The Daughter I Never Met
CHAPTER 6
Juliet didn’t even know why she was smiling this much. Maybe it was because Raymond had kept his promise… or maybe because the day wasn’t as overwhelming as she feared.
After lecture that afternoon, she stayed back in class in other to get some things done before going back to her lodge with her friends. Everyone was tired, but the gist was sweet.
“Juliet, abeg, how you dey write fast like this?” Amara asked, dropping her pen dramatically. “I wan borrow your brain small.”
Juliet laughed softly. “It’s not me oh. I’m just trying my best.”
Kamsi nudged her gently. “Try your best ke? You know you’re the one saving half of us. If not for your summary yesterday, I for fail quiz today.”
Another girl added, “You’re too humble jare. Even lecturers dey notice you because na everyday you dey answer question for class.”
Juliet just shook her head, shy smile forming. She wasn’t used to attention.
But she liked the peace, the friendship and laughter.
As they stood up to leave, Kamsi whispered knowingly, “That your friend wey dey drop you sometimes… he no come today."
"Her husband." Amara teased as all of them burst into laughter.
Juliet rolled her eyes immediately. “Please stop. He’s… he’s just helping me.”
“Helping?” Amara repeated, raising a brow.
“Juliet, this your glow lately… e get as e be o.” The other girls burst into laughter.
Juliet hid her face with her hand. “Which glow again? Abeg make una leave me.”
Uju gave her a playful shove. “See how she’s pretending. Juliet, who dey give you ride home every two days? Hmm? Who dey buy you small chops anyhow?”
“It’s Raymond now,” Chiamaka added dramatically, “our in-law in advance.”
The girls shouted “In-law!” and scattered in laughter.
Juliet’s cheeks warmed. “You people should stop na. Raymond is like a brother to me.”
“Brother?” Precious snapped her fingers. “Who dash you brother? Juliet, open your eyes. That guy likes you die.”
Juliet shook her head, smiling shyly. “He’s just caring, that’s all.”
As they reached the walkway leading to the faculty, they continued teasing her.
How he always checked on her.
How he spoke gently around her but behaved like a senior lion with everybody else.
“Better hold am tight oh,” Uju joked. “Fine boy, brain, money, height. What are you waiting for?”
Juliet only laughed, but inside her mind she refused it. She truly believed Raymond didn’t see her that way. He was just being nice. He was older, experienced, and confident. She was still trying to find her feet.
They reached the corner where they usually split up. Her friends waved and left.
Juliet was about to rearrange her bag when she heard a voice behind her.
“You’re Juliet, right?”
She turned.
A tall, pretty light skinned girl, about 200-level, with neat braids stood there, smiling softly. The kind of smile that looked friendly but carried something hidden.
Juliet nodded. “Yes… I am.”
“You’re Raymond’s Juliet.”
Juliet blinked. “Ah no, we are just close. what do you mean?”
The girl chuckled lightly. There was a quietness between them, the type that made Juliet uncomfortable.
The girl looked at her with calm eyes, then said “No vex, make I tell you something as woman to woman.”
Juliet swallowed. “Okay.”
The girl stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Don’t carry that boy for head. Raymond… he no be biscuit.”
Juliet didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not his first,” the girl said simply. “And with the kind person wey he be, you no fit be his last.”
Juliet’s heart dipped a little. “Did… did something happen between you two?”
The girl shrugged. “Nothing wey concern you. I don move on. But I just talk my own. Enjoy the friendship if e sweet you… but no go put your whole heart.”
She gave Juliet one last look... almost pitying then walked away.
Juliet stood there frozen.
A small fear settled in her chest. She didn’t know why.
But as she walked back to her lodge, that girl’s voice continued echoing: “You no fit be his last.”
Juliet tried to shake it off. Raymond had never treated her badly.
But still… the warning planted itself somewhere deep, where she couldn’t reach it or ignore it.
