel back"

Me: "This lecture is just so unimportant and the weather isn't helping matters,  i wanna take a rest too"

Her: "It is needed o, i am exhausted here"

Me: "Where do you come from?"

Her: "Do you mean my origin or place of residence?"

Me: "Both"

Her: "I am from cross river and live at Calabar"

Me: "Wow i have heard a lot about calabar it is a very beautiful place,  although i haven't been there". 

Her: "Not really,  it took me about eight hours to get here"

Me: "Yours is better, it took me ten hours"

Her: "Wow, where do you stay?

Me: "Lagos"

Her: "Oh,  i see"

The sun had reduced it intensity, the lady from calabar had gone back from where she came from,  i also discovered that she was in my platoon. 

The lecture was over i quickly called Kunle and we went together to the kitchen to queue for food so we could have time to do other things and then relax before the impatient soldiers chase us out for the evening parade. 

We were served yam with beans, we walked back to the hostel  holding our food.

I opened up to Kunle and Biodun about what Ada did the previous night,  Kunke advised that i shouldn't be quick to judge her, that i should monitor her closely while Biodun castigated her action, his reason was her telling a lie ensued by her ignoring me. 

Biodun suggested i shouldn't have anything to do with Ada, Kunle countered him stating that it is unwise to give an impression on a first experience . It became an argument between both of them i had to interfere since the issue was of my immediate concern . 

I was in a dilemma, I took sides with Kunle's  advice but i knew Biodun had a point. I decided to give the issue more thought but to stick to Biodun Advice for the moment .