My failed Love Story — EndGame? or Maybe Not?

“You know I love you right?” He said to me on call

“Josh, Of course. You always tell me that. I love you too.. Maybe even too much. I will be back before you know it, Ok?” I said giggling excitedly on the call.

My cousin looked at me with the brightest of smile.

“Alright love. Bye” I concluded as I cut the call

“Soooo… It was finally that your annoying assistant Josh” She said to me laughing

“Surprise of the Century. I said laughing as I placed my luggage into the car boot; You know, Josh launched his startup last year November, Beehive. It’s a soil monitoring startup. It’s current evaluation is around $1.5 million. Can you imagine that?” I said excitedly

“All thanks to you for giving him a chance…

“Come on. Josh was always smart, elegant, had charisma… I didn’t know why I never noticed him and you know?

“I will drive. It’s obvious you are love craze. So you don’t drive us into a pit” My cousin said

“Alright. Take the keys” I said laughing as I entered into the car.

‘I just couldn’t wait to tell IB and the rest. I did it. I finally did it. I found love after all’

Going back to Warri was something I never thought I needed. My parents were so happy to see me home. I wanted to make the best use of my 3 weeks break so my cousin and I planned out our schedule.

Josh and I spoke for the first two days and then suddenly, as usual, he went MIA. He wasn’t communicating anymore.

“I really hate this habit of his …” I confided in my cousin, Amanda and my aunt who came to visit.

“I am so happy you have finally found someone. So when will he come to visit your parents?” My aunt asked me

“I don’t know. I don’t even know his parents yet. I mean, I do but I haven’t met them physically before or anything”

“Maybe he is taking his time or something. Have you ever visited him before?” Amanda asked

“No… We meet at restaurants, the beach, and places of interests. I really don’t want us to get intimate yet” I told them

“Ok… But, this habit of suddenly not talking to you until you call or go to his workplace is something. This time around, he is not even picking your calls”

“Yes… Maybe he is busy”

“You don’t think he is…

“Of course not. I mean, he told me he loves me. Why would he lie about that?” I said. ‘How will she even insinuate that Josh is cheating on me’

“Babe… What I would advice you to do is to pay him a surprise visit. I mean, he will be so happy to see you”

“I will try. When he worked for my company, I knew his address”

“Ok love… “

“So you won’t tell him to come visit your parents abi, Nene” My aunt said

‘Why was she so insistent on Josh visiting my parents. I mean, we are taking our time’

I didn’t reply Auntie Ovie. I just hoped Joshua was okay.

I thought of him throughout the night. I couldn’t wait to wrap his big arms around my neck. ‘Oh, to be in love’ I muttered as I hit my legs softly on the bed.

The next morning, he didn’t pick my calls.

I sent him a message again the day after but he didn’t reply. ‘Has he been kidnapped?’

For the next weeks in Warri, Joshua didn’t call me or text back. This was the longest he has gone. ‘But he said he loved me and I was special to him, right?’ I said to myself

I mean, why would he lie about loving me? He took me somewhere special and held my hands. Looked straight into my eyes and told me; ‘I love you’.

Why would he go through all this length to lie? I wasn’t settled for the rest of my final day in Warri.

The next day, I left my cousin and boarded a flight back to Lagos to fill my curiousity.

A part of me wanted to go home, freshen up before going to Joshua’s house but I decided to stop by from the airport anyway. I haven’t been there before but I know where he lives.

The estate was quiet as my uber drove to the address I gave to him.

“Na this place madam” He said as I alighted from the car

“Alright, wait for me.”

I knocked at the gate and rang the bell for good measures. Few minutes later, someone came by to open the gate.

“Hi. Is Joshua at home?” I asked

I looked at the figure leaning towards the gate. She was wearing the same shirt I got for Joshua as a gift last December. My heart skipped a beat.

“And you are?” She asked me

“Uhm; I paused, ‘who am I?’ Josh has never directly asked me to be his girlfriend, I mean, he said he loves me and we were together but who was I?’ My name is Nene. We.. we worked together. I am… his girlfriend” I said in a cracking voice. Tears were already building up. My voice went sour but a part of me was hopeful.

