Tick tock! Tick tock! In the silence the clock chimes resonated loudly, piercing my heart, striking fresh arrows of pain as I sat, dejected clutching Teju’s picture. Who knew time could inflict such pain.  I wiped the tears coursing down my face with my sweat-stained blouse. I looked around my room with a heavy heart. The atmosphere was somber. The air was heavy. Even the electricity company had conspired to make today dire and awful. It was twenty minutes to twelve, a few minutes before midnight and the heat was oppressive. It was supposed to be a festive season- minutes before the first day in the year but here I was, stuck in my room in school all because of Dr Bola who in his usual sadistic manner decided to fix Chem. 411 on the second of January. I sighed wearily and picked up my textbook again but the words swam before me as tears welled again. Teju! I couldn’t forget. The book slipped from my hand as I remembered the good times we shared.

This period last year, we were so in love or so I thought. We spent almost all our time together. I stood up, restless and disheartened. His smile, my hands ran lovingly over the picture as I remembered. I had taken that picture just as he was about to cross the road to meet me at the eatery. I was so in love with him that every opportunity I had, I took pictures of him. My roommates had gotten fed up with my obsession. Dayo even commented to me sarcastically one day as I was gazing at his picture that I should get myself a time bubble and strap myself with him for eternity.

Dayo! Abby! They saw something I refused to see. That Teju was a player, a heartbreaker!! How was I to know he was going to betray me with my supposedly best friend Peju. I tore the picture angrily and flung the pieces against the wall as I wiped my face. I was not going to go down that lane again. Enough of self-pity!

The sudden buzz of the fan jerked my head up. The electric company had given me thumbs up, endorsing my decision. I chuckled. A New Year resolution. The tick tock of the clock sounded merrily now to me. 12 midnight! Happy new year to me! Time for a new beginning.

Written by Oruare Ojimadu

Image by Joey Velasquez from Pixabay