The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 39
I told Moji about it, she was really excited as she gave me the ‘I told you so’ look. “This calls for celebration.” Moji said to me. “There is no celebration please, don’t forget that we still have to pay Sandra a sum of hundred thousand Naira.” I replied her. “You see, money isn’t the problem, we can just go, grab something on Saturday.” Moji said. “Please Moji, can you just do me a favour?” I asked. “What favour is that?” She asked. ” Would you please just allow me to sponsor this date? Oh! sorry outing!. I said to her. Moji looked at me smiling. “Don’t worry, let’s just call it a date. We haven’t really had time to ourselves these days. It’s been one problem or the other. So let’s just go to the movies or go swimming or grab some food. Whatever you have in mind, it’s all good, and you can sponsor it if you want to”. Moji said to me. My whole system became hyperactive, as I was really excited that Moji accepted our outing as the date that it really was. “That will be a good opportunity to express my feelings for her, irrespective of whether or not she has a boyfriend.” I thought to myself. We departed and I went to my hostel.
My life had gotten ten times better, I was really gallant. People around me can’t help but notice it. I really could not wait to tell my roommates that Sandra’s pregnancy is not true. It was just her scheme to lure me into sleeping with her again. The best part of the whole stuff is the fact that Moji indirectly agreed to go on a date with me. I got to the room but nobody was in, because there was a football match that day between Barcelona and Real Madrid. I’m not much of a football fan. So I just stayed in the room, thinking of how to ask Moji out on our date.
Some minutes later, the guys came in, shouting. What more can be expected of guys who just finished watching a match between two big teams. “Messi omo mi, oloun gbo. Ronaldo o le ba.” This actually means Ronaldo is no where near Messi. I really wanted to tell Emeka, Olu, and Mayowa about Sandra, and Moji. But there were too many people in our room, and they were making a hell of noise, arguing about Messi and Ronaldo. It was really noisy.
After about two hours of the whole Messi/Ronaldo argument, the whole thing died down, and everyone went to their rooms. I was really glad that I finally had the chance to pour out my mind to my friends. It was really great. “Guys guess what?” I started the gist with the question. Mayowa, Emeka and Olu were there. . .
Emeka: Wait self, why you like to dey do like girl. How you go dey tell us say make we guess? We be girls?
Olu: Me I no fit guess, but I know say wetin you wan talk dey related to woman mata.
Me: Number 1, Sandra is not pregnant, she confessed to me herself that she was just trying to tie me down.
Emeka: You mean am? Shebi I tell you say that girl no get womb, it be like say I dey exaggerate. Shey una don see now?
Mayowa: Omo God save you o. Just free dat girl, make she dey her own lane o
Olu: The tin no even surprise me at all. Me don know before say na lie. Na number one be dat. Abeg, wetin be number two?
Me: Moji has agreed to go on a date with me this Saturday.
Mayowa: You asked her to go on a date with you?
Me: Not exactly. She suggested that we should celebrate the fact that Sandra’s pregnancy isn’t true. I called it a date, and tried to take it back, but she didn’t see anything wrong with it.
Emeka: No be dat girl wey get bobo for Canada?
Me: Yes, that’s her.
Olu: You wan go date with girl wey don get bobo already? You wan kill yourself abi?
Me: It really doesn’t matter whether she has a boyfriend or not. I’m dying in silence. I plan to tell her what I fell for her, right there.
Mayowa: What if she says no?
Me: If she says no, I will forget about her, and I will never love anyone again. In fact, I will be a player for the rest of my life. Because I can’t love any lady, the way I love her.
Emeka: Abeg, wetin this guy dey talk dey vex me. (He took a shirt and left the room).
Olu: Wait self, why you dey tell us? (Referring to me)
Me: I need your help please.
Olu: What is that?
Me: I told Moji that I want to sponsor the date, then she agreed. And you know my pocket. I know if I tell you, you will give me some money, so I can be alright financially.
Olu: Na me koba you?
Me: Olu abeg naw.
