Chapter 1 :She Never Asked For Too Much

She wasn't the kind of girl who expected fairy tales.

Her idea of love was simple-presence.

Someone to hold her hand and not let go.

Someone who wouldn't make her feel like she was asking for too much, just because she wanted to be chosen.

But all of this came after my first love broke my heart.

I used to be the girl who was free-spirited and believed in fairy tales. I wouldn't stay in a situation where I felt insulted or treated like trash... but then I fell in love.

I met him through my then-best friend's second boyfriend. Yeah, second boyfriend-but this is my story, not hers, so we're not going into details about that.

My name is Loveth.

I was born into a family of eight-six children: five girls and one boy.

I'm the fourth child, also the fourth daughter, with three older sisters. I'm older than the only boy and our last born, a girl.

People always said my parents decided to try again for another boy after my baby brother... but ended up with another girl-my baby sister. That joke never got old and always made us laugh.

I won't go into too much detail about my childhood, but I grew up in the northern part of Nigeria, close to Abuja, though we're Igbo-from the East.

After writing my JAMB exam, my mum suggested I go stay with my older sisters in the East. They were done with university and had stayed back in search of jobs.

My dad agreed, and I left home.

When I arrived in the East, I felt free. Excited.

It was nothing like the North, where I had lived all my life for 17 years.

My sisters were fashion-forward, high-class babes with vibrant social lives, so I was never bored.

I left my best friend behind in the North, but we kept in touch. I also had the numbers of her two boyfriends (don't ask), but I was closer to the second one-Ayo, a Yoruba guy.

Ayo used to call and text me all the time, complaining about how my friend was treating him. I'd listen and then play the middleman, trying to calm things between them.

One day, Ayo posted my picture on his WhatsApp with the caption: "My therapist."

That's when he saw it-Domsen.

He asked Ayo for my contact, saying he also needed a therapist.

Ayo asked if he should give him my number. I agreed.

That's how we started talking.

He was still dealing with a breakup and needed someone to talk to. I listened patiently, even offered to talk to the girl, but he said no-he had moved on, just needed to get it off his chest.

After that, he started calling and texting more. He introduced me to his friends (over the phone of course, since we lived far apart).

We got close-really close.

I started getting green lights from him about his feelings.

I noticed... but I played dumb. I also had feelings for him, but I wasn't sure yet.

He would send me gifts, call me all the time-we did video calls five times a day. He literally became my best friend.

One day, while playing a game, he dared me to be his girlfriend for a week.

It was funny, but it was just a game, so I agreed.

That's how we started fake dating.

But then something happened... I fell in love.

I had never experienced so much love, care, and attention-without feeling like I was being lusted over.

When the week ended, he said he had something to tell me. I told him I had something to say too.

He went first:

"I don't want to stop being your boyfriend. It might've started as a dare, but I meant every word. I'm in love with you."

I was speechless. Not shocked, because I felt it too... but still, I paused before responding.

Then I told him I had feelings for him too.

That's when he officially asked me to be his girlfriend-for real this time.

Mind you, we still hadn't met in person. Everything was through texts, calls, and video chats.

We started dating. And honestly? It was magical.

His friends knew about us. His brother did. Even my sisters knew.

He planned a surprise birthday for me with the help of my sister.

I was planning to come home for Christmas-and of course, to finally see my babe.

My parents made travel arrangements, and I asked my elder sisters to let me leave a day earlier than the date I gave my parents-so I could spend time with him first. After plenty of pleading, they agreed. They loved Muse (his nickname) just like I did.

I traveled the next day to S-town, and he was there waiting for me.

As soon as I saw him, I ran into his arms.

I was so in love.

He helped me with my bags and took me to the hotel room he had booked.

Some people might think meeting someone for the first time is awkward, but it didn't feel that way at all.

Even though this was our first in-person meeting, he felt like home.

I felt safe. In love. All those emotions they write about in books.

I freshened up, ate, gave him the gifts I brought, and we talked.

He was busy on his phone at times, but he still listened-still gave me attention.

Then the feelings, the energy... it was too much. We kissed.

He asked if he could take off my panties, and I said yes.

He tried to penetrate, but it hurt too much, so he stopped.

We stuck to kissing, touching-just being close.

I took another shower, ate again, and fell asleep on his chest while he worked on his phone.

Later that night, I woke up to the sound of voices-he was on a video call with his friends.

I joined in for a bit, chatted with them, then went back to sleep.