LADIES COMMON MISTAKES IN A RELATIONSh!p
EPISODE 15
I ba-rely had returned to my room the following morning, when Mariam knocked and entered with a very sad and tired look. She really looked that moment like a night worker who worked without rest all throu-gh the night.
She wearily fell on my be-d with a sigh. I sat beside her, with both hands on my w@!st and stared curiously at her with surprise.
“It’s over between Timi and i” she muttered, while i g@sped in shock,
“What did you just say?” i heard myself ask
“My relationsh!pwith Timi is over” she announced again, i just breathed de-eply and kept quiet for few seconds.
“How? What exactly happened?” i calmly asked,
“I confronted him last night about his ties with a cult group, he tried denying it but when i continued with my questions, he barked at me almost hitting me in the process. I gave him a condition to tell me the truth or k!ssour affair goodbye, yet he ignored me till this morning when i left the room” she explained unhappily, while I smiled and held her left hand.
Even though i really never supported her relationsh!pwith that boy, i knew my friend really do love him, and so i had to be cautious and neutral when advising her.
I looked at my wall clock which re-ad 7:30AM, bit myl-ips and stared at my friend. I planned going to school that fateful day but with the look of things i knew i might skip lectures again.
“Girlfriend are you very sure about your decision?, you are alre-ady into him which is a fact you can’t deny” i asked with a smile, but she kept quiet and pretended as if she didn’t hear my words.
Someone knocked on my door seconds later, which made me move my attention to my door. I waited extra two minutes before finally opening my door, where a nervous looking Timi greeted me with a f0rç£d smile.
“is Mariam with you?” he calmly asked with a searching look. At first I truly was at lost on what to reply him, but when i finally made up my mind to deny ever seeing her that morning, Mariam appeared behind me and shouted at him.
“What are you doing here, leave me alone” she barked before shutting the door on his face. Instead of leaving, he surprised us by knocking again for almost an hour, and it really appeared as if he wasn’t re-ady to leave my door alone until it was opened.
I really was uncomfortable and a bit sad, because I alre-ady have missed lectures for that day and still tra-pped in my room all because i was standing by my friend.
“I think you should have a little chat with him, you never can tell what he wants to say to you” i finally whispered to Mariam when i couldn’t endure his knock anymore. She tried to argue, but i gave her no chance, stood up and opened my door for Timi who quic-kly rushed to her side.
I never believed nor dreamt that someone like Timi could ever do such a thing for a girl,
“Is that what true love really means or is he just trying to defend his pride??” was the question i keeping asking myself as i left them alone in my room to fetch a bucket of water downstairs…….
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I ran into Linda when i finally got downstairs. I smiled polietly and st©pped by her side. She was well dressed up that fateful morning, with a big pink handbag slung on her right shoulder. The events of the previous evening instantly c@m£ racing into my mind and i glanced at her injured beauty with a heart filled with pain.
“Hi dear are you going to school?” i asked with a look of surprise, because after what happened the previous day i never knew she even had the strength to dress up for an outing.
“No i’m going over to a friend’s house, i’ll stay there till i recover” she explained with a weak smile. I truly was t©uçhed.
“That’s a nice idea dear, i’ll keep praying for you” i muttered with a friendly pat on her left shoulder. She nodded with a smile and left without another word. I really felt like crying that moment, but i held myself and walked to the water-pump, which unfortunately wasn’t working that morning. With a de-ep sigh i went to the extreme end of the backyard where the second water pump was located and equally where David and his friends do stay most of the time, smoking and doing some weight-lifting exercises, ma-king that corner of our lodge highly avoided by students, but i had no choice than to go there, since i badly nee-ded water…
I slowly went there with a fast beating heart, and just like i feared David and two guys sat beside the water-pump discussing seriously. I muttered some greetings which they ignored before quietly fetching water from the Tap.
“I will be in your room later” i heard David mutter with a serious look as i carried the heavy bucket of water i fetched. I said nothing to him, though i managed to f0rç£ out a smile, which i knew he interpreted wrongly.
I slowly returned to my room with my thoughts focused on how to end his disturbance. Nothing so far has been able to st©p him and with Linda finally out of the way, i knew i was in for a bigger trouble, and it just looked as if i jumped out from a burning pot only to land on the fire un-derneath.
“Oh Lord plea-se don’t let this fire burn Samuel as-well” i prayed as i stepped into my room.
