chapter 10
307 Words
The warning came out of nowhere.
One moment, we were talking by the hostel window just talking and the next, the hostel mistress caught us.
“What are you doing here?” she snapped.
“Don’t ever let me catch you inside this hostel again, do you hear me?”
Her voice was sharp enough to slice air.
Tunde didn’t argue.
He just nodded, swallowed hard, and walked away.
That was the beginning of the space between us.
Not a fight. Not a goodbye. Just… space.
He stopped showing up as often.
His eyes became brief.
His presence, distant.
And then… Tomi.
Out of nowhere, they were laughing more.
Talking more.
Standing closer than usual.
At first I told myself, it’s nothing.
Tomi’s like that with everyone.
Until the day she pulled me aside and said:
“Let’s just swap. You take Shedrach, and I’ll take Tunde.”
Like we were trading snacks.
Like feelings were clothes we could just hand over and wear.
I looked at her and blinked twice.
Not because I didn’t hear her… but because I needed to decide if she was serious or just sick in the head.
But Tunde said nothing.
No denial. No protest. Just distance and mood swings.
That silence said enough.
I wasn’t about to fight for a boy.
Especially not one who couldn’t speak up for me.
Especially not one that my friend thought she could casually claim like a piece of chewing gum.
So I did what I always did when things hurt I made it look like I didn’t care.
I smiled harder.
Laughed louder.
Started pulling away, slowly, quietly the same way he did.
Not because I didn’t like him anymore.
But because I refuse to beg for what’s meant to choose me.
And Tunde?
He could decide what he wanted.
I wasn’t waiting.
- Writer
