Chapter 27—Love Isn’t Enough

“Dammit, Dave, just take me home, okay?”

Korede had hurried out of the lake immediately to the car door even as her gown, as well as her entire body, dripped loads of water. She tried jerking the door open, but it wouldn't budge. David had locked the car shut. David followed shortly after as she kept pulling and forcing the lock in frustration.

"Korede, you need to calm down. The door is locked." He tried touching her, but like a scared child jumping at the sight of a horror movie, she recoiled backward. "You're soaking wet and so am I. We need to dry off a bit before we get in…And your shoes are over there too."

"Open this car, David, or else I'm walking," she warned.

David scoffed. "You can't be serious," he said before Korede hissed and walked past him to pick her shoes. Then, she turned around and started heading towards the forest.

"Korede." To his surprise, she didn't look back even as she heard her name. She kept walking with intent like she was determined to get past the forest by trekking.

David groaned out loud, then opened his car and got in. He unbuttoned his shirt to the middle then realized he would be better relieved if he took off his jacket. He did and tossed it to the back seat where he sighted a brown polo shirt lying on the floor.

He picked it up and placed it on his lap before starting the ignition and reversing the car in such a smooth manner that he caught up with Korede who had barely walked fifty meters with her long strides into the forest path.

"Hey, get in." He wound down the windshield and spoke as the car moved slowly at her pace. She had her right hand over her left arm to warm herself while her left hand held her dangling shoes.

She didn't respond, neither did she glance at him but kept on walking.

"Come on, Korede. Do you think you can cover the whole distance on foot? Trust me, you can't! And worse, you might get lost."

Korede didn't say anything like before, and David was forced to commit to his last resort. He drove full speed ahead and spun the car into a sharp drift just enough to block her path before he hit the brakes. The sudden move had startled Korede a little, but she chose to keep her composure as she now shot a glare at him.

David opened another side of the door before he spoke. "Get in," he ordered firmly.

Korede shrugged. She didn't want to get into the car with him for many reasons, especially because she knew a talk was going to be inevitable, and that would only make her come face to face with emotions she wasn't ready to handle. But now, she had no choice. The path was blocked.

She got into the car and slammed the door shut and turned to face the window as she waited for him to start the car.

"Here, take this." He tossed the polo shirt to her lap. "You need to stay warm."

"I'm not cold. I don't need it," Korede snapped as she threw it back at him.

"Arrgh, Korede—"

"Just shut up and drive, okay?" Korede shouted.

David's previously tense muscles became relaxed at once. It was clear she didn't want to do with him at the moment. Why should he force it?

"Fine," he said in surrender and drove the car out of the forest to the highway.

The car drove steadily through the traffic silence lingered between them, neither of them speaking even though they had a lot to say. It was more troubling for Korede as David's silence seemed to pull a strain on her thoughts.

What have I done? Why did he kiss me? Why did I like it…? What if Mide finds out?

"Listen, Dave, we have to keep this between us," she voiced with her trembling hands on the armrest and her eyes fixed on him, full of desperation.

"What?" David asked as he slowed down the mustang.

"You're not listening! Nothing happened at the lake, and no one has to know anything, please."

"What do you mean nothing happened? We kissed—"

"No, it was a mistake,"

"A mistake?" David exclaimed just as he parked the car by the roadside now.

"Yes, it was a mistake," Korede repeated. "And it's all my fault. I should have stayed away like Mide warned me, but I chose to go out with you. You don't have to blame yourself."

"Wait, you think I regret what I did?"

"You don't? For Christ's sake, my wedding is in four days, David," Korede croaked.

"And you think I don't know that?" David exploded. "You think I don't mark off the days in my calendar knowing you will forever belong to someone else in a matter of days? Do you have any idea how much my heart breaks each time I remember I only get to spend time with you because I'm helping you plan your wedding with another man?"

David swallowed hard then scoffed to face Korede once more, whose pupils became unsteady as her eyes watered.

"You have no idea how I have tried to bury my feelings for you. You have no idea how I've tried to stop loving you…Even after you broke up with me, I hated you so much for leaving me, but I couldn't stop loving you. I know you don't want to hear this but I'm not sorry for kissing you. I love you, Korede," he confessed finally.