Perhaps it was my thoughts that blinded me or my fears that clouded my sight and prevented me from seeing Mariam and Timi engaged in a scuffle. But It was to late to avert disaster as Timi’s falling b©dy crashed on me without warning. My head smashed on the wall, while his elbow broke myl-ips. My bucket instantly fell, watering my room in the process. Mariam screamed in panic…
Timi quic-kly composed himself, helped me to my feet and muttered some quic-k apologies. He really was very embarras-sed, and avoided meeting my gaze out of shame.
Mariam quic-kly overc@m£ her shock, rushed to my balcony, gr@bb£d a clean piece of rag and started scru-bbing my room with it. Timi joined her moments later, when he saw that i was alright, while i quic-kly carried my books which were neatly arranged on the floor and spre-ad them out on my balcony to dry.
Truly the whole scene c@m£ as a shock and surprise to me, but it really was an accident so i blamed no one. Surprisingly Timi and Mariam worked harmoniously together like newly married couples as they scru-bbe-d my room, their quarrels forgotten as if it never happened. I smiled in appreciation as i watched them, even though i still felt a little pain on my head.
“Timi really is a nice guy” i finally admitted to myself, because he displa-yed some attributes which i never knew was in him. “Sometimes casually re-ading a person dos£n’t really tell us all we nee-d to know, and most times we end up forming a very bad opinion about such person due to our casual observation” i reasoned with a sigh.
I quic-kly fried plantain which we all ate together minutes later, and i almost bur-sted into laughter as i watched Timi trying so ha-rd to make Mariam smile.
“plea-se help me plead to your friend, she dos£n’t un-derstand how much i love her” he finally pleaded to me. I blu-shed and stared at Mariam without knowing what to tell her,
“Don’t give me that look Mary, he should first tell me if he truly belongs to a cult group or not, if he really wants me” she fired back. I stared at Timi with a shrug. He instantly looked down as if he was given a very difficult condition.
“Will the truth change anything?” he asked seconds later,
“I don’t know” she replied haughtily,
“Yes i do belong to a cult group” he muttered with a de-ep breathe.
A hvge terrifying silence fell in my room as his confession registered into our head….
For the first time, i wished he had lied…
“No it’s a lie” Mariam screamed with a loud voice, while Timi humbly knelt by her side like a condemned servant.
I really was very shocked and stunned with his confession, because even though he did the right thing by saying the truth, it looked that moment as if he just poured water over a raging petrol fire.
I was very much at loss on what to do, and in a vegetable state i was as i watched the whole drama keenly. Mariam just looked like someone who just saw a ghost by the way her eyes blazed that moment.
I don’t doubt some folks who always argue that sometimes “a sweet well told lie is hundred times better than a bitter truth”. The tensed up situation that morning was enough to seal my belief.
“Baby it really doesn’t change who i am, plea-se don’t let it come between our love” i heard Timi beg, but his effort only earned him a dirty sl@p which sound echoed in my room, leaving a hvge lump in my throat.
“So you took me for granted all these while? she barked like an angry wolf, while Timi gently ru-bbe-d his left chin where the h0t sl@p landed. Surely that sl@p really was so h0t and terrifying. Only the f0rç£ by which it was delivered and the sound which erupted from it was enough to deafen his ear for months. Yet he still knelt humbly as if the sl@p was nothing but a friendly pat.
“Oh what a man”
“Leave this room right now?” my friend barked, pushing him backwards in a violent manner. I instantly jumped up in his defence,
“Girl you are taking this too far, chill nau” i begged with a slightly raised tone, which made her stare at me with a surprised look.
I wasn’t blind not to notice that my friend was using her annoyance to abuse her b©yfri£nd, who probably thought he was doing the right thing by calmly recieving the whole tantrum thrown at him. I knew Mariam clearly wasn’t with her mind and was extremely blinded with fury, which left me with no other choice than to intervene.
So you are now defending him abi??, how am i sure you two aren’t into this together” Mariam accused with an angry scowl,
“Oh Christ” i exclaimed….
“Timi plea-se can you leave us alone” i calmly asked Timi who looked at me curiously,
“Don’t worry you will hear from us this evening” i as-sured him with a faint smile. He shrugged, stood up and left without another word.
I instantly faced Mariam furiously with hands on my w@!st after Timi had left.
“What was that outbur-st all about??, what is even wrong with you, what has gotten over you eeh??” i asked angrily, but she just kept quiet and bit herl-ips,
“plea-se you should learn how to control your anger, you are a girl, i won’t involve myself in your problems again, for all i care you can go pour keros£ne on him and strike a match-stick mtcheew” i barked before lying down on my be-d.
