My name is Gift, and I’m 19 years old. I’m an apprentice hairstylist at Lizzy Hair Salon, where my boss is a strict but beautiful and decent young lady. We affectionately call her Madam Lizzy, and she oversees many female apprentices.
During our free time in the salon, the girls often gossip about relationships and affairs. They share stories about how they spend time with their boyfriends, and some even brag about what their boyfriends can do for them. It’s not uncommon for them to laugh and joke about those who don’t have a boyfriend. I find that I enjoy the conversations that revolve around boyfriends the most, perhaps because I don’t have one myself and aspire to. When the girls discuss topics about relationships and intimacy, I usually go along with the conversations and pretend that I have a boyfriend, even though I don’t and I’m still a virgin. Since I’ve started paying more attention to their gossip, my desire for a boyfriend has only grown, and I take every opportunity to engage seriously.
One evening, after we closed the salon for the day, I took the bus home. A few minutes into the ride, a sharply dressed guy sat down next to me. I admired him but quickly looked away, expecting him to strike up a conversation. He did, and my heart melted with every word he spoke. I was eating a biscuit at the time, and when he asked for a piece, I shared it with him. That was how our conversation began. He soon told me I was very beautiful and that he liked me a lot. I smiled and appreciated the compliment.
As our conversation progressed, it became more intimate. He insisted that I stop at his bus stop to visit his place, saying that I could come over another day. I felt both delighted and scared. I made excuses, saying I would be late getting home, and that my sister would not be happy with me since I live with her. However, he insisted it would only take a few minutes. We had exchanged numbers, and despite my reservations, his charming way of persuasion was tempting. It felt like everything I had been longing for was right in front of me. Eventually, I agreed to stop at his bus stop and follow him home for just a few minutes. His name was Clark, and I could see the joy on his face when I agreed.
Once we arrived at his home, he offered me a drink and some food, but I declined. I wasn’t sure whether I could trust him. Clark then sat close to me and began to talk more romantically, saying all the things I wanted to hear. He placed his hand on my lap and commented on how smooth and soft it was. At that moment, I felt uncomfortable. I realized what he wanted, and I found myself wanting it too, but doubts flooded my mind. This would be my first time, and I had just met this guy. Even though Clark seemed innocent and harmless, I still had concerns. So, I gently removed his hand from my lap and stood up to leave.
Clark quickly apologized and stood up, his innocent and calm demeanor in place as he started another round of romantic apologies. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you. Please forgive me,” he said.
“There’s nothing to forgive; it’s just that I’m not comfortable right now. I need to go.” I replied, “Besides, I just met you.”
He responded calmly, “I know, I feel the same way.” At that moment, he placed his hands on my shoulders and continued, “It’s just that your beauty is so intoxicating, it’s hard to resist.” He began to rub my shoulders gently and whispered, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
My body chemistry began to change, and I felt a rush of excitement; thoughts were running through my mind, many thoughts, including whether I should go with it or not. Clark noticed my body language and quickly took advantage of the moment to start caressing me. I couldn’t resist it anymore, so I surrendered to the vibe, and before I knew it, we found ourselves in bed together.
Afterward, I felt wonderful as I quickly cleaned up and got dressed. He took me to the bus stop. On my way home, I thought of an excuse to tell my sister for coming home late. I also reflected on how foolish I felt for what I had done with Clark, how I had let him take advantage of me. I worried that it was all my fault and wondered if he would even call me since we had been intimate.
To my surprise, he called as soon as I got home. He checked up on me and confirmed that he meant what he said: he was in love with me. I asked, “In love with me, just like that?”
“Yes, just like that,” he replied.
As days went by, our conversations improved, and we started dating. I would deliberately stay later at work to see him before heading home. My sister was unaware of this; she would never approve. Like my mom, she believed that boyfriends were distractions and wanted me to focus on my studies first.
