EXPENSIVE SHIT🎬

 

EXPENSIVE SHIT

Episode 1

By Crownstar

First written in 2017, posted to Facebook under the ‘US’ page now storynseries.

“Nigeria’s situation is getting worse every day,” I muttered, my thoughts weighed down by the crumbling economy and the daily chaos that is public transportation.

As if reading my mind, the man sitting close to me replied, “Our leaders have so much to fix, but they’re not even ready to take a single step.”

“Exactly,” I responded, relieved that someone else shared my frustration.

The bus fell silent for a while, the air thick with unspoken grievances, until we hit a traffic jam just a short distance from Toll Gate in Ibadan.

The man turned and looked straight into my eyes, as if expecting me to continue the conversation.

“The government must—” he started, but the bus conductor’s loud voice cut him off.

“Oga, you go come down o! This bus dey turn back,” the conductor announced gruffly.

The passengers erupted in protest, flinging curses at both the conductor and the driver. I joined the frustrated crowd getting off and began searching for another bus. That was when I noticed the man from earlier walking just behind me.

“Looks like we’re heading in the same direction,” he said, smiling.

I returned the smile. “Looks like it.”

We continued our conversation as we walked—touching on Nigeria’s broken economy, the failing social system, and everything in between. The more he spoke, the more drawn to him I became. There was something captivating about his confidence, the smoothness of his voice, and that easy, charming smile.

He was dark-skinned, of average height, with a face that held both strength and kindness. He wasn’t just handsome—he had presence. The kind of man every woman would want to be with.

Curious, I asked for his name.

“Michael,” he said with a grin. “But you can call me Micho.”

“Micho?” I repeated, amused by the nickname.

He nodded. “Yeah. And you?”

“Ronke,” I answered with a soft smile.

“Hmm, nice name,” he said warmly. “Ronke… I like it.”

“Thank you. Nice meeting you,” I added.

“The pleasure is mine,” he replied.

We exchanged numbers before the new bus pulled up. There was only one seat left, so I let him take it. I remained at the junction, watching him go, wondering if I’d ever see him again.

That night, I was bursting with excitement. His image wouldn’t leave my mind—his voice, his laugh, his gaze. Was this love at first sight? Maybe. Maybe not. But I couldn’t deny how I felt.

I tried calling his number, but it wasn’t reachable. A wave of disappointment hit me. I felt unsettled, like something important was missing.

The morning came, bright and promising. I woke up feeling oddly hopeful, prepared myself for the day, and was almost out the door when my phone started vibrating.

My heart leaped. Could it be Micho? I rushed to grab it.

To my surprise, it wasn’t him.

It was Victor—my childhood friend.

Victor and I had grown up like siblings, the kind of friends who knew each other’s secrets and inside jokes. We were inseparable for years, until life and distance did their thing.

“Hello, Ronke,” his voice came through the phone, still as familiar as ever.

“Yeah,” I replied, trying to sound cheerful, though I wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat.

“How was your night?” he asked.

“Fine.”

“I’m heading to the stadium this morning. Want to come with me?”

I hesitated. “No, I’m not feeling too well,” I lied.

“Aww, sorry dear. I’ll check on you later tonight,” he said, his concern genuine.

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

As soon as the call ended, I sighed. “Victor never seems to call at the right time,” I grumbled to myself.

I was about to set the phone down when it began vibrating again.

I glanced at the screen—and froze.

Am I dreaming?

It was him.

My Micho.

I quickly answered the call.

“Hello, Ronke,” his voice came through, smooth and warm.

“Yeah!” I replied, trying not to sound too excited, though my heart was already racing.

“How was your night?”

“Awesome! And yours?”

“Bad,” he said, surprising me.

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t hear from my angel.”

My heart skipped. Angel? Was he seeing someone? I didn’t know whether to feel flattered or confused.

“Eyah…” I murmured, unsure of how to respond.

“But now I’m fine,” he added. “Because her voice is ringing in my heart.”

My chest tightened. Was he talking about me? Everything felt like a dream.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t call yesterday,” he continued. “My phone battery was dead.”

“Oh, I understand,” I said, chuckling softly. “Electricity is one of Nigeria’s biggest problems—especially in Ibadan.”

“You’re right,” he said with a small laugh. Then he paused before asking, “Are you free this evening?”

“What?” I asked, caught off guard.

“I mean… can we see today?” he repeated.

My heart raced again, faster this time.

To be continued…