The Date
I received a text from Henry. We've been chatting for over a week now since he revealed his identity. Thankfully, it hasn't affected work—he's still my boss. Well, except for Timi constantly nagging me about being too close to him. But otherwise, all is well.
Ever since he revealed who he was, something has changed. I can't quite put my finger on it, but things aren't the same. Our chats are still fun, but he no longer drops quotes from Naruto. It's as if his personality shifted. No more pet names either, the ones I had grown used to.
I have nothing else to do. He doesn't tell me what to wear anymore, and he no longer asks about my outfits. Would it sound weird if I told him I missed how he used to care about those things?
He went offline. I guess he's a busy man now.
Last Saturday, we had a lot of gossip at the office. I'm not sure how much of it was true.
"I heard the new CEO isn't the actual owner of the company. Like, he's not even the real CEO," Esther said, making every head turn.
"Stop spreading baseless rumors," Timi hissed.
"It's true! I heard it from Mr. Akin after his misunderstanding with the boss."
"That can't be right. He shares the same last name as the former boss," I chimed in, feeling the urge to defend him—not because we were dating, but because of our... relationship.
"That's the tricky part. That's what makes all of this so mysterious," Nnedi added.
"Well, this is a shareholder company, so maybe he's not the highest shareholder," Esther reasoned. It made sense. In some companies, the CEO isn't always the major shareholder, though it's rare.
"All of that doesn't change the fact that he's hot and successful," Timi gushed.
I smiled. If only they knew he was my personal person.
On a fine Sunday afternoon, I just finished my laundry and thinking about my life when my phone buzzed, pulling me back to reality. He had just sent the address. I guess it's time to get dressed.
It didn't take long to get ready, but I waited for his go-ahead since he forgot to mention the time.
"Right on cue," I muttered as he finally sent the time—just ten minutes from now. I decided to leave the house.
As I stepped outside, my phone buzzed again. Jessica. Wow, it's been a while since I heard from her.
"Hi, bestie!" I chirped.
"Don't bestie me," she scolded. "Just because I got married, you decided to cut me off?"
Okay, she had a point. I had been terrible at keeping in touch.
"No, dear, I've just been busy," I tried to explain.
"Busy, my foot! Something else is taking up your time."
"Well... you might be right."
"Spill!"
I imagined her pointing an accusing finger at me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. The mental image made me laugh.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything. But right now, I'm on my way out."
"Out? To where?"
"On a date," I admitted, feeling my cheeks warm.
"Oh my God! Girl, you've been doing things behind my back!"
"It's not like that! I'll give you the full gist later. Right now, I really have to go."
"Fine, but you better spill everything later!"
"I will, Madam!" I teased.
"Later," she said before hanging up.
I definitely needed a girls' day soon.
I boarded a bus, my excitement growing with every passing second. The thought of going on a date with him was so overwhelming that I could hear my own heartbeat. And the closer I got, the faster it raced.
"You look good, girl," the guy sitting beside me whispered.
Typical. The kind of guy who tries to woo a girl in a bus.
"Thanks," I replied plainly, my face expressionless. "But I'm on my way to a date."
He took the hint and respected himself.
Maybe I was too blunt, but earlier, I had seen him being rude to a nursing mother who had boarded the bus. He didn't deserve my politeness.
I swallowed hard when I arrived at the destination. Was I wearing the right dress? Maybe it would've been better if he had told me what to wear like he used to.
"Who are you searching for?"
I jumped at the whisper behind me. Turning around, I found him standing there, watching me peek through the door.
"You startled me," I said, feeling shy all of a sudden.
"You're cute when you're shy," he chuckled.
There is something different about him. Why can't I figure it out?
"Stop it," I muttered, lowering my head.
"Let's go inside," he said, nudging me slightly.
We walked in and took a seat. There was nothing particularly special about the place. We ordered fried rice and made small talk.
"Wow, Messi is really a football demon," he commented, his focus entirely on the TV.
"You're really into football, huh?"
"Yeah, it's my favorite."
"I thought Naruto was your favorite?" I teased.
"Yeah, yeah," he waved it off. "I just told you that because it's more unique." He shot me a grin before turning back to the game.
Maybe the personality he displayed in our chats was different from the real him.
"I called you out to remind you of my proposal," he suddenly said, shifting his full attention to me.
Proposal? Oh. I had completely forgotten about it. But even now, I wasn't convinced enough to say yes.
Just as I opened my mouth to stall, my phone buzzed. Perfect timing. I glanced at the screen—Mom.
"Hi, Mom," I answered without hesitation. She has always been my priority, especially considering her health.
"Sis, it's me," my younger brother's voice came through.
"How are you?" I asked, already suspicious. He usually only called when he needed money.
"Sis... Mom fainted."
His words hit me like a truck.
"What?!" I yelled, standing up abruptly. Heads turned in my direction, but I didn't care.
"With the help of the neighbors, I got her to the hospital," he continued.
"Which hospital?"
"The one beside the house."
"Okay, I'm coming right now." I ended the call without waiting for a response.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, concern clear in his eyes.
"It's my mother," I choked out, tears already falling.
"Lead the way," he said immediately, standing up and guiding me out.