Embracing her tightly to my heart, I said:
“You are not going anywhere if you don’t kiss me. Is it too much to ask of you? All I want is a kiss! Nothing more.”
Chimandu has been pretending not to know what I really wanted. But she knew. Chimandu and I have been dating for the past one year now.
But we have had not even as little as a single kiss. Each time I bring this up, she is just too quick to remind me of the agreement we have made.
“No sex before marriage.”
This always leaves me pissed off or wanting to do something very crazy. But the thought of spending a night in a Nigeria police cell always kills the zeal.
We met at the university, she being my course mate. Since we started dating, I have been spending on her. To be frank, we have had great times together but for one thing.
“Baby! Please kiss me!” I pleaded with her.
“Ooh ooh! Tonya, how many times will I have to remind you that we don’t need to do this before marriage? You promised you will wait until we get married. What changed now?” Staring straight into my eyes, she continued:
“Baby, do you really want to do this or you want us to end this friendship in a cordial manner?”
I was taken aback by this question, which made me release her but for a moment.
“What did you just say?” I inquired.
“You want to end this? After all I have done for you?” My anger boiled like hot water at a hundred degrees. Without giving her any time to speak, I continued:
“Okay, fine! Since you want to end things this way, I want you to pay me back every dime I have ever spent on you right now.”
“You are kidding me, right? Did you just say that trash to me?” She asked, fuming with rage.
“I don’t blame you, when you get some sense into your skull, you can come talk to me like a reasonable human being and not like a madman.” With that she pushed me out of her way and walked out of the room, banging the door behind her.
Still fuming, I retraced my steps and sat on the couch behind me, my mind wandering around but with no particular thought. My eyes glared aimlessly around the room and finally landed on my portrait on the wall. I stared at it. Standing beside me on my matriculation day was Chimandu, leaning her head on my shoulder.
I remember how she had shooed everyone away from standing beside me.
“She thinks she is smart, right? I will show her there are several ways to catch a fish.” I leaned back on the couch, still staring at the picture. Suddenly, a thought got into my head. Smiling and exposing my gap teeth to the world, I stood up and went into my bedroom. I found one of my new shirts, a pair of Levi’s jeans and a matching Levi’s jeans shoe.
Chimandu was the girl who almost made me give my life to Christ back then in school. But after listening to my friends’ tales of their escapades, I had decided against it.
I gave one of my guys a call; the Viper, the only one who can eat his cake and still have it.
After the call, he decided we met at our favorite joint back then on campus, Emmatex.
Since my house was just a stone’s throw away from the place, I decided to walk down. Getting there, I met the Viper, the animal lord. We exchanged pleasantries.
“Oh boy! See as you fresh!” Viper hipped me.
“You haven’t changed much, the only Scorpion who stings and gives remedy for the sting.” I hailed him.
I ordered two bottles of 33 for myself, then ordered Merlot red rouge wine for Viper. He popped it open, took a long drag from the bottle and exhaled softly.
“This thing is getting better by the day.” He said happily.
I ordered fresh fish pepper soup for both of us.
After eating in silence for a while, Viper asked me:
“Who dey cause you kasala wey no allow you to get joy?”
I brought out my phone from my pocket, scrolled to Chimandu’s picture, then handed the phone to him. He viewed the picture, then smiled, exposing his rotten teeth caused by indian hemp and too much cigarette smoking.
“Ah, no be sister holy ghost be this shoo?” He asked me.
“Yes she is, this chick dey use my head drink water, she think say I be lunatic. I want make you arrange meeting for me and her. No injuries, no blood shed. Just meeting.”
He laughed again,
“It is done already, you don forget say na me be Andrew the Viper? The only Scorpion who stings and gives remedy for the venom, I be papa rejected! Mama rejected! Don’t worry na call we go give you.”
Feeling a bit uneasy about Viper, I warned him again:
“Remember, no blood shed ooo, no touch her body ooo. Just arrange meeting only.”
“Okay I don hear you nah! No wahala for there.” He assured me.
