I cursed that wet morning. The morning that ruined my new Nike shoes, even if it’s a fake Nike but I worked so hard to buy that shoe after many months of savings. Today I wanted to slay to work but the weather had bones to pick with me. My new outfits were all ruined even before I got to work.
But that same morning I met Oye.
You see, it was just a harmless drizzle when I was about to leave home so I decided to brave the light shower and go to work but a few poles from my house the rain grew to consistent drops and it was then I realised I had made a wrong decision. There was no bike in sight so I had to walk all the way to the junction, it was a long painful walk but I made it to the deserted junction then a flicker came on in my head, I have a small umbrella in my backpack, how did I forget that but I was already too drenched to look for it.
I must have stood at the junction for up to an hour when I heard the honk of a car, I turned and she wound down,
Her: “If you are going my way I don’t mind giving you a ride” Her voice matched her face and her smile was very attractive. I was carried away for a bit but this morning is out to ruin my vibes and I am not here for it.
Me: “Please what way are you headed?”
Her: “Ikoyi, Aromile Road”
I almost jumped at the sound of that and I think she noticed because she giggled as my eyes popped, with that I hopped in. It was a beautiful ride of mostly music and throwing jabs at reckless drivers.
She kept making turns in my direction until we both realised our offices are in the same building. She works at an international logistics and shipping company downstairs and the NGO I work with is on the middle floor, that reality sort of made my day. I have just secured daily free rides to work with a fine lady and decided I’ll take that as payment for the way my day started.
Two weeks later, we became best friends then I found out she has a boyfriend who also stays on another side of Gbagada, works with a Tech firm and has been hinting at marriage for a few months now, she is mostly at his place but they are currently having a huge fight, (which works for me though) at least for now until I can find another ride.
Our friendship grew fast as we started spending time together, going to and fro work together, randomly spending the nights in each other’s apartments and checking with each other in making certain decisions.
I have had many times I wanted to hold Oye and go out of my way to make her feel special but I keep holding back because I don’t want to ruin our friendship and out of respect for her relationship with her almost fiancé. But Oye did little to help me on that mission. She would always lean on me, hold my hands, and later I realised she gets jealous when I talk to other girls but I didn’t stop talking to other girls, she has a boyfriend and am allowed to date too.
I remember meeting Ayo, her fiancé. We had the best conversations and finally bonded on our love for Orijin and Asun, we both agreed that there is no better bar combo than the two but I didn’t fail to also notice how he stared at Oye and me, mostly when we talk to each other, he is that kind of guy that figures things out. After that meeting, I kept asking her if Ayo said anything about me but so far it’s been in vague conversations.
I started being close to a lady I met through Oye, we started by commenting on each other’s Whatsapp statuses and built a good friendship on communication but it was more than that for her even if she is yet to say it. It took a lot of assurance to convince her that Oye and I are just friends and the fact that she is in a relationship with a guy she is madly in love with sealed the deal for me or so I thought.
I hung out with her on one of those weekends Oye was at Ayo’s place, she invited me to her parent’s 50th Anniversary and I went looking my best (I now spend my transport fare on new work clothes every month and everybody has been commending my looks). Oye helped me pick what to wear after we debated on whether to go or not but I did and I had fun, it started to rain heavily after the event and she dropped me at home.
Oye: “Eeeeh!!!!!! You know she likes you for more than friendship right? “That’s the only explanation for her coming all the way from Ikeja to drop you in Gbagada”
Me: “Well, she is not bad nah, are you not tired of me being single? And you are not even helping me get dates sef”
She paused for a bit before responding
Oye: “Must you date anyone?
Me: “Yes o, I miss dating and being in love joor”
Oye: “You can love me now, abi am not fine enough?”
Me: “Date you as what? Sugar mummy or side chick? Abeg o, I no want wahala”
Oye: “Okay o, so what will happen to us if you start dating?”
Me: “Happen to us as how? We will still be friends nah, maybe see and spend fewer times together or who knows when you even get married you won’t have my time again”
When Ejiro and I started dating I saw less and less of Oye but we kept in touch and I also noticed she was not thrilled about my new relationship but didn’t think much about it until the day I hitched a ride with her because I was pissed at Ejiro. In the heat of who is right or wrong, Oye asked why I never liked her enough to want to date her. I can’t say if I was just shocked or shocked and flabbergasted at the same time.
Me: “Oye you are in a relationship, you are straight, and you don’t like women….. Do you need me to keep listing the reasons?”
Oye: “But you didn’t ask or make any efforts, do you know if I would have agreed? After all, there’s a first time for everything.”
Me: “Hell no girl!!!! I don’t do drama, if I want a person I want them all to myself not someone who would spend a day in my house and jet off to a man’s house the next day for a whole weekend, like I said, I don’t do drama”
Oye: “So because am dating Ayo now I’m not even an option for you at all?”
Me: “No, because you are dating Ayo, whom you love very much, whom you are getting married to in the next three months I can’t put my life on hold and wait for you to figure things out, am no longer in that stage”
Oye: “Hmmmm, okay oh”
Me: “You think there weren’t times that I wished you were more than just my friend? That I wanted to have more with you? But I can’t nah, you are engaged now and I don’t like to share”
We were already at my gate and that brought the conversation to an abrupt end as we hardly visit each other these days so we said our “goodbyes” and called it a night but I woke up the next morning to a heartbreaking message from Oye.
“Good morning Stud (That is what she calls me)
How was your night? Am sorry about how you feel about my relationship with Ayo
But I like you and you are always on my mind
Some days ago Ayo asked if we are dating and am sure I did something to make him think that.
Ayo has asked me to move in with him and I’ve been looking for ways to tell you without hurting you but there seem not to be any.
You are the only reason I’ve been living here and since we will soon be married I see no reason staying here anymore.
Am moving this weekend and our Trad is next weekend.
I’ll miss you but I’m hurt that there is no reason for us to be more than we already are I love spending time with you and how you take care of me. Thank you”
I read it more than thrice before I could get myself to reply
“As sad as this makes me I still wish you the very best, you are my friend and that means a lot to me. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for me, especially the free rides. I’ll miss you a lot. Happy Married Life in Advance”
And we didn’t speak about it again, she still gave me lifts till she moved and we scarcely so each other at work, she looked happy, and Ayo picked her up from work from time to time. I didn’t see her again for a while and so I reached out and was told she had gotten a new job and moved. But she still sent messages wanting to know how am doing and why I didn’t want to date her, it has become our thing, I am not the kind of stud who doesn’t mind sharing because I mind but I am happy with the friendship we have built over the years and how special she is to me.