Love and Lies

*LOVE AND LIES*  
*Chapter Three: The Lie Before the Tears*

It was nearly midnight. The room was quiet, except for the soft ticking of the clock and the dull hum of the fan. Becca was deep asleep, curled under the sheets, while Marvellous lay awake, staring at her phone screen.

Desmond was online.

Still.

She refreshed WhatsApp again. Still no message. Still no call.

He hadn’t spoken to her all day. Her birthday had come and gone with only silence from the one person she wanted to hear from the most.

Tears slipped silently down her cheek. She didn’t wipe them. She just let them fall.

Suddenly, Becca stirred. “Uh-uh... babe, you’re still awake? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Marvellous quickly sniffled and faked a small smile. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I just finished talking with Desmond. He’s not feeling well, so… I’m kind of feeling bad for him.”

Becca yawned and rolled over. “Eii God… let hhimbe safe  oh. Let him not be that sick like that, especially with the money he promised to send. He needs to be well so he can work  and send it.”

Marvellous scoffed. “Get out. I’m talking about something serious and you’re here making jokes about money.”

“Money and seriousness one and two,” Becca mumbled, giggling.

“Just go to bed, abeg.”

They were settling back in when Becca’s phone rang.

Again.

Becca groaned and snatched it. “Oh God, this is the fifteenth time this man is calling me today! Doesn’t he get it? I don’t love him. I mean, how did he even get my WhatsApp number?”

She sat up. “I’m beginning to feel like he’s a stalker, honestly.”

Marvellous peeked up. “Just give the man a chance. Okay, fine let me see his picture.”

“Picture?” Becca scoffed. “Me that doesn’t even pick his call, you think I’ll save his picture? I don’t even know what he looks like. We met on that dating app you made me join, and now look where I am.”

“Ohhh!” Marvellous sat up, laughing. “So you're still on that dating app I made you join since? You’re still there?!”

“What do you expect?” Becca rolled her eyes. “A girl has to keep options. Anyways, please let me sleep.”

*Ring Ring.*

The phone lit up again. With a huff, Becca grabbed it and switched it off.

Marvellous laughed. “You see this one? Love and anger issues perfect combination.”

“Maybe you should just hear him out,” she added. “Him calling this much means something. Who knows? Maybe he’s real. Maybe… he’s even your own Desmond.”

Becca turned to her sharply. “If not for the fact that Desmond promised us money, I would have slapped you by now! Every time ‘Desmond this’, ‘Desmond that’. Please, enough. Sleep!”

“Goodnight,” Marvellous said, hiding a smile under her pillow.

*Next Morning – On the Couch*

The girls were lounging in the living room, watching a movie neither of them was actually paying attention to. Becca kept checking her phone.

“Oh my God,” she sighed. “This man is a stalker. Who even gave him my number?!”

Marvellous, without looking up, replied, “If you don’t want to pick his calls, block him.”

Becca gasped. “Oh no, block? That’s harsh. I actually like men putting in effort. Let him keep calling. Let me see how far he’s willing to go.”

Marvellous laughed. “So now you like attention, but you won’t give him an answer?”

“Exactly,” Becca said proudly. “I want him to try hard and still not win. Petty, but satisfying.”

Marvellous rolled her eyes. “Please put your phone on silence, then. You’re disturbing the neighborhood.”

“Neighborhood?” Becca laughed. “You’re opening your teeth to say I’m disturbing, yet you’re here enjoying the show.”

They both burst into laughter.

Becca shook her head. “Anyway, I’ll just keep watching him. Let’s see how persistent he is.”

“All I’m saying,” Marvellous added, “is that you should give this poor guy a chance. Maybe he’s serious. Maybe he’s the one.”

“I’ll think about it,” Becca said casually. “But thinking about it doesn’t mean saying yes.”

“And that’s fine,” Marvellous said with a smirk. “I’ve delivered my own message.”

*TO BE CONTINUED…*