Korede looked dumbfounded as the tears dropped from her eyes. She was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions she didn't understand, emotions she never wanted to give into. The signs had been there from the moment she saw David at the reception hall, but she chose to ignore them from time to time, but now, they came at her with a full force that crushed her heart and soul. What would she tell him? I love you too?

No, Mide is the one you love! He's the one you're getting married to in four days!

She quickly wiped the smudge of tears gathered under her eyes as she managed to compose herself before she spoke.

"David, listen to me." She sniffled. "We've been broken up for over a year now, and I'm not about to ruin what I have with Mide because of one kiss…I understand how you feel, but the truth is I am getting married, and you have to move on, and that means we have to keep this between us."

David interrupted her with a sigh. "I know you don't want to hear this…I still love you. I'm sorry…" David paused to see her reaction.

"Love isn't enough…" She bowed her head and bit her lip. She picked up her shoes and unlocked the car door. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this with you right now," she muttered, stepping out of the car.

David only watched and made no effort to stop her. Rather, he asked a question that stopped her in her tracks.

"Do you love him?"

"Of course, I do," Korede answered sharply.

"No. I mean, do you love him the way you say you do?" David wondered with his voice barely above a whisper as he narrowed a broken stare at her.

This time, she didn't respond straight away. A part of her feared her answer might be a lie.

"Thank you for the ride, David, but I can find my home from here," she muttered before slamming the door shut and walking away.

** ** **

Korede had boarded a taxi that drove her straight home after she left David on the highway. She had begged the driver not to carry any other passenger, promising to make it worth his while as she wanted to be alone. As she sat at the back of the taxi and cried softly, she said a silent prayer to any deity that cared enough to listen. She was confused and she needed help on how to handle her current situation. Above all she needed clarity on where her stand was; she didn't want to lose what she had with Mide but neither did she want to break David's heart any further.

The taxi driver had stopped in front of the address she had given him and signaled with a call that she was already at her destination and pulling her from her thoughts. She handed him some money and thanked the older man before stepping out of the car and walked right through the gate. Luckily, Uthman the gateman wasn't at his post; there would be no questioning stare for the time being.

Now all she had to do was cross the hurdle known as Aunty Bukky.

"Hey, babe."

Korede jumped in shock the moment she heard Mide's voice as she entered the living room. The sight of Mide watching TV with Aunty Bukky had started her not because of the activity but because she assumed he would be at work.

"Hey, honey." Korede forced a nervous chuckle. "Wh-what are you doing home by this time?" she stuttered.

"Have you forgotten already? My leave starts tomorrow. I came home early to surprise you with some ice cream, but I only saw Aunty at home." Mide paused when he noticed how ugly her appearance was. "What happened to you? You look like you went to bath in a river with all your clothes on."

His remark sent her heart racing. It was then she remembered how cold she was as she held her hands together to stop them from shaking.

"No, of course not." She forced another chuckle. "The thing is I was at my sister's shop, and there…there is this prank with water we always played on each other when we were younger—yes, the prank, and Naomi chose to bring it back today for some reason. That’s crazy, right?"

"So you looking like this is because of a prank?" Aunty Bukky's tone and expression hinted disgust.

"Yes," Korede answered, still looking at Mide.

"But why didn't you change your clothes at the shop?" Mide wondered.

"I was so mad that I left immediately after," Korede lied.

"So you just came all the way home soaking wet? And I didn't hear your car pull over at the gate. Did you drive yourself home?"

It was at that moment Korede had enough.

"What's with all these questions, na? You didn't even let me sit before you and your aunt here start interrogating me like I am child—"

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry," Mide said as he walked closer.

"No, you're not sorry. You keep saying you're sorry, but it doesn't mean anything to you as long as you keep having your way with me…You don't even bother to know how I feel about things."

"Babe, is this about last night?" Mide asked.

Korede scoffed. "You know what? I'm just tired right now ,and I can't do this," she said as she headed for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Mide pulled her back by the arm.

Korede shot a glare at him and tore her hand from his grip. "I'm going to my parents’. Goodnight," she retorted sharply and stormed out of the room.