The Inkwell #241 weekly Prompt: Betrayal

Greetings, members of the Inkwell community.Happy new month to you all. You're all welcome to my blog.

I want to start by saying I'm so excited to take part in your community's prompt for the first time, and I pray my post makes sense to you.

This week I'm asked to write a fictional story on the topic of betrayal. But before I start the story, I would tell you what betrayal is all about.

The word betrayal refers to an act of being unfaithful to either your friends or loved ones. Betrayal could lead to a lack of trust, loss of confidence in someone you trusted, hurt as well as disappointment.

I would write a fictional story about myself and my friend, who happened to be my colleague at the workplace, though he has his own shop as well.

I make unisex shoes here in Nigeria, and he does the same thing. But I didn't know he could betray me anytime, any day.

I have a friend whose name is Gospel. He's tall and fair in complexion. He has a good look but not as good as I think.

Source

A few months ago, I was at my shop in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. So one of my clients sent me photos of shoes he needed me to make for him, since he had two special occasions to attend, and that was last year in October.

So I told him the prices, and he bargained with me. We agreed on fifty thousand naira for the two shoes. He was there when the man called me.

And he heard all our conversations. So immediately my client hung up the call, he asked me who he was, and I told him, I don't know him in person. I posted those shoes online, and he got my contact from there and reached out to me.

I didn't know he was jealous of me. But I was so foolish not to detect that from his looks because we've been friends for so long. And that alone made me believe he was still the gospel I knew.

After asking me the question, he continued with what he was doing. He brought a shoe for filling since he doesn't have a filling machine. So every time he comes to my shop, I usually permit him to use my filling machine.

So while he was still filling those shoes, I was depressed, so I decided to go to the restroom, which was far from my shop.

So I stayed for some seconds in there before coming out. And I didn't know another of my long-time clients came to look for me so I could make shoes for him.

Instead of telling my client to wait a minute while I'm coming, he told him I wasn't around. And he ended up getting the job from the man without my consent.

I was also unaware that the man transferred fifteen thousand naira into his account, so he could start making the shoes. So when I returned from the restroom, I asked him if anyone had come looking for me, and he said no, so I forgot about it.

So last week, I was in church when I heard a phone call. So I had to pick the call. Immediately, I picked up the call, and I realized it was him.

He sounded so frightened. He told me if anyone comes to me, and asks me for these shoes, I should tell them I'm with the keys to his shop and not him.

So I was trying to understand what he meant by that but I couldn't find out what was going on. I didn't know the owners of those shoes were going to arrest him at his house.

And he ended up telling them that I was with his shop keys, that they should come and get it from me.

I was still in church when three heavy young men came alongside some police men. They called me to come out and take them to my house so they could get their brother's shop keys to have access to their brother's shoes.

So I was confused. I didn't know what to say at the moment based on the fact that he told me earlier to lie. But I was looking for a better way to say it so they don't hurt me.

So I followed them to my friend's house, and when I arrived there, I saw my friend with two policemen. He was already arrested, and I didn't want anything to happen to him.

So I pleaded with those police men and the owner of those shoes to calm down, as I wanted to talk to them. I was glad they obeyed me.

I told them to exercise a little patience, that he would make those shoes for their friend, and they said it was because of me that they wanted to let him go.

Guess what! he never thanked me, so they left, and I left too. But before I left, I told him to make sure he delivers the guy's work, and he said he would.

I didn't know he hadn't done the person's work since October last year, and this year's October is making it one year.

So yesterday I was at my shop, and my friend came to get a sample from me. So immediately he stepped in, a guy entered my shop and started yelling at him.

I was confused because I thought he had done his work since that time. I asked the guy everything I needed to know about those shoes, and he told me everything.

It was then that I knew he had taken advantage of me in my shop by betraying me. Had it been I was the one who got that money from that man, I would have delivered his work to him.

But he chose to live a deceitful life wherever he goes. The guy raised an alarm in my shop, and people started coming out to know what had happened.

I was so ashamed of him, I was also ashamed of myself for making him my friend. I couldn't stand the embarrassment, so I asked both of them to leave my shop and go elsewhere to settle their matter.

The owner of the shoes told him he doesn't need those shoes again that he needs his money instead. They engaged in an argument, and the guy refused to let him climb onto his motorcycle.

Had I not been at my shop when the incident occurred, one of them would have died. I was glad I was able to send both of them away.

You needed to see how both of them were dragging the motorcycle by the roadside, and every passerby was looking at them.

Honestly, I was so embarrassed, and at the same time, I was happy because I knew what was hidden under the sun.

So like this, I would have been arrested for something I knew nothing about. He used the money to solve his personal problems without my knowledge.

And why must I pay for the consequences of his sins? I never wanted to be involved in such a case, but my friend made it happen.

Up till now, I don't know if he finally got his money from my friend because they both climbed onto the motorcycle.

I felt betrayed, and I felt embarrassed at the same time. I've always been transparent in my life. My clients have never insulted me the way his clients did.

I was glad I told the person that I knew nothing about the shoe. And as for the money, I never saw it. That alone made it easier for me to escape the riot that was about to happen to me right inside my shop.

And for my friend the betrayer, I warned him never to set foot in my shop again. Should incase he needs anything, he should go to the market and buy it.

After all, we started the work in the same year and at the same time. He has money, but it's always a big deal for him to buy what he wants.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.

This is in response to the Inkwell #fiction prompt #241.

I remain your favorite girl @joyben.