With Him I'm Okay

-12- Everybody hates Christine.

So, it was official. Mark and I, were dating. I wasn't surprise Mrs Kinkpa was happy about it. She acted as though we were married. Ha!
The days that followed was filled with all I dreamed of- well not with Mark though, but with Nate. Mark gave me everything Nate couldn't give me. He was always there for me, like my shadow.
Gifty on the other hand seemed happy about it and wouldn't stop calling Mark, 'Dad' .
A new week had begun and as usual, we four- Mark, Mrs Kinkpa, Gifty and I, went to church. Surprisingly, Mark was very religious and would literally climb mountains for Christ.
I was dog tired when we got home from church and I just had to plonk myself on the couch.
Then, the unexpected happened. My phone beeped and as I craned to check what it was, I noticed it was a text, from, Nate.
Yes! Nate! That bastard had finally remembered me.
Without thinking twice, I replied his,

"Hey"

With,

"Nate, where have you been?"

I waited eagerly as he typed.

"I need to talk to you, love" he sent.

Just when I was about to reply, Mark came in and I quickly turned off the phone.

"Hey, what are you up to?" He smiled and joined me in the couch.

"N-Nothing, just checking something on Instagram" I lied.

"Really? Are you watching reels without me?" He tried getting hold of the phone.

"N-No, not reels" I jumped out of the couch.

He looked at me quizzically, as though I was acting abnormal.

"Are you okay honey?" I asked.

"Hmm," I sighed, "I'm fine, just exhausted. I-i'll be in the room"

I hurried into the bedroom and locked the door behind me. I then rushed to the washroom, and phoned Nate.

"Hello?" I begun.

"Christine, love, I miss you" he said, sounding desperate.

"Nate, Nate where have you been?" I cried.

"I know, I know I've caused you pain but it's not my fault. Things are tight her Christine, things ain't easy. I've been trying to reach you all these years, I miss you"

" I miss you too Nate"

I don't even know why I lied about missing him.

"But, i-i need your help" he said.

"With what?"

I heard footsteps approaching and my name being called from a distance, so I quickly hanged up, clean my tears, and rushed to the door.

"Christine are you fine?" Mark asked as soon as I opened the door.

"Oh yes yes, come, let's go for a stroll" I held his arm and we walked out.

The days that followed, I secretly got in touch with Nate. According to him, things weren't cool as I presumed. He had been struggling to pay his fees and now he was hopeless. He had intended on coming for Gifty but his plan backfired when things just kept growing tough.He wanted to come back home, back to his family. And I was going to help him. Yes I was.
I sent him some pocket money from my savings and then, due to the tension, I did something I now describe as stupid.
Thursday afternoon,  while Mr Steve was going out for lunch, he asked me to drop some books at his desk and I humbly agreed.
I dropped the books at the table, and just when I was leaving, I had an idea I shouldn't have had.
I was going to look through his drawers.
I opened here, opened there, until it was left with just one drawer. It was locked. I searched round for the keys but couldn't find it. Then I remembered I saw someone open a lock with hair pins on TV, so I was going to try.
I twisted, I pushed, I twisted, then boom! It opened.
You should have seen the bundles of cash this man was keeping in there. I stole just two bundles and closed the drawer as I rushed out.
I knew he would probably find out, but guess what, I wouldn't be around then. Because I was quitting the job and running away somewhere with Gifty to wait for the due time, where Nate would come for us.
From the office, I moved straight home.
I phoned Gifty's teacher, to let Gifty come home, due to family emergency.
Within 40 minutes, Gifty was home.