MY SOULMATE

EPISODE 1:

Coming Home.

         *18 YEARS AGO*

Two children coming out of a tick bush both dressed in dirty clothes, “ Chi, our trap didn't catch 

any grasscutters, what would we do?” He uttered looking at her , as the feeling of 

disappointment washed over him, but she seemed absent minded, while walking out of the bush. 

He ran towards her, placing his hand on her right shoulder “Chi, didn't you hear me?”.

She turned facing him

, it shows visibly on her face that something was wrong aside from the 

trap disappointment. She use her right hand to scratch her face

while staring at him. He looked at her and became more worried and curious. “What is it?” He 

asked but she kept mute. “What is it?” He asked again.

“My mum…” she stammered ,“ my mum would be coming tomorrow to take me back to the city” 

she spoke reluctantly . She said and he immediately froze in Shock, he opened his mouth to 

speak but no words came forth, he kept staring at her with no words to say.

       *18 YEARS LATER*

Chioma POV        “You are still staring at this picture” Her loud  voice pulled me back to reality which made me                

      started, for a minute  I had to pull myself  together  from  the shock I felt before  staring at  

her slim figure  standing  beside  the   empty  seat close to me  . 

    Kelly has been my close friend since my say in King’ College University and ever since then we have 

been more like sisters. Schooling in London was so much fun thanks to Kelly . She has been in London 

Since 10 , practically she has lived all her life in London although she's from Nigeria. We both decided to visit Nigeria after our convocation. Regardless of that, my mum has been calling my phone and also 

texting 

me to  return to Nigeria after my studies. I would have loved to begin my first job in London but my 

parents 

won't allow that.  We booked a flight to Nigeria, it's not like it's my first time on a plane, but I feel more 

happy , maybe it is the fact I'm going to see my family again or …..

 “You can realize there are people sleeping in this plane”  I uttered  in a soft tone but she rolled her eyes 

and sat on the seat beside me.

   Her eyes meet the picture of Chima and I when we were little, which I was holding “ I left to the 

restroom not quite long and I'm back seeing you staring at this same picture you have been so glued on 

since our stay in the university”  The way she spoke sounded like I was mentally deranged, if someone in 

this plane  is everdropping in our conversation ,It would seem like I'm missing a lost one – again curse to 

her loud voice.

           Will I say ‘missing someone’ I think it's the perfect explanation. Though time passed so quickly, but 

nothing seems to change. Day after day, I felt something new, something I can't explain. At first I thought 

it was a phase or something mutual but It continue to grow to something I feel strange, strangely 

unresistable, I felt drawn to his looks , remembering all we had when we were kids, I know it was all 

during our childhood, and that makes me feel weird, weird that I'm slowly falling for someone that I have 

no chance in meeting, I always question myself if this is Love or something else.

     I wasn't ready for another round of lecture coming from Kelly , I slowly move my face, staring at the 

cloud through the oval shaped window close to me . The wind washed my skin as its sign of telling me 

good bye, I inhale the cool wind and that made me remember something, and a soft smile appeared on 

my lips.

        “Chi, don't you think you are getting yourself lost in this” I moved my face away from the window, 

staring at her, she looked more serious than ever  and that made me roll my eyes at her , knowing where 

this would lead to.

  Kelly can be loud and playful sometimes, but she is always there to render advice. I find her advice 

helpful , but times like this, she makes me feel like I'm falling in love with someone who's died. I know it 

weird for someone to develop feelings for a childhood friend, and to make it worst, someone I may not me 

able to meet because we both lost contact including my parent and his, she makes me fill like I know 

nothing about this, or I'm not trying to fight this strange feeling that has been growing in my for years— 

Truth be told,the more  I try  fighting these feelings, the more it grows. I have decided to stop fighting and 

allow my heart to realize that there are 90% chances of us not crossing paths.

      I was about facing the window when she placed her hand on mine, I gaze at her . “Chi, you realize we 

are on our way to Nigeria” I nod my head slowly, already drawn to her discussion “ We aren't going to 

“ We aren't going to Nigeria to 

continue our studies , at least not now, but we are going to start our new life, a new page ,a new chapter 

of our life. We are going to Nigeria to become independent to our parents,but to work” The more she 

continue the more serious her face looks, although she is right ,and she doesn't look like she would stop 

talking any time soon, she continued “but you can't do all this in this firm of mind. We are also going to 

start our life, get married and have kids. And do you think it's possible for you to see Chima ?” 

      She is right, O God what is wrong with me?, why can't I forget him ?, Kelly has always been right, I 

see her as that perfect lady that has her life fixed, tall, elegant, light skin, slim beautiful lady. But on my 

side,  I'm acting like an insane lady who is developing feelings for someone who by now is already 

married and has kids. Chioma is time to let go of him, he is your childhood friend, we had nothing 

Seriously, it's high time I focused on my life.

      I placed my right hand on her hand placed on mine, before staring at her with the seriousness in me, 

“I promise to fix my life straight”  I said but it seems she wasn't listening to me because her eyes were 

fixed on  the picture on my lap. “Speaking of fixing” she immediately took the picture for my lap, which 

made me glare at her, but it doesn't mean anything to her.

     “We would start with this” I watched her put the picture inside her handbag, my lips were open in 

defense but no words came through.

    She sat upright , adjusting her dress before staring at the mini TV in front of use, acting as if nothing 

happened. I scoffed at her expression , “for someone who had lived all her life in London, you act like an 

annoying Nigeria lady”  I said trying to read the expression on her face. She looked at me not surprised or 

shocked  but with an expression that says ‘ you're just getting to know?’ which made me chuckle.

      Our attention suddenly focus on the movie displaying on the mini TV screen, it's actually a Nigeria 

movie , I could spot Uche Montana  in the movie. I have always admired her role in every movie. She act 

focus  and always delivers , also that was also why I had interest in this movie. The movie lasted for two 

hours.  Almost everyone is asleep except few people in the other side , most of them are either reading a 

book, scrolling through their phones or eating. It seems like half of the people in this plane are also 

Nigerian.

   “I can't wait to arrive home” . My attention immediately came back to Kelly, who seems a little bit 

exhausted and trying to take a nap.  “Yeah, me too” 

       For someone who grew all her life in London while her parents and two sisters are in Nigeria, I could 

only imagine how she felt  being able to see her parents only once in a year and that's during Christmas. I 

have always seen Kelly as a strong lady, if it were me, I don't think I would survive all my life without my 

parents. She has been excited before and during the ride, and I also can't wait to see her parents, and 

also my family.

       After minutes of staring through the window, I was driven to sleep, I was woken up my the sun ray 

trying to calm my face. It's no doubt we are in Nigeria, I guess it's it's way of telling us welcome to Nigeria.

I stared at Kelly who's head was on my shoulder, “ Wake up Kelly “ I said softly while tapping her face 

gently.  I heard my phone ring immediately, I brought it out from my purse while Kelly slowly raised her 

head off my shoulder.

 “Hello mummy” I sound excited, Kelly on the other hand was fully awake...