One thing my mom always say as some form of consolation to ingratitude is that whoever is doing good, is doing it for God because with doing good, you can never loose. This can be liken to the popular saying that givers never lack.
Back then, in Uni, I had this friend that wouldn't just live life within her means. She's always rolling with the big girls, and this often lands her in financial distress.
Once, we just resumed Uni and lectures haven't started yet. This friend and I had made plans to go to school together, so I went over to her place.
The day I got there, my younger sister called that I should assist her with some money for textbooks. She had called home, but the time the money will be made available to her will be too late as the textbooks were part of continuous assessment.
She needed thirty-five thousand Naira and all I had in my account was forty-three thousand Naira only.
While I was on the phone with my sister, my friend was eavesdropping and immediately after the call, she started lamenting how she's broke and how she has no money to resume school with.
I did as if I did not hear because I just got billed and was about to be temporarily broke until my sister would get the money from home and refund me.
When my supposed friend saw that I wasn't contributing verbally to her predicament, she devised another means.
We were about to have lunch when she declined and said her lover just texted her to come over. Next, she started complaining again that she does not even have transport fare to go, I said nothing.
She whined and lamented, I still said nothing. Then she came direct and asked me to borrow her ten thousand Naira that as she is going to see her lover, she will have money and when she comes back, she will refund me.
At this point, I could no longer ignore her as she has confronted me directly. I explained things to her how I have limited funds and needed to transfer some fund to my sister of which, what I will have left will not be up to ten thousand Naira.
All my explanations fell on deaf ear as she kept pleading for the money and even suggested that I give my sister half of the money she's requesting for of which I told her I cannot put my sister's education at risk.
After much begging, she assured me that she will pay back the following day being Saturday because that is when she will come back.
Seeing how desperate she was, I gave her the remaining money in my account after crediting my sister and was left with nothing, hoping that when she returns the following day, she will pay me back.
The following day, this girl did not show up. Oh! I starved, as I had no money to buy food or even go back home. Her house was empty with no food item, not even garri. The house was dry. At a point, I was forcing myself to sleep to exhaust the time.
She finally came back one day after being Sunday. I was expecting my money back but instead all I got were complaints on how the man didn't give her enough money knowing fully well she's about to resume school.
Note: she's an orphan and her lover is responsible for her.
Cont...
She started saying that if not for the ten thousand Naira I gave her, she would have been stranded.
By now, all my face was heavy and wearing a frown because what sort of expensive play is this girl playing with my money?
I kept quiet and said no words because I wouldn't want us to fall out. I tried to understand her plight. Then I asked her, “how do I get to school and feed? Because I had no money”.
She told me that she will pay my transport fare, and we'd both scavenge for food until money comes. This girl was my best friend and I had a soft spot for her.
I just said ok and didn't push it. We got to school and I couldn't cope. I was starving, and no money was coming, so I went home since nothing much was happening in school. Only for me to get on WhatsApp status and saw a photo of one of my roommates, who's a very luxurious babe, wearing a matching outfit with my friend that is supposed to be broke.
Immediately I saw that picture, I started having headaches because I could not understand why my friend could show me such wickedness.
For starters, how is she broke and having money to buy complete outfits and accessories? Let it not be that I was jumping into conclusion, I texted the babe and asked her how much is the complete outfit and how can I purchase them, she told me it was sixty thousand Naira for everything and the lady sold out already.
I took in a deep breath, calmed myself down and went straight to my friend and asked her when is she likely to pay me my money so I can come back to school. She asked me to drop my account details that she will send me something the following day.
Following day I saw nothing, it staggered into weeks then I texted her again that if I do not see my money by weekend, let her not bother paying up again.
Next this girl started abusing me that I am a very wicked friend, I know she is barely surviving and I'm dragging her for how much? She went further to say, is it not my mates that are gifting their friends hundreds of thousands Naira? Ordinary seven thousand Naira I gave her, I'm harassing her with text and giving her sleepless nights.
At that point I was done tolerating her. I told her she's broke but she can afford an outfit of sixty thousand Naira...
I went further to tell her she's the wicked one and I regretted giving her that money. Next she said was so because I am owing you, I should not look good? You are busy monitoring my life for miserable seven thousand Naira. Gosh! I was so pissed.
We had a heated quarrel via text and I do not know what she told that my roommate whose a luxurious babe but she called requesting for my account details and sounded so cold. I sent her the details and she credited me the money immediately then texted that what I did was very cruel and my friend asked her to pay me.
That was the end of that friendship and this girl made sure to turn all our roommates against me. But I didn't care as the next semester, we were getting different rooms.
Above is my response to the Septemberinleo prompt day 2 in collaboration with the #cleanplanet community, hosted by @nwothini335.