Honest Illusions

Episode 1

Oprah turned and tossed that night, restless in body as different things that sounded like mosquitoes buzzed from ear to ear and jumpy in mind as possible bad scenarios flitted in and out of her imagination. Several questions with no answers buzzed around her head.

What if things didn't go as planned? What if this turned out to be a bad idea? The questions kept popping up. Endless possibilities, so many questions with no answers in sight.

At so many points on this dark, starless night, she tried to lull her mind and body to sleep by playing the most soothing songs on her phone but her agitated mind would not be calm. She blamed it all on her big Lagos trip coming up in the morrow. But she knew deep down, it was not true. This was not the first time she was going to Lagos.

She looked again at their chat history. Still the same sweet and kind words from the guy who assured her that she had captured his heart. For the past two weeks, his messages had left her grinning from ear to ear and sometimes erupting in loud fits of laughter which made everyone around question her sanity. Her best friend had made it a point of duty to tease her endlessly.

The cause of her frayed nerves was this. It was him. Chris - a guy she met on social media and chatted with everyday and night for the past fourteen days.

Fourteen days?

It felt like forever.

They exchanged numbers, house addresses etc from the first day. Oprah and her sister, Ruth, stayed with their father in Port Harcourt and she had newly gotten admission into the prestigious University of Port Harcourt where Chris was a student. His parents stayed in Lagos and he was there for the duration of the holidays which was two months long.

Only now, two weeks later, she was embarking on a trip to Lagos to not only stay with her mother but to meet this stranger she was already falling in love with.
Would she regret it? Would it all be a mistake? She was not certain, she was only certain of one thing - time would tell.

She tossed and turned countless times during the night and the last thing she remembered before she drifted off to sleep was the way she felt her heart skip when she saw his pictures the first time. Truly, she had the hots for this guy.


****

Oprah lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. She could feel butterflies fluttering all over her stomach. She had been feeling so good that she hadn't even had an argument with Ruth in days! She sat up in her black jeans pant and blue top. Hugging her knees, her thoughts went back to Chris. Was she falling in love? She was so relaxed and happy anytime she was with him. Chris hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend, but she knew he was going to, very soon and she was dying to say 'yes'. Chris was considerate and was always looking for ways to make her feel good. She smiled as she remembered him carrying her off the floor and spinning her round the room in his arms while she shrieked and laughed at his antics. He had also recited a poem about being willing to do anything to make her happy.

"Oprah, your boyfriend is on the phone." Ruth, her elder sister shouted from the living room, interrupting her reverie. Ruth was three years older than her and had just bagged a degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt. She accompanied Oprah to their mother's for the period of awaiting her NYSC posting. Oprah jumped up and ran down the stairs.
Ruth rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath,

"Lover birds" and Oprah giggled. She had been teasing her for the last three days.

"Hi Chris, what's up?"
"Hello baby. I just wanted to hear your sweet voice."
Oprah gushed. "You're not serious."
"What are you doing this evening?" Chris asked.
"Nothing. Why?"
"Would you go to a party with me?"
"Where?"
"Dolphin Estate. One of my friends back at school is having a birthday bash. Its going to be fun."
Oprah hesitated. "I have to ask my mom."
"We should be back by 8:00pm."
Oprah didn't think her mom would mind.
"Cool. Can Ruth come too?" She asked.
Three is a crowd, he mumbled to himself.
"Of course, if she wants to."
"Okay, when will you be here to pick us up?"
"At 4:00pm. We have to beat the traffic."
Oprah looked at the wall clock. "That's in thirty minutes!"
No use, Chris had dropped the phone

(To be contd)