My Young Love ✅

The Beginning

I was 15 when I first noticed the sadness, loneliness and longing in my Baba's eyes, perhaps it had been there all the while but he was just so good at hiding it or perhaps, I was too young to understand.

I was the apple of my Baba's eyes, he was all I had and I was all he had. I was born with a shiny silver spoon and had everything at my disposal. Baba always made sure of that. We never for once had a female in our lives,  I was always scared to ask Baba if my Mama was gone or dead, careful not to upset him with the question, or perhaps I was just scared the reality might hurt me.

All my life I tried to please Baba, always behaved accordingly and took first positions every term, just so to put a smile on his face. He always looked deep into my eyes and say "I love you so much, you're all I have got and I trust you to know that you will never disappoint me" he would then kiss my forehead and pat my shoulder.

I applied for Accounting at the University because Baba thought I would look smart in corporate wears, or perhaps he secretly conceived the idea of making me take over his business in future. I was enrolled before I even turned 17.

I first met him at the school commercials, the lecturer had dropped a handout at the business center and advised us to pick it, as his test was coming up the following week. I was at the verge of tears as I saw students walk in and struggle to get theirs, seeing the words roll freely out of their lips, how they easily laughed and related with others made me wish I could do that too. To add to my troubles, some boys kept checking me out and making fun of me, then laughing out loud. The place was getting stuffy with not so welcoming masculine smells, making me want to throw up and pass out all at once.

"Here" I heard someone say beside me and turned to see a smile on his face and his hand stretched out with the said handouts "Uhmm?" I tilted my head and mumbled, not wanting to talk because I knew I could cry any moment "Maths101, I suppose you're here for it?" I nodded quickly and collected it, relief washing through my features and the lump in my throat disappearing. He excused himself to get another one and came back within few minutes.

"Thank you so much, you just saved my life, literally. Here's the money for the handouts" I dipped my hand into my bag to reimburse him but he declined "But I have to pay you for it, I can't just take it like that" we argued back and forth but he still refused to take the money. It was almost time for Baba's driver to pick me so he volunteered to walk me to the girls hostel's car park, but not before giving the boys who made fun of me a piece of his mind. "My name is Sheriff" he said and bade me goodbye.

A strong friendship blossomed between us from that day, he would always reserve a seat for me and sign attendance on my behalf on days I came late. We read together, did assignments together and hung out after or in between lectures. Sheriff was so fun to be with and there was never a boring moment with him. Before I knew it, I started adding two more hours to my lectures schedule so the driver will come picking me late, we will chat for a long time and sometimes I will follow him home to greet his Mama, whom I learnt was ailing.

I knew it was wrong, following a man home was wrong, but Sheriff looked so innocent, so pure, so naïve to cause me any harm. His Mama was also very warm and loving, her motherly hugs each time I visited, plus her mouth watering dishes were something I looked forward to everyday. I considered them as a family, though never mentioned it to Baba.

Sheriff asked me out on my 18th birthday and I gladly accepted, we started dating afterwards and our bond grew even fiercer. We were agemates, he born in March and I November. We always topped the class together, some semesters my points were higher, other semesters his, and some others it was same. We made sure it rotated between us the 'Accounting couple' as we were nicknamed. Baba became more busier as the business kept growing, he began to have less and less of my time and apologized all the time. I never minded and made sure I showed him it was okay, my second family was there and life was good.