Chasing Greatness :A Journey Of Hope

chapter 18: miracle

Dating Femi was a whirlwind of excitement and fear all at once. My heart raced every time I saw him, but a lingering dread also weighed heavily on me. I was scared of someone finding out—my mom, especially. My mom trusted Femi. He’d been coming over to our place for weeks, and every time she wasn’t home, he’d find his way to the backyard, where we’d talk and laugh together. He was kind, sweet, and so careful with me.

But there was a part of me that was waiting for more. I wanted to feel what Kyla had described—the flutter in her chest when her first boyfriend kissed her. I wanted to experience it too, but Femi was always the gentleman, never rushing, never pushing. I could tell he cared for me, but I wondered if I was being too impatient, or perhaps, I was being naive.

In my neighborhood, girls were getting pregnant at 13, committing abortions without a second thought, or worse—some were giving birth and celebrating it like it was a victory. My mom always praised my siblings and me for staying innocent, for not falling into those same traps. She was proud of us. But as time went on, I couldn’t help but feel guilty, and at the same time, thrilled by the attention Femi gave me. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t doing anything wrong—that I was just a regular girl experiencing a normal teenage crush.

I still went to church, alone, every Sunday, wednesday and Saturday even though I knew my mom would never have approved of me being out so late. Femi’s house was close to the church, and sometimes, after choir practice, I would stop by his place. It felt so normal, yet so thrilling, and I couldn’t help but want more.

Then, one afternoon, after talking with Femi, I was about to head home when he suddenly stopped me. I was about to ask what was wrong when I felt his hand gently touch my shoulder. My heart skipped a beat. Was he going to kiss me? My mind raced. What if he did? What would I do?

Before I could even think, Femi leaned in and kissed me. It was soft at first, and then he pulled back to look at me. I was frozen, shocked by the rush of emotions. Was this really happening?

I didn’t know whether to smile or run. It was like a dream, a dream I had never thought would come true. I could feel my cheeks burn with excitement. Was this what Kyla felt? I thought to myself. This was the moment I had been waiting for. But just as quickly, a flood of guilt washed over me.

I was so shy, so overwhelmed, that I couldn’t find the words to say anything. Without thinking, I lowered my head and quickly ran home, my mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts.

But as I entered our house, something felt different. I looked up and saw my choir leader sitting in the living room, speaking to my mom. She was calm, but her eyes were sharp. Something wasn’t right.

As soon as I walked in, my mom turned to me. “Why are you late?” she asked. I stammered, saying I had gone to visit my friend Blessing, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. My mom didn’t say anything else, but I could feel the tension in the room.

That night, as I lay in bed, my mind was restless. I couldn’t stop thinking about Femi, about the kiss, about the way he made me feel. But just as I thought I would drift off to sleep, I felt a tap on my back. It was my mom. She gently woke me up.

“I know what happened,” she whispered. “I know what your choir leader said and I know is not true,

My heart dropped into my stomach. How did she know? Was it true? Had I betrayed her?

She looked at me with such love, such sadness. “I trust you,” she said softly. “But you’ve got to understand—there are things in life I’ve already been through. You don’t want to repeat my mistakes.”

I couldn’t speak. The words caught in my throat. My mother’s trust in me felt like a heavy weight, a responsibility I couldn’t bear to lose.

“I promise,” I whispered, my voice shaky. “I promise I won’t betray you.”

She smiled faintly, her eyes soft with understanding, and nodded. “Just remember what I told you.”

She kissed my forehead and left me there, lying awake, my mind spinning. I couldn’t sleep. The promise I made to my mom echoed in my head, and I knew what I had to do. The next day, I would break up with Femi.

It was the only way I could keep my promise to her, the only way to save the trust she had in me. I couldn’t risk losing that. Not for anything.