The Guy I Never Met

Good Morning 🌞

CHAPTER 3: GOOD MORNING

9:57 AM.

Benghazi was already hot.

I just finished having my breakfast, tidying up my room, and preparing for the day. Another day of work ahead. Another day of dishes, floors, and pretending I wasn’t tired.

My phone vibrated on the table.

I almost ignored it. But the name on the screen stopped me.

Ola.

It had only been one night since we first talked. One night since he told me he respected the fact that I was working and still planned to go back to school.

One night, and somehow he already felt familiar.

I unlocked the phone.

_Hi_

_Good morning_

_How was your night_

Simple. Gentle.

Like he remembered I existed.

I smiled to myself, leaning against the doorframe.

Good morning, I replied. My night was good. What about you?

Before he could reply I quickly sent him another text saying I won't be replying further because I need to start work now.

I hit send, dropped the phone in my bag, and stepped out into the sun.

---

Work swallowed the day. I was laying on my bed in the room I shared with my colleagues. The room was quiet. I had just finished practicing my Korean. I'd been studying for almost an hour, repeating words under my breath, writing them in my notebook and listening to podcasts.

I opened w******p.

No new messages.

But I wanted to talk to him anyway.

Good evening, I typed. I hope your day wasn’t too stressful. What have you been up to?

And how’s your internship going?

I sent it and waited.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed.

A voice note. 39 seconds.

I put in my earbud and pressed play.

Ola’s voice came through. Calm. A little tired, but warm. He was telling me about his day. About work, and code, and trying to catch up on things he’d missed over the weekend. He sounded like someone who was busy, but still made time to answer me.

That meant something.

When it ended, I listened again.

Then I recorded my own. Just 20 seconds. Telling him my evening was quiet. Asking if he was okay.

He replied fast.

Oh... that's nice to hear,he said. I’m very good.

Just been catching up on some YouTube series I missed over the weekend.

YouTube.

Of all the things I expected a 300-level computer science student to be doing at night, that wasn’t it.

Oh... YouTube like what? I asked.

Mostly podcasts, he replied. I like listening to tech-related podcast on YouTube. Finance and new discoveries......stuff like that. Mostly on weekends.

Wow....That’s really impressive. You’re kind of doing big big things.I should learn from you. I typed back.

His reply came in two parts. First text, then a short laugh in a voice note.

I’m not doing anything big, he said. I don’t really know much.

It’s just how I relax. How I clear my head. Just free time.

There was no pride in it. No showing off. Just honesty.

_Still,_ he added, there’s a lot I don’t know either.

Really? I smiled at my phone. I can show you some things. They’re good.

Then he asked....

What do you like? Music, entertainment, tech... anything?

I can send you recommendations if you want.

I replied...I don’t know much about those areas, but I’d like to learn.

That’s not a problem at all, he said. It’s just preference. I get it.

Then I told him. I love music. All kinds. I listen to every genre.

_Ohhh... nice,_ he replied.

Emboldened, I typed again.

I also love dramas. Korean, Chinese, Thai. All of them.

There was a pause.

He replied, I haven't watched a movie in a while. I would like you to recommend some for me.

I would really love to but what if you don't like it, I replied.

I would just switched to my normal podcast if I don't like it, he said. But I want to give it a try.

Something in my chest loosened.

We kept talking. About music. About the kind of dramas I liked and why the stories stuck with me. About how he used podcasts and tech videos to stay motivated.

He never asked me to explain myself.

He never made me feel small because my path looked different from his.

At 12:00 AM, I realized I was smiling at my phone like an i***t.

_I should sleep soon,_ I told him.

You should, he agreed. Rest well, Kemi.

We’ll talk tomorrow?

We’ll talk tomorrow, I said.

Goodnight.

Goodnight, Ola.

I put my phone down and sat in the dark for a while.

This morning I had woken up thinking about work. About survival.

Tonight, I was going to bed thinking about a boy in Nigeria who listens to podcasts.

The guy I never met...

Knew where I was.

Knew what I was going through.

And still chose to stay.

---

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 4: "Can I Call You?"