Lured by the Captor

Chapter Nine

I have made so many friends ever since I created an account on tumblr six months ago. I’ve had responsive friends unlike the first friend who shunned me. You remember her right? The Vera girl.

These six months, I’ve known and had friends from all caliber of people. Example is, I know the snobs, I’ve met the kind and loving ones, I’ve had encounter with the secretive or lets say reserved ones.

I just enter in your inbox and from how, when or even, at what time you respond, gives me an idea of where to categorize you.

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Kyle, my friend that I was angry at and almost stopped talking to has been so helpful. I am back on track with my studies and I owe it all to him.

He’s a very gentle guy. We have become best of friends since we are always together, studying. We sometimes end up talking about ourselves. “All work and no play makes Miley a dull girl.”

I have been very open and frank with him. He doesn’t misjudge me at all.

He’s friends with my besties. I called them one afternoon on a weekend when we finished studying and introduced him to my girls. I even gave out their contacts to him, of course with my besties permission.

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I woke up one day with so many messages in my inbox from unknown people of course.

I started a conversation with everyone, not being choosy, chauvinistic or unfriendly to anyone. I attend to everyone with equal attention. I had no favoritisms.

Along the way I realized some opportunists who wanted to take advantage of my leniency so I quickly blocked them. No time to waste on gold diggers, besides life is too short for nonsense.

I quite remember one guy who sent me his picture, he looked like he’s from China but he says he’s from Ghana. A country in Africa. I mean Africans are easily recognized by their melanin skin right? That almost raised a red flag in my head.

He went ahead and said and I quote: “please I don’t know who you are but I’m sure you are the angel God has sent my way to help my dad.”

In our chat he made mentioned that his dad was diagnosed of colon cancer and that, he has dropped out of school to look after him at home because, there’s no financial assistance for proper medication at the hospital.

It’s such a touching story, only a heartless person will ignore. When I saw that message, for a minute there I almost sent him my lifetime savings. But I decided to inquire further.

“So what are you doing to help him?”

“I don’t know what to do, I’m so stranded.”

“Don’t tell me you are just home not doing anything that can financially aid and provide for you? Look at how muscular you are”

After I sent him this text, he delayed for about ten minutes before replying and when he did, I sensed fraud in the air. We have been educated and enlightened on so many occasions pertaining cybercrime fraud, so I am very cautious about that.

“That’s true but there’s no one at home to look after him.” This is where he confirmed my doubts about him.

In our previous conversation, he mentioned that his elder sister left her matrimonial home to come and stay with their dad.

“But Domeng, you mentioned that your big sister is home with your dad?.........”

He got pissed over this simple question I’d asked that it triggered his ego and brought out his fraudulent self.

“Look here, mile or whatever you call yourself, if you can’t help me then you’re in no position to interrogate or make suggestions for me.

Wow, you’re also surprised at his outburst I know.

“So is this how rude you get because I asked a question or you’re simply a fraud who wants to reap where he didn’t sow? And now you’ve blown your own cover because I asked a mere question?”

“You can take your money for all I care”

And the insults followed. He rained so much insults on me that I even laughed, it looked funny of how our conversation started and how it ended just because some fraudster’s demand wasn’t met.

On this note, let me use this opportunity to bring to your awareness that not all people deserve to be helped. It’s a good thing to give and render our support whichever way we can but, by doing so, we must enquire and make a thorough check or investigation about the person in question. We can even seek the advice of an elderly or even a cop. ‼️Don’t be a victim of cybercrime fraud‼️.

You can give when you want or when you have but make sure you’re giving to the right people and not some ingrates.

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Literally, I have friends from all around the world. I have about two thousand followers, out of which two hundred are my friends.

I will keep sieving out the chaffs from the beans. I feel two hundred people as friends are still too many. They were initially more than that but I still want the number to decrease because my Bible tells me that “woe unto you that is loved by all.”

I intend to keep only ten loyal ones. Who knows, my boyfriend might even be included in the ten.

I am so obsessed with the idea of dating on a social medium platform. I am curious to know how it turns out. We will video call most often, we’ll take and send pictures of literally everything we do with the exception of naked pictures. I wouldn’t dare do something like that, ever.

I won’t mind if he comes from as far as Australia. That’ll even make it more fun. I’ve got so many good reasons to visit Australia, like its diverse landscapes, friendly locals and a long list of amazing experience that I look out for.

But the popular reason why I love to visit is the snorkeling and scuba diving around the Great Barrier Reef. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t even know how to swim.

I want to find myself stumbling upon the Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday islands.

Let me enlighten you on the most amazing reason I love Australia. I heard the country has a number of Pink Lakes. I can’t imagine myself beside a pink lake. Don’t worry I’ll taste it to tell you if it’s sweet like candy or not.

There are also many waterfalls, natural swimming holes and gigantic gorges in the Northern Territory. Australia watch out for me.

I want my future boyfriend to look way handsome than Melvin. Geez, his name even seems alien to me. He must be too handsome that it hurts to look.

The connection between him and I must be mutual else he can count me out. I’m so done with one-sides love affair.

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There’s this stranger that doesn’t follow me, I always feel the need to text him. Long story short, we have been chatting for some time now but he still doesn’t follow back though I don’t mind I feel I’m forcing myself on him, he’s so reluctant about replying me but he does anyways.

Anytime I chat this ghost, I feel a shudder in my spine when he replies. His message has some kind of dominant aura around it. I asked for his picture and he hasn’t sent it so I act as if I never asked. He hasn’t asked for mine.

