. . .

I have been hearing symphonies,

Before all I heard was silence.

~C.B
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Last night it took all my inner strength to remain in my room and not run into Sandra's. I was dying to find out. I am still dying to know how the date with the mysterious god-like Anteros- whom Uche thought sounded like an antenna, went.

As I go around each room picking up dirty towels and stained foot mat, it's the only thought in my head. Sandra seem genuinely flushed by the guy and I really want to know how the date went.

"Lies!" A tiny voice says in my head.

Fine. I am not being entirely truthful to myself. The truth is, I really just want to spend more time around Sandra. Not because of our friendship. No.

For some reason I can't explain, Sandra's presence around me reduce my inner pain. My eternal curse.

I don't know how it happened but the moment I walked into that reception area last night, I felt it. The source of my comfort. Relief. Hope. Sandra.

The hope a racer gets when they start seeing the finishing line. That hope came alive deep within me the moment I entered the same room with her and it surged stronger the moment we came closer.

I thought going back to my room after seeing her would bring back the pain in ten folds but it didn't. Somehow she spread the comfort to every passage of the hotel. Bits of it. Like the multiple musical part of a symphony. I heard a different instruments in different areas. My world was no longer silent.

With a peaceful smile on my face, I perform my duties with sincere happiness, making a promise to myself to never lose this. To never lose this amazing feeling that comes with this job and my friends. All I have to do to fulfill this promise is to stay alive.

My white trainers silently march ahead of me as I push the trolley down the last corridor of rooms to the laundry area. Greeting my colleagues, I start placing the dirty towels into the washing machine, humming my happy tune.

"Look who is full of tunes!" I hear Uche's teasing voice before I see him walk up to me, after passing Bluetooth kisses to the two girls I share the laundry room with.

"Hey Uche!" I greet him.

"Shaftey! What's up na?" He demands happily.

"I am fine." I shake my head at the nickname he has given me as I pour in detergent into the machine.

"I can see that. Ehn, I need your help," he says with pleading dark eyes.

"Sure, what is it?" I ask concerned for him. What can Uche possibly need from me?

"Sandra is planning to kill me and I need you to stop her," he whispers quickly into my ears.

First of all, he doesn't look genuinely scared. I know what death feels like and for someone who has been threatened with death, he doesn't look scared.

Secondly, Sandra will never want Uche dead. Unless-

"What did you do to her?" I demand, placing my left hand on my hip and trying to sound intimidating.

"Na that her date oh! I didn't do anything to her, I swear!" He cries, his eyes focusing on something on my head. He is stalling.

"What happened to her date?" I ask calmly. I know Uche can be very naughty, I am sure he did something really terrible for Sandra to threaten to kill him.

"We got to the place oh and we met the Antenna guy-"

"Anteros," I correct.

"Ehn that one. He then introduced us to his brother oh. He told us his name oh but I didn't hear so I asked na, is it a bad thing to ask questions again?"

"How exactly did you ask this?" Knowing Uche, he probably heard the guy's name but decided to crack a silly joke by twisting it into something funny.

"Promise to help me beg Sandra and I'll tell you," he says, pouting his mouth and blinking his eyes like a child.

"Okay," I say, squinting my brows.

"The name sounded like Stupid," he whispers while holding in a snicker.

"You mentioned that to them?" I ask wide-eyed. No wonder Sandra wants to murder him. "Uche!"

"It was suppose to be a joke na. But the guy took it personal and started saying all sort of things then he left," he explains with a shrug.

"He left? As in walked out?"

"Yes na."

"Uche, how could you have done that?" I cry out.

"Shey, It's now wrong to ask questions again? See ehnn no preach for me oh!"

"Uche! It is wrong. How can you just call a guy Stupid?" I ask, trying to make him understand that he embarrassed Sandra in front of her date.

"Na im name na! Aah Shaftey, is like you sef wun dey do your own," he whines. *(That's his name! Ah Shaftey, it seems even you want to make the situation harder.)

"How can that be his name? Who names their child, Stupid?" I keep probing him so he feels guilty.

"Ehn you nko, no be Shaftesbury you call yourself?" He says, a smirk growing on his face.

He has a point.

Even I gave him a very silly name.

Maybe this guy also has problems remembering his brother's name and so gave one that sounded like Stupid.

I glare at him in defeat for a few seconds and we both start laughing.

No one wins an argument with Uche. If he says Anteros' brother's name is Stupid, then we just have to let him be.

"Just don't call the guy Stupid when he is there, it will be very embarrassing," I plead with him after our laughter dies down, "and the Anteros guy?"

"Ant-man stayed with us na, so the evening still peng. The guy na vibe I swear," he says, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Wait slow down, Ant-man is who again? The Anteros guy?"

"Yes oh. And let me tell you, the guy fiiinnne!" He sings, emphasizing the word 'fine'. "Chai, Sandra was just drooling. And he is really into her, he even arranged for another date tonight and I won't miss it-"

"Wait- you actually want to tag along AGAIN?"

"Yes na. Abi na bad thing?" He asks, rolling his eyes like I spoke an alien tongue.

"Yes!" I reply bewildered.

How can he think it is fine for him to be the third wheel on their date again, after he ruined the first one?

"Oh na you sabi!" He exclaims. "See ehn, just help me beg her," he says rolling his eyes, "before I forget sef, you are to clean up room 302. The guest there just made a call." He blows me a kiss before waltzing out of the laundry room, making sure to fist pump the other girls on his way out.

I stare at his retreating back and I cannot help but wonder how Sandra will be feeling right now. I hope he didn't ruin her chances with the Anteros guy.

Uche can really be a handful but he is still the sweetest guy I've ever met, in all my lives.

The washing machine I am working on gives a beep and I return my focus to it. I set it for drying which should take another thirty minutes. That should be enough time for me to get to the room Uche assigned me and return back to the machine.

I pick up my cleaning gear and head out. The air in the elevator seem to have been renewed with Sandra's presence and the relieve it brings is like taking ice cream on a really hot day.

The elevator dings as it reaches the fifth floor, and I push my gears out. Then I feel it, the air here is even more relieving. The symphony here isn't in bits like in other places, the music plays together. A beautiful soft tune.

Is Sandra here?

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I begin to move down the corridor and the tune gets stronger. Luring me closer and closer to the source. I abandon my gear and allow the wind to lead me to this wonderful place, the source of my comfort.

Sandra is here.

The more rational part of my brain-that isn't consumed with the need to wipe off the eternal pain in my heart-wonders what Sandra can possibly be doing up here by this time of the day, but I refuse to heed it. I close my eyes and let the tune pull me to itself.

I allow it lure me deeper in the corridor. My legs moving on their own, following the rhythm of the calming tune. I reach a barrier which forces my eyes open. The tune also seem to be pulling away from me, like who ever was playing it, is leaving. I stare at the door, room 302.

As I blink my eyes in confusion, the door opens revealing a man with golden eyes that penetrates my very soul. Soft light coming from the room dances reflectively on his olive skin, making him appear like- a god?

Those eyes. . . Have I met this man before?

He seem to also be lost in my appearance for he remains silent for an awkward moment before he finally opens his mouth, "I believe the young man Uche sent you?

***

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