When Love Comes Knocking.

Dija noticed footsteps approaching her room and quickly buried her head under the duvet.

"Oh, she's still sleeping. That's strange", Anna muttered as she flung the door open.

"Hey babe, is everything alright? You didn't eat dinner last night and are still in bed by this time of the day", Anna asked but Dija didn't move or utter a word.

On her way out of the room, she reached for her phone and typed, "Sweetheart, I am off to work. Call me if you aren't feeling good, love you".

Anna hit the send button and she shut the door behind her.

Dija got out of the duvet immediately after the door was shut.

Her eyes were swollen and red like lava from a volcano eruption, and her tears were burning deep but all that wasn't enough to express the pain in her heart.

Dija broke down again but louder this time, there was a storm of emotions tearing her apart.

"Richard, why did you do this to me?", She muttered as tears poured from her eyes.

Her phone rang and she checked the caller.

"Stop calling me", she screamed at the sight of Richard's name on her phone.

She ignored the call that kept coming severally until Anna's message popped up again.

"Babe, you didn't reply me yet. Is everything alright? I am coming home, I don't feel good about your silence".

"I am alright, just tired. Enjoy your time at work sweetheart", Dija replied quickly.

While waiting for Anna's response, Richard's voice note came in as well.

"This bloody cheater", she muttered as she opened the message.

"I am sorry about last night, I felt stupid breaking my promise again. I was drunk and didn't know what I was doing", Richard's voice.

"That is just who you are, you cheat at every opportunity you have and this time, I am done with you for real", she replied with a voice note and blocked his contact.

---

Hours passed and Anna returned from work. She was surprised to see Dija still laying on the bed.

"Are you sure everything is fine?", Anna asked as she sat on the bed.

"No, everything is not. I caught Richard with another girl again, he just can't stop", she started crying.

"This is February and isn't this the third case this year?", Anna asked.

"I broke up with him, he is driving me crazy", she replied.

"That's good news, I am tired of how of he treats you and I would have called the shot earlier if I had the power", Anna replied.

The two friends hugged each other tightly and Anna kept whispering comforting words in her ears.

"Change of plans, we are having dinner outside tonight. Get dressed", Anna said as she stood.

The girls were soon out and while eating, Dija started a conversation.

"I am thinking of a summer vacation, I need it for the sake of my mental health", she said.

"I was thinking of the same thing", Anna replied.

Dija was quick to put Richard's memories behind and the travelling process worked out perfectly.

---

"Everything is set, I am leaving by the weekend", Dija informed Anna during an evening chat.

"That's cool, I am going to miss you", she replied.

"I will miss you more, it is just three weeks but it feels like forever", Dija replied.

The weekend came and Anna drove her to the airport. They hugged each other before Dija left for checking in since her plane takes off in less than an hour.

She was soon on the plane and after fifteen hours of flying, she arrived at the Neoxian City Airport.

It was her first time and she wasn't disappointed after everything she had read about the place. She got a cab and went to the hotel she booked online already.

It was night so she settled in and put a call across the Anna.

"Neoxian City is beautiful", she giggled and they chatted all night before calling it a day.

Dija woke up quite late the next day and as she open the window blind, she was blown away by the beauty of the beach in from of the hotel.

---

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"I didn't see this last night, guess I was too tired", she muttered.

Dija rushed to the bathroom to freshen up, packed a few things and went out to join the hundreds of visitors who came to have a great time as well.

She laid her mat and put her bag by her side. In it was her phone, a small food pack, a bottle of juice and a novel.

The view was great and she allowed the ambience of the environment to take over her body and soul.

It started with music after eating some food and she went on to read a novel.

"Who reads a novel on a beach?", A deep masculine voice asked from behind.

She turned gently to see who it was and smiled.

"That's what I am in the mood for and I find the book irresistible", she replied as the stranger laid his mat by her side.

"Oh, is that Merit Ahama novel? I have read her books and can tell that she captures her reader's hearts perfectly. So as Nkem Akonam, she's another great author. By the way, my name is Burl", he replied.

"I am Dija", she replied.

The chat about books went on for a while and they found each other quite interesting.

"Can I borrow one of your novels?", he replied.

"Oh, that's easy but how do I get it back?", she asked.

"I can bring it here, same time tomorrow", he replied.

"Please handle it with care, my books mean a lot to me. I have my heart in my books", she said jokingly

The two parted ways later and they met the next day. They had lots of things in common and blended so well that anyone could suspect that they didn't know each other until a day ago.

Burl lives in the city, he knows the place very well and volunteers to be Dija's tour guide for the rest of the vacation.

He took her everywhere and somehow, emotions started building.

"Hello Anna, I am scared. It looks like I am falling in love again, isn't that too early?", Dija asked while chatting at night a few days before the end of her vacation.

"You can't tell what it is so just be cool, you have had a series of experiences with guys, you should know better", Anna advised.

On the last day of her vacation, Burl wasn't cheerful. He had built a good connection and wished she could stay longer.

"I can't believe three weeks is over", he said while taking her to the airport.

"Same here, I wish I could stay longer", she replied.

"Why not stay, life is beautiful here", he replied.

Dija couldn't continue the conversation and she was mute to the airport.

They arrived at the airport and Dija gave him one of her novels as appreciation for everything he did.

They hugged each other tightly before Dija left and Burl wished the world could pause for some time.

She returned to her place but a day won't pass with them talking for at least an hour.

Their bond grew stronger than when they were together and about eleven months after, Burl poured out his feelings.

"Why did it take you so long? I gave my heart some someone almost a year ago", she replied to him.

"After the short time you spent here, I couldn't stop thinking about you", he replied.

"Too bad, I gave a guy my novel the last time we met but he didn't figure out that it was my heart", she replied.

"Wait, that's me or did you...?"

"Yes, it's you. I didn't want to be a victim anymore so I had to wait and be sure of your intentions", she cut in.

It was a great night even though they were miles apart. Things went on smoothly between them and they had a beautiful life together after.

Posted using Neoxian City