Olu: I no get pass 2k o
Me: 2k is really dope, I will just get another 2k from Mayowa.
Mayowa: As I dey, na only 1k you fit see for my hand. 3k don do you naw, you wan carry her go Atlanta?
Olu: Leave am. If 3k no do you, you no go anywhere again be dat.
Me: Thanks so much guys.
Mayowa: Make she say yes ni o, if she no say yes, you go return my money o. . . . (We all laughed, as I rehearsed different ways of telling her my feelings for her.)
I became really gallant all through the week, I was really happy as I would finally have the chance to express my love. Somehow I was scared what the response will be, on the other hand, I was overly excited.
Finally, Saturday came. . . .
What next? Find out in Episode 40.
The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 40
Finally, Saturday came. I had been thinking of what to do over the weekdays. I had decided to take her to a restaurant called ‘Indulge’ at ‘New Buka’. I was really glad. I wore a shirt, trouser and a bow tie. I looked really corporate. I had collected the three thousand Naira from my friends already. In order to look good, ‘pocket-wise’. I went straight to our meeting point (Anglomoz). It was around 6pm. There I saw Moji, wearing a purple-coloured gown that matched perfectly with her make-up. Her ear-rings were on point, and she looked stunning when I saw her. Her love gripped me, it was literarily killing me already. I just kept calm. “You look stunning!” I said to her. She accompanied her reply with a smile which was powerful enough to make me float to outer space. “Thanks!” She said. We walked to ‘new buka’. To the restaurant there called ‘indulge’. This is actually different from where I saw Mide the other day, this is a decent place for decent people. Just in the same area.
When we got there, I ordered a plate of fried-rice, and chicken. With a ‘5-Alive’ drink and two glass. I was very glad that I was buying something for Moji. Though she has the money, and can pay all the bills. I really wanted to pay her bills so I can feel like the man. The food was really delicious, as we were teasing each other, feeding each other and having fun. The Moji I saw that day is really the one I love. I was so happy being around her. My life was really going well. We just enjoyed the meal as we were enjoying a movie on the TV in the restaurant. After two hours, everywhere had gotten dark. I really needed to tell Moji about my feelings. So that I wouldn’t die in silence. Moji and I left the restaurant, and went straight to Anglomoz to continue talking. Moji just kept talking about lots of stuffs I didn’t wish to hear about. I was just listening so I can show myself as a good listener.
I knew the time was near to tell her about my feelings, but I got really scared and nervous. “What if she says NO?” I thought to myself. A part of me was telling me to say it, while the other was telling me not to. “Moji, there is something I have to tell you”. I said to her. “I’m all ears.” She answered. I got really nervous. I don’t know if it’s true, but I guess that’s how it feels when one wants to confess one’s feelings for someone he really cares about. Not considering how scared I was, I just let it out.
“Moji, I understand that we’ve been just friends for a while now, in fact, I know that you see us as siblings. I know that you have a boyfriend. I also know that you adore him. I know that I’m not rich. I know that compared to your boyfriend, I’m not handsome. I know that I’m just in part one with you. I know that your boyfriend has his masters already. I know that what I’m about to say might surprise you. I know that you do not expect such from me. But above all, one thing I know is that, I’m in love with you. I’m literarily dying in silence. I don’t know whether you have to break up with your boyfriend? I don’t know whether you have to double date? In fact, I don’t think I can share you with anybody. Please Moji (I went on my knees, without caring whether or not people were looking at me) Just give me a chance. All you’ve done is to be kind to me. Moji, what more can I ask for. You are beautiful, kind and intelligent. I can’t afford to be like your brother, it hurts me whenever you call me that. I want you to be mine forever, in fact, we will surely get married. You will never be my ex. You are the first woman in my life I’m telling this, please make my love story complete.” I finished my speech on my knees. Moji stood and was looking at me. She was really moved to tears. She came closer to me, asked me to stand up.
She opened her mouth to talk, and what came out surprised me. “Do you think you have anything that can make me have feelings for you?”. . .
What next? Find out in Episode 41.
