The Boy That Sings
CHAPTER 2 (love in the air).

"ting... Tong... Ting.... Tong" Manuel's Samsung smartphone alarmed at exactly 7am. He had fixed the alarm the previous night before going to bed, although he wasn't the late to rise type but he wouldn't want to risk turning up late at the hotel. Since out of secondary school he has never ever prayed but this particular night he had prayed out of excitement. He had remembered how mama would always insist on praying before going to bed, the way she would call everyone up to the sitting room and begin a long incessant prayer and Papa will occasionally open his eyes wishing she would cut the "commotion" short. Papa nicknamed mama prayers commotion. But as usual she'll pray until Manuel dozes off and brother Tony and Steve occasionally take rounds in shaking him awake. She'll always start with the Catholic five-decades chaplet and then to reading the psalms of the Bible until she'll begin her war-against-enemies prayer nicknamed commotion by Papa. Manuel always wondered if Mama's enemies were so many and powerful that mama always had to beg God to fight them, scatter them, and burn them. He had wondered too if mama was anybody's enemy and if the person always beg God too to fight mama, scatter mama, and burn mama. But that has been his elementary and secondary school days and as he went to bed that night thinking of how mama would have holded his two hands and knelt down in prayer, he dozed off. custom made selections for prom
"Ting.... Tong"the alarm rang the second time as Manuel switched it off, took his towel and dashed into the bathroom to perform the daily ritual of brushing his teeth, toileting and bathing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was exactly 9:15am when Manuel let himself into the hotel and of course Rina was there but he knew the manager will never be there this early, he had purposely turned up early so as to have a little chat with Rina. He had dressed as gentlemanly as one can get, wearing a plain Jean and T-shirt and then selecting the least among the collection of his foot wears which is the zanotti sandals. He needed to look simple to Rina, he had thought.
"hey Rina"He greeted as he approached the counter.
"hey, good Morning Nuel " she smiled.
"how was your night" she added.
"very good I think " he smiled back.
"Is the manager here" he said, confidently expecting a "No".
"No, you'll have to wait for him, if you don't mind" she winked.
"No problem" he said in that reassuring manner that made her feel at ease.
"here, have a seat" she gestured at a wooden armchair opposite her.
He sat down and there was silence for what seemed like forever. "oh damn I should keep this conversation active" he thought.
"Nice name you've got" he said, not knowing what else to say. Her name is the only thing she knew about her.
"oh, you mean Rina?.....its sort of a nickname though" she said, trying to expand the horizon of their conversation.
"what do you mean" Manuel watched as she clicked on her mouse.
"it's kind of a nickname...my parents gave me a disgusting name so I had to change it to Rina." she smiled, glaring at Manuel for any disapproving sign.
"oh, is that so" he added, appearing surprised.
Though he wasn't surprised, he had seen many people who had changed their names, either because their name was hilarious or they just want to sound foreign but at this occasion he knew Rina's name would be as hilarious as a potbellied man. He wondered why people will go as far as to change names given to them by their parents. Mama'll never like such an act and would see anybody that did it as an irresponsible fellow. Of course he's now old enough to choose friends but he wouldn't want mama to know about a girl he met who had changed her name.
"so what is your real name" trying not to look dissapointed.
"well, it's Righteousness" she laughed. "can you imagine such a name?".
"it sounds too religious " he laughed too knowing that if mama was here, she would have felt dissapointed by his comment so out of the fear he once had for mama, he added "but it's nice though".
"no, there's nothing nice about it" she echoed admist laughter.
"Righteousness...no... no.... Like am some sort of a sanctuary " she added.
They were still laughing when a man walked in, took the key to his hotel room from Rina and walked up the stairs.
He remembered boarding a hotel room during his first week in Gwagwalada before renting his one-bedroom apartment. He has never gotten a full day of rest so he had imagined getting a week rest after his Album launch prom but he knew it was impossible because after this prom there are more things that need to be done, at least that's what he was here for. He had moved over to Abuja to find his bed of roses, Lagos never favoured him in his musical career so he had relocated to a better place. He remembered how his friend Andre had pleaded with him to stay and try a bit harder but of course he disagreed. He had told him that Abuja will be better. "make I go hustle" he had remembered saying to him.
They've spoken on the phone lately and Andre had decided to move over to gwagwalada after the year. "that'll be two months from now" he had said to him.
Andre has been a good friend, they shared everything together during his stay at Lagos and he catches rumours of how people refer to them as twins from different parents.
Andre had once joked about Manuel being his best man on his wedding day and at least his sense of humor made him spectacular.
He's a good friend and perhaps mama'll like him.
He thought about Andre changing his name but he knew Andre liked his name like a wife. If Andre was here, he would have whispered to him "oboy toast this girl now, ask her out on a date".
"Andre Andre" he thought.
"good morning sir" Rina greeted a man who had just walked in into the hotel and thereby interrupting Manuel's thoughts.
"good morning sir" Manuel greeted too.
"good morning" the man smiled.
"Are you the musician"
"yes sir" Manuel smiled, extending his hand for a shake.
"Am Mr Hakuna. Am the manager" the man shook his hand.
"come over here" Mr Hakuna said leading the way to the hallway.
Manuel winked at Rina and smiled as he followed Mr Hakuna. He glared at him and saw that he is the fat-man type and has potbelly and big buttocks with full beards making him look like the rich men who owned estates at Lagos with their beards shining polished with greyness. He wished Papa had the same but of course papa will never grow fat again. Papa is thin, had flat buttocks and and always shaved off every little beards that appears on his chin.
"Papa'll never grow fat again" he muttered to himself, trailing along Mr Hakuna as they made their way into the hall.

DROP YOUR CRITICS PLS.
Next chapter dropping soon..... Stay tuned.
And for those who didn't see the chapter 1, visit my wall and read it so you could understand this one, thanks y'all.