The Choice

I met Tomide when I was on a date with Daniel, in fact, he introduced us. Daniel told him to keep me company while he went to the bathroom. Tomide was inquisitive and funny, he was the first guy I had ever openly flirted with on the first meet. When I found out we lived ten minutes from each other, I immediately suggested we hang out sometime. And he smiled eagerly and agreed.

I promise I was not two-timing, Daniel and I hadn’t discussed our relationship. We were just old friends rekindling an old flame, testing the waters. I didn’t expect him to be exclusive with me and I was not planning on doing the same.

“So what do you do?” Tomide asked.

If anyone else was asked me that question, I would have told him about my boring job as a sales executive for a real estate firm. But he was creative so he was expecting a creative answer, “I’m a writer,” I said, semi-confidently.

His eyes widened and his smiled at me like I had said the most interesting thing, “Really? My dad and my brother are writers.”

“Ohh that’s interesting, what do they write?“

“Poetry, I love it too but there’s no money in it. And I found a different calling,” He gestured at his camera resting on the table.

“I love poetry too but I’m no good at writing it,” I admitted.

“What do you write?”

“Blog posts and short stories,” I did the occasional freelance blog writer job and usually when I talk about my writing, that’s what I mention. My short stories were personal, I never let anyone know about them, let alone read them.

“I’m sure you’re a great writer.”

I laughed at the incredulous statement, “You can’t know that.”

“No, I can’t, so I should probably find out. Let me read something.”

My heart skipped a beat at the thought but I wanted him to continue finding me interesting, something about him made me spontaneous. I nodded slowly and collected his phone, I took a deep breath and typed in the URL to my secret WordPress site.

He sat quietly beside me for a few minutes, while my brain started to play all the reasons why I I shouldn’t have done this, now he’ll know that I’m just an uncool, wannabe writer whose words are—

“Incredible, that was just…”

“You guys have become friends really fast,” Daniel said when he got back. I couldn’t tell if he was serious or sarcastic, either way, I leaned away from Tomide and faced my date as he took his seat across the table from me. He deserved my attention for tonight, besides, Tomide had my number so we could finish that conversation later.

For a while, the guys chatted about people and places I didn’t know but eventually, Tomide made an excuse, “I should go get some more pictures, I’ll check up on you guys later.” And he picked up his camera from the table, gave me a small smile and left.

Daniel leaned closer to me and took my hands, “You look beautiful tonight, have I told you that yet?”

He hadn’t but Tomide had, those were his very first words when we were introduced, “Wow, you’re beautiful,” He’d said as he shook my hand.

I smiled shyly at Daniel, “You look good too.”

He gave me a confident smile as he adjusted his suit jacket. He knew he looked good, he made sure of it.

We started a conversation about our old university days. I teased him for never asking me out, even after knowing I had the biggest crush on him. And he called me out on my long string of boyfriends and flings after him. We laughed, we joked and it was nice. I could see myself dating him, he made me nervous a lot but at times like these, the butterflies in my belly took a break.

A girl came over and asked if she could sit with us for a moment. Her friends were coming to the bar but they were late and we agreed. Her name was Jasmine, she was friendly and oddly confident with a pair of strangers. She told us about her stressful week and how she was looking for fun this weekend. David told her that we were on a date and hadn’t seen each other in five years.

I didn’t add much, she wasn’t pretty enough to make me jealous so I didn’t mind that she and Daniel dominated the conversation. Her friends eventually called to tell her that they were around. She got up to leave but not before inviting us to a party she was heading to after. I was going to decline but Daniel spoke up first, “I have to drop her at home first then maybe I’ll come.” Then he took her number and promised to call her later.

I don’t know if he went to that party, he never mentioned it but after our date, he didn’t seem to be in a hurry. He casually parked his car in front of my house and we talked some more. He eventually walked me to my gate where we shared a soft kiss before he left.

That night I lay in bed thinking about the date, more specifically the kiss when Tomide texted me. He sent me a poem. It was surprisingly good, he wasn’t the most articulate person when speaking but clearly writing was a whole different matter.

Tomide and I hung out the next day, he called me around 7 pm Sunday night to say he was in my estate. I don’t like surprises but I was attracted to him so it was forgivable. I gave him directions to my house and he took me for a walk. He talked a lot and he was passionate about everything he said, telling from how animated he got. He was the most open-minded person that I had ever met and he lived life to the fullest from what I could tell. Camping on the beach, hiking through forests, naked yoga, he talked about them like they were everyday things in Nigeria. He made me want to cut loose.

When we were coming back, a couple of blocks from my house, he took my hand in his, “So… are you and David a thing? He introduced you as his friend.”

“We’re just friends,” I said. I wanted to add more, to tell him that we kissed and we might have more than a friendship connection but I held my tongue. I was enjoying the moment and the full truth would only ruin it.

“But he likes you.”

I shrugged.

“Well I like you too,” He said, then interlaced his fingers with mine.

So I started seeing both of them. They served different purposes in my life.

