[Story] Unfulfilled Promises By Audrey Timms Part 1 (Complete Episodes)

Unfulfilled Promises By Audrey Timms Part 1

Episode 16

He however stopped when he noticed Oleng had stopped walking. He turned around and saw that she was just standing there on the side walk not minding that her fellow students were walking along. He was touched. He walked up to her slowly, held her hand and pulled her to continue walking. There was silence between them for some minutes.

“I’m sorry for making you cry. I didn’t want it to seem as if I betrayed Eric by telling on him. You see…” He faltered, not knowing how to say it.

He shook his head and continued, “God help me! I pray Eric doesn’t punch me in the face for this! When Eric is through with his exams, he’ll go and join his elder brother in America. He’s not going to do his university education here in Nigeria.”

“No.” Oleng whispered as she stopped walking. Dave stopped walking also as tears gathered in her beautiful eyes. She put a hand to her mouth and continued shaking her head.

“No. This is not happening.” she whispered in protest.

Dave didn’t know what to do as tears made a straight line down her lovely face. He wanted to hug her but their fellow students were passing by and some of them were looking at them. He could only take her other hand and pull her to start walking again. Luckily, her house was just two blocks away.

“It’s not so bad, Oleng. You guys can communicate through the phone and he can always come over for vacations. You never can tell, when you’re through with your own secondary school education, you can go over there to join him.” he rattled firmly but she just kept quiet, still in tears.

“If it’s any consolation to you, Eddy and I will still be around. I intend schooling here. Eddy too. Besides, you still have Zinny and Marvy.” he consoled and sighed with relief when they got to her gate. They both stopped walking. Oleng wiped her tears away.

“Thanks a lot, Dave for walking me home and for telling me Eric’s secret. I know you and Eddy will always be there for me but you don’t understand.”

“I understand, Erica. Eric is your best friend.”

“You don’t understand. Ricky is not just my best friend, he’s my life!” With that outburst, she pushed her dusty brown gate open and rushed in.

Dave stared at the closed gate and shook his head. As he walked away, he knew his suspicions had been right. Oleng and Eric were in love with each other but refused to do anything about it. They were still denying their feelings for each other. He wondered if it was the very morning Eric would be leaving for the airport that they would say what they felt for each other.

This was why no one must ever know his true feelings for Oleng. No one must ever find out that he had a hopeless crush on his close friend’s best friend. With a heavy heart, he strolled home.

############################

“Something’s wrong with my sunshine.” Eric commented as he walked home with Dave and Eddy a week later.

“What do you mean?” Eddy asked. He spat his chewing gum out of his mouth.

“Didn’t you notice her moodiness when we walked her home just now?” Eric enquired.

“I did but I thought she was just her normal quiet self.” Eddy delivered bluntly.

“She’s too quiet. I know her. Something’s wrong.” He moved his head in the direction of his other friend. “What do you think, Dave?”

Dave looked uneasily at his friend. He knew it was his letting the cat out of the bag a week ago to Oleng that had made her moody. He regretted telling her.

“Ah…” he stammered. “I think she’s moody. Maybe it’s one of those her mood swing spells. She’ll soon snap out of it,” he assured smiling. “Better still, why don’t you go and find out what’s wrong with her?” he helpfully suggested.

“I have asked her a number of times but she keeps telling me nothing and with our exams fast approaching, I haven’t found time to go over to her house.”

“Maybe that’s why she is moody,” Eddy put in. “You’ve abandoned her because of your exams.”

“Really?” Eric wondered in disbelief.

“I don’t think so. Oleng isn’t selfish or self centered. Just find time to go to her house.” Dave countered quietly.

“I will.” Eric said as they said good bye to Eddy when they got to his house.

When Eric had taken a shower and eaten, the thought of Oleng’s moodiness was still on his mind. He decided to postpone siesta and studying. He would study throughout the night but for now, he had to see his sunshine or he wouldn’t be able to study. He thanked God his mum wasn’t at home as he dressed up in blue Levi’s jeans and an Armani shirt.

