TIDES OF LUST (Episode 41)

 I stood near the window of my room, my hands shoved deep into my pockets.The moon filtered through the thin curtains, casting uneven patterns on the floor.

I was deep in contemplation, struggling with a cloud of confusion, while Evelyn continued to plead with me, offering heartfelt reasons why our relationship deserved another chance.

In essence, she refused to accept that our relationship was ending, no matter how much I tried to explain it to her.

Evelyn sat at the edge of my bed, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. The air was heavy with unspoken words, tension building like an approaching storm.

“Pascal”........she called gently, and I turned to look at her.

“We've been together for years, and you want to throw all that away? Why now?”........She inquired, her large, expressive eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she searched my face for answers.

I avoided looking at her directly, afraid of what her pain might do to my resolve.

“Look Evelyn, by now you should understand that I don't love you. I don't think I can bring myself to fall in love with you......I can't”.........I said, almost in a whisper.

My words sounded rehearsed, hollow even to me, but I didn’t know how else to express the turmoil in my heart.

Evelyn's tears spilled freely now, and the room filled with the sound of her muffled sobs.

Her shoulders shook violently, and she buried her face in her hands, unable to hold back the torrent of emotions.

I stood frozen for a moment, guilt gnawing at my insides. I had rehearsed this conversation in my head countless times, but seeing Evelyn break down shattered my carefully built walls.

Slowly, I moved toward her and sank to my knees in front of her, so as to console her. I wasn't comfortable with her tears.

“Evelyn, Please don't cry.......I didn't want to hurt you”........I said softly, my voice cracking with emotion.

“Then why? Why end something so beautiful, Pascal? Was I not good for you enough?”........she demanded through her tears, her voice rising in anguish.

Her words were laced with vulnerability, and I felt a pang of regret I hadn't expected. I reached out tentatively, placing my hands on her trembling shoulders.

“You are more than enough, Evelyn, You deserve someone who truly love's you wholeheartedly, someone who won’t doubt what they want......Right now, I’m not that person”.........I said earnestly.

Evelyn’s crying slowed as she searched my eyes for sincerity. Her heartache mingled with an overwhelming yearning to hold onto me, to feel that the connection we once shared, wasn’t completely gone.

“You don't mean that right?”....…..she whispered, her voice soft but determined.

I didn’t respond immediately, my throat tightening as her tear streaked face loomed closer to mine.

Before I could think it through, I reached out, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the pad of my thumb. The simple gesture ignited a spark neither of us had expected.

Time seemed to stand still as Evelyn leaned into my touch, her lips brushing against my fingers. I hesitated, my heart pounding.

It was as though an invisible force was pulling us together, erasing all logic. 

Gently, I cupped her face, my thumb tracing the curve of her jaw.

Our eyes met, and for a moment, the unspoken emotions between us, bridged the gap. I leaned in slowly, and when our lips met, it was tentative at first, then deepened into something urgent and raw.

The kiss ignited a wave of passion neither of us could control. I stood, pulling Evelyn up with myself, and our bodies pressed together as the intensity grew.

Hands roamed freely, exploring familiar yet electrifying territories as we surrendered to the moment.

My fingers worked to unbutton her blouse, while Evelyn tugged at my shirt, her desperation evident. The room grew warmer as our breaths intermingled, hearts racing in unison.

We found ourselves tangled on the bed, our movements both hurried and tender. My touch was deliberate, each caress eliciting a soft gasp from Evelyn.

She responded with equal fervor, her nails grazing my back as our bodies moved in perfect synchronization. Our intimacy was a mix of rediscovery and unbridled emotion, a moment suspended outside of time.

When it was over, we lay entwined, our breaths heavy but content. The room was quiet except for the hum of our steady breathing.

The following morning, we woke up feeling rejuvenated. The night before had been unforgettable, a time of deep connection and fiery passion that left us both utterly fulfilled.

Evelyn whipped up a hearty breakfast, and after we'd eaten our fill, we set out to collect her belongings, but what I encountered left me stunned, she'd been residing in a hotel the entire time, a revelation that caught me utterly off guard.

After settling back in at home, I reached out to Sandra with an update, letting her know that Evelyn and I had worked things out and were no longer together. Her response arrived promptly, and I opened the message to read.

“I’m happy you have made peace with her. I still want us to be apart from each other for a while” I was perplexed by Sandra's suggestion that we needed space, and my curiosity got the better of me. I dialed her number, and after two rings, she answered on the third, her voice filling the line.

“What is the problem? Are you fed up with us or something?”........I asked.

“Come to my house let’s talk”.......she replied and dropped the call.

I concocted a convincing excuse for Evelyn, claiming a school task required my attention, before making my way to Sandra's residence. Upon arrival, I found her seated at the table, savoring a bite to eat.

As we wrapped up our warm greetings, I patiently waited for her to finish eating before broaching the subject. But as I did, the atmosphere between us began to shift, taking on an awkwardness that was unfamiliar to our usual easy rapport.

She returned from clearing the table and settled in beside me on the bed, her presence marked by a comfortable silence.

“I have ended things with Evelyn peacefully. We aren't dating anymore, not like we were dating before sha”........I said nervously.

“Okay then, I’m happy to hear that”........she said coldly.

“Sandra, nothing should stop us from dating now, please I don’t want us to be apart”.......I pleaded.

