DANCE WITH FIRE � � �. Story written by Nayna Asomto
Episode 1:

My phone buzzed, a signal that I just received a text message. I prayed it was a bank credit alert. Tomorrow was valentine's day and unless a miracle occurred, my babe was sure to break up with me.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY IN ADVANCE BABY, the text read. Ifeoma wasn't subtle at all. I couldn't escape this. The threat was there for all to see; no valentine, no baby.

I went to my messages, to check my account balance. N2800. I laughed to myself. If I spent this tomorrow, I would still get the boot. Two thousand eight hundred was not enough to impress a girl, recession or not, it simply wasn't. I thought of the many ways to make money before the D-day. Even as I racked my head, I knew it was late. I shouldn't have paid my house rent the week before.

My flatmate, Dafe, strolled into the room. He dropped a well packaged box on the bed. I shifted closer to admire the package.
'Sam, abeg take am easy', he grumbled 'na Amaka valentine package be that'.
I felt my chest constrict. Dafe had done what I couldn't do.
'Wetin dey inside na, and how much e cost? ' I asked in a low voice.
He looked me over before he answered
'1 bundle of Indian hair, 1 Dolce and Gabana perfume, 2 pairs of shoes and a matching handbag'.
I collapsed to the bed. He didn't have to tell me, the box alone looked expensive. Dafe was the man and I was the boy.

I met Dafe 2 years ago but we only became flatmates 3 months ago. His folks weren't rich but he always had money. In fact he was part of the reason ifeoma still dated me. Everyday before he left for school, he always dropped five hundred naira at home for upkeep. It was that five hundred I usually used to keep ifeoma happy. I never asked where he got the money from, not from lack of curiosity but for the mere fact that I didn't want to upset the source of my wellbeing.

I looked at him now as he talked about his plans for tomorrow. He was going to take Amaka to a Chinese restaurant and after that, they would come home. He would hand her the box and after much exclamations and dancing, they would then proceed to make valentine love. To back his words, he bought 4 packs of trojan condom. He threw one to me. Just incase I got lucky. I threw it back at him. I hadn't used the pack he gave me three weeks ago. A poor man deserved no box. Giving ifeoma recharge cards only did not merit sex and I knew that.

'Dafman, help your boy na', I looked at him 'even if na 5k, make I take arrange ify'.
He laughed for some minutes
'Sammy, you too dull'. He was about to hurl insults now
'Wetin 5k wan do for u?' He continued ' the money wey remain for my hand na 50k wey I wan give Amaka tomorrow, if I commot am 5k, e no go be round figure again'.
I was momentarily weak. He was about to hand my 6 months allowance to his girlfriend on St Valentine's account. Indeed, Dafe had 2 heads. We were not mates.

'You na my guy sha,' he threw me a card 'call that number, tell am Dafe send u'.
Hmmm, I thought to myself. Maybe Dafe wanted to let me in on his business
'Wetin the guy dey do,' I asked
'Na blood agent' he replied
I wasn't understanding. 'Blood agent'. I silently promised myself not to call the agent. Ifeoma was beautiful, but I wasn't about to get killed for her box. Dafe saw my hesitation and clarified further.
'He dey work for hospital. You get plenty blood and you no dey use am do anything. You fit donate two pints of blood. Him go give u like 15k. Shey na O negative u be na. Your blood dey move market'.

I heard 15k and jumped. Two pints of blood and ifeoma would spend the rest of the weekend with me. I looked up and thanked God. I called the agent immediately. He asked me to come to Zenith clinic ASAP. They were in need of my blood now.
On my way out, I grabbed the trojan condom he had earlier thrown and I sent Ifeoma a text.
SAME TO YOU BABY. CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW.
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