[STORY] THE LOVE I REGRETTED (Episode 19)

Episode 19.

I am still searching for the word to use in describing the situation I just found myself. Janet is surely going to give me a lot of headache with this her new decision to reconsider me. She said no earlier and I’ve moved on, I don’t know why she’s changing her mind now. Besides, all the rumours I’ve heard and revelations I’ve seen about her has drained almost all the feeling I have for her. I naturally hate seeing somebody, especially a lady getting hurt because of my action or inaction, but I might have to start with her if I’m ever going to have peace on the long run.

I showed Temmy the text message I received from her and he advised me not to meet her anytime soon, though I had promised her. I waved off Janet’s issue from my head and narrated all I could remember from my dream expedition to Temmy and Funmi. We all laughed about it and eventually conclude it’s time to start taking risk fear. Courage is acting with fear not without fear. We all went to church on Sunday in Funmi’s car, and after church service, we headed straight to Funmi’s to her hostel.

It was a girls’ only hostel made of two separate story buildings in the same compound with all rooms constructed as self-contained. We met some ladies in the compound, most on shorts. Some were sitting on an abandoned old wooden table while others were sitting on different plastic chairs, drinking and chatting. Though, they weren’t drinking alcohol at that moment, many bottles of alcoholic drinks scattered all over the compound that look so unkempt, embarrassing the obvious beauty of the buildings.

Some of them stood up and to embrace Funmi while others continue their discussions. We entered her room and I was surprised to see a simple decorated room contrary to my expectation of something big owing to her obvious financial status. The only thing in the room that is not in our room is the refrigerator and that was where I headed first. I opened the refrigerator and could not find beer or other alcoholic drinks except for numerous types of juice, water and one red wine. Me: I was expecting to find alcohol in here

Funmi: I don’t buy them any more, I’ve long been trying to stop taking it.

Temmy: Meaning you only drink when you go to party or when it’s bought for you?

Funmi: Yes, including cigarette. The red wine is a gift from my young cousin on my last birthday.

Me: Which means if you can do away with people that might buy it for you or invite you to a party of such, you are good

Funmi: Yes, but that’s practically not easy. I am a kind of person that love to see people around me most time, which is why I said I need your help. I can’t leave my friends without having friends to relate to.

Me: I understand, but what about your boyfriend or is it fiance?

Funmi: I’m not in a relationship. Me: Oh! Why did you break up and since when?

Funmi: I never had a boyfriend in my life.

Me: Are you kidding me? From secondary school up to this stage, you are rich, beautiful and you attend party a lot coupled with the fact you have numerous wild friends and I’m sure many of them if not all have more than one boyfriend and yet you never had a man?

Funmi: (Smiles) My father is the type that will never allow me out when I was younger. He sent to a girls only school and never give breathing space to the extent barely have friend in secondary school. It was when I gained admission and he had to head his office in another state that I got this freedom I’m enjoying. Besides I hate breakups and it happens a lot around me, that discourages me. My cousin nearly commit suicide because her ex broke up with her. Me: Hmm, you are not discouraged, you are rather scared. So how do you manage unrelenting suitors? I’m sure you’ll have them in bulk

Funmi: I don’t usually give them time or space to say anything except if I happen to like the fellow. Those are the one I made my friends rather dating them.

Temmy: Master friend-zoning, you highness ma (We all laughed) Even though I am obviously growing in love and affection for her, hearing this made me think maybe I should just zone myself before she officially zone me like others.

We stayed a while in her room while prepared noddles for us. We were all playing ludo game after the meal when one of her hostel friends burst into the room without knocking, telling her she has a visitor outside.

Funmi asked for the identity of the visitor and why the person isn’t coming into her room instead of staying outside and calling out, but her friend refuse to give any reasonable information about who the person might be. We sensed maybe the visitor is a guy or the visitor is intimidated by our presence, so we decided to leave at that point for her to accommodate her visitor. We all headed outside only to find Uche laughing with the ladies outside. She was the said visitor who has come to say thank you to all of them concerning her birthday party. Plus Uche were other five guys sited with the ladies.

As we were moving towards gate Uche sighted me and rush down to me in her usual disturbing manner. Uche: Will wait! Me: What’s the problem? Uche: you refused to pick my calls yesterday, why?

Me: Because I died before I resurrected.

Uche: I wanted to ask how you were feeling? How are you now?

Me: Really? You wanted to know how I was feeling after you neglected me at your party as if I’m nothing. Well you’ve your answer, I died.

Uche: Stop saying that now. I wanted to cater for you but your friend won’t allow me (pointing to Temmy).

Me: Of course he won’t, how will he know if you were only coming to confirm if I’m dead or not, so you can finish your work if I wasn’t.

