The darker the berry

..the sweeter the juice.

I once worked in this place where I was the darkest-complexioned one around. My boss had this young guy cousin of hers who came around a lot and one day she sent me on an errand- assisting him during after-hours. Somehow, I was charming in the way I went about everything and he could see that I was a bit charismatic when I related with folks especially my older colleagues. He asked for my number and I hesitated saying I didn't give folks my number. His reply "there's always a first time."

I was dealing with a breakup that was in words but not actions especially since my ex and I talked almost everyday and even went on a date. (story for another day)

Imagine him thinking he could launch me. First time keh?. Lol! I had a little crush-attraction thing going on. he was quiet, quite classy and was Hausa. I have a weakness for quiet Northern boys. Lol! If I popped there was no stopping on this one.

Then I got a message in the evening "the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice, the darker the skin, the deeper the roots...then some African ski gist blah blah...guess who?"

I was 18. Whether I was flattered/melted or not I can't remember but I didn't reply the text. I knew if I did, I'll probably get hooked with back and forth messages (which by the way is my addiction of some sort..chatting).

The next day, in the course of work, I found out that he was the one who sent the message.

Since he seemed like a nice guy, I was attracted, and he was someone I would spend hours on the phone with, 'warning' alarms where all over my head.

He called later that day but I missed the call. I didn't call back. I so badly wanted to get to know this guy but my heart was still with my ex. I wanted to but didn't have the nerve to move-on. I was scared of jumping into something new because I didn't see this guy as a friend but as fling-material. And the religion factor, I'm all for long-term relationships not flings so him being a Muslim (and the drama that occurs with mixed-religious relationships), I didn't know how further on that would play if we actually worked out.

Every situation like this where guy meets me, we exchange numbers with the aim of being 'friends', chat and talk everyday, guy falls for me, I might have a crush on him but nothing more then I cut off the communication and become the bitch while he claims to be heartbroken.

In this instance, I was probably going to be the one to be bitched. Nemesis!!

I was just thinking ahead oh! What if he just wanted to add me to his list of Abuja girls? Or honestly just be friends? Or shag? Think of every 18 yr old with deep suspicion for every guy she comes across. I'm an emotional wreck so I think like CRAZY before leaping or 'popping.'


I sent him a text almost two weeks after, thanked him for complimenting my skin tone, asked who it was (like I didn't know) and apologized for not replying. I didn't get a reply (somehow I thanked God he wasn't serious about me and I wasn't breaking a heart.) Then I saw him when he came to see my boss. We said hi to each other and both pretended like we had never met or had a teeny-weeny attempted fling!


Why do I still remember him? I dunno!