He prayed Tessy and her mum wouldn’t be at home. That was unlikely anyway. He got to the house and rang the doorbell after giving the usual tip to the gate man.

“What are you doing here, Ricky? You didn’t tell me you were coming.” She was surprised to see him when she opened the door.

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Episode 17

Eric smiled brightly and with a small shrug said, “I got tired of reading and decided to come and see you since I haven’t been here in a while.”

“It doesn’t matter. I understand that your exams are coming up soon. You should be reading.”

“Is that a polite way of telling me to go back home?” he teased.

She laughed. “Of course not. Come in.” she stepped aside for him to enter before shutting the door. She followed him to the living room from the lobby.

“Alone as usual?” he remarked as he sat down on the leather sofa.

“As usual.” she replied and sat facing him on her mum’s wicker chair.

“Did you make the fruit salad?”

“Yeah. Want some?”

“Yeah, that’s if I won’t spend the rest of the day in your toilet.” he teased.

She laughed. “You’re not serious.”

She went to get the fruit salad from the fridge in the kitchen and served a helping in two glass bowls. She put them on a tray with rubber spoons and took them back to the living room where Eric was already surfing through the channels of the DSTV for sports.

“Don’t tell me you intend watching TV, Ricky.”

“Not you too, sunshine. My parents allow me to watch only the news. I need a break. I’m tired of reading. God! I’m not the first person to write WAEC and NECO for crying out loud!” he lamented.

Oleng laughed. “So Mr. Civil Engineer gets tired of reading sometimes? Amazing! Book worms like you aren’t supposed to get tired of reading.”

“Me? A book worm? So it’s only market women like you who are supposed to get tired of reading?”

Oleng’s eyes widened in mock horror. “Me, market woman? I’ll kill you. Mechanic!” she fired back with humour and threw part of the fruit salad at him. He ducked and it hit the plasma television.

“Oh! Look what you made me do.” she complained and went to get a hand towel from the kitchen. He laughed joyously but helped her scoop the mess from the floor while she cleaned the TV.

They later sat down to watch a movie while eating their fruit salad. When the movie was over, Eric felt it was time for him to broach the topic that had brought him there. He held her hand, not minding the tingling sensations that ran through his body. She looked down at their hands and looked away.

“Sunshine, you’ve been very moody this past week and I’ve continuously asked you why but you refused to tell me anything. Truth be told, I wasn’t tired of reading. I just wasn’t able to concentrate. How can I concentrate when there’s something wrong with my best friend and she refuse to talk to me? I thought maybe I was neglecting you. Is that it? Have I been paying less attention to you because of my studies?”

Oleng shook her head vigorously. “Of course not, Ricky. You’ve never neglected me before. Even when you go abroad, you still always make me feel your presence.”

“Then what’s the problem? And don’t tell me nothing because you and I know something is bothering you.” he pressed.

For an answer, Oleng got up, wrapped her hands around her and walked towards the TV with her back to him. She thought for a while before saying,

“Nothing is wrong. I mean what could be wrong when my best friend, someone I trust so much is no longer going to school here in Nigeria as I thought but in America yet he refused to tell me? What could be wrong?” she threw at him still with her back to him.

Eric became tense. He sat ram rod stiff. He could only shake his head before anger took over. He stood up in anger. “Who told you?”

She swung to face him then in anger also.

“That’s not the question. The question is why didn’t you tell me? How could you? How could you leave me in the dark like that? When were you going to tell me? Immediately you land in JFK airport or when you begin classes there? How could you?” Tears slowly rolled down her eyes.

Eric quietly sat, and glared at the Persian rug. He had made a mess of things. He didn’t know why he had lacked the courage to tell her. He had kept postponing the time and now she had found out. He wondered who told her. Eddy? Dave? Who told her was not the issue now. How would he make her understand that he had not meant to keep her in the dark for this long? He kept thinking for a while.

my9jarocks.info

Episode 18

He finally got up and his black eyes moved over her. She had her back to him but he knew she was crying. She kept wiping away the tears impatiently with her hand. Aww! He felt bad even though he knew Oleng was a cry baby. She cried at the drop of a hat. He was sorry he was the cause of her tears now. He walked up to her slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

“Sunshine, where do I start from? I really don’t know where to begin. All I can say is I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I was waiting for the right time to tell you. That’s funny because I still don’t even know the right time to tell you…sunshine, I’m filled with so much dread at the thought of leaving you here in Nigeria.

