LEFT ME, TOOK HER

--- *LEFT ME, TOOK HER* *My name is Amaya. I am 22 years old, final year student. I am ambitious but poor, beautiful and calm. I just want to make my mother proud. This is my story.* *DAY 1: The Cafeteria Guy* My name is Amaya, I live a life of a gentle girl that I am and also to make my mother proud. That morning I woke Vicky up. Me: Hey Vicky!! Wait up, we're going together. Are you going to the cafeteria today? Can I please borrow your red dress? Vicky: I don't think so, I have somewhere to be. See you soon. Me: Okay okay!! You can but nothing should happen to the dress? Vicky: Don't worry when my rich boyfriend gives me money I will buy much more for you! Vicky left. I went to class alone. My head was burning because of exams. My friend Jayden... I didn't know him then. Later I went to cafeteria to cool my head. Suddenly someone shouted: Cafeteria guy: Good morning everyone, Someone is paying for all the bills, MR Jayden Judge is paying for all of you!! Me: Huh! Who's the guy and why's he paying for all? Then he came to my table. Tall, rich, 25 years old. Luxury never ends kind of guy. Jayden: Hey beautiful, can I sit with you just for a sec? Me: Hello, you can. And why are you even paying for everyone in this cafeteria? Jayden: Hey chill a little bit! I'm not here to fight you, I just needed to cool my head that's why I come here! By the way I'm Jayden Judge, son of the late Avon Judge, nice to meet you. Me: Ohhk, I'm Amaya Williams, I'm a final year student in the University of New York, nice to meet you too. He seemed like a very gentle guy. No I'm not judging now, let me keep my story rolling. Jayden: Nice to meet you once again, I'll have to take my leave now, I have a meeting to attend to! Me: Nice to meet you too, maybe I'll go too because I really need to read, the exams are burning my head up!! Light fades out... I thought that was the end. It was just the beginning. *DAY 2: The Red Dress And The Lie* I woke up early the next day. Vicky was wearing my red dress. The same red dress I begged her not to spoil. Me: Vicky, where did you go yesterday? I was waiting for you. Vicky: Ohh... my rich boyfriend took me shopping. You know Jayden? That guy that paid for everyone yesterday? He asked about you. Me: Me? Vicky: Yes, but don't worry, I told him you're too local for him. My heart felt small. But I kept quiet because Vicky is my roommate and my friend. At least I thought she was. I went to library to read. Someone kept my seat. Jayden: Hey, Amaya Williams. You again. Me: How do you know my name? Jayden: I asked. You were the only girl not clapping when they said I'm paying. Me: I did clap. I just don't like when people use money to show power. Jayden: You are different. Most girls here like me because I am son of late Avon Judge. You didn't care. We talked for one hour. I forgot about exams. For the first time, a rich man listened to me, not my dress. Vicky saw us from outside and took a picture. I didn't know. *DAY 3: The Interview That Changed My Life* The school announced: Smith's Group is hiring 2 interns. Salary that could change my mother's life. Smith's Group is one of the biggest companies in town. And the heir is Aaron Smith. 26 years old. Young, ambitious, stinking rich. Vicky applied. She wore fake designer. Me, I wore my old clean leather jacket and maroon top. My natural face. No fake. At the interview, Aaron entered. Black luxurious suit, gold watch detail, gentle smile. Not the big grin kind, the gentle kind that makes you feel safe. It was my turn. Aaron: Williams Amaya? Your CV says you are ambitious but you have no Godfather. Why should I pick you? Me: Sir, I don't have a Godfather, I have hard work. And I want to make my mother proud. If you give me this chance, I will give you loyalty. I don't have money, but I have truth. He looked at me for long. Aaron: What is your mother's name? Me: Grace Williams. Aaron: Tell Grace Williams her daughter starts tomorrow. My office. 