Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION THE SPINSTER AND THE MATCHMAKER

RITA

Is it just me or it’s generally difficult to find whom to spend the rest of your life with?

To start with, ‘I do not fall in love easily and now, love wouldn’t just go my way because I’ld never open my heart to anyone again’ funny how this statement is coming from a lady in her late twenties yet still single.

Sadly, last summer I was in a relationship, drunk in love with Jared but this year, there’s no Jared, no new partner, and no feelings for anyone. I’m all by myself because Jared didn’t reach out to me anymore neither have I even met him in real life.

There was this dating app, ‘LOVE-STATION’ it crashed few months ago and destroyed a lot of relationships including mine.

I met Jared on Love station, chatted and dated till it was high time we met physically and take things to the next level. Perhaps, I would have been a Mrs by now but unexpectedly, the app malfunctioned and crashed abruptly, and this erased every single contact since it was all connected.

I lost all contacts with Jared and my loved ones but it was easier to reach out to other loved ones because I have known them all my life;they were families and friends unlike Jared, a boyfriend whom I only just met online.

Somehow, I have this strong feeling that one day Jared and I will cross-path again which makes it very difficult for me to move on or love someone else perhaps because it’s more or less a rebound. I've waited and waited for him, whereas time wants for no one yet true love wait , isn’t it?

However, pressure from parents and friends have hit me so hard, now I'm hesitating to love again but this time, it definitely wouldn't be anonymous or on a dating platform.

“Aarrrgh!”

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I arrived at home, late and exhausted after a very hectic day at the studio that day.

My work alone makes me a jealous freak, like I see many people getting married almost every day.

Today, after trying my best possible to make the bride look kinky as ever. She returned for another layer of Make over. Guess what happened to the pretty face I painted earlier? It was ruined while her groom was crashing her lips.

Ewww...

Hmm, Maybe not Eww, 'cos I don't know how or what it feels and taste like.

**

Aww, life of a spinster.

Welcome to my humble abode; where everything you'll find in here is SINGLE; just one toothbrush in the bathroom, a single pillow on my giant spacious bed meant for two and FEMININE too; my dresses, handbags, shoes. Not by a mistake would you find a male belonging in my house.

Haven had dinner, I threw my wearily body on the chair and rested on it for a while before pulling off all of my clothes. No need to flinch, I have the house to myself afterall.

I reached out for my phone lazily, here’s what entertains me whenever I’m bored or there’s no one to chit chat with.

I laid down on the couch comfortably, powered on my phone and swiped through the screen randomly.

Back then, I was addicted to the app, Love station and I wouldn’t wait to log in and chat with my lover. Now he’s gone, back to old Kikachat, a general application for everyone and it’s not even a dating app. Well, I chat with only two people here; Adams and Evelyn. They are my colleagues and my best friends probably because I communicate with them almost everyday but unfortunately, at the moment the last time they were active online was few hours ago.

I sighed; bored and tired, and I won’t chat with anyone else.

I scrolled and swiped up and down through the gistfeed category.

But then, the first post I came across was - thus;

' Happy First Wedding Anniversary. Do you remember how your Wedding pictures looks like? Here they are; Look at you now. Marriage changes a whole lot of things!"

I scorned jealously but that didn’t stop me from checking out the beautiful pictures though. Woah! The bride's white long gown was literally sweeping the hall floor.

Oh God! When would I get to wear a wedding gown to an alter along side with a prince charming?

I scrolled up ~ away from the anniversary post but there was another post about a wedding..

Thus

' Happy married life Bestie, It's time to stop searching for it here and there and lucky you, You're getting it all in one'

I gave the line a very nasty interpretation and scorned before checking out the pre-marraige photos taken at the beach, at a restaurant and the last picture, they were sharing salivas ~ Kissing.

I didn't know I was praticalising it until my lips came in contact with the couch-throw pillow.

"Jeez, what am I doing?" I snapped at myself and threw away the pillow to the next couch.

I sat upright and continued to scroll up before I get too pensive.

The next post;

“The newly wedded Bride and Groom were caught making out in the restroom while the wedding ceremony was still going on"

"What the heck!" I covered my mouth, laughing out loud.

Well, Maybe they just couldn't wait for it.

Wait a minute…

What's happening? Why is every post I scroll across about Weddings? Wedding here and there.

I screamed after I scrolled to the forth post and noticed it's also saying some thing about a Bride and Groom. Then I suddenly remembered I intentionally followed a group yesterday. The group name is "Find A Partner & Get Married"

Yeah, I joined the group intentionally but it's not like I joined the group with any intention.

My Mom called yesterday, swore, yak and yelled at me - saying there can't be two old ladies bearing same last name. I must have been so frustrated to have joined the group.“FIND A PARTNER & GET MARRIED”

I sighed "But this isn't what I want” This wedding and marriage epistles are only fueling up the frustration.

“I gotta unfollow the group right now!” I snarled.

A message notification popped in just when I was about to click on the ‘Leave group’ icon.

