THE MOMENT
Chisimdi tried to return her attention to the people around her after Damian walked away.
She listened as one of Chinny’s friends continued telling a story about something that had happened at work, laughing when everyone else laughed and adding a comment whenever she could.
But every now and then, without meaning to, her eyes wandered across the room.
Damian was still there.
He had joined a small group near the far side of the hall, speaking to two men she recognized from the office.
From where she stood, he looked completely at ease, as though their conversation earlier had never happened.
Chisimdi looked away.
She didn’t know why she had expected anything different.
“He’s looking this way.”
Chinny’s voice came from beside her.
Chisimdi turned sharply, only to find her friend watching her with an amused expression.
“Who?”
Chinny laughed softly.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” Chisimdi asked, reaching for her glass.
“Pretend you don’t know who I’m talking about.”
Chisimdi took a sip and tried to keep her face straight.
“You’re imagining things.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Chinny lifted both hands in surrender, though the smile on her face remained.
“Fine.
I won’t say anything.”
“Good.”
Chinny turned back toward the people around them, apparently satisfied that she had made her point.
Chisimdi tried to do the same, but the conversation no longer held her attention.
There was something about Damian tonight that she couldn’t quite place.
At work, she understood him.
He was her boss, and there were clear boundaries between them.
Even when they spoke casually, there was always an awareness of who he was and who she was.
Tonight, those boundaries felt less obvious.
Perhaps it was simply because she was seeing him outside the office.
She decided to stop thinking about it.
After a while, she excused herself and walked toward the quieter side of the venue.
She needed a moment alone.
The hallway outside the main hall was almost empty.
Chisimdi slowed as she passed a row of tall windows overlooking the compound.
The noise from the event faded behind her, replaced by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional sound of someone passing through the corridor.
She stopped near one of the windows and looked outside.
The night was beautiful.
For a few seconds, she simply stood there.
“You escaped.”
She recognized the voice before she turned.
Damian stood a few feet away.
A faint smile touched her lips.
“I didn’t escape.
I just needed somewhere quiet.”
He slipped one hand into his trouser pocket as he came a little closer.
“Then I suppose we’re looking for the same thing.”
Chisimdi glanced at him.
“You don’t look like someone who needs quiet.”
“And you don’t look like someone who enjoys crowded rooms.”
“I don’t.”
His mouth curved into a small smile.
She noticed it and smiled too.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
Somehow, it felt easier than the noise inside.
Damian leaned lightly against the window beside her, leaving enough space between them.
“How was your first week?”
showed briefly in her smile.
“But I’m getting used to everything.”
“That’s good.”
“I was worried I wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“New place.
New people.
New boss.”
The corner of his mouth lifted.
“Was the boss the biggest problem?”
Chisimdi laughed.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
She shook her head, still smiling.
“You’re very sure of yourself.”
“Usually.”
The answer made her laugh again.
Damian watched her for a moment.
Something in his expression changed.
Her smile slowly faded.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re looking at me.”
“I know.”
The simple answer caught her off guard.
She looked away, suddenly aware of how close they were standing.
A few seconds passed.
Neither moved.
The music from the hall drifted faintly through the corridor, but it seemed very far away now.
Damian’s voice was quieter when he spoke again.
“You seem different tonight.”
Chisimdi looked back at him.
“Different how?”
“I don’t know.” He paused, his eyes remaining on hers.
“Maybe more relaxed.”
She smiled faintly.
“Maybe because nobody is asking me for a report.”
That earned a quiet laugh from him.
She looked at him, surprised.
She had heard him laugh before, but something about the sound tonight felt different.
Less restrained.
“You should do that more often,” she said.
“Do what?”
“Laugh.”
His eyebrows rose slightly.
Chisimdi immediately realized what she had said and looked away.
“I mean…
you’re always so serious.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
He studied her for a moment.
“Perhaps I need the right company.”
The words caught her off guard.
She turned back toward him.
Their eyes met.
The smile disappeared from his face.
For a moment, neither of them seemed to know what to say.
Chisimdi’s heartbeat quickened.
Damian’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.
She noticed.
Her breath caught.
Neither moved.
She knew she should step away.
She didn’t.
Damian seemed to realize the same thing.
He straightened slowly from the window and took one step closer.
Chisimdi remained where she was.
Another second passed.
Her fingers tightened around the handle of her handbag.
Damian’s eyes searched her face.
He just stood there, close enough that she could feel the hesitation between them.
And somehow, that hesitation made her
“Mr.
Adetola…” she began softly.
He looked at her.
Whatever she had intended to say disappeared.
He took another small step closer.
Chisimdi didn’t move.
Neither of them spoke.
Then, before either could think better of it, he leaned toward her.
His lips touched hers.
It was barely a kiss.
A brief, uncertain brush that lasted only a moment.
Damian pulled back almost immediately.
Chisimdi remained still.
So did he.
They simply stared at each other.
Her heart was beating so hard that she wondered if he could hear it.
She opened her mouth, but no words came.
For the first time since she had met him,
Damian looked completely unsure of himself.
His eyes searched hers before he quietly said, “I’m sorry.”
Chisimdi blinked.
She wasn’t even sure what he was apologizing for.
She lowered her eyes for a moment, then looked back at him.
“It’s okay.”
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
Neither of them moved away.
That seemed to make the moment even more difficult.
Damian looked at her again, and something unreadable passed through his expression.
Chisimdi swallowed.
She should have left.
He should have stepped back.
Instead, their eyes remained locked for another long moment.
Then Damian looked away first.
He took a slow breath and stepped back, finally putting some distance between them.
“We should go back inside.”
Chisimdi nodded, smoothing her dress unnecessarily as she tried to steady herself.
“Yes.”
Neither mentioned the kiss.
They walked back toward the hall together but a careful distance remained between them.
When they reached the entrance, Damian stopped.
He looked at her for a brief moment before his expression returned to the calm one she knew from the office.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Ms.
Nwankwo.”
The sudden formality made her look at him.
“Yes, sir.”
He gave a small nod and walked away.
Chisimdi watched him disappear into the crowd before finally returning to Chinny.
Her friend noticed her almost immediately.
“Where have you been?”
Chisimdi slipped back into her seat and picked up her glass, hoping the simple movement would help her regain some composure.
“Outside.”
Chinny studied her face.
“Are you okay?”
Chisimdi managed a small smile.
“I’m fine.”
But her fingers tightened around the glass.
Across the room, Damian stood with the other guests, listening to a conversation without really hearing it.
His mind kept returning to the hallway.
To the moment he had stepped closer.To the brief touch of her lips.
He lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked across the room.
Chisimdi was talking to Chinny again.
She seemed fine.
Perhaps she had already forgotten it.
Damian looked away.
But the image of her standing in front of him remained stubbornly clear in his mind.
And for the rest of the evening, he couldn’t quite make himself forget that moment.
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