Chapter 11 --- Life had its plans
It’s been three months since graduation Michael never replied my messages or returned my calls. I sent him messages wishing him Happy New Year, 4 weeks ago but I didn’t get a reply. Just like the one I had sent on Christmas day as well. Moving on has been hard and I still stalk his social media pages every day, he looks really happy on his page, I wonder why I have to be the one to suffer and feel this much pain. If you’ve ever been heartbroken after loving someone with all you have I’m pretty sure you’ll know what this feels like, like I’m never going to stop loving him, like whatever this pain is, isn’t going to go away.
“Ladi get ready, we’re going to the mall to get the things for the field work” my boss who was an assistant to the MD said
“Okay ma” I replied
This was my 3rd week at work, after the interview I was asked to resume immediately I was assigned a Primary Place of Assigment for my service year, the organization sent a letter requesting for me. It has been very intriguing working as an intern here, in 2weeks I already had so much experience to include in my CV. My house was quite far from the office so I talked to my parents about moving into my own apartment, this has always been on my mind, now I had just the perfect excuse to make it happen and I did. The new apartment was about 20 minutes drive to work, which was better compared to the distance of where I was staying before.
“Are you hungry?” the A. MD asked
“Uhm, no ma” I replied. I was very hungry as a matter of fact but somehow I couldn’t get myself to say I was
“Oh, well. I am. Come on lets grab something to eat” she said. We had spent close to 2 hours waiting to get all the banners, fliers, stickers, shirts and cap with the health theme printed boldly on them promoting mental health, from the guy who we had an appointment with, apparently he wasn’t done yet and over the phone he said he had finished making all the copies we requested for.
“Jollof rice and chicken, 3 plates, take away please” I said to the food attendant
“Here” he replied
“Thanks, and bottled water, 3” I said, stretching my hands over the counter to give him the atm card. The A. MD had given me her card and asked that I get her and the driver, jollof rice and chicken and then anything I want for myself.
Just when I was about walking out I hear my name, I looked back to see who it was.
“Raphael” I said with so much excitement. We never got to talk after graduation, because I changed my number in the process of trying to get over Michael, which didn’t help at all. I’m pretty sure Raph has tried so hard to reach me.
“How have you been, it’s been ages” I said, holding the pack of food in my hands
“Very well, I’ve tried calling you severally but it doesn’t ever go through. How have you been?” he replied
“Not bad. Just work. I changed my number that’s why you haven’t been able to reach me”
“Are you serving here?”I added
“Yeah, I am”
“And we never saw each other at camp?”
“I was posted to Kaduna, so I camped there, I redeployed right after”
“Ohh, okay”
“Do you live around here?” he asked
“Yeah, I do. Had to get a place here because of work”
“Uhm, I have to go my boss is waiting for me” I added
“Can I have your number please” he said
“Sure” I replied as I typed in my number on his phone
“Let me hold that for you” he said gesturing his hands towards the pack of food in my hands
“Thank you so much, I’ve got it. The car is just outside” I replied
“Okay, bye. I’ll call you, and please don’t change your number again”
“I won’t” I giggled, as I walked out of the restaurant.
I could hear my phone ring from the kitchen, I dropped the whisker into the bowl of egg and hurriedly rinsed by hands.
I rushed over to my phone, it wasn’t anybody familiar that was calling, I already figured it would be Raphael
“Hey” I said
“Hmm, seems like you already know who’s talking”
“Yeah, I do, Raph. You’re the only one who could possibly be calling because I have the number of all those who have this line, saved on my phone”
“Okay” he laughed. “What are you up to?”
“Preparing breakfast”
“Okay. I’m heading over to a restaurant nearby to grab some coffee and toast”
“Oh, that’s nice”
“I guess it is. I now live alone and I really hate to cook so I always have to eat out” he said
“That’s not bad as long as eating out doesn’t make you broke”
“I hope it won’t”, “I’d love to take you out for lunch, would you be interested?” he asked
“Oh, uhm. I guess I would, I’m off work this week”
“Okay, great. I’d call you”
I stared at myself in the mirror again, wondering if what I was wearing was good enough for a lunch date. It was a blue boy friend jeans and white round neck top, together with some cute ass kicks. I contemplated on wearing a dress but then I didn’t want to look too serious like I was going on an actual date, I just wanted to give off that vibe of two friends having lunch, I wasn’t sure of what I was supposed to dress like to give off that perception
“Hi” I said as I swiped over to answer Raph’s call.
“Hey there, I’m outside” I had texted him my address details yesterday after he called asking for it
“Okay, I will be out now”
“Hmm, This is so good” I said as I chewed on the food. The restaurant was quite popular and known to be expensive and their food is just as good. I had planned on placing an order for burger and fries but then I saw the new Chicken and plantain soup on the menu and I made the right choice. The taste is so good.
“Yeah, it is” Raph replied putting the large piece of burger between his lips to take a bite
We spent a few hours eating and not doing too much talking. “I’ve found a new place for my weekend treat”
He laughed out loud “weekend treat?”
“Yeah, of course, I always treat myself to some fancy experience by weekends, could be a nice restaurant or a spa, or anything nice and apparently they do all services here and it has a hotel too. What’s the name again, Blu cu”
“Cubanna, Blu cubanna” he said
“Hmm, okay nice, I should treat you to something good next time”
“Come on, you don’t have to pay back for this” he replied
“Oh, I’m not trying to pay back. You’re my friend, I mean we are friends right?” I asked
“Yeah, of course we are” he nodded with excitement
“Great, so I get to treat you to nice outings, it could be a nice food, or spa or games or movies. Like I always do these things alone because most of my friends who I would have gone with are at Lagos, but now I have one here so, Cheers” I tilted my cup towards his side a little before taking a sip.
“Hmm, okay, I think I like the sound of that” he giggled
I smiled, looking at him and taking a sip from the fine wine in the glass cup. When I saw Raph at the mall a week ago, a little voice in my head said I shouldn’t give him my number or act too friendly and just let him be, but then another part of me knew that was nonsense, one of the reasons I avoided him so much in school was because of Michael, and Raph seemed like a good person, I have a feeling we would be great friends.
“I hope you don’t mind if I ask you this question?” Raph said, folding his lips and looking really anxious
“Uhm, okay. Go ahead”
“What” he paused, he looked like he was about to faint or like if he completed the sentence I would pour my glass of wine on him
“What happened between you and Michael” he finally gathered the courage to ask
Now I was the one who was shaking. Why did he have to talk about Michael, I have been trying so hard to forget him. Now the moment I get home I know I would be stalking his pages on social media again.
“Uhh, that’s not a very good question” I scoffed, trying to form a fake smile
“Uhm, in school we had issues and we couldn’t sort them out” I folded my lips
“So you haven’t spoken since graduation?” he asked
“No, we haven’t spoken”
“And have you been able to move on?”
“Raph, why are you asking me all these questions?, What has any of that got to do with you?”
“Everything actually, we are friends remember and friends always look out for each other” he replied
“Mmm. Right! Thanks Raph” “for looking out for me” I added.
“Any time Ladi”
“We should head home. This was a very lovely lunch. Thanks for letting me discover such a good place”
“You’re welcome”