"Oh yes finally, Evelyn or Adam is here’’

I anxiously clicked on the chat icon to reply the message but surprisingly the message was neither from Evelyn nor Adam.

"Who's this woman?" I wondered, peering my eyes at the screen trying to view her profile and biography.

Janet Johnson ~ That's her name and I would have ignored if it were a guy, Irepeat never again will I ever, everinvolve myself in any online conversation with unfamiliar guys because somehow it might end up leading to a romantic one then boils down to prove avail like what happened between Jared and I.

~＞"Aren't you gonna give me a reply, you've already seen my message" Another message from Janet Johnson popped in and I sighed and said aloud “Alright, Alright" What audacity!

~＞"Hello dear" I replied

~＞"How are you and how was your day? " She responded almost immediately.

My day was actually very stressful but I shouldn't say that to her because she might then ask why it was stressful, what I do for a living and I might ended up telling her all about myself without knowing her too well.

~＞"My day was fine. Thanks" I replied with simplicity.

~＞"My name is Janet" She introduced herself.

~＞"Rita" I sent, uninterested.

Well ain't good at chatting with strangers.

~＞"Miss Rita or Mrs Rita or just Rita? " She asked and I begin to wonder if she’s someone close to me or someone who knows me, sent her to me.

I glared at the message thinking of what answer to give her, a lie or the plain Truth?

~＞"Anyways, I'm Mrs Johnson and my maiden name is Janet. I'm married with four kids and to a loving husband" She sent this and I scorned enviously; her photos looks young and she was slaying like a lady but she's married even her short introduction sounded truly like an old woman.

‘Yen yen yen! I'm married with four kids’, I mimicked as if I could hear her voice.

What's my business with that? Who cares, why is she telling me?Ugh!

I snubbed her message but she sent another.

~＞"Well, I'm a member of the group 'FAP&GM'"

~＞"What's FAP&GM? " I curiously asked.

~＞" Find A Partner & Get Married"

Oh! That annoying group I recently joined and it's bringing me videos and photos of newly wedded couple.

~＞"So are you married? " Janet Johnson asked me.

Questions like this freaks me out and aside that it hurts me emotionally, does my uploaded pictures looks like I'm married or do I look old already? Seriously.

I huffed and made a little delay before responding with a sharp capital lettered;

~＞"NO"

~＞"Oh" She responded immediately.

Wait a minute, why does she respond quickly to my messages? Am I the only one she's chatting with right now?

I rolled my eyes and dropped my phone on the couch non-challantly but I had to pick it up instantly 'cos it beeped again.

~＞"Well, next year I'll be celebrating my 20th year in my sweet marriage" Janet Johnson sent.

"Oh well, Good for you. It's none of my business. Stay with your husband and take good care of your four children. End of story" I said aloud, I was so pissed off.

I really wish I could type it down that way too and send it to her but you know, uhm sometimes, one has to be polite.

~＞"Okay" That's all I could type back.

~＞"Don't you think we need to know much more about ourselves. Like; why aren't you married? Your pictures don't look under twenty. So what's stopping you? " She inquired, she sounded like my mother.

Geez.

~＞"My very own private reasons!" I responded abit rude.

~＞"Oh really? Just so you know and you can check if you want to. I'm in charge of FAP&GM group. That's simply because; I'm a matchmaker, I can help you find Mr Right wherever he is, Like I've just said ... Nineteen years in marriage, I know much more about Love than Google or Wikipedia. Also, I can bring back together two separated lovers.

So by the way, do you already have a lover, perhaps there's an issue between both of you and it's probably what's stopping you from getting married. Tell me" Janet sent.

My eyes remained bulged as I read the long text. Didn’t I just tell her that It was private.

Seriously! What's with this girl? Woman, Old lady… whatever.

I don't even know her. She's tryna force words outta my mouth.

She's tryna make me tell her about my love life in a long-note form.

I don't care about how long she has been married or how good she is when it comes to the Subject LOVE. All I know is that It's none of her business and she's only trying to Poke nose.

~＞"Well, right now I'm feeling so tired and sleepy" I lied.

~＞"Good night" I included with a-feeling-sleepy Sticker.

~＞"Good night Rita, nice chatting with you, We'll continue from where we stopped at, tomorrow. Have a sweet night rest" She said.

I swear! I’m not gonna reply that last text neither will I chat with her tomorrow or ever again.

Instead, I checked up on Evelyn once again yet she wasn't active. By the way, what's with she and Adam? Also, they’ve been acting suspiciously at work lately.

I was still bored and I wanted a friend to chat with, not Janet Johnson and not someone new.

I decided to just continue scrolling through the Gistfeed till Adam and Evelyn are back online but then my eyes caught something.

Janet Johnson was typing.

Oh For crying out loud; no no no, not again.

I turned off my network signal connection instantly, powered off my phone and threw it on the next couch.

Free me please.

Who the hell is Janet Johnson?

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To Be Continued