FADED DREAMS

My world came to a screeching halt the moment I locked eyes with Tibi Humphrey. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and my heart skipped a beat. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut, but in a strange, exhilarating way. Tibi Humphrey, the most handsome man I had ever seen, stood there smiling like he knew a secret I didn’t. Little did I know, he was about to change everything — disrupt my world, challenge my dreams, and leave me questioning everything I thought I knew about life. But what was it about him that made me feel so… alive? His piercing gaze? The chiseled line of his jaw? The confident ease with which he carried himself? Whatever it was, I was hooked, and I knew my life would never be the same again. It was a sun-drenched afternoon, and Zizi and I had just wrapped up our study session at the National Open Library — one of those days where everything felt possible. We had first met during the entrance exams, bonding over our shared nerves and shaky hands. As she sat, her legs shaking and hands fidgeting with her lap, her eyes met mine across the room. I was scanning the auditorium for a free chair, and she smiled, raising her hand to beckon me over to the empty seat beside her. I felt a surge of gratitude towards this stranger as I sat down, and turned to thank her, but she had already looked away, her anxiety palpable. I felt a pang of empathy, and my own nerves calmed as I settled in. Our exam sheets came in immediately, and we started writing. I could see with my side eye that Zizi's hands were shaking. She was amongst the first to submit her exam sheets and rushed out immediately. After the exams, I sat at the cafeteria, hoping to see her so I could let her know that it was totally normal to be anxious during an exam and that I was anxious too, and that I appreciated the kind gesture earlier. After a few hours, I was totally exhausted and lost hope of seeing her. I was checking my bags when I felt someone tap my back; “You must have smashed those questions; you didn’t seem bothered at all,” said a familiar voice. I turned. Zizi. “Not really, not after the results are out,” I said. “But you wrote well?” she asked. “I try,” I murmured. She held out her hand. “Zizi.” “Talia,” I replied, shaking her hand. “I should call you later,” she said, handing me her phone. I typed in my number quickly and returned it. “Why does your phone number look like an oversized bank account number? You must be really rich, or we wouldn’t be able to work this out.” We both laughed, and I liked her immediately. Zizi was outspoken, strong-willed, and persistent — the kind of friend whose energy was impossible to ignore. Over the years, our friendship had grown naturally. She would call at odd hours just to rant, sometimes about nothing at all. “Why do we have to shower? Can’t we just wake up clean?” she asked one morning at 6 a.m., the day we were supposed to catch a train to the library. “Zizi, don’t tell me you’re just waking up?” I replied, exasperated. “Mhmmm,” she said nonchalantly. “Get off the phone and get ready. I’m almost at the train station,” I said. “We can always book another train, mate,” she laughed, ending the call. Typical Zizi — not particularly serious about her studies but pushed to try because her father had threatened to disown her if she didn’t pursue law school. You see, Zizi is a fashionista and has a passion for creating content around fashion, but her father just wants her to be a lawyer to make the family proud. "Over my dead body will you spend your life wearing clothes and standing behind cameras, over my dead body, Zizi," Clement Brandon, her father, had screamed at her the day she argued she wasn't going to become a lawyer. "Zizi, our family is known for doing great things. Can't you see your brothers, Eli and Shakar? You will not bring shame to this family," her mother said. "Don't you understand where you were born?" Eli, the eldest of the Brandon’s family, said. "I want to be able to brag about how my sister is the greatest lawyer in England." He tapped her back and walked out, heading to work. "Just chill and do as Dad has said, you can't even fund your childish dreams, can you?" Shakar said and gave her a wink. Zizi could barely hold back her tears as she rushed back to her room, jumped on her bed, and buried her head in her pillow, making sounds of deep sobs. It has been like that with Zizi, but you would never know until you're told. I have always wanted to be a lawyer ; I envied Zizi, who had all the resources but was not interested in the profession. I, on the other hand, was living like a slave in my dad’s best friend’s house so he could support my dreams. My life with the Edohas was tough. "If you want to go to college, you'll have to wait until my kids graduate," Mr. Edohas, my dad's best friend who took me in after my parents passed away, said to me. "I'm doing you a solid by even considering paying for your tuition, Talia. You should be grateful." "I am grateful, Uncle E," I replied, calling him by the title I always used. "I'll wait, no matter how long it takes. I'm willing to wait." As I gazed out the window, I thought of Zizi. "I wish I could be her," I muttered to myself, feeling a pang of sadness. I quickly wiped away a tear and headed to my room, where I stared at my family portrait on my reading table. "I wish I didn't have to do life alone. I wish you'd taken me with you," I said, feeling a surge of anger. I was about to throw my phone when it rang. It was Zizi. "Hey, how much do lawyers earn annually again?" she asked, not even saying hello. "This is like the millionth time you've asked me this," I laughed. "Just trying to see if I can get some motivation," she sighed."Maybe we should just switch lives," she joked. "Not funny, Zizi," i replied, ending the call. My phone buzzed immediately. "I was just kidding, T. Why are you so salty?" Zizi asked. "I'm not salty, I just had stuff to handle," I said. That day at the National open library, renovations were going on as the Liberian Miss Cecilia had earlier informed Zizi and I to wrap up early as new furnitures would be brought into the library that day. Miss Cecilia was a stunning, stylish woman in her mid-30s, with long blonde hair and a warm smile. She was always put together, she was the most gorgeous lady I have met, she was so kind and always ready to help. "The road to greatness is a solo ride, you know?" she said, her voice a gentle breeze on a summer day, as I returned a book I'd ruined with my tears. "Pace yourself, follow your heart, and you'll get where you need to go." Her smile was a warm hug, and when she touched my cheeks, her hands were a soothing balm to my soul. The softness and warmth of her skin sent shivers down my spine, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me, like the first sip of a cold drink on a scorching hot day. While Zizi and I stood at the counter to chitchat with Our Adorable irresistible Miss Cecilia, two young men looking sharp in their designer suits,their cologne wafted over to us as they walked into the Library.They were the owners of the furniture company whom the government had contracted to handle the furniture during the renovation. “Most gorgeous Cecilia “ the dark one with brown suit smiled at Miss Cecilia, the accent immediately sent butterflies to my belly and immediately I couldn’t control myself as I stopped to watch his lips as he spoke. He turned and look at me, Tossing me a wink and a dimpled smile like he’s saying, Room full of people, but I still see you. He handed Miss Cecilia his business card, I couldn't help but sneak a peek. "Tibi Humphrey, MD, THKing Holdings," it read. I felt a flutter in my chest as I processed the fact that this gorgeous guy was a big shot CEO. Zizi, sensing my distraction, grabbed my hand and yanked me out of the library. "Girl, I'm starving!" she exclaimed, practically dragging me down the street. "Let's grab lunch, stat!" We power-walked to a nearby café, Zizi's heels clicking on the pavement. I was still reeling from the Tibi encounter, but Zizi was focused on one thing: food. As we sat down at a table, Zizi bombarded me with questions. "What do you think of him? Isn't he fine? Do you think he's single?" I laughed, trying to deflect her enthusiasm. "Slow down, Ziz! We just met the guy." But Zizi was undeterred. She was already planning our next move, her mind whirling with possibilities. Little did I know, Tibi Humphrey was about to turn my life upside down.