Chapter 29: What you didn’t see

Chapter Twenty-Nine of Ruthless

What the eyes see, what the heart feels.

"So, what's with the boring Nathan tonight? You've always loved sitting here. Aren't you going to tell me to get up?" Eric joked, but Nathan wasn't laughing. It doesn't sound like a good joke anyway.

Nathan didn't want to sit there for a reason, but he eventually did because truly, he liked to sit where he could see everything going on in his lounge, but unfortunately, on that same seat, he couldn't tell what made him turn around. Every day, he questioned himself about what made him turn away from the video call he was making with his friend. When he turned, he saw her. Shabby blue hair, rimmed glasses, and a hot body. He thought she was nothing but a crazy woman with lost priority. She could be stupid if she wanted to, and she could be hot, if she wanted to, but the combination of the two made Nathan laugh. "That's crazy."

"What's crazy?"

"Well, this lady just walked in and I wonder how they let her in." He laughed. "What type of skirt is that? It looked like a granny type with traces of scissors all over it. She should have stayed in her house rather than embarrass herself with that dirty skirt."

"Change it to your back camera and zoom...... Wait, wait... That's okay. Whao! Did she just turn around knowing you were watching? She's got some ass man." Jamal laughed. "It's more of the two."

"That's okay." Nathan switched the camera back to himself. "She's not that hot anyway." .

"Just wait until she comes closer. You will understand the power of what she carries. You can just smash and look away. Anyways, that's not gonna happen cause I know you."

Nathan suspected himself ending his video call with his friend earlier than expected. Right on that seat, he watched her from being annoying, trying to get up, only to later end up smiling sweetly at the barman. No one would have suspected because he watched her through his phone camera. A good one that made him zoom and still get a clear view. Anyone would have thought he was busy on his phone. He knew how many eyes were watching him, which made him act discreetly almost every time he appeared among the crowd. He was never that free. Then he thought.

What if he hadn't come down?

What if he had decided not to wait for Eric at the bar?

What if he was never obsessed with just an ordinary seat?

What if he hadn't looked away from the call?

Then maybe, he would never have met Tacha.

Then maybe, Nathan thought again, it could have happened another way, another time, and he could have met someone else. Someone he would have been able to forget.

Maybe someone who just took the same seat Tacha took that very day. Pink box braids, mini, white strapless gown, body shaking with excitement at the Afro pop blasting through the speakers. And most importantly, she was having too much fun to even think about approaching anyone. Nathan thought that he should only be at the Lucas when someone like her walked towards the barman.

"Hey man, your mind isn't here." Jamal turned to look in the direction of Nathan's eyes. He couldn't catch Nathan because he had assigned it to his workers working instead.

✨✨✨

"Tacha you have a call!"

"Coming! Who is it?" Tacha yelled back.

"I think it's a message now," Kenny responded.

Tacha came out of the kitchen with two plates of yam and eggs in her hands. She placed one in front of Kenny before going closer to where her cellphone was. She had been sleeping all day after she got back from Nathan. She couldn't leave the bed until noon when hunger won the fight by making her stomach ache. Thanks to Kenny, she ate and went back to sleep.

"What's the smile about? Something big?"

Tacha looked up from her phone. She didn't expect him to do it this quickly. She was hoping he might never have done it considering she left him before waking up and even blocked all his contacts. He's probably mad at you so he's not gonna call anyway. Tacha thought. He definitely had not tried calling her, because if he knew he couldn't reach her anymore, he wouldn't have given her back her job. Tacha dropped her phone and sat next to Kenny. "I got my job back."

Kenny turned to Tacha, her brows going higher than expected. "Which work? Were you sacked last night?"

Tacha chuckled. "No. I meant my former job at the company. I got it back."

"Really!" A smile appeared on Kenny's face, trying to use her hand to cover her mouth, which was slowly opened, quite surprised. "How? Oh my God!" Kenny laughed. "I'm really happy for you cause I know how much you like your work. I hope you won't be receiving calls all day reminding clients to pay up. Bringing in clients is okay."

Tacha laughed. "That's non-avoidable. They think I'm better at speaking with clients."

"Yet they still sacked you." Kenny retained her former position. "But come to think of it," she looked up at Tacha. "How come they hired you back, and it's as if you knew. If you didn't, I trust your head to reach the ceiling by now."

"Oh my God." Tacha laughed so hard because it was true. She was someone who could never keep her excitement to herself, and the truth was, she wasn't expecting it because she thought Nathan would be mad at him once he realised she had left him and blocked him from ever reaching her again. Tacha turned to Kenny. "I met with Nathan last night."

"What!" Kenny's eyes were suddenly twice as big. "No Tacha. More like you were busy with Nathan till daybreak."