“Pascal, listen to me. A lot of things have happened of which we both know. There is this part of me that wants to accept your proposal, but another part of me is telling me to be careful and I’m heeding to that part, I don’t want us to rush into this”.......she outlined.

“Common Sandra, you've given me enough excuses already, don't you love me anymore?”........I asked, feeling a bit angered.

“Yes I still love you, but if I want to start something with you, it’s not something that I want to just last for a couple of months. Now that you have sorted things out with Evelyn, I want you to use this remaining time for your academics while I focus on mine. We have a few months left to stay here, let’s use that for our studies”.........she advised.

“Sandra, I don’t want something that will last a few months with you, I also want something serious, not a fling”........I muttered.

“Pascal, I have thought about this, what if we don’t see each other again after graduation? I can’t do a phone relationship. I can’t have a distant relationship”.........she said worriedly.

“We can always find a way to see each other, after graduation. I know it’s going to be difficult but if we try our best we can pull it through”........I assured her.

“Okay then. This is the plan I have, after graduation, let us work our NYSC posting to the same state. That way we can be together and build a relationship, but until then, Pascal please let’s be apart”...........she demanded.

“And what if we don’t end up in the same state?”.........I asked curiously.

“Then we were never meant to be.......Pascal I’m sorry, but this was a hard decision for me to make. Please don’t push it any further. I don’t want you to make me change my mind which I know you can do if you press on. Just do this for me”.........she said politely.

I relented, accepting that she wouldn't budge, and surrendered to her wishes. She further proposed that we establish a temporary divide, abstaining from communication for the remainder of the semester and deliberately avoiding each other whenever possible.

We made plans to relocate to Lagos for our National Youth Service Corps assignment after graduation. As I prepared to leave her apartment, we shared one final, fervent intimacy, savoring the moment before our impending separation.

Two months following our graduation, the NYSC posting results were released. Prior to our departure from school, I informed Evelyn of my intention to re-deploy to Akwa-Ibom State for my service year, while she revealed her plans to re-deploy to Abuja.

I sought to maintain a deliberate distance between Evelyn and I, avoiding any chance encounters that might rekindle our past.

My desire was to initiate a new chapter with Sandra, untainted by remnants of my previous relationships, and free from the potential complications of a lingering connection.

I stepped into the cyber café, intent on printing my call-up letter, when my phone suddenly lit up with a message from Sandra.

“Pascal I’m very sorry, maybe we are not meant to be together. I am posted to Akwa-Ibom. Even if we never get to see again, just don’t forget that I love you”........she wrote.

As I finished reading the message, a cold sweat broke out all over me. My heart racing, I mechanically jotted down the necessary details on a scrap of paper and handed it to the cyber café attendant when my turn arrived, my mind still reeling from Sandra's text.

I shifted my gaze away as the attendant accessed the NYSC portal, my mind racing with a flurry of thoughts that left me momentarily distracted.

“What if I was posted to another state? Does it mean that this working of NYSC posting is a scam? What if I was posted to Borno or any of these distressed states? What will now happen to Sandra and I?”........I wondered.

I remained absorbed in my thoughts until the attendant's gentle tap broke the spell.

“Akwa-Ibom, ayaya oh” she said, to which I turned, slightly disoriented, and asked her to repeat herself.

“You are posted to Akwa-Ibom State”.........she announced, with a warm smile on her face.

Overwhelmed with excitement, I let out a triumphant shout, sweeping the attendant into a tight hug and kissing her cheek. The café's patrons swiveled to stare, while the girl's face turned bright red, her eyes cast downward in embarrassment.

As I regained my composure, I sheepishly collected the letter from the attendant, who now avoided eye contact with me. I settled the bill, then I discreetly pressed ₦5,000 Cash into her hand as a token of appreciation before making a quiet exit.

“Sorry for the kiss”........I whispered to her and left.

As soon as I stepped out of the café, I grabbed my phone and dialed Sandra's number.

The moment she answered, I let out a loud, excited shout.

“We are meant to be. I’m posted to Akwa-Ibom too oooohhh”.........I said excitedly.

Sandra's stunned silence greeted me on the other end of the line. I repeated "Hello?"

twice before she finally cleared her throat, her voice shaky. I detected the faint sound of sniffles, hinting that she was fighting back tears.

“What is the problem? Are you crying?”........I asked.

“No, no I’m not, I’m just so happy”........she said amidst sniffing.

“Now you see, I told you that we are meant to be, we are meant to be”........I yelled, punching the air and jumping around in front of the café.

“Yes, yes we are”........she replied, now laughing.

No sooner had I wrapped up my conversation with Sandra and I left the cyber cafè, heading to my house. When I got home I reached for my phone to dial Sandra's number again.

But before I could even unlock the screen, a text message from Evelyn suddenly popped up, catching my attention and temporarily putting my plans to call Sandra on hold.

As I opened the message, I was met with a revelation that left me breathless and reeling in shock.

“Hey Baby, good news! They posted me to Akwa-Ibom.

I have been trying to call you but your number has been busy. Please try and call me, hope you have checked your posting?”.........she wrote.

Life has a way of circling back, and just when you think you've escaped the shadows of your past, fate steps in and forces you to confront what you've been trying to leave behind.

To be continued..........