INDEPENDENCE

After🌹

play:For the lover that I lost-sam Smith

NORA'S POV

It's true what they say,if you don't fight for those you love you lose them,its been seven years,and God have I grown,I'm not where I want to be,but I'm grateful for growth,after everything that happened with victor,my mental health took a terrible blow,depression,PTSD,anxiety,every emotion that I'd tried so hard to suppress came rushing,my academics suffered.

I didn't have much of a social life before, but now I was basically a recluse,my friendship with the girls suffered,year after year we grew apart,and I had to see my schools counselor,therapy was really helpful,I started to focus on the more important things,school,and no I still didn't go to church,but I studied my bible,I believed the truth wasn't taught in those churches,and I'd prefer to have a personal relationship with God,and he really helped me.

I graduated with a second class upper,my friends and family including Nate and the girls were there(some were graduating too anyways). it was the last time I ever saw any of them,and as for dating,I'd forgotten that chapter of my life,I wanted nothing to do with it.as for victor,I've not set my eyes on him since that day.

Although nate and I kept in touch,we were both getting busy with our lives,I made sure to attend his and Ese's graduation though,and that was the last we ever saw physically.

I work as a food biochemist in one of the food producing companies in Lagos,Ese and Edos settled in Lagos after graduation,my brother was an engineer, and my bestfriend was an art curator,they lived together,and kept growing stronger over the years.

I was very proud of them,I submerge myself in my work,I write during my spare time and very rarely I tag along on Ese and edosa's dates,but I hate feeling like a third wheel and I miss nate more when I'm around them,they're still in touch with Nate of course.

I hear he is an engineer in port Harcourt,but I just keep making excuses not to talk to him.
I couldn't,the memories would taunt me.
feel that feel what you do to me?

you don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with

you're hot

bet you've never seen a beautiful girl

none as beautiful as you

I love you...

I'll come visit,we'll be fine

I'll miss you

Replaying memories were bitter sweet,I'd find myself smiling,or sometimes feeling incredibly sad,I know I should stop thinking of the past but I can't help it,it got worse when my brother proposed,I actually cried,for many reasons,yes I was sincerely happy for them,but I couldn't help but wish nate and I had fought for us too.

Wedding preparations begin,as the chief bridesmaid and also doubling as the groom's sister,I had my work cut out for me,apart from the emotional pressure my parents were giving me to get a boyfriend and settle down,I focused on the wedding preparations wholeheartedly,Edos wasn't sure if nate would be able to make it,that saddened me alot,my younger siblings helped in the wedding preparations too,suwa was  in her late teens now,second year in uni,and ruyi well,he'd grown up to be a drop dead gorgeous man,he was currently in his final year as a law student,I was so proud of them.

Today was the engagement party,and it was going to be at ese's house,we have all been in Ekpoma for about 3 weeks now,well except for Nate,he couldn't make it,I had to supervise everything along with my mom,ese's mom and Nate's mom as well,they were majorly in charge of food and the likes,I took care of decor,theme,color,and it had to be good or Ese would have my head.

As i stood there,watching the event unfold,I was proud,I knew the wedding would probably take more outta me,but I was glad,Ese wouldn't come for me,edos signals for me to come over,he's whispering something about his colleagues from the office and pleading that I go and usher them in from the gate,this is the point where I curse at him,but he's the groom,so I smile and make my way to the gate,cars troop him,I maintain my smile as the young men alight their respective vehicles and I usher them in.

someone alights the last vehicle and my smile vanishes,I nearly loose my footing,I'm hyperventilating and sweat runs down my face(super thankful for water resistant makeup),my heart is racing,standing few feets away from me,is nate...he's not smiling either,just staring at me intently,he has grown that's for sure,he's taller,more muscular,and really so handsome I feel mesmerized.

"hey nora" da fork his voice got deeper

kill me now

"uh hey nate" I stutter

he smiles now "you look beautiful"

"I thought you weren't coming" I ignore his compliment and ask a question  instead

"I didn't want to die by ese's hands" he chuckled

I laugh "I can't believe I'm seeing you again"

"I missed you too" he smirks

I shake my head  "7 years and you're still crazy"

"crazy for you" he says

I stay quiet.

"I've dreamt of seeing you again for years" he says as he holds my hand,a familiar feeling seeps into my chest,it feels like home.

THE FREAKING END

I downplay alot of things,but thissss,I thought I'd never be able to write again,mental health sucks huh?
If you're struggling and you need to talk to someone please contact Mentallyaware.ng on Instagram,or you could just look them up on the net,trust me on this one yeah?
There's gonna be a BONUS chapter sometime,but this is officially the End,we made it.
Now we'll edit,because trust me I know they're tons of grammatical errors,and we'll fix that.

I love you so Freaking much😪
Doreen❤