Uche: Will stop saying rubbish in your mouth, how can I want you dead? I like you more than you think. I was the one that pour the water that brought you back

Me: Wao! Thank you pastor or is it prophet Uche for bringing me back. I’m sure you are happy and satisfied. Just do me a favour, don’t come near me again.

Uche: Why now? I’m not the one that hit you now?

Me: Yeah, but you were the one that forced me to the party playing supervisor card. If I wasn’t at the party, of course my head will be free of plank. By the way, tell your friends that hit me I said my head is not a cricket ball. No thanks to them, I see stars in different colours now.

Uche: Why didn’t you want to come in the first place. I was expecting you to cut my cake with me

Me: Cut cake with you as your what?

Uche: As my person now you know. I don’t know how you can like Janet and not me. What do you see in her self.

Me: Uche you are hungry again. Just remember, don’t come near me again

Uche: That won’t be possible. For your information, our supervisor is going to merge our project together after first semester defense. We are now project partners.

Me: Is that your new trick? Well I will have to do what I initially don’t want to.

Uche: And what’s that?

Me: Don’t worry, the police will brief you soonest. You are most likely going to put our supervisor in soup also.

Uche: Police for what? What did I do? I’m not the one that hit you now. Will you are nice guy o, don’t let anybody advice you badly.

Me: Yeah, a nice guy you wanted to send into a nice grave right?

Uche: Will please I did not know anything about it o Temmy: (He came to us where we were talking) Will, we have to leave here now, those guys are here.

Temmy was able to recognize the two guys that confronted me at the party among the five guys that were sited with the ladies. We left the place and Funmi did follow us down to our hostel without her car, saying she did not want to join in whatever conversation they were having. I’m sure Uche would be wondering what I meant by police, little did she know I only use that to scare her a little. I really can’t imagine having Uche as my project partner, that’s tantamount to me doing the project all alone as she will not touch anything coupled with the fact she won’t let me rest with her fantasy intimation. I was able to meet Rachael at her request that evening at a place close to their hostel I wasn’t going to enter their room to avoid Janet.

Me: Temmy did call you after our discussion right?

Rachael: Yeah, he did but was not speaking the way he used to. He told me he needed a break before then.

Me: Don’t mind him. His head will soon come down

Rachael: I really pray so because I love him so much and I don’t blame him at all.

Me: Don’t blame yourself either, the did is done, solution is the main thing now.

Rachael: I owe you an apology too. I’m sorry you got caught in the matter. Though I was dating the guy before, but we were never really dating. He’s abusive and all he want is sex and nothing more. We’ve stop talking since went for IT, I don’t know how he can just come from the blue trying to act like my boyfriend. Which is why I told him on Friday it’s over between us.

Me: Don’t worry Rachael, Temmy told me everything. I know that’s what’s mostly going to be the case. The most important thing is I survived it. Don’t beat yourself up okay, Temmy is more than a friend to me, he’s my brother and I can tell you he loves you more than you think. He’ll surely come around. You know he doesn’t get angry like that, so when he does, just be cool with him, he’ll come down.

Rachael: Thank you Will. You are really a good person, I wish you are my friends’ boyfriend. Me: Talking of your friend, where is she? Rachael: She went out before I called you.

Me: I want to know somethings about her. Do you know Uche?

Rachael: Yeah, she was Janet’s friend from home. And we were all roommates in 100 level days.

Me: She told me Janet is engaged. Is that true?

Rachael: Hmm, you are not the first person Uche will reveal that to.

Me: So she’s lying

Rachael: No she’s not. Janet is engaged and the guy supposedly went for Uche initially before she rejected him.

Me: Oh I see, then why was she that close to me that time and why is she trying to come back to me now?

Rachael: My friend really love you. She has been wishing for you since you met.

Me: But that’s wrong, what about the guy. That’s cheating now.

Rachael: The guy caused it, he’s been cheating too ans Janet is not sure of their relationship anylonger.

Me: Then why can’t he leave the guy?

Rachael: He love the guy.

Me: That’s ridiculous, she did not love me. What she had for me was a pure lust. Though I really had something for her then, but I’ve lost it now. She was the one that said no and I wish she’ll let me be now.

Rachael: I’m not sure she will, she kept telling me she love you.

Me: I would have asked her to chose but It’s late now.

Rachael: You never can tell. What if she leave the guy today?

Me: Will the guy leave her? Besides I don’t have anything other than friendship for her again. I’ll start avoiding her now. Though I told her I’ll talk to her but I don’t think it’s necessary again.

Rachael: Don’t neglect my friend o. She’s not a bad girl, she’s just confused. I sighted someone from afar off that looks like Janet and I immediately left Rachael, telling her we’ll talk later. . .

To Be Continued….. . ..