Pains in Secret

It would've been the same for my roommate at Law School but he was dulling. 

During our time at the Nigerian Law School (Abuja Campus), my roommate fell in love and cried. It was one of the purest expressions of true emotion I’ve seen. But how he fell in love made it even more alluring.

I was the unassuming fellow in our flat and block. I was rarely on campus during weekends as I often went to Abuja city, which was some kilometres away from Bwari, the NLS town. So while leaving to enjoy my weekend, my roommate would also be leaving to attend choir practice and improve on his music. He is a gospel artist and he is doing very well for himself now.

During the week, we often read in our room. So we go for dinner, talk a walk and throw banters at our friends and then retire to our room to study. But after a while, he started going to the multipurpose building to study. When I quizzed him, he said the sound of the generator disturbed him so he had to make the change. It was not until a mutual friend entered our room one night and told me what was going on.

This mutual friend of ours is one of a kind. He has a habit of catching everyone who is making some romantic movements around. He once saw one of our mates at a hotel in town and that one lied; saying he came to the hotel to enjoy AC and make his notes. Every public place in NLS Abuja has active AC units’ asides the hostels, so we wondered why our guy didn’t own up to going to chill with his babe. But that’s a gist son of Nebu will share with you another time.

So back to my roommate. 

At first, he didn’t believe he was developing genuine feelings for this lady who became his reading mate. But I know my guy. He became more visibly happy and excited, bought bread and biscuits for us with his money and often encouraged me to eat his own provisions more. We shared a lot anyway, but then after he started catching feelings, he became more generous and caring. At long last, before we travelled for externship that year, he agreed he was in love.

I encouraged him to ask her out. I had no business giving advice on relationships but I wanted my guy to grab his happiness with full hands. But he kept delaying and never told the lady about his feelings. I think she noticed he liked her as they spent more time together, but she didn’t think it in that romantic way.

When we returned from externship preparatory for our bar finals, the lady returned with an engagement ring and a definite date for her marriage.

My roommate was heartbroken and shed a tear. It was the first time in his life he would cry for a lady. I felt his pain, but I couldn’t do much. I consoled him and he got better as the days went by. It was true love and deep affection; I saw it in his eyes. 

If you love someone, say something while you can. And mean it.

He is a really nice guy who respects ladies and values friendship. I hope he finds a good one. 

Till we get to the Promised Land, I shall be waiting for when you will pass me a glass of water and thank God for the gift of grace for the race.