LETTING GO

"Yes!  He did it!  I admit it!  He did it!"
Alake screamed as I walked into the room. She has been depressed for days.

"He did what? who did it?  Alake, what's wrong???" I asked as she was panting.

She again said, He did it and I regret it!  I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I wish I didn't allow him. I regret it! I just wish him dead right now.  he deceived me. I don't love myself anymore. She kept saying to herself.

At this point, I knew there was little or nothing I could do. I decided to call a big sister who is into counseling so she could help me talk to Alake.

I took her to our room immediately and hope Alake would open up to her. We met Alake in the same position I left her. Then Sis Sade started consoling her and said words of encouragement to her.  She asked Alake what happened and Alake decided to open up!

We sat and listened to her story.

Then She began!

Alake is a church girl. She loves God so much and does his will.  Alake doesn't involve herself in illicit act as she is a believer.  She has a friend,Sope, a friend she trusts and opens up to.

Alake was in a relationship where the guy cheated on her and left her.  Same happened in her second relationship too. so she decided not to be in any relationship again. 

I interrupted and asked her why she thinks these guys left her. 

Then she said they usually ask for sex but she doesn't want to engage in sexual activities. So in return, they cheat on her and leave her emotionally broken.  I just wanted to keep myself till I'm married.

It was her 22nd birthday, she then decided to celebrate it so well in her parent's house as she was excited about it.  She invited friends over to celebrate with her. A friend of hers brought a guy to her birthday party who Alake was even oblivious of the fact that he was around as she was carried away with the joy of the day.

Alake took pictures with her friends and invited guests as they called it a day. She then said goodbye to everyone and went to her room. It was indeed a long day and Alake couldn't wait to retire to bed as she was tired.

The next day, she decided to call to appreciate everyone who was present for her birthday. Then her friend, Sope, told her that a friend of hers, a guy,  whom she brought to the party actually likes Alake.  Sope further said that the guy requested for Alake's number and asked if she could give him the number. Alake trusts sope not to be friends with unbelievers so she agreed to give the guy her number.

Almost immediately, Tola, Sope's friend, called Alake.  His voice sounded sweet like that of a baby. Alake smiled all through the conversation like someone who is being tickled.  lol.  That was how it started.

Tola kept calling morning, afternoon and night.  He gave Alake the attention she needed.  Then they started dating even without seeing physically. it was that deep.

Alake had gone back to school in Portharcourt, so there was no how she could see him as he's also busy and with work in Lagos! They talked about the future.  they talk about virtually everything. She told Tola that she was a virgin and was not ready to lose it until marriage. Tola seems to agree with it.

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, they say right? Tola kept talking about kissing, caressing, sex and all. Alake on the other hand continue with the flow thinking its just for the fun of it as she already made her stand known to Tola

They kept professing their love to each other. After few months, it was important they see each other, so they agreed that Tola travel down to Portharcourt to see her in school. 

The day finally came, Tola lodged in an hotel in portharcourt. Alake then went to meet him at the hotel. 

Guess what happened immediately we saw?  Alake asked Sis Sade and I. We just starred at her as she continued.

They started kissing and romancing, before she knew it, they were on the bed. Alake then begged him not to sleep with her, not to break her virginity, not to defile her but he won't listen. He just kept telling Alake that it won't be painful, he will do it slowly. Then he started penetrating till he broke it!  Soaked wept so badly and was bleeding.

Tola was then happy with what he did . He felt excited. Although, he patted Alake as she wept. As Tola opened his bag, unknown to him, Alake saw the condoms Tola actually brought to Portharcourt.  A text message then entered Tola's phone, it was Sope! Alake checked the screen of the phone and saw sope's message asking if Tola had broken it!  There and then she knew he didn't come to joke. It was a plan all along.  Sope was always jealous of Alake's virginity! Alake left for her hostel and never went back to the hotel even when Tola called her to.  They talked on phone.

Tola then left for Lagos after two days, he stopped calling like he used to.  he reduced chatting.  it then dawned of Alake that she was actually not in a relationship. She has been used, She thought to herself.