I really was very bitter and angry over her annoying comment, which made me pour out my whole mind to her without reservation, even though i later regretted it especially when i noticed the apology in her eyes. She truly was in a sorry state but such misguided comments are what i really can never tolerate.
“I’m sorry” i heard her apologize moments later. An apology which i knew took out much effort from her,
“Sorry” is a word which really has the capability of st©pping fights, quarrels, disputes and even wars, but it’s also a very simple word which is very ha-rd to say, considering our pride, because it means you accept being at fault.
“Common nah st©p vexing, you know i wasn’t myself when i made that comment eeh” she pleaded and tickled me. I smiled sat up and faced her.
“It’s okay lets forget about it” i muttered with a smile, which made her hvg me gratefully. Truly Mariam really isn’t the quarrelsome type and that also made our friendsh!pvery strong as if we were sisters.
“What do you think i should do about Timi?” i soon heard her ask,
“It all depends on you and how you still feel about him” i replied,
“I still do love him even though i hate to admit it, and i don’t know the reason i’m still feeling this way, you know how much i hate cultism and cultists” she poured out with a coloured face,
“My dear love is a very strong feeling which can’t be easily erased, moreover i just noticed he is a nice guy, so maybe its your destiny to change and led him towards the right path, i can only advice you to be careful and hold back a little portion of your heart” i advised,
“Don’t you” she tried to argue, but i instantly placed a f!nger on herl-ips,
“ssshhh, i know you didn’t sleep last night, so lie down, sleep and think it over” i advised like a nursery school teacher. She shrugged and obeyed without another word.
I smiled, la-id beside her, took a novel from my travelling bag, began re-ading it, and soon found myself in fantasy land. A land of bright hopes where good dreams come true.
____________
“I’m going back to him” My dear friend said to me, when she finally woke up around 4pm,
“That’s cool dear” i replied happily,
“But plea-se you will follow me to his room” she begged, i shrugged and accepted.
An hour later after freshening up, we walked to Timi’s room together and knocked calmly on his door.
He opened his door seconds later, breathed de-eply with hopeful eyes when he saw us, while Mariam win-ked at me before hvgging him pas-sionately. A very surprised Timi held her ti-ghtly and thanked me with his eyes.
I instantly turned and left for my room with tears of joy, satisfaction and relief in my eyes……
LADIES COMMON MISTAKES IN A RELATIONSh!p
EPISODE 16
My heart jumped when i saw David standing beside my door. I instantly felt like turning and going back to Timi’s room, but i couldn’t. His right hand was on my door which showed he probably must have been knocking on it for long. I frowned and walked up to him,
“What do you want?” i asked coldly, he scoffed and fed his eyes on me for a while,
“Hmmm what a question, of course i want you dear” he replied with bright eyes which got me more annoyed. Just that moment Samuel c@m£ out from his room, stood beside his door and beckoned on me to come. He probably must have heard the conversation going on between David and i from his room which made him to show up that moment, but his action provoked David whose beaming eyes instantly burned furiously. He gr@bb£d my right hand r0ûghly and stared at me murderously,
“You ain’t going anywhere, he should come here and tell you whatever he wants to say” he muttered, while i stared at him with confusion written all over my face.
Samuel saw his action as a challenge and walked up to him br@vely. I felt like fainting that moment because i knew what was about to happen wouldn’t in any way be plea-sant.
“Guy abeg free my girl, i won’t beg you again” Samuel warned courageously,
“Your girl eeh? So you no longer have fear or respect in you??” David asked with a dirty smile.
“Samuel plea-se let me handle this” i begged, but he ignored me and faced him defiantly.
David calmly freed my hand and held Samuel’s shi-t by the collar,
“What do you think you can do to me stinking jew?” he asked before sl@pping him. I panicked and instantly threw myself on Samuel who was alre-ady in the process of returning the sl@p, because he really was no fighter or match for David who might end up calling for backup.
Instead of calming down, when he saw me hold Samuel, he pu-ll-ed a belt from his trou-ser and flung wildly without caring whether it will land on me or not.
Perhaps he did it intentionally for me to know i wasn’t save with Samuel or maybe as punishment for rejecting him.
The belt soon landed on my back with full f0rç£, s£nding a horrifying message of pain all across my b©dy. Yet i still held Samuel strongly and screamed for help
Luckily Neighbours rushed out from their rooms and held David strongly, even though none of them dared caution him. I managed to drag Samuel to his room, while some kind neighbours followed and as-sisted me in calming him down.
“Why were you fighting with that criminal?
Nawa for you oo,
“Do you want to bring yourself down to his level?
“Abeg always ignore him the way we do, he is just a frustrated criminal”.
