Those That Have Walked In Darkness
I spent my whole day as a ghost, going through the motions like a robot. The worst part? When I returned to the office to close for the day, everyone suddenly started calling me Chioma. I knew exactly who was behind it.
"Did you ask everyone to start calling me Chioma?" I asked weakly.
"Yes," he replied smugly. "That's how powerful I am." He always loved flaunting his wealth and influence. "Besides, I don't want him hearing people call you Rose," he added with a shrug as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Why are you this wicked?" I asked, exasperated.
"I already told you, I'm just driven," he said, his tone indifferent.
There was no need to ask what drove him. It was vengeance. I wondered what Alfa had done to deserve such a betrayal from his best friend. With a sigh, I left his office to gather my things and head home.
"I don't know what you're playing at, but even the CEO has instructed us never to call you Rose again," Timi hissed at me.
"You're so jealous of my position, thinking it's a bed of roses. If only you knew what I'd give to switch places with you," I said before walking away, not waiting for a reply.
As I stepped outside, I was drawn to the restaurant we had visited last time. We had agreed to come back together, but now I knew that would never happen. To him, I was his best friend's girlfriend. Feeling drained, I headed to the same quiet corner we had sat in before. Thankfully, it was empty.
"What can I get for you?" the waiter asked. I stared at him for a moment before deciding.
"Vegetable soup," I murmured. I had no appetite, but eating it once more would make me feel closer to him.
The food arrived quickly, but I just sat there, staring at it. My tears had dried up, but the pain inside me was only growing worse.
"You don't eat by just staring at your food, and besides, eating the same thing all the time is boring," a familiar voice teased.
My head jerked up. "You're here?" I was beyond surprised.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said, smiling. Just his presence made the ache inside me ease a little.
"I think I'll eat rice today. No vegetable soup for me this time," he said, ordering his meal before taking a seat opposite me. Unlike last time, we weren't sitting side by side but facing each other.
"I thought you wouldn't come... not after finding out I'm dating your friend," I admitted softly.
"I was afraid you wouldn't come after finding out I'm your boyfriend's best friend," he replied, raising his left eyebrow in a way that made him look unbearably attractive.
"Yet here we are," I said.
"Here we are," he echoed with a small smile. "Now let's eat—I'm starving."
I laughed, and just like that, everything felt normal again. We talked about my day, my sales, and my customers. I had missed this—talking to him about everything and nothing at all. I wished I could tell him the truth about my situation.
"This looks good," he said, eyeing my soup after finishing his rice.
"What do you mean?" I asked as he washed his hands.
Without warning, he snatched a piece of meat from my plate and popped it into his mouth before I could react.
"That's not fair!" I pouted.
"You still have two more. Don't be a stingy bunny."
"Long throat!" I stuck my tongue out at him.
He chuckled. "If you waste more time, I'll take another one."
Panicking, I stuffed the remaining two pieces of meat into my mouth at once. It was a terrible decision—they were too big, and I struggled to chew while he laughed at me.
"You're so cute, Bunny," he said, still chuckling. "If you end up with Henry, I'll be the godfather to a bunch of adorable babies."
I forced a giggle to hide the sadness his words brought me.
"You came late today," I pointed out, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I would have been here earlier, but I got lost," he admitted with a shrug.
"You got lost?" I was dumbfounded.
"Yeah. I couldn't remember if we took the left or right last time, and I don't even recall what the store looked like. I must have walked past this place at least five times."
"That's absurd! It's not even far from the company."
"I know," he sighed. "I finally decided to come in and try my luck. And luckily, I found you."
I remembered him saying he had no sense of direction. It just made him even more endearing.
"So, what if you came in and didn't find me?" I asked, feeling like the only girl in the world.
"Then I'd keep searching until I did," he said with a casual shrug.
My heart swelled. "Wow."
"Don't feel too special," he teased. "I'm just a determined person. If I decide to kill a lion, consider it dead."
I scoffed. "Egomaniac."
He grinned. "You're worth every bit of effort."
The intensity in his gaze made my knees weak, and I blushed.
"Stop," I whispered, lowering my head to hide my face. It was definitely a bad idea to be alone in a room with him.
"What was that?" he asked, amused.
"Nothing," I waved him off.
"So, about your Rose... why were you in a bad mood that day you two argued?" I asked, shifting the attention away from myself.
"That was July 14th—my birthday."
"Oh... were you upset that she didn't wish you a happy birthday?" I asked, feeling guilty.
"No, she didn't know. I was in a bad mood because that's the day my mom died giving birth to me."
A sharp pain stabbed at my heart. "That's..."
"Ten years later, my dad died in a car crash on the same day while on his way back to celebrate with me. I also lost Mirabel in July—a week before the 14th, when I was 18. I guess July is just a cursed month for me. Every year, I dread its arrival."
His voice was filled with unbearable pain.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, tears spilling down my cheeks. I thought I had run out of tears, but I was wrong.
"Don't sweat it, Bunny. I've learned to smile through the pain," he said, forcing a sad smile that didn't suit him at all. "How have you bewitched that I am able to tell you about my deepest darkest secrets and my fears."
I could feel his sadness, I wanted to hug him, to tell him everything would be alright.
"I have my charms." I let out a soft laugh and blinked away the tears.
"Ah, the day has slowly turned into night," he said, stretching. I didn't want to leave. He needed me as much as I needed him.
"Can I have your number this time?"
If I gave him my real number, he'd figure out the truth. So, I gave him my second number—the one not registered on WhatsApp. I got the number on Saturday for this purpose, and giving him the number made me remember the deceptive omission Henry spoke about.
"I'll call you, Bunny," he said, pocketing his phone.
He paid for our meal, and I made him promise to let me handle the bill next time.
"Goodnight, Bunny," he said as I was about to board a bus.
I hesitated for a moment before saying, "Because you've walked in the darkness, you'll be able to see even the smallest sliver of light. The world needs people like you."
He looked stunned. "Wow, who knew my Bunny makes great quotes?"
Pride filled me—not because of the quote, but because he had just called me his Bunny.
"Your Bunny has many hidden talents," I said with a blush.
He was about to respond, but a honking driver cut him off.
"Goodnight, Bunny," he said, nudging me into the vehicle.
"Goodnight, Alfa," I whispered.
As the bus drove off, I turned to see a girl approaching him. My heart clenched.