I was so unhappy at what I saw. Seeing Bethany with another guy together. I know I told her to go make new friends but not that kind of friend that would be holding her and allowing her rest her head on his shoulder.
“Should I go and talk to her?” I asked myself, still looking at them from a distance.
“Naaah, let her be….do you want to ruin her fun?”
“Noooo…. I just want to say Hi to her” I replied myself with another voice.

I stood there for some minutes, talking and replying myself. I didn’t know someone was standing behind, trying to get my attention.
“Hey….hello…..hello?” The person tapped me on the shoulder.
“Ohhh…. I’m sorry” I said looking startled.
It was one of Bethany’s friends. She was holding some tickets, which means, she must have left to buy the tickets for some ride. At first, I didn’t know she was one them.
I was staring at her for some seconds, trying to remind myself if I knew her.
“Sorry, do I know you?” I asked.
“ I don’t think so but I think I’ve seen you before…..I just can’t remember where I saw you” she replied, tapping one of her fingers on her head, trying to remember where she must have saw me.
I tried ending the conversation so that Bethany doesn’t think I’m chasing another girl.
“I guess, I look like someone you know. But it’s not me. I’m sorry”
“It’s fine. Sometimes my brain can be deceiving”
“Well, I’m Derra” I said offering her a handshake.
She shook my hand with a smiles on her face…. “I’m Annie”
“Wow…nice name. And it’s nice meeting you, Annie”
She nodded her head and was about leaving….
“Eeehhhhhee yeassss…. I remember” she said with happiness over her face like someone who answered a quiz question correctly.
“Remember what”
“I remember where I saw you”
“Really? Where?” I asked, curious to know what she was about to say.
“I saw your picture in Bethany’s phone”
Those words went deep inside my belle and stirred up some butterflies of hope and a little bit of fear. I felt a cold breeze with vibration from my feet to my face. Bethany and I had never taken pictures together and I can’t remember using her phone to take pictures.
“My picture?”
“Yes”
I seriously do not understand why she was happy telling me that. Like she was doing me a favor by telling me she saw my picture in Bethany’s phone.
Annie: are you two friends?
Me: ahmm…. I have to go now.
Annie: why?
Me: I have something to attend to right now. I have to go.
I left…. Facing down, walking randomly so she won’t know what direction I went.
She went back to join Bethany and the rest under the tree….
Bethany: what took you so long?
Annie: sorry….there were lot of people on queue.
Bethany: let’s go have some fun….later, we will come back to eat.
Annie was not at ease. She just wanted to tell Bethany that she saw me.
“Bethany can I talk to you?” she asked, holding her hand.
“Yeah sure….what’s it?”
“Just us”
“Is everything okay?”
Annie took her away from the rest…
Bethany: what is it?
Annie: give me your phone.
She brought out her phone and gave it to Annie. She went to her gallery to look for my picture she saw in her phone.
Bethany: what are you looking for?
Annie: just hold on.
She finally found the picture after several swiping….she showed the picture to Bethany.
Annie: who is this guy?
Bethany: (surprised) why are you asking?
Annie: just tell me.
Bethany: He is …. Was my friend. Why are you asking?
Annie: I saw him.
Bethany: what? It’s a Lie.
Annie: I’m serious.
Bethany: where is he?
Annie: he was standing there, looking at you. I passed him and looked at his face, then I remembered I’ve seen him somewhere.
Bethany: so where is he now?
Annie: I don’t know. He left…. was he your boyfriend? Or Ex?
Bethany: I don’t want to talk about it now. Can we just go?
Annie: yeah. Sure. I’m really sorry if I brought up something you didn’t like.
Bethany: it’s fine.
They went back to meet others….
Bethany: sorry for keeping you waiting.
I was still around, watching them. Bethany was just looking around every second to see if she would see me.
The Guy also noticed Bethany wasn’t concentrating anymore…
“What’s the problem?” he asked holding her hands.
Bethany: nothing…I’m fine.
“What did Annie say to you?”