‘Maybe she is his family. Maybe his sister’

“Oh… So, it is you. Well, Joshua is not home now. In case you didn’t know. Today is Tueday. He meets with his board of investors every Tuesday”

‘Wait. That skipped my mind. Surely, today is Tuesday. I mean, I was so excited to visit him, I didn’t even check what the day was’

“You are right. My bad. So… Who are you? Josh never told me about you.” I managed to say.

“Well. I am Chiamaka, his girlfriend” The lady said as she barged the gate at me.

I was startled. ‘What did she mean by his girlfriend?’ I almost fell down while working down the pavement leading to my uber.

My uber noticed and asked if I was ok. I said I was.

“Sister. I no say no be my business o but as a Nigerian woman,, no too trust Naija man. Even me wey be man, I no trust my gender. I know some of my friends wey get wives wey their wife no even no about” The driver said as he cruised down to my house.

I was numb. I couldn’t say anything. There might be an explanation for this. Maybe he wants to test me. ‘Is this how people in love test themselves?’

I got home and went straight to the bathroom. I stayed in my bathtub for hours. Tears flowed from my eyes.

My new assistant called me. She wanted to know if I was back from my trip to Warri.

“I still have 3 days break so why are you calling?” I said in a nasal tone

“Are you ok ma?”

“Yes.. Yes… I am ok… Just, perks of dust irritated my eyes” I lied

“Ok ma.”

“Anyway, Oge… I will like to cancel my schedule for next week. Tell Mr. Peters to take over some of the meetings and onboarding scheduled for next week. I don’t think I can make it”

“Alright ma” Oge said

I needed closure. What did people say about the 5 stages of grief?
When will this be over? I couldn’t think straight.

Josh called me that night. I picked. I was silent for a long time.

“Nene … can we meet tomorrow at The Place by 5pm?” He said. He didn’t greet, he didn’t say anything else, just that.

“Sure” I said. Before I could say anything else, he cut off the call.

I looked up at the ceiling above my bed. Maybe he has an explanation. I said to myself as sleep took me away for the night.

The next day, I managed to eat breakfast but lunch was impossible. I wasn’t hungry at all.

I tried listening to music and dancing but I couldn’t enjoy any of the entertainment.

Evening came before I knew it and I dressed to meet Joshua.

I got to the place by 5:45 pm and Joshua was already sitting by our favourite seats. ‘Why would he do that?’

“Hi…” I managed to say as I sat down.

He didn’t reply. After a moment of silence, he said; “I heard you came to my place..

“Yes… You didn’t call or text me. I was so worried. I … I just wanted to hear from you. Is it bad?”

“No… It is not bad. But… are you so attention starved that if you don’t hear from me, you will die? You went to my house and met my girlfriend. Made her start asking me questions. Made our relationship have some tension”

“But… but… I thought . I… I am your girlfriend”

“Have I ever asked you to be my girlfriend? Have I ever asked you to be in my life as my girlfriend?”

I paused. He was right. My mouth went dry.

“I mean Nene…. Why would you think I would do something others have never done? Do you think I don’t know you have never been in a relationship before? It is obvious that someone like you is not fit for a relationship. Why would I commit myself to that?”

“Why… why did you tell me that you love me? You took me to Terracota…. You… you told me you loved me. We kissed… Why did you lie to me?” I said. My eyes were red as tears welled up.

“I told you what you wanted to hear”

“Joshua, Is this who you are? Did I do anything wrong?” I said crying

“Oh! Don’t start shedding fake tears. Just because you are a child genius doesn’t mean everything will go your way or because you became rich at a very early age doesn’t mean people will bow at you. There is nothing special about you”

“Ha

“See Nene. I am sorry if it looks as if I am mean or anything but it is the truth. You always think you are better than others. Who would want to be with someone like you?”

“Get out…Get out from my face” I shouted

“I am about to leave. Don’t come to my house again or contact me” Joshua said as he took his leave.

I sat on the chair for the next few hours. I couldn’t utter a single word. I couldn’t think. Just there, in deep silence. Tears fell freely from my eyes.