It had been a month since Chris had come to Benin and gone back and Selah still hadn't heard from him. She was so worried that she'd call everyday but no response.

She felt so lonely; they had been five months into the relationship and things were going wrong. She sought advise from James, a past friend; a mutual one with Chris in high school who happened to be her senior and his senior too, asking her out.

On a phonecall one day with James, she poured out how she felt to him concerning Chris.

'He is the first person I have ever loved with my whole heart and I want our relationship to work. I don't know what to do.'

'Selah Essien! You are a funny girl o,' James responded, laughing. 'You haven't heard from me in a while and you are telling me about Chris.'

She didn't respond.

'Selah Essien, let me tell you something. Chris is using you, ntang akpanikoh. He is still dating Trisha,' James dropped the bomb.

'See eh, everything you tell Chris, he tells Trisha. Those are the people in the relationship, you are just one post office woman, mailing your thoughts to them,' he added.

'He said he broke up with her, that's why we're dating,' Selah replied, panic written over her face.

'The problem with you Selah is that you don't listen to when someone is saying something to help you. You are single, that's the truth. We're the ones who are seeing the koko, not you.'

She could feel those tears she warned not to fall stroll down her face and into her top. It was so hard to believe what James was telling her but deep inside, something was telling her it was the truth; a truth she found hard to accept.

It was like someone had poured ice water on her, and thrown scorpions into her top. She thought about what James told her and tears flowed freely; like she had a GP tank of it. His weird behaviour, inability to pick calls and she couldn't remember the last time they spoke.

Am I in a relationship? She asked herself, cause it was hard to believe, given the way she was feeling. She tried his line again and it rang but was busied immediately, following a text from him.

Let's talk later, I'm busy.

It had the same tune to the previous messages he sent when she called.

I'm watching a football match, and it's noisy here.

Can't talk now, let's text.

In class. Text me.

Seven point agenda. She felt like a stranger. I will endure cause that's what people do in relationships. It's just a phase, she admitted to herself. Dey deceive yoursef iyeh....you are single my sister. Don't say that to her, it's not funny. Let's wait and find out what the issue is. Mary Slessor...Mother Teresa...Pathfinder...all for you.

'I'm planning on accepting Segun's proposal,' she told Rachel and Valerie one evening while they strolled to get food.

The two ladies stopped in their tracks and looked at her.

'Ohh...papa God, my friend has finally gone mad. What happened to your boyfriend? Did he die?' Rachel asked.

'Please let's keep walking,' she motioned them, 'he is behaving weird. I feel like a stranger. I mean, he loves me and I feel the same but his excuses recently is making me feel like I'm dating for both of us.'

'So you didn't know before?' Valerie blurted out, 'I told you that distance relationship is like President and cleaner; that is capital P and small c.'

Rachel laughed, 'Valerie you're not well. Well illustrated though.'

'It's not funny. So who's the President and who's the cleaner?' Selah asked, knowing the answer to the question but still doubting it.

'You know yoursef na. Obviously, you're the cleaner. Presidents behave like Kings and cleaners behave like themselves.'

'What Valerie is saying is that this distance thing is going to cause a lot of issues between two of you. You're already planning to have boyfriend two cause boyfriend one is misbehaving,' Rachel cut in.

'So what should I do?'

'All these single ladies....all these single ladies,' Rachel sang, shaking her body, 'that's the answer.'

Selah was silent throughout their walk. She thought breaking up with Chris will be a good plan but deep inside, she knew she couldn't. He was her first love. I can endure this. I love him too much to back out five months after I said yes. James' words kept playing in her head...Trisha and Chris are still dating. Everything you tell him, he tells Trisha, you're the fool sha.

When they got to the hostel, she walked out of the room to call Chris for the fifth time that day. Thankfully, the phone rang. It's not about the phone ringing, it's about him picking and sounding excited to hear from you. She called two times extra and he busied the call with a text.

I'm watching match and it's noisy here. Send a text please.

Her eyes became teary and she blinked them back, controlling herself. Selah you can't cry for something this small, you should be used to it by now she said to herself.

She walked into Rachel and Valerie's room which was beside hers. They saw the look in her eyes and asked her what was going on. She didn't know when the tears flowed freely. She sat down and cried, her face on her knees. Rachel say beside her, rubbing her back and telling her it was okay.

Out of rage, Valerie picked up the phone and typed a text message to Chris.

You are an idiot for treating me this way. I have value, and if you can't see it, someone else will. Keep your relationship, I'll keep my time.

And a reply came immediately.

I've seen your message. No problem.

Rachel looked at Valerie. 'What did you do?'

She didn't reply; she dropped the phone and sat down, facing her laptop. Selah picked up her phone and saw the text messages. She looked at Valerie, then Rachel and back to Valerie.

'What have you done?' she asked in anger.

**********
My language popped up again. You know me, I love my language.

Well, ntang akpanikoh means I'm telling the truth.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading so far, including those I recently shared the app into their phone and voted for myself. If you want something done well, do it yourself.

All the same, I love you guys so much. We are this close to 1k views. I know we can make it work.

With love ♥️

Joy Akpan 😊