"Hello, are you there?" Efe asked over the phone.
Nkechi was silent, she couldn't say anything after Efe said he loved her. She handed the phone to Aisha while the call was still reading and walked into the house. She could not believe she had put herself in a situation where she had to choose, considering the situation they all are in is simply love at first sight. Efe loved her when they first met, but she was only in love with the sports bicycle he rode on that day. Her mystery guy, on the other hand, she loved him and she knew he felt the same for her too.
"Why me?" she said inaudibly, talking to the air.
When love hits, it hits hard, she knew that and she also knew Efe won't back down after he had declared his love. So, she thought of a good way to let him know she appreciated his love but she did not feel the same because there was someone who has all her love.
The situation would have been the best time for Mr mystery guy to make his appearance and make her feel comfortable and forget about everything happening, but he was not there. He had shown up earlier and she knew he won't show up again.
Aisha walked into the room where she was and understood the situation her friend was in and she knew she was in no position to help out. If she had her ways she'd have turned back the hands of time to make it all of it go away for her. All she did was walk away to give Nkechi her space and not make the situation worse than it already is. She held on tight to her pillow and slept off.
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Efe got home, parked the car and walked slowly into the house, so careful that no one would know he was back, especially his brother so he doesn't get to ask him how it all went with the girl he wanted to give his bicycle to.
"Don't worry, you can't avoid this. I've been waiting for you to be back so I can hear the gist," said Brume, standing right behind him.
Efe turned around and both of them laughed hard. The laughter made Efe relax and he let go of all the worries he had with trying to make Nkechi see he loved her. He put his arm around Brume's should and they walked back to the car, to chit chat.
Efe told Brume how everything went and what was said over the phone when he was on his way coming back home.
"I think I compete with someone over her love," said Efe.
"What you should be thinking of actually is the fact that you are forcing yourself on her and that would make you lose out on others who truly love you. She likes you, no doubt, but I'm not sure she's going to reciprocate your love," responded Brume.
"Or maybe, she is playing hard to get," said Efe.
"Or maybe still, she's being honest by not reciprocating because she doesn't feel you as much. My advice, let this one go before it gets too late, don't push it farther than this," said Brume.
"By the way, where's the bicycle? Let me take it on a ride before it gets too late," said Brume.
"Uhm, bro. I think you should take your car on a ride or your other bicycle on a ride tonight," said Efe after opening the boot of the car.
"What do you mean?" asked Brume as he walked closer, only to notice the bicycle wasn't in the boot.
Brume looked at Efe and gestured with his hands, to ask where his bicycle was but Efe was unable to understand how it wasn't there. He remembered bringing it out of the boot when he wanted to show it to Nkechi, and he was sure he put it back in when she refused it before he left.
"I guess love is to be blamed for this, right?" Brume said, making fun of his brother and burst into laughter.
Efe hit his brother on the head slightly for that statement and laughed with him. His mood was better, he was more cheerful as he had been talking with his brother. Efe brought out his phone and called Aisha, to ask if he left the bicycle at her place, she said it was and she had kept it well for him. He thanked her and ended the call.
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When it was morning, Aisha went into Nkechi's room to see if she was awake, but she was still fast asleep. Aisha wanted her to wake up and go for her daily morning rides and considering how the previous day went, she let her sleep and went to clean up the house and also prepared breakfast for when she would wake up.
Breakfast was ready and Nkechi wasn't up yet. Aisha ate alone in the sitting room while seeing a movie on the television.
"Aren't we supposed to be at work today?" asked Nkechi, when she woke up.
She was already in the sitting room, standing in front of Aisha.
"I think more men should tell you how they love you because it helps you sleep well, to the point of forgetting days. Today is Saturday, baby girl," responded Aisha.
"Ahh, how long have I been asleep?" asked Nkechi.
"I have no idea, but I think you slept before 7 pm because I was in your room shortly after you went in and it was past 6 pm then," replied Aisha.
"And Efe left the bicycle he brought for you, it's outside, in front of the door. I didn't want to bring it in because we have... Scratch that. You have two bicycles already and there's no space for a third one," she continued.
"Did he come back after he left?" asked Nkechi.
"No, he didn't. He called to ask if the bicycle was here, he thought he put it back in the boot of his car before he left."
"That means he will be here today. Wonderful," said Nkechi.