I pleaded and pleaded with my parents to allow me school here but they refused. They no longer have faith in our tertiary institutions. Grandma Conrad didn’t help matters also. She kept saying she’d love for me to be close to her the way Damian is over there. I did everything humanly possible to dissuade them but they refused to listen to me. My dad who is usually more understanding than my mum refused because I couldn’t give him a tangible reason why I wanted to stay back in Nigeria. When I knew there was no hope, I didn’t know how to tell you…sunshine, please I’m sorry. Forgive me.” he explained sadly.

When she still didn’t say anything, he touched her tentatively.

“Sunshine?”

She turned around then to look at him. He was sorry to see her eyes flooded with tears.

“When did you know? I mean for how long have you known?”

He stared at the rug. “Before the second term holidays.”

“Since then?” she shouted. “How could you? Why?” She started crying profusely then.

“Sunshine, please. I don’t like seeing you like this. Don’t you know this is hard for me too? How could I just look you in the eye and tell you all our dreams together have been dashed? Tell you all our promises of living together, traveling together and visiting tourist centers during our vacations would go unfulfilled. How? Tell me how?” Tears formed in his eyes.

For an answer, she put both hands to cover her face and wailed. Her wailings pierced his heart like a sharp knife. He couldn’t resist taking her in his arms. He held her while she cried. Eric tried very hard not to cry also though tears were brimming in his eyes. He couldn’t imagine life without her.

When she was spent, he led her to a chair and made her sit. He went to the fridge in the neat kitchen to get her a glass of water. He made her sip from it; she took small sips and shook her head. She was so downcast; he didn’t know what to do. He had never seen her like this before not even when she had been crying that her mum didn’t love her. He sat down beside her and held her hand. He didn’t know what else to do.

After a while he said, “Why don’t you talk to your mum? You can come over when you are through with your secondary education. We can live our dreams over there instead of here. It would be more fun,” Eric brightened up at the thought. “I know your mum can afford it and she can come once in a while on one of her numerous trips to see you if she wants.”

Oleng looked at him and shook her head. She had to take a sip of water before she could talk. Her voice was broken from the wailing.

“No.’ she simply said.

“Why?”

“I’ve asked her before. When you first told me that your parents hinted that you would school over there. She told me I was joking. She doesn’t want me out of her sight. It was funny to me because she is never at home. So I wonder how I’m in her sight. If she finds out you’re going also, that will only make her refuse the more.”

“No, sunshine. Don’t be negative. You can talk to her again. I can even get my mum to talk to her. Maybe she can convince her to send you there also.” he prompted with hope.

She shook her head again. “Let it go Eric. There’s no hope. I know my mum. She won’t allow me to go. She doesn’t like me being happy. She likes to see me miserable. She hates me. I don’t know why but she does. She won’t agree because she knows I’d be happy to be out of her hair and be with you over there.” Tears slowly dropped as she spoke.

He finally got up and his black eyes moved over her. She had her back to him but he knew she was crying. She kept wiping away the tears impatiently with her hand. Aww! He felt bad even though he knew Oleng was a cry baby. She cried at the drop of a hat. He was sorry he was the cause of her tears now. He walked up to her slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

“Sunshine, where do I start from? I really don’t know where to begin. All I can say is I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I was waiting for the right time to tell you. That’s funny because I still don’t even know the right time to tell you…sunshine, I’m filled with so much dread at the thought of leaving you here in Nigeria.

