Don't break the Bank: A not-so-perfect financial journey of a Nigerian student.

CHAPTER FOUR

Melissa saw the world through Raphael's eyes. He was one of those guys who commanded so much respect without saying much. He carried an air of knowledge and grace. His mind was a place she wanted to live in forever.

       After the day they met, Raphael kept in touch. Their friendship blossomed over phone calls and hangouts. They had long chats on WhatsApp. Talking to him was easy for Melissa. Their conversation wasn't like the normal #how are you? Have you eaten? #Yes, I have, and you? Kind of conversation she had with most guys. She felt comfortable and safe telling him things about herself.

       Raphael had a busy work schedule, but somehow he made out time for her, and she appreciated the efforts he made. He was a people person, so getting along with her friends was a simple task.

He planned outings with the girls, took them to magic land amusement park. He also got tickets for them to Tems concert. At the show, the three girls chanted along with Tems and danced to her latest songs. Raphael stood by them in the concert hall, nodding his head to the music, singing parts of the lyrics he knew. He held his phone up, gingerly filming Tems and the girls; Melissa and her friends had made him their unofficial videographer for the night, and he didn't mind.

Crazy things are happening,
crazy things are happening.
If you need somebody's craze, you fit chop somebody's crazy.

They sang along, swinging their bodies, laughing, and feeling all the vibes of the night. The crowd went ballistic with excitement when Wizkid came on stage to join Tems. Some fans tried to climb up the stage to hold Wizkid and Tems. Melissa spotted some girls crying and screaming out Wizkid's name. It made her laugh, and as always, bouncers pitched around the celebrities, violently protecting them from unruly fans.

       Outside the hall, after the concert, on the drive back to their lodge; they talked about the event, laughed about how crazy some fans could act, explicitly referring to one guy who got the beating of his life for dragging Wizkid's legs at the concert until Wizkid fell flat on the stage.

    "Thank you, Raphael. We had a wonderful time. Good night," Tara and Zeenah said in a hyped tone as they descended the car.

  "You are welcome, girls; I had an amazing time too."

    "Thank you, Rapha," Melissa said, holding his hands in the car. I had fun.

  "Sure, you are welcome, Mel. Y'all made my night."

       They sat side by side in his black Lexus RX 350 car. He looked nice in his denim jeans, white polo, and white Nike sneakers. Melissa liked that he could switch from native attire, to corporate and now to causal. His perfume filled the air in his car. She loved how nice he always smelled. Even after the close of a day's work, Raphael always smelled fresh. Once when they were out, Melissa had told him she loved how nice he smelled. She'd always been a freak for good perfume, she knew the names of designer perfume brands, and she indulged herself in getting pleasant scents for herself.

"I love your fragrance. It smells mild but expensive," she said. Each time they hugged, his fragrance lingered on her clothes for days. She liked how his perfume left memories of their time together in her mind.

       The first credit alert after long months of dryness was from him. She stood stunned in her room, staring at the amount. At first, she thought it was a mistake; then, she saw the narration that followed the alert.

Enjoyment funds. Spoil yourself, pretty Mel. The caption made her feel special.
Melissa didn't remember giving him her account details, and she had never asked him for money, but she adored him more and appreciated his kindness.