“I should have focused on my business. Now my
best friend is going to hate me forever, I need
to fix this” she wiped her face.
The bright golden rays of the sun had been
replaced by a dim orange glow, the evening had
come and he needed to return home.
He waved down a taxi that led to the
apartment where he had once lived with his
younger brother. Although Ekene seemed to have
made it, he still did not trust his source of
Income. How could a dropout get a job at
Methocorp? A highly rated company, what was
the criterion used in gaining employment
there?
He decided to let the matter rest but he was
sure he would never let his sister Asamma out
of his sight. He didn’t trust Ekene.
A smile played on his face as she thought about
the apples a customer had given to him.
“Iman” he murmured her name. The angel God
had sent to make him smile after such a bad
day. He knew Asa loved apples very much, he
usually bought one every day for her, it didn’t
cost much. This full basket was going to blow her
away and she would have no other option but to
forget Ekene’s proposal to her.
He searched his pocket for the card Iman had
given to him, she was obviously from a very
wealthy home, why had she wanted to be
friends with him? What did she see in him that
Nkoli had failed to see?
Was this God’s way of giving him the rightful
connections that he lacked? He had so many
questions.
A warm feeling caressed his chest as he thought
about Iman; she seemed like a lovely and fun
person. Her kindness towards him made him
forget his recent troubles.
The man that was with her friend was terribly
rude to him but he had not minded, he had
seen worse; some customers were insatiable and
highly ungrateful, even though you chose to mop
the ground they walked on.
He thought about the biracial woman that was
with Iman, she seemed oddly familiar, had he
seen her before? She seemed too nice to be with
such an arrogant man. Maybe she had shopped
at the mall before, he shrugged and stepped
into the house.
“Asa? Where are you? Guess what I brought
home, your favorite” he called to her. He’d met
the door open, maybe she was in the bathroom
or kitchen.
He was so famished, he loosened his tie at the
thought of food; he wondered what Asa was up
to.
“Asa?” he called again but there wasn’t any
answer.
He yawned and rose to his feet and moved
straight to the kitchen first, then the bathroom.
“Where is this girl?” He paused. Was she still
mad at him for what he said to Ekene? Well,
he would apologize to her but not to Ekene. He
knew him too well, his ways weren’t straight.
The house was as quiet as a graveyard; the
quiet of the house didn’t bring him peace like it
would others; it plagued him with thoughts, it
jabbed him with memories he had tried to
forget.
He still thought about the woman he loved, the
woman he cared about, Nkolika, was she
thinking of him too?
His eyes strayed to a tiny piece of paper that
lay on the bed. What was that? He reached for
it.
“How could she do this?” His hands trembled as
he read the note from Asa.
“I LEFT WITH EKENE. LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE
GOOD IN THE LIFE OF OTHERS OR YOU’LL REMAIN
STAGNANT”
They had met about a year ago and became
fast friends. Ekene and himself shared like
passions; one of the reasons he had offered his
new friend a job. He saw him as the type that
would serve Methocorp diligently and he was a
street guy, they knew how to keep secrets.
He had fixed lunch at ‘Rosydew’ for them both,
they had a lot to discuss and his success at
luring Narissa into his bed would make the
front page of their conversation.
A confident glow rose on his face as he went
from his car to the hotel; he was the richest
man in Africa and a beautiful woman like
Narissa was already warming his bed; he
couldn’t wait to get more from her tight little
body.
“I see you are already here” Ife spotted Ekene
at one corner of the bar.
“Yes man, how are you?” Ekene shook hands
with him.
“Good. Never better, I met my girlfriend, told
you I would fuck that girl” Ife announced.
“Funny, I am yet to see a picture of this girl”
Ekene scoffed. They had been drinking at a
club a few months back and an argument broke
out between two guys who sat close to their
table.
“Narissa the hot girl is the sexiest celebrity in
Nigeria,” one of them said; while the other
disagreed.
Ekene found it amusing that two ordinary men
would argue over celebrities who knew nothing
about them.
“I’ve seen the chic, she’s really hot like her
name implies” Ife had chipped in.
“Really? If you can fuck this celebrity, I’d buy
you a bottle of “Red label” Ekene had
challenged.
“Seriously? You think any sane woman can
refuse me? I don’t have to prove anything to
you” Ife had bragged.
Ekene blinked the memories away and stared
at Ife in shock.
“Seriously? Can I see a picture of this girl?” He
asked.
“Not yet, where is my red label” Ife lifted a
hand in the air.
“How am I sure you fucked her anywhere?
Where is the proof? Give me something. You
could be lying, you know” Ekene said.
“Are you kidding? Why would I lie about
sleeping with Narissa? It’s real man” Ife
scoffed.
“Well, maybe you should’ve gotten proof. Next
time you do something like that, I’ll need
pictures or videos or voice notes, anything to
prove you really did it” Ekene suggested.
“That wouldn’t be a problem, if I provide you
with evidence, I am going to take your new car”
Ife licked his lips greedily.
“Deal” Ekene shrugged. He doubted Ife could
bed a celebrity. He knew his friend quite well,
he was arrogant and bossy, those qualities
would put a normal girl off talk more a
celebrity.
“So how’s your family? It’s been six months and
I haven’t met them, yet you have met mine.
What’s happening?” Ife asked and beckoned
the waitress to their table.
“Um, fine. My elder brother is envious of me so
only Asa moved in with me. I don’t give a hoot
about him anyway. He can rot in hell for all I
care” Ekene spat the words, the thought of
Obinna embittered him.
“What if I offered him a job? Maybe he could
stop being envious” Ife suggested.
“Hell no. Obinna feels he is righteous and all of
that; he would be the first to sell us out” Ekene
drummed his fingers on the table.
“Alright then” Ife riveted his eyes to the
waitress.
“Ekene? Good afternoon” she was surprised to
see him at “Rosydew”.
“Nkoli. You work here?” Ekene’s eyes widened,
his brother’s ex-was the last person he’d
expected to see.
“You two know each other?” Ife’s eyes darted
between both of them.
“Yes, she is my girlfriend now” Ekene reached
out for her hands and rubbed them. He
couldn’t think of a better way to piss off his
annoying brother; this wasn’t all just about
Obinna; Nkoli was a belle and he needed to
have a taste of her.
“Wow, congratulations, you two would have to
excuse me, I have to pick this” Ife moved away
from them; his father had called the eleventh
time that week. Why wouldn’t the old man leave
him alone?
To be continued…