I pleaded and pleaded with my parents to allow me school here but they refused. They no longer have faith in our tertiary institutions. Grandma Conrad didn’t help matters also. She kept saying she’d love for me to be close to her the way Damian is over there. I did everything humanly possible to dissuade them but they refused to listen to me. My dad who is usually more understanding than my mum refused because I couldn’t give him a tangible reason why I wanted to stay back in Nigeria. When I knew there was no hope, I didn’t know how to tell you…sunshine, please I’m sorry. Forgive me.” he explained sadly.

When she still didn’t say anything, he touched her tentatively.

“Sunshine?”

She turned around then to look at him. He was sorry to see her eyes flooded with tears.

“When did you know? I mean for how long have you known?”

He stared at the rug. “Before the second term holidays.”

“Since then?” she shouted. “How could you? Why?” She started crying profusely then.

“Sunshine, please. I don’t like seeing you like this. Don’t you know this is hard for me too? How could I just look you in the eye and tell you all our dreams together have been dashed? Tell you all our promises of living together, traveling together and visiting tourist centers during our vacations would go unfulfilled. How? Tell me how?” Tears formed in his eyes.

For an answer, she put both hands to cover her face and wailed. Her wailings pierced his heart like a sharp knife. He couldn’t resist taking her in his arms. He held her while she cried. Eric tried very hard not to cry also though tears were brimming in his eyes. He couldn’t imagine life without her.

When she was spent, he led her to a chair and made her sit. He went to the fridge in the neat kitchen to get her a glass of water. He made her sip from it; she took small sips and shook her head. She was so downcast; he didn’t know what to do. He had never seen her like this before not even when she had been crying that her mum didn’t love her. He sat down beside her and held her hand. He didn’t know what else to do.

After a while he said, “Why don’t you talk to your mum? You can come over when you are through with your secondary education. We can live our dreams over there instead of here. It would be more fun,” Eric brightened up at the thought. “I know your mum can afford it and she can come once in a while on one of her numerous trips to see you if she wants.”

Oleng looked at him and shook her head. She had to take a sip of water before she could talk. Her voice was broken from the wailing.

“No.’ she simply said.

“Why?”

“I’ve asked her before. When you first told me that your parents hinted that you would school over there. She told me I was joking. She doesn’t want me out of her sight. It was funny to me because she is never at home. So I wonder how I’m in her sight. If she finds out you’re going also, that will only make her refuse the more.”

“No, sunshine. Don’t be negative. You can talk to her again. I can even get my mum to talk to her. Maybe she can convince her to send you there also.” he prompted with hope.

She shook her head again. “Let it go Eric. There’s no hope. I know my mum. She won’t allow me to go. She doesn’t like me being happy. She likes to see me miserable. She hates me. I don’t know why but she does. She won’t agree because she knows I’d be happy to be out of her hair and be with you over there.” Tears slowly dropped as she spoke.

my9jarocks.info

Episode 19

“I can talk to her. I can make her see reason.”

“No, Ricky. You’d only put me in trouble.” She wiped the tears rolling down her eyes again.

“I’ve got to try,Oleng. I don’t want to lose you.” he sorrowfully proclaimed.

She held his hand and smiled a little.

“You won’t lose me if we promise each other never to lose contact or stop communicating no matter what we are going through or wherever we are.”

“I promise. I promise.” he solemnly declared.

“I promise too” she affirmed and they hugged. When they broke it off, she smiled lightly and said, “Let’s look at the bright side. We still have about four months before you leave since your results will be out towards the end of the year.”

He looked down at their entwined hands and swallowed uneasily.

“My uncle over there helping me with the admission said it would be very good for me to come over there, write my SATs and all, familiarize myself with the surroundings and the way of life there in the university and for Damian to put me through with some things since he schooled there, before my results come out.”

“So when exactly are you leaving?” she fearfully enquired.

He looked down at their hands again and took a deep breath.

“A week after my exams.”

She immediately took her hand from his and used it to cover her mouth as she continuously shook her head, whispering. “No.”

The tears that had stopped falling earlier on, rolled down profusely.