They asked, advised and cautioned Samuelwho kept moving his eyes to and fro like a cornered rat.
“I think you should report him to the police or school security” a neighbour advised,
“Hmmm which kind advice you dey give so? Abeg don’t listen to him jare unless you are re-ady to fight all his cult group” another neighbour ch!pped in, instantly causing a h0t debate among them and it lasted till late in the evening.
“I’m sorry for dragging you into this” i apologized when we were finally alone. He bit hisl-ips and stared at me with a blank expression.
“Mary i failed you” he muttered sadly. My heart melted, i drew close and held him pas-sionately,
“You made me very proud today dear” i replied sweetly. He breathed de-eply before giving me ti-ght hvg.
“plea-se i will like to see the sp©t where his belt landed on you” he begged quietly. I instantly looked away with a coloured face.
I never knew he noticed when David’s belt landed on my b©dy because it happened in a flash and i equally failed mentioning it to him because i didn’t want him to feel bad.
“oh my God!” he exclaimed as he examined where i was hit by David’s belt.
“I will report him to the police” i heard him mutter. My heart instantly leapt, i turned and held his hand,
“plea-se allow this matter to die abeg dear” i pleaded with guilt and shame in my eyes because i never knew i would stoop so low as to beg on David’s behalf, even though i was restrained from reporting him to the authorities few days ago, but my plea really was for Samuel’s good, because cultists are always very deadly and unpredictable.
“So what do you think we should do to him?” i soon heard him ask. I swallowed ha-rd , covered my face with my palms and rested it on my knees,
“What really should be done to that rascal?” i asked myself over and over again. A multi million question very ha-rd to answer.
I was very busy with my thoughts that i never knew when he left me to boil h0t water, nor when he returned with a h0t bowl of water to press the wound caused by David’s belt-wh!p.
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Days later David saw me as i was returning from school, caught up with me at the staircase and held my right hand softly. I st©pped and stared at him coldly while he returned my look with a calm smile.
“I know you are still very angry with me over what happened the other day, I’m very sorry” he apologized. I tried to snatch my hand from his grasp but he strongly held me.
“plea-se just take this and buy something for yourself, i really do apologize with all my heart” he muttered and offered a brown envelope to me. I stared at him speechlessly, tried again to snatch my hand but he still held it strongly.
“Just take it plea-se” he pleaded,
“Just let me be David” i replied with a raised tone. He stared around, before facing me once again,
“Mary what i feel for you is no ordinary love, i swear i can pu-ll down any building just to make you mine” he added quietly.
I unhappily shook my head as i tried to calm myself down. A new plan instantly rushed into my mind,
“Okay let’s go to my room” i muttered coldly. He smiled, re-leased my hand and together we walked into my room.
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He quietly sat on my be-d, I sat beside him in a well composed manner and faced him with a fake smile,
“I really do appreciate the gift, but i cannot accept it” I calmly said to him, while he silently stared at me,
“I know you truly do love me David” i added and held his right hand which totally surprised him.
“A great love, even if it be unfortunate, should enable a man, not make him desperate and heartless, plea-se let’s just be friends, i do believe with time i may learn to love you” i murmured gently.
“But can’t you offer something much more than ordinary friendsh!p?” he asked instantly. His anguish very real, not feigned in any way. Love, life, liberty all were at stake which i very well knew and so had to choose my words carefully.
“No David friendsh!pis all i can offer for now”, “Here you are offering me love, and my hand does not tremble, my heart equally does not; your words give me no plea-sure, only pain; i’m conscious of nothing, only a wish to end this interview, plea-se do un-derstand my plight. How else can i explain that i feel no love for you at the moment” i poured out to him.
“But with time, could you learn to love me?” he eagerly asked,
“Yes i’m very sure i will, plea-se don’t think i speak out of pride or to pain you” i lied sweetly. All i wanted that moment was my freedom which i prayed our little discussion would grant me.
I saw a sudden shadow of despair come into his eyes. I swallowed ha-rd and muttered quic-k silent prayers to my creator.
“You have unmanned me, but i think you are right, i can’t f0rç£ out love from you, lets be friends like you said” he muttered while his cheeks flu-shed with embarras-sment.
I heaved a sigh of relief, my eyes instantly lit up with joy. I felt like hvgging him in appreciation, but i held myself,
“Thanks a lot for un-derstanding my plight” i murmured with delight.
He stood for some moments in silence; a dim perception of his own unworthiness c@m£ over him, with a smile, he tapped my left shoulder and left my room quietly.
“Is this the end?” i asked myself happily,
Only time will tell….
TBC