I downed my remaining drink and exited the joint.
Days later, enjoying a very blissful day in my room with some cool music blasting from my CD player, a call interrupted me. I went to get the phone and glanced at the screen. Andrew was the caller ID.
“Who is Andrew?” I wondered momentarily. I have at this point forgotten that Viper’s real name was Andrew. We were just so used to calling him Scorpion or Viper, that it was easy to forget his real name. When I answered the call, the voice which spoke from the other end made me realize exactly who was on the line.
“Hello! Come to Block 3, your net don catch the fish.” Viper announced.
Before I could tell him that I will be there in no time, he had already ended the call. I quickly dressed up and hurried out of the front door.
I got to the uncompleted campus hostel. There was my elegant queen being humbled to nothing, she was tied loosely with a black cloth around her hands and eyes. Spotting me get into the building, Viper walked up to me.
“Guy congrats, your fish was the simplest one to catch, if you need more fish don’t hesitate to give me a call.”
I thanked him and handed him a wad of naira notes.
Chimandu heard my voice as I was thanking Viper.
“Tonya! How could you do this to me?” She exclaimed hysterically.
“Silence!” Viper thundered.
Chimandu immediately went mute. Viper’s orders deterred her from uttering another word.
I walked closer to her and placed my index finger across her lips. She turned her face sharply away from me.
“You thought that you are wise, right? This is just a lesson to show you that I am the boss here.”
“I am sorry! It will never happen again.” She pleaded with me.
“Sorry? For all the money I spent on you, or for wasting my time? You are selfish and I will teach you a lesson.” I grabbed her breast, she moaned but continued pleading with me.
“Please don’t do this to me, I am still a virgin. My parents will kill me! I will repay you all you have ever spent on me! Forgive me.”
“Be quiet!” I thundered. “Enough of your nonsense voice, I have had enough of it. Any more words from you, I will waste your life.”
I knew I wouldn’t do that of course. I was about pulling off her shirt over her head when a gunshot interrupted me. I looked up to see what was going on. With the speed of light, Viper and his gang had vanished into thin air, leaving only me standing.
Everything happened so fast, I couldn’t escape. Some men in black vests suddenly surrounded me. It dawned on me that my greatest fear is what is going to kill me right away.
“Arrest him!”
My housemate thundered. I turned to gaze at Uche, who is literally living off my provisions. I was so flabbergasted that I could not think. I stood there, utterly perplexed. Even if someone was to betray me, I never for once thought it was going to be Uche, of all people.
I was handcuffed by the police. They dragged me out of the building, released Chimandu who was wailing like a daughter whose mother had just been beheaded in her presence.
“As for those futureless criminals who just escaped, you are to explain further when we get to the station.” One of the policemen said as I was dragged into their vehicle and taken to the police station.
Chimandu filed a case of assault, attempted rape, cultism and murder against me. I pleaded not guilty at all charges but was still sentenced to 40 years imprisonment with hard labour.
My parents who looked up to me were highly disappointed in my conduct, their hopes on me were dashed to the rocks. In jail, I came to the knowledge of Christ and I regretted not doing so earlier in life.
I was granted bail after I had completed my terms. I was to be reporting to the police station and court every three days of the month.
I started all over again but it was too late to meet up with my mates who have already gone far beyond my measure.
Chimandu got married and the union is blessed with four kids, Viper is nowhere to be found, probably dead. And Uche is now the owner of one of the most renowned companies in the country. I weep each time I read about the heights he has attained.
This is a note to every youth; be warned.
It JOHNSON EZEKIEL SUNDAY hails from Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. He is a Creative Writer, Content Writer, Copy Editor, Copywriter, Ghostwriter, humorist, historian, Novelist, Avid Reader, and Social Media Manager, the Founder of Prof. Johnson’s Stories( an official Facebook page). He is the author of many published novels and short stories. He is more focused on Ghostwriting, and Content Writing, which he does for a living, and Creative writing which he does for fun. Moreover, he does all kinds of writing in all genres to pass his thoughts and keep his audience entertained.