Loved And Lived To Tell The Tale

“So when can I visit you?” he asked with a sultry smile that melted my insides.

“Ha! Don’t visit me o. My father is a pastor. He will chase you away.” I replied not knowing what to do with my hands.

Don’t worry about your Father, I will deal…” Loud music drowned out his voice just as he was about to tell me what he will do to my father. I leaned towards him trying to pick out his words but the music became louder.

I threw my head about on the pillow like someone trying to cross the express in Lagos. Eventually, my consciousness won and I opened my eyes. I couldn’t tell what annoyed me the most. The fact that my dream was interrupted or that an insensitive person had interrupted my sleep with music. It didn’t take long for me to figure out who the insensitive person was as I could hear her off-tune singing from outside the room.

With a deep sigh, I sat up and searched for my slippers with my legs before I barged out of the room. I had hoped to get some rest after the marathon lectures in school but Janie had made a pact with violence and I was ready to give it to her.

I stormed out to see Janie, dancing like a possessed snake. I remembered that I had a crazy roommate and didn’t feel so angry anymore.

“Madam, so it’s you?” I said as I approached her. “You’re the one that ruined my sleep”. I rumpled my face feigning anger.

Janie and I have been friends for so long that our friendship had evolved into a sisterhood. She was stubborn and had a carefree life but she was kind and sweet.

“Why will you be sleeping by this time of the day? Tomorrow is Friday and a public holiday too, so we have a long weekend. Just chill and stop acting like a devil” she said, as we laughed.

“Talking about the weekend, how far nah? Any plans?”

“Yes ooo, there is, I will be spending the weekend at Kunle’s place.”

“Mtcheeeew! You and your yeye boyfriend”.

I was already walking back to the room.

Janie was head over heels for Kunle but I couldn’t say the same of him. Several times I had broached the topic of ending things with him, she insisted that he simply loved her in his way. Kunle knew that Janie would do anything for him and he took full advantage of her. Abusing her verbally was the mildest of all atrocities he committed against her but my friend was surprisingly blind to all his faults. I wanted to object to her spending the weekend at his place but I remembered that my being against their relationship was the only thing they shared in common. So I minded my business and went back to sleep.

I woke up to eleven missed calls from Janie on Saturday morning. I called back to hear her frantic pain-filled voice and my heart broke. Janie had been hospitalized after Kunle beat her mercilessly. As I rushed to the hospital my heart raced, and along with it, was any belief in true and reciprocated love.

Perhaps a lesson was learned.

Chidinmma Joy is a young Nigerian writer who enjoys creating short stories. She is an Economist who graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In March 2023, she won the Readers Boon Drabble Competition Prize and continues to write short masterpieces on her Facebook page @Joy Chidimma.