One weekend, Clark wanted me to spend the weekend with him, and I agreed, planning to wait until my sister traveled. That Saturday, I went straight to Clark’s place from work and spent the weekend with him, of course, and we were intimate. On Monday morning, I went to work from his place, but Clark actually delayed me, making me leave late.
When I arrived at the shop, Madam Liz was very angry with me. “Why did you come in so late?” she demanded. Instead of apologizing, I was unexpectedly bold, feeling carried away by my thoughts of Clark and what had happened between us. I responded rudely, “I went to my boyfriend’s house for the weekend, and he delayed me.”
My response, instead of being contrite, was filled with arrogance as I continued, “That’ll be fine, just like all the girls who talk about their boyfriends.”
My boss was furious with my careless excuse and pointed out, “That’s the reason you came late.”
“Yes, I had to cook and do some things before coming, too,” I replied defiantly.
At that moment, I didn’t realize what was wrong with me; the excitement of being with Clark had clouded my judgment.
Since that is how things are now, you can’t work here anymore. Pack your stuff and leave. I can’t train you further,” Madam Liz said. Instead of apologizing for my mistake, I replied, “No problem, I will go, but please give me the balance of my training fee since you’re not going to train me again. If not, I will create a problem here.” Madam Liz and everyone in the salon were startled by my reaction. They had never seen me behave like this before. I was surprised by the energy I was using as well.
After a while, my boss didn’t respond to me; she left me to continue ranting. The other girls tried to persuade my boss on my behalf and also tried to calm me down. Gradually, I became a bit calmer and started regaining my composure. Along with the other girls, I began to beg her for forgiveness. Eventually, she listened to us, since it was my first time behaving this way, but she said she couldn’t forgive me just like that; I had to bring some drinks because I had caused too much of a scene.
I had no money to buy the drinks, so I left the salon and went to my boyfriend’s house to tell Clark everything that had happened, including how my boss wanted me to buy drinks before I could be forgiven. I couldn’t meet my sister for money since she had no idea I had slept outside.
For once, I thought Clark would give me the money for the drinks. To my surprise, he chose to come with me to the salon to talk things over with Madam Liz. When we got there, my boss recounted everything that had happened, and as I listened, I began to realize how foolish I had been, but I couldn’t explain my actions. To make matters worse, Clark refused to accept the penalty of buying drinks and called my boss a “hungry drunk” before leaving after insulting her. He also demanded that she refund my training fee and declared that I was done with the training. My eyes widened, my heart raced, and all I could think amid this embarrassment was, “What a mess I’ve made.” I suddenly understood the kind of person Clark was, and I felt ashamed for dating him for weeks without realizing it.
As these thoughts raced through my mind, I noticed my boss pick up her phone and call my sister. She informed her how I had brought my boyfriend to insult her. My sister was furious and said she was coming right away. I felt utterly defeated, crying and begging Madam Liz for forgiveness, but she was too upset to listen.
Some of my friends at the salon joined me in pleading my case and started questioning me about what had just happened. I recounted everything I had done that weekend with Clark, and they suggested that he might have slipped weed into my meal, which explained my sudden behavior. I despised myself upon hearing this and promised myself that I would never again do anything to please others or feel like I needed to fit in. I rushed into dating because I wanted to brag like the other girls in the salon, which was a big mistake I vowed never to repeat.
A few hours later, my sister, who was supposed to have a relaxing day upon her return from travel that Monday, hurried to the salon to speak with Madam Liz. A few minutes later, they called me in. I didn’t even know where to start explaining, and I could see the disappointment on my sister’s face. All I could do was cry and beg, promising that it would never happen again. I also assured my sister that I would never see Clark again, that it was a mistake. The salon girls knelt with me to beg, and eventually, Madam Liz forgave me. My sister settled things with her, and I was welcomed back into the training program.
Day after day, things returned to normal for me, and my work improved. All communication with Clark came to an end.
I continued to focus more on my work, and as a result, I became the best in the shop before returning to school to complete my studies. This experience shaped me positively, and I began to attract more responsible guys who were actually ready for real love.
