Promises Under The Mango Tree
979 Words
Weeks turned into months.
The distance between Lagos and Abuja felt wider than the map showed.
Dominic’s name was growing on campus. His videos were shared beyond school. Event organizers began to call him directly.
"Your sound is fresh," one producer told him. "You just need serious backing."
Goldie stood beside him during many of those meetings, smiling like she was already part of his future.
She paid for things without thinking. Studio sessions. Clothes for performances. Transport to events in other cities.
"You can pay me back when you’re a star," she would say lightly.
Dominic stopped arguing.
He told himself it was just support. Just help.
But slowly, he stopped telling Vera about important parts of his life.
Back in Lagos, Vera’s page was growing faster than she expected.
One of her videos about managing school stress reached hundreds of thousands of views.
Messages poured in.
"You make me feel calm."
"Thank you for being real."
"You inspire me."
Brands that once sent free products now offered real money.
The first time she saw a large payment alert, she covered her mouth in shock.
"Jackie!" she shouted.
Jackie ran in. "Who died?"
"Nobody die pleaseee! Look!"
Jackie screamed so loud the neighbors knocked on their door.
"You see? I told you!" Jackie said, hugging her. "You are not small!"
Vera smiled, but her joy felt incomplete.
That night, she tried to call Dominic to share the news.
He did not pick.
She sent a message instead.
"I have something good to tell you."
He replied the next day.
"Busy. Will call later."
He didn’t.
One evening, Vera called again. This time, he answered, sounding annoyed.
"What is it, Vera?"
Her heart dropped at his tone. "I just wanted to talk. We haven’t spoken properly in days."
"I’ve been working," he said sharply. "Not everyone is just sitting with their phone and ring light."
The words stung.
"I’m also working," she said quietly.
"Doing videos is not the same as building a real career," he replied.
She went silent.
He continued, his voice harder now. "And please, stop calling me every time. I feel pressured."
"Pressured?" she repeated, confused.
"Yes. If I want to talk, I will call you. Don’t keep disturbing me with calls."
It felt like someone had slapped her.
"I’m not disturbing you," she whispered. "I’m your…"
She could not finish the sentence.
He sighed loudly. "I don’t have strength for this. I’ll call you when I’m free."
The call ended.
Vera stared at her phone as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Jackie, who had heard her side of the conversation, came and sat beside her.
"He said that to you?" Jackie asked quietly.
Vera nodded.
Jackie shook her head slowly. "Some people don’t know the value of gold until they lose it."
Vera wiped her face. "Maybe I’m the one holding him back."
Jackie turned her sharply. "Never say that again. Loving someone is not a crime."
Meanwhile in Abuja, Dominic was at a restaurant with Goldie and her friends.
They were laughing over expensive food.
Goldie leaned close to him. "You need to focus. Big people are watching you now. No distractions."
He knew who she meant.
He nodded slowly.
That night, Vera sent one last long message.
"I’m proud of you. I always will be. I just miss us."
He read it.
He did not reply.
Days later, he called her unexpectedly.
She picked with hope in her chest.
"Hello, Dominic!"
"Listen carefully," he said, his voice cold in a way she had never heard before. "Stop calling me. Stop texting me all the time."
Her breath caught. "What did I do?"
"I need space. If you keep this up, I will block you. I’ll call you whenever I want to talk. Don’t harass me with unnecessary calls."
Harass.
The word broke something inside her completely.
"I was just trying to be part of your life," she said, her voice shaking.
"My life is different now," he replied. "You won’t understand."
The call ended.
Vera sat frozen.
Jackie rushed to her side when she heard the phone drop.
"What happened?"
Vera spoke slowly, like someone who had just woken from a bad dream.
"He said… I should not call him again."
Jackie pulled her into a tight hug as Vera finally cried loudly, without trying to hide it.
In Abuja, Dominic put his phone away and looked at Goldie, who was waiting outside the studio.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said after a pause. "I just cleared a distraction."
Goldie smiled and kissed his cheek. "Good. Now you can focus on becoming a star."
He smiled back.
But deep down, for a brief second, he remembered a girl under a mango tree, clapping for him like he was already famous.
He pushed the memory away.
Back in Lagos, Vera did not go to class the next day.
She stayed in bed, staring at the wall.
Her chest felt heavy. Her eyes were swollen.
Jackie brought her food. "Eat small."
"I’m not hungry."
"You have to stay alive to prove him wrong."
Those words stayed in Vera’s mind.
That evening, Jackie placed a camera in front of her again.
"I can’t," Vera said weakly.
"You can," Jackie replied. "Talk to people who are hurting like you. You are not the only one."
Vera took a deep breath and looked into the camera.
"Hi everyone," she began softly. "Today I want to talk about heartbreak… and how to find yourself again."
Her voice trembled at first.
But as she spoke, strength slowly returned.
Without knowing it, that video would reach millions.
And while Dominic was busy climbing toward fame, Vera was beginning a journey that would lead her to a different kind of success.
One built not just on talent.
But on pain, courage, and the decision to rise after being pushed away.
- Writer
