When my rent was due, I asked my boyfriend for help. I didn’t ask him to pay the whole amount. I told him, “I don’t have anything on me so any amount you would give me would be appreciated.”

He promised he was going to give me something tomorrow. When tomorrow came, he told me he was expecting an amount that hadn’t arrived so I should give him more time.

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I’m working and schooling at the same time. My salary is nothing to write home about so to earn more later in life, I decided to do a course and use that certificate to look for a new job. Every amount I earn goes into my studies. Even when someone gives me a tip or a gift, I invest in my schooling.

I sold my smartphone to pay fees and buy books. My boyfriend hardly helped but I didn’t blame him so much. He wasn’t my father, plus he had his own problems to deal with. But when my landlord started threatening with eviction, I had no choice but ask him for help.

He kept promising and failing. He wasn’t the only person I spoke to. I called relatives and friends. Some, in the end, gave me something and others also promised to give something at a later date.

One evening I was with my boyfriend when a friend called to tell me she was going to send me an amount. I was owing on my MTN so I gave her my boyfriend’s number to send the money to it. A few minutes later, we got the alert. She sent me a loan of GHC2,000. I called and thanked her.

Because of how my landlord was treating me, I was scared to go home without the full amount in my hand so I spent the night with my boyfriend. All night, he was on his phone. He told me he was working. And then he said he was on Twitter following a beef. Even at 2am, I opened my eyes and saw him busy on his phone. I slept anyway. I didn’t know the time he came to bed but in the morning, I saw him sleeping next to me.

When I was going to the bathroom, I told him to get ready so we could go out together and withdraw the money before I went to work. He was still sleeping by the time I came out of the bath. No matter what I said, he wouldn’t wake up. When I was leaving, I told him to get up so we could go to the street and withdraw the money. He said, “Oh, go and come err. Am I going to run with your money?”

I needed to send the money to the landlord that very day so I insisted and even took his phone and said, “If you’re tired, just give me the code. I would go and withdraw and bring you the phone before I leave for work.”

He protested. He said I was shocking him. He accused me of treating him like a thief because of money. All was beside the point. What I needed was the money so I insisted. Then he told me, “Ok let me be honest with you. Last night, I played aviator with it and lost everything.”

My knees started wobbling. I had to sit on the bed before I could fall. “What? You know I’m being evicted. Why would you do that to me?”

He promised he was going to pay in the evening. His friend was going to send him an amount and he would give me the money. I went to work, came back to his place and he wasn’t there. All evening he didn’t pick up my calls. I was even asking him to come home so I could have a place to sleep since my landlord was harassing me for his money. He didn’t pick up so I had to sneak into my room late in the night.

At dawn, the landlord came to knock. I gave him what I had on me and promises. I said I had the rest of the money with someone and I would get it for him before the day ended. He gave me up to the evening or prepare to leave.

I didn’t sleep again, I dressed up and went to my boyfriend’s place to knock on the door. When he came out, I asked about the money and he told me stories. He even got angry that I was harassing him with the money.

In the morning, I left with his main phone.

He called asking for it and I told him, “If by afternoon I don’t get the money, I will sell this phone for GHC2,000, don’t play with me.”

By evening he sent the money and told me to return his phone. I sent the money to the landlord so I could have my peace.

He didn’t wait for me to return his phone. He came to my office for it and whispered, “I don’t want to see your face again anywhere around me again.” I responded, “I should be the one to tell you that.”

We had dated for two years. He wasn’t the best but he wasn’t the worst too. He wouldn’t give me much but at least, I had someone I could turn to when the world felt alone. That alone was enough for me. I wasn’t expecting him to build me mansions and give me gold. Just companionship.

We didn’t talk for weeks. We met often and passed each other by. My heart asked questions; “Are you sure you don’t want him again?” My brain answered, “Who wants a reckless gambler anyway?” Just when I was about to shut the door on his chapter in my life, he pushed his hand through the door and screamed, “Wait! Don’t close the door yet. Just give me one more chance. Forgive me and let’s try again.”

After weeks of persuasion, I said yes but it doesn’t feel the same way again. It feels like there’s an invisible gap between us. A wall in the darkness that separates us emotionally. Anytime he’s on his phone for too long, the memories of that day come back to me. He told me he has stopped gambling but it’s a lie. He does it and loses money. It’s the reason he doesn’t have money to give me whenever I’m in need.

Call a Friend and Ask For Thousand Cedis (A Prank)

I won’t rush anything yet. I have a few months to finish my course and once I’m done, I will have a full mind and heart to decide the future of our relationship. But for now, I need a companion and what he provides is alright.

—Edna

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