Tears and Trust

Chapter 5

Faisal sat on his study table wondering why life couldn't  be balanced.
Most of the times, he used his last money to buy airtime voucher and send to Halima but she never called to appreciate. She complained of having no airtime even though he tried his level best to ensure that he sent airtime to her, at least twice a week.
Sometimes, he'd send her airtime and since himself had no airtime and no cash at that moment, he'd borrow airtime from his network provider, send the airtime digits to her and still call her with his borrowed airtime.
Sometimes she won't pick and whenever she picked, she'd allow him do all the talking; when he talked for a long time and ran short of talks, that meant the end of the call.

A large percentage of his earning, about 70% of his wages went to her directly or indirectly. In order to satisfy her wants and needs, he'd sometimes borrow money from his colleagues in the industry which he paid in couple of days. He engaged in extra labour to source for more money and satisfy Halima's requests. Most of the times, he'd only have tea and few slices of bread in the hot afternoon but whenever Halima complained of hunger, he ensured he bought and delivered to her some expensive and delicious meal. Even if that meant using his last money. He went through a lot of hustle to provide for her but sometimes, she complained of what he gave her as too little.

When Faisal recalled what he read from Halima's chat with Safiya, his heart started to bleed afresh. He felt a dire need to talk to her about it else, he may end up having his heart bursted.
When she answered the call, she denied each and everything he said he saw in the chat. She added that if at all he saw a chat like that, then it must be someone who is so envious of their relationship that obtained her Log in details and did the chat with her friend in order to bring an end to their relationship. She emphasize that she'd never say something in a chat or wherever to the effect that the love she had for him was fake as he had seen in the chat. She added that she loved him much and no 'enemy of progress' can put them asunder.

"Faisal you know I truly love you, don't bother about all you said you saw in the chat. Facebook is not just secured." She added.

"It is alright then, I trust you" he said, with some elements of doubt in his voice.

"Sweetheart, I need some money to make my hair. I need the money urgently because I have a very important appointment next tomorrow."

"Oh really? So what is the appointment all about and with who." He asked

"I will be meeting one of my cousin brothers who had been away in southern Nigeria for about 3 years.
Sweetheart, I'll create time for us after I meet him so that you and me spend some romantic moments together."

"Oh okay sweetheart, I'll give you the money tomorrow." Faisal said with a smile.

The call ended

At that point, he became so excited. He had just little money with him that time, barely enough for her to make her hair but he believed he could source for more before the next day. He quickly rushed out of the house and headed to a building site where young adults were being employed to work on daily basis as casual workers, after which they earned money at the end of everyday. Just when he was about to reach the site, he saw Christine.
After exchanging greetings, she asked why he was in a hurry and he told her about his intent of working at the site to earn himself some money. Christine told him to go back home, promising him a sum of 5, 000 Naira in some few hours.
From there, Christine headed to Joy's house and she explained to her that she realised Faisal was in serious need of a sum of 5, 000 Naira.
Without delay, Joy emerged with 8, 000 Naira and handed the Naira notes to Christine.

"Give him 6K and have 2K for yourself. Thanks for your help sweetheart. Don't forget to extend my regards to him" Joy said.

"Oh Thanks darling!" Christine exclaimed and exit.

When she got outside Joy's house, she called Faisal to ask him where to meet him and give him the money. Faisal told her she should just come straight to his house as none of his parents were around.

In the room, she handed 4, 000 Naira to him, saying that it took her hours of explanation before her dad gave her 3, 000 Naira and she picked 1, 000 Naira from her personal savings just to provide the 4, 000 Naira she gave him.
"Thanks so much Christine, you're one of the best girls I've ever known." He said in gratification.

In such state of astonishment, Christine seized an opportunity and kissed him.
For eight minutes, he couldn't find himself. He got so lost in the pleasure of being kissed. He had not had the opportunity of kissing Halima before so that kiss was his first experience. He only use to imagine it but today, he felt two warm lips affectionately placed against his own pair and with some gentle random motions of them, an effect was created in his nervous system which was rapidly distributed to the rest of his body system. When he regained his mind, he moved closer and picked the ride. As he had seen on YouTube, the platform which Alhassan directed him, he moved closer and placed his palm on her face while his right hand rested on her shoulder in some motions. He kissed her for several minutes, not forgetting all the styles Alhassan taught him. The duo suddenly changed emotionally. As they kissed, they desired for more of it and before they could realised, they have taken turns in removing each other's shirts.
He lay down on his mattress and Christine lay on his body, with their faces facing each other.

"FAISAL do you love me?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes I love you so much Christine." He said as an assurance.

"Bu...but.. You have a girlfriend" she trembled.

"No I don't. If you heard about Halima, then what you heard is not the truth. She's just my friend and nothing more." He said.

"But how comes you..."
Before she completed, Faisal interrupted:

" I'm only being close to her and maybe some other few ladies because I don't have a girlfriend. By the time I have a girlfriend, I won't be friendly with other girls again"

"Faisal I love you so much, please ignore all girls and concentrate on me. If you need to play or flirt with girls, I'm a girl, search no further. Just come to me rather than going to other girls. It will definitely hurt me you know.."

"I promised you dear, I won't flirt. I won't hurt you." He said.

Christine stood up to leave. Faisal stood up and gave her a tight hug, then some few light peck and they said goodbye.

On her way back home, Christine felt like a Queen. She kissed someone she loved and it exposed more of her 'being a lady,' unlike the first kiss in her life, the one her cousin forced her to engaged in.

But after her departure, Faisal became so worried in his room. He was locked in a state of dilemma, whether to break up with Halima and concentrate on Christine or whether he should just confess to Christine that he actually lied to her but Halima was actually his girlfriend. He instantly started to lose interest in Halima but nevertheless, he called her and handed 3, 000 Naira for her to make the hair she said she wanted to make, retaining 1k for himself.

Christine whose feelings was made stronger by the few moment spent with Faisal in his room got herself thinking of how Joy could be a barrier to her relationship with Faisal. Initially a part of her conscience told her she was betraying her friend but the other part she trusted more told her she was doing nothing wrong, after all Faisal had zero interest in Joy. In afgirmation to the lattar, she came up with a plan.

Joy's mom was a wholesaler. She had a store for selling assorted chocolates to retailers. Within some minutes, Christine was in the store. She requested to see Madam Grace and in few minutes, the workers called their "boss."
Joy was given a plastic chair to sit and talk to Madam Grace.

"Good day mom, I'm Joy's friend and classmate..." Started Christine.

After some minutes of discussion, Christine left.
Any good observer in the the store could realised that Christine left Madam Grace in an angry mood. For the rest of the day, the workers acted carefully so that they don't get suspended or even sacked.