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Mprex:
Is the job still available. Can I still send an email

Yes please

The post is open to anyone who wants to intern as writer, ready to work as a tech or fashion writer.

Work isn't stressful, write up to 500-1000 words on any tech or fashion topic of your choice.

Contact me via email; zibahmarcus@gmail.com


No insults please; if you're willing to work anytime you want, contact me. Thanks!

cassbeat:
Yo this was nice

Yo! Thanks man

oyinella:
I love it!

Thanks oyinella..... Meanwhile I luv ur name

Xtardom:
We are here!!!!!

Lol thanks for stopping by

Nairalanders will never change. Don't just read, try to comment

More stories coming soon

THE ENEMY OF MAN. BY FUNMI AKINTADE



…...Few more grunts, he fell on me. I sighed in satisfaction. Thierry as I would call him or Thierry Alphonse got up as quick as he fell, he sauntered into the conjoined bathroom, my eyes never leaving his naked muscular form. I wanted more, in fact I had been hoping we would have the day to ourselves since it was valentine but coach had called him.

The shower ran to a stop, I perceived he must have finished having his bath. A naughty thought formed in my head, I thought of joining him underneath the shower with our wet but firm bodies clasping roughly in rigorous rhythm. At least that was what I thought until he spoke, bursting my thoughts.

"Sorry I couldn't stay longer. Désole my love." he threw on his T shirts and kissed me on the cheeks. Thierry was Cameroonian and how he had left his village in yaoundè to join the Nigerian under 20 footballers still marvelled me. He wasn't Nigerian, yet he played for Nigeria. When I asked him about it, he had told me his father was a Nigerian and that his Yoruba name was Bayo. So his mates called him Bayo, his jersey had Bayo written on it but only I called him his Cameroonian name Thierry.

I forced a smile on my face, obviously unhappy about the situation but could do nothing. I stood up, unashamed of my naked form unlike when we started meeting few months back, I had been shy of walking naked before him.
Thierry was tieing up his sneakers now, I stood before him. He glanced up at me, and then turned his attention back to his shoe like I had no effect on him.

"Just drop the key under the carpet as usual. I love you, happy Valentine's Day." he kissed me fully on the lips this time and jogged out.

I sighed, walked to the bathroom instead. As the cold water hit my head, I relaxed in satisfaction. Grateful for no longer plaiting my hair like a normal female. I smiled again as an old memory formed in my mind, shaving my hair had been a blessing in disguise. I had gone to the barbing saloon at Iyanapaja just round about the area where we live and had requested for a haircut. My aunt recently got me a slot in the Nigerian football female under 18. Since I was skilled in football, she got connected by someone who knew someone enough to strap me in. And I felt I needed the haircut to blend. No doubt I was a good linebacker but I felt I needed to take off my hair, win myself a new look.

Somehow in the process, the guys in the saloon had teased me about getting an haircut and Thierry stood out; tall, ebony with teasing biceps. Instantly I went jelly on the inside and when he talked about how well, cropped hair would suit me, I fell in love with him and his slight French accent.

I was leaving Thierry's apartment when Shade called me. She was our quarterback, same age, 18 with same futuristic goal.

"Mary? We have a meeting with coach today." she pressed.

I groaned. "But we aren't supposed to have any meetings or training today! For crying out loud it's Valentine's day!"

"Ehn, maybe he has Valentine's special for us." she giggled and ended the call.

The next few minutes saw me going to the stadium where we normally had our meetings and trainings. I caught sight of the boy's under 20 team on the football pitch right next the us. My eyes caught Thierry and he winked. We weren't allowed to date each other as footballers but we did that nevertheless. I scanned the crowd quickly for Shade, saw her petite frame with ease and walked up to her. I joined in the ramble and in a short while, coach approached us with few strange faces who I guessed to be scouts.

I guessed right. They were scouts from Scotland and somehow they had picked interest in some of us. Coach called out some names, my name wasn't called but my heart shattered when I heard Thierry's.

"Bayo Alphonsus."

The rest of us were dispatched. That night, Thierry and I had a long night together. I threw caution to the wind and slept at his place that night. I snuck back to my aunt's house in the early hours of the morning. Her endless talks about Chasity made no sense to me. Thierry was about to be signed into one of the biggest clubs in Scotland, no doubt he was going to become a celebrity so was I. Thierry and I saw each other no more, but we kept contact with each other on phone.

We were preparing for women football for AFCON 2016 when I suddenly felt sick. I was beyond traumatized. I didn't want to get sick because I had pulled in all my strength to prepare for the game plus It was my chance to be sported by scouts. On the day before we left for South Africa, I asked Shade to go with me to the pharmacy. I avoided the clinic because I didn't want to be reported that I was down with fever.

"I'm not sure it's malaria. You said you're throwing up, you have splitting headache and you get tired easily?" The pharmacist persuaded. She had a priceless look on her pimpled face.

"Yes? What else could it be?" puzzled by her question.

"When was your last menstrual cycle?"

Her question seemed to set me back on reminder. Two months ago, Thierry and I had a Valentine romp and… ..I took the pill but then, could the pills fail?