That evening she texted him like she always did: Goodnight dear… thanks for today.
She smiled as she pressed send. Talking to him felt like a safe place, but for the first time since they became close, her heart wasn’t completely at peace.
Later that evening... Raymond sat with his guys behind Hostel B, the usual chilling spot. The night air was cool, and the campus was noisy.
Dafe slapped his shoulder playfully.
“Omo, Ray, I no go lie… I’m impressed. This is the first time I’ve seen you respect yourself with one girl since secondary school wey I know you.”
Raymond smirked. “Respect myself how?”
“You never dey two places at once again,” another guy laughed. “Since you jam that Juliet babe, you just quiet. You dey behave like person wey don enter relationship.”
Everybody laughed.
Raymond scoffed immediately. “Abeg make una relax. I’m not done with her yet.”
The laughter stopped. Dafe turned fully to him. “Wait… what do you mean by that?”
Raymond shrugged casually. “If I’m done, I’ll drop her where others dey. Simple. Besides… I never see babe wey pass her for now. So until then…”
He stretched out his legs, acting unbothered.
The guys stared at him shocked, disappointed, almost annoyed.
One of them shook his head. “Raymond, so after everything you go still leave that girl?”
Another added quietly, “Guy… you sure say you no like this girl for real?”
Dafe leaned toward him. “But why you wan spoil that girl heart like that? She’s too innocent for this your lifestyle.”
Raymond felt something tighten in his chest. He looked away immediately.
“I beg, abeg. Nobody is catching feelings here. I’m just… waiting for the right time.”
“But to do what?” Dafe pressed.
Raymond didn’t answer because he didn’t know. He unlocked his phone absent-mindedly. A message popped up.
Fom Juliet: “Goodnight dear. Thanks for your efforts today.”
Something warm moved inside him, something he didn’t give permission to exist.
“No,” he muttered to himself. “No feelings. Not me. I’m just helping her. Nothing more.”
But even as he said it, he knew he was lying to himself.
CHAPTER 6
Juliet didn’t even know why she was smiling this much. Maybe it was because Raymond had kept his promise… or maybe because the day wasn’t as overwhelming as she feared.
After lecture that afternoon, she stayed back in class in other to get some things done before going back to her lodge with her friends. Everyone was tired, but the gist was sweet.
“Juliet, abeg, how you dey write fast like this?” Amara asked, dropping her pen dramatically. “I wan borrow your brain small.”
Juliet laughed softly. “It’s not me oh. I’m just trying my best.”
Kamsi nudged her gently. “Try your best ke? You know you’re the one saving half of us. If not for your summary yesterday, I for fail quiz today.”
Another girl added, “You’re too humble jare. Even lecturers dey notice you because na everyday you dey answer question for class.”
Juliet just shook her head, shy smile forming. She wasn’t used to attention.
But she liked the peace, the friendship and laughter.
As they stood up to leave, Kamsi whispered knowingly, “That your friend wey dey drop you sometimes… he no come today."
"Her husband." Amara teased as all of them burst into laughter.
Juliet rolled her eyes immediately. “Please stop. He’s… he’s just helping me.”
“Helping?” Amara repeated, raising a brow.
“Juliet, this your glow lately… e get as e be o.” The other girls burst into laughter.
Juliet hid her face with her hand. “Which glow again? Abeg make una leave me.”
Uju gave her a playful shove. “See how she’s pretending. Juliet, who dey give you ride home every two days? Hmm? Who dey buy you small chops anyhow?”
“It’s Raymond now,” Chiamaka added dramatically, “our in-law in advance.”
The girls shouted “In-law!” and scattered in laughter.
Juliet’s cheeks warmed. “You people should stop na. Raymond is like a brother to me.”
“Brother?” Precious snapped her fingers. “Who dash you brother? Juliet, open your eyes. That guy likes you die.”
Juliet shook her head, smiling shyly. “He’s just caring, that’s all.”
