Chapter 3

A Strange Dream

By Pokeboi

Chapter 3

I feel like a rat trapped in the same room with a cat. I've never been with a girl in my room not to talk about the fact that she's supposed to be my wife.

A wife!!!!

The word "wife" alone is just too strong for my vocabulary.  I can't even begin to imagine myself sharing the same bed with a woman.

I mean... it sure would be nice and stuff to lose my virginity to a girl my parents brought home for me, but....something just can't allow me to do it.

Something inside me.

A sense of regret, maybe.

I feel like I'd be cheating.

But cheating who?

The last time I checked, I've been single for as long as I can remember. 

For some reason, I feel drawn to the girl I've been dreaming about. I don't know why, but I just feel like me and her are deeply connected somehow.

Like we have a string of fate connecting our hearts and bonding us together.

That day before I fainted, I saw the way she looked at me.

She was as shocked as I was, but she endured it.

Maybe she knows me from somewhere.

From the land of dreams, perhaps. 

Ugh!!.... what am I even saying. Land of dreams, my foot.

When did I start believing in that crap!

Honestly, I'm losing it 🙄.

Back to reality. I looked at the girl who came with my mother. She looks innocent and shy, too.

"Umm... hi, "I greeted her.

But she just glanced at me for a few seconds and then looked away, covering her face.

She's more shy than I imagined.

"What's your name, "I asked again. But she didn't reply.

"Listen. It's understandable that you're not comfortable with me. I'm not comfortable either, and I'm against this whole thing. I don't want to marry you or anything. My heart just doesn't belong to you," l  paused.

"It belongs... it belongs to... nevermind. The thing is, I'm against this union, too. So, rest assured. I'm not going to touch or do anything to you,okay.

After I said that, the girl started removing her fingernails with her mouth and doing silly things while avoiding eye contact.

"Precious "

"What!!!!, "I asked, not understanding what she said.

"My name is Patricia.  

"Okay, Patricia. Cool. So, what are we going to do with our situation.

She kept quiet for a while, like a person thinking deeply, then she did something I didn't expect completely. 

She covered her head and face with her hoodie, then jumped on top of me and hugged me while closing her eyes.

"We... we have to get married. That's what our parents agreed on, right?

Her voice was small, soft, and cracking as she said that. Her eyes were still closed.

God... I never knew a person could be this shy to an extent of closing her eyes to avoid eye contact.

"I told you already. I don't want to marry you.

She started crying while holding on to me.

"I'm sorry... don't take it the wrong way. I said I don't want to marry you, not because you're unattractive or anything, but I just can't."  Forced relationships are always a failure, and I don't want us to go through that. I want you to find a man who loves you, and I'll find a woman who loves me too. That way, we'll all live happily, okay. 

Like adding salt to the already painful wound, she started crying even more and making my shirt wet with her tears.

I found this weird, so I asked why she sounded so desperate to marry me. She kept quiet for a while and gathered courage to speak.

"I...I'm not desperate to marry you, but I have to. It's the only way I could help my family.

"What do you mean it's the only way you could help your family?

"We....we... live in the outskirts of the village, and life there is tough. Elephants came and destroyed our fields and ate our crops. We don't have money to afford livestock. Not even goats. So, basically, we're starving. Your father promised to pay my parents three cows and five goats if we get married as lobola. So, I have to marry you. My family really needs those cows. My father could use them to plow in the field. And he can use them to make money.

"What! Making money with cows!! How?

"There are many ways one can make money with cows. He can go and cut firewood, then use cows to pull the cart of firewood and sell it to the villagers. Or plough their fields for them. There are endless ways of making money with cows.

"Ohh... I guess I've been pampered a lot.

"So please Trevor. Marry me🥺. Other people in this village don't want to marry me because of how shy l am. I'll do anything you want. You're my only hope.

Her story made me emotional, and so did her voice and tears. Judging by how desperate she sounds to marry me, l think she's telling the truth. As shy as she is, it took everything she has to look at me and tell her story.

Life has a way of putting you in a situation that'll get you asking yourself a lot of questions. 

Right now, my decision could either save people or starve them to death.

If I decide to marry her, her family would have something to start from in life, but if I don't, then they'll struggle to make ends meet.

My life situation just keeps worsening. 

"Patricia," I called her name, then removed her hoodie and looked at her teary face. She wanted to look down, but I held her by her chin and made direct eye contact with her. She looks young and so innocent. She doesn't have to go through all this.

Her looks aren't bad at all, like I thought. She's beautiful,  but still. Her beauty is nothing compared to the girl of my dreams. That one is a goddess of beauty.

"I understand, Patricia. I understand how you feel and how important it is for your family to marry me. But, I don't want to put your life in this miserable, forced relationship. At the same time, I don't want your family to struggle.

If I had money, I'd have helped you out, but I'm jobless. So, I have a plan. Let's pretend like we've come to an understanding and agreed to get married. Then, when your parents receive the bride-price from my father, I'll run away from home.

"What, no!!! You don't have to run away from your home because of me.

"Relax.. it's not because of you. There's someone I have to look for, and I'll go anywhere to find her. So what do you say. Should we do this?

"You realize that if we fake that we're in love, our parents will start preparing for the wedding ceremony. 

"Exactly.  That's what I want.  I want to get over this as quickly as possible and run away.

"Okay, but you know our village culture, right? The night before couples get married, the village elders check if the girl is a virgin, and after that, they put white blankets in the groom's room. They do this, mainly to make couples have sex before marriage. In the morning, they'll check if the white sheets have any drops of blood, then check if the girl is no longer a virgin.

If the girl is still a virgin, then they'll do the same procedure the following night until the girl loses her virginity.

"Ugh.... who cares about that stupid culture.

"You should, because we won't get married if that culture is not done.

"Wait.... you don't mean we have to? .....hold on, hold on. Are you a virgin??

"Yes.

"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!