"Hmm… damn." Farouk on the bed cupped his face. "So you had sex with a former lecturer."
"Yes." Gloria winced, head down with tears. "And I don't know what I'm gonna do before Segun will expose me… He won't even tell me why"
She turned to him. "Please don't let him succeed in this… if he does, I don't think being called all manner of names will give me any time to run away from my childhood trauma."
"The old me couldn't possibly care and I still don't trust you." Farouk's brow raised before Gloria gaped. "You hurt me for all these years and I'm supposed to take your bullshit, for what…? Please, what are you offering me anyway? What's in it for me?"
Gloria froze. The way she stared at the man. How could he?
She then hissed. "Wicked boy… 20k." She squeezed her face, hands on her knees. "Are you happy now?"
"More than." Farouk smiled. "See you tomorrow." Then he stood, waltzing lightly to the door, before his exit and a bang.
The gall of this guy. From then on, the following day continued.
Dressed in casual and simple clothes, Gloria was walking among a hugely dispersed horde of other people looking like her age in the glowing morning rays of sun, approaching Segun who stared at her wearing a grey long sleeve shirt.
The way she gritted. As if wanting to throw words at him. "You're a blackmailing pain in the neck, you know that?" "Calm down." Segun said. "Just gimme my money. You didn't think I was gonna let you go after you proceeded to hangout with 'Farouk', right?"
He stepped back chuckling. "Also, don't you know he was in on the plan?"
"That's not true!" She slapped him. "Farouk is still a sweet guy at heart and he never, despite knowing my secret so he can stop you."
Now Segun just laughed and showed Gloria a dark-green chatting interface on his phone screen with lighter shades of green showing text in white, then Gloria froze.
"No!" She silently exclaimed.
"Yes, niggaaaaaaaaa." Segun laughed louder. "Why would you put trust into someone that you have hurt so many times in the past… or anyone for that matter?"
He stepped closer. "Look sister, just gimme my money so that we and Stella can flex before we raise your matter for this school."
He then walked away leaving Gloria, her frame dormant. The truth must have choked her solid. Much later, you could probably tell that she was about to go and give Farouk a piece of her mind.
Then, Farouk was just sitting at a broad table, alone in the middle of a huge rectangular brown walled hall with a ton of matching furniture in columns and a whiteboard ahead, reading a colourful book, before Gloria marched into the semi dark place as orange light seeped in, before a punch to the his table.
He looked up as she vented. "You got something to say, hmm?" "Girl, what's your problem?" "You're out to expose me, that's your problem… or you already have." Gloria arched, barking. "Why would you work with Segun against me?"
"I have nothing to do against you." Farouk stood up, frowning. "And what if I did, you think I'll actually do anything…? You've been a waste of my time."
He then bolted out, banging the yellow wooden door far ahead. Gloria just watched, her eyes teary. You could imagine. Who knows what could happen to our poor girl?
Continuing from that scene, along a kerb of a highway in the hot afternoon with cool breeze, Farouk trekked down the lane, wearily lifting legs. He then squeezed his face, as if thinking about something. Maybe about Segun or Gloria. Who knows?
Later, he then saw Segun and Stella 3 stone throws ahead, holding hands. He quickened his pace toward the duo in corporate clothing, leaning his head as if hearing Segun's words.
"Sure, I mean, that's the main reason we're blackmailing Gloria, yh?
Farouk raised his brows. The plot thickened.
"That's true." Stella spoke. "But we can take this even further… I bet he still fell for that Farouk guy." She shook her head. "Absolute traitor."
"Oh bollocks, and you're who?!" Segun and Stella turned after hearing Farouk's voice. "You heard everything?" "Shut uuuuup." I'm ashamed of you." He charged at Segun, fisting "How could you… You think you're better than her?" His face scowled. "She's your friend."
"She never was." Segun eyed the man. "Look, I couldn't care less about some girl knowing how much she's gonna lose out on not dating a rich guy like me and… also please, I gotta go get my girl out on that stage y'know?" He tugged Stella. "She's runner up for that pageant tomorrow."
Now Farouk fisted, venting with a gaze at Segun. "Screw you, meen." He then raised his hand as a corroded black Toyota Camry stopped beside him.
From there, an epic long ride later, the car stopped at a medium oak-wood bungalow, where Stephen was standing, pacing as if he awaited them. Farouk alighted and rushed at him, panting.
"Where is she?" He harked, shaking hands with a teary voice. "Dude, you gotta call that guy back." Stephen waved, running past him. We're going to Jabi Lake at this instant."
"Wait, what?"
"She's there, meen. Move!"
The duo entered the car then drove off. Picking up great speeds, winds rushed as the engine boomed. On nearing a lofty bridge by a few metres, the tall and muscular driver with the brothers alighted, while Steven ran fast to hug Gloria from behind, still in black casual clothes.
She almost attempted climbing a railing at this.
"STOP!" Stephen cried, squeezing. "Farouk didn't hurt you."
"How would you know?" She sobbed.
"Because I have proof." Farouk waved out his phone, approaching them. "Personally, I think it was a bad idea putting so much trust in me, but I was an ass…"
He stopped a bit close to them, phone in the air. "I recorded my conversation with Segun, revealing that it was him… I'm so sorry I didn't trust you earlier."
Stephen still held Gloria with his sad face.
"You and I both know it's not worth it taking that jump because of a slimy douche, you know that." Farouk stepped.
"And you're who?!" Gloria cried. I hated the fact that you would still exploit me. Do you think it's easy being alone, not being able to make the friends you always wanted… ending ups with the saturated ones until all you do is-?"
Thump.
Farouk actually increased his pace, wrapping his arms around her with a hug.
"It's ok." He muttered audibly. It was like she's an infant. "I'm never gonna let my insecurities get the best of me again."