Eric didn’t waste time in taking her in his arms and comforting her. He however couldn’t control the tears that rolled down his eyes. God! He was going to miss her. His best friend.His sunshine. Sincerely, life would be meaningless without her. Would he be able to concentrate over there without her? He slowly shook his head. He doubted it.

#########################

Eric and Oleng knew they had little time together so they spent it wisely. They were now more inseparable than ever. After school, Eric would spend some time with her before going home. Whenever he was tired of reading, he would go over to her house. They spent their weekends together. This was their normal routine except when her mother or Tessy was at home.

Time flew and Eric West African Examination Council Exams began. Then it was time for NECO. Eric decided to write the NECO exams just to spend more time with Oleng because it was only WAEC that was needed for his schooling abroad. He had already written his GED and passed. It was a hard time for Oleng because she rarely saw Eric due to his exams and she was preparing for her own third term exams.

The exams finally came to an end. On the last day of the exams, Oleng, Zinny and Marvy waited a short distance from the SS3 classroom. Physics was their last paper so Oleng was assured that Eric would come out smiling. He was a genius in physics. The art and social science students had finished two days. It was a joyous day for them and their friends from SS2 downwards had waited for them to come out of the hall to hug and congratulate them. Hence, the three friends were waiting to do the same to Eric, Eddy and Dave.

“The way I’m feel right now, I could kiss them when they come out. Oleng, hope you wouldn’t mind my kissing Eric?” Zinny questioned smiling broadly.

“Just try it.” Oleng warned and they all
laughed.

“It’s Dave I know I can kiss, certainly not Eddy. That womanizer will read meaning into it and before you know it, he’ll want to get down with me.” Oleng said and they all laughed again.

There was a small silence before Marvy remarked with great emotion. “I’m really going to miss them. I can’t imagine lunch break without them anymore. I know for a while now we haven’t spent our lunch break with them because of their exams but it was just like a temporary thing to me then but now I realize it’s forever.”

“Yes Marvy. I’m really going to miss them. Eric’s charming personality, Eddy’s silly and flirtatious attitude, Dave’s quiet and cool nature. I’m not sorry to have known them. All thanks to Oleng here. If not for her friendship with Eric, we would never have been friends with such nice guys.” Zinny smiled.

“Yeah, thanks Oleng.” Marvy smiled also and hugged Oleng who just kept them quiet.

Zinny and Marvy kept recounting all their experiences with the three seniors. They discussed how the three friends were like them in terms of tribe. Eric was from Rivers state, Eddy was from Anambra state and Dave was from Bayelsa state. Oleng was from Cross River, Ezinne was from Abia state while Marvy was from Rivers state.

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Episode 20

They didn’t know the effect their conversation was having on Oleng. She had put a mental block against thinking of living without Eric but as her friends talked continuously about him and his two friends, reality dawned on her. She finally saw her future without Eric.

“Oleng!”Marvy exclaimed as she saw tears rolling down her friend’s eyes.

“What’s the matter?”

Oleng cleaned her unheeding tears and picked up her bag. “Please tell Eric I’m sorry. I can’t stay.”

“Oleng, what’s wrong?” Zinny demanded of her friend who was already walking away.

Oleng stopped and turned around. “A week from today, Eric will be leaving for California where he’s going to school. He’ll be gone for about four years.” she announced still in tears.
“Please tell him I’m sorry that I can’t share his joy on a special day like this. I don’t want to fool myself myself by wetting his shirt with my tears of sorrow instead of joy.”

With that sorrowful declaration she quickly walked away leaving her friends in a sad mood.

“No wonder she has been so sad.” Marvy commented at her friend’s receding figure.

“Yes, poor girl. Marvy, we must make sure that she doesn’t feel Eric’s absence. Let’s get closer to her now more than ever.”

“Sure. That’s if she’ll let us.”

“No matter what, we must try.”

They waited there alone with others quietly. They however became joyous again when students started filing out of the hall. Their fellow students screamed and hugged them.

