Dilemma 3

A fictional read

"The heart wants what it wants or else it does not care" - Emily Dickinson

"So, you fell in love just because someone dropped you off last night?" Celia, my roommate, asked irritably. I shook my head, unable to contain my grin. "You won't understand, Celia. This man is different. It's as if he fell from heaven. Gbam! I'm gone for real."

I rolled across the bed, the soft blankets enveloping me like a cloud. My mind wandered to Roland, and I couldn't help but smile as I imagined the sound of his deep voice. The torrential downpour outside created a cozy atmosphere, and I felt snug in my bed, lost in thoughts of him.

My phone vibrated, breaking the spell. I checked the screen, but it was an unknown number. "Sade here," I said, picking up the call. The person on the other end took a deep breath before responding. "Hi, Sade. It's good to hear your voice again. My name is Roland."

I muted the call and did a little victory dance in my room, laughing at the top of my voice. It was like winning a game against very competitive players. "Sade, are you there? Hello," he asked. "Oh, yes. Hello. Sorry, it was probably the network. Good to hear from you again, and thank you for helping me out the other night."

We spoke for a while longer. I wished the call would never end. "Sade, are you free this Thursday? I'd like us to go for lunch." "Let me check my schedule. I'll get back to you," I said, trying to play it cool despite having no plans and being unemployed.

"I'll be waiting to hear back from you," he said before hanging up. I jumped around, clutching my phone tightly to my chest, my mind racing to what I had in my closet. "Celia, we have a date!"

Celia raised an eyebrow. "There you go again. You're not even over the guy you dated last week. Give yourself time to process things." Her words stung, but I saw the worry etched on her face - the same creases that appeared whenever she'd nursed me back to emotional health after an episode of heartbreak.

"You remember Uzor," she said, her voice laced with concern. "I told you he wasn't good for you, but you wouldn't listen. You let yourself get played so bad you wouldn't eat for days or even do anything. I never want to see you like that again, please."

The mention of Uzor's name brought back a rush of memories. I recalled my first year in university, navigating the campus as a wide-eyed freshman. That's when I saw him - tall, dark, and captivating, with an air of quiet confidence that drew me in.

I approached him, asking for his help, and couldn't help but notice the way his eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. He stood confidently in his crisp white shirt, the sleeves buttoned up to his wrists, paired with tailored black trousers. The put-together look screamed 'law student', a notion later confirmed by his 400-level status.

After answering my question earnestly, he offered to show me around school on my free day. I beamed with excitement as I punched his number into my phone, my fingers stumbling over the keys in my haste. I didn't want to dwell on the memory because it was filled with mistakes I couldn't undo.

"Celia, I have a good feeling about this man. I just know," I said convincingly. She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, like the same good feeling you had about Matthew, Yemi, Alameen, Uzor, what's that other guy's name? The one who would report you to his mum every time you had a fight? Oh, yes, Precious!"

I smiled, thinking about Roland. "This one is different. I promise." Celia's warnings and doubts only made me more determined, my heels digging deeper into the ground. I knew what I felt, and no one could shake that.

"Let's look for what to wear for this date or should I order a new dress?" I asked, already mentally scrolling through my closet.