Bethany: it’s nothing. Girls talk, you know.
“Girls’ talk? Since she said whatever it is to you, you’ve not been yourself”
Bethany: I’m fine. I just need to rest.
She left them to cool her head. The guy then went to ask Annie what was going on.
“Annie, don’t even lie to me….what did you say to her?”
Annie: nothing.
“Nothing, why is she troubled?”
Annie: I don’t know. She didn’t say anything to me.
“But what did you tell her?”
Annie: there is this guy’s picture I saw in her phone…. I saw the guy today, so I wanted to know who he was to her.
“And what did she say?”
Annie: she didn’t say anything to me.
Bethany continued strolling and was hoping to see me…. She was looking disturbed and troubled. I figured I had ruin her day by making her worried. So I decided to go meet her…. She was sitting on a molded bench close to the water….
Me: hey, do you mind if I sit with you?
Bethany: (surprised) ahm… sure. Yeah, of course.
Me: thank you.
I sat down but at the edge, leaving enough space between us.
Bethany: what are you doing here?
Me: ahm… I came to have fun.
Bethany: fun? Or you were following me.
Me: following you? Noooo.
Bethany: are you sure?
Me: yeah… of course.
Bethany: so where is Regina and Segun? Cos I know you don’t have fun without them.
I became speechless….she caught me there.
Bethany: uhhmm??
Me: fine. You got me. I followed you. And I’m sorry, okay.
Bethany: why follow me?
Me: what do you want me to say? That I missed you? That I’m sorry, I asked to go? Or I’m sorry for being selfish?
Bethany: yes…yes, that’s what I want you to say.
Me: I said it already.
Bethany: why can’t you wait for the three months to complete?
Me: cos I missed you.
Bethany: well, I don’t.
Me: you don’t?
Bethany: No, I don’t miss you.
Me: I know I screwed up. I shouldn’t have brought up that idea.
Bethany: I’m glad you did. I mean, I’ve made new friends and I’m so happy being around them. You know why? Cos they will never shut the door at me just like you did.
Me: (remorse) well, I’m happy for you. I’m glad you are happier with them than you were with me.
Bethany: yeah…. I’m so happy.
Me: I should go now. I’m sorry for trying to ruin your day.
The guy must have been watching us for some time….so he decided to come join us.
Bethany: Anthony, what are you doing here?
Anthony: I was looking for you. Why are you not having fun with us? Is he bothering you?
Bethany: I’ll join you soon. Tell the girls I’m coming.
Anthony: Nah. You come tell them yourself, cos I’m not leaving here without you.
Me: (to Bethany) he’s right. You should go join your friends.
Anthony: who are you?
Me: someone you don’t want to talk to right now.
Anthony: Bethany, let’s go.
He held her by her hand and walked her back to where the girls were.
I left the park. I hated myself for asking her to stay away from me for three months. It was obvious she had moved on…. On the other hand, I’m glad she now realized that her feelings two months ago were temporary. That was the lesson I was trying to teach her.
Don’t be quick to think you are in love with someone or you love someone. And also when you are in love, let it be that your partner is in the same love with you; make sure he or she feels the same way about you.
Though, losing her as a friend wasn’t part of my plan. The way our conversation ended showed she doesn’t want to see me again.
I got back home very worried…
Regina: Derra, what is it?
Me: it didn’t end well.
Regina: you didn’t find her?
Me: I did but I lost her. She’s better off without me.
Regina: what happened?
Me: she doesn’t want me.
Regina: you can’t be sure. She probably missed you
Me: I doubt that. Her reactions showed the opposite.
Regina: don’t let that one eat you up. It’s going to be fine.
Me: I feel it’s my fault.
Regina: well, honestly, it is your fault. Girls are too emotional. We want to be loved, cared for, protected…. We want someone who will be there for us always. Someone will can talk to, someone will can laugh with, and someone will can tell how our day was and also share some funny things with.
When you asked her to stay away….you are actually saying, I need a break. I don’t think I want us to continue anymore.