At the time She finished her story,  I was short of words! I felt so sorry for her.  She was deceived by a trusted friend. She had kept herself so well only to lose her dignity to a deceiver who never loved her.

We told her to wipe her tears and everything will be alright.  Sis Sade volunteered to help her by checking on her and speaking to her daily.  We prayed with her and I emphasized on the fact that she has to forgive her friend and hope her friend comes to the realization of what she did one day. "I know it's not easy, but you have to let go, Alake" I said to her.

Her friend, Sope still calls her and sympathized with her not knowing Alake now knows all she did.

Yes!  It actually took time before Alake healed.  But she eventually did. She prayed to God and asked for forgiveness, she also promised never to defile herself before marriage again.  She forgave Sope wholeheartedly.

After few weeks, Alake didn't see her period as calculated.  She quickly ran to Sis Sade because she remembered Tola got carried away and didn't use condom when they had sex.  Sis Sade advised her to go for a test. She sent a text to Tola to tell him the development of things, but Tola replied by saying, no matter what happens, he's not ready to father a child.  That was the last time she heard from him.

She prayed to God to give her a second chance as she doesn't want to be pregnant.  Alake went for the test in the hospital. Lo and behold, she was not pregnant.  On hearing this, Alake gave a sigh of relief.

Sope still says hello to Alake. Alake already forgave her and didn't talk about what she saw the other day.  Sope's relationship started sinking.  Her boyfriend beats her, sleeps with her and she now plays the role of a wife even as a girlfriend. Alake advised her to leave the abusivrelationship but Sope wouldn't listen.

Alake's relationship with God kept growing and she kept to her promise of not engaging in premarital sex again.

In her final year in the University, she met a fine and God-fearing man, Jimi, who lives in Abuja but came to Portharcourt  for a business meeting. He met Alake in portharcourt and became interested in her.  They became friends and their friendship grew. As their friendship continued, Jimi asked her out,  she hesitated at first but Jimi was able to convince her telling her that he has good intentions. She told Jimi she's not interested in sex before marriage and Jimi never brought up the topic.

Alake graduated and went for Nysc and their love is still as strong as ever. In fact, if Alake talks about sex, Jimi pays no attention to it.  In his words;  you only do what you think.  if we keep talking about sex, we might end up having it against our Will.

To Alake, Jimi is God's plan for her.  She wondered where he has been all her life.

It was POP,  Jimi showed up, on his knees and proposed to her. This day seems to be one of the happiest day in her life.  She was so excited and couldn't wait to share the news.

The next day, she received a call her friend, Sope, has been hospitalized. She didn't know what was wrong but she needed to be there. 

On getting to the hospital, she saw Sope in bed, bruises all over her body, she couldn't stand or sit. Her boyfriend had beaten her, pushed her down the stairs and left the house. Her neighbour came to rescue her and took her to the hospital Alake felt so sorry for her.

Sope opened her eyes and saw Alake, she sighted the ring on her finger and Alake told her Jimi proposed. Tears rolled down Sope's eyes and she began to seek forgiveness.  She said she's not worthy to be called Alake's friend.  She called herself, the unfriendly friend.

She explained everything that happened between her and Tola, she begged Alake to forgive her.

She was shocked when Alake told her she already found out but she had forgiven her.  It's now left to her to forgive herself.  Alake then prayed with her and hope she gets well soon

Alake is getting married in few months while Sope might be spending few months in the hospital bed.
It pays to be patient, it pays to love God.  it pays to let go and let God

Some people are like Alake;
when you lost your virginity
you felt used
you felt bad
you wish you had waited
just a little longer
you wish you could turn back the hands of time
you probably would have made a better decision
But guess what?
Mistakes are part of our life
your past doesn't determine your future
you need to forgive yourself
Learn from your mistakes
and move on.
Yes!  you've done it once but you could still keep yourself
Don't kill yourself
Time will tell.
don't trust too much
Learn to forgive others
forgive yourself
Let go and let God.
LET IT GO!