Daniel was confident, sophisticated and connected. He would take me to fancy restaurants and special parties where we would meet celebrities, CEOs and influencers. He loved rubbing shoulders with powerful people, he did it well. Watching him was fascinating, in his opinion, no one was too big for him to talk to so that’s how he networked like he could do just as much for you as you could do for him.

He would include me too, always introducing me to people like I was his girlfriend but never quite using the word. He made me want to dress well and look good, he made me want to do something extraordinary with my life. He would tell me, “You should think big, your dreams are too small for your potential.”

I worked hard to impress him, he wasn’t easily impressed so I worked even harder. I started four businesses, two of which are now successful and make me more money than my day job today, “Life isn’t about how hard you work, it’s about how smart,” he’d say.

Together we were like a power couple and it was empowering.

With Tomide it was so different, he was fun and spontaneous. He made plans on the spot and he convinced me to do things I never do. One time he took me to bukka for bush meat and palm wine then he insisted on taking photos of me so we went to his studio. I was shy in front of the camera so he let me take pictures of him instead. I dared him to strip as a joke and he did, he let me take pictures of him stark naked. I should have been mortified but knowing him, it just seemed in character, he wasn’t forward or pushy and he made me feel safe.

He was as comfortable in front of the camera as he was behind it, even with no clothes on. He worked hard on his body so he was proud to show it off. And if I tell you this man was sexy, it would be an understatement, he was sculpted to perfection. I enjoyed looking at him and he enjoyed obliging me by wearing as little clothing as he could manage. Most of our dates were on the beach so it worked fine for us both.

I never got to have the wild youth that most people boast of, I spent my entire time in university studying then after graduating, I spent it working. Tomide showed me the carefree life I was missing out on and I loved every moment of it.

2018 was the most exciting year of my life because of these young men but as all good things do, the fun eventually came to an end.

“I’ve never done that before,” I said as I fell back on the bed, “It was a literal out of body of experience,” I looked at Tomide with a dreamy smile on my lips, “I’m probably not going to be able to walk out of here.”

He sat down beside me and gave me a quick peck on the lips before laying down too, “Then I’ll just have to carry you.”

I turned to him and ran my fingers over his bare chest lightly feeling naughty, “You’re so strong, I like it when you carry me,” I leaned closer and laid soft kisses where my fingers had been.

He laughed and I could feel the vibrations on my lips. I began to run my fingers down his biceps but he held my hand.

“I really like you,” He said.

I paused and looked at him with a smile, “I like you too.”

But he didn’t smile back, instead, he sat up, “No I mean I like you like I want to be with you.”

I sensed where this was going but wasn’t ready for it, “You are with me,” I said trying to dodge the bullet.

“I want more.”

He turned to look at me now but I was looking away. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Tomide, I did, a lot. He was someone that I could come to love but getting serious would mean giving up Daniel and I wasn’t ready for it.

He was staring at me so I sighed and looked at him, “Can you let me think about it?”

He looked disappointed but he nodded and laid back on the bed.

My mind was heavy when I got back home that night and I was completely unprepared for Daniel’s surprise visit. But he was in front of my house so I couldn’t ignore him.

“Evening princess,” Daniel said as I got into his car.

“Hey handsome,” I teased back.

He rested a hand on my thigh. It was a strange sensation from Daniel, he wasn’t forward with his advances. In the last six months that we had been seeing each other, he hadn’t done more than kiss me. I think he felt like I was too innocent, considering what I was doing with Tomide, I was far from an angel but I decided not to push it. He remained quiet contemplating his next words.

“How was your day?” He asked softly.

I wasn’t sure how to answer that so I gave the most generic response, “It was alright. How was yours?”

He smiled, “I spent the entire day thinking about you, thinking about us.”

I knew where this was going, where it went a few hours earlier. It wasn’t a coincidence, of course, I didn’t expect it but couldn’t be too surprised. They had clearly talked to each other about me. Tomide and Daniel were friends but they were the kind that only spoke when they saw each other in person. So what happened? Maybe Daniel went to the bar last night and it was the night Tomide was hired to take pictures just like when we first met. Maybe they saw each other at a party. It really didn’t matter, the most important thing was that I was prepared for this or so I thought.

I turned to him, “What were you thinking?” I asked boldly.

“I think we would make a great couple, you and me, only.”

I was confused, I didn’t expect Daniel to want a relationship with me. He wasn’t that kind of guy. Back in university, he was the most popular guy in school so when he started paying attention to me, I was surprised. However, I was too heavily infatuated to think anything of it. I came to learn that he had monthly infatuations, sometimes they lasted longer. He never asked me out because he was never going to. I just picked his interest for the moment. I stepped back and tried to date other guys to make him jealous but that didn’t work, he found someone else to keep him entertained.

I promise Tomide wasn’t a jealousy ploy. Or maybe he was but I did come to care for him too. Now Daniel was saying the words I felt like I had been waiting years to hear. But who would I choose?

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