STORY: Some Bad Habits That Can Ruin Your Relationship

Here are some characters that can destroy your relationship

“I thought we have settled this matter, why are you bringing it up again?”

“Because you keep repeating the same thing over and over.”

“Ahn Ahn now, babe.”

Her bright eyes glistened as tears gathered around her eyelids, ready to drop at my next word. That was Jena’s charm any time she didn’t want issues to escalate.

“Okay fine. But if I can’t get more of your attention than those people you’re chatting with then . . then I don’t see why we should continue together.”

“What are you saying na? Look at my phone, I’m not chatting with anybody. I’m just viewing status.” She turned her screen over for me to see.

“And so if you drop the phone and respond to me the status will disappear.”

A tear dropped from her eye, rolled off her cheek and fell on the blue silk top she was wearing. Another one trickled down the other cheek. She wiped her face with her palm and the back of her hand alternately. I was quite perplexed. I was difficult to tell if she was crying out of regret for her actions or because I’d hurt her with my words. What did I even say that should make her cry?

I sat beside her on the bed unsure if I should put an arm around her shoulder or drive my point home. I decided to do both.

“Jena,” I said hoping to sound soft.  “It’s not that I’m angry with you or . . .” I looked at her face. She was staring blankly out of the window. Or she was watching an ant marching on the wall beside the window frame. I continued.

“I don’t have any problem with what you want to do with your phone and it’s not that I suspect you’re chatting with some other guy. I’m just concerned. I’m concerned about us. I’m concerned about how we can make this relationship work.

Since I came here you’ve been on that phone. I mean, you didn’t even drop it to chat with me. Just giggling and showing me memes now and then.”

I paused to observe her then continued.
“How are we supposed to communicate? How are we supposed . . . to . . . if we become a couple tomorrow is this how we will live as a family? Is this how we will raise kids? I mean, if it doesn’t change now, when will it change? I love you and I know you love me but we can’t be together for two hours and all you do is give me outright and closing answers to questions when I try to start a conversation.

Don’t you realize it’s annoying when I try to talk to you and that video on someone’s status starts playing on your phone? Jenaaa!”

“It’s okay. It’s fine William,” She muttered. Hot briny tears flowed from her eyes. I attempted to wipe them with my hand but she was ahead of me already.  I squeezed her shoulder gently. My lips twitched on one side.

“Jena, I don’t mean to hurt you. Please understand what I’m trying to say.”

“I understand. I perfectly understand,” She said as she stood up and left.

Her phone ringed a notification and I peeped to see. It was a low battery notice. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I inched back and reclined on the wall propping my head up with a pillow. Now she’s going to make me be the one to apologize?

Sometimes we get carried away surfing the net or chatting with friends or even watching videos and pictures offline that we forget the people around us.

Social media is said to connect us with people far away and at the same time take us away from those right next to us.

When you have a visitor, put down the phone and have a wonderful conversation with your guest. When you are someone’s guest, don’t act like you have something important to do with that phone. Put it down and earn your kola by engaging your guest in a heart warming discussion.

I know sometimes it’s fun to chat but trust me, it’s more fun to hear someone laugh at your jokes in real time than to see the send 😂 emojis or even listen to those rehearsed, multi trial voice-notes (Oh! Don’t act like you never cancelled a voice-note because your laughter didn’t sound OK). 

Stay Tuned for more stories coming your way!!

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Written & compiled by: Onyedikachi Emmanuel Eze