𝐄𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄- BY YUSHAB ABOLORE AYOMIDE

As I sat alone, memories of our promise flooded my mind. We were destined to bear the same surname and spend a lifetime together. But life had other plans.

I recalled the day I received the scholarship to study abroad. Elation turned to despair as I realized I couldn't afford the journey. But then, an unexpected solution emerged – I could transfer the scholarship to a family member.

You, my love, were the obvious choice. Fortunately, we both bear the same surname, and your father is rich and can afford the journey for you.

Your dreams of becoming a medical doctor, of healing others, aligned with mine. I wanted to heal the world through music, but my parents' disapproval led me to writing instead.

We were two souls, driven by a passion to make a difference. And now, our dreams were within reach. You, a certified medical doctor; I, a writer inspiring others.

But fate dealt another blow. Your father, once welcoming, now rejected me. "No future in writing," he decreed. You echoed his words, your voice laced with regret.

"How can you settle for someone else?" I pleaded. "We promised forever." But it seems you can't go against your parents the same way I couldn't go against mine when they asked me to quit music.

Tears streamed down your face as you spoke of duty, of family obligations. "I can't go against my father's wishes."

My heart shattered. The scholarship, once a symbol of our shared dreams, now felt like a cruel reminder of what could never be.

You've agreed to marry the lawyer your father chose, but know this: your decision has shattered me. I'm consumed by regret, and already questioning my existence.

My ink, once a balm to heal and uplift, now fails to soothe my own wounds. You sought to heal the world, but your rejection has left me with a broken heart that can never be mended.

"Either you remain single or you're mine," I whispered, my voice trembling. "How can you marry someone else, bear another man's name, when our hearts still beat as one?" 

The memories we shared, the love we made, are they worth nothing? Have they faded?

Don't settle for less, don't compromise. Our love's worth more than worldly prizes.

Choose me, or choose to be alone. For no one else can own this heart of mine.

©️ YUSHAB ABOLORE AYOMIDE

- Nigeria