Chapter Forty-Seven – Eeeny Meeny Mini Moe

Reader, there comes a time in a young woman’s life where she is caught between a rock and a hard place. She is forced to decide who she is to be. She is burdened with a decision so great that lives will be changed. Dear reader, it seems this is my time and unlike in the coming of age movies, this is hardly enjoyable.

*

I wasn’t the only one discontent with the decisions my significant other was making. Kwame was not okay with Lara’s decision to cut him off. His calls had gone unanswered (I bet he doesn’t like how that feels) and his texts were ticking just once. He’d been by to see her but she hadn’t been answering the door.

The next best thing was to corner her before the lecture.

“Lara, can we talk” he asked. Lara squirmed. “Kwame, there’s nothing for us to talk about” she said dismissively. She moved to walk away and he blocked her path.

“Look, I know I messed up. I should have been there but I was scared. I couldn’t bare to see you in that kind of pain. I promise we can move past this. We’ve already been through so much together, don’t give up on me.”

“And that’s exactly the problem. We’ve been doomed from the start. I can’t say I’m a master on love but it’s not supposed to be this hard. My heart can’t take it anymore. We have tests coming up and I don’t know the first thing about anything we’ve been studying.”

Kwame has never been good at fully expressing his thoughts so he just stood there thinking of what to say next. Part of him agreed with her but part of him, in fact all of him, was not about to lose her.

Lara wasn’t surprised by his silence and just walked away to take her seat.

While she spent her time avoiding Kwame, I was avoiding Boateng. A part of me was holding out hope that I wouldn’t have to look him in the face and tell him we could no longer be friends.

*

Angela and Carl decided to meet after class. They were the only ones who could say what for. You know how on the surface you say it’s to study but you both know that you don’t really plan to study? Yeah, it was one of those things. At the same time both of them couldn’t say they had romantic interest in each other, they just knew they enjoyed each other’s company.

We’ve all been there.

“So, what do you plan to do when you graduate?” Angela asked Carl.

Carl shifted uncomfortably. He had never really told anyone before because he was far too embarrassed. “Don’t laugh at me but I’ve always wanted to be an artiste. I’ve always loved music and I’ve been writing a bunch of songs.”

“Why would I laugh about that?” Angela asked genuinely. Carl shrugged. “That’s actually interesting because my uncle has a studio, maybe one of these days you’ll pass by and record one of your songs. He could also take you through how stuff works there. What do you think?”

“I’d love that!” Carl said beaming from ear to ear.

Who knew this odd girl would be exactly the person he needs to get his dream started?

*

While Carl was gearing to live his dream, I was in my worst nightmare.

The way things had gone with Sly the night before was such a surprise to me. I completely forgot to give him his gift. As I walked to his room with it, my mind was racing.

Don’t get me wrong, reader, I understood Sly. He was right in many ways but then this was Boateng. This was like asking me to cut off my brother for him. Only that in this case my brother had admitted he liked me and my brother had been a problem, a number of times. Okay, then I guess not like a brother. Maybe more like a really close cousin.

Sly opened the door and didn’t even wait for me to enter before going to sit at his desk. He busied himself on his laptop with one of his games. I frowned.

“I came to bring you your gift. After how things ended last night, I forgot.”

“Thanks” he said, picking the gift and setting it down.

“Aren’t you going to look at it.”

He set the game down and carelessly picked the gift. He opened it to find a watch with his name inscribed on the band. His face softened.

“Araba, this must have cost a fortune” he said, putting it on.

“Well, I started saving months ago”.

“Thank you” he said, stretching his arms so I’d give him a hug. I came over and hugged him. I stayed there for a while. Maybe this would make him change his mind about the silly ultimatum.

“Boateng helped me get it actually” I said.

His whole body tensed. I felt his arms fall off me. I stood back to look at his face but I couldn’t tell whether he was really calm because he was really angry or really calm because he actually was.

I took a seat on the bed and played with my hands.

Since I’d already thrown the first blow, I might as well see it through.

“Sly, he’s not a bad person. He’s, my friend. This is like that Friends episode where Ross’ wife told him to cut off Rachel. How does that work? We are in the same friend groups. Our families are friends and I promise you; he’s changed.”

Sly was so quiet it was painful.

“I was also uncomfortable about you and Trudy but I understood that you guys were just friends and you needed her. How’d you feel if I asked you to cut her off?”

“Those two situations are not the same. Trudy and I have boundaries. I don’t know if you know what that means. It means I do not sit in cars with her having conversations with her in the night and hugging her then lying about it later. It means I don’t choose to spend time with her over you. Besides elections, we barely speak” he said. He handed me his phone and opened their chats so I would go through them.

“Do you also want to know another difference? We’ve explored that chapter and closed it. You and Boateng have danced around that chapter for four years. I got you having a male best friend. I was fine with that. What I’m not fine with is how you guys act with each other right now. He doesn’t respect your relationship and clearly you don’t either because you haven’t set boundaries…”

“Then I’ll set those boundaries. Whatever boundary you want me to set, I will but don’t ask me to just cut off four years of my life like it doesn’t matter.”

Sly shook his head and stood in resignation.

“The fact that we are still having this conversation, tells me all I need to know. I’m sorry but I won’t be comfortable until you cut him off. It’s either Boateng or me.”

*

“I can’t believe he still insists that you do this. That’s so messed up and manipulative” Lara complained.

“What do I do now?” I asked, wiping my tears.

“I think you just have to cut things off with Boateng. I’m sure it won’t be forever. It’ll be just until you can prove to Sly that you are 100% for him” Mara suggested.

Lara scoffed. “So, she should throw four years of friendship away because her boyfriend of less than a year says so? Make it make sense” Lara countered.

“I don’t know about all that but let’s not pretend that Sly is wrong. She chose Boateng over him on his birthday of all days. That’s messed up and it’s not like he hasn’t tried to understand. He has.”

I sighed as the two went back and forth.

“Araba! Araba!” Lara called, clicking her fingers in my face.

“I love Sly. I also love Boateng and because I loved him, I would have understood if he had to cut me off if it was the other way around.”

“If memory serves me correctly, he was in your shoes with Farida and he chose you. I know this is your first boyfriend and so you feel a type of way but men come and go. The kind of friendship you have with Boateng, that’s forever. I mean, are you saying you would choose Sly over me? Look, I like Sly but if he’s going to put you through this then end it with him now. What’s next? Cut off your mother?”

Maybe Lara was right. Maybe I needed to end things with Sly instead.