CHAPTER 2: AN OLD FRIEND

"waiting a minute, that looks like Humphrey, what in heaven's name is he doing here????"

Tory looked at him surprised after her experience with him she was trying to cut him off from her life now, he was here in the same town she schools.

"Who is Humphrey??" Grace asked trying to figure out who among the three guys seated at the fence of the new building was Humphrey.

"He's an old friend of mine" Tory explains as they walk towards the guys.

"Humphrey" Tory screamed out his name as they got closer to him.

Humphrey was a tall handsome young man of 20 years, he had a nice caramel skin tone with a pointed nose.

"Tory????" Humphrey got up surprised, happy, and excited to see her again.

"What are you doing here??? Miss you"

He asked as he grabbed her to give her a tight hug.

"I school her dummy" she replies laughing still hugging him.

"And who is this pretty angel with you," he asked turning to Grace standing beside Tory.

"This is Grace, my friend, and roommate and you better get that idea out from your head Humphrey"

Tory quickly added knowing how Humphrey normally behaves.

"What idea are you talking about?" He asked as he let out a crooked smile.

"But for real you school here??" He asked.

"Yes I do, I study biology education" Tory added as he helps her get on the fence to sit.

"That's nice, I just also moved here not too long ago, at least we get to spend time together" he whispers into her ears, holding her hands.

Tory laughs as she slowly removes her hands from his, she knew she was hurt and that she still had a crush on Humphrey but she knew getting into any relationship other than friendship with him will be a mistake. Although he was nice he has one bad side that she was never going to tolerate.

Humphrey introduce them to his cousin Alex and friend Henry who were also outside with them, they all discussed and taught.

"O my God Grace we forgot, we were headed to town to charge our phones" Tory looks at Grace who was also realizing too.

" I can't believe we forgot, let's g,o Tory, We have to go but it's nice to meet you guy," Grace said as she stood up.

"Waiting a minute, if it's about charging your phones that's not a problem, we are about to turn on your gen(generator) so you girls can come to charge your phones at our place"

Humphrey quickly stops them from living.

"Are you sure it's okay by you guys?" Tory and Grace asked?

"Yes, it's okay" Henry replies with a funny smile.

"Okay, if you guys are okay with it, thanks a lot we appreciate"

Tory replies.

"Get out jhoor are you a stranger???" Humphrey asked joking as he directs them to his place.

It's wasn't too far from Alex's place where they were seated

They got to the compound, it was a big compound that has a large space and three buildings in it. The first building had three flats which are all self-contains but only one was completed which was Humphrey's place. While the second building had 2 bedrooms flats each and was fully completed, the third building was a little duplex which was also fully completed and was used by the owner of the compound.

Humphrey opens this apartment and leads both Tory and Grace inside, it was a large apartment and was well furnished, it was painted green and black inside with a drawing of one of Africa's reggae musician images.

Humphrey after taking them inside stepped out to turn on the gen after which he came back in and handed his phone to Tory to use, he said he wasn't going to take long that he needs to talk to one of his friends for a bit.

After plugging her's and Grace's phone they bothlay on Humphrey's bed as they viewed the short funny videos on his phone and laughed a few moments later someone stepped in, they both got up to see who it was was was and was surprised to see that it was Thomas.

Thomas is a short black guy, who had once tried to ask Tory out when she started college but she had rudely ignored him because she finds his attitude bad.

Everyone knew Thomas as a rude, arrogant young man who takes pleasure in asking, dating, and using new female students who get gets into college.

" Humphrey is a friend of Thomas??" Grace asked Tory as soon as Thomas took what he came for and went back out.

"I had no idea they knew each other" she replies dumbstruck.

A few minutes later, Humphrey came in to inform them that they all have to sleep at Henry's place because Thomas's girlfriend Aurora was going to a sleepover and they needed privacy.

Tory and Grace to their respective properties and follow Humphrey to Henry's place which was one of the two-bedroom flats in the compound.

They plugged their phone when Tory realized that her phone was not charging at all, she kept on trying but all to no avail, she asked grace who had successful power on her phone what the time was and was told it was 9:40 pm going to 10:00 pm so they both made the decision to a sleepover and since Tory already knew Humphrey she felt safe knowing that he was not going to try to touch her in any way but she forgot to inform grace how Humphrey behaves.

Tory entered the second room with Henry so she could plug her phone with his charger after which they started watching a movie together. A few hours later she started hearing struggling noise, she was about to get up when there was a knock on the room door then grace walks in breathing havely.

Tory quickly took her phone and follow Grace out of the room back to the sitting room where they were meant to sleep, Grace told her that Humphrey was trying to force himself on her and that they have been struggling for hours now that she can start with him alone, Tory felt bad because she forgot to give grace aa heads-up on how Humphrey behaves but never expected he would act like that with a girl he just met.

"Where is Humphrey??" Tory asked a little bit angry.

"He stepped out to talk to Thomas's girlfriend, it looks like they are having an issue " Grace answers as he gets her things.

"Am going inside the room instead" Grace said she s back to the room door.

Tory was already angry at Humphrey, she sits down on the small mattress to wait for him to come back inside.

After spending close to 2hours settling Thomas and Aurora's issue, Humphrey came back inside only to see Tory waiting for him angrily.

"Before you say anything can we step outside for a minute, we need to talk"

Humphrey pleaded before Tory could say a word.

"Fine, but whatever you are going to say better be good because I am in no laughing mood with you," she asked angrily she walks past him still angry.

She took her outside the house to sit, he started apologizing for trying to hit on Grace and begged Tory to give him a chance saying he missed the way they're used to be together.

Tory asked him to ask for Grace's forgiveness instead of her's and if you ever have that mindset that she was ever going to date him that he should kill it because she had no plans of dating someone who doesn't respect other people's decisions and tries to force himself on every girl he meets.

Humphrey kept on begging and apologizing that he was sorry, but Tory was in no mood to listen to him.

"If you are sorry, then go apologies to the girl you just tried to take advantage of and you see you and I can only be friends nothing more than that"

Tory replies trying to be as calm as possible.

"Humphrey if you don't have anything to say, I have to go to bed now and don't try anything funny trust me you wouldn't like the outcome"

Tory said calmly but with anger evident in her voice.

She got back into the house played on the small mattress on the floor and started crying dispute everything going on she still thinks of Brenden and misses him.

"Lord I know that everything that happens to me happens for a reason and all I ask is for you to give me the strength to move on with my life and be happy".

She whispers to herself as she tries to sleep, hoping that morning comes with peace.