The three people they were waiting for came out together. Zinny rushed to hug Eddy, Marvy ran to hug Dave too. Eric looked around for Oleng but she was nowhere to be found. He was both hurt and disappointed. Zinny rushed to hug him and Marvy followed suit. Female students who had been looking for an opportunity to get close to the gorgeous former senior prefect saw their chance. They hugged and kissed him continuously. Zinny had to forcefully drag them away. She became his self appointed personal body guard. Eric put up a happy front but inwardly, he wasn’t happy. Where was his best friend on a day like this? He didn’t accept the excuse she had given to her friends. She had given no thought of his feelings whatsoever. Didn’t she think of how he would feel seeing she wasn’t there to share his joy? He knew how she felt but he felt the same way also.

He heard people whispering that they had quarreled, that was the reason why she wasn’t here. For the first time in their relationship, he was truly angry with her. She had behaved in a self-centered manner.

When he got home, his mum welcomed him like a king. His dad who was usually not at home at that time of the day welcomed him like a king also. They had arranged a small party for him. He tried his best to be cheerful. His brother and relatives called to congratulate him. He however kept rejecting Oleng’s calls. He didn’t feel like talking to her just yet. When the small party was over, he went to his room with the excuse that he was tired.

After awhile, he decided to pick Oleng’s call. He answered the call albeit coldly.

“Thank God you finally answered.” Oleng was full of relief but he kept her quiet.

“Please can you come over? I need to talk to you.” she eagerly requested.

“About what?” he coldly asked. He was obviously still angry.

“Please. I really need to talk to you.” He could hear the tears in her voice but he just wasn’t in the mood.

“Sorry, Oleng. I can’t come over. I’m tired. I need to rest.” With that he ended the call. He told himself that he would switch off his phone if she tried calling again. He was surprised when she didn’t call back. She was probably crying her eyes out. He sighed. He’d told her a number of times that she cried too much. Seeing a cute puppy could move her to tears. He signed and picked up his phone to call her back. He paused, shook his head and dropped the phone on the bed. He was the wronged party here. She should be the one doing the calling and begging. He laid on his bed but couldn’t sleep.

About thirty minutes later, one of his cousins staying with them came into the room. He sat up on the bed. Boma was funny and mischievous and Eric liked her like that; and of course for the fact that she called him ‘handsome’.

“Handsome, your girlfriend’s here.” Boma informed him as she sat down on the bed.

“God!” he winced. “Don’t tell me mum invited Bridget to dinner without my consent again?” he lamented and laid back on the bed.

Boma laughed. “No, not that one. I mean your real girlfriend.” she stressed in an undertone.

“Here you go again, Boma. You know I don’t have a girlfriend.”

She laughed again. ”That one” She stabbed a finger in the air at Oleng’s huge portrait on the wall.

Eric turned and looked at it in ringing disbelief. “No way! That’s not true. Oleng cannot be bold enough to come here on her own. She doesn’t like coming here. She’s been here only once and that’s because it was mum and dad’s anniversary and I threatened to end our friendship if she didn’t come. I even had to go and pick her myself.”

“Are you calling me a liar, handsome? Or maybe I’m blind?”

Eric paused and surveyed her steadily. “Boma please, I hope this isn’t one of your mischievous games.”

Boma got up then. “Well, I’ll go and tell her you don’t want to see her.” she said as a matter of fact and walked towards the door.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Like a heart attack.” she laughed heartily.

“I can’t believe Oleng actually came here. She must really be sorry.” he murmured under his breath. He didn’t want to start explaining things to his nosy cousin. He got up from the bed. “Where’s she?”

Boma still standing by the door said, “The lounge, but be warned, your parents saw her. Your mum was talking to her before I left to get you.”

“O no!” he exclaimed, putting on his light brown chinos trousers. “She’s terrified of mum.”

Boma giggled. “So was I until I got to know her. I discovered that that look of hers, that ‘Don’t come near me, you leper’ kind of look was just for show. She’s the sweetest person I know.”

Eric smiled. His mum was really like that to a lot of people. He had told Oleng a lot of times that his mum was different from the face she puts on but Oleng had never believed.

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