HE LED ME ON

I woke up that fateful Saturday morning to a phone call from my best friend. "Babe!" She screamed over the phone. "Your crush is getting married soon. I mean Ken." This must be one of Sharon’s silly pranks as usual. I thought. She was very good at playing pranks, but this was not a good day for this so I rebuked her immediately. "Come online let me show you something." Out of curiousity, I turned on my data and my eyes were greeted with Ken’s wedding invitation on all my friends status. Ken was actually getting married to another lady, but that was not the worst part. He was getting married on my birthday. I quickly switched off my phone, locked my apartment and hurried out, heading straight to the bridge under which flowed a large body of water.

I met Ken 7 years ago, at a time when I was facing serious financial challenges. I had just been admitted to study law in the prestigious faculty of law, University of Nigeria. Ken was in his penultimate year and the LAWSA president at that time. I lost my dad the year I was born and my mum died in my final year in secondary school. Having worked hard to pass my WAEC and JAMB exams to gain admission to study law, I was worried about how to finance my education. I sat down alone at the corridor of the first year class. He was coming to invite the first year students to the induction ceremony organized by LAWSA every year for freshers and on seeing me in that mood, stopped by to talk to me.

"Fine girl...", he began, "what are you doing sitting here all alone?" I replied that I was fine but he insisted on talking to me. I finally opened up to him about my financial challenges. He asked for my number and I obliged him after promising to attend the induction ceremony. He promised to pick me up at 5pm after lectures and left. I couldn’t take my mind off his ever smiling face. I was sure a lot of people had seen me sitting in that position but nobody ever stopped to ask me what was wrong. This was one person who genuinely took keen interest in my well-being and although I had promised myself that I would simply focus on my studies and make the best grades I can make and not engage in any form of relationship, I couldn't help but wonder if I wasn’t already falling for this stranger.

True to his words, at 5pm prompt, my phone rang and he informed me that he was outside the female hostel. I hurried downstairs to see him looking as fashionable as ever. He came in his car and we left together for the ceremony. As part of his commitment towards my education, he paid my fees for that year and for all the subsequent years so that all I have to worry about was money for feeding and textbooks. Despite that, he still gave me money from time to time and took me out whenever he was available.

He made it a point of duty to stop by my class to ensure that I was fine before going to his class every morning. And just when I thought that he was just a nice person and there was nothing really attached to it, he began to take particular interest in my dressing. On saturdays, he would take me shopping and would insist on me picking clothes that were fitted and brought out my exact shape. He complimented me all of these times and would tell me how I looked beautiful in those clothes and how I should endeavour to wear clothes that brought out my shape. How I should also consider contesting for Miss LAWSA, the faculty’s beauty pageant.

To be continued...

Chidinma Grace Nwokocha

Thanks so much for stopping by and see you next week by God's grace. 

OneLove,

SomzyBrown.