Rift 6

The week was so busy for me that I didn't have time to think about my major floppings. The company had a project we had to deliver in record time so we had to work overtime. When it was done on Friday we were all so relieved. Instead of going out to have drinks with my department colleagues I chose to come home and sleep. After my dinner I was about to settle in when I got a call. He was a strange number so I answered it. To my surprise it was Julian. He apologized again for the other night and said he was around my area and wanted to come over and see me. I wondered how he knew my area but I guessed I had mentioned it to him at the party. I sent him my location and he was at the gate in 10 minutes.

I went outside to meet Julian in his car. He smiled at me and we spoke for a while about my new job before he brought up the party. "I heard you did some wild things at the party," he teased. I shrugged and tried to change the subject but Julian wouldn't play along. "The guy you were dancing with, is he your boy..." He started but I cut him short. "He's the guy I came to the party with. There's nothing going on between us. I just acted stupidly that's all. Anyway who is giving you all this information?" I asked suspiciously. When Julian said nothing I knew it was Fii. "Tell Fii not to worry about me. He has Nina to think about. Trust me she can be a handful," I let out. There was an awkward silence for a while.

I turned to Julian and saw the caring face of a friend. "I won't lie, when I saw them together I was upset. Nina used to tell me to breakup with Fii when we were dating. I didn't like how he was interfering with the relationship between me and my best friend. Now I find out they are together and none of them have the balls to tell me? That's just cold," I poured out. I could tell Julian wasn't expecting this. Maybe I said too much. It was a yawn I let out that reminded me of how tired I was. I hugged Julian and told him I had to go. I didn't want Kuukua to know I wasn't in the house. My promise to be of good behavior had to be heeded to. Julian understood and promised to visit me again. I nodded and waved as he drove off.

The next morning I woke up to a knock at my door. It was my little nephew, Alex. He rushed into my room when I yelled come in. He was beaming with smiles. For a minute I wondered what was making him so happy. Then my sister followed. "Steven is here to see you. He said he was in the area and decided to come by. He's in the hall," Kuukua said. I nodded and asked Alex why he was so happy. "Oh yes, Steven brought that killer waakye from Miss Ayisha joint for you. Alex loves it so I'm guessing he's hear to convince you to share," Kuukua said and Alex nodded. I giggled and stood up to get dressed. When I got to the hall I saw Steven sitting on the sofa chatting with Ben. They were both watching a football game and I guessed that was the topic. He smiled when he saw me.

"Sorry for waking you up. If it makes you feel any better I bought you waakye," he said. I shrugged and thanked him. It wasn't until Steven asked me if I was ready to move that I realized I had promised to help him do some work for him. He had recently turned  his brother's boys quarters into a recording studio and wanted me to help him make it nice. I was the one with a design degree after all. I had totally forgotten about the plans we made. I quickly nodded and told him I just had to grab my bag.

When we got to his brother's house he lead me straight to the boys quarters. I could smell it was freshly painted. I took a look around and was pleasantly surprised. "You bought all this equipment?" I asked. He nodded and explained how he bought everything in bits over time. "This right here was my biggest spend. I had to sell my car for it," He said pointing. I smiled and continued looking around. I admired his passion. He always mentioned his small studio but this was something else.

"Selina says this place is boring and that I should make it look nicer. That's where you come in," Steven said, handing me a drink from a little fridge in the studio. I nodded. "She's right! There's so much you can do with this place," I said. Selina was really a lucky girl. I watched Steven as he showed me his logo and we talked colours. He had so much trust in me it almost made me nervous. I wondered what he had told his girlfriend about me. All of a sudden I remembered our dance at the party and felt bad instantly!


To be continued....

Rift 5

When I got back to the bar the dance floor was packed. I felt my mood get better. It felt like the music had gotten way cooler all of a sudden. I asked for another drink and then I saw them. Fii and Nina were dancing. I cringed as I watched them. Instantly I had an idea. I turned around and saw Steven walking towards me. Without any warning I grabbed his hand. "Let's dance!" I ordered and the confused Steven nodded. I took him very close to Fii and Nina and we started dancing.

I got closer and closer to Steven until we were touching. Dirty dancing was something I knew how to do well and I wasn't at all shy at that moment. I could tell we were getting some attention. Steven was an amazing dancer and I used that to my advantage as I danced with him winding and grinding all over the place. We got so close I could feel his breath on my neck and at that very moment I heard him ask, "Afua what's going on?" I took his hand and put it on my waist. "We are dancing," I replied. When I turned to look at Fii and Nina I noticed Fii's eyes were locked on us. I had made my point.

I took Steven's hand again and we walked back to the bar. A couple of people even cheered for us as we left. "I have to go Afua," He said when we got off the dance floor. "What? Why?" I asked, beaming with smiles. "I see what you are doing here and I'm not going to be part of this," He said walking away. "Come on it was just a little joke. Why are you being so uptight?" I asked trying to play with his ear. He shook his head and stared at me. "Your pupils, they are dilated. Afua did you take something?" He asked looking straight into my eyes. "Maybe?" I said giggling. Everything seemed so funny all of a sudden. I remember walking with Steven to the exit and hoping into a car with him and I drifted off.

When I finally opened my eyes I was in my room and it was morning. I heard a knock on my door. When the door opened before my reply I knew it was my sister. "Wow you are awake! Nice of you to open your eyes," she said sarcastically. My head was aching and the bright sun rays entering the room didn't help either. "What happened last night?" Kuukua asked. I didn't feel like talking but I knew she wouldn't leave until I did. "Sorry I got back late. I lost track of time," I lied. She turned to look at me. "You don't even remember do you? You could barely walk. Your friend from work literally helped you get in. Afua I'm concerned about you. It's like you are going back to the time you were dating that Fiifi guy. What kind of friends are you moving around with? The guy who brought you home could have easily taken advantage of you. Thank God he's a decent guy," she nagged. I felt so embarrassed I wasn't sure what to say. She was right.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," I confessed. Kuukua nodded and left. What she said was true. She wasn't blind to it. Fii always had a negative influence on me. I closed my eyes and told myself to forget him and Nina as well. I now knew why she drifted away from me. If she wanted him instead of our friendship it was her loss not mine. Pieces of the night came back to me and I realized how much of a fool I had been. I wasn't sure what to say to Steven when I saw him.

On Monday when I got to work Steven came to my office for some files. I felt embarrassed when I saw him. "I'm sorry about what happened. I was really irresponsible," I finally said to him. Explained how I felt bad about what I did. The dancing, the drugs, all of it. Steven showed more compassion that I deserved. He told me never to do drugs again and said everything was fine. I nodded and confessed everything to him. He agreed with my plan to stay away from Fii and just forget Nina. I smiled and realized Steven was such an awesome person. It was sad that he was already taken.

To be continued....