**********perspiration filled my underarms. I tapped on the delete key, formatting the messages I struggled to compose for an hour now. I was texting Thierry. It's been four days since we last talked. Although our communication haven't been quite strong of recent. Nevertheless, I texted him. Told him that there was something important I needed to tell him.

Thierry never called, even when we flew to South Africa and I called him to hint him up, he simply rushed me off the phone. Shade wanted me to tell coach about my condition but I refused. Nature finally caught up with me when I fainted before the match. I was rushed to the hospital and coach got to know that I was 2 months pregnant. The team didn't win, neither did I win because I was bundled back to Nigeria and told not to come back to the fields until my child was born. My Aunt didn't take me in after my mistake according to her, I had created a Valentine blunder .

Shade offered to share her room with me until the child was born. During this time, life wasn't easy. I took a job as an hotel attendant, and worked tirelessly to be able to save enough for my delivery. I was in my 7th month, I had just returned from work one cold rainy night, hoping to get under my blankets as soon as I got home. I did get home, but I wasn't able to get to sleep as I kept awake pondering about what Shade had just shown me. She had logged into her instagram account, and showed me Thierry. His striking features weren't deniable now. His dark skin shone like black polished wood. I was about to comment about how good he looked but the white girl he had his arms wrapped around choked the comment forcing it down my throat. A tear fell, then two, finally I couldn't control it. Somehow, Shade got to know he was the baby daddy.

"we will fight him! Put him up on Linda Ikeji!" She yelled, spewing threats as though she could fight him. Truth is, Thierry was bigger than us now plus I didn't want to get dragged as a gold digger. I ignored the biting betrayal of Thierry and focused on making money. I scrubbed toilets when I had to and stayed for more hours at work for little stipends.

***My water broke when the leaves on the trees turned brown and the grounds were parched with no rain. Valentine came forth, dark thick hair, pink lips like his father's. No telling he was Thierry's he had ditched my fair skin for Thierry. I stayed home with Shade for 3 months. Finally I resumed playing football in June 2017. By then, Valentine was 8 months old. I focused on my football career, never letting anything steal away my time.

"Do you know Bayo now plays for another club? This time in Eng…." Shade rattled.

I tuned her off. Eventually I told her never to read me news about Thierry. Finally by November, coach brought some other scouts this time and we were told they were interested in some females. I didn't get scouted but Shade got scouted to play for a Club in Germany.

Not daunted by disappointments, I moved closer to God and my child. Worked hard at trainings in the day, and at night I took up the job of a hotel attendant. Early March 2018, coach called me to a meeting in Ikeja. I left Valentine with my neighbors.

"These scouts are interested in you. They said they love the way you play ball with lovely banana skills." coach said.

My excitement knew no bound when I was told that the scouts were from Arsenal. One of the biggest football clubs ever known. I discussed with them but somehow our deal paused after I told them that I was a single mother. I had thought that all hope was lost when I suddenly got a call to get signed up.

**********London had become my abode for two years now. I played well for the club and I was well paid. Many times, Shade and I met and had a girls time together and when she got married, I traveled down to Nigeria. During this time, most Nigerian footballers in the diaspora who were friends with Shade came home for her wedding. It was a big celebration. Valentine clung to me like glue all the while. When we were called up to dance with Shade as colleagues, my eyes caught something familiar. He turned, our eyes met. He had a slight frown on his face like he hadn't expected to see me here? Old memories rushed at me and gnawed at my heart all I felt was pain. When he shifted his gaze from me, I found out that he was staring at Valentine. In fact everyone who knew Thierry would certainly know that Valentine was his. I took a hint and whispered to Shade that I was leaving. Thierry caught up with me at the car park. I was fumbling with my car key from my purse when he showed up.

"I'm sorry Mary." he bit his lips. His voice sounded remorseful nevertheless I did what I had been aching to do all these while. When my palms landed on his cheeks I was satisfied. I picked Valentine up and pointed a finger at Thierry.

"Valentine swthrt, this is your father." I faced Thierry who was still nursing his cheeks. He raised his hands like he wanted to hold him.

"If I was hawking on the street with my child, strapped on my back would you have embraced us? Now You See him all nicely kit up and you think you can just stumble into his life? You were one mistake I made on Valentine but I'm happy we created something special. Listen and listen good Thierry, for the years you refused to pick my calls and text me back to acknowledge this child, you will never set your hands on him. Until he turns 6 then I can let you be a co-parent but for now, I don't need you and your money!" I slammed at him.

He apologized, sent his friends to speak to me but I didn't accept. After all these, I learnt a lesson for myself. The enemy of man is time and once it gets stolen, it can never be recovered except by divine intervention. Staying focused is also part of the bedrock to success and so every day I make the most out of it.

KanteMoz:
I need a good writer.
Leave your contact with a. Link to your portfolio here, will contact u.

Pay is very nice

Hello, here's my contact 07062617316(whatsapp)

Link to my portfolio https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1P9Vzl5cmmDgj3gDgiEdubmIiWt0aQm1n