Against all odds-and Ifediba's visible irritation-Aderemi got the job, not because of her. In spite of her and that fact haunted her.
Their daily interactions became a series of verbal skirmishes. "You did this wrong," she'd say. "You're holding the paper upside down," he'd reply. "You're impossible." "You noticed." Coworkers began to place silent bets. Would they fight? Would they flirt?
Would someone cry? The answer was yes.
Somewhere between insults and late nights, Ifediba started noticing things she didn't want to notice. How he listened. How he didn't bow. How he didn't need her approval. And Aderemi? He fell harder. One evening, rain trapped them under the office canopy.
She sighed. "Why do you look at me like that?" "Like what?" "Like I'm not a problem."
He smiled softly. "Because you're not." She looked away. That scared her.