His name is Trevor, a very reserved personality. He doesn’t message unless you take the lead then he follows. I don’t even know why I still have him unblocked.

One Saturday afternoon, I called Mia and Clara and told them about him and how I feel whenever I see his message.

“Hey, don’t tell me you’ve suddenly burried your feelings for Melvin and moving on because I think you’re rushing things.

And that’s Clara. This girl has been a constant reminder of the name Melvin any chance she gets. Mia says I should do what my heart tells me to and do what makes me happy and I just can’t disagree with her. What happened to the Clara who was always in support with whatever I do or say?

Now I think the two girls have swapped and are playing the role of the other.

“Clara come on, let the girl be happy for once”

“But Mia, she’s having feelings for a boy she doesn’t know, not even has she seen his picture, he can be everything negative for all we know. Now if you ask me, I think that isn’t right.”

We are on zoom and I don’t know when this turned into a heated argument between the two. I don’t know why but they seem not to be getting along so well lately, they rather quarrel a lot.

“Enough both of you! I just needed an advice but it’s obvious that none of you can do that so I’ll do what I should have done long time ago.”

Many guys tried asking me out but Clara’s words has held me on till now. I think Mia is right. I’ll do what’s good for me and what makes me happy.

“Okay, I know how you feel and trust me, I also want the best for you but please think things through, none of us know where Melvin is after he lost.......................never mind. I just hope you won’t regret anything later.”

“Thank you, goodnight.” I don’t wait for any of them to reply, I hit the red button, off my data and toss my phone somewhere.

I am so confused, I can’t be having feelings for a person I don’t know. He doesn’t seem like a fake person to me. He does not message me but he replies anytime I chat him.

Maybe I should find out more about him. I unplugged my laptop from charge and on it.

What should I even send to him? Think, think, Miley think of what to ask him.

M : hi Trevor, are you busy?

He doesn’t reply immediately so I guess he’s offline. I wait for thirty minutes he still doesn’t reply and I dose off.

I am woken up from my quick nap by the message tone of my laptop. It’s a message from Trevor. I sit up immediately and click on the message.

T : Miley, what’s up?

(He nicely brushes off my question.)

M : I was lonely and thinking if you are less busy to chat a while with me.

‘Right. He’s now your babysitter’

T : What would you like us to talk about?

M : Anything, you can start by telling me about yourself, since I’ve already told you all about me.

(Of course, I excluded Melvin’s part.)

T : There’s nothing interesting about my life to tell.

M : Your life can’t be that boring besides everyone has got a story to tell.

T : I don’t go about telling unknown people about my life.

M : I thought we are friends?

T : We are? Well I don’t know if you’re a girl or a boy, you can be lying to me like everyone else.

M : I’m sending you my picture right away.

T : That won’t be necessary.

M : I’ve sent it.

(He doesn’t say anything a couple of minutes that felt like hours.)

M : Trevor are you there?

He still doesn’t reply but it ticks here as seen, he has viewed my picture and refuses to reply.

Does he not like me? Maybe I’m not his type. I’m such a fool to even get my hopes high. Maybe his expectations weren’t met in terms of beauty.

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Yesterday at school, sir Romeo told me to invite my parents or my guardian to school. So I told him I live with my aunt that my parents are at Brandenburg. He said he has a word or two with her.

When I got home I told my aunt and she said she’s free tomorrow so that won’t be a problem.

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Aunt drives us to campus. When we got to the premises, I lead my aunt to sir Romeo’s office.

I knocked twice and heard a muffled “come in” before we walked in.

Sir Romeo as always was marking project works, so he doesn’t look up when I greet until my aunt cleared her throat.

“Ahemm! Mr Romeo, my niece here says you want to have a word with me, I hope there’s no problem?”

When he finally looks up he looked to be in a daze, he kept eye contact with my aunt as long as I could remember. He only gained self control when I softly called him.

“Miley, you didn’t tell me you came with your aunt” what is he saying? Is he for real? Was he not the same person that said I should come with a guardian? And he knows very well I am staying with my aunt. I shake my head unbelievably.

“Sorry for my bad manners miss—.............”

“Naomi” my aunt adds.

“—miss Naomi please have a seat.”

They engaged themselves in a conversation that if I had not known I would have said these two already knew each other.

I think sir Romeo is flirting with my aunt who doesn’t look to give a care in the world about it.

“I must say your niece keeps surprising me, I invited you here to inform you that your niece is one of the best five students in my class of seventy. Whatever you do to help her studies, please don’t stop keep going.” He proudly tells my aunt not glancing my way for a second.

“That’s great news, I’ll make sure she studies as she always does.” With that being said, my aunt gets on her feet and stretches out her hand to shake my sir.

“Miss Miley, may I have a word with your aunt, alone?” He squints his eyes and sternly tries to dismiss me. I was about object when my aunt interrupted.

“Miley dear, why don’t you wait for me at the lobby? I’ll be with you shortly” I hesitate for a while looking between my aunt and sir suspiciously.

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Thirty minutes later

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What has kept them so busy? I’ve been waiting here for so long.

Here she comes, sashaying her way to me.

“Are you okay aunt, what kept you so long in there?” I worriedly ask.

“I am fine dear, your sir isn’t a monster to harm me. I get that you were worried about me but I am fine.” She smiles at me reassuring that she’s okay and we turn to walk to the parking lot.

I bid her goodbye and watch as she drives out of the school compound. She looks happy.