The First Day I Met Gina

Three days have passed, and I’m yet to hear from Michael. I have been living with Funke who seemed nice to an extent. To an extent because she’s comfortable telling you stories, both real and false. And she does not mind me eating her food or sharing her clothes. However, it was the excessive smoking that got me uncomfortable around her. Between her and her boyfriend, Yemilade, I do not know who would win the award of smoking. Somehow, I was forced to believe the boyfriend does not have a place to stay aside Funke’s apartment.

“Has Michael called?” I asked Funke for the umpteenth time since the passed two days.

“No! If he calls I’ll let you know. But it is better you forget about hearing from him anytime soon. Michael has probably forgotten you exist,” Funke said. I smiled trying not to frown at what she just said. Michael was my only hope, even though I did not know exactly what hope that was based on.

“Can I call him? Maybe a beep,” I said to her trying to sound beggarly. She shook her head in the negative asking me who will buy her call card if I used the one on her phone.

“I won’t let him pick the call. Just a beep!” I said to her trying to convince her. Perhaps she would give me. I needed to speak to Michael so bad. After all, he brought me here. I needed to know where I stand, no matter how accommodating Funke might be, I don’t think anyone would allow a stranger stay in their house for a long time. I needed to find a way to make money so I could get back to Warri. Aleast I know people there. Or maybe, just maybe, if I am able to make enough money, I would just stay back in Lagos and start life all over, after all, the reason I came to Lagos in the first place was to develop myself.

It was about a month ago when I returned home one afternoon. I had gone in search of a job. I studied Banking and finance in school and had graduated two years ago. And yes I know, I have not been in good terms with my mom who happens to be the only parent I have still in existence, so how did I get to sponsor myself?

I used to write magazine articles, and poems for poetry magazines. Basically put, I was a writer, and that was what saw me through my last days in school after I had cut ties with my mom. I do not wish to go into details as to why I did that, but our relationship as a family felt too toxic for my consumption. Anyway, after I graduated, I did not see the need to work under any financial institution since I was still gaining much from my writing. However, I got lazy, lost myself to the booze and extravagant lifestyle. I mean, I met a friend after a very long time of being on my own. Someone who dragged me out of my comfort zone and showed me what life looked like in the club and with her, I felt the comfort of a lifetime outside the four corners of my apartment.

The first day I met Gina, it was in a shopping mall. I had gone to pick some things after receiving my first pay of that particularly month, July to be precise. I recall standing outside one of the stores to admire a fine piece, even if those diamonds were fake, that was the most beautiful necklace in the store.

“Buy it if you like it, but if you can’t afford it, admire and walk away,” I heard a voice say. I turned to look to see this chubby looking girl. Well, not chubby as you would think, but compared to my skinny self, Gina had this fine glowing body. Even though sometimes I get compliments about my skin glowing, I dare not compare me to Gina. She looked like the necklace I was admiring, all glowing and sexy, a thin waist fitted to her body, one you would call an hour glass shape. And yes, she had a pretty face too, the type that got me almost drooling. Well, I always admire pretty faces, especially when they are chubby. There’s a saying, “you get tempted with things you do not have but wish for”.

“It is called, admire and pass baby!” Gina said snapping her fingers, probably mistaking the look on my face for confusion about what she had said.

“Between, I love your hoodie!” she said to me. I do know people are super friendly and there are those who relate easily with anyone they see, but it was my first time meeting one. I instantly liked Gina. I was not the easy going type, especially when it comes to people I have never met before. But with Gina, it was different. Perhaps it was because of her body. I smiled at her, mouthing a thank you to her. She asked me how much I got the hoodie, I told her it was a gift. Well, that was a lie. I had never received a gift from anyone in my entire life. And even when I used to stay with my mom as a teenager, she would give me money to get my clothes myself rather than getting one for me.

“The person must love you loads!” she said to me. Then she proceeded to ask for my number, which I did not hesitate to give, but one year after, I am currently regretting it all. Well, it is part of the lessons we learn in life. I won’t say I never had fun vibing with her and going to clubs with her, but I became lazy and took life way too lightly forgetting that while I depended on my earnings to survive, Gina had her rich uncles sending her money, some of them I doubt were her uncles. All the same, she had people she could rely on. And when I saw that it was difficult for me getting back to write properly, I went job hunting. It was not like I was not getting royalties for my previous works, I just felt I needed to get busy again. And working in the bank was the easiest way out to escape the lifestyle Gina had introduced me to.

And so, that fateful afternoon, I met the biggest shock of my life, Gina was with Brume kissing in my apartment. Well, Gina had insisted on staying with me that period, and I did not mind. But that was one of the reasons I needed a job to keep me busy and away all day. I looked at Gina and Brume in disbelief, not wanting to believe I was in the right place. Perhaps I was dreaming.

“Is this a joke or what?” I asked. I was infuriated, but somehow, I sounded too calm for my liking.

“Joke?” Gina replied me like she was asking a question. Then she looked at Brume and eyed him disapprovingly before brushing his hand off her thigh. She was wearing a shot.

“Brume, you and I are done. Get out!” Gina said. She was so cool with everything like she has not just been caught by me kissing with my boyfriend.

“Gina?” I called out in surprise. I would not be amused if someone took a video record of me and later shows me how I looked that day.

“What is it ehn? What do you want me to say? Sorry? Or what?” she sounded violent. She had never sounded that way towards me. Without even waiting for my reply she went to start packing her bag. The next thing she did was to yell at Brume when she saw that he was still sitting on the bed.

“Are you a fool? I said get lost!” she yelled.

“Babes! What did I do to you?” Brume looked at her like she was everything he had.

“Are you supposed to be begging her or me?” I asked him. I do not know the amount of shock I had, but the fact that I caught my boyfriend cheating and instead of focusing on me, he was focusing on the one I caught him cheating on me with was so heartbreaking.

“Will you shut up? I’m talking to my babe and you want to talk as well,” just when he was done talking, Gina came and slapped him. Then she turned to me.

“Laye,” she called. She usually called me Laye which is a more shorter form for Layefa, or Tamaralayefa.

“Nobody is cheating on you. I was not expecting you to return this early. However, it is high time we end all these nonsense. I’m bored. When I first met you, I thought you were my kind of girl, you do not know the kind of stress I went through trying to put you through my lifestyle. Still you can’t meet up,” Gina said. And that was where I laughed. I was also shocked at my reaction.

“I don’t know why you are laughing, but it is better you get the idea off your head that you and this broke ass nigga called Brume were in a relationship. It was all me. Between, he used to be my sex partner, one of the few I have,” she said turning to look at him. And then she went back to carry her bag.

“I’m out!” she said without any form of remorse shown in her. She felt okay with everything.

“You were a nice girl o, but you are certainly not my type. Try to limit your spending on men. Just because you like him doesn’t mean he likes you that much,” Brume said to me. And I vowed to keep that advice in my chest where I could see it and not forget.

I sucked for over three days before finally coming out of my depressive mood. I got to talk to a friend of mine, not so close friend, but at least, Bintu was not that bad. She lives in Lagos, and she suggested I get away from Warri for a while. We agreed I would come to Lagos and I did. Well, we had initially agreed that she would come pick me up in the park, but things changed, and she just decided to send me her address, and now I am left with nothing. Not Bintu’s contact, not my phone, or her address. Aside from knowing that it is Moshalashi, I know nothing else.