… ... by Favour Olumese
Last week, we started a story series titled – ”How I Was Femied by Femi”. In summary, a young man’s persistent attempts to woo a girl named Folake backfire when her friend inadvertently gives him her number. Despite her refusal, he incessantly calls, causing emotional distress. To catch up with last weeks edition, click the link below: https://wordpress.com/post/mfmthedrive.wordpress.com/5210
Femi unrelentingly disturbed me until it was a week to the semester’s exam. I had gotten so used to cutting his calls that I missed receiving his calls throughout the period of the exams.
On the last day of exams, we decided to have a girls-only night out, only to discover that all my roommates had a plus one and throughout the the outings, I felt lonely though they were there with me and that got me thinking of Femi.
After the hangout, I was considering giving Femi a chance, but Femi did not call for weeks. I thought of giving a call, but I felt that would make me look desperate.
I could not believe the joy that was in my heart when he called a few days before the resumption of the next semester. I did not want it to look like I missed him, so I refused to pick up the call but hoped that he would call back. Lo and behold, he did. ‘Yes!’, I cried with joy before picking up the call. ‘Hello, how may I help you?’ I said attempting to sound indifferent. I was hoping he would use lines like, ‘Beautiful Folake’, but he asked me how my exams went and how my holiday had been. He said that he just wanted to check up on me. He was polite and he sounded jovial. He told me that he had been to his village because his grandmom died and he had just gotten back to Lagos. He was a total gentleman and I felt bad for not giving him a chance all this while
He no longer called me every day, but he did regularly. I somehow continually longed for his calls. He did not show up at my faculty the month after resumption; this bothered me, but I did not share when we spoke.
After a test on the sixth week after the resumption, I was walking to my hostel with earbuds plugged into my ears. I was not paying attention when I heard hello from a known fellow, Femi. This time, I was happy to see him and he could tell. He stretched his fist and I bumped it. He walked with me and asked about my day. I could say that I surprised myself by the way I narrated my day and my test. It was as though, he was my long-time friend. I was open and free with him.
Later that week, I gave myself the impetus to call him. He was lovely as always. Over the course of several weeks, we met and spoke and at a point, I realized that I had gone head over heels with him. One day, whilst going to my hostel and I was chatty cathy about my naughty disturbing roommates, he chipped in that there would be a party at his faculty and he would love it if I tagged along. I did not give it much thought as it was within the school premises.
On the day of the party, he was by my hostel waiting for me. He had ordered Uber to take to take us to the party. When we got to the party, he introduced me to friends as his girlfriend. This got me disturbed as I had not made any commitment, but I kept mute. The party was upbeat, but I was greatly disturbed that he considered me his girlfriend. When the party was over, we walked to my hostel. I did not say anything throughout the long walk. He asked me if there was a problem, but I told him there was none. We continued walking and at one point he was caressing my shoulders and I immediately removed his hand. He was taken aback, but I was scared for the first time in his presence. I was glad that people were still on the road.
When we got to my hostel, he told me that he was sorry for his bad behaviour and I nodded. I went to my room and slumped on my bed. My roommates asked me about the party but I told them that I didn’t want to talk about it. They pressured me but I did not heed. I wanted to take my bath and change into my nighties, but I was too tired and emotionally disturbed that I did not know when I slept off. I woke up by 2 AM with a headache. I stood up to go to the toilet when I noticed that Bolu’s phone was ringing. I was not too surprised because she is a night owl. I noticed that she was not in the room and I guessed that she might be in the toilet. I went to her bed to get her phone with the hope that I could give her in the toilet. When I looked at the caller, I saw the name, “Femi My Gee,” and I laughed, but when I realised that the number was the same as Femi Balogun, I was taken aback.
I quickly recovered from the shock when I heard a voice the sound of a wet flip-flop coming from the bathroom direction, I rushed to my bed. Bolu came in and I stretched to pretend as though I had just woken up. She smiled at me and told me that she was going to bed early today. I wanted to smile back at her, but the shock was still yet to leave me. She asked if I was fine, I just dismissed my facial expression as being tired from the party. I went to the toilet, freshened up and tried to get back to bed, but sleep had left me. I tossed to and fro thinking of all that I transpired throughout the night.
I avoided Femi for a week and whenever he called, I told him that I was busy. He later met me at my hostel over the weekend. I wanted to avoid him, but I unfortunately could not. He could see that I was avoiding him and he tried probing, but I did not give him any definite response. He told me that he had a new place outside school and he would love to come around to check it out. I wanted to tell him, but for it not to look like I was still avoiding him, I agreed to go with him the next day.
As agreed, we left for his place by 11 AM. His place was nice and had a nice touch of wine colour all over. He asked for my feedback and I was happy to let him know that it was really nice. He offered me a drink and he went to his bedroom. I stood and looked around. I really loved how he had decorated it. I headed to the toilet to relieve myself when I heard him say to someone on a call, “She is here with me now and I have given her the drink,”, I was confused, but when I heard, “She would be asleep any moment from now,” I knew I was in the devil’s chamber. I rushed to the toilet, locked the door and quickly locked the door. I quickly called the police. I realised I was losing consciousness, but I was fortunate to inform the police officer who responded of my location before I blacked out.
To be continued.