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I regret the day I met you. I loathe the day we became friends. Thank you for showing me who you really are. Have a great life!
Those were Rock’s last words to Grace before he blocked her on all social media platforms. Every day in the five weeks that passed, she read the words to herself with utter devotion. With each read, she felt lesser of herself. Every time, the words painfully chipped away bits off her wooden heart. What had she done?! A friendship of five years vanished like a puff of smoke. Guilt overwhelmed her whenever her mind tried to relish the night intimacy before the saga. She deserved it for being foolish.
Grace read the message again. This time, more slowly.
I. Regret. The. Day. I. Met. You.
I. Loathe. The. Day. We. Became. Friends.
Thank. You. For. Showing. Me. who. You. Really. Are.
Have. A. great. Life!
Freshly-baked guilt rose in Grace, sending her on a frantic search for solace.
October 8.
(Status update)
“Feeling blue. Craving some red velvet waffle and a bucket of ice-cream. Hellllppppp.”
(7:54 PM – New inbox reply to status update)
@RoseWater (7:54 PM): Yo! @RockyGrace1 I checked your ‘last seen’ yesterday and saw that you were away for about 7 weeks. I thought you deleted the app or something.
Grace (7:55PM): Hahaha. No, pal, I’ve just been super busy with work. I had to host a ton of AMAs, Twitter spaces, and all. And those Indians had a trailer of questions. I used to think they were smart folks. So not easy preparing for a token launch; we, Community Managers, always take the hit.
RW (7: 57PM): Ooppss. You just hit my neighbours with a solid punch. I should tell on you. Hahaha.
Grace (7:57 PM): So, you’re Asian?
RW (7:57 PM): Yes, Myanmar. Where are you from? Though, I know there’s no point asking.
Grace (7:58 PM): It’s alright. Knowing each other’s location doesn’t ruin our anonymous friendship. I’m from Nigeria.
RW (7: 59 PM): Cool. I once had a classmate who was Nigerian.
Grace (7:59 PM): How Nigerians manage to be everywhere is the 8th wonder of the world.
RW (8:09 PM): Hahaha. My former Nigerian classmate was a very interesting guy. Is that how everyone in Nigeria is? He was yellow. I thought they said everyone in Africa is black.
Grace (8:10 PM): Not really. Some folks can be light-complexioned, but we’re mainly black. And yes, Nigerians can be interesting; happy even in the face of hardships.
RW (8:11 PM): Then, why are you feeling blue? Can you share?
Of course, she could. It’s why she came online. Ever since Grace discovered ConfidantX a year ago, she’d been using the app as sort of a rant room, and @RoseWater had been one of the few anonymous friends she’d been able to make. ConfidantX was perfect for her needs. Rant anonymously on TL, and proceed with anonymous conversations that help you de-clutter. A safe space to share whatever is on your mind without the risk of being seen or judged by someone who might recognize you in real life. No media sharing. No link sharing. No real name usage. Just strange usernames and texts, with a small bank of emojis. Even the app’s developers remained anonymous. Perfect for Grace.
Grace (8:12 PM): Yes, friend. Thank you for asking. So, in summary. There’s this guy I’ve loved for 5 years, right? We’ve been friends, and I was waiting for him to ask me out. But after two years of our friendship, he met another girl and started dating her. So, I just kind of sucked it all up and remained his best friend. I tried not to let my feelings show, but maybe they did show, but I dealt with them right….
RW (8:14 PM) (@RockyGrace1 is typing …..): Why didn’t you ask him out first?
Grace (8: 15 PM): …but I recently met a guy in church, and we became friends. This new guy said there was a girl he liked and wasn’t sure how to get her. He also said she was in a relationship, but she didn’t look happy in it. Anyways, he didn’t tell me who the girl was, no name, no photos; I was just giving him advice whenever there was a situation, and he didn’t know what to do. Eventually, he got the girl. It was only when he mentioned her name that I realised it was the same girl my best friend was dating. My best friend found out and has since been angry at me, thinking I did it intentionally.
Grace – reply to RW’s 8:14 PM message (8:17 PM): I couldn’t ask him out because I wasn’t sure if he even felt the same way I felt, and I didn’t want to risk losing my friendship with him.
RW (8:17 PM): Wow. So, you mean you helped a new guy steal your best friend’s girl without knowing what was happening?
Grace (8:18 PM): I guess we can put it that way. I feel so terrible right now.
RW (8:18 PM): I’m sorry about that, @RockyGrace1. But have you tried explaining to your best friend?
Grace (8:19 PM): He blocked me on socials and my phone number too, and I haven’t even seen him in church. But I’m also pained that he believed I could actually do that to him. No benefit of the doubt, nothing. He could have at least let me explain. I sincerely didn’t know. I’d just have to be the devil until he finally calms down for the truth.
RW (8:20 PM): I’m so sorry you got burned while playing cupid, friend. But you just have to talk to him. You deserve to have the misunderstanding cleared.
Grace (8:20 PM): Yeah. Thanks, I’ll find a way.
RW (8:21 PM): Or do you want us to cuss at him first? It’ll help you feel better and stop feeling blue.
Grace (8:21 PM): Hell fucking yes! What a fool you are, Rock! How can you not give me a chance to explain myself!!!!
RW (8:22 PM): Yes! You’re an asshole. How can you make @RockyGrace1 feel blue!! What an arsehead you are!!!!!
Grace (8:22 PM): An absolute spastic wanker! Hahahahaha.
RW – reply to Grace’s 8:21 PM message (8:23 PM): Wait! Is he Rocky? Is he the Rocky to your Grace? As in @RockyGrace1?