Tacha laughed so hard, hitting Kenny's mouth playfully. "To be sincere with you, I feel at ease. I know I won't be able to forget what I had with him, but deep down I feel so free." Tacha couldn't hide her smile. "He won't be able to reach me anymore though. I've blocked him. He promised to let me go and get my old job back. I'm actually happy sincerely. He apologised and that alone cleared the air cause that was the reason why I was so sucked up and angry. And ...I left his bed before he woke up so he wouldn't have to change his mind or something. I don't trust him anyway."

Kenny smiled. "Well, I'm not sure if I should be happy or not, but seeing you smile, telling me how free your mind is makes me happy sincerely. I hope he doesn't come back cause it looks like your body can't stay around him at all." Kenny squeezed his mouth trying not to laugh. Tacha hit her knees, unable to hold her laughter instead.

"You know..." She paused, smiling at Kenny. "I still ask myself what came over me that made me approach him at the bar that night. Like, there were other guys I could have approached but it had to be him." She chuckled. "You want to know what he said to me that day?"

Kenny couldn't help smiling. Tacha's mind seemed really free, so she was completely open to her tonight. She gave her a puppy look. "So you still remember?"

Tacha laughed. "What an experience I can never forget." Her teeth exposed her, but feeling a bit shy. "I think I staggered and he held me. God, at that moment, I think I lost all my senses. He is so manly and hot. His smell was so expensive and still is. I can still remember what I said. Shit! Boy, I can't control myself. You are damn tall and sexy. I want you to have my ass all to yourself tonight."

"Noooooo!" Kenny's laughter filled the room, so into the gist that she jumped up in excitement. "Don't tell me you said all that. Oh my God babes! Damn! You are really a bad girl Tacha."

Tacha's mouth spread so widely, covering her face, but unable to cover up the sound coming from her heavy laughter. She looked up. "I don't think I want to tell you the rest."

"Ehnnn! You won't tell me kini!" Kenny helped her straighten her head. "My friend look up and finish what you started. What did he say to you in return?"

"He actually said...Old lady, what the fuck do you think you are doing?" Tacha mimicked his voice, but only to end up laughing at herself.

"No! No! No! I'm sure he's taken it back now." Kenny protested with her two fingers clicking together, walking about before taking back her seat.

"Well," Tacha continued. "He didn't seem to say much."

"Why?"

"Because his body was saying otherwise. It was as if he were waiting for me to come. He came up the moment my ass was sitting there."

"Awwn. So this hard guy thing na mask."

"Actually, he was really pissed. His voice sent chills down my body. I was so scared cause at some point I was intimidated by his expensive looks, his quietness, his poise. There is just this way he looked at me that made me feel, small, embarrassed, and frightened by him. They were dirty looks like I'm nothing and don't deserve him. Like my touch disgusts him. You know..." Tacha was no longer smiling. "I just overheard Ricko and Hannah talking about me having a hot body and just being useless with it, and upon getting home..." She looked at Kenny. "I wanted to dress like you. You always dress so sexy and men would always fall at your feet to the extent that even my boss likes you and I know it. I thought it could be an advantage for me too."

"Oh no. We were laughing and having fun now. Why do you have to bring in that?"

Tacha's sad expression was slowly replaced with a small smile looking at Kenny's reaction.

"Sincerely Tacha, I dress this way not because I watch someone dressing like that. I feel confident and I like it." Kenny said. "You dress in those clothes because you are trying to hide your shape, your body and that doesn't bring out your true self. People want you to be real and show them it's your goddamn body. You need to wear what you are confident in. What fits you. What you like, not because you think someone feels beautiful in it which is why you want it too. More of what I ordered vs what I got."

The room was now filled with Tacha's laughter. She wondered how Kenny always made her laugh so easily. She did know the right words.

"No sincerely, that's the truth babes. I can still remember the black skinny jeans I bought for you last year when you clocked twenty-six. Those jeans, Tacha it faded before you stopped wearing them out again. Or let's say you got tired of wearing and washing it back."

Tacha made fun of herself. "I should have gotten more though, but Ricko complained I wear it so much and he's always looking around whether I'm being watched or not. And to be honest, I like it more when I match it with my plain shirt or body hug with heels. I love it, but I thought he had a problem with it."

Kenny's smile became wide this time. "No babes, he has a problem with himself. Wear what makes you confident and be proud. God..." Kenny brought down her head on Tacha's breasts laughing, feeling the warmth. "I will dress to kill if I have this body. Somebody will have to check up on Nathan cause he must be going through a serious breakdown right now. I owe you two skinny jeans. When should we go shopping before you resume work?"

Tacha laughed pushing Kenny's head again. She remembered the yam and eggs in front of her, carrying them immediately. "Tomorrow when I'm back from the restaurant. I will tell them to put me on the night shift every day. That way I can earn more money."

"Okay, babes." Kenny carried her plate. "We still have more eggs."

"Definitely." Tacha gave her a look. "Egg eater. I knew you would barely touch your yam."

Kenny grinned. "I'm watching my weight."

"Sorry o. Weight watcher. Waste bin is right here." Tacha said, and the two friends escalated into laughter.