A strange thing happened

I stared at my phone, Damola's name displayed prominently in my contacts. I couldn't help but think about how handsome he was, and how I had mistakenly thought he was Igbo. But now, I was faced with a dilemma - should I call him or not? 

I decided against it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing I couldn't resist reaching out.

As I stood up to take a bath, I accidentally dropped my phone and dialed Damola's number. Before I could hang up, he answered.

"I told ya didn't I? You'll call and you did," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.

"Yeah right, I dialed your number by mistake," I replied, trying to play it cool.

"What an excuse! What type of mistake do you call this?" he teased.

"It was a mistake... I was contemplating on the idea of calling you and I said no, but fate said yes," I explained.

"You see, fate wants us to be together," he said, his voice filled with conviction.

I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit disgusted by his forwardness. "Us? Together? No!"

"Who are you to decide the course of your life? It's already written in your destiny, baby, you are the one for me," he said, laughing.

I shook my head, despite his charming words. "You know you're so full of yourself, right?"

I put the phone on speaker and hopped into the bath tub, and we spent the next few hours talking. It felt like I had known him for years, and our conversation flowed effortlessly. We discussed everything from family to our ideal partners

"So, where do you stay?" Damola asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Ummm, well..." I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me, it's not like I'm going to kidnap you or something," he joked. "But if need be..."

"You won't kidnap me, it's not necessary," I assured him.

"Just tell me where you stay, I want to come over," he pressed.

I sighed, deciding to reveal the truth. "Well, I stay at Emerald Estate. Just moved here, though."

Damola's response was immediate. 

"Wow! Are you some rich daddy's girl or something?"

I laughed, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Why do you say so?

"Are you kidding me? The cheapest house there is about thirty million naira!" he exclaimed.

My eyes widened as I realized the implication of his words. "Well, it depends on what type of house you're in... if it's a duplex, then it's about eighty to a hundred but bungalows are 30 million least."

As I spoke, I felt a shiver run down my spine. Why was someone being so generous to me and my mom? What did they want in return?

I fell silent, lost in thought. Damola's voice broke the silence.

"Helloooo, anybody home?" he asked, his tone light and playful.

I snapped back to reality. "Yeah, I'm good... um, I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Uh, yeah guess we've talked enough for today, sleep well, princess," he said, his voice low and smooth.

"Don't call me that," I protested.

"Yenyenyen," he teased, before hanging up.

I stood up and walked out of the bath tub, gently cleaning my body as I went. That's when I saw a large mirror beside the wardrobe. I walked over to it, realizing it had been a while since I last looked at myself.

"Woah!" I exclaimed, surprised by my own reflection. I had been so consumed by poverty that I hadn't even had time to look at myself anymore.

I turned around, admiring my figure from different angles. I looked good, really good. I laughed as I began posing like a model, feeling carefree and confident.

After getting dressed in my nightwear, I walked around the house, taking in the luxurious decor and the beautiful views from the large windows. My mom was fast asleep, and I smiled as I thought about how happy she must be to have such a comfortable home.

As I wandered around the house, I caught a glimpse of a man standing in the duplex next door, holding a glass and chatting with someone else. There was something about him that seemed familiar, and I felt a spark of attraction.

I quickly snapped out of my reverie, feeling a bit guilty for having such thoughts. But as I looked at the man again, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him.

I woke up feeling elated, still basking in the excitement of landing my new job. After a refreshing bath and dressing up, I set out for work, eager to start this new chapter. My workplace was a bit farther from where my friend Damola worked, but I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing him often.

As I arrived at the supermarket ,I paid the cab driver and stepped out onto the sidewalk. That's when I saw the manager standing outside, and I greeted him with a smile. But to my surprise, he blocked my path and said, 

 "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I won't be able to give you the job after all."

I was taken aback, feeling a mix of confusion and disappointment.

 "What do you mean, sir?" I asked, trying to process what was happening. "You offered me the job yesterday. What's changed?"

The manager looked nervous, glancing around anxiously before responding in a hushed tone, "Please, just leave. I don't want any trouble. It's not safe for you to be here."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that something was seriously off. "What kind of trouble?" I pressed, trying to get some answers.

But the manager just shook his head and repeated, "Please, just go. Forget about the job and leave."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. But then I noticed a strange look in the manager's eyes, a look that sent a chill down my spine. I decided to trust my instincts and turned around, walking back to the cab that was still waiting for me.