Grace (8:24 PM): Ooopppsss! Byeeeee!!
RW (8:25 PM): Hahahaha. See you later, friend.
(Grace closes the app)
There was a catch. An embarrassing catch. Had the ConfidantX app allowed for a username change, Grace would have discarded the ‘Rocky’ part to her username. She cringed as her brain regurgitated the thoughts of it all. She’d been all but the smart girl she thought she was. She should have known. Were there no signs that Ayodele had been after Dami? How could she not have noticed a new guy trying to hit on her best friend’s girlfriend? Honestly, there was none. Grace had advised Ayodele not to be too close to the girl he was crushing on – not to pressure her. Maybe.
‘Give her space.’ She had told him when they first started discussing the matter.
Well done, Grace! She wished she had followed her own advice. She tried to, but Rock was too interesting a guy to give ‘space.’ Now, he certainly had no interest in her. All her subtle hopes of being the one that makes him smile are now gone with the wind. Grace stuffed her face with a pillow. Hard. She shrieked into the feathers of dead chickens, hoping to let out some steam. The fresh-wash scent of Sunlight detergent choked her after a few seconds, and she let go.
Grace’s phone dinged. Joshua. A deep sigh escaped her being. If only this guy knew she’d never be interested in him in four lifetimes, he’d stop wasting his hard-earned call cards and data bundles.
‘Can I see you tomorrow after service?’ His message was dry, as usual. Lacklustre. Devoid of energy like Rock’s did. Rock! Again? Forget Rock! Maybe her brain was unwilling to recognize Joshua’s chat as interesting.
‘Alright. See you tomorrow in church.’ She forced a reply. If she was going to forget Rock and move on, she figured she’d better give other guys a chance to show what’s under their hood. No. Not that hood! Their personality hood! Goddamnit!
**
The church service was awesome. As usual. Rightfully divided word. Glorious music by Outburst. Beautiful people. Smiles and love everywhere. Bar the moment he saw Grace enter the auditorium during Confessions; Rock enjoyed every bit of the second Sunday service in October.
Now, he just had to head home without anyone asking him what had happened with Dami. That was a long shot because one nosy lady from the Ushering department wouldn’t let the sleeping dog lie. He forced a smile to feign being over it while giving her the courtesy of a response. But he was livid. His eyes paced around in search of nothing. How far the news must have spread! How many people looking at him now knew his girlfriend dumped him because he earned less than her? And it was all because of her! There! His eyes settled on Grace. She stood near the gate, smiling and giggling in discussion with who was that? The devil in a woman’s body.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he finally said to the nosy usher, trying to wrap up the conversation by requesting his number.
He paced towards where Grace stood, unsure of a plausible reason for his direction. Reasoning was far from him. Consciousness had left him. He sub-consciously breezed past someone who tried to get his attention.
“I hope you’re not believing whatever she’s telling you.” Rock began as he reached where Grace stood with… His face flaunted an ear-to-ear smile as he swung his head between the two talkers.
Confusion sat on Joshua’s face as he wondered what was going on. He wasn’t confused long.
“I mean, you know she’s a liar, right? Trust me, if you think she’s going to be a good friend to you,” he sighed, “you are deceiving yourself.”
“Rock!” Grace pulled his hand. “What do you think you’re doing?” She glared at him with wonder.
“Don’t worry,” his smile persisted, “I’m just trying to give him heads up before you stab him in the back like you did to me.”
Joshua’s eyes darted between the obvious friends at angles.
“You know you’re being petty right now, right?” Grace was near tears.
He could see it. Good. She deserved as much pain as she caused him.
“I think I should excuse you guys.” Joshua retreated into oblivion in a few steps. None of the sparring friends seemed to notice.
“You really are being nasty to her, you know?” a voice echoed behind them. Ayodele. A lucky man. The new man of Damilola Praise Ajenifuja’s dreams. The incumbent bane to Rock’s existence.
“And who are you?” Rock turned.
“Ayodele.”
The three-way stares continued. Ayodele apologized for the misunderstanding. Grace had told him what had happened. He tried to talk to Rock earlier, but he breezed past him with anger in his eyes. Ayodele said his part and how Grace didn’t know.
Rock’s heart fell like a sack of rice. His legs suddenly lost power like an F1 race car. Oh shit! His words came back to him. Devil. Devil. That’s what he had called Grace. His message. Geez! God! What had he done?! He turned to Grace to find out.
The tears were without control on their way out of Grace’s eyes, and she paced her walk out of the church compound immediately as her eyes met Rock’s. Rock followed, but she started running on her heels.
“Grace. Grace. I’m so sorry. Grace!” he called out. Many thoughts took up processing space in his brain. How impatient he had been!
Grace wasn’t stopping. Was he going to tell her how he loved her now? Was he going to say he didn’t regret meeting her? Thoughts, anger, and pain befuddled her mind. In her heels, she stepped into the sparse road without looking. The sudden hard-breaking screech from a fast incoming car rammed into her as her soulless body went to the ground.
“Grace!” Rock shrieked.
To keep you updated (better) with newsletter drops and to discuss characters, plot, and storyline, I’d love to engage with you on the newsletter’s Twitter account. Kindly follow, and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. The account is exclusively for the newsletter, so the only notifications you’ll get will be relevant. I promise. Thanks.
If Grace dies, you’re in trouble with me Fam 🤞🏾
Oh No! I didn't see that coming... I just hope nothing happens to her now...
BTW, everybody needs a Rosewater in their life😅