As they reached the walkway leading to the faculty, they continued teasing her.
How he always checked on her.
How he spoke gently around her but behaved like a senior lion with everybody else.
“Better hold am tight oh,” Uju joked. “Fine boy, brain, money, height. What are you waiting for?”
Juliet only laughed, but inside her mind she refused it. She truly believed Raymond didn’t see her that way. He was just being nice. He was older, experienced, and confident. She was still trying to find her feet.
They reached the corner where they usually split up. Her friends waved and left.
Juliet was about to rearrange her bag when she heard a voice behind her.
“You’re Juliet, right?”
She turned.
A tall, pretty light skinned girl, about 200-level, with neat braids stood there, smiling softly. The kind of smile that looked friendly but carried something hidden.
Juliet nodded. “Yes… I am.”
“You’re Raymond’s Juliet.”
Juliet blinked. “Ah no, we are just close. what do you mean?”
The girl chuckled lightly. There was a quietness between them, the type that made Juliet uncomfortable.
The girl looked at her with calm eyes, then said “No vex, make I tell you something as woman to woman.”
Juliet swallowed. “Okay.”
The girl stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Don’t carry that boy for head. Raymond… he no be biscuit.”
Juliet didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not his first,” the girl said simply. “And with the kind person wey he be, you no fit be his last.”
Juliet’s heart dipped a little. “Did… did something happen between you two?”
The girl shrugged. “Nothing wey concern you. I don move on. But I just talk my own. Enjoy the friendship if e sweet you… but no go put your whole heart.”
She gave Juliet one last look... almost pitying then walked away.
Juliet stood there frozen.
A small fear settled in her chest. She didn’t know why.
But as she walked back to her lodge, that girl’s voice continued echoing: “You no fit be his last.”
Juliet tried to shake it off. Raymond had never treated her badly.
But still… the warning planted itself somewhere deep, where she couldn’t reach it or ignore it.
That evening she texted him like she always did: Goodnight dear… thanks for today.
She smiled as she pressed send. Talking to him felt like a safe place, but for the first time since they became close, her heart wasn’t completely at peace.
Later that evening... Raymond sat with his guys behind Hostel B, the usual chilling spot. The night air was cool, and the campus was noisy.
Dafe slapped his shoulder playfully.
“Omo, Ray, I no go lie… I’m impressed. This is the first time I’ve seen you respect yourself with one girl since secondary school wey I know you.”
Raymond smirked. “Respect myself how?”
“You never dey two places at once again,” another guy laughed. “Since you jam that Juliet babe, you just quiet. You dey behave like person wey don enter relationship.”
Everybody laughed.
Raymond scoffed immediately. “Abeg make una relax. I’m not done with her yet.”
The laughter stopped. Dafe turned fully to him. “Wait… what do you mean by that?”
Raymond shrugged casually. “If I’m done, I’ll drop her where others dey. Simple. Besides… I never see babe wey pass her for now. So until then…”
He stretched out his legs, acting unbothered.
The guys stared at him shocked, disappointed, almost annoyed.
One of them shook his head. “Raymond, so after everything you go still leave that girl?”
Another added quietly, “Guy… you sure say you no like this girl for real?”
Dafe leaned toward him. “But why you wan spoil that girl heart like that? She’s too innocent for this your lifestyle.”
Raymond felt something tighten in his chest. He looked away immediately.
“I beg, abeg. Nobody is catching feelings here. I’m just… waiting for the right time.”
“But to do what?” Dafe pressed.
Raymond didn’t answer because he didn’t know. He unlocked his phone absent-mindedly. A message popped up.
Fom Juliet: “Goodnight dear. Thanks for your efforts today.”
Something warm moved inside him, something he didn’t give permission to exist.
“No,” he muttered to himself. “No feelings. Not me. I’m just helping her. Nothing more.”
But even as he said it, he knew he was lying to himself.