Me: I guess you are right. I just wanted her to be sure of her feelings.
Regina: let me ask you….do you love her?
As simple as that question was, it took me time to figure out the answer.
Me: yeah. As friend!
Regina: so you never had intentions of making her your girlfriend?
Me: Noooo. I mean, I’m not sure. Common…I’m way older than her.
Regina: is that the problem? Age?
Me: the thing is, I liked her so much. But for the dating part, I feel it’s not the right time. Especially for her. She’s still a teenager and a student. Bringing in relationship stuff will only create room for distractions. Besides, she’s still going through Adolescence. Very soon, her desires, her taste, her feelings will change.
Regina: so what’s your point? Do you want her or not?
Me: (smiled) I don’t understand you o. this one you are talking like this?
Regina: how am I talking?
Me: you are a suspect.
Regina: Ele o. Mr. DPO
Me: so you want me to say YES, I want her. So that you will escape from my list. Na lie…. Whenever you are ready, I’ll be waiting for you.
Regina: you go grow white bear bear o.
Me: No wahala. Shey you sef go enter menopause.
Regina: (laughed) mumu boy. I’ve seen my husband already.
Me: which yeye husband? Any husband that is not me, trailer will climb his manhood.
Regina: ahhhh. Tractor will climb your wife’s breast too.
Me: you want tractor to climb your breast?
Regina: I said your wife.
Me: you are my wife nah.
Regina: na so.
That’s one thing about Regina and I, we just know how to bring ourselves out of any sad or depressing moment.
She’s the only person I can call best friend. Even when she’s worried, I know the right thing to do or say to her. Segun and Wisdom had tried their best several times, but it never worked for them. Instead they end up making her sadder.
The only moment I’ve not been able to make her happy is whenever she’s on her period. Regina can be something else those 4 to 5 days.
Everything around her makes her angry. She wants to be alone and not be left alone. I do pity her so much….
Every minutes, she’s screaming. Sometimes, I wondered if that was how God made them or was there something Eve did that the bible didn’t tell us. I know Eve never complained of menstrual pains to Adam, neither did Sarah or Rebekah. Not even Ruth….Even the mother of Jesus did not. So why are most girls of this days going through those horrible moments.
The day Segun went to pet her on her period. He got kicked on his balls.
He was only trying to be a gentle and caring guy. Whenever she’s going through those moments, I don’t even bother going close to her. Though, I may stay some distance away to ask her if she’s hungry and most times, the look on her face makes me run for my life.
Since then, even Segun dare not enter her room whenever she’s on her period. We all just let her be. But we will make sure, food is always available and any other thing she may be needing.
5 days later.
Anthony was able to locate my place. I don’t know how…. I was surprised the morning when we heard a knock on the door and it was him knocking.
Anthony: (knocking)
Me: hold on.
I opened the door….
Me: (surprised) yes?
Anthony: you remember me, right?
Me: I’m not sure.
Anthony: I saw you at Wonderland Park 5 days ago talking with Bethany.
Me: oh that’s right. You must be….
Anthony: Anthony! Yes.
Me: how is she?
Anthony: that’s why I’m here. I don’t know what the hell you said to her….since that day, she has been behaving differently.
Me: what do you mean?
Anthony: she doesn’t talk to me or answer my calls anymore.
Me: aaawww I’m sorry. Maybe you pissed her off.
Anthony: I didn’t do anything to her. You did. Please, stay the hell away from her. She’s my girlfriend.
Me: is that a threat?
Anthony: yeah, it is. Stay the hell away. If I find out her new behavior towards me was because of you. I swear, you won’t like me.
Me: wow. I like that. I wonder how she will feel when she finds out you came to threaten me.
Anthony: who do you even think you are?
Me: the question is, who are you?
Anthony: like I said, I’m her boyfriend.
Me: does she know you are dating her? Or you are just wishing?
Anthony: just back off.
We were still talking when Bethany entered the gate. What a great coincidence.