Our Naija Babe

Forty-eight¶ Is this my end?😪💔

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Every day in school was stressful for me. I tried to find a reason to be cheerful but there was known. It's then I realized I had gotten used to Freddy in my life. I spend 98% of my time with him in school. Now that he isn't there, I don't know who to talk to. Nonso had asked me to be his girlfriend. He had walked up to me and asked, "Will you go out with me?"

The moment the question left his lips, I said a bold "No!" and walked away.

That guy is a fool. He knows I have a boyfriend and he is asking me out. He is dreaming if he thinks I will say yes.

Ijeoma was jealous that he asked me out and her jealousy made her to treat me bad. She would hiss when I'm around her. She would mumbled curses at me. I don't know how I was able to keep her as a friend but it hurt me to know she could easily betray me. My closet friend chose a boy over me and she let our relationship be destroyed. Is that boy even worth it? The answer is no. He isn't. He saw her as an ugly, weird girl.

However, the day for Freddy's surgery had come. I was in school. My heart would race anytime I recalled that Freddy would be having his surgery soon. Today would be the day. I told Peggy about it and she has been mumbling prayers every minute.

As soon as our school closed, I ran home. I got to my room and picked my phone. I dialed Mrs Okoro's phone number. She picked at the first ring.

"Good afternoon, ma!"

"Good afternoon, my dear!"

"How is Freddy?"

"He is still at the theater"

"Is the surgery going alright?"

"I think so!"

"Let's say a few prayers!"

She sighed and replied, "Yes! I want my son to recover".

While we were praying, Mrs Okoro interrupted when she screamed, "Doctor!"

There was a little ruffling in the phone as she moved. She asked, "How is my son?"

There was silence.

"How is my son?"

"He is fighting. Is he asthmatic?"

"What? Why did you ask? What happened to him?"

The doctor whispered something. I pressed my phone to my ear to hear him but I couldn't. Mrs Okoro began to sob and she screamed.

"Miss, please calm down!"

"Mrs Okoro?" I called out. "What happened?"

I heard another strange American accent yell, "Doctor! Doctor! We need you. We are losing the patient!"

The doctor said another words to Mrs Okoro, she gasped and soon it felt like the phone was falling. A big crash was heard before the phone got disconnected. I tried calling her again and again but the female voice would always tell me that the number you are calling is switched off.

That day passed with me praying fervently. The next day and then, the day after passed but I couldn't get through to Mrs Okoro. Fear crawled into my system. The thought of losing Freddy made my heart plummeted. I couldn't tell if the surgery was successful. All I knew was that someone said that they were losing the patient. From the sound of it, they were talking about Freddy. Mrs Okoro would never allow her phone to fall down like that. She must have heard a shocking news that led to her dropping it.

Is Freddy dead?

My heart squeezed and I slapped my cheek for having such a stupid thought.

Did he survive? Have I lost him forever?

I slapped my cheek again. Anita was right beside me in my room. A week had passed and I haven't been able to hear from Mrs Okoro. When I slapped my cheek again, Anita held my hand.

"That's enough! Let's try calling the number again" she said to me.

I nodded and picked up my phone. When I dialed it, the words I heard crushed my heart. "The number you are calling doesn't exist"

"How? How is that possible?" I yelled at my phone. I dialed it again and again but the reply was the same. This time I broke into tears. I was curious and anxious. I wanted to know how Freddy was doing. Was the surgery successful? Will he be back? Does he miss me? Why did the doctor speak about him being asthmatic? Did he have an attack during the surgery? Was there complications?

I turned to Anita who bit her lip and allowed tears to roll down her cheek. I threw my hands around her and sobbed. My tears ran down my cheeks and disappeared under my jaw, soaking Anita's shirt. I missed Freddy and I wanted to know how he was doing. Why was life treating me this way? I just want a chance to get information from his mother. My new prayer request was for Mrs Okoro to call me. Every day I had faith that she would.

Days became weeks and months, then years. Soon I was graduating from Secondary school and was on my way to the university. I haven't heard or seen Freddy. After my graduation party, I went straight home. I dropped to my bed and pressed my face on my pillow. I let out a frustrated scream and squeezed my eyes shut.

I have cried about this all the time. Freddy meant a lot to me and now that he needed me that most, I wasn't there. I didn't even know how he was doing. I lifted my head and glanced at the necklace Freddy had given to me as my birthday gift two years ago. I brought the heart-shaped metal to my lip and kissed it.

"I miss you, Freddy" I whispered. Anita was already in the university. As funny as it may sound, Anita had feelings for the teacher, Mr Steven that her taught her Chemistry in the past. They were dating but recently, her heart got broken. He went to study abroad and has never contacted her. She decided to move on but I know she was hurt.

I looked upward to the ceiling. I groaned in frustration and my eyes welled up again. My lips quivered and my shoulders shook as I cried some more.

"Fate," I called out. "If you can hear me. Please don't be cruel to me. Give me a chance to see Freddy. If I am not destined to meet or share a relationship with him, I am okay. I just want to see with my eyes that he is alive. That's all that matters to me. This can't be my end. I can't have peace of mind until I know he is healthy, alive and breathing. Fate, please don't be cruel to me".

I clasped my hands and stared at ceiling. "I need a chance to see him. I'm scared. What if he was dead? I hope not. He needed to be alive. This fear was torturing me. God help me".

I hopped out of my bed and went to my full-length mirror. I looked at my reflection. My eyes were swollen and red. I glanced at the necklace and pursed my lips.

I sighed and asked, "Is this how my love story as a Naija Babe..." My eyes blurred. "Will end? Is this how it will end?"

     The End....

   ~~~Author's Note~~~

Did you enjoy this chapter? What do you think of the end?

Sincerely, this is where OUR NAIJA BABE ends. I will make an important Author note later.

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Your dear,
Mabel 😏