4.
We had first seen each other at the village square, playing as simple minded youngsters. He approached me and I was rude, but not as usual. Believe it or not, I was once a very happy person. A fire so bright it seemed it could never be quenched was ever present in my dreamy eyes. I would play and laugh with Ngozi as if that were our last day together. All the girls around envied us and they made several attempts to take out their anger on Ngozi whom they perceived to be the weaker one. I would always stand up to them and hold them to ridicule especially in front of those boys they always went on and on about. It gave me some sort of sinister pleasure to see their faces turn red with embarrassment.
Ngozi and I would laugh so hard till our sides hurt. We’d most likely get scolded and possibly beaten when the girls’ parents would come to report to our own parents the next day, but what did we care? We shared a bond that seemed unbreakable…
But I fell in love, and so did she.
He came to meet me, I gave him a very good telling off. That didn’t deter him though, and before I knew what was happening, we had become close friends and then lovers. Yes, he was the first man I ever loved. To this day, he is the only one actually.
The more I fell in love with him, the more I spoke about him. But it was not long before Ngozi fell in love with the man I had been speaking about.
Ngozi was light skinned, so arguably prettier than me. I was more masculine; tough and hard on the outside and on the inside. The wise ones avoided any form of confrontation with me, but Ngozi was free with everybody.
No sooner had I completely fallen for Emeka that he began to fall for Ngozi.
It was a few weeks to our senior certificate examination. Emeka was now Ngozi’s. I had lost the two of them.
I loved Ngozi and I wanted her to be happy, so I let go. And even though it killed me to see the two of them together, I still remained faithful to Ngozi.
Then it happened…
Chocolate Flavoured Girl 