The Road of Love

Chapter Thirteen

"Emma?" Gerald called.
"Mmmm?" Emma hummed with her eyebrows raised in question.
"I want to ask you something" Gerald said, looking into her big brown eyes.
"Okay, no problem" she replied with a smile and surprise written boldly on her face.
"Well, I don't mean to pry but how did Leo and you meet?.
When did you fall in love and started going out with him?" Gerald completed his sentence rubbing his palm.
Emma sighed and let out a breath she was holding.
She stared into space and opened her mouth in a bid to speak.
She closed it, shifted in her seat and shifted her gaze to Gerald.
She looked at him for a full minute and looked away.
"If you don't want to answer, it's fine. I shouldn't have asked you in the first place" Gerald said in a regretful tone.
"I'll tell you. There's no need for you to feel bad. I was just thinking of how and where to start from" Emma assured Gerald.
He only nodded his head in response.

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"Leo and I met in first year through a mutual friend" she started and allowed the last word to drift away.
"I didn't know anything about life on campus and I've stayed with my parents all my life, so I went for assistance and saw Leo there. It was not love at first though" she said with a laugh.
"She told me the important things and places on campus and I left. I didnt take a proper look at the guy seated on the bed just because I thought it was none of my business.
About a week after, we went for our first lecture. We sat together but we didn't say a word to each other throughout the lecture.
He asked of my name and took my number after the lecture.
Later that week he gave me a call and asked me to meet him.
Well, I was hesistant but Livia told me to go, so I did.
He was a gentleman and we talked about a few things then he left with a promise of meeting me again.
We started talking almost everyday and I must say, I was quite impressed.
He fit into the box so I started liking him.
About a month later, I had fallen in love with him" Emma stopped talking and smiled.
Gerald say there looking at her without uttering a word.
Emma continued her narration.
"Leo asked me out and I had no reason to say no.
I was happy and so was he.
We went for Christmas break and that was the longest break in my entire life.
He came to my house to surprise me and I introduced him to my parents.
My mother was glad and gleefully welcomed him with a hug.
My dad was happy I had a boyfriend.
He ate lunch with us and talked about football with my dad which got my mum and I angry.
We felt left out.
He bid my parents good bye and I escorted him to the bus station.
I asked how he got my address and he told me that was a secret and it still is".

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"Everything was fine until second year's second semester.
He started acting in a way the Leo I had grown to love wouldn't.
I drew his attention to it and he got furious. I let sleeping dogs lie.
He started rejecting my calls and ignoring my messages.
He wouldn't let us study together neither would he let me go to class with him.
I told Livia about  it and she spoke to him.
He changed for a few weeks. He would always tell me he loved me more than himself anytime I told him he's changed and I'm losing him.
He went back to rejecting my calls and ignoring my texts a couple of weeks after.
I stopped calling him for a few days just to see if he'd  call or text but the only message I received was silence.
I cried myself to sleep and it affected my studies.
My mother spoke to him and he changed for a month and went back to his ways.
He started calling me names and mistreating me in any way possible.
I didn't want to give up on my man and my relationship so I begged him to stay.
He wouldn't speak to me for..., for...," Emma covered her face.
She bit her lips to stop the tears from flowing but it was spilling out of her eyes.
Gerald took her hand and squeezed it.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
"I'm sorry for making you cry. I didn't mean to" Gerald said apologetically.
"It's all right, Gerald. I just got emotional" Emma assured.
She continued.
"He wouldn't speak to me for days when I sat him down and told him I was giving up.
I thought and prayed every blessed day.
I wondered if he was the same man I had fallen in love with.
He was always out of his room and campus.
I was worried and tired of his hide and seek game.
I told his roommate to call me anytime he comes around and he found out.
He fought with him and gave me a good piece of his mind.
I didn't hear from him for a couple of weeks.
When my mother died, I sent him countless messages but got no reply to any.
We had the funeral, buried my mother and there was no sign of Leo.
Livia and her motherhelped me through the stormy days.
My dad couldn't bear to see me suffer and he offered me all the support needed.
Leo showed up with the flimsy excuse of having lost his phone, as if he lost his memory in addition.
Livia told me to forget about him and move on with my life but I loved him too much to do that.
I knew there was another woman in his life.
The hide and seek went on for the rest of the semester.
I didn't hear from him when we went on vacation.

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He called me at the beginning of this semester.
I was excited.
I was expecting an apology and a new beginning with him but I got disappointed.
He broke up with me because he had fallen out of love with me.
I later got to know he was in love with my best friend.
I guess you remember that"
Gerald nodded in agreement. She went on.
"He came back and I also accepted him.
But he's proved to me that he's not worth my love, time and energy.
I couldn't stop living just because one man kept playing with my emotions.
I've realised I can't serve from an empty bowl and I definitely can't give what I don't have.
I'll love myself more" she finished with a long sigh.
The atmosphere was comfortably silent.
"So would you ever let someone in?" Gerald asked innocently.
"Why not?" Emma answered with an expressionless face.
"If I find someone who makes me feel alive, trests with me good, loves me, respect me and himself, I'd give it a shot"
"That's great. I'm glad you're not bitter" Gerald admitted.
"Let's get going. It's getting late" Emma said packing her books.
"Let me" Gerald said taking the books.
She thanked him.

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They got to her hostel and she invited him in.
They talked about school and life after school for a while and Gerald asked to leave.
"It was nice studying with you." Emma remarked.
Gerald smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow" Gerald said with his hand on the door knob.
The knob moved causing Gerald to take his hands off.
The door half opened and Livia's sweaty face peeped in.