8am. Don't be late. I cried outside. Not sad tears. Proud tears. Vicky heard it. Her face changed. Vicky: So you got it? Because you acted poor? Me: Vicky, I didn't act. I am poor. That night, Vicky called Jayden. I later found out what she said. Vicky: Jayden baby, you forgot our date? I'm wearing the red dress... the one Amaya always borrows. Amaya said she is busy with Aaron Smith. That new stinking rich boss. She left you, Jayden. She left you for richer. It was a lie. A big lie. But Jayden believed it. *DAY 4: HE LEFT ME, TOOK HER* I waited for Jayden in the cafeteria. I wanted to tell him I got Smith's Group. He didn't come. Instead, he came holding Vicky's hand. Vicky wearing luxurious gold coat, glittering. Jayden wearing very rich suit, gold watch. They looked like luxury. Me: Jayden? Vicky? Vicky: Oh Amaya, Jayden said you left him for Aaron, so he took me. Don't worry, when he gives me money I will buy you much more dress. Jayden didn't even look at me. He looked away like I was nobody. My heart broke. Light fades out from my room again. I ran. I ran to Smith's Group office. It was 8pm. Aaron was still working. Aaron: Amaya? Why are you here by this time? Why are you crying? Me: Sir, sorry... my friend... my friend took him... Aaron: (He closed his laptop) Amaya, in this company, we don't cry for people who left us. We become so big they regret leaving. You want to go home? I will drop you. He didn't touch me. He gave me his coat. He was gentle. That night I told my mother on phone: Me: Mom, someone left me and took my friend. My Mom: Amaya, my gentle girl, if they left you, they never deserved you. Make me proud, not with a man, with your own hands. *DAY 5 - DAY 15: How Aaron Made Me Glow* From that day, Aaron didn't treat me like an intern. He taught me. Aaron took me out for business meetings. Not as a girl, as a partner. Aaron taught me how to talk to board members. How to be calm but strong. Me: Sir, why are you helping me so much? Aaron: Because when I was 10, my father left me company but not love. You have love, Amaya. Your mother. That makes you richer than me. And I like your gentle smile. I started glowing. Not with fake gold coat like Vicky. With real confidence. Aaron bought me 10 dresses. Not because I asked. Because he said, "You don't borrow red dresses anymore." He always had that luxurious suit with gold embroidery and that gold watch detail. Stinking rich, but his smile was always gentle when he looked at me. Meanwhile, Jayden's life with Vicky was becoming hell. Vicky was demanding every day: "Buy me this, take me to Dubai, my parents are struggling but I need to show luxury." Jayden told me later: Jayden: Vicky always asks for money. You never asked for one naira. I left you who asked for nothing, and took her who asks for everything. *DAY 20: The Gala - My Revenge Without Talking* Smith's Group Annual Gala. Biggest event in New York. Aaron: Amaya, you will come with me as my date. Not as my intern. Me: Sir, people will talk. Aaron: Let them talk. You are not poor tonight. You are the woman who made me proud. Aaron took me out that night. I wore simple black leather jacket, black turtleneck, natural soft makeup, bright clear beautiful firm face. My long hair. I felt beautiful. Aaron wore his most luxurious black velvet suit with gold embroidery on the collar and that big gold watch. He hugged me from behind. Gentle smile. Soft subtle golden glow around us. We entered. Everyone looked at us. Jayden came with Vicky. Vicky in same gold glitter coat, trying too hard to look rich. Jayden in rich suit but tired face. They were slightly blurred in background, holding hands but no love. Jayden saw me and couldn't breathe. Jayden: Amaya... I can explain. Vicky said you left me for Aaron... Me: Jayden, you didn't even ask me. You left me, you took her. That's all. Vicky is your choice now. Vicky tried to insult me: Vicky: Amaya, you borrowed my red dress, now you borrowed a rich man? Aaron stepped forward, with his gentle smile: Aaron: No, Vicky. She didn't borrow a rich man. She built a man who was rich to respect her. And Vicky, that red dress? My mother used to say - Fake gold shines brighter, but real gold lasts longer. Everyone saw Vicky's fake designer tag showing. People laughed. I didn't laugh. I just held Aaron's hand. His gold watch shined. *LAST DAY: I Made My Mother Proud* I graduated. First Class. University of New York. My mother came from home, wearing simple wrapper. I hugged her on stage. Me: Mom, I lived a life of a gentle girl that I am and also to make you proud. I did. Aaron waited outside with bouquet. Not expensive, but with letter: Letter: "Amaya, will you build Smith's Group with me? Not as intern, as partner? As my woman?" I smiled with soft natural makeup, firm but gentle. I said yes. Not because he is the heir to Smith's Group, the biggest company in town. Because when I was nothing, he saw my ambitious heart. When Jayden left me